THE WAITING GAME.

 

The Erewash Canal

Trent Lock to Langley Mill via Shardlow, 18miles, 21 locks, 1 river and 2 canals

For Bank Holiday Monday we decided to head for Shardlow village, there are a couple of good pubs and moorings. We managed to moor outside the Malt Shovel and New Inn on the recently restored moorings.

Of course we headed to the pub, first the Malt Shovel, no darks on so only one in there. Then the New Inn, I don’t think we have ever been disappointed in here and this didn’t change, they had Old Peculiar Chocolate on so one very happy Captain. The food menu is good and we have eaten in here in the past, but just a pint today. As we were finishing our last pint a couple came looking for a table for 4 (it was quite busy). As we were sat at a table for 4 and leaving shortly, we invited them to join us until their son and daughter arrived. We had a lovely chat and it finished the afternoon off on a happy note.

https://www.thenewinnshardlowpub.co.uk/

As most of you know, our reason for heading up the Erewash to Langley Mill is the imminent arrival of my first grandchild. As most of you also know, babies come when they want, and not to suit your plans.

We had an added problem that Hallam Fields lock on the Erewash has been closed on and off for most of the summer due to low water. It was closed when we reached Trent Lock, but reopened after the bank holiday, so we really needed to get past it as quick as possible.

We didn’t make the best start on the Tuesday, as we overlay more than usual. Then we needed to get a pump out at Shardlow Marina, so it was 1pm before we actually started our journey on the Erewash. Then the heavens opened and the rain didn’t stop. It was miserable and slow going, with low water and lots of weed hindering our progress, but we managed to get through the problem lock and moor near the Gallows pub as usual, but it was 8.30pm by this time, so no pub for us.

Next morning seemed brighter, we joined Music Weaver 2 and its crew of 3 in the first lock, then the heavens opened again, I am truly p*****d off with the weather this year.

Luckily the rain stopped, and the sun came out before the next lock and things looked brighter.

There was more water, but the weed still continued to be a problem. The Captain heaved a sigh of relief when we got through the final lock, into the basin and on to the Cromford Canal, but there was even a problem with low water here. They were pumping water up from the pound below the basin to rectify the problem, and this took all afternoon and into the night.

Last lock into Langley Mill basin

We moored by the water point (this is allowed here but not usually the done thing) joining 4 other moored boats. The place the Captain really wanted to be was opposite the water point. The boat there was only staying 1 night, so we intended to move over when they left, but the boat in front beat us to it. This caused a few issues with the solar panels as we were under a tree, but not a lot we could do. So the singing kettle had to come out, always good to have a back up.

Well now we were in the basin until something happens (we may have to overstay the 7 days, but I think we have a good enough excuse, don’t you?)

First thing the Captain did after a day of rest was take the flexible coupling off the prop shaft, it was not in a good way. The round bolt holes were no longer round and look more rugby ball shaped, and the actual body of the coupling was beaten and battered. He ordered a new one to be delivered to Langley Mill boat yard. Dan and Vicky who run the yard are great, and both had popped over to have a chat when we arrived, so it was no problem having it delivered there.

https://langleymillboatyard.co.uk/

The knackered coupling

We did however have another issue, when the seal had gone, water had leaked into the bottom of the engine bay and mixed with some oil there, this meant we couldn’t simply pump the water out, you don’t want oil in the canal. So we needed some containers to pump the oil water mix into, so we can dispose of it responsibly at a later date. The Captain solved this by going to the local car wash, were they had some 25ltr drums which had held cleaning fluid, perfect.

Our first visitors came on Friday, Sandy and John, I was at school with Sandy and we had kept in touch after. John, we had never met, they had only been together a couple of years. We had a lovely afternoon catching up, we went to the pub and I did a buffet for tea. They had never been on a narrowboat before, and unfortunately we weren’t able to take them on the planned cruise due to our engine problems, the lack of water and the weed. But there will be another time I am sure.

I invite my old workmate Chris to come for Sunday lunch, and he readily accepted, but then there was a change of plan, as he had heard the Red Arrows were meant to be performing at Chatsworth on the Sunday at 6pm. So I cooked some of the dinner, he picked us up and took us to his static caravan not far from Chatsworth, where we cooked the rest of dinner between us, sat out on his decking to eat, and then headed to Chatsworth. He hadn’t however got his information quite right, the Sparrows were just doing a fly over rather than a display. We got there just in time to see them shoot by. It was a lovely afternoon.

Now we are playing the waiting game for 2 reasons, the birth of my grandson Dylan, due on the 7^th, and the Erewash canal is shut again due to low water. Vandalism again if CRT is to be believed.

That’s all for now folks