I travelled home on the train yesterday afternoon and packed the car with all the material for our stand during the evening.

This morning saw a trouble free drive to Beale Park and we were unloading our boxes by 10 o’clock and stacking them in the marquee.

Most of our setting up was done by lunchtime when we retired to our boat for a quick sandwich and a coffee.

We finished the stand this afternoon and watched everyone else working on theirs.

If you are coming to the IWA National Festival then please come and say hello to us.  We are at stand A2 in the Premier Marquee, just inside the left hand entrance doors.

Our Waterway Routes narrowboat is moored outside on berth N2B, that’s just to the north of the entrance if you miss us during the day.

Boaters are starting to gather and the official mooring spaces come into effect from tomorrow when there will be a shuffling of boats to get everyone into their correct place.  Come and see us at berth N2B if you get a chance – that’s just north of the entrance to the lake and the second boat out from the bank.

I have a little shuffling to do with a return home by train to collect the car with the exhibition stand and boxes of DVDs, ready to set this up during Friday.

Look our for our stand, A2, in the Premier Marquee. next to the left hand entrance door.

Please say hello, and introduce yourselves – we’re looking forward to meeting you.

I walked into Banbury and was rewarded with the opportunity to meet Bones, aboard her boat Bones.  It was great to meet another blogger and have the opportunity to chat, however briefly.

We set off and cruised through the lift bridge I had seen being installed yesterday.  As we approached Allen’s Lock I thought I spotted a familiar face below, and I was right.

Maffi was there, instructing new hirers on the correct operation of a lock and we had the opportunity to chat while he waited for two more boats to arrive from the hire base.

We’re heading into Thrupp tomorrow, then onto the Thames on Sunday as we head to Beale Park where we have a stand at the IWA exhibition for the bank holiday weekend.

Bridge 189 on the Oxford Canal has been missing for several years, awaiting repairs.  The abutments have recently been repaired and today was the day for lifting the new bridge into place.

The crowds gathered from the waiting boats – note the pampered pooch sitting on its owners chair.

The crane arrived and lifted the deck into place first and the fit was checked.  It was lifted out again for minor adjustment, then replaced.

Aligning the teeth at the pivot was a little tricky but lots of hands soon made light work of the task and the platform was in place and correctly aligned.

The the first of the balance beams was lifted into place and large bolts used to fasten it there.

The workboat was used as a working platform to access the bolts underneath to make sure they were tight.

Suddenly it was starting to look like a proper bridge.

Then the second was lifted into place and bolted into position and it was time to test the balance.

The beams had deliberately been manufactured a little too long and the chainsaw was used to make the final adjustments.

The press were getting bored by then so two proud craftsmen who had made the bridge stood for photos and answered their questions.  They fitted the handrails and finished their work after a short lunch break.

We talk about "hanging" lock gates but what’s the correct term for fitting a bridge?  Any suggestions?

A lady, from Sunrise queuing below the lock had come up to help and recognised our boat as she was a blog reader.

She introduced herself as Carol, from Norfolk, with Mark holding the boat below.  She had found our blog from reading Sue’s No Problem Blog.

Thanks for introducing yourself, it’s always nice to meet blog readers in person, however briefly.

We expect to be in Banbury for a few days, until heading further south on Friday morning.

Last Sunday I filmed Canal Voyagers Hotel Boats, Snipe & Taurus, ascending the Wolverhampton 21 Locks for a short promotional video we’re planning.

While I was there I collected a copy of their latest brochure which has a splendid picture of the hotel boats in the locks at Braunston, outside the Canal Shop at the bottom lock,

I followed them a little along the main line towards Birmingham, taking more photos.

A few days later, after they had visited the Black Country Museum and Windmill End, they were moored in Birmingham.  After walking along the towpath and chatting to Neil and Corinne, the owners, I continued towards out boat.

Two boats further along I spotted Sarah-Kate and stopped to chat with Mike and Jo who we had met when we helped Balmaha and Sarah-Kate through Caen Hill Locks.  Jo explained she had taken photos of the Hotel Boats at Braunston and let them have a CD with permission to use them.

I showed Jo the cover photo of the Canal Voyagers brochure and asked if it was one of hers – she thought it might be.

Later in the evening, when I met Neil again, I asked about the cover photo and he explained it came from a kind lady who posted him a CD.  I explained the kind lady was probably moored two boats behind.

They introduced themselves the following morning.  It would have been a shame to be so close and miss each other without knowing.

Two days later after I had moved our boat from Birmingham to the Lapworth Link, 19 miles, 19 locks and 3 lift bridges single handed in one day, I filmed the hotel boats again.

Talking to a guest on the hotel boats I discovered he had already purchased some of our Canal DVDs by mail order through the Canal Shop.

By now we were approaching Lapworth lock 14 where Neil runs his Canal Shop from a boat moored alongside the lock and the guest was able to introduce himself to Neil.

We’re moored near Long Itchington tonight, ready to ascend Stockton Locks tomorrow morning, perhaps even reaching the top of Napton Locks, as we head towards the IWA Festival at Beale Park on the Thames where we have our stand for the Bank Holiday Weekend.

Time for another look at the comings and goings on Tony Blews’ wonderful UK Waterways Ranking Site.  This counts website hits over seven days and ranks the site accordingly.

Our own Waterway Routes score has been gradually climbing during the nine months I have been collecting the statistics – nothing too exciting but a comforting, gradual climb in score.

Let’s look at a couple of others too.

Derek and Dot on Gypsy Rover have been travelling the waterways and blogging about their journey.  There are lots of ups and downs but they have achieved a reasonably consistent 1500.

They recently sold their boat and are now renting a home in March while awaiting delivery of their new motor home.

I wonder if they will continue blogging about waterways and remain on the ranking site, or if they will start blogging in general.

A newcomer to the statistics is Neil Ratcliffe’s Canal Shop Company.  Neil registered on the ranking site a long time ago, but has only recently added the code to his web pages (and still hasn’t added it to all the pages),

It always takes seven days from adding the code for the seven day total to be meaningful but there’s a clear climb to over 1500.  I wonder where it will settle down.

Let me know if you would like to be featured in future statistics.

We’ve completed the filming of the Leicester Ring DVD.  Here’s Susan, steering our boat towards London at the end of the Leicester Ring filming.

It’s seemed like an obstacle course as we dodged the weather, refilled empty pounds, waited for broken lock gates to be mended and found long lines of boats turning up just when we wanted to manoeuvre the boat for filming.  We’ve also shared locks with some very helpful boaters.

We’re just past Calcutt Locks on the way back to Birmingham.  We hope to reach Warwick tomorrow (Saturday) and tackle Hatton on Sunday morning – we can lend you a windlass if you’d like to help.

We almost caught up with a boat after a couple of locks and we were hoping to share the remaining locks with them but they moored up and we cruised past them – not knowing at the time that they had a broken throttle cable, awaiting the arrival of River Canal Rescue.

It was hard working all the wide locks on our own.  They are all slightly different and the best order to open the paddles to avoid pushing our boat around seemed different at each lock.

It was just plain hard work holding the boat with the centre rope in each lock until we reached Double Rail Lock – neither side of the lock had centre bollards.  There were three on each side but two were close to each other at the bottom of the lock and no use to us.  Rather surprising after the recent fuss about centre bollards.

We moored at Kilby Bridge and were bothered by children on bikes trying to set the BW workboats adrift, until they realised we were filming them.

Then they cycled up and down the towpath shouting a lot and swinging tennis rackets at anyone who stuck their head out.  Once again they disappeared when we started filming them.

Aquaholix, the boat we passed in Leicester moored behind us, and we heard about the broken throttle cable from Mike and Debbie Gunn

We planned to cruise together through the rest of the broad locks which was fine until we reached Bumblebee Lock, the first lock of the day.  All four gates were shut and all four paddles down but the pound above the lock was completely drained.  After reporting the problem to BW and walking the pound to check for a breach we had to open both sets of paddles at the next three locks to get enough water to refill the pound.  As I walked the pound I was surprised to see no sign of any fish, or any rubbish or any other disturbance.

The rest of the day was great, with our new found friends Mike & Debbie Gunn on Aquaholix sharing the locks and the work.  They were very co-operative when asked to go first or second between the locks and to use a particular side of the lock so it kept consistency in our filming.  If only they were available every time we meet broad locks.

We made it to Foxton, and we’ve filmed the Market Harborough Arm, so all we need is sunshine tomorrow morning for us to head up the staircase.

This will be the highlight of our Leicester Ring DVD so sunshine is essential – and before 12:30 so it’s on the correct side of the boat for filming.

After that we just hope the repairs to Watford Locks which shut them today have been finished.

Barrow upon Soar looked great while the sun was out as we carefully navigated through the centre arch of the stone bridge an managed the sharp bend each side of the bridge.

Warming itself in the best of the sunshine was this cormorant, which simply watched us cruise past.  The water from the last few days rain was flowing over the weirs, as here just below Mountsorrel Lock.

We’re moored at Syston, hoping the weather will be kind enough for us to cruise through Leicester tomorrow.

The weather had been very unpredictable over the last few days.  The decision to moor up yesterday turned out to be right with strong winds, heavy showers accompanied by thunder and lightening.

The noise of the rain was deafening in the cratch while venturing there to take the photo.

Today we made it as far at Loughborough and moored in the recently refurbished basin before the showers arrived.

Just before we left we had a comment left on our blog by Nick Ferrar saying he was cruising the opposite way round the Leicester Ring so we would be passing somewhere.

He explained he was cruising on a boat from Oxfordshire Narrowboats so when we spotted one of their fleet coming round the corner we had the camera ready.  There was just time to check it was Nick as we passed – hopefully he’ll leave a comment when reaching home to name the other four crew members.

We passed a heron and an otter on the way to Trent Junction where the sign makes it clear which way to go.

Starting our journey south along the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section) we soon got to grips with the deep locks, admiring the cascade of water at Kegworth Deep Lock where we made sure we kept both boats back in the lock.

Were moored at Zouch Cut, and wondering how big the gaps will be between the forecast showers tomorrow.  We hope to get to Loughborough and, perhaps, beyond.

We made it to Willington yesterday, including passing through Branston Lock where everywhere looked so dry and parched and in need of rain.

Today we stayed in Willington as it rained all day and it was too dark to film.  We were spotted by Andrew Denny from Granny Buttons who dropped in for coffee. 

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we’ll have another try at heading for Trent Junction and, perhaps, a little beyond.

We were please to find that the recent breach at Minworth, mention in our two previous blog posts, had been fixed in just a few days and we were able to leave Birmingham along the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal as planned.

Approaching Farmers Bridge top lock we spotted Jim Shead walking near the top lock and he was soon winding the paddles to help us down.  We had first met him just a few weeks ago when he helped us up Farmers Bridge locks.

He worked a few locks but we soon had him steering and the thirteen locks were accomplished rather quicker than expected with his help.  Thank you Jim – I hope you weren’t late home for lunch.

Further on we passed the site of the Minworth Breach where vandals had opened the paddles on Lock 1 and allowed the pound towards lock 2 to overflow.  The water actually flowed down the towpath past lock 2 and onto the road below.

You can just see the new fencing in the distance in the first photo, just above the person’s head, and the closer show shows the embankment rebuilt after the original one was washed into the road below.

We’re moored near Alrewas on the Trent & Mersey Canal as we are filming the East Midlands or Leicester Ring, clockwise. Which should we call it?  We might pass through Burton upon Trent tomorrow if the weather holds, or stop short if the forecast rain arrives.

The latest news of the breach on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal says that vandals opened both sets of paddles at Lock 1 on the Minworth Flight causing water to overflow the pound to Lock 2.

This flow of water over the top of the bank washed the bank away, depositing large quantities of water and silt onto the road below.

The video clip is based on our Warwickshire Ring Bowcam DVD and shows the stretch from Minworth Lock 1 to Lock 2 which overflowed over the right hand bank between the locks.

I’ve just received an email from British Waterways alerting boaters to a breach on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal between Minworth Locks 1 and 2.

Due to vandalism the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal has been breached between locks 1 and 2 on the Minworth lock flight and the canal is closed between Curdworth bottom lock and Aston Top Lock (& Perry Barr top lock). Engineers are currently assessing the situation and further information will be provided on timescales for repair once the situation has been fully investigated.

These pictures show the length of canal in question, looking towards Fazeley Junction as if cruised out of Birmingham from Minworth Lock 1 to Lock 2.

No doubt there will be more reports during the next few days about what the vandals have done and how long it will take to repair.

We plan to cruise along there next Friday, just a week today, so I hope it is very minor damage.  With long lengths of canal drained it will take a long time to refill, even after the breach is fixed.

In our last blog I mentioned we would be ascending Garrison, Ashted and Farmers Bridge Locks on Tuesday morning in case anybody wished to help.

Our daughter, Susan, who had been with us for the main part of our cruise came back to help and we made our way slowly up through the locks in the morning.

Part way up Farmers Bridge locks a gentleman appeared with a windlass tucked into his belt.

I was a little intrigued as there were no boats either side of us.  He explained he had just helped another boat down the Farmers Bridge and Aston flights and was walking back up.

The he introduced himself as Jim Shead, waterways writer and photographer who I knew held the number 1 spot on Tony Blew’s UK Waterways Ranking Site.  He jumped at the chance to steer his first electric narrow boat and we made even faster progress than expected.

Thank you, Jim, it was great to meet you at last.

The delightful Coventry Canal entertained us today with our travels through the Atherstone and Glascote flights.  They are so very slow to fill it gives plenty of time to talk to other boaters and walkers on the towpath.

The sun was shining and it was a great day for us filming as we went – this time for the East Midlands or Leicester Ring.

Which name we should use for our DVD?

Eventually we reached Fazeley Junction where we’re watching lots of dogs taking their owners for a walk along the towpath.

We’ve finished filming for this trip and we’ll be heading back to our home mooring at Sherborne Wharf in Birmingham by Tuesday Lunchtime.

If anyone wishes to help with Garrison / Ashted / Farmers Bridge Locks on Tuesday morning they will be most welcome.

Another busy day brings us to the current limit of navigation on the Ashby Canal, a few metres further than last time.  Restoration is proceeding on the next section already.

Now we’re moored by the winding hole at the end of the open canal.

Tomorrow we will be heading slowly back towards Marston Junction, photographing some of the villages along the way.

Continuing northwards along the Oxford Canal we were watching for anything interesting to film for our DVD as it’s difficult to make the great countryside look interesting in our DVDs.

The sunshine helps make everything look good, particularly as we are filming northwards so it keeps the sun generally behind the camera.

We reached Hawkesbury Junction and, after passing through the stop lock, took our boat half way under the bridge, to complete a chapter in the DVD, then reversed back through the stop lock.

That caused a little confusion, particularly with one boater who didn’t believe you could do locks backwards so tried to ignore us.  We were soon back on the visitor moorings around the curve on the Oxford Canal.

Tomorrow we’ll be heading through the stop lock again, then north to Marston Junction before heading along the Ashby Canal to see how far we get towards the current limit of navigation before the restoration work starts.

Heading south this morning we reached Braunston Turn where we kept to the left towards Norton Junction.

After winding in the marina entrance we filled up with water before heading slowly back north as we filmed.

The forecasted sunshine didn’t come, but at least it remained dry for the whole day, if a little chilly in the shady sections.

We descended the paired locks at Hillmorton as we headed into Rugby.

Moored near the shops we were able to top up our supplies easily.  Tomorrow we will be heading to Hawkesbury Junction, and possibly a little further.

While moored for tea we had a visitor who came surprisingly far inside the kitchen while Susan fed it with bread.

We been keeping up to date with the travels of Derek and Dot on Gypsy Rover and their recent trip back home to New Zealand.

We knew they were just a little ahead of us near Brinklow on the Northern Oxford Canal and a quick phone call revealed exactly where they were.

Dot spotted us coming and was out with the camera to greet us, and we were soon moored a little beyond to invite them aboard for a coffee and sandwiches for lunch.

Time for Christine & Susan to meet Derek & Dot and to catch up on the latest news.

Their boat, Gypsy Rover, is for sale, so don’t miss an opportunity to purchase this famous boat.

I once commented that I had more photos of Dot steering other peoples boats than their own so this was an opportunity not to be missed for another.

Derek & Dot kindly left us with these gifts from their recent trip home to New Zealand.

We’re moored near Bridge 79 on the Northern Oxford Canal, heading for Braunston tomorrow morning, when we’ll wind to return northwards, filming for the Leicester Ring.

After an early start we made our way up the Atherstone flight.  We know they are slow to fill but they seemed even slower than usual.

At lock 3 I chatted to the crew of Tugby who had been checking out or website already.  I didn’t ask their names but I wonder if they are Robert and Nicky Fleming?

We continued on, passing this wonderful telegraph pole, approaching Nuneaton.

We passed Marston Junction, where the lock free Ashby Canal heads off to the left under the bridge.  Looking at the remains of the narrow stop lock through the bridge it’s easy to forget this was built as a broad canal.

Tonight we’re moored at Hawkesbury Junction.  Tomorrow we should catch up with Derek & Dot on Gypsy Rover before continuing towards Braunston Turn before retracing our steps as we film for the next of our DVDs.

We completed the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal today, with three locks at Minworth and eleven locks at Curdworth.

Mostly it was quiet, with the occasional busy spell when we met several boats at once.

We’re moving quickly as we head to Braunston where we’ll turn around to start filming as we head northwards as far as Fazeley Junction, assuming the sun keeps shining.

We’ve made good progress and were now moored between Tamworth and Polesworth adjacent to a quiet wooded area.

We might make it to Hawkesbury Junction tomorrow where we’ll turn onto the Northern Oxford Canal, passing Rugby some time on Monday.

Please say hello if you see us passing.