Yes, its really good to have boaters appreciative of the heritage of historic boats, and even better when they do some paddle winding and gate-closing. Thanks.
> Fulbourne and butty Angel who were heading back from the Stoke Bruerne event Both Town Class Large Woolwich boats which according to our researches worked together in carrying days in 1953. We first resumed the relationship at the Braunston Historic Boat Rally in June, and this weekend was the first of two to take Angel to Rickmansworth for the winter. Lock winders/helpers/gongoozlers set your diaries for 18th/19th :-) Angel had been at the StokeBruerne event with Aldgate, and Fulbourne came down from Braunston on the previous Thursday. > At every lock I arrived to assist [Fulbourne/Angel] working through and then closed the top gates before having to turn the lock for our pair. ... mostly because F&A were following a hireboat and another - both who seemed to be on their first boating outing. Our lock-setting involved explaing what a paddle did! We kept to our predicted day at 22mins/mile and 8mins/lock - arriving at Marsworth well before dark. Our earlier comparison with Jannock of day-plans included the invitation to go past - not particularly enthusiastically it has to be said as we were never all in the same pound at the same time. Our contingency was used up on one grounding in the channel, one hopeless breasing-up while waiting outside a lock for the slow boats above - with some fendering of moored boats, and one wind-caught poor line against moored boats on the offside, also helped by some Jannock-crew brute force on a rope from the towpath (more thanks). As an aside, it's amazing how obvious it is that the crew pushing on poles would do better throwing me a rope on the towpath - which eventually they did. _sigh_ Regards Peter Scott now on Copperkins at CoopersBridge(C&H) Elaine having self-steered through Standedge yesterday (BW's Fred said she was the first 'lady' so to do)
