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Thursday 15 March 2012

Right hands and then...left hands

Last time on the Yarwood blog..... we were sitting on the lock moorings along with Nb Caxton waiting for repairs to lock seven on the Lapworth flight and the flight to be reopened. 

So yesterday morning a BW work crew turned up to check on their repairs of the previous day and set about adding a layer of cement render over the newly fitted anchor bracket pronouncing that the flight would 'probably' be opened mid afternoon.


Returning from walking the dogs lunch time I could see that the cement hadn't gone off so  I called BW for an update and was told that the flight would be opened at close of business, half four, five o'clock.   We decided to leave the descent until the morning.
  
So that's the Right Hand version.

Blow me, twenty minutes later a BW crew appeared accompanying an Alvechurch hire boat up the flight.  They, the BW crew, laid some plywood over their repair, re watered the empty pound and announced that the flight was open!

And there's the Left Hand version.

We wasted no time, Yarwood leading the way and Caxton following, we zipped down through 14 locks, serviced the boats at Kingswood Junction and headed off south on the Grand Union.

 The trusty lock-wheeler (bike) is unwrapped and pressed into service

 Yarwood makes the turn on to the Grand |Union
 Here comes Caxton with Chris at the helm
 A bit of reverse to get Caxton's 68' round the turn
And that's us moored up at Tom O' the Wood moorings at bridge 63 for the night. 

9 comments:

  1. I don't understand why there's always a hurry to move on; why did you bother to "waste no time" and press on through 14 locks? Why not wait until tomorrow? What's the urgency to get somewhere else to moor? Why not have another cuppa? What;s the difference between the bank that you were moored on as compared with the bank which you arrived at? Please enlighten a confused yottie...thanks

    Rob

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  2. Hi Rob
    A lot of the time there is no rush to get anywhere but right now we are heading south to get to Northampton before the flight of locks there are closed. We are also travelling with the new crew of Caxton through a series of double locks (built for two boats together) and it makes sense go through these as a pair. The caxton crew are time restrained as they need to get to Milton Keynes on the Grand Union canal by Monday next - they have to go back to work next week.
    Lesley

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  3. Hi Lesley

    I hope everything is alright as we haven't heard from you in a while!

    Jane

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  4. Coming over from OZ later in the year and spending a week on the canals from Falkirk. Won't have much time but can't wait.
    Rob Mc

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  5. Well it sure beats working at the PO! Hope you have a TV licence!! I've enjoyed reading your stories in CB mag. I go about 5/6 weeks a year on our shared Narrowboat and have done for about 20 years now. Great life. I shall look out for you on my travels.

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    Replies
    1. Hello Daffers
      Well blow me, a voice from the past!! how are you?

      Retirement is wonderful though it came a bit earlier than planned, I am not knocking it.... We will keepm am eye out for Nb Noggin.
      Lesley

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    2. My husband is older than me but I was medically retired in 1990. We have retired to a village in Suffolk near Woodbridge and love it. We sail at Aldeburgh as well as using Noggin. She had just been repainted. My first week this year is 2nd week in May. Life is good and retirement is full but interesting.

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  6. Hi Lesley

    I read the write up about Yarwood in Canal boat, it was a great article. Hope all is well with you both, I've missed your blogging.

    Paula

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