Waiting for Welding!

And Walking!

We are in the queue for the gas locker new base tray job. A fairly major piece of welding work, which not being  scheduled, is awaiting its turn.

In the meantime, I have been busy doing as much outside painting as I can – given the very cold windy weather. At least it has been largely dry.

Before!

 

 

After – shiny tunnel bands!

Top gear being cleaned up and under-coated

The bow in a new-look primer coat

However, I also gave myself a day's walking with the Audlem Ramblers – couldn't really resist as it was over to the Clwydian Range and Moel Famau on the Offa's Dyke route.

The day was cold though bright and the rain held off until later.

We covered about 10 miles and climbed about 2200 feet, mainly in two big climbs.

The first was up to the Iron Age Hill Fort at Foel Fenlli (1670ft).

Looking south

There was still plenty of snow around

The cairn on Foel Fenlli

The view north towards Moel Famau – where we are heading

Firstly, the lunch stop!

Moel Famau (Link) stands at 1818 feet and is topped by the impressive Jubilee Tower.

The tower was built to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of King George III in 1810, though was never finished and in 1862, the incomplete tower collapsed in a storm.

It's three sided base now survives and is being renovated.

 The view back down the path and climb up

 

 

Getting the Jobs Done!

With the boat out of the water, there is a window of time to get as much done as possible.

We are waiting for our turn in the workshop queue to have a new welded baseplate tray for the gas locker – a failure in our Survey. Apparently, steel needs to be ordered.

Meantime, with the weather dry (though really cold with no shelter from the east wind), I have been blacking the hull and painting up the tunnel bands on the stern.

Photos of 'work in progress'.

The Woolies Boat Park

Gary the Engineer welds up the pitting

Grinding flush the weld – proper job!

Blacking up the hull – using a brush for maximum coating

 

 

 

 

 

The Hammer Test – A Birthday Treat!

Hull Condition Survey - 5^th April

I had postponed our scheduled 'out of water' survey from February – a good decision as the weather then was fierce. Now, in April, at least it is dry though with a bitingly cold easterly. We are catching this being higher up on the hardstanding.

Trevor, our Surveyor, came up early from Northampton to do the Hull Condition Survey. He last surveyed the boat for a pre-purchase in 2003, so there have been many changes.

Trevor is renowned for providing a robust traditional hammer testing of the hull plating.

It made quite a loud resonant dong when heard from inside!

 Trevor with his trusty hammer

The dreaded hammer in action!

Overall, the plating was sound, being the Imperial 1/4” used by Les Allen from 1977.

We had the base plate re-soled with an additional 6mm in 2004 when Graham Pearce at Stockton Dry Dock did the work needed to install the re-conditioned JP2.

There has been some wear, particularly just above the bottom plate – from inside. Probably due to periods of wet bilges. Given the boat was a Section 8 recovery and when we got it had flooded bilges, this will have contributed. Trevor insisted I check for wet bilges regularly.

Ultrasonic plate testing thickness

Local pitting – this one at 2.6mm needs welding up

Overall, the hull is in reasonable condition for its age – some 36 years now!

However, corrosion in bottom of the gas locker, probably over many years, failed the hammer testing! He noticed the drain holes were higher than the base?!

The gas locker will need a new base tray with 3” sides, welded into the locker after the old base is cut out. The engineers will schedule this work before we go back into the water.

So, all in all, a reasonable hull condition survey – a sort of birthday present?!

We celebrated my 62^nd birthday having a meal in the Overwater Café with Chris' sister and husband.

Chris and Anton

Birthday Celebrations!

Back on Dry Land!

Docking April 2013

It started as a cold morning with the biting easterly wind. There was some ice on the Shroppie though the marina pool was largely clear.

The coal boat Victoria – heading back from the Ellesmere Port gathering?

We waited until other boat movements were underway at the slipway, then started up the Lister and made our first boat 'cruise' for many months. As instructed, coming into a spare berth near the workshop. I came perfectly, except not to the berth I was intending! Windy!

Before long it was our turn to be loaded. Simon, the Engineer came aboard and took the helm. He has the old working motor Ian, also with a JP2, so wasn't phased by the speedwheel and crank reverser.

Reversing out into the wind

Overshooting!

Perfect entry! Alan the Workshop Manager guides the bow.

Onto the boat sledge

Safely loaded and on the way out

 Gary drives the powerful tractor provides the grunt – borrowed from farm duties

Up and away

Being pulled into our 'land berth'

We were positioned in front of the paint workshop. Later I checked with Sally the Painter that her schedule would be for a 4 week slot – should be plenty of time for us?!

 

Placed on 3 wood chocks, on the solid hardstanding. We re-positioned the rear chocks under the heaviest rear section being the engine.

Dave uses the pressure washer to clean off the grot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Boat Gathering - 30th March

Easter – the start of Spring!

Our Son and Granddaughter were up from Staines for Easter.

Where to go for a day out? – why not the Easter Historic Working Boat Gathering, at Ellesmere Port. We were there a year ago on our boat. See link here. This year we went by car!

Although very cold, we enjoyed the trip - and our visitors especially enjoyed the Sea Shanty singing!

Boats in the Lower Basin

Wrapped up warmly against a biting cold wind!

Three generations play 'Bash the Rat!' The rat got away!

Surprisingly – and with disappointment, there were no engines running in the Engine House. Last year, there was a JP2 running.

This time, a pristine Lister in shiny Brunswick Green was on show.

Looks like a Lister JP2 – but the crankcase plate said CS ?

There were more working boats than last year and we were able to show our granddaughter a real boatman's cabin from the old days!

Sue Cawson's Thea (also has a JP2) – with Saturn against the lock island

And lastly – the iconic sight of a row of working boat cabins – taken in the Upper Basin

 

 

 

 

Fifty Shades of Grebe

Wandering along the Weaver - 27th March

Last week's walk with the Ramblers was moved from the snow bound Goyt Valley to one starting at Northwich. Of particular interest to me as it took in a section of the Trent & Mersey Canal and then the River Weaver.

It was a cold wind day, with some snow flurries and as we headed north up the canal, it was a relief from the wind to get into the woods at Marbury Country Park. This borders Budworth Mere and to my utter delight I caught sight of a pair of Great Crested Grebe.

They both dived and surfaced to do the courtship dance – the first time I'd ever seen this.

It all happened to fast to photo – so here's one from the web!

Re-joining the canal, we passed Anderton (see below) and took the path over Barnton Tunnel. Please see my blog – May 2012 - through Barnton Tunnel.

We then dropped down to the River Weaver and basically headed south east, back to Northwich, following the sweep of the river.

  The derelict old ICI Plant at Winnington. Started originally as Brunner Mond in 1874.

 

This building still had some activity – bagging and storage of soda ash in enormous bags. Now owned by Tata Chemicals Ltd.

Barges from times gone by

As we headed east, the A533 road swing bridge came into view. You might think it looks something like a smaller version of those over the Manchester Ship Canal. Correct, built by the same engineer, Edward Leader Williams, from 1870 as part of the re-construction of the navigation. [Manchester Ship Canal opened 1894 with Leader Williams Knighted that year by Queen Victoria.]

Winnington Road Swing Bridge

  Another view looking across to the Winnington Works

We re-traced our route back to the Anderton Lift and the Visitors' Centre. A real historic treat for canal enthusiasts. This is the link. Basically, built in 1875 to accelerate the transfer of salt/cargo from the Trent and Mersey onto the Weaver, the Anderton Lift has had three incarnations.

Originally, from a basic design by the Navigation's Chief Engineer, Leader Williams, who appointed Edwin Clark, a hydraulics engineer, as Principal Engineer to design and build a water balanced, 2 caisson hydraulic operated lift. This worked until 1904 when corrosion got the better of the hydraulic rams.

The second design by Colonel Staner, then Chief Engineer involved huge electric winches and counter balances high on the top of the lift – and massive additional tubular supporting struts. Finished in 1908, this gives us the Anderton Lift design know today.

However, the story has a third stage, when in 1983, the Lift was closed due to extensive corrosion of the struts and associated framework.

During the 1990s, British Waterways carried out preliminary investigations before launching a restoration bid. At first it was intended to restore the lift to electrical operation but in 1997, after consultation with English Heritage, it was decided to restore the lift to hydraulic operation using hydraulic oil.

A National Lottery supported combined financial package saw the Lift re-open in 2002 – curiously with a modified version of the original hydraulic system was reinstated, the 1906-1908 external frame and pulleys have been retained in a non-operational role.

 Looking at the top access aqueduct, with the pair of wrought iron troughs leading to the caissons

Looking back up to the Lift – awesome!

Altogether, quite remarkable!