Date - Thursday 1 November 2007 Start - 0930 am Thrupp End - 4 pm Somerton Deep Lock
Just as we were about to pull away at 9 30 this morning an Oxford Narrowboat hire boat came by, it was 69 foot long but only had two people onboard which we though unusual for a hire boat. When we arrived at Shipton Weir lock the crew of the Oxford boat had set the lock and waved us passed into the lock. It was at this point things became clear. The couple were moving the boat from the Thames base to the Heyford base and on their way they were going to tow a new shell to Heyford for fitout over the winter months. Once in the lock I pulled to one side so the hire boat could come in the centre beside us. At Enslow the new shell was already in the water, it was craned in by "Tuckey" from the lorry base opposite "The Rock of Gibraltar" pub lifting it over one of the live a boards that are now moored there. Luckily for us they put it in the water facing the wrong direction so they had to turn it round in Kingsground Marina, this gave us the opportunity to get passed them. We made a brief stop at Kirtlington quarry to take some photographs. We pushed on in the wonderful afternoon sunshine, the only thing interrupting the day were the continuous stream of twin engined planes going overhead. Between Heyford Lift Bridge and Allen's Lock we came across the dredging operations that are going on along this stretch, we only waited a couple of minuets until the dredger moved to one side and waved us passed. A few minuets later we met a push tug with an empty mud hopper, they had obviously just come down through Allen's lock as when we got there the bottom gate was wide open. There were more Blue Boar operatives here sitting on the bench. They are spreading the spoil on fields a bit further along the canal, here another 3 chaps were enjoying the afternoon sun. We decided that we would continue on a bit further before stopping for the night and at 4 pm pulled in just above Somerton Deep Lock. -- Brian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit this site and help save our waterways http://www.savethewaterways.org.uk/
