Service done and on our way again

Yesterday we had the engine serviced, which we have been waiting for so that's that, for the engine,till another 250 hrs, we haven't paid so far as the invoice wasn't ready so will pay when we return.

So this morning we were up early and went to Daventry to stock up with food and drinks then back to the boat filled her up with water and emptied the waste tank and set off on this part of the adventure. We left the marina and turned left towards Braunston passed farmland where the farmers were busy gathering their crops, this part of the canal has no locks to operate.We reach Braunston junction and turn right towards Milton Keynes, this part of the canal is extremely busy , though it is holiday season and the weather is pleasant, lots of hire boat around with happy holidaymakers.

The first of our locks appear these locks on the this part of the grand Union are double locks so we share the lock with another narrowboat and also the work of operating them this lock is part of a flight of six locks, at lock three we say goodbye to our lock buddies while we moor up just by the Admiral Nelson pub and off for a shandy. We come back to the boat and the heavens open with an torrential thunder and lighting storm. Dinner was had and we settled down for the night' see you tomorrow.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Still waiting for a service

Our nicely painted boat.

We are still at Wigram Turn Marina awaiting a service that should only take a couple of hours they say it is going to be done this week, but it would be nice to be given a date, or a day. It just beats me that in this country we put up with this customer service, but it the UK so we do, so we wait .....Unfortunately it not easy to go some where else as I have tried  to ring other companies and they are reluctant to travel so we are tied at the moment. 

Yesterday we visited the village of Southham a pretty village that dates back to 998Ad when it was a Royal Manor when Elthread the Unready granted it to the Earl Leafowine, it was believed to mint its own currency in the Medieval times as the locals found the currency that was used in the rest of the country to be too high and in the main street of the village stand a building now a pub that was the the Old Mint.

The Mint now a public house

Again this village has links to the civil war and claims by the locals that it was the the site of the first battle in that conflict, it also boast a few notable residents which include,

Steve Beeton , 1996 World Professional Darts Champion

Arthur  Cox, who managed Newcastle United and Derby County football clubs between 1980 and 1993, was born at Southam in December 1939.

Trina Gulliver, nine times women's World Professional Darts Champion, who moved to Somerset in 2008

Steve Walwyn, guitarist with Dr. Feelgood, was born in Southam in 1956

Adam Woodyatt, EastEnders actor, had a home in Southam.

Just outside of Southam lies the home of Codemasters http://www.codemasters.com/uk/ The computer game developers of Grid and Dirt franchise.

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  We visited a few shops then returned to the boat, we then decided to pop over to Birmingham  a 40 min drive away to see my sister Kathryn who also was looking after Josh her grandson, for coffee and a chat which was nice and pleasant afternoon, before returning back to the marina and our boat.

  

  
  

The Manor House now a pharmacy

 

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Busy in the marina

Not much to write about at the moment, we are waiting for Wigram marina to carry out a service which has been a bit of a ordeal, our engine is covered by a five year warranty and we be trying to find a approved dealer in this area with not much luck, so decided to have the marina to do it in the end.

Why we been waiting we been quite busy, painting out all the scars that have occurred in our travels, also put a couple of strips of baton on the floor of our top box to strength it, plus a few other jobs.

Weather has been great and plenty of activity at the marina with hire boats going to and thro, with exicited  holiday makers going out on their adventures. Speak to you soon.

Posted with Blogsy

Back on our boat

Here the start to another of our journeys,we are not leaving the marina at the moment as we have a few bits n bobs to do on the boat. We came back yesterday and just off loaded all of our clothes and other things onto the boat, we woke to glorious Sunshine after a restless night due to the bloody ducks pecking at the boat all night.
We had breakfast and then drove to Daventry   http://www.daventryfirst.co.uk/ to do some food shopping we then paid a visit to Midland Chanderly in Brauston where we spent a small fortune on little bits for the boat, fasteners, bolts, fire cement and paint.Back on the boat Denise gave it a thorough clean, while I drilled and riveted the fasteners back on to the boat after we lost them on the Thames, also a good wash and polish before a touch up of paint to hide or the scars from my steering over the last year.

As said we are spending a couple of weeks here before we set off on our journey so not a lot to write about but I will keep you all posted of any news. See you tomorrow.