We'll soon be back to base.

Nearing the end of our holiday although there are a couple of days to go.

The weather has been outstanding, today has been wall to wall sunshine again and we'll remember it for many years to come.

Loads of work has been done, some trivial but a requirement of the BSS, for example the fire extinguisher locking pins fell out when the extinguisher was tipped over onto its side. Easily solved utilising the existing elastic band retaining it.

Now the pin can't fall out.

Others are more complex, the battery links for example needed upgrading to cope with the possible higher load drawn by the inverter. It's one of those things that are highly unlikely to happen, but it is possible.

New 70mm□ links fitted.
Also ratchet strap security.

When I started this job I noticed the batteries had been mixed up. (We've been around this loop before). There were three domestic batteries and one starter all together in the engine 'ole, and one domestic in the locker above.

So I swapped the single domestic and the starter, so now all domestic batteries are together in the engine 'ole and the starter battery is up in the locker. 

Secured with a hanging bracket I found left over from the new inverter fitment.
Note the old smaller battery links from the domestic pack.

This little notice plate had to be removed from the switch gear below and placed above deck:-

It's stuck on with Sikaflex, an expensive adhesive 🤔

Not on the BSS list; I've changed the oil, filter and air filter.

Looking good after a bit of a clean.
NOTE TO USERS:- DO NOT STAND ON THE EXHAUST SPIGOT!

Also been down the bow thruster 'ole, dried it out, cleaned and painted with two coats of bitumastic.

'Tiz a bit black in there!

Hopefully TQ will pass the BSS on Friday.

Currently we're here:-

Way out in the sticks.

Sundown.

Seen along the way:-


There's loads of these about in the evenings.

May fly. The fish love 'em.

Spotted this Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.
Note the hole in the tree.

More tomorrow - hopefully.

It's about time I blogged again.

It's been a while, as we've been out of 'tinterwebby range and I've lost track of what's been going on, so here's some pix:-

Ellesmere. Easy access to a nice town.

From the Prees Branch.

I just love sunsets.

Despite their appearance they're not very friendly.

Early morning.

The lesser spotted I believe.

We've left 'Golly.

Sad to leave Llangollen, it's a lovely town.

First thing was to fill the water tank; it took ages because the flow was slow and the tank was nearly empty.

Motoring on through the Narrows we met a few boats coming the other way, good job Lin went ahead with the walkie talkie to give me the heads up on what's in front.

Despite the sunshine it's been really cold today, in fact there was a frost this morning and we've lit the fire tonight.

We've lit Old Flamey.

Smoke on.

Well I'm chuggered.

Well almost; we were strolling along the unnavigable section of the Llangollen Canal, minding our own business, when we were accosted by a CaRT beggar this morning. Firstly claiming he wasn't chugging and saying we have nothing to fear from him, he then immediately went into his schpiele about how we could sign up to whatever it was he was selling, which was going to cost us money. Now if that ain't chugging I don't know what is. Needless to say, we declined his kind offer.

Nearly all the boats in the moorings have left, some as early as 07:00. At the time of writing this (16:30) it still hasn't filled up again. It's now very quiet here.

This was taken at around 10:00 this morning.

I remember the first time we visited Horseshoe Falls I was expecting some height with water cascading from above. I was a little disappointed but the scenery there and on the way made up for it.

I see this time the Winter debris hasn't been cleared, and probably won't be. There's a dead sheep hanging on the weir, just thinking this water feeds into Hurleston Reservoir and is piped to Crewe!

The weir was built to dam the river and provide a supply of water for the canal and Hurleston Reservoir. There is an adjustable weir in the building which controls the flow of the water and nowadays a compressor pumping air into the water to oxygenate it.

Loads of rubbish trapped behind the weir.

On the way back we followed the public footpath through the Chain Bridge Hotel grounds and over the River Dee via the Chain Bridge and then under the railway line and up onto Berwyn Station platform where we waited for the train to take us back to Llangollen.

Back in Llangollen.

We did some shopping in the town and bought some provisions, eggs, beer, crisps, beer, bread rolls, oh! and some beer.

There was a baker's selling Oggies, just had to partake, it was delicious.

Well there's lovely isn't it.

A complete turnaround in the weather.

Heavy drizzle look you. It's going to brighten up later.

Llangollen.

Yes, we finally made it. But what a journey, spectacular scenery all th way to Chirk Aqueduct, Chirk Tunnel, Froncycyllte, Poncysyllte Aqueduct, Trevor, Llangollen Narrows, and the moorings.

£12.00 gets you 48 hours, water and electricity.

It's a long walk back from the town, made long by the steep hill and steps to the moorings. If we stay too long here I thing we could get fit, can't be having that.

Today's start point.

As we turn the bend the Chirk Aqueduct presents itself. 

The railway viaduct.

They certainly knew how to build structures in those days.

Waiting our turn at the Pontcysyllte.

120 foot drop into the River Dee.

Some lovely properties nestled in the valley.

Looking back along the Ponty.

We had an early tea in the Corn Mill, sat outside woth a view of the river and railway station.

The Corn Mill - cracking food.

The Railway Station.

Barge parking:-

Almost full!

TQ is in there somewhere.

Ah! There... Note to self - we won't park our barge here again unless it's empty.

Never a dull moment on the canals, the Air Ambulance landed near the town this evening, caught it just after take-off.

It was on the ground for 3/4 of an hour, then away to hospital.

Earlier it was all hustle and bustle here in the moorings, now it's all gone quiet, there's hardly a sound, just the birdies singing their evening song.

We're back after a couple of days without 'tinterwebby.

Last night we reversed back up the Preece Branch and had excellent TV reception without interruption except for the adverts, we watched the F1 Barcelona GP.

'Er'll's happy 😉

I love early mornings, this is the Preece Branch on the Llangollen Canal.

We pulled the pins at around 08:00 this morning, the early morning mist had long gone by then, and we wended our way toward Llangollen.

The weather has been very kind to say the least with wall to wall sunshine but it has been chilly with a slight frost this morning.

14 miles and two locks today, not a record, but pretty good for the 'Golly.

Tonight's view.

Battery dilemma.

We discovered the battery arrangement in TQ was not suitable for proper charging/discharging. We've been around this loop before, when we had the batteries replaced three domestics were located in the engine 'ole together with the starter battery, and the fourth domestic battery was placed in the locker above. Why this was done I don't know. But now they're back in their rightful place coupled up with bigger 70mm□ links, the starter battery now being in the locker above.

A big thank you goes to Phil at Venetian Chandlers for helping me with this. 👍

All four domestic batteries together. The starter is in the locker above. 

Sorted!

Not moved far today...

...Probably about 1/4 mile. Stopped at Venetian to see if I could get some battery links made up, and yes, Phil can do it. 👍😊 Unfortunately not until tomorrow, today's the one day he'd left his hydraulic crimper in Nantwich on a job. Oh! Well, not to worry we'll wait.

In the meantime I got on with scraping the rust and old paint out of the bow thruster 'ole in preparation for the bitumastic paint.

I've done most of the work required by the BSS.

I've cut the hole in the mat to reveal the fuel cock sign, moved the isolator sign, tightened the battery terminal, fitted a new plug and socket to the shore line, and cut and fitted a new gauze in the fuel tank breather. I had to sacrifice the ship's sieve for that one.

I saw the tank breathers they had in the chandlery, and they looked a bit too big and sophisticated for our need, and I didn't ask the price, but I suspect there were too many zeros on the end.

This came in handy 😆

The only jobs remaining are the battery links and battery clamp.

The other job which was bothering me was the leak in the water tank overflow tube. I've made a temporary bodge repair with some CT1. Hopefully it'll last until Winter maintenance when we can get a permanent bodge repair done. TQ will need to come out of the water for that so we might as well get the blacking done at the same time.

The whole area needs some rebuilding. The bow thruster battery probably caused some of the rot.

Rotted through!

CT1 applied. Don't worry it's food safe.

We've move out of the marina today to a lovely peaceful spot.

Silence... apart from the birds - bliss.

BSS day today and..

...TQ failed on a number of items.

Fuel vent - gauze missing.
Batteries insecure - Clamp missing. Must not move more than 10mm in any direction.
Battery links - not big enough. Must be same size as mains to inverter.
Fuel cock sign - under mat therefore not legible. Cut mat.
Battery isolator sign - move to a position above deck.
Loose battery terminal - tighten.
Shoreline - replace plug and socket.
Fire extinguishers - secure safety pins.

Seems I've have my work cut out for the foreseeable.

...And back to base because...

...We have a BSS examination tomorrow, so I've cleared out the gas locker and resealed the Bubble stove.

BBQ this evening, alongside the canal are some picnic tables with BBQ facility, well, it'd be rude not to.

I've never taken a selfie before. 😉

Going back to just after Christmas...

...I brought this door handle home to repair it. I'm guessing a few people have missed this and I apologise for the delay in getting it refitted.

Broken part is lowest in picture.

Parts prepared for silver soldering.

Heating it up ready for soldering.

Soldering completed and part cleaned.

Hole redrilled and pivot fitted, ready to go back on the door.

And there it is.