After a couple of days at Alrewas it was time
to move on. Although we’re in no rush, planning to be at Shardlow by the end of
the month, we don’t like to stay in one place too long.
I spent yesterday cutting and fitting acrylic
sheets to add secondary glazing to the saloon windows. I’m not sure how
effective it’ll be, but if we can avoid last winter’s ice on the inside of the windows in the mornings,
it’s got to be a bonus. I've still some work to do, but they'll be ready for the cold weather.
Not that we needed it today. After a cool start
it’s been a warm sunny day. Tee shirt and shorts the suitable apparel for the
weather.
We were ready to move out soon after 10, but
then a boat hove into view, heading past us towards Bagnall Lock. Then another.
And another….. It was an hour later when we actually got into the lock. Fradley
moorings must have been empty by then!
Finally
into Bagnall Lock
Through Alrewas, (giving way to a boat in the
opposite direction at every bridge) and we pulled over to fill the water tank
above Alrewas Lock.
Waiting
for a Shakespeare Line hire boat to come through Bridge 46
NB Polly
has a shortened riveted iron hull. Bet she’s some tales to tell…
By the time our tank was full the queue for
Alrewas Lock had cleared, so we were able to drop straight down onto the short
section of River Trent.
Out of
Alrewas Lock onto the river.
The canal builders generally didn’t like to
incorporate lengths of natural watercourse into the navigations. Prone to
variable water levels they could (and do!) close the canal during wet weather.
The advantage however is a good supply of water to feed the locks without
having to build expensive reservoirs. James Brindley, chief engineer of the
Trent and Mersey Canal, (although he preferred the title “The Grand Trunk”), likened
water in a river flowing downhill to a furious giant running along and
overturning everything; whereas (said he) "if you lay the giant flat upon
his back, he loses all his force, and becomes completely passive, whatever his
size may be."
The river comes into the navigation a little
below the lock, and the main volume leaves it again only a couple of hundred
yards downstream, over a large weir.
Alrewas
Weir.
It’s nearly a mile of delightful river before
the artificial cut is regained at Wychnor Lock.
Awkward turn
under Cow Bridge on the river section.
St.
Leonards, Wychnor
Mags waiting
for Wychnor Lock
The water level indicator, alongside the bow,
is well into the green (safe) zone.
After this lock there’s a 2 mile almost
straight section, with the noisy A38 running alongside.
The
extensive Barton Turns Marina is on this straight.
Bridge 36
must be the narrowest on the network….
We caught up with the queue again at Tatenhill
Lock. Two boats were waiting to go down in front of us.
Queuing
for Tatenhill Lock.
Aren’t we
there yet, Dad?
We pulled over at Branston Water Park, just in
front of NB Sanity Again. Bruce and Sheila
joined us for a brew and a chat before we settled for the rest of the
afternoon.
I reckon we’ll have a short cruise through
Burton tomorrow, tying up somewhere out of the way for Sunday.
The new camera seems to be acquitting itself
well, although I’ve not yet come to terms with all it’s features.
The zoom is good, this guy was preening in the
shrubbery on the opposite side of the canal.
Locks 5, miles 5¼
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