We “get a man in” at Etruria.

There were a couple of engine jobs needed doing, jobs that I could have done myself but I wanted someone familiar with Isuzu engines to give the donk a once-over as well, before we embark on the Wash crossing.

I was recommended Chris Jones (07887 565531), who duly arrived yesterday lunchtime.



One problem was a water leak, a pressure test soon identified a split hose under the header tank. You can’t actually see it, without standing on your head and twisting your neck just so… It’s jobs like these that can soon get out of hand if you need a new hose, or header tank gasket. That’s why I called in a professional.


The other major task was installing a pre-filter and water trap in the fuel line. We’ve never had one, instead relying on the engine mounted filter. No trouble so far, but why go looking for it… Once again, bits of pipe, fittings and mounting brackets mean that you need to be moored close to a chandlery or boatyard before tackling something like that. So Chris did that too, along with checking out a fault I’ve had with the oil pressure gauge for some time. It looks like the sender is u/s, I‘ve ordered one off good old ebay.

A check over the rest of the installation gave a clean bill of health, so I’m happy now that it’s not going to let us down halfway between Boston and Wisbech…

Unfortunately the news wasn’t so good for the owner of a Sea Otter moored just in front. Chris had to have a look at that too, and diagnosed no compression on either of the cylinders of the Vetus two-pot engine. Valves, piston rings or blown head gasket meant that this morning he bow-hauled the small aluminium boat back to Festival Park, where he’d been offered a temporary berth in the marina while he got it fixed. Sounds expensive…

Rain woke me up a couple of times last night, but by the time I took Meg for her constitutional at 07:30 it had stopped and there was a hint of blue sky in the west. It was soon after nine when we swung out, back onto the Trent and Mersey, and down Stoke Top Lock.

No, that water isn’t going down Mags’ neck! I think she’d have told me…

Some of the railway bridges have minimum clearance!

We made an easy job of the five Stoke Locks even though we had to turn them all as we were following a hire boat that left the junction before us. Then we caught up with another boat on the long pound to Trentham, so had a bit of a pause at Trentham Lock.

The waste incinerator at Sideway seems to straddle the canal…

On the edge of Trentham there’s a proposed new housing development by Barratt Homes on a meadow alongside the canal. A protest campaign seems to be well supported by residents in a nearly new housing development alongside the site… 


A short queue at Trentham Lock

We’d intended to moor near Wedgwood, but the day was improving and we’d made good time, so pushed on, down the four locks at Meaford and moored on the straight just up from Stone.

Meaford Locks

We stopped in time for a late lunch, following which both my girls had a doze after a hard day…


You’ll notice that Meg makes sure she knows if Mags gets up!

I checked the recent engine work for leaks, no problem there.

We’ve got to stop at the services in the morning after Newcastle Road Lock, then I want to call in at the chandlery for some bits. After that we’ll head down, out of town, and moor somewhere between Aston and Sandon.

Hi KevinToo, yes. I think you’re right. I can’t quite make out the script at the bottom of the number plate, that might confirm your supposition. Doesn’t explain the screen cameras, though…

Hi Chas and Ann. That is one and the same. Ivor and Mel sold Mountbatten and Jellicoe two or three years ago, and bought a smaller motor so they could concentrate on selling Mel’s excellent painted canal ware. ACCC are not working the pair on the Langollen, just the motor. That would be asking for trouble!

Locks 10, miles 10.