The holiday begins.

Just like last year, our first day was coming from the Mirena and travelling fourteen locks towards Birmingham and a picturesque mooring basically in the middle of nowhere.
All has gone well, we set off a bit later and made good progress we are moored up, have done some repairs to

scratches and are about to settle down for the night. We have decided this year to use the microwave more to make quick meals which means we get more time together rather than an hour cooking a meal. That worked well though we do need our portable generator to do that. However it worked we've eaten, everybody's happy.
I got to do some locks today as Alison has done a steering coursr and felt more confident in maneuvering the boat. Interestingly the lock gear is very unique to this canal, amazing that it's over 200 years old.





As the sun goes down on our first day, we are all happy and looking forward to 31 locks tomorrow and hopefully a wedding in Birmingham on Saturday.

Things are better up north.

This week we had to go to Blackburn.

As we set off to Blackburn we were interested to notice that there were two trams outsidel Grand Central and if you can read the destination blinds you will find that although travelling in opposite directions there are both going to Birmingham!



Regular readers of this blog will know just how much we like our breakfasts. Well we couldn't believe it, when we got to Wetherspoon's at Blackburn to find out that they do an extra large breakfast.

Two were ordered and polished off.

Leeds

Today I drove Leeds 345.



It was meant to rain but didn't so it was like being in a greenhouse all day.

331 was in service. Hopefully one day I will get trained for this one.

Birmingham Metro Opens to Grand Central

It actually opened on Monday but we rode it for the first time today. These pictures show a tram reversing at the terminus.

And it goes cold again.

After a night of being knocked and buffeted by the hire boat from yesterday, as you can imagine we didn't get much sleep.
Hey ho.
We started off the day with a McDonald's breakfast for KM and a Wetherspoons for the grown ups.



We were only going half way back today until the weather turned and we decided a night with mains power would be nicer.



The help was useful again.





All locks take 30 minutes each don't they?

Who gets hirer's a bad name.

Our first trip of the season last night and what a reminder it was of other people's selfishness.

You will hopefully read more about this when I send it to one of the canal magazines.

Bank holiday Monday. You're the company rep and it's five I clock so you want to go home. You have two boats to moor so why not put one in the clearly marked lock moorings way past the vistor moorings as shown on the photo, and the other in a half boat space pushed up against another boat. Well either that or do your job properly.









Another Boating Cowboy!



We made our feelings known but checking further along did not appear to be an option though we were told we could change our mooring!

The rest of the day had gone well as we came down the Droitwich canals and I to Worcester.





We saw baby Moor hens.




Iconic views.



And initially a nice mooring.

More trams.

I haven't blogged for a while. Not sure I have a decent excuse so I will try to do better in future.

Today I was passed out on a new tram. Oporto 273.



It went OK apart from one problem mixing up the hand brake and air brake.



Today was horse tram day.



And a chance to see 2 Sheffield cars together.



Alison rode with me all day.



And finally back to shed with no problems.



On May 1st I drove 236 again but forgot to blog.