Move Part 3 - Cotterstock to Billing

With the slight delay in proceedings due to the unexpected works at Cotterstock Lock, I now needed some extra personnel to help in the move. We had originally planned to move the boat over half term, and I had taken 5 days off work. However, the Monday, Tues and Weds morning were no-go due to Ashline Lock works over-running. Saturday and Sunday were no-go due to Cotterstock Lock being closed. Furthermore, the workmen at Cotterstock were due to move onto Upper Ringstead Lock to do work for several weeks as soon as they had finished at Cotterstock...

Nicky had to go back to work. My Mum and Dad, therefore stepped in to help. They are both in their late sixties, and narrowboat novices.. None-the-less they would be of much help, as was Mash on his 36ft boat who arrived behind us a few hours after we had arrived on the Friday.

Monday Morning came, and the workmen duly arrived around 8am. We were on the way around Midday. As they allowed us through, they said they weren't completely happy with the lock, and thus would have to do a bit more work - thus we had some time to get to Upper Ringstead before they closed that - likely to be tomorrow afternoon...

Approaching Upper Barnwell Lock

It was quite a windy, but bright day. We quickly got into a routine, with us going on ahead and getting in the next lock. Mum and Dad stayed on the boat, while I climbed up the lock ladder and tied us up.
By this time, Mash would be coming into the lock, and I would close the guillotine, and open the paddles. Mash would the reset the lock once we had gone out. This was a great help, as many of the moorings after the locks were almost impossible to easily get onto with a 70ft boat, especially in the wind. Most of these moorings were only 20-30ft in length. Mash, on his much more manoeuvrable 36fter was much more able to moor up, although even he had problems on a couple of locks, and had to do 360 degree turns to try again.

A tricky mooring... 30 ft long, wind is coming from right, and there is a wier pulling the boat directly opposite on the left (just out of shot).. Who designed these???

Our first nights stop was supposed to be Thrapston. I had put our car there the day before. In this way, we could relay cars in the evenings when we were moored up. We were making reasonable time, though Mash liked to cruise slowly, to save fuel. It was getting towards 4pm when I heard some suspicious noises in the engine room.... We were still going, and all the dials were fine, but i decided at the next lock to have a look... It was the alternator belt. It was starting to disintegrate. It was probably the original one from 1995... I had checked we had a spare before we set off from Stretham, so thought I'd change the belt whilst we waited to Mash to catch up from resetting the previous lock. Old belt was off in 5 mins, but I soon had a problem. The spare belt was too big. Argh! I really didn't want to put the old belt back on. If it broke, it could take out all the coolant hoses, which run directly above the alternator. Not good. Mash has a spare for his Lister, but that was too small. Needs must, and the training from owning and running a VW camper for the past decade meant I had all sorts of things in my toolbox. I fabricated using two metal rods and a round file, an extension to the alternator adjuster, so the new bigger belt would fit. It was now almost dark. But it worked! It would do to get us to the next moorings, which were at Thrapston.

Extension to adjuster.

2 hours later, and in the dark, we were at Tharpston, and a tricky reversing round a corner manoeuvre was needed to come into moor up against another boat already on the mooring. A very nice looking boat called "Radbound". For once, my manoeuvring went absolutely perfectly, with the wind assisting pulling the bow around as I reversed. This was with the crew of Radbound watching too - a miracle! I asked if they had any alternator belts - they had 4! None fitted :( The bodge, which seemed to have lasted fine, would have to do for another couple of days... In the morning I re-engineered it to be even stronger, and we set off.

Mash and us sharing a lock. 

Moorings at Wellingborough Embankment. Has a water point, although the local loos were locked up. Breakfast fast-food van arrived in the morning, which could be useful if we had run out. Huge TESCO next door, and a pub up the road. The only downside is the 24 hour drone of the flour factory opposite.

At Wellingborough Embankment.

 On the second day, the alternator fix held up well. Despite leaving Thapston about an hour earlier than Radbound, they overtook us just a few of hours later at Rushden and Diamonds football club moorings. They were really moving, and in fact they managed to get from Thrapston to Billing aquadrome in around 9 hours.. That is SHIFTING!!! they must have a bow thruster, and work locks amazingly quickly, as well as go at full pelt...  Still, we were now past the Upper Ringstead lock, so should have a clear run to Billing. We moored at Wellingborough Embankment that evening, even though we were there only mid afternoon. There is a huge Tesco, a Pizza Hut, a pub and all sorts of other things here. There is a water point here too, and we filled up - first use of the flat-pack hoses I found under one of the front benches. Great idea!! We went to Tesco to stock up on various things, and had an early night. The drone of the flour factory opposite I thought would keep me awake, but actually, it had the opposite effect, and sent me to sleep very quickly.

Although the river was about 50 cm down on normal levels, obviously some locks are designed as wiers too... Careful not to get too close, or you could fill your boat up rather quickly!!

The Nene can be very winding and narrow in places. with a 70ft boat, you have to use the full width of corners to get round. 

The next day to Billing was very windy - it was going to be a challenge. I had to get there though, as I just could not afford to take any more time off work.. Even Mash had problems at a couple of locks, and just had to leave them without resetting them. The bizarre rationale for leaving the V-doors closed and the guillotine up given by the Environment Agency is that it helps to save fish. This sounds rather strange to me - how can a fish have a problem with a straight guillotine lock, but not a wooden V-door type lock? Once we had got to Billing, I drove back and reset the locks, for peace of mind.

At Cogenhoe lock, it was time to say goodbye to Mash and his two lurchers. Mash had become a firm friend by this stage, and I had a big lump in my throat when we left the lock. I gave him another hand warmer as a "thank-you" for being our travel companion and great help over the past 3 days. We swapped phone numbers and I gave him a promise there would be a warm welcome and a pint or three waiting if he should ever find himself in Shardlow. Mash was off to pick up a friend in Milton Keynes, and then off to London.

At Billing, we were asked to go on the visitor moorings. This is fine, but the problem was that it was damn windy, and these pontoons are only about 20ft long... With a broadside wind, thats a lot of leverage on a 70 ft boat, and I was worried we might snap off the pontoon. A quick chat with one of the local liveaboards confirmed that this wasn't a good arrangement for visitors. I decided to go cross-ways across three pontoons, and Colin, the marina manager was very accommodating in allowing us to do this. I certainly felt happier. We are here for 5 weeks. Next adventures in April!!

Visotor Mooring pontoons are rather small - I'm also blocking access as the boat nearly reaches the far bank!

Visotor moorings...

So we are now taking up three pontoons, but feel safer!