TNC On Tour 2003 - 8 (XP)
Neil Arlidge
Neil up at 07:00 readying boat. Took everything off the roof and folded down
bolt on equipment rack. Removed stick fenders. Cratch cover, top board and
cratch removed and stowed near front of boat. A bit of heavy steel plate
ballast swapped stern to bow. Mats removed from well deck. Quickie last
cuppa, then gas and batteries isolated. BW man arrived just after 08:00 and
gauged boat. Not worried about height/airdraught but seemed to be worried
that boat was exactly 6ft 10ins wide.....Neil said that is what he ordered
and that is what he got!
Signed the standard disclaimer and did couple of things BW bod required -
remover tiller bar (this was a first since it's bending and with a bit of WD
40, came off quite easily) also lowish mounted side nav lights were removed.
BW bods then strapped together 4 of the 5 boats which is now the Summer
norm, then got out the rubberware - large sheets of rubber sheet, to protect
upper paintwork. Earnest also got some front upper corner rubber protectors.
The side hatches were also opened, just in case they got caught and ripped
off. Rubber sheets positioned to cover hole. All the travelling boaters were
requested to board, as the convoy had to move into the tunnel as the final
boat is attached (not enought room at Marsden) crew members from two of the
boats were going to go over the tunnel, as they had cats. There were two fee
paying walkers joining us in the forward passenger module.
At 09:20 we were off. MC was Peter Carter, an ex Thames locky (Temple to
Teddington). Over the top safety stuff, was due to the tug and passenger
module being class 5 MCA passenger carrying boats (Up to 32 passengers and
crew. The crew consisted of 8. Driver, tug minder, MC and a hapless bod on
the stern of each boat doing a rather heave ho fending operation, just using
hands in thick rubber gloves.
Interesting impromptu talks from Peter Carter about the tunnel and the other
Railtrack tunnels. WE were allowed on bow and stern of passenger module,
with had hats provided.At about 6 places we were greeted by a BW bod in a
side audit, checking our progress. He then went onto the next audit dining
in a Transit van in the nearest disused rail tunnel. All these emergency
audits were lit and had full safety equipment. BW were thinking of doing
away with the "Shadow", by installing an inductive loop communication system
with the outside.An experimental system could be seem still in places.
REALLY serious gusher at one Railtrack cross audit.Tunnel / summit water
level had been lowered by 8 inches during the restoration, to let most
modern NB's through.
All power comes from the tug, which is just a huge battery bank. Convoy
driven AND steered by driver and tug master. The power plants (in tug AND
passenger module) are ducted fans that can swivel through 360 degrees, so
can be used at side thrusters. The tunnel is very interesting with changes
between unlined, brick buttress supported areas, stone lined and brick
lined. The tunnel has two large kinks in it, which required some slow
running / extra fending to get convoy through. There were also a few pinch
points where there was slow running. Last section of tunnel was added as a
cut and cover section, to get the rail lines over the other side.
Arrived at Diggle portal at 12:40 (the normalish 2.5 hours) As the boats
were uncoupled and had their rubberware removed, we pushed over the other
side. We ended up second in the convoy (normally bigger, nearer the profile
limit boats first). Martin C sorted out the lockies for the Diggle Flight
passage. They said it was alright to move right up to Lock 32W and they
would be along after their lunch at around 13:00.
We soon shot off up to the Lock and managed to completely reassemble Earnest
and make a token gesture at a clean up. The boats do get fairly filthy due
to soot from steam trains having lined the canal tunnel, in places. The
valiant boat fender BW bods do get rather filthy and their hand prints were
over the back of the boats.
BUT this is a small price to pay for a wonderful (free?) experience. NO
scratches to Earnest above gunwale level and only a few to gunwales.
Managed to get off at exactly 13:00. After being followed down Diggle (out
lock 25 W at 14:10), we soon threw off the other boats and had the western
side to our selves. Absolutely no trouble down western side until locks 9W
(incredibly leaky bottom AND top gates meant we had to use a fair bit of
water to flush Earnest out of Lock 10E into the short pound below AND into
lock 9W, to ensure we did not have a pivoting on the upper sill situation.
After the top gate of lock 9W had been closed, the level had dropped a foot
before we could get the paddles up!....................still there was now
plenty of water below. Ed had walked up and joined us at this point point.
Completely missed the two "narrow" locks on the western side, we did not
even lift our stick fenders. We got to Stalybridge VM, opposite Tosco's at
18:40. Only two boats moored at Stalybridge (and a rather long term BW work
boat resident!). One of these boats "Toby" was moored RIGHT outside the
Stalybridge Harridan's house, so we could not! ;-)
Dave Mayall came for a chat, Neil had some thing in common, as Dave's NB is
a Hancock and Lane hull - same "lineage" as R&D, seeing as Ray worked there
in their early days of boatbuilding. Dave M and Ed Mortimer had to go home
for dinner, but Ed joined us later in the brand new Stalybridge
Weatherspoon's - "The Society Rooms" Very on form Gales HSB and the usual
two meals for Ł5.75
Much chat ensued and we found out that Ed is a somewhat quiet and
understated local hero. HE wrote the NABO "how to do the River Dee guide"
and has taken two BWB leased full length working boats further up the Dee
than he could admit to (including a few tributaries) he also was the person
responsible for getting one of then rather a long way up an old N Oxford
loop - the Brownsover Arm. It is hoped Ed will be doing rather more boating
with us!
--
Neil Arlidge - NB Earnest
Follow the travels of the TNC at http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk
Robin Nicholson
>Much chat ensued and we found out that Ed is a somewhat quiet and
>understated local hero. HE wrote the NABO "how to do the River Dee guide"
>and has taken two BWB leased full length working boats further up the Dee
>than he could admit to (including a few tributaries)
you mean..further than you???
--
Robin
Neil Arlidge
We have not been on the Dee. I would prefere to use the TNCFA NB Frogmoore
II, with Ed along.