Saturday 27th May

Most of the crew arrived at the Black Country Living Museum on Saturday afternoon. After taking provisions on board, arranging cars and partaking of cups of tea, evening had arrived and we adjourned to the Pie Factory, Tipton. Along with others I ordered a mixed grill. There must have been a shortage of plates for the meals arrived on shovels. The provenance of the shovels was not explained, but we conjectured that they might have been used for the digging out of sewage sludge or graves. They certainly gave a new meaning to the mealtime expression, "dig in"

Sunday

A leisurely day. In the morning we poled President to the other side of the basin where there was four ton of coal waiting to be loaded. Under the Captain's instruction the two ton already in the hold was moved aft, then the four ton ashore loaded forward and amidships. Apparently this meant the trim was wrong so a ton amidships was moved aft and a ton forward was moved amidships!! There were rumours that this was all part of a plan by the skipper to knock the crew into some sort of physical shape. The new coal greatly pleased the engineers, apparently it leaves a minimal amount of ash.
That evening we had a Banquet for Five (between 7 of us!) from the Chinese takeaway just over the road. They gave us a vast amount of food that we all ate from plates!

Wednesday

Next morning we cast off and headed for Brick Kiln Lock, half a mile away, where President became firmly stuck and the safety valve lifted. We could tell it was going to be a long day. Half a mile further on President was aground again at the exit from a bridgehole, and so it went on. Taking a boat with a 3'6'' draught through a canal system maintained for those of 2'3'' has its problems. One black hour was when we realised that Kildare's chimney was no longer in position. Horror of horrors it was nowhere to be seen! Knight Paul took up his lance, (a boat hook), mounted his trusty charger (a bike) and set off to where we were last aground. Wonder of wonders he not only managed to find the chimney in the canal but to hook it out too. What a star!!

During the day we received a message from the Chief Engineer that he would meet us that afternoon at Bridge 98 to deliver a barrel of engine detergent. We duly arrived at the bridge and waited and waited. Eventually we picked up the drum at Bridge 106! We arrived at our evening mooring at Tixall Wide in falling rain and failing light an hour and a half later than expected. After we had eaten it was well past closing time so we all retired, somewhat weary and slept well.

Thursday

Departed early from Tixall Wide on a misty morning. Turned onto the Trent and Mersey, took on water at Great Haywood junction and headed for our destination at Stone Top Lock. Groundings, although common, were less frequent than on the previous day and we had a relatively easy trip until we arrived at Stone Locks. They were very shallow. The problem was eventually overcome by the technique of 'up hill flushing'. Both top paddles are opened quickly and simultaneously to produce a surge of water. The secret lies in the engineer putting on the power at exactly the right moment to drive the boat into the lock. Maurice was an expert at this. The disadvantage of the technique is that it drains the pound above. Fortunately it had been a wet spring and there was plenty of water going over the weirs. We moored for the night above the Stone locks and adjoined for the evening to the nearby pub - the' Rising Sun'.

Friday - incidents at Barlaston bridge (103)

That morning there was a discussion among crewmembers as to our expected E.T.A. at journey's end, Jesse Shirley's Bone Mill, Etruia. The official time was 4pm but with the previous two days' experience fresh in mind, crewmembers had estimates as high as 7.30pm. We cast off, without encountering much trouble, and arrived at Bridge 102 at about 11.30am. In the bridge hole President went firmly aground. There was a lad sheltering under the bridge, from the persistent rain, who informed us that if we thought this bridge hole was shallow wait till we reached 103. He had waded there and the water was not even over his knees. He was not a very long legged youth and a quick calculation of his knee height suggested we had a problem. With the usual well rehearsed mixture of pushing, pulling, shoving, rocking and reversing President was freed from the clutches of bridge 102 and headed towards 103 where it shuddered to a halt even before the bow had passed beneath the parapet.

photo by Judy Spencer

Bridge 103 carries the road to Barlaston. It is quite a busy road and soon, despite the rain, a sizeable crowd had gathered to watch the entertainment. So shallow was the water and with no obvious anchor point for the Tirfor the situation looked desperate. Then one of life's little miracles! A man emerged from the crowd and offered to use his 4 WD Jeep to attempt to tow us through. Fortuitously there was space for him to position his vehicle. President was roped to the tow bar and with everyone pushing and pulling and the 4WD in crawler gear, President triumphantly emerged from the bridge hole. The driver, a Mr Geeson, was thrilled. His Jeep looked the sort of vehicle whose only previous off road experience had been the likes of Sainsbury's Car Park, but now it had realised it's full potential. For his efforts the driver was presented with an engine plaque, was promised a photograph of the incident and went off highly pleased.

I also have to report an unfortunate incident at Bridge 103. While attempting to push President with a pole from the bank, the pole slipped and I fell into the cut. I quickly clambered out, changed and gave my wet clothes to "Messrs Parker and Holbrook - Engineers and Laundrymen to distressed Boatmen" who placed the wet attire on the boiler. A short time later there were complaints from the engine hole that my drying clothes were giving off an offensive smell! Whether this was meant as a comment on the quality of the canal water or on my personal hygiene was not clear. What Maurice and Andy were unaware of was that a well-used sock had fallen in the region of the firebox and was being quickly rendered into charcoal, hence the smell! To add insult to injury, my powder blue Y-fronts had been hung in a prominent position in the engine hole door. It is one thing to suffer the humiliation of falling into the canal in front of a sizeable crowd, but to have your smalls put on public display was, so to say, the final 'cut'. The only good news is that Judy did not see them for I am sure they would have been deemed non-authentic and unsuitable wear for a boatman.

Freed from the problems of shallow bridge holes we continued on our way to the Bone Mill, arriving without further incident at 3.45pm. Despite the trip's indifferent weather and navigational difficulties, all the crew retained their good humour. This was due in no small part to Ron's relaxed but controlled captaincy and to Judy, who once again, played Wendy to our Lost Boys. For bringing President to the Bone Mill for Stoke Museum's Steam Weekend, we were all given a gift, a much-appreciated gesture, although perhaps they were trying to tell us something - we were all presented with MUGS!

John Logie

The crew, from left to right are:

Maurice Parker (Driver),
Andy Holbrook, 
Paul Egginton,
Judy Spencer (Quartermistress )
John Logie,
Harry Stoopman
Ron Spencer (Captain)

 

Photo courtesy of BCLM

For an account of the Festival weekend see here