The Lister - all pristine with new gaskets and 'second' new fuel lift pump and ready to go!
Last week, Richard painstakingly dismantled the old Lister and rebuilt it, in the hope that the leaks will well and truly be sorted.
The manifold on the exhaust needs attention, but she's not leaking, which is great and a relief!
We set off again in the ice, crunching our way out of the marina and heading for the canal system.
Staythorpe Power Station about a mile out of Newark
Richard took it steady, trying not to stress the engine too much and we both took it in turns to go and check for leaks or anything wrong. That would do for day 1. We over nighted again at Farndon.
Approaching the long bend at Fiskerton
7am early start as soon as we could see! The water was pushing quite hard still, so we tried to stay in the slack water and just keep a steady pace.
Dad's old boat 'Uhuru', now called Omnia, still looking good despite it's 20 plus years! He would be chuffed.
Waiting at Hazleford Lock for me to set the lock
View above the lock
Approaching Gunthorpe Lock
Around 6 hours later from our 7am start, we moored up for the second day, above Gunthorpe Lock. Another couple of locks off the list!
Peaceful mooring at Gunthorpe on the inside of this pontoon
Another 7am start, to try and get as much river done as we could before the Sunday cruisers came out to play.
Stoke Lock. Richard holds the boats steady with the centre line, as I gently fill the lock
We had arrived at the serenely beautiful Stoke Lock approximately 2 hours later to raise the boats up by 7 feet.
The beautiful Stoke Lock. The boats push through ice coming out of the lock.
I wait for the boats to wind and moor on the pontoon (so the motor is against the pontoon) then I can exercise the dogs, whilst Richard puts some diesel in the tank, the last before refuelling at Sawley.
And on we pushed for Holme Pierrepoint below Nottingham. This is the last big sea lock before getting onto the cut at Meadow Lane.
A slightly wonky lock approach for Holme lock below Nottingham
Richard had quite a job getting the boats into the Holme lock approach. He was being pushed quite hard from the sluices on the right of the picture, but managed to get into the side enough for me to jump off to set the lock. It was quite scary, the power of the water!
Last big lock! It takes about 20 minutes to fill, as it is 12 feet deep.
Thankfully, we raised the boats up safely and without incident. I was so relieved. We moored up above the lock, but then realised it was private mooring, so had to push on to arrive at Meadow Lane lock about an hour later.
Approaching the lock approach at Meadow Lane, Nottingham with the sun full in our faces!
Once we had swiftly got up through the lock, we had to separate the boats as a boat had sunk before one of the bridges on the canal. We didn't think we would be able to get round it as it looked too close to the bridge hole.
Boats lined out ready to negotiate the obstacle
A Canal and River Trust work boat shielded the sunken boat with large buoys before the bridge, allowing just enough room to wiggle around and under the bridge. A good challenge when I hadn't been on the butty tiller for a while!
Impressive new blocks of flats and offices now line the canal through this part of Nottingham
Nottingham Castle viewable from the canal
Sainsbury's closed in about 5 minutes, so I dashed in after we moored, for emergency supplies, realising that so far our journey was going well. For once....
Blimey. You were taking your time between the locks!
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