I found my workshop under all that junk.

We've been getting water in the cabin bilge, despite having winterised Freyja, then we noticed a drain hole just above the waterline, Glenda poked the end of a hosepipe into it, and it went in a long way, so we decided to plug it, but, it was windy, no engine, I toyed with tying the step ladders to the handrail and climbing down to it, but after making a wooden bung, I decided to  screw it to a length of batten, then coated it with a liberal coating of Tiger seal, on the 2nd attempt I managed to snap the almost-paired-off plug. It's the white blob just above the waterline. Fingers crossed................

I started the process of digging my workshop from under all the of the crud that had built up, adding some extra cupboards and brackets, I can now see my workbenches and find stuff without sweat.

My nice tidy workshop, now complete with a freezer that was rescued, minus it's door, from the marina scrapheap, now fixed and working fine. ;o)

Canal pubs and their canal themes

The Trent Navigation pub, which is near the junction of The River Trent and the Nottingham Canal is the home of the Navigation brewery, one of their ales is called 'Lock In'

Sorry, this one is a bit fuzzy, there are three lovely canal scenes featured on the beerpumps at the Rodley Barge on the Leeds and Liverpool

It's funny what you can find on the towpath

Dydd Gwyl Dewi DDa pawb! (Happy Saint Dai's Day everyone!) 

While cycling the towpath, towards Gas Street Basin, I approached NB The Crusty Crow, Roy shouted to me, "wanna buy an engine mate?"
I replied "As it happens I do, but not another BMC 1.8! But I could be interested in some bits"
Roy, it's owner, is a fellow member of the Canalworld forum.

Roy of NB The Crusty Crow, with the BMC 1.8 engine he had just replaced, entertains a couple of local lads.

I headed, as usual, for the Canalside Cafe for some nice ales, at the Tap & Spile I had a dodgy pint of Tim Taylor's Landlord.
Roy told me that the Craven Arms had re-opened after a re-fit and takeover by the Black Country Brewery. It was a great tip, it's a lovely pub in Upper Gough Street and the friendly hosts Chris & Sharon keep 8 ales and a few ciders, well worth a visit and an easy 5 minute walk from the canal.
Here is an article from the Birmingham Mail :-
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/memorabilia-wanted-decorate-historic-birmingham-1342783

Slowly edging towards self sufficiency

A lovely vintage 1912 Singer 29K15 cobbler's treadle sewing machine has been added to the workshop. Another load of jobs that can be done without needing electricity ;o)

The 29K is capable of intricate stitches through leather, canvas and even 1/4" ply! 
The hand wheel can be used for more difficult jobs that need to be done in a more controlled way than is possible with the treadle.
I'm going to try to replace the workbench in the background with a treadle table that I can swap a wood lathe, grinders, sanders etc.

My old treadle jigsaw can be used for wood and some metals, now I 'd like to rig a treadle table that will take a wood lathe, grindstone and sander.

Posed? How dare you? I was using everything in my 'Bob the builder' toolbelt.

Top sheets all fitted, just need some boards under the edges to stop the water running down the bulkheads and the weighted poles on the bottoms of the greenhouse covers ((that allow them to be rolled up). We've got the bottom sheets, but the metalwork needs rust treatment and painting and the pine retainers will be replaced with recycled oak. My new sewing machine will come in handy, shaping Freyja's tugdeck cover to make a snug fit around the plank carrier.
We lifted the chicken coup out, so that I could work on the water side of Christina, I put my foot on the 'tugdeck' and it went straight through! So that will be another stack of wood and marine ply needed. Everything we fix reveals another shop of horrors.
Next we need new mattress pieces for the bed 'ole in Christina and new chimneys for both Freyja and Christina.

  

Oh dear, my mates up to no good

This was during a biker rally in the 70s, I'm afraid things sometimes got out of hand. Found this pic but don't remember any details. Hate to see this now ;o(

A wintery week of work

We spent last weekend  at the boats, Glenda returned on Sunday and I stayed for the week to try to get the new tarpaulins fitted and to close off the holes between the tarps.

A photo showing the top sheets fitted but the bow sheets are still the old rotten and leaking ones

The lake is frozen and snow covered, but it's cosy in both our boats ;o)

Freyja still had her old bow sheets and her white hold down strap has blown off and is hanging down. Behind her a gap can be seen in Christina's sheets, letting snow into the chicken coup section.

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It might be blizzard conditions but the wood burning ranges keep both boats cosy, nice to be able to work in the cosy workshop.

Unfortunately, the weather beat me to it, first it was days of ice and a little snow, then came the blizzard conditions. So for most of the week I did other jobs inside the boats.

On Christina :-

I put a new floor in the storeroom and re-arranged the storage bays.
Made new wooden filler boards which keep the top planks centralised and stop rain and snow from coming in between the sheets and the bulkhead.
Cut up the large tree trunk that we pulled out of a lock on our trip down, finally got to use my new chainsaw in anger! ;o)

On Freyja :-

Fixed the broken bulkhead
Removed the doors and made them fit properly so that they open and shut properly
Fitted a porthole mirror
Replaced the rotten bow tarpaulin

Nice to see Brian from NB Alton in Canal Boat

Brian, who with his wife Anne-Marie, runs the coal and supply boat Alton is featured in the latest edition of Canal Boat magazine.

Enjoying a brew with Brian, of Coalboat Alton, at the Blue Bell in Kidsgrove