Recent Comments
New Products
Warwickshire Ring (Combined)
Your opportunity to save a little money with
both the Popular and Bowcam DVDs together in one box at a lower price, and you save on postage too.
find out more
Caldon Canal (Combined)
Your opportunity to save a little money with both the Popular and Bowcam DVDs together in one box at a lower price, and you save on postage too.
find out more
No Problem at Rothersthorpe
It was a trip on the train this morning to reach Northampton for a short walk down to the River Nene where No Problem was just arriving. After spending summer on the rivers they were returning to the canal system for the winter and I was to help them work the 17 locks of the Rothersthorpe flight on the Northampton Branch of the Grand Union Canal. There was just time for a little (or was it a lot of) shopping before leaving Northampton. 
The first few locks near the town had anti vandal devices fitted. I’ve seen many variations before but these are the first I’ve seen fitted with a Yale key rather than a handcuff key. I assume it makes them harder for the vandals to get around. 
With Sue and Vic taking turns steering and working the locks and with help from Anne (from Moore2Life) and from me, we managed the flight in reasonable time. 
I left them at Gayton Junction, shortly after the top lock to walk to Milton Malsor for a bus to Northampton and to return home by train. Sue had already written her blog by the time I had returned home. Posted on Monday, 28 September 2009 at 22:56 Comments (0)
|
Vic and Sue on No Problem, were heading down the Rothersthorpe flight of locks on the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union last Friday. Pacing themselves for the seventeen or so locks to take them to the River Nene.
They’d hardly started when Vic came under the bridge to be faced by someone aiming a camera at him. Vic watched Lucy hurtling down the towpath to greet me and he knew it wouldn’t be such hard work after all.
Part way down the flight I discovered this old lady sitting on the old lock beam at the side of the canal.
There was just time to admire their new headlight – with a big bulb Sue won’t mind the tunnels as it won’t go dark inside.
Following down the flight was Chas and Ann on Moore2Life and there was time to help them with a few locks too.
Today was a complete break from the planned meeting in London which was cancelled at the last moment allowing me to swap my planned day off from Friday to Thursday.
Today I was up just as early as a working day but this time I was heading via Birmingham to Northampton. Then a bus ride to Milton Malsor and a short walk across the fields to the canal. This was the day that No Problem and Moore2Life were descending the Rothersthorpe flight from the Grand Union Canal to the River Nene.
They had done the first few locks before I got there and John Sinclair was already helping them but an extra pair of hands is always helpful.
The weather was the best so far this year and I really enjoyed the day. We moored the boats together for a picnic lunch.
And today was Sue’s birthday so I was able to wish her a happy birthday in person.
It was lovely to be able to chat to Chas and Anne on Moore2Life and to see Vic and Lucy again. Lucy’s behaviour is wonderful as she trots along the towpath keeping pace with the boat and looking after herself. She never rides on the boat when there is a towpath. Then she amazed everyone at the last lock on the Grand Union Canal when she got on the boat and sat down without any commands being issued. As there is no towpath on the River Nene she has to ride on the boat and we can only assume she remembered this from last year when No Problem made the same journey.
I left them at Northampton to make my way back to the station to catch the trains home. Thank you Sue, Vic, Chas, Anne, Lucy and Molly for a lovely day.
Best Sellers
Warwickshire Ring (Combined)
Your opportunity to save a little money with both the Popular and Bowcam DVDs together in one box at a lower price, and you save on postage too.
find out more
Llangollen Canal (Combined)
Your opportunity to save a little money with both the Popular and Bowcam DVDs together in one box at a lower price, and you save on postage too.
find out more
Warwickshire Ring (Popular)
The highlights of a cruise, like a television
programme, showing the Warwickshire Ring.
find out more
Birmingham Canal Navigations (Combined)
Your opportunity to save a little money with both the Popular and Bowcam DVDs together in one box at a lower price, and you save on postage too.
find out more
RSS Feed