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Coal, Diesel, Pumpout, Ropes , Fenders, and Other Boating Consumables to Boats & Canalside Business & Properties. E-mail :nbalton102@yahoo.co.uk or Mobile: 07791345004 or 07976811073

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Viking Marauders on the T&M

Well after making reasonable progress down Bosley Locks this morning we dropped of the film crew at Buglawton & enjoyed a fairly leisurely few hours boating on the lower Macc, just stopping for 3 customers. With a bit of time to spare we decided to nip down to the Caldon to meet our friend on Skylark at Etruria. We reached Harecastle Tunnel just at 3pm (ensuring our passage) and we found the tunnel keepers at both portals to be chatty, pleasant & helpful - how refreshing!

At Festival Garden we stopped to supply diesel to Steve on Bream, when what should we see coming towards us but a Viking Longboat complete with a team of oarsman. Apparently Stoke had been invaded by the Vikings for a re-enactment weekend. This boat is a full size replica of a Viking raiding party vessel. Sometimes people say do you live on a long boat? We say no it's a narrowboat, you don't get Viking longboats on the english canals,- how wrong we where.
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Ben on the tiller

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Goodbye to the film Crew

We have had a fun few days with a film crew aboard producing a program for NHK Japanese TV. The crew consisted of Hiroko, (Producer/Director), Ben (Cameraman) and Dave (Soundman). They were a good team and we had a laugh and they didn't hold us up too much. We don't know what they made of us and our mad lifestyle but they mucked in well. We even got Ben on a windlass and on the tiller, just not at the same time. Cheers Guys!
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Friday, March 26, 2010

Alton is now a Star Class

Alton is again a star in a class of her own. For the next few days and again at intervals through the year we will have a Japanese TV crew aboard. They are producing a programme about the waterways and the English countryside. So don't worry if we look a bit mob handed as we make our deliveries. If any of our customers don't want to be filmed, just ask politely and we will cease filming.

Tonight we are moored at Higgins Clough Swing Bridge and had a lovely meal with the film crew at the Conti Italian Restaurant in Disley.

Tomorrow we plan to deliver from Disley, through Marple, Poynton and Macclesfield to Fools Nook
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Thursday, March 25, 2010

Stoppage @ Grimshaw Lane Aqueduct, Bollington

Today we have been down to Bollington to check on progress on the stoppage. We have been assured by both BW and the contractors May Gurney that the aqueduct will be rewatered by 2pm tomorrow, so we should be fine for our journey down onto the River Weaver and to Ellesmere Port Boaters Gathering.

One thing that we could see that was really hampering the contractors was the shear amount of silt on the aqueduct and wharf, this despite the fact that this whole area of canal was being dredged by Blue Boar in January to March, though a lack of joined up thinking meant that they didn't dredge this area first.

Anyway we will be very glad to see many of our customers by boat for the first time in 5 months.
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Spring Clean & Maintenance

Well now that spring is here and we are getting ready to set off for Ellesmere Port, it's time to get a few jobs done. Ann Marie has been painting the cabin roof, tidying the cabin and restocking supplies. Brian has been going round with grease gun & oil can, changed the oil in the Petter PD2 and a few other jobs.

We now stock a wide range of good quality Morris Oils & Greases including 10W/30, 10W/40, 15W/40, 20W/50, SAE 30 & SAE 40 as well as stern tube grease & multi-purpose grease.
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