With Mags and the weather much improved we planned to get to Kilby Bridge for soon after lunchtime. We had seven locks to negotiate, the first about 10 minutes away.
Bright start to the day
Pretty Newton Top Lock
This one set the tone for the first half of the trip; empty and with the bottom gates wide open. I was uncomplimentary about the preceding boater, until I remembered that the gates on these three locks do tend to swing open again when you leave them empty.
1926, a good year
Her Maj was born in 1926, and my Mags was too!
Top Half-Mile Lock is, as the name suggests, at the top of a half-mile long pound.
No prizes for guessing what the one at the other end of the pound is called…
As we came away from the lock (watching in dismay as the gates behind us swung slowly open…) we realised that the pound was about a foot below normal levels. With care, keeping in the middle, we cruised slowly on, turned the corner and found out why.
A CRT gang were working on the next lock. It’s a stoppage that I’d missed, but luckily just for the day. Repairs to both upper ground paddles were required.
They planned to be finished by 4 o’clock, still giving us time to get to Kilby Bridge, so I put the kettle on and made everyone a brew.
Meg and I both had a shower, we had lunch and I chatted to the work-crew. They were getting on well, and at around half-two the stop-planks were removed and gear packed away.
Greasing the wheels with tea and a slice of cake each worked, we joined them as they set off down the locks, with them doing all the work. Mags was able to take it easy, as was I!
Leaving Tythorn Lock
They didn’t join us in the last, Bumblebee Lock. This was next on the list for repairs, so they moored the workboat above the lock. I still had help at the lock, though.
With the extra hands it only took an hour from when we restarted to our arrival at Kilby Bridge.
Kilby Bridge Bridge
We’ll be off fairly early in the morning. I want to push across to the services to fill the water tank and dispose of rubbish, then we’ll set off, aiming to stop at Kings Lock near Aylestone.
Locks 7, miles 3
1 comment:
Well that was kind of the C&RT guys to mark your 60th Birthday by working those locks for you, I'm sure it wasn't just the tea and cakes bribery, honest guv! LOL
Happy Birthday and welcome to the over 60 club, I've been here a few months now and I can't say it's much different to the over 50's club... :)
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