The Tuesday Night Club Official Web Site

The Tuesday Night Club on Tour

Index

Tour 2001

Index

Boatmove / Rumpus Fun Cruise May / June

4- Bodymoor Heath to Trent Lock. Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, Coventry Canal, Trent and Mersey Canal, River Trent, Erewash Canal. - Including up River Soar to Redhill and back to Trent Lock.

Thursday 31st May 2001

Linda left at 07.15, on her own, nobody else could be bothered to get up!!! She got to Curdworth Bottom Lock at 08.15. Buy the time Fazeley Junction loomed ahead Neil was up to act as look out for the junction. After virtually passing all the Hopwas VM, Linda decided it would be a good time to stop. Neil reversed back much to amusement of watching boaters. Shop stop 10.05 to 10.30. 
Just before Tamhorn Farm Bridge (11.00) an irate passing boater (70ft nb) warned of Canaltime boat moored virtually in bridge hole, in turning cutout. He suggested to Neil that he may also like to swipe it! The challenge was taken up !!! . . . no one appeared out from occupied boat. 12.15 a passing nb Kinsarvik - Mike Ricketts was spotted! 
Amazing happening at Fradley Junction (13.05). Straight round corner onto T&M and in just vacated lock - nice synchronised turn with other boat! Spotted Long Long's nb Simmer Dim on it's moorings. At Keepers Lock they were filming a few seconds of Top Gear (will be on in a few weeks) Adrian ? was filmed moving white Mustang convertible and an MGB that made Cap'n Beeky's look positively wonderful! Dunno if we appeared in any shots - tried to appear cool just in case! 
Moored up at Alrewas, just above Bridge No 46. It was Linda's intention to stop here the night, but after getting some nice meat in the excellent Coates butcher and other provisions in Co-Op, she decided to move on. This was after spotting Ian Ballard's Ownerships share boat nb Sunseeker and Linda checking out the mighty River Trent section below lock. She had been worried by two boats going past, togged up in lifejackets! 
We eventually shoved off again at 16.20. New Barton Marina was selling diesel at 25p/L, but had to go into basin. At the last narrow lock in Burton (Dallow) Kids we messing around, dropped water in front of us and left paddles up and gates open, then scarpered. Using normal method of stick and bit of cloth wound round spindle, to get paddles up. We can now see why top paddles were fitted with locks! 
Did synchronised meal stop / water fill up in bloody noisy (roads on two sides) Horninglow Basin. (19.30 - 20.15) Pleasant mooring warden offered mooring on lock-in pontoons. Water finished filling two minutes after finishing meal! Linda was aiming for anything quiet and piled, after Burton, but we carried on to Willington VM ( 21.30). Just got on them after bridge, but Linda found another 60ft spot a bit further up. 
While going to this, spotted nb Lord of the Dance - John and Dawn Stead. Had recognition on both sides, so when finished mooring up Neil wandered down. After friendly reception and a few beers with the Stead's, Neil eventually crawled back gone 01.00am, after catching up on each others travels.

Friday 1st June 2001

Linda started on her own again at 07.45. By the time Stenson Lock was approaching Neil was up. MCC / Stenson Boatbuilders seemed busy. Weston Lock was in a state, thought that one top gate had something under it, but seemed to be blown sill, still managed to get out of the lock. Both bottom gates had to be opened as they only opened half way. 
Passed Shardlow at 11.40 and phoned Brian Dominic to home in on his whereabouts. Linda wanted to get Passat up this evening so Brian agreed to drop her off at station. Out of Derwent Mouth Lock at 12.25 and out of Sawley Lock at 13.00. Fair bit of traffic about. At Trent Lock (13.10) headed up River Soar and met up with Brian, at 13.20. 
The now officially finished Rumpus was on Redhill Flood Lock moorings. After a guided tour - Neil and Linda have never seen it in the flesh, Brian dropped of Linda at the station. Brian used to work for Midland Mainline, so got Linda on St Pancras bound train with minutes to spare! Neil, Peter and Wendy had a bit of a clean up of Earnest. When Brian was back he took the kids on a mini water tank fill up and boat washing cruise! Connie arrived soon after, followed by Susan, Brian's wife. 
Soon Rumpus was battling the mighty River Trent, followed at a respectable distance by Earnest. We moored up just beyond Trent Lock on the Erewash Canal. The Dominic's tried out the now finished cooking facilities on Rumpus, while Connie and the depleted Arlidge clan sampled a pint or other, plus bar food in the Steamboat Inn (Italian basement restaurant closed - due to spring floods?). After this we all repaired for a short walk to the Nottingham Yacht Clubhouse, by Cranfeet Lock, for a few drinks.


Huddlesford Junction. One day! (Derelict Wyrley and Essington Canal to Ogley Junction to right of picture.) Coventry Canal.

The Swan pub at Fradley Junction. passing from Coventry to Trent and Mersey Canal (south).

Fradley. Junction Lock. Tony Long's nb Simmer Dim  to left. Trent and Mersey Canal.

Alrewas Lock from River Trent towpath bridge. Trent and Mersey Canal.

Cow Bridge Wychnor. Trent and Mersey Canal.

Wychnor Lock. Trent and Mersey Canal.

Barton Lock. Trent and Mersey Canal.

The Derby Canal went off above Swarkstone Lock. Trent and Mersey Canal.

Shardlow Lock. Trent and Mersey Canal.

Malt Shovel pub, Shardlow. Trent and Mersey Canal.

Derwent Mouth Lock. The large Chestnut tree was for the chop by BW, as it is very near the by-weir, but common sense prevailed! Trent and Mersey Canal.

The River Trent comes in from the right and the River Derwent from the left. River Trent Navigation. 

Sawley Locks. River Trent Navigation. 

Sawley Locks. River Trent Navigation. 

The Arlidge's (junior) get acquainted with the perfectly proportioned Rumpus. Redhill. River Soar.

Rumpus. Redhill. River Soar.

Rumpus. Redhill. River Soar.

Wendy, Peter, Susan, Brian and Connie.............and of course Rumpus!

The Tour continues


Home Page | "Earnest" | "Beatty" | Canal Restoration