Back to Anderton, back to the painting.

We left Vale Royal on Thursday after a couple of pleasant days in the peace and quiet of the Cheshire countryside. The day started well, high cloud and mist on the water, but the promised rain soon moved in.

Early morning at Vale Royal

Waiting for Vale Royal Lock in the rain

For the river my bike is mounted vertically on the stern rack, with the front wheel removed.







In it’s normal position the wheels are a bit vulnerable where there’s high banks, on canals it’s not normally a problem but on the river it could be. I‘ve got to fit a bracket to hang the frame on to make it easier to get it in this position.








We pulled in on the town wharf in Northwich, Mag’s glasses were ready for collection and I’d decided to have my eyes done as well. Then a visit across to the facilities gave us full and empty tanks before we returned to Anderton.


In between showers I got a few odds and ends done, but overall the weekend was a bit of a washout.

Fore-end looking a bit spotty, with chips and scrapes derusted and primed, and the top bend design sanded out.

Left cabin side rubbed down

Today the forecast looked promising for getting stuck in so I was up early, a yawning Meg walked and the front panel of the roof cleared ready for cleaning.You’ll remember I didn’t finish this when I did the rest of the roof, I needed somewhere to leave the top box. The next one back wasn’t brilliant either, a little patchy in places, so both sections were scrubbed with a sugar soap solution, dried and the gloss grey sections masked off.

I was interrupted by a light shower but it didn’t amount to much and the brisk breeze soon dried things off. A final wipe over with white spirit and the paint went on, finished by 11:00.

A quick coffee then I wiped down the fore-end and back cabin panel and got them undercoated as well.

Fore-end now a fetching shade of blue-grey.I’m going to have to have a serious think about how I gloss this section. With so many twiddly bits to cover it’ll be difficult to keep the edge wet. I had that problem with the undercoat, but it’s got to be flatted anyway so any poor surfaces will be removed.

I was on a roll now, so got out the can of Rochelle Red, wiped off the handrails and got a coat on the top and outside of both cabin sides. I’d already got three coats on the inside edge while doing the roof, these bits will also get three. It’s a heavy wear area, and red is notorious for it’s lack of covering power.

Finished roof, started handrails
Whoops, got a drop to much paint in the slot in the scroll detail…

With fair weather forecast for the rest of the week I should be able to get the undercoat on the cabin sides before we leave here. We’ve got to go back to Northwich on Wednesday, this time for my new specs and we’ll be needing supplies by then as well, but that shouldn’t take too long.


We're planning to go back up the lift onto the canal on Thursday afternoon. Dave at Uplands Marina has a new starter battery for me, the old one is getting a bit reluctant to wake up in the morning.
And you can't bump start a boat....

Locks 2, miles 4