Staying Put At Braunston. Grand Union.

We could be staying here for a few days now as the engine has developed what we think is a fuel problem.

This could not be a better place to be though as there are three chandlers within easy walking distance of the boat and a couple of boatyards.

On our way here we were overtaken by Mr and Mrs speedy thundering along, on a day like that it seemed such a waste.

We were leapfrogging the coal boat that we met the other day as he made his way along to the boats waiting for him. Here he is fueling the last of these three. This time next month he will be here again, that's quite a tall order to keep that sort of service up.




Another BW man with his hands full, two seventy footers and him in the middle. The front of the leading barge is well under the bridge here and the trailing barge is still a long way off.



Hilmorten locks.




They will be closing a lock here during the winter stoppage programme but as they are side by side locks there should still be a way through. They are also closing the Braunston Tunnel and an awful lot of the Grand Union below Buckby locks, so, we have decided to overwinter on this side of the tunnel.

If all goes well we should still have access to Rugby and through to Atherstone one way and Banbury the other. We now know where to get water, diesel, gas, pumpout, food and of course the most important commodity,..........beer! along that route.


Until next time..........................