Gateway to another world

We’ve often felt that the canal system is like a ‘parallel universe’; there’s the rat-race world with motorways, bosses wanting reports, and getting stressed over the minutiae of life; and then there’s the canal world – everyone is happy, and life passes by at a walking pace. The two are far removed from each other, but sometimes vaguely meet at a bridge.  This one, on the the way to Burton-upon-Trent struck us as nicely representing a gateway to the canal world……..

Moving on….  last night was spent at Alrewas, and we couldn’t set off without first taking a stroll to have a look round.  What an attractive place !  I once did a bit of business near here, and as a result for some reason thought it was heavily industrial ! Couldn’t be more wrong. The original parts of Alrewas church were built in the 13th and 14th centuries, and the village has its fair share of ‘desirable’ cottages ….

Interesting name Alrewas (apparently pronounced Awl-ree-wuz).  The name is derived from the Old English Alor-wæsse, meaning “alluvial land growing with alder trees”. Well there you are !

On leaving Alrewas, the Trent & Mersey canal suddenly becomes the River Trent. It is occasionally unnavigable after prolonged rain.  Its character is noticeably ‘river like’ compared to the canal – ‘soft’ edges, and deep clear water.

The River Trent

The river section ends at Wychnor, by all accounts the location of a tradition whereby any man who could swear not to have wished to exchange his wife for another woman, at any time during the first year of marriage, was entitled to a flitch of bacon from the Lord of the Manor. It’s understood that the bacon was never claimed !

A bit further down we passed ‘Hadley’, a working boat in 1960s British Waterways colours, having been originally built for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Co (GUCCC) in 1937. Thought its setting was worth capturing on camera.

We like the Coventry Canal

A rural Coventry Canal

The Coventry Canal was built to connect the expanding city of Coventry with the Trent and Mersey Canal, the plan being to transport coal from the Warwickshire coalfields, both to the north and south (to the big market of London).

Despite having no significant obstacles to overcome during construction, it nontheless took over 20 years to complete. The canal section to the north from Fazeley Junction to Fradley Junction was the last section to be opened, however it was a political rather than construction issue that held it up. Some of the canal promoters had interests in the Warwickshire coalfields, and rather short-sightedly feared that coal from the North Staffordshire coalfield, coming down the Trent and Mersey from Stoke would reduce London’s demand for Warwickshire coal. Frustrated by the lack of progress in completing the Coventry Canal, the Birmingham & Fazeley and Trent & Mersey Canals got permission from Parliament to build the missing section in 1790. The canal was profitable right through to 1950, so the original promoters really had nothing to worry about !

It’s what we consider a ‘gentle’ canal. Winding through the open Warwickshire and Staffordshire countryside, it has a pleasant eleven lock flight at the town of Atherstone (which has a good launderette and an Aldi), and a couple of easy locks next to Glascote basin near Tamworth. Otherwise it is easy cruising.

At Glascote, I spotted an old ‘Fellows, Morton & Clayton’ working boat out of the water. They almost all were built with a ‘pinched’ but streamlined bow, and I couldn’t resist getting a shot …..

We reached Fradley Junction ourselves (226 years after the canal got there !), having cruised slightly further than originally planned over the last couple of days, and turned right on to the Trent & Mersey Canal.

Fradley Junction from ‘Junction Lock’

A little while later on the way to Alrewas for the night, we passed through ‘our’ lock ! …….

Not quite sure what we plan for tomorrow, as the forecast is for rain and wind.  Rain is OK (… ish) when there’s no wind, or very little as you can huddle under a brolly.  Wind is OK (… ish) as you can steer to counteract the effect of the wind. However rain AND wind is just plain cold and miserable, so we might stay put for the day.

Brutus’ mooring for tonight in Alrewas

Ashby Miscellany

Brutus tied up at the Sutton Cheney moorings on the Ashby Canal (Ian and Jane – looked for your water vole but no sign unfortunately…)

These are nice moorings – the walkway has been made using reclaimed plastic, but still in keeping with the traditional black of the canals. The Ashby Canal was originally 30 miles long, and joins the Coventry Canal near Nuneaton. It was opened in 1804 and connected with the mining district around Moira, just outside the town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch allowing coal to be transported to the main canal system. A number of tramways were constructed at its northern end to service collieries in the Leicestershire coal field. This northern end was heavily affected by subsidence, however still leaving 22 miles of the canal as navigable.

The current terminus of the canal just short of Measham. There are plans to reinstate all but the final two miles, but of course the cost will be pretty high.

Over its length we reckon it’s probably the most rural canal we’ve cruised, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed the peace and quiet for the last three or four days. Our friend Simon joined us from Market Bosworth to Snarestone (around 6 miles), having parked his car at Snarestone and run back to meet us first. Simon is an ultra-runner (50 – 60 miles a day normally), so the Ashby Canal was a bit tame probably !

Quiet rural scene

Directly behind the moorings at Sutton Cheney is a path which led to a hill originally thought to be where the Battle of Bosworth took place in 1485. Recent archeological surveys have established however, that whilst Richard III’s army was likely to have camped at this site prior to the battle, the actual fighting took place on another hill a short distance away.

Field with a view towards where the battle took place

 

Artists impression of how the same view might have looked on the day of the battle. Fewer trees for one thing.

A couple of other things to mention today………

Seen on the canal today – not as glamorous as the Caribean

Poppy is a crafty little thing. Not only has she claimed a comfy arm chair as hers, but she’s also learnt how to swap things for a treat !

 

 

The Batter of Bosworth

Tonight Brutus is tied up on the Ashby Canal, in Market Bosworth – around 6 miles from the outskirts of Leicester.

The town of Market Bosworth grew from a small Anglo-Saxon village settlement established in the 8th century. In 1285, the then village was granted a charter by Edward 1 allowing a market to be held every Wednesday. The village took the name Market Bosworth, and became a “town” by common definition.

The market square

It’s a charmingly unspoilt town with a variety of attractive architecture, however the thatched terrace and cottage in the centre caught our eye in particular….

Could make this into a jigsaw !

One of the town’s claim to fame is the Battle of Bosworth, fought in 1485 just to the south. On August 22nd that year, Richard III and his Plantagenet forces lined up to face the challenger to the throne, Henry Tudor. The battle that ensued was to put an end to the War of the Roses.  Richard’s nine thousand men outnumbered Henry’s by two to one, however in an attempt to kill Henry himself, Richard rode into the battle on his white charger wearing his crown. He was an obvious target, and lost his life a few feet from Henry.  Richards crown was placed on Henry’s head and henceforth the country was ruled by Tudors.

There is a tiny country station at Market Bosworth, with a regular steam train stopping – we managed a short video :

 

Something I’ve not had for years is fish and chips, on account of having to stick with a gluten-free diet, however Deb spotted the following in the town :

Just too tempting to resist !  – and the name of the establishment ……

 

….. that’s right – The Batter of Bosworth !

 

 

Idle Women

We’ve completed the Southern Grand Union (going north), so a bit of history tonight about a handful of women during WW2 who worked this particular canal, much as the ‘land girls’ helped keep food supplies going at the same time.

At the beginning of the war working the boats was not a reserved occupation, so a number of working boatmen volunteered for the Armed Forces, the effect being that the delivery of essential war materials came under pressure with many unused boats.  In an attempt to provide more crews, women volunteers were recruited and trained to operate pairs of boats.

The Grand Union Canal Carrying Co (GUCCC)  had large numbers of boats standing idle, and the Ministry of War (Transport) approached a women crew who were already working a boat from Worcester, to establish whether this was an idea worth developing. Subsequent discussions with GUCCC were positive, and another couple of women were recruited and trained in 1942.  One, Eily (Kit) Gayford, went on to become the principle trainer throughout the war.  The following video was made in 1944 during part of a further recruitment drive :

There were other attempts to promote the idea of women working the boats, including the front cover of this April 1944 ‘War Illustrated’ magazine we managed to get hold of :

War Illustrated magazine – 1944

 

A number of the girls posing on the roof of one of GUCCC boats

 

Kit Gayford (on the left) became the principle trainer

 

Most of the girls were from relatively well to do backgrounds, each feeling they needed to help the war effort

In the end, only around 45 got through the training and went on to work the boats, which was hard graft with long days, often wet and cold, with no extra rations, and no prospect of a nice bath after a day of loading coal for example !

These successful trainees were each issued with a lapel badge with the letters IW (inland waterways) on them. Rather unfairly this resulted in their nickname of ‘Idle Women’, given to them by the other boat families working the canal. In the end, they proved themselves up to the job and ultimately earned the respect of the same boaters. The badges are supposed to be extremely rare, however last year I was lucky enough to get hold of one :

 

One or two of the women wrote books after the war with accounts of what is was like, one by Susan Woolfitt used a familiar promotional photo on its front cover.  I managed to find a 1947 first edition. Her boat, ‘Dipper’ is still in existence :

 

 

Diesel Daisie

Tonight we’re tied up at Braunston, in Northamptonshire

It’s often said that the ‘heart’ of the canal system is in Birmingham; if that’s the case, then its ‘soul’ is in Braunston,  indeed the village churchyard is the final resting place of a number of working boat men and women.

The hill top village thrived for over 150 years on the canal trade, in being located where the Grand Union Canal meets the Oxford Canal. In the world of canals, junctions were a  place where working boat families could meet up and catch up on gossip over a pint or two, and many well-known canal freight carrying companies have been based here, including Pickfords, Fellows Morton & Clayton, Nursers, Barlows and Willow Wren. 

View across what was the main basin at Braunston. There are still a number of workshops, and three drydocks. The church is in the background

Whilst cruising to the bottom of the Wilton locks yesterday we came across a boat that looked very similar to our last boat, ‘Swan Hunter’.

…it IS our old boat ! – with a new name (‘Diesel Daisie‘), and a cover over the back. It looked very smart, and well looked after !

Another couple of odd-ball boats for your delectation…..

A floating container with an outboard engine

 

How’s this for a bit of boat painting !

 

An iconic canal village

The Grand Union Canal has been a major waterways link between London and Birmingham for just over 200 years. For canal travellers it is unsurprising that many places along its length have become iconic, however perhaps none quite that as the village of Stoke Bruerne near Northampton. Nowadays it has a carefree holiday atmosphere to it, with two waterside pubs, and loads of historical interest, as well as probably the longest established canal museum anywhere, housed in an old canal-side stone-built mill.

Brutus (with company) coming up through Stoke top lock, and into the village. The museum is in the stone building on the right.

A visit to the museum could not be missed !   For anyone even vaguely interested in the historical background to the canals, it is worth visiting.  Whilst it’s not full of ‘interactive’ button-pushing ‘experiences’ like many current museums, its displays include many artifacts we’d not seen before, an extensive collection of original painted canal ware, and an example of the dress styles of boat people in the 19th (and 20th) century.

Roses and castles

 

Boaters clothes

Through a period of 100 years, canal boat back cabins were refined and ultimately followed an almost identical layout, making the optimum use of a very small living space (8 ft by 6ft), where the whole family lived (ate, slept, washed etc). Our boat Brutus has a back cabin modelled exactly as the old boats – perhaps a video sometime would be of interest ?   When it comes to clothing, there was little opportunity, or even desire to follow fashion, however most boat people dressed the same – like a sort of uniform. It is possible the choice of clothing developed along purely practical lines, like the back cabins.

Resisting a pub visit, we decided to press on and get through Blisworth tunnel before teatime. The tunnel, at just short of two miles in length, is one of the longest on the canal system, and takes about an hour to get through…..

Its dimensions meant that two narrowboats could pass each other, but there wasn’t a horse towpath; horses were led over the top of Blisworth hill to meet up with their boats at the other end. Meanwhile the boats were ‘legged’ through by men lying on their backs and ‘walking’ the boats along the tunnel length, with only candles for illumination. Eventually steam tugs were introduced in 1871, and were in use until 1936, when diesel engines became more available.

Blisworth tunnel entrance, with the steam tunnel tug maintenance shed still in existence.

It’s said that there is still the reek of soot and steam in the tunnel, however all we could smell was the diesel exhaust from Brutus’ engine ! It’s also very wet in there – underground rain !

Finally – saw this procession earlier today…..

All about getting all your ducks in a row (or geese in this case !)

 

 

 

 

Where was Milton Keynes ?

Milton Keynes has had jokes made about it ever since its inception, and the one and only previous visit (by road) I made several years ago only served to confirm its highly planned, and structured layout.

We weren’t quite sure what to expect by canal, but it we were still surprised (pleasantly). The canal was built 150 years before the town, and it was as if the original MK planning brief was to be respectful of its canal history – sort of ‘look but don’t touch’.

The Milton Keynes ‘green corridor’ – we occasionally glimpsed houses through the trees, but that was it.

Our mooring for the night was by a beautifully kept park – Linford Park – which was one of a number maintained by a charity on behalf of MK Development Corporation.

Our peaceful mooring

Linford Park

The park originally belonged to a manor house (with almshouses), and was sold to the Corporation in 1974.

Linford Manor House

The almshouses

 

There are a number of boatyards along the canal, many often offering a rather slow service ( canal time is different from land time). We understand this guy had waited a couple of years to be served….

 

The kitchen sink

Tonight we’re moored near Milton Keynes – gosh, how exciting !

Before leaving Leighton Buzzard, other than the obligatory visits to Aldi (cheese and mussels), and Tesco, we took a quick stroll into the town to see what was there. It was market day but a rather disappointing market at that – not a touch on Devizes market, which we really like. There were a few architecturally interesting buildings in the town – mostly occupied by banks…

Fine Georgian architecture

There had evidently been a fire station in the town centre, now a Pizza Express – hey ho !

The old fire station

Soulbury Three Locks

Passing down the ‘Soulbury Three’ locks we came across this guy in a canoe. Just goes to show you can fit a lot into a canoe, including the kitchen sink !

 

Sand and Water

Moored just outside of Leighton Buzzard

Leighton Buzzard is an interesting name, however apparently not to do with a bird of prey. Leighton comes from the Old English Lēah-tūn, meaning ‘farm in a clearing in the woods’, and “Buzzard” was added by the Dean of Lincoln in whose diocese the town lay in the 12th century; his representative in the town was a Theobald de Busar and so over the years the town became known as Leighton Buzzard.

Its environs are well endowed with a particular type of sand which is ideal for construction, and so sand extraction became the principle business in the area – even being sold to Saudi Arabia, as their ‘local’ sand is too round for construction !  Of course canal boats were ideal for transporting the quarried material, however most of the business has gone. Other than sand pits having become wildlife habitats, there is little evidence of the previously extensive industry;  until you get to where we’re moored tonight. There is still around 10m of narrow gauge (2 ft) rail track on the towpath which used to be where sand was brought to be loaded into boats …..

‘Garsides Wharf’ – originally in use in the 1920s, but unused for many decades

A couple of postings ago or so, we mentioned how reservoirs were built at the summit of the Grand Union Canal in order to ensure a good supply of water for lock operation.  We’ve come across two other ways in which water was also saved, to help keep the canal open in past summers. The locks on this canal are all wide locks – two narrow boats can fit side by side, or one wider barge. Each lock operation used 50,000 gallons of water, yet many passages through the locks were just one horse-drawn narrowboat. To save half the water, a second narrow lock was constructed alongside the original wider one. They’ve all been filled in now but the evidence is still there at bridges – in the form of a ‘spare’ arch.

Wide lock on the right, arch for narrow lock on the left

At a number of locks there are brick buildings, some with chimneys. None are used anymore but they used to house steam driven pumps, for back-pumping water up round a lock so that it could be ‘used again’ .

They are/were referred to as ‘Northern Engines’, however we’ve not yet worked out why !