Acton Trussell to GH Marina

Post written 11 months late – part memory and part assumption.

5 hours engine

Penkridge to Acton Trussell

Very wet morning, and were going to stay put, but cheered up the afternoon so we moved. Stopped off at Midland Chandlers to look at a 12 volt fridge. However, their opinion of how many amps it would use was not encouraging. A general discussion about the way the batteries run down overnight when the inverter is on led to their recommendation that I consult Clive Penney.

Tied up just beyond Acton Trussell. Running the engine a bit further in the evening.

3.5 miles, 4 locks, 4 hours engine

Cross Green to Penkridge

Much better weather than yesterday. Still with a nip in the air, but no rain and some sunshine, especially later. A stop for lunch at Gailey. Penkridge moorings surprisingly full so we came through Filance lock and tied up just before the winding hole. Will run the engine for another hour tonight.

8.2 miles, 6 locks, 6 hours engine.

Bridge 8 to Cross Green

Horrible wet day, but relatively easy travelling. Water at Autherley Junction, and then tied up round the corner for lunch. Eventually moored at the Fox and Anchor, in order to have a birthday meal.

6 miles, 1 lock, 6 hours engine

Brewood to Bridge 8

Café church in Brewood, and then lunch at the Bridge Inn. Were going to stay in Brewood, but the amount of bird poo on the boat made us change our minds, so we cruised down to the moorings between Bridges 8 and 7.

Ran the engine in the morning to get the voltage up for the day, then cruised and will run it again for an hour before 8 to see us through the night.

2 miles, 0 locks, 3 hours engine

Gnosall to Brewood

Another grey day with intermittent rain or drizzle. Got to Wheaton Aston just after coffee, filled up with diesel from Turner's and bought a couple of 25 Kg bags of Wulfruna solid fuel (better than Excel, he said) for £10.50 each. Lunch on the moorings at Wheaton Aston, and then a straight run through to Brewood, tying up on the moorings just after Bridge 14. Timing below assumes an hour of engine tonight.

8.5 miles, 1 lock, 5.5 hours engine.

Bridge 47 to Gnosall

Very mixed weather-wise. Cold, wet and windy. Stopped at Norbury Junction for water. Tied up at Gnosall for a late lunch and decided to stay, tied on the 48 hour moorings between the two pubs. Deciding factor was a good Three signal, and good enough TV reception to watch England play Montenegro.

Engine in the evening.

7.3 miles, 0 locks, 4.5 hours engine

Market Drayton to Bridge 47

Cold day, getting colder, but dry. Through the Tyrley locks and the Woodseaves cutting without problems. Decided not to go for Norbury so tied up at the the SUCS visitor moorings just before Bridge 47. Ran the engine for an hour in the evening. Used the orange tubucket half way along the boat to ease the banging on the shelf.

6.7 miles, 5 locks, 5 hours engine

Market Drayton

Market day. Stayed put. Shower of rain as we ate our pork baps in the market. Much heavier rain around 4. Used Wetherspoon's to download an iPlayer programme. Went to Morrisons and back to the boat the shorter way.

0 miles, 3 hours engine

Audlem to Market Drayton

Beautiful day with clear blue skies. Tied up at the visitor moorings in Market Drayton before bridge 63. Ran the engine for a further hour in the evening.

6 miles, 17 locks, 6 hours engine

Hack Green to Audlem

Thought about visiting the nuclear bunker, until we found the price. So pushed off up the Shroppie, and  stopped at the Shroppie Fly. The Bridge Inn has an acoustic session tonight, so we've decided to stay. Ran the engine in the evening.

3 miles, 3 locks, 3 hours engine

Nantwich to Hack Green

Winded the boat before breakfast, to get some charge and hot water, and to be facing the right way to go back and get a pump-out and some solid fuel.

After church put undercoat on the swan-neck. It almost certainly needs another coat. Started out after a late lunch, and went back to Nantwich marina services for the pump-out and a bag of Excel. Managed to wind at the entrance to the marina with Margaret pulling the bows round from the bank. Just room to do it.

Tied up above Bridge 85 at Hack Green. Beautiful, isolated spot. Ran the engine again from 7 – 8 to charge for the night.

5 miles, 2 locks, 5 hours

Nantwich

Ran the engine for a hour this morning, and that gave enough juice for the whole day. Then went into town and got some stuff from a vegetable stall in the market, and some steaks from the butcher. Coffee at the bookshop.

After lunch, Margaret did a great job of cleaning the windows on the left side of the boat, and I started on the painting of the swan-neck – rubbing it down and putting primer on bare bits. Decided to prime the long pole as well, as the tow-path here seems well set up for it to stay while it dries.

Running the engine again tonight.

0 miles, 3 hours engine.

Sykes Hollow to Nantwich

Cloudy but fine in the morning. Set off about 10, got a wash going and was able to fill up with water at Burbridge Junction – better pressure than I remember in Nantwich itself. Also was able to buy some CRT pump-out tokens at Midway Boats.

Tied up on the visitor moorings on a straight bit of the long curve at Nantwich. Got the washing out drying on the tow path until the rain started and we brought it under the cover. Walked down to Morrisons / Aldi in Nantwich once the rain had stopped. Ran the engine for an hour in the evening.

6 miles, 1 lock, 4.7 hours engine.

Middlewich to Sykes Hollow

Lazy start, but got up above the first lock by 11. Cloudy, but not unduly cold. Pulled in for lunch at Sykes Hollow Leisure Ares, and then the promised rain arrived, some of it in very heavy bursts. So we stayed put.

7.6 miles, 2 locks, 3 hours

Middlewich

Stayed put in the boatyard overnight on Tuesday, so they could fit the Sterling AB12160 first thing. In the end, everyone was a bit late, but it got done. Much bigger job than the Sterling bumph and website suggest – mainly in relation to creating and siting the cables.

Moved up above Wardle lock again mid-afternoon. Ran the engine in the evening, though after being on a hook-up this probably wasn't really necessary.

0.3 miles, 1 lock, 2 hours engine.

Middlewich

Brought Erin Mae down from above Wardle Lock to Kings Lock Chandlery for engine and Webasto service. All seemed to go very smoothly.

1000 hour engine service (new oil, fuel and air filters). New oil in engine and gearbox. Flushed out coolant system and replaced antifreeze. Adjusted tappets.

Standard Webasto service. Didn't need anything beyond the gasket set.

Replaced the water filter under the kitchen sink – vast improvement.

0.3 miles, 1 lock, 2 engine hours.