We are still at the museum. Being so close to home it's given our families the ideal opportunity to come out and visit. So we've spent three days here in total. On the Thursday we met up with Mum & Dad D.

On Friday we were on our own and had another look around the museum, and did a bit more ship spotting and walked down to the ship canal.




The captain has now decided she wants a boat THIS BIG!



Being locked in the museum at night meant we had to make our own fun. We are getting very resourceful / sad. Delete as applicable.






Today we had a visit form Mum & Dad B, Big sister and the kids. We put the young'uns on a boat handling course.



It didn't go well..............................



So we tried the young fella with some manual work, ahh well we can always use him as a fender.



While Mr B caught up with an old relative?



For tonight's entertainment, we cut a length of rope free that had wrapped itself around the prop.



Between us, good teamwork and determination.



We were VICTORIOUS ! and a little wet and mucky.

End of the line.

And a step back in time. We've arrived at the boat museum at the end of the Sropshire Union where it meets the Manchester ship canal.



Look, see a ship and everything.

Visiting boats to the museum usually moor in the lower basin. However the water levels were very low, so we were moored up with the boats in the museum.



Then we had a look around the museum, very interesting place, friendly too.



In fact there is so much to see we are going to stop another day or two and have another look, there is stuff we are bound to have missed.

Chester

Today we stormed the walls of Chester!



Actually we sneaked around the outside before anybody noticed us.

It was supposed to be an easy day. Five lock free miles into Chester, then five locks through Chester and finish with a flourish going down the three rise staircase by the city walls and back into the countryside. It took all day, what happened there then?????



We are somewhere on the Wirral now, ready for going into Ellesmere Port and the boat museum for a couple of days. Before we have to retrace our steps and make our way to the Llangollen canal.

Big Locks, Broad Canal

Today we finished the middlewich branch and turned onto the Shropshire Union proper at Barbridge Junction. Back on to a broad canal after weeks of narrow gauge boating. Stopping off briefly at Calveley way station for a shower, the best we've come across yet. Then on to our first big lock. The two tier staircase lock at Bunbury.




We felt a little lost all by ourselves in a big lock chamber.



The sun was out this morning and I think it went to our heads or our wardrobe at least. ORANGE pants ! and, god forbid, SHORTS !!!!!!




We passed through a very unusual lock under the shadow of Beeston castle. It's lined in cast iron. To combat the shifting sandy soil into which it was cut.

We are now moored up somewhere between the back end of beyond and nowhere in particular. All I can tell is that it's six miles south east of Chester. Where we'll be tomorrow.

A Day of Rest.

Hi everybody,

Today is a well deserved day of rest. We may have only covered sixteen and a half miles yesterday but the twenty seven locks in between certainly take it out of you !




We left our overnight mooring on the Trent and Mersey and began our gruelling day at the windlass, or rather I did as the captain settled in at the helm. I'd rather do the locks. Time seems to fly by as there is always something to be done. At the helm it's bursts of intense concentration getting the boat into the lock without bashing it too much. Followed by a seemingly endless wait for the chamber to fill.

It was an early start, all the more surprising because it was a Sunday. Though days are starting to mean less and less as we go on. A beautiful day and we stopped again by 9am for an ice cream. Then came some more locks, which you may have seen as you flash pass on the M6.



Look at those poor truckers working, and on a Sunday too, and here I am messing about with boats in the sunshine. Did I make the right decision ???????????????

We carried on up the canal towards Middlewich passing the salt works and the toilet factory. We get to see all the sights !

We stopped off at Kings lock's Chandlery for some bits for the boat. Chimney, navigation lights, fire rope, coal and a seal kit for the toilet.

Then we hung a left onto a new canal. The Shropshire Union ( Middlewich branch ) I like it, the water is the same colour as hot chocolate. Though I expect it doesn't taste great.

The Captain complained of a lack of power as we set off from a lock as we started this stretch and there was a lot of vibration through the tiller. We pulled over to the side and I got out the trusty boat hook and had a probe under the boat and around the prop. Pulled out a huge industrial polythene bag. Normal function restored we headed for the last lock of the day!



Victory is mine !!!!

It was plain sailing from here to Church Minshull where we moored for the night. With more curious cows for neighbours. This bad girl had her hind legs chained together like a convict?



Where we watched the sun go down. Strange but true, I have never taken the time to properly watch the sun set.



That brings us to today our " Day of rest " We replaced the chimney I carefully removed with a tunnel, bit of maintenance in the engine bay and then the afore mentioned seal kit for the loo.

The seal from the loo to the holding tank had perished and was letting smells back into the boat. So roll up your sleeves and get your spanners our. Not pleasant !! twenty three years worth of poo have passed this way, eeerrrrrrrrr!!!!

Actually it wasn't actually that bad. The valve into the tank kept the evil bellow from sight at least. The new seal worked a treat and the pong has been banished.

Next time the Shroppie proper and onto Chester, The lock keeper.

Trent & Mersey here we come

Hi gang,

We retrieved our washing this morning,



Then we got on the move again,



With the good captain steering a steady course through some of the Macc's more interesting architecture.





and on into open waters.



We arrived at a VERY narrow, VERY long stop lock. The character of the canal changed from the fine stone bridges and narrow gaps to simple, crude that'll do bridges with nice wide gaps.

We stopped for lunch on an aqueduct over the top of the Trent & Mersey. Before doing the last quarter of a mile to the junction of the two canals. The T&M has nice orange water just like the Bridgewater used to have back at home before they cleaned it up. Interestingly the T&M has pairs of narrow locks side by side, you just use the one that's working for you at the time. We've done six today only twenty two tomorrow. No wonder it's know as " Heartbreak Hill "

Some don't make it !



Only kidding, it's a mile marker.

Service Wash

Hi everybody,

Sorry no pictures today, the web site won't let us post any.

We've made it all the way to Congleton, not bad for a fortnights travelling! and we've found a laundrette too.

Jen tried to get us some tea last night but it gave her the slip, tricky things these spring lambs.

We set off in the morning straight into the tow path rush hour. Four people and five dogs !!!!

We made it to congleton, loaded up the bikes with washing and went off in search of a washing machine. We found one but it's a service wash and won't be ready until the morning so we're stuck here until then. So we made good use of our forced shore leave and did some shopping for provisions.

Then I continued my battle against the engine noise. The stern is or rather was full of gaps that let the engine noise escape. I been finding and plugging them the whole cruise, got serious today and made up some extra panel pieces to plug the larger voids. Flushed with success I stripped, cleaned and re greased the stern tube greaser and realigned the stern gland compression plate. In simple terms I stopped the drip drip water leak around the prop shaft.

So that's us for now, hopefully photos for you all next time.