Braunston to Hargreaves Bridge.

On the move again!

Tuesday afternoon........we are getting ready to move down to the only working water point, when, once again, out of nowhere a boat suddenly appeared.

Guess where it went?

Two hours later we were reversing away from the point.

This was down to the most feeble dribble of water emerging from the end of the hose we had ever seen. But, water is water no matter how slow it might be, and time, we have enough of it to spare.

We were going back to our mooring, but as we passed the junction and looked along the canal towards Napton, the wanderlust took over.

1. Full tank of water......Check.
2. Full tank of fuel.........Check.
3. Full log box..............Check.
4. Enough bags of coal....Check.
5. Full gas bottles..........Check.
6. Empty waste tank......Check.
7. Full wine rack...........Check.
8. Full fridge...............Check.

Lets go!!

We carved our way through the already shattered ice and found a nice little spot all on our lonesome out in the country.The weather guessers had gone for heavy snow overnight, so, it would have to warm up a bit before that could happen leaving us with less chance of being iced in.

The morning was soon upon us, and what a morning it was.








You can still see the tracks in the ice from yesterday.









We are going to stay out here for tonight and see what comes along tomorrow.




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

Braunston.......... I'm going to get fed up with typing that name soon.


How can one little high pressure pipe bring so much happiness?




Yeeessss, the engine is running again. All thanks to a certain "Tony Redshaw" who runs a vintage diesel repair yard under the same name at Braunston.
It was really good to meet someone who actually knows what he is talking about after all the vacuous "reps" of the other firms.

I don't want to whinge about office staff, but having had to deal with a secretary who, after being given a careful explanation of the problem, (with the broken part in my hand) asked me, and I quote:
Is it a gas pipe or a water pipe?
This was because the manager, who was sitting no more than six feet away on his chair, couldn't be bothered to get off his seat. He left it to someone who didn't have a clue as to what they were doing....... No money for them then.



What a gloriously frosty morning it was today, the trees took on the appearance of feathers.





A view through the hedgerow.




One thing about the ice is that you can just stop anywhere you like with no fear of moving.
The boat on the right was being refuelled and re coaled in the middle of the canal.



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

Braunston.

Another new year ......Good!............Another breakdown...........Not good!

Midnight on new years eve found us out on the cratch, in absolute stillness with a frost forming over the boat. Champagne was in hand whilst we listened to the new year being rung in from Braunston church................all strangely different from the norm, but it worked well.








It was very dark too.






The Braunston turn with a thin layer of snow over the ice. Do you feel cold?






Ducks eat turkey!....... that just doesn't seem quite right somehow.


Our latest thing to break has completely disabled us.
One of the high pressure hydraulic pipes on the gearbox has failed dismally, this should be an easy repair of a common part. But it was not to be, the chandlers around here are as much good as a chocolate tea pot.
One was even trying to suggest that we contact BMC!!
To put that into context, it would be the same as going to a garage for a new tyre on your car and they tell you to go back to the vehicles original manufacturer.

Midland Chandlers (One of the biggest) will sell you the gearbox and the cooler but nothing to connect them together. They wont even try to source one for you, very helpful..........not!

The "proper" boatyards wont be opening until Monday so we will just have to dig our heels in and wait.




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