Lack of connection, so
Saturday 24 September 2011
Up early ready to start, but “Sanity Again” had already gone. Was just about to pull out when two boats (one was “Bob and Barbie”) went past so I followed and was at the back of the queue when we got to Stoke lock flight and all the way down. A flight is where there are several locks close together, a staircase is where one lock empties directly into the next. The two boats did get ahead of me and stopped at the Plume of Feathers in Barlaston. I was just about to pass when they both pulled out again, so again at the back of the queue down through the Meaford flight of locks and all the way into Stone. Out for a meal to the Star Inn when Bob came up and said he wanted to see how I got through locks as I was so quick that I could keep up with him
Sunday 25 September 2011
Decided to have a quiet day with no travelling. Went to church in the morning – St Michael’s in Stone, then spent the rest of the day wandering around being a tourist. The ‘Nicholson’ guide says “Look out for the statue of ‘Christina’ by Bridge 94”. When travelling past I had seen the statue but the guide does not go on to say who she was, however, by bridge 94 there is a canal guide and I had a chance to read it. She was a woman called Christina Collins who in June 1839 was to travel from Preston Brook to London by canal boat but was murdered by the crew. I had seen the story as it was done as a late Inspector Morse film where he was ill and he investigated the murder from his hospital bed.
Monday 26 September 2011
Off again heading South, still on the Trent & Mersey. Today’s first lock was one by the Star Inn, then on down the canal past Great Haywood junction where the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal heads off to Wolverhampton. Then passed Shugborough Park and eventually to Rugeley by 3pm where I moored for the night just by Bridge 67. Just before the turn at the end of the Brindley Bank Aqueduct there is another reference to Christina Collins saying that her body was found nearby.
Tuesday 27 September 2011
Left about 8:15, before other boats were mobile, then just past Bridge 66 was one with the same idea, but fortunately going the other way. Low cloud as the top of the Rugeley Power Station cooling towers could not be seen. No other boats seen moving in either direction for nearly two hours, then just after I had cleared wide straight parts through Armitage at the narrow bit before Bridge 59, then again at the blind bit by Bridge 58 boats! At Bridge 56 a boat pulled out and was travelling slowly as if passing other boats, I had to keep going into neutral. As we passed a moored boat the owner asked what was on as we had a convoy – another boat was behind me. At the first lock for Fradley Junction I discovered the boat was called “Swift and Sure” and we now had six boats in convoy – delays inevitable. The boat behind me was “Cygnus Nova” who I had been travelling with yesterday. When safely through the locks and turned onto the Coventry Canal I decided to stop just past Bridge 91 and allow Slow and Uncertain to get ahead – hopefully I will not meet up with her tomorrow.
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