Cheshire Run Part 2

Well it's definately autumn. We have had a busy few days but it's been great to meet a few old customers & friends. Thanks to Roy & Mel on NB India for the proper coffee and the lovely fruit cake. At Cholmsdon we met up with NB's Witchcraft & Bewitched & did some in flight refuelling. Then at Nantwich we met up with the lovely Jane Selkirk & Mac aboard NB Hero (Jane is going to work her painting magic on our very tired water can. Returning through Barbridge we called in to our regulars customers on Elleni trying to escape!

We returned to Middlewich nearly empty (stopping to have a brief chat with Maureen at Wardle Lock, who was feeling "a bit better"). Having reloaded with coal and diesel we proceeded to Anderton, going down the lift on the first passage down this morning. We have had another busy day first travelling upstream, through Hunts & Vale Royal Locks, before just missing the last passage through Saltersford Lock this afternoon.

We are tied up tonight at Barton & will be spending the weekend at the Steam Rally, Leigh Arms, Acton Bridge.
Renaissance Canal Carrying - keeping carrying on the canals

Cheshire Run Sept 2010

Well we have had a very busy few days making our way down from Whaley Bridge to Middlewich meeting some lovely customers both old & new. Alton is already looking increasingly high in the water. We plan to deliver across the Middlewich Branch to Bunbury & Nantwich before returning to Middlewich on Thursday to load with coal & diesel. Then on Friday the plan is to go down the lift, head up stream for deliveries up to Vale Royal lock, before winding and heading down to Acton Bridge to attend the steam rally at the Leigh Arms over the weekend.
Renaissance Canal Carrying - keeping carrying on the canals

More Photos of NB Rosemary from Tony Corrie

A few more interesting photos from 1967:-

Above: Rosemary as bought

Mitzi on the tow path

Rosemary after caulking and blacking

Letter from South Africa

We had a lovely couple of e-mails from Tony Corrie in South Africa, recounting some of his memories of buying a working narrowboat in the 1967. He bought a wooden motor called Rosmary from Gas Street Basin, Birmigham from a company call A.J Clarke. The boat had it's engine removed when he purchased so his first job with the help of his brother & a friend was to bow haul the boat down to Stourbridge. At Stourbridge the boat was docked and repairs commenced.

In 1968 Tony sold Rosemary on and emigrated to South Africa. Tony enclosed a number of interesting photos which I have posted below. He may be returning to the UK canals in the future and it would be great to have a pint and a chat with him when he does.

Does anyone know any further history regarding Rosemary? It would be good to know if she is still about today.

September 2010 Schedule

Well we are hoping for a nice Indian Summer, but just in case you are wanting to stock up with coal ready for winter our current schedule is as follows:-

Sat 4th Sept: Oakgrove to Marple
Sun 5th Sept: Marple to Whaley Bridge & Bugworth return
Mon 6th Sept: Marple to Oakgrove
Sat 18th Sept: Oakgrove to Marple
Sun 19th Sept: Marple to Whaley Bridge & Bugsworth return
Mon 20th Sept: Marple to Oakgrove
Sat 25th Sept: Oakgrove to Marple
Sun 26th Sept: Marple to Whaley Bridge & Bugsworth return
Mon 27th Sept: Marple to Bosley
Tues 28th - Wed 29th Sept: Bosley to Middlewich
Thurs 30th Sept - Fri 1st Oct: Middlewich to Nantwich to Anderton
Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd October: Acton Bridge Steam Rally, River Weaver

Renaissance Canal Carrying - keeping carrying on the canals

Alton's Pride

Last week Stuart the Landlord of the Fools Nook Inn at Oakgrove had a very special brew on tap & very nice it was too!
Renaissance Canal Carrying - keeping carrying on the canals

IWA National Waterways Festival at Beale Park

Over the August Bank Holiday we attended the IWA Festival at Beale Park near Pangbourne on the River Thames. We had a stall in the craft marquee selling a variety of rope fenders, mooring lines and other boaters supplies. The weather was fairly good on the whole and we had plenty of customers for our supplies and enough custom orders to keep Brian busy for a while.

We had a few good evenings in the beer tent (Enville Ales where in good nick) and it was good to meet old friends and make new ones. It was especially pleasing to see so many loaded working boats tied up at the re-creation of a historic wharf.

We returned back to base on Tuesday and have spent the rest of the week busy unpacking, loading Alton and working on fender orders.

(In the photo:- our stand in the craft marque)
Renaissance Canal Carrying - keeping carrying on the canals

Cheshire Run 24th July - 5th Aug 2010

Well finally we have been able to get back into a routine and we are heading North. See below for our approximate Schedule, but just be aware that due to traffic we may be delayed. For more up to date information just give us a call or text on 07791345004 or see our Twitter feed as Coalboat which we will try and update daily.

Sat 24th July to Sun 25th July - Fools Nook (Macc) to Whaley Bridge
Sun 25th July to Mon 26th July - Whaley Bridge to Congleton
Tues 27th July to Wed 28th July- Congleton, Kidsgrove, Middlewich, Calveley to Nantwich
Wed 28th July to Fri 30th July - Nantwich, Middlewich to Anderton
Sat 31st July to Sun 1st Aug - River Weaver (Dutton, Northwich, Vale Royal, etc)
Mon 2nd July to Thurs 5th Aug - Return from Anderton, via Middlewich to Fools Nook (Macc)

A Very Big Thank You

Both myself & Ann Marie would like to sincerely thank Graham (NB Daphne) & Terry (NB Serendipity) for very kindly operating Alton over the last weekend run (12 & 13 June), their help was much appreciated at this difficult time. We got plenty of reports of their good service & I think they enjoyed themselves even if they did return home a little damp & jaded.

Thanks also to all those many customers, friends & suppliers who passed on such kind messages of support & sympathy. It really is a great help to know that we are in peoples thoughts and prayers.

A final thank you to all those kind people who looked after me when I was boating back to Fools Nook on Sunday single handed, I was inundated with cuppas, beers, cake & even 3 offers to cook my tea. You really are a great bunch!

(In photo: Graham Beard steering Daphne)
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Weekend Run 12th - 13th June

Unfortunately after an 18 month battle against cancer Ann Marie's Mum - Pat, passed away earlier this week. Whilst we are away at the Funeral and spending time with family, our good friends Graham (working boat Daphne) and Terry (NB Serendipity) have offered to operate Alton in our absence. They plan to operate from Fools Nook to Marple today (Saturday), then Marple to Bugsworth & Whaley Bridge on Sunday. Please be patient and go easy on them! If you need to get in touch with them this weekend just call or text Graham on 07811417167.

Finally thank you to all those who sent messages of support, condolances & sympathy. It does help to know we are in peoples thoughts and prayers at this difficult time

Historic Boats at Etruria Festival

Sandbach, Alton, Daphne & Ibex
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Daphne heading south from Harecastle

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Loading Daphne

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Sandbach & Daphne Emerging from Harecastle Tunnel

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Etruria Festival 5th - 6th June

Firstly apologies for the lack of posting recently we have had a few technical difficulties & life got in the way a bit. We will try & do better.

We left Fools Nook yesterday lunchtime having loaded Alton & Graham Beards' boat Daphne with coal in the morning. We had glorious weather and a lovely run down Bosley Locks. We had a fairly busy afternoon with customers and passed Stuart Hopper on the Coalboat Anne at Congleton Wharf.

We arrived at Red Bull Aqueduct at 10pm to find a couple of customers still waiting patiently for us. We then retired to the Red Bull pub to join George & Irene Boyle (nb Sandbach) for a well earned pint.

We are currently making our way in convoy (with Sandbach & Daphne)through Harecastle Tunnel and are meeting up with a photographer from the Sentinel Newspaper to take some publicity photos for the Etruria Festival.

If you are at a loose end this weekend, feel free to come down and see us at the Etruria Industrial Museum Festival, Stoke on Trent. There will be historic boats, classic cars & commercials, entertainment & childrens activities as well as the steam engines for the bone mill being in steam.

Let's just hope this lovely weather keeps up!
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Hiraethlyns' New Fenders

Robin was pleased with his new fenders which we delivered to him today
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NHK TV crew with us again on the Macc

Left to right:- David (Soundman), Ben (Cameraman) & Hiroko (Director)
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Someone Needs Sacking?

On Saturday we really struggled to get through the area where Grimshaw Lane Aqueduct had just recently been repaired. We were dragging the bottom and bouncing over debris before coming to a halt with a bladeful of rubbish & grounded mid channel. We where about 1/4 mile from the nearest bridge so spent 1/2 an hour moving coal to lift the stern and another 1/2 an hour crawling to the next bridge. After some some time on the shaft Brian managed to remove a large quantity of hessian sacking from the blades. Aghh the joys of boating!
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Alton on Bosley Locks

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Little & Large

Alton & Sandbach at Christleton Lock
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