AT LAST! A 'Seemingly' Troublefree Narrowboat Cruise? Are Our Boating Troubles Over? Vlog No 267

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:01]And they're just come flying through.

[00:00:04]No sympathy. You know what I mean?

[00:00:06]Zero empathy.

[00:00:14]At last.

[00:00:16]At last, I have a little roach.

[00:00:21]Morning. So, we're back going out to the boat. Mrs. L's in her car. We're going to drop that out to Dudley train station.

[00:00:29]Um or when we get back tomorrow night, we need to get a train out from Tipton, which is by the Black Country Museum.

[00:00:39]Um but then we're driving out in this car to where the boat is at the moment, which is at Park Gate Lock.

[00:00:47]And I'm meeting one of the guys there who has got been doing the engine [music] changes for me and trying to get to the bottom of the fuel issue.

[00:00:54]Um he needs to jump on board and actually feel what it's doing when we're actually traveling.

[00:01:00]Um because that they're only testing it in neutral or once it's done and still in gear, uh and it's just not replicating what's happening [music] when I'm actually traveling.

[00:01:11]So, um hopefully he'll get a feel of that and find out, [music] you know, what's or maybe get a better idea as to what's happening.

[00:01:17]Um so, I should be meeting [music] Will at about 8:00.

[00:01:29]So, uh Will's been on, uh engine guy.

[00:01:34]Uh luckily, it did it.

[00:01:36]And so, the uh feeling is it might be engine mounts, strangely enough. So, the engine is starting to to resonate too hard on the bearers, which would also indicate why it was same on the previous engine, same engine mounts.

[00:01:51]Uh and what Will's saying is that historically, um the standard engine mount's not great, particularly with betas and with three cylinders where they're a little bit imbalanced anyway.

[00:02:03]Um they have a a bit of a I think they say harmonics or resonance or something where the engine starts to rock. Because it's hard, it really starts to throw itself about. There's no cushioning. Then that will be affecting uh the governor. So the governor's really uh sensitive sort of I don't know I'm talking about what I don't know. He was just talking to me about. And so that then causes uh fuel issues and it's not until you get a bit more fuel going through that the resonance of the engine stops. It smooths down and everything starts to run smoothly. So that kind of makes a lot of sense to me. So hopefully So I'm going to have to go through the next week or so with this uh with this slight issue.

[00:02:46]But um I think in the main uh it's okay. And then uh we'll get those engine mounts done uh at the end of next week when I've uh got the boat back to base. So here we go. We're off to uh we should get uh to about Autherley Junction, the junction of the Shroppy with the Staffs and Worcs. Still on the Staffs and Worcs now.

[00:03:07]Uh just heading towards Penkridge. Um so we've got about a 6-hour, 6 and 1/2-hour run today.

[00:03:14]Stay overnight near at Autherley Junction and then tomorrow morning up the Wolverhampton 21. Uh my mate Stu Cox is coming over. Stuart uh he's going to come and give me a lift up there.

[00:03:26]Which is exactly what he did last year when I then lost all those recordings.

[00:03:30]So so I've had to haul him out and he's going to do the same again tomorrow. But he's a good old stick.

[00:03:36]So the weather forecast today uh is to get quite hot. But um I've just put my jumper on.

[00:03:42]It's actually a bit chilly. But it is only about 8:30 a.m. Um and there's a bit of cloud cover about, a bit of a breeze. So um but I think later on it's going to get quite hot. The next couple of days, really hot. So, now I've got a single arm for a bit cuz it's a This is how it's going to the shop because we've got no provisions on board. We need breakfast, you know, you know.

[00:04:03]Bacon and egg sandwich has got to be the order of the day, I think.

[00:04:07]So, this is the the lock at Pancruys that gave all the problems for 6 months, I don't know, 4 months, um when the wall started to collapse.

[00:04:22]And then nothing that was affecting the buildings as well or potentially cuz it was eroding foundations, so they've got a lot of work to do.

[00:04:35]Oh, I've got to climb up a dirty old ladder now.

[00:04:42]Uh sun's coming out good and proper now, so starting to warm up.

[00:04:52]It's Andy, boat coming in, missus?

[00:04:56]Do you want me to deal with it?

[00:04:57]>> No, I don't think coming in.

[00:04:59]>> No, no, I just saw the shopping. Thought you might want to put that away.

[00:05:02]>> You can put it away.

[00:05:02]>> No, I'm not in shopping mode today.

[00:05:10]On it.

[00:05:12]You all right?

[00:05:13]>> All right.

[00:05:15]>> At some point, I'll put the GoPro on the front.

[00:05:18]It all happens so quickly today. Go there.

[00:05:21]Will and Dave were already there. I just jumped straight on. Nothing set up.

[00:05:27]A mall of sorts.

[00:05:29]Busy, busy this morning.

[00:05:33]We're about the only ones to have a the idea of an early [music] start.

[00:05:38]It is nice to be here anyway.

[00:05:41]I don't mind.

[00:05:53]>> [music] >> Little boy wash.

[00:06:11]She's doing [music] all right.

[00:06:14]She's got it.

[00:06:15]Maybe a little kiss. There, there we go.

[00:06:17]It's all right.

[00:06:36]>> [music] >> Beautifully handled, missus.

[00:06:38]>> Thank you.

[00:07:24]>> Morning. You all right? Bit of fishing?

[00:07:27]Oh.

[00:07:31]Brilliant.

[00:08:07]>> [music] [music] >> So here at Audlem Lock, we came across a lovely family who were very interested in what we were doing at the lock.

[00:08:26]Uh they wanted to know how it all worked and that sort of stuff.

[00:08:29]Uh they were from Bristol and they were staying in a cottage [music] adjacent to the lock and they were celebrating this lovely lady's 50th birthday.

[00:08:38]>> [music] >> As usual, we invited them aboard.

[00:08:42]>> You [music] thought you were going to go to America.

[00:08:46]>> Yeah.

[00:08:51]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Lovely maneuver.

[00:09:23]>> [music] >> Oh Jesus.

[00:09:29]>> [music] [laughter] >> You filming this?

[00:09:36]>> Yes, I am.

[00:09:38]>> It's all in focus, baby.

[00:09:39]>> Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:09:44]>> [music] [laughter] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Now this crowd are off a from Bristol.

[00:10:59]They've got four young ladies 50th birthday.

[00:11:09]And this guy here is a Villa fan.

[00:11:11]Come on the Villa.

[00:11:13]Just won the Europa Cup.

[00:11:28]So, Ashley, where are you off to now? Where are you going?

[00:11:32]>> We get down to almost Wolverhampton tonight and then we go up winter.

[00:11:38]There's 21 locks there up into Wolverhampton Um get to the Black Country Museum which is the good luck.

[00:11:56]>> How was that?

[00:11:57]>> Exciting, isn't it?

[00:11:59]>> Lovely night.

[00:12:00]>> Are you are you What's the speed you like to go?

[00:12:04]>> About 3 3 mile an hour.

[00:12:09]>> Yeah. Happy birthday.

[00:12:10]>> Thank you.

[00:12:11]>> 50? I should be.

[00:12:14]I'm not 50. I wish I got to yours.

[00:12:16]But she's the 50.

[00:12:18]How you doing over there?

[00:12:21]All right, Charlie.

[00:12:23]Brilliant night. Good to meet you guys.

[00:12:25]>> Thank you. Thank you.

[00:12:26]>> Have a good day.

[00:12:27]>> Yeah, have a good day.

[00:12:28]>> Good luck.

[00:12:50]There's my lovely gypsy girl up there with a headband on. Head scarf, bandana.

[00:12:56]Uh she has to protect that scalp of hers. She's got the scalp psoriasis has been troublesome for the last 18 months or so. The sun on that doesn't help.

[00:13:18]Here we are at Rodbaston Lock.

[00:13:49]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Gaily Lock, always a welcome sight, the old turreted gatehouse there.

[00:14:47]Looking fantastic in the sunshine with the blue sky behind it.

[00:14:52]I do like this lock.

[00:14:57]It's always a little bit awkward when you come to this lock because there's a fair distance from where you moor to where they can see people coming or not. So, we've we've often had some issues here.

[00:15:09]We accidentally speed to stealing people's water or people stealing our water. It happens.

[00:15:43]>> Thank you, gentlemen.

[00:15:44]You're doing a wonderful job. Keep up the good work.

[00:15:50]Put your sun cream on.

[00:15:58]>> [music] [music] [music] >> A nice bit of work going on with this towpath here.

[00:16:57]Lots of prep work been done on this.

[00:17:03]And typically, she's just informed me that she wants me to moor somewhere because the bacon sandwich is ready or the sausage sandwich. Or it could be both, sausage and bacon sandwich, I think.

[00:17:15]Um but you can't moor alongside here because this chemical works. So isn't that just Sod's Law?

[00:17:27]So, we'll just have to carry on round until I can find somewhere to moor.

[00:17:35]And this will This is a rare event. This will do.

[00:17:39]Stopping for breakfast. I mean, breakfast has become brunch because it's now about 11:30, 11:40.

[00:17:46]But, I'll take it. But, what a cracking day it is and uh lovely to sit down and eat a sausage and bacon sandwich cooked by my Fanny Cradock Mrs. Lumston.

[00:18:00]So, this is Atherton.

[00:18:02]This is uh Atherton Junction.

[00:18:06]This is where the Lichfield and Hatherton Canal will eventually come through to.

[00:18:11]When I say eventually probably long after I'm driving from six foot under.

[00:18:18]Give us some money, guys.

[00:18:20]Let's get this canal put back in.

[00:18:24]>> [laughter] >> Hi, yeah.

[00:18:28]>> Hi.

[00:18:28]>> You're all right?

[00:18:32]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> So, as is our prerogative or my prerogative change of plan again.

[00:19:56]More of a leisurely chill out by a pub and just just chill out for the day, the afternoon, instead of running to the hilt which is the habit [music] that we've got ourselves into. Um, you know, vlogging creates that as well, which I'm trying to achieve as much as I can.

[00:20:17]So, sod it. We're going to pull up at the Anchor at Coven.

[00:20:22]And that'll do for the day.

[00:20:28]I'm videoing this conversation.

[00:20:37]So, yeah, [music] so then tomorrow morning so Stew's going to get to uh the bottom of the Wolverhampton 21 at 8:00 tomorrow morning.

[00:20:47]So, that is I'm going to drop this book in the water in a minute.

[00:20:51]So, bottom of the Wolverhampton 21 is here.

[00:20:55]We're going to moor up today here.

[00:20:58]So, this on Canal Planner is 1 hour 7 minutes. So, if we leave around about quarter to 7:00 which I'm always awake, so that's not a problem.

[00:21:08]Then we'll get to Meux's Lock at >> [music] >> 8:00. So, um no problems there.

[00:21:15]Looking forward to it, actually.

[00:21:16]>> You're on YouTube and TikTok now.

[00:21:18]>> Yes, you are on YouTube now.

[00:21:20]How you doing?

[00:21:22]>> Yes, cool.

[00:21:23]>> So, the >> How close can I get to that tree without it noticing?

[00:21:27]>> [laughter] >> And I'm on my Aspall.

[00:21:44]I'm doing a bit of route plotting.

[00:21:47]My other mate, Mrs. Lumstead.

[00:21:49]>> She's doing some diary plotting.

[00:21:51]>> the diary plotting. And she has a friend called white wine and soda.

[00:21:58]Got lots of friends, haven't you? So, this is something I don't do very often.

[00:22:02]Bit of fishing.

[00:22:04]I have myself the luxury of a bit of a break.

[00:22:09]So, I thought, well, I've not got much in the way of bait other than a bit of bread.

[00:22:16]So, we'll see what we get.

[00:22:20]First cast. Let's see if I get a fish first cast.

[00:22:32]Really beautiful evening.

[00:22:35]Or late afternoon.

[00:22:37]And a nice spot, actually, here cuz it's just got that dappled sunlight. Cuz it's really intense out there. We sat in the pub for an hour.

[00:22:46]Just cooked.

[00:22:48]But, uh coming back to the boat is quite nice.

[00:22:56]Nothing first cast, then.

[00:23:08]>> Nice boaters.

[00:23:09]Out the arrogance of them.

[00:23:14]They don't appreciate how hard I've been working, you know, building up this swim.

[00:23:19]Getting all the baits out there.

[00:23:21]And they just come plowing through.

[00:23:24]You know what I mean? You know what I mean?

[00:23:26]Zero empathy.

[00:23:29]You boaters.

[00:23:31]You need to tip up my rod.

[00:23:34]You know what I mean?

[00:23:47]All right.

[00:23:52]>> I didn't see you there.

[00:23:54]>> I've only just started.

[00:23:57]I've not fished for ages, you know.

[00:23:59]I've I've run myself too long every day.

[00:24:02]I would get to somewhere and think, "I've had enough." Today I thought, you know, "Tomorrow I'm going to have some time to myself."

[00:24:08]>> My idea of fishing is having a four pack in the kayak and that'd be pretty cool.

[00:24:12]>> Absolutely, mate.

[00:24:14]Absolutely.

[00:24:16]I had to pretend to be nice then.

[00:24:18]>> Oh, yes. Yes. They were terrible.

[00:24:21]He's absolutely ruined me swim.

[00:24:34]>> How you doing?

[00:24:35]>> How you doing?

[00:24:36]>> I can't moan about boats, can I?

[00:24:39]>> [laughter] >> Well, we were going to go and moor up there, but I think they've just taken our mooring space. They might get in there. Yeah, but I'm not very good at this.

[00:24:46]>> Oh, you'll do it.

[00:24:48]Trust yourself.

[00:24:51]Get your Get your back end this way and then just put some gentle reverse on.

[00:24:56]>> You must have fun in here, money and all, isn't it?

[00:25:06]Okay, steer all the way this way.

[00:25:08]>> Yeah.

[00:25:09]>> And now forwards.

[00:25:10]>> Forwards.

[00:25:12]>> You're going to drive the back end this way now.

[00:25:15]>> All right, okay.

[00:25:17]>> It's coming It's going to start coming in a minute.

[00:25:25]You're on some shallow stuff there, I think.

[00:25:27]>> Yeah.

[00:25:38]>> But that's natural when you come in this way. So, bring your steering wheel down to back.

[00:25:44]So, you get your front off the front first.

[00:25:47]>> Yeah.

[00:25:49]Then go back straight, yeah?

[00:25:51]>> Yes, so now go to reverse now.

[00:26:22]>> Oops.

[00:26:22]Sorry.

[00:26:23]>> Okay.

[00:26:24]>> Yeah.

[00:26:25]>> All right, then just come up reverse now.

[00:26:32]As soon as you can set off with your center line.

[00:26:34]>> Yeah.

[00:26:35]>> And then you have to control over both of those.

[00:26:38]Go forward and then go back.

[00:26:49]Where is the bite?

[00:26:51]Yes.

[00:26:52]Yes, at last.

[00:26:55]At last.

[00:26:57]At last, I have a little roach.

[00:27:03]Roach.

[00:27:07]Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day.

[00:27:10]Teach a man how to fish and if his name's Lumpy, he'll starve to death.

[00:27:16]>> [music]