What a week!
We’ve moved along smartly, but in fits and starts. We waited out a monsoon rainstorm in Macclesfield, then spent a couple of days moving down the Macclesfield to Kidsgrove. Some nice weather again, but not the glorious sun of last week. We ’rounded the corner’ at Kidsgrove, leaving the pretty Macclesfield for the industrial Trent and Mersey. Through the Harecastle tunnel (again) and then on through Stoke to moor at Weston. Here I needed to have the Boat Safety examination done (every 4 years). The inspector found several non-compliant things, easily fixed, but also a small gas leak, which I couldn’t identify. So on to the Heywood junction to see if I could get that identified and fixed. After a little searching, I found a cracked fitting in the gas locker- leaking gas for as long as I have owned the boat, I think. It was in the gas locker, so there was never a smell or any sign in the boat. A very small leak as well- so gas bottles didn’t run out quickly… Once the offending fitting was replaced, all is well, and now to get the re-examination to renew my BSS certificate. Hopefully tomorrow.
Yesterday we made our way very slowly along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal with the longest lock queues (line-ups) of 5-6 boats each way, that I have ever seen. No rush when canal boating, and a chance to chat and meet all sorts of interesting people. We stopped in Penkridge as the promised rain began in earnest. Today, shopping and slowly moving along to Aldersley junction where we intend to turn south and ascend the 21 locks of the Wolverhampton flight, into Wolverhampton and then Birmingham.
