Saturday 26th May 1990

We eventually found 'President' and 'Vulcan' at Hayfield Wharf in Oxford. We arrived by taxi at the same time as they did by water - after lugging our cases to and fro we decided a taxi was the answer. We were the last replacement crew members to arrive. Keith (known as the Black Ferret ), Neil Ratcliffe and Rod Hardwick had all found 'President' on the Thames.

Almost as soon as the boats had arrived, various locals emerged from their houses and came to chat about the wharf and the working boats that they had seen using it over the years. We were given a booklet about the history of the road which contained a photograph of the wharf in its working days.

The last two members of the old crew took their leave, and Andrew and I settled in on 'Vulcan'. During dinner Pauline asked the Black Ferret why he'd shaved off his beard. He said it was because he'd never seen a photograph of a bearded engine man. After visiting the pub mentioned in the history we all retired to bed - Neil on a mattress in the hold, Andrew and I in the bunks in the cabin, Rod on a mattress on the lounge floor, and Alan and Pauline in the back cabin. TOMORROW THE FUN STARTS!

This morning we have an appointment with the Lord Mayor of Oxford at 10, so after breakfast it was clean the boat time, and then into our best bib and tucker. Radio Oxford arrived, members of the James Brindley Memorial Trust, and finally the Lord Mayor herself. Her chauffeur, after borrowing a tray from ‘Vulcan’, proceeded to pass glasses of wine or orange juice around the assembled company.

Speeches followed, and proceedings concluded with the Lord Mayor having a special preview of the statue.

We left at 11 and made reasonable progress, with ‘Vulcan’ having to tow 'President' on one occasion. Stuck again in the approach to Pigeons lock at about 6.15pm, and we also had an encounter with a willow tree which fell on 'President' as she passed underneath. Andrew, Rod and Neil were perched on the top plank breaking off bits, Keith was sent to look for an axe and emerged from the hold with a bow saw. The branches were sawn off and deposited in the hold as they were too big to throw away.

We finally arrived at Lower Heyford, our scheduled stop at about 9pm to be greeted by the owners of the hire base where we were to tie, and an American lady who had videoed our arrival. She introduced herself as Anita and offered Keith the use of her bath, and anyone else who might want one. She told him about the various steam locomotives she had made videos of when they passed on the railway that also ran by her house. Keith called her a steam groupie. (Editors Note:. of the nicest possible sort).

Monday 27th

'President' left at about 8.30 and surprisingly nothing major happened all morning. The leaflet on the hire boats and the general publicity about this trip is working. People are taking the opportunity of photographing 'President' when she puts them aground instead of yelling, and there are gongoozlers at every lock we've passed through.

The afternoon was a bit more bumpy but by 5 we were in the ever spreading outskirts of Banbury and then tied on the bend below the lock. Banbury has changed a great deal in the fifteen years since I was here but we eventually found a nice pub, The Reindeer, run by Spaniards.

Tuesday 29th

'President' left at 9.15 and 5 minutes later was stuck under the swing bridge below the lock. Neil and Andrew were pulling with ropes - I flushed some water down and eventually it worked and 'President' slowly entered the lock. Above the lock though, it was worse and after some attempts to escape the basin, 'President' returned. A discussion followed and it was agreed that we would proceed with 'Vulcan' towing 'President' . We proceeded with 'President' sticking from time to time, and eventually made Grimsby Wharf where there was a mud bar.

We were only told about this bar after 'Vulcan' was well and truly stuck. After much poling and rocking etc., 'Vulcan' finally broke free only to drag 'President' onto it in her stead. Eventually 'Vulcan' pulled 'President' off. This pound continued to be a struggle, and with 'President' stuck again, 'Vulcan' got on the phone to BW who had promised us any help we might need. Meanwhile Rod had pumped all the water out of the barrels in the hold and coal had been moved forward and the bilges pumped dry all in an attempt to lighten the boat in the middle where it appeared to be sticking. 'President' moved as a boat went past and eventually caught 'Vulcan' which was waiting above Hardwicke Lock.

When we got there we found Alan letting water down. When I got to Little Bourton to re-set the lock a glorious sight met me. The by-wash was running and there was water pouring over the top gates. There were two BW men, with windlasses, on the lock side waiting to help us, too. The BW men had been told to stay with us and to see us through to Claydon locks and to make sure we cleared them.

From then on we had a few mild groundings but generally we were fine and the crew was happy. Through the tunnel, and we eventually arrived at Fenny Compton marina at 7pm to find it all locked up so no showers tonight after all.

Wednesday 30th

We set off this morning about 8.30 although 'President' was ready to go at 7.30 (95 lbs). Today’s trip is a long bendy pound followed by Marston Doles and Napton locks.

We met a pair of coal boats along the summit - John and Madelaine Forth with Newbury and Meteor. They are nicely kept boats, well painted and doing what they were built for - super!. At Marston Doles, 'President' entered the lock, the bottom paddles were opened and the lock was emptying when Andrew called out that ‘President’ was hung up somewhere as the counter was out of the water and the lock was not yet empty. The lock was refilled. From the BW party on the lockside a man came over and introduced himself as the Canal Manager and said .We'll try flushing her out .. A discussion followed within the assembled BW contingent as to why she had stuck - whether the lock was too narrow or whether there was something on the bottom, or the pound was too low.

The lock was emptied and an attempt to flush the boat out but it failed. More discussion. The paddles were then left up to bring the pound up to weir level, and finally a quick flush got ‘President’ moving.

The plan was to load coal at the wharf by the bottom lock. Alan phoned Charringtons to ask if the coal could be delivered earlier as it was now only 2.45 and the coal was planned for 4pm. Andrew, Rod and I visited the Folly, the newly reopened pub at the bottom of the flight. It was arranged that the whistle would be blown when the coal arrived. We eventually returned to ‘President’ leaving Rod talking to Esme, the retired lock keeper. Back at the boat, the coal had just arrived and a human chain was formed to load it. It took about 20 minutes to load the 2 tons - with help from volunteers in the watching crowd.

Rod however did not appear. He took some ribbing from us about not turning up but he said he hadn't heard the whistle.

On arrival at Braunston, Tim Coghlan, the marina owner came rushing over - he had arranged a welcoming party for our arrival, but it was just breaking up because we were late arriving. Tim salvaged as much as he could, people, wine, beer, crisps and peanuts, and we were soon in good spirits. When dinner was ready, Pauline served us one by one with our meals, but when it came to Rod's turn, his tray contained a plate with a slice of bread on it and a glass of water. Everyone laughed, appreciating Pauline's joke punishment, even Rod, though he still swears he didn't hear the whistle. Pauline eventually gave him his proper dinner.

Thursday 31st May

Best bib and tucker in the morning for the newspaper photographers. Then, off through Hillmorton and up the Northern Oxford.

We heard 4 whistles from 'President' just before bridge 37, and on enquiring were told that they were having trouble getting water into the boiler. 'Vulcan' took her in tow, and the fire was jettisoned. The boats arrived Stretton Stop at 5.30 and phone calls were made to get a decision as to what we should do. We were told to go on, with 'Vulcan' towing 'President' to Hawkesbury. We set off about 6.45pm, dinner was taken in shifts on the move, and we tied at Hawkesbury just after 11pm.

Friday 1st June 1990

We awaited help from the Museum, and it duly arrived in the form of no less than Ian Walden. Problem resolved, the boiler was lit at 10.45 and departure made at 11 am, with 'Vulcan' towing 'President' Good to their word, BW's promised tug was there, and went in front. We proceeded thus, up the Coventry Arm until the pressure was up and the tow was dropped, just after we passed the Club Line base. It was soon resumed though, as the weed was causing problems all round and 'President' had also caught a bicycle tyre. The BW tug then took 'Vulcan' in tow, which was in turn towing 'President' and (now in the rain) we made our way to Coventry Basin, changing around just before the basin so ‘President’ could enter first.

At the basin we met the Mayor and various other distinguished visitors. The original plan was to spend the night at the basin, but it was decided that the boats should return to Hawkesbury that evening. A kind lady from the Coventry Canal Society took Pauline shopping and then promised to pick up any errant crew members that evening and get them to Hawkesbury. We moved off about 7, with BW Beech towing 'Vulcan' towing 'President' and arrived Hawkesbury 9.45. 'President' was handed over to the new crew, ‘Vulcan’ of course going on for ever with Alan, Pauline and Brandy.

Wen Brenchley

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