Banbury

Late on Monday fuel boat Dusty arrived as promised, I relieved them of 8 bags of smokeless fuel but sadly they had run out of diesel so that will have to wait, I've only used about 30ltrs since the last fill so it's not a problem.

On Wednesday the weather was bright and my 14 days were up and I decided to move up to Banbury, it was only going to be a short cruise if I could get a mooring where I wanted to be so I left around 10am.

I saw a couple of famous characters on the way, first was Che Guevara, he wasn't around but his boat was moored up.

And then just a little further along Zorro was also resting up.

The variety of boats is always fascinating to me.

I was soon passing Twyford Wharf where it looked like a day boat was being worked on.

 And then the short run through open fields,

to Grants lock (30) at 9' 6" deep and with a bridge at the entrance it was time to christen the new paintwork on the rubbing strake (the name says it all) it's unavoidable damage, but when you have only just finished it a little tear may roll down your cheek ;-)

Onwards with the sun on my back now, a lovely day ahead.

Passing beneath the M40 again and feeling joyous not to be on it.

I arrived at the Tramway moorings just before the town center and very convenient for Morrisons and was lucky to find a nice spot on the end of the 14 day piled section, so that was me sorted.

Within half an hour the section behind me was full, so I was happy to have timed it right.

Totals this post: 3.5 miles : 1 lock : 5 lift bridges (open)

I have done some catching up with non perishable provisions and will stay put a while now to catch up with other things while the town is within easy reach. The only downside is no TV signal but I can live withought that and watch the F1 and Strictly Come Dancing on the laptop :-)

There is a boat festival in Banbury this weekend so I will have a wander and see what that's like tomorrow, happy days.

Job done.

So after a week of painting in between dodging showers and drying time I got the 3rd coat of paint on the anti-slip panels yesterday.
This morning I removed the masking tape and washed down the side of the boat and I am now as far as I am going externally this year!

I am pleased with the outcome, although it won't stay scratch free for long, it's a job that badly needed doing, done!

I will stay here tomorrow to give it as long as I can to harden and probably move on Wednesday, provisions are low so I need to do a few trips to the store in Banbury, next stop.

Just the odd shower.

I've been trying, honest, but the odd shower keeps messing up progress, however, in between the showers I have got it prepared and primed.

De-rusted

Just as I finally finished de-rusting after a couple of interupted days it rained yet again, so next morning I had to go all over it again to get rid of the rust that begins to form very quickly.

Primed

And then I could get the primer on and hope for dry weather, but today it has been light rain all day so no progress, oh well in the words of the Stereophonics, 'Maybe Tomorrow'

I've been down and

I'm wondering why

These little black clouds

Keep walking around

With me

And back to painting.........

.....and then all stop.

So today saw me keen to get on with side two, well not keen but it has to be done. I started at 9am with the battery drill and wire brush attachments de-rusting, by 9:45 I was ready with the palm sander to finish prepping the first metre section, and disaster struck again, my generator would not start, after trying everything I could think of and failing it was a phonecall to Kipor, Richard explained how to check/purge and reprime the fuel line, no good, "ok give me a collection address and I'll sort it" mmmm..... "somewhere on the Oxford canal", after much discussion and with me deciding I would have to run the boat engine as a parting shot Richard suggest trying a new spark plug, more 'googling' and phone calls and I finally locate one in Banbury, so bike out, tyres pumped up, and off on a 20 minute each way ride, on the plus side I also picked up some milk! Little things can be a problem for the 'boater', anyway plug fitted it fired up first pull of the cord, by now almost 2pm, I managed to get 3 metres prepped before calling it a day.

Day 1's limited progress.

Thunderstorms due this evening, what will tomorrow bring I wonder, hopefully a passing painter will say "here, let me do that for you, go have a beer", but maybe not ;-)

Patience rewarded.

It's a funny old business this narrow boating, I think other boaters wait for me to start my engine then suddenly de-cloak and appear, this morning I set off at 9am, in between two boats neither of which were in view when I fired it up. It was lovely and warm and I was feeling confident today would be a good one.

The boat I was following was just leaving the first lock of the day as I arrived but walking up to the lock (Aynho Weir, another diamond shaped one) I could see a boat heading towards it, so I waited for him and locked him through, by the time he was done there were two boats hovering behind me, someone had moored on the end of the lock landing so they couldn't get on to that, the people of the first boat waiting closed up for me and I headed off the short distance to Nell Bridge lock (32), you have to walk across the B4100 road to get to the lock from the landing at this one.

The approach to Nell Bridge lock, no access under the bridge
 so a walk across the main road.

It's 8' 8" deep and the canal bends around as you leave but there was no one waiting or approaching so I took my time to allow the boaters behind to catch up and close up for me again, well why not, they were four handed and it gives them something to do :-)

The stretch of the canal from Aynho to Banbury has 10 lift bridges, luckily most if not all of them are permanently up.

I took 3 pictures of bridge 183 with the M40 just beyond and although the road traffic was streaming through none of them had a vehicle in it, strange the way some things happen.

Passing beneath the M40

It was getting hotter and the towpath had now changed sides so I was on the lookout for a suitable painting spot, but the first section between Nell Bridge lock and Kings Sutton lock was no good, however the views were very pleasant.

Kings Sutton lock was against me and as I was filling it looking ahead was a nice low piled section of bank, but it was on a tight bend, a boater came along and the lady told me to stay aboard, as I was almost ready to exit the lock she asked where I was heading and I explained, she told me the canal straightened after the bend and they had just left a mooring there, lovely, I hoped.
It was very suitable, so I have moored up, and tomorrow weather permitting side two can commence! The only problem is there does not appear to be a shop for miles, so the bike might have to come out of hibernation for the milk run, further investigation needed, and I may have to do a bit of grass trimming at the edge.

Current mooring:

Total today: 3 miles : 3 locks : 5 lift bridges (all open)

It did get hot.

With the forecast declaring a very hot day I set off early-ish, around 9am in shorts and T shirt on my quest to find a suitable spot for painting, it needs to be away from housing, as I have to run the generator, and with a low bank, so I can reach down to the lower rubbing strake, I knew if I found one today I would have to wind (turn around) to get at the right hand side of the boat.

Janes Teas was just ahead but there was no one around, it's a right old mix of tables and chairs but I have seen it very busy, not a great picture with the sun behind me.

The canal seems more overgrown than when I came down this way, and a passing boater complained how shallow it was, but to be fair I have had no depth problems so far.

Bit of trimming wouldn't go amiss,

At my first lock Northbrook (38) luck was with me, I had help from a boat waiting to come down, they told me to stay aboard and I complied happily.

There were two helpful ladies, one's out of shot, as the men looked on ;-)

I really enjoy this canal, the scenery is lovely and ever changing, open fields one minute, tree lined banks, then lines of moored boats, all add to the appeal.

Next was Dashwoods lock (37), a bridge and steps up to the lock makes for a pleasant entrance.

 And then another lovely view across to the ploughed fields.

Where around the corner the seagulls (I think) were having an early feast.

Approaching Lower Heyford I saw Bones, the owner used to blog but I think she might have given up now, I love the way she's painted the name.

After passing through Lower Heyford I nearly stopped for a beer at the black swan ;-)

Unusual sight, not the first but you don't see many.

Next came the only blot on an otherwise lovely cruise, I was approaching the awkward lift bridge (205), I dislike it, it's just awkward, but just as I got there a dog walker appeared so I asked her if she would open it for me, there was a hire boat following me, so if she refused I intended to let them operate it, anyway she tried to lift it and failed and disappeared from view, I assumed she had given up, so I waved the hire boat towards me so I could ask them to open it, then the lady dog walker reappeared and opened it, hooray, I went through and as I got in hearing range I thanked her very much and said 'there is another boat just behind me', she did not like that and said "they can get off and open it, I am not the bridge operator" and with that let go of the bridge which dropped with a heavy clang much to the dismay of the boater behind me, oh well not everyone is happy all the time.

Next came Allen's lock (36) a very awkward entrance to this one, it's almost impossible to get in without hitting the bridge that forms the entrance, and I clipped it as most must do, once in a couple of Antipodean heads appeared above me and offered to work me through, things were really rather pleasant today.

Allen's lock and I'm on board again, my helpers waiting for it to fill. 

I think this pleasant little marquee must stay in place permanently.

Then it was on to Heyford Common lock (35) and  Somerton Deep lock (34) at 12ft deep it was the only the second one today with no helpers,

Somerton Deep lock

Without finding a suitable place for painting I moored up just beyond Aynho Wharf, hopefully tomorrow I will find somewhere as the towpath changes sides.

Totals today: 10 miles : 5 locks : 2 lift bridges

View from the side hatch:

Not quite what I wanted.

I wanted to set off this morning around 10 in the sunshine, it wasn't sunny and I didn't leave until 11, no worries as Mick Jagger said 'you can't always get what you want'

After negotiating the electric lift bridge just ahead of my mooring I pulled onto the service point for the usual fill and empty, I wasn't particularly full or empty but it made sense while I was so close.

Service point at Thrupp, the winding hole is alongside and behind me
utilising the 90° bend right by the lift bridge.

Thrupp is a very popular and well maintained stopping point, despite them cutting the grass alongside my new paintwork the day after I had finished it, (luckily not while it was wet) I enjoyed my brief stay but wanted to get on and find a new spot to start on the other side.

Not far ahead lay the first obstacle, a lift bridge with no mooorings on the off side making it tricky for the single hander, but by taking my time it went well and as I moved away a lady on a boat approaching said "you made that look easy for a single hander" I was chuffed at that comment.

Next was Shipton Weir lock (41), diamond shaped 2' 5" deep but with heavy gates, they look odd but are not difficult although the boat tends to wander about a bit, but soon through that one as well.

And then onto the river Cherwell for the run up to the next lock, it's quite bendy and if the rivers high quite tricky I would imagine but no problem today, all very calm, through Bakers lock (40) 8' 6" deep and uneventful and then following the graceful curve past the line of permit holder moorings to get to Enslow, I took this picture of the view across the fields with boats and the bridge in the distance but it doesn't do it justice really.

Another long line of permit holders moorings the other side of Enslow Wharf makes for slow going, but I was not in any rush.

Enslow Wharf

It was now time to see if my first option would succeed, there is a winding hole just ahead and another further along after the next lock, if there was space on the towpath moorings before the lock I intended to go up through the lock then turn and come back down the lock to moor facing the correct way to paint, but in Mick's words again 'you can't always get what you want', the moorings were full, so a little disappointed I went up through the lock and moored above it, it's not suitable for painting here, but it was muggy and I was a bit deflated so it will be carry on tomorrow and keep a look out for somewhere else.

Tonight's mooring:

Totals today: 3 miles : 2 lift bridges : 3 locks

On to Thrupp....

.....and a bit more painting.

After refitting the bow and stern buttons and a couple of side fenders I moved on Wednesday.

Before setting off I was able to put a load in the washing machine and get that started, I was stopping at the next water point so it made sense to get the machine running before filling the tank.

A short trip in pleasant conditions saw me arriving at Roundham lock (42) which was in my favour so that was nice.

Once through there it was on to the water point which my guide told me was just before bridge 224, and it was literally just before it, as I approached I had to duck under the willow tree and could then see that a narrow dutch barge was moored on the bend at the water point, he was just about to leave as I approached, so I carefully passed him and then pulled back to the point.

The red boat sticking out is on the bend and water point, not his fault, it's
badly positioned and a boater moored encroaching on it doesn't help!

Not only was the water point very close to the bend and bridge but some kind fellow was moored on one of the bollards, this meant my bow was sticking out and only leaving just enough room for a boat to pass me on a blind bend, luckily only one appeared as I filled and I was able to wave him through as I could see both ways and knew it was clear.

Arriving at Thrupp it was busy as is usual, but I was able to moor just before the lift bridge, I wanted  to be here as it’s a 7 day mooring and I still had to paint the non slip panels on the gunnel.

Current Mooring:

Total travel this post: 3 miles : 1 lock

I got stuck in as soon as I had finished mooring (and a cuppa) masking up the areas to form the panels and was able to get a coat of paint and sand (sprinkled on separately) on and ready for the second coat. 

Next day a very brief shower wetted all the sand and it was afternoon before it had dried and I was able to get a 2nd coat on, working on the boat always attracts a lot of questions and people were very curious as to what I was doing, but a bit of a chat breaks the day up, and gives a rest from the brush!

This morning (early) I got the 3rd and final coat on and then this afternoon I took of the masking tape to reveal a very successful job, I am staying put again until Monday at least to let it harden off and then I will go in search of somewhere to begin the other side, hoorah!