Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 21:45:26 +0100
From: Chris Kenway 
Reply-To: Canals <canals@ukwaterways.net>
To: Canals <canals@ukwaterways.net>
Newsgroups: canals
Subject: Merchant Trip Report - May

We returned to Merchant some three days later. We had closed up our house
and passed the keys to our letting agent. Our drive from London, the last
for quite a while, was uneventful. Sam had given up his place in the back of
the Jeep to his old dog cage that now contained our three cats. I had
created a temporary wall inside the cage to separate Tabby (the old girl
being 20yrs old) and the two youngsters, Smudge and Boots (brother and
sister each only 3yrs old). Sam shared the back seat with the TV and other
essential items.

On arriving we unpacked the trailer, I put the seats down in the back of the
Jeep and then turning the cage round so I could open it from inside the car
whilst keeping the doors closed. This made the precarious operation of
moving the cats one at a time to Merchant via a cat basket a lot easier as
in the worst case they would only be loose in the car not being able to get
any further. Once complete we moved Merchant outside the marina and moored
on the towpath.

Fortunately some friends Irene and Peter had kindly agreed to store my car
and trailer in their barn. This saved me the trouble of driving back to
London storing the car and trailer then getting a train back to Coventry
followed by a Taxi to Braunston. On my way there I take the opportunity to
visit Napton Narrow Boats to bid farewell to the excellent friends I had
made over the winter. On my return to Merchant we set about putting the last
of our things away and did a little tidying up. This is very important on a
narrow boat even though Merchant is some 68ft long and there is but the
animals, and the two of us, too much mess makes for accidents. That night we
feasted ourselves on fish and chips from The Braunston Fryer before retiring
to our bed.

During the winter I had carried out lots of work on Merchant prior to it's
repaint. One of the projects was the creation of a king-size bed. This was
created by adding a 2ft mattress alongside the original 4ft one. I made
three boards that slide out from under the bed to locate in a beam mounted
opposite. The 2ft mattress is then 'hinged' over complete with sheet to form
the bed. The reverse is carried out each morning to facilitate easy access
to the rear of the boat. The whole process takes about two minutes each way.
This has made a great difference to our sleeping as previously we have found
it rather cramped as the old bed being only 4ft wide was 1ft smaller than
our one at home. It may not sound much but it makes quite a difference.
There is also more space for the animals who insist on joining us each
night.

The next day we left Braunston on the North Oxford canal towards Coventry
following the same route taken the previous weekend. We stopped at the same
place that afternoon to allow the cats off the. It was fascinating to watch
as they tentatively set foot on land for the first time since their arrival.
They 'mark' the towpath near the boat and then move further away stopping
every 10 to 12 metre's to mark again thus facilitating their ability to find
their way back.

The start of our trip took us along the same route as before stopping at
Rugby to stock up at Tesco's. We carried on to moor at All Oaks Wood for the
night. It was an odd day being very misty all morning with the sun not being
able show itself until late afternoon. It did have the grace to burn on
through to late evening which enabled us to dine outside and watch a most
magnificent sunset. The next day we moved off and traveled to Ansty, a small
village that grew up alone the canal. We stopped here to have lunch and by
chance met another acquaintance that we had met before who had bought a boat
around the same time as us. Indeed it was a boat we had looked at but found
it did not meet our personal requirements although the new owner is very
pleased with her. Leaving Ansty mid afternoon we traveled only a short
distance to Carters Bridge where we moored for the night.

Our plan was to travel through Hawksbury Junction and join the Coventry
Canal then travel up through Nuneaton and moor just before Atherstone for
the night. This is because, I am sorry to say, that the local youth of
Nuneaton seem to find narrow boats a novelty, especially after a few pints
of the local brew. They seem to believe the windows of narrow boats are open
season and love to throw stones and bricks at them.

Hawksbury Junction is also know as Sutton's stop. This is because around the
1800's the family who lived at the stop lock taking tolls where called
Sutton. There is a rather good pub here called the Grayhound, corn, oats and
maize were stored behind the pub to feed the towing horses. It is believed
that the children would bag this up and lower it in sacks to the boat where
they would be stored for the trip. The actual junction comprises of a stop
lock that rises and falls only a few inches followed by a small basin with
an exit at 90 degrees out onto the Coventry Canal. I believe that the
engineers who built this junction were totally unaware of the maneuvering
capabilities of a full size boat. This was extenuated for us as the two
canals run parallel at this point so you are actually doing a 'U' turn part
of which requires the navigation through three apertures which allow only a
few inches to spare either side of the boat. This being a particularly busy
junction there are always people about and we really wanted to give a good
account of ourselves. The fates usually ordain that such circumstances lead
to some humiliating fiasco but on this occasion we were lucky. Once the lock
gates opened I gave Merchant a large amount of throttle powering her out of
the lock and then pulled the tiller over hard we made the turn in one motion
and successfully moored by the water point to take on water, even I was
impressed.

Watering up is another thing that is a constant part of our life. Merchant
carries some 200 gallons of fresh water so it takes a time to fill. Water
points are also a meeting point where news (and gossip) is exchanged. The
couple on the hire boat behind us asked how far it was to the Ashby Canal
and the chap in front when informed we were going to Wales said 'watch out
for Nuneaton'. What he meant by that we were not sure at the time but found
out later. The suburbs of Coventry are always pushing ever outwards. The old
engine house built in 1821 used to pump water from a nearby spring is now
surrounded by part built modern housing that seems to have sprung up over
the last 12 months. The old engine called Lady Godiva was removed in 1913
from the now disused engine house. This was a splendid old Newcomen type
atmospheric engine and is now housed in the Dartmouth Museum.

Leaving Hawksbury Junction and the suburbs of Coventry behind us we traveled
past old scrap yards and past the entrance to the Ashby canal at Marston
Junction with great excitement as this is the farthest we had ever been on
Merchant on the Coventry canal. As we approached Nuneaton all we could see
ahead and to our right were housing estates, one after the other as far as
the eye could see, to the left of us were overrun allotments amongst which
you could spot the occasional one still being used.

Looking at all the houses and later factories it is difficult to imagine
that George Eliot who wrote Mill on the Floss was born here in 1819.
Nuneaton surprisingly has a Museum and Art Gallery. This is predominantly
devoted to local geological and mining relics with two small sections, one
devoted to art were many fine watercolours can be found and the second to
George Eliot where there are many of his personal belongings now reside. As
the canal winds round the outskirts of the town it passes through many
different styles of housing which vary from the new estates standing on the
old industrial sites to the affluent housing at the northern edge. Indeed
you also notice the difference by the quality of settee suite floating in
the canal and the level of graffiti written upon the bridges or any other
structure where access can be gained.

It is with some relief that we leave Nuneaton behind us once again moving
out into open countryside. We made a brief stop at the Wood Bridge where we
replenished our gas bottle and pumped out our toilet. Moving on a short
distance we found good moorings at bridge 28 early in the afternoon.

After a good nights sleep we moved off towards Atherstone and its flight of
eleven locks which drop down through a mixture of housing estate, allotments
and open countryside. The locks here are known to be fast to empty but slow
to fill but fortunately we were going in the right direction, downwards. As
we approached the final set of locks I looked to my left to see perched high
upon a hill a magnificent old country house complete with turrets. What a
wonderful site this would make on a bright spring morning encircled in mist,
it would look like it where floating on a large silvery cloud. After leaving
the last lock we were now once again in open country with the railway
accompanying us along our route. We found another excellent mooring at
Grendon Bridge near Polesworth to spend the night. Polesworth is famous
because the first Saxon king, Egbert, built a nunnery here in the 10th
century but alas only remnants of the old gatehouse and clerestory remain.
The next morning I took a quick walk into Polesworth to collect some
supplies before returning to Merchant and moving on again.

We had been led to believe that Tamworth through which we would be traveling
next was much the same as Nuneaton. I am pleased to report that this is not
the case. Perhaps the derogatory comments were based on when it was a
predominantly industrial town. Fortunately that has all gone and new, clean,
units and of course lots of new housing. Our passage through to Fazeley
Junction was without incident and rather pleasant. In hindsight we would be
quite happy to moor here should we return. Having passed Frazley Junction we
were now on the Birmingham and Frazley canal traveling towards Hopwas.

We stopped at Dixons Bridge Hopwas, right outside the Methodist Church.
Hopwas is a very pleasant little village although it is a poor supply center
for boaters. There is but one village shop come post office which carries
very little stock. I did manage to slip out for a quiet pint and visited the
Red Lion, a quiet local pub. I did not like the look of The Chequers as this
has been transformed into a Bernie Inn type pub where cheap food is the
primary sale and ale is a side order.

Leaving Hopwas we passed by some beautiful woods to the left which are in
fact army ranges and landing is not permitted. Travelling northward we are
again in open country until the railway line again joins us from the east to
accompany us again on our travels. We pass Whittington to the west and then
travel alongside the old roman road Ryknild Street that is now a dual
carriageway. After about half a mile we turn briefly east away from the road
before turning west again to go under it. A few miles further on we come to
Fradley Junction where we are to turn left onto the Trent and Mersey canal.
We stopped at the junction to take on water and to visit the British
Waterways office where we collected our new boat license. We wanted to moor
at Fradley Wood or Ravenshaw Wood after passing through Woodend Lock. We
couldn't get to moor at either place as the canal is badly silted on the
towpath side and even with Merchants draft being only 27" we still could not
moor. We moved on and finally found a place to moor at bridge 55 where there
is a small wood that is an ideal playground for the cats. This wood was
quite beautiful as it was adorned with Blue Bells, there were so many that
it looked like a sea of blue within.

The next day we set off to Rugeley. Passing slowly through Armitage famous
for it's water closets (toilets). The present factory is of typical sixties
architecture and a major effort has been made to clean the town up from it's
previous sadly blackened semi-industrial appearance. Moving along we entered
what appeared to be a small gorge that was in fact the remnants of the old
Armitage tunnel who's roof was removed in 1971. As you pass through it you
can still see the marks, as clear as the day they were made some two
centuries before, that were made by the engineers as the hued the rock out
with their basic implements, quite impressive. Coming out of the tunnel we
moved into open countryside and to the left there is Spode House the former
home of the Spode family famous for their pottery. Next to it stands
Hawkesyard Priory which was founded in 1897 by Josiah Spode's grandson.

Coming into view almost immediately to the right is the huge Rugeley power
station with plumes of steam rising from it's massive cooling towers. We
carried on and moored by bridge 66 before going into Rugeley to visit the
supermarket where we bought a great amount of provisions to restock
Merchants now depleted store. Another reason for stopping here was so that
we could meet up with our friends Bob and Jossie from Bob's Dream.

Rugeley although we only saw the supermarket looked quite a pleasant little
town from the distance. Ted Rolt described Rugeley in 1940 as being "one of
the drabbest and dreariest small towns we had ever seen. Fortunately,
however, its squalid cottages, neglected allotments and odorous tannery were
soon left behind". I wonder if he would be pleased to see it now as it is
very clean and in some places very new. Pat and I decided that we would
leave Rugeley to explore another day. Our friends arrived shortly after
1-00pm and after light refreshment (tea) we moved off towards Great Haywood
and Tixall Wide where we would be staying for the next week or so. The
ladies sat with Sam at the front whilst Bob and I took turns to steer. We
had so many stories to swap and the wonderful weather to talk about that the
time seemed to just disappear and before long we approached  Colwich Lock at
Little Haywood. Once through the lock and under the rail bridge we were once
again joined by the weaving river Trent but this time on our left. Gliding
past Shugborough Park and it's farm we arrived at Haywood Lock, our last for
a while. Because of the adjacent park and hall, previously owned by the Earl
of Lichfield and now owned by the National Trust and it now being Saturday
we were surrounded by tourists whilst working the lock. Once through we
continued on a short distance before making a left turn onto the
Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal traveling across the River Trent via
an aqueduct before cruising into Tixall Wide.

Tixall Wide resembles a lake more than a canal and has pleasant views to
either side. It is renowned for its varied wildlife which includes swans,
ducks, geese, moorhen, coot and kingfisher. On the far side is a wondrous
structure, Tixall Hall gatehouse which is reputed to be the biggest and most
grandest in the country. This structure which looks more like a country
house in it's own right had been derelict for many years having been only
recently purchased and refurbished by the National Heritage who now rent it
out as apartment's. One wonders, after seeing the gatehouse what the main
house must have been like as it has sadly long vanished. Perhaps it was
build to shine more brightly than its neighbor, Shugborough Hall, previously
home to the Anson's who became the Earl of Lichfield until sold to the
National Trust back in the 60's due to crippling death duties.

The village of Great Haywood which is adjacent to the canal and canal
junction has not always been in it's present position. The original site of
the village is marked by the 'Arch of Hadrian' located within what were the
grounds of Shugborough Hall now called Shugborough Park. The Anson's so as
to give a better view for them destroyed the old village many years ago. The
lane that leads up from Haywood Lock consists of many symmetrical terraced
houses build by the Anson's to re-house those who lost their home when the
old village was demolished.

James Stuart has substantially altered Shugborough Hall, which dates back to
1693 in 1760. It was again altered by Samual Wyatt around the 18thC when the
old village was bought up and destroyed. The house has now been restored at
great expense and is managed by Staffordshire County Council.

Shugborough Park that surrounds the hall is a remarkable sight, full of
Rhodedendrums of many rich colours. The park underwent a major refurbishment
by Thomas Anson who got his famous brother, Admiral George Anson (he
circumnavigated the world between 1740 and 1744and to whom the 'Arch of
Hadrian' is dedicated). In 1762 he commissioned James Stuart, a neo-Grecian
architect to embellish the park. 'Athenian' Stuart, as he was known, set to
with a vengeance and his wonderful results can still be seen today around
the park.

Leading to and from the estate and park are several bridges to cross the
canal, some of which are very old. After crossing the canal there is a
packhorse bridge, now defined as an ancient monument and an iron bridge for
carriage's which now leads nowhere. The latter two bridges cross the rivers
Trent and Sor that flow down from Stoke and 'The Potteries'. They are both
incredibly clean, a result of the Environmental Agencies sterling efforts to
clean them up over many years. Indeed fish can be clearly seen in both,
quite different from when Tom Rolt visited the area as he described then as
"being black with pollution and having an odorous smell".

Whilst here we visited the Model Farm at Shugborough which was built by
Samuel Wyatt to show modern techniques to local farmers. This has now become
a rare breed center with pigs, sheep etc. Traditional country skills like
bread making, butter churning and cheese making are demonstrated on a daily
basis. There is the original flower mill which has further exhibits and
wonderful games for younger children to play which in turn educates them in
skills and traditions long since past.

Another annual event that is staged here each year is the country craft show
which we took time to visit. I have to say that I was not to impressed with
this as it now seems to be a show ground for cheap wooden patio furniture,
strange shaped candles, dungeon and dragon clay models, funny smelling oils
and other things that seem to have no place in the country. There were three
things however that drew my attention. A young chap who had dread locks down
to his waist gave an excellent demonstration of traditional wood turning
skills making 'dibbers', stool legs, rolling pins and a like using a hand
built, foot powered wood turning lathe. The only objects he admitted to not
making were his chisels.

The second object was an old fashioned, steam powered carousel complete with
horses that would propel their riders into the air and dropping them back to
the ground with equal speed. This was accompanied by wonderful music created
by one of those magnificent machines using a huge pile of interconnected
concertina'd cards with holes. Little solders adorned the front holding
cymbals and drums their arms going ten to the dozen as they crashed out
their music. And finally standing next to this was a magnificent traction
engine that had an extremely large dynamo installed to produce electricity
to power the lights of the carousel.

Our friends on Bob's Dream and Meander had already left Tixall but we had to
stay for a few extra days. This was due to some business that Pat had to
conclude in London that would take three days in all. During Pats absence I
cleaned Merchant inside and out, refueled and watered her and went off to
Stafford to restock our food supplies. The weather during Pats absence had
taken a turn for the worse, totally overcast with rain, quite depressing
after seven or eight days of wonderful sunshine.

Pat returned late on the Wednesday evening and after a late supper we
retired to bed. The following day we set off up the Staffordshire and
Worcestershire Canal leaving Tixall behind us. We left with mixed feelings
as we looked forward to the rest of our adventure but sad as we said goodbye
to Tixall Wide which had been a temporary home to us. On leaving Tixall lock
we looked to our left to see the grand carved stone entrance to the rail
tunnel through which Pat had traveled on her way to and from London. We then
passed across the River Sow via the old aqueduct after which the main London
 to Stratford railway line would keep us company for the next couple of
miles on the left and the River Sow on our right.

This part of the country is quite beautiful with it's many woods and rolling
countryside. The farming here is many arable interspersed with both cattle
and sheep farming. We skirt around the periphery of village of Milford. Once
a quite farming community but now sadly overrun by modern housing estates.
We approach Deptmore Lock, which is the first of the deep locks that will
elevate us ever upwards towards Wolverhampton. We decide to moor in the same
place as Tom Rolt so many years ago at Roseford Bridge. In his day the word
motorway did not exist, we could hear the gentle hum of the M6 in the
distance knowing that the noise would only grow as it would be joining us
the next day. Never to be far away from us until we reach Wolverhampton and
turn North on the Shropshire Union Canal.

The next day we traveled southwards again and passed Acton Trussell on our
left. Although the village has been overwhelmed by modern housing it looks
rather smart and bright with the hanging baskets, colourful flower boarders
adorning the modern houses with manicured lawns running down to the canal.
The canal is shielded from the outside world by large trees that form a
leafy canopy above us and on this occasion give us some respite from the
continuous rain. We are joined by yet another river, the Penk, which
separates us from the motorway. We carry on up through Shutt Hill lock, Park
Gate lock and finally Longford lock were we decide to moor for the night
about 10 minutes walk from Penkridge. This enables us to let the cats off
for a while, it again amazes us as they step from the boat, stand and look
around then look at us as if to say "where have you bought us to now".

It is only 3:00pm so Pat and I decide to walk into Penkridge for some bread
and milk. It is also an opportunity to wonder round the village. Yet again
this is another village that has succumbed to the urban scrawl. We see
modern 'executive homes' built in every direction as we walk towards the
village. The village centre has still however retains it's original village
charm. One way traffic and sleeping policemen that help calm and deter the
traffic help this. We find an excellent butcher here, the meat is prepared
on a massive block in front of you. The customer before us has asked for a
shoulder of lamb and the butcher is removing this from the carcass with
great skill that is such a pleasure to see in this modern day and age. We
leave Penkridge village with more than milk and bread but pleased that we
have taken the time to visit.




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