Friday 2nd October, 2105 South of Polesworth.
A very misty morning greeted us at our mooring.
We set off quite early into a mystical black and white world where the mist gave everything an ethereal feel, with the sun just a pale glow in the sky.
Shortly after Fazeley Junction, where the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal branches off towards Birmingham, we moored up as M wanted to do a wash and hang it on the washing line to dry in the sunshine, while we went in to Tamworth for a "few bits". As R slowed MM down to moor up, there was a familiar loud gronching noise from the propellor and R just managed to get the engine into neutral before it stopped. The culprit turned out to be a boat's large tonneau cover wrapped round the propellor!
On the way in to Tamworth, M photographed the sign and R, who was not (at that point) carrying a "few bits" but was carrying the tonneau cover and searching for a suitable bin to put it in.
While M went in to M&S for a "few bits", R visited a familiar neighbouring establishment.
Back on MM, we had lunch on board while the washing dried in the sunshine.
When we continued, there were just two locks to do, the pair at Glascote, nicknamed "Piggy-Bank" locks (because they are slow to fill, but empty quickly!).
At the first lock, M fell into conversation with a chap called Paul, who lives in the lockside cottage.
He invited M to see his garden - and his rather unusual collection of bricks (all with the name of the different brickyards in the "frog"). R also had the tour as the lock filled. M promised to bring Paul a local brick from Reigate for his collection next time we pass by.
On the fence outside Paul's cottage was pinned a poem, written by the "Local Bard of Glascote Locks" - "The Tale of the Leaky Lock". To save you having to use a magnifying glass, the text is below!
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Just a note to let you know that this here lock is very slow.
So take a breath, relax and smile, (you might be waiting here a while).
The problem is (or so we're told), that lock 13 is very old.
Her paddles shot, through wear and tear, the water pours out here and there.
We've had them fixed, then fixed again, by some of waterway's finest men.
And for a while, the lock works well, until again it leaks like hell.
Now if this pause in your sojourn, has made you stop and think and learn
That on the "cut" there is a pace, that's not for those who want to race.
So if you're "rushing", "running late", this tale of Leaky Lock you'll hate.
If you've no time to gently float, then why a bloody narrowboat?
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Almost immediately beyond the second lock is the boatyard which, until very recently, was where Steve Hudson built his highly regarded and very individual "tug" style narrowboats.
Sadly Mr. Hudson died earlier ths year but the business and yard has now been taken over by Norton Canes Boat Services. We fell into conversation with Pablo, a Director of Norton Canes, who invited us to look around and talked at length about their plans for building narrowboats.
Altogether, it was a very relaxed, slow and enjoyable progress through the two locks - it took us about an hour longer than normal - but that is part of the joy of life at 3 miles an hour and having the time to stop and chat!
The weather today was glorious again, just look at the colour of the sky in the photographs. But it is definitely autumn and the trees are beginning to turn - the sunshine really brought out the colours.
Anxious to make the most of the weather, we cruised until quite late in the day and moored up just beyond Polesworth opposite a large cornfield that had recently been harvested.
We were delighted to find ourselves moored next to Clinton and Sharon on nb "Tacet". We spent some time cruising with them on the Leeds & Liverpool earlier in the summer and had last seen them as we left Leeds. They seemed as pleased to see us as we were to see them and we stood together chatting on the towpath until darkness fell.
They are also heading for Braunston, so we have arranged to meet while we are there.
Today: 9 miles, 2 locks and 4.9 hours.
Trip: 401 miles, 305 locks and 301.7 hours
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