Of course yesterday when we weren’t moving it was sunny, while today when we were moving it was raining. Macc was rather wet when we arrived back from our pre-breakfast walk (that’s pre our breakfast, but post his), and he’d been just about the best he’s been on a walk, trotting along nicely, not pulling, and not picking up every leaf and twig. Before we set off I walked along to the rubbish and recycling bins, and saw there was a big crane at the marina. It turned out to be lifting some CRT flats out of the water and putting them on the back of a lorry.
We left our mooring at 8.45 heading for the locks. Adrian said he’d work them, so went to set the top lock, which is a deep one. It turned out there was a boat going down ahead of us.
The second lock is by the Etruria Industrial Museum and Bone Mill.
When we got to the third lock, the boat ahead still wasn’t in it. In fact it was only when Adrian walked past that they got off the boat to open the gate. This is the lock that has the railway going over just below it, and when it was our turn to go in, an East Midlands train went by.
The people ahead had lifted a paddle to refill the fourth lock for us, which was nice. Then at the bottom lock, which is another deep one, they were going down and there was a boat to come up. We’d been keeping an eye on Macc via the webcam, so I knew he’d woken up. As we had a bit of time to wait for the lock, I got him out for a wee and then put him in his bed in the engine room to go down the lock. He sat there for. Bit, but was then very interested in the water coming through the top gate.
Once we were down, Adrian took him inside as he was shivering in the cold. It also started raining again, although we’d done well not to get wet while working the locks. I’d used electric propulsion for the locks, but switched to diesel on the flat, to recharge the batteries. When heading south out of Stoke it’s compulsory to take a photo of the sign detailing the diverse range of things on offer at the boat yard there.
Then you always know you’re nearly out of town when the incinerator comes into view.
The railway line goes alongside the next stretch, and I saw the very train I’d been on yesterday, the 1057 from Stoke to Stafford. The new houses a bit further on are more complete than when we were last here, and then we made our way through Hem Heath. Macc had another toilet outing above Trentham Lock, and then we stopped just through Bridge 104, where we’ve moored several times before. We have a view of the trains, many of which seem to be late today.
As well as the usual geese, there are a couple of oystercatchers in the field opposite, with their distinctive long orange beaks. They seem to be doing quite well for worms, although they’re an awful long way inland. After lunch, I did the first oil change on the engine and the gearbox. The structure over the engine all dismantles, making access much easier.
It all went straightforwardly. The engine is already sounding much better than it did initially, and hopefully this will help some more. It’s dried up since we got here and there’s even been some sunshine.
6 miles, 6 locks. (30 miles, 19 locks)