BYE BYE TYSELEY

Finally left Loughborough at 7am on Friday and enjoyed last day's boating of the 2009 Summer tour to the IWA festival at Ratcliffe on Soar. Surprisingly few boats queueing at the locks so we got onto our moorings in good time. I nearly stuck Tyseley across the river winding round to face upstream but mercifully she just squeaked round and we pulled in with no more trouble than being lightly rammed amidships and shouted at by another boater who didn't realise that my turning round was more important than his progress up the river.

The WRGies (Waterways Recovery Group) very crestfallen that there wasn't more rain, mud, tempest, flood and fire for them to contend with. Everyone has a beard, a beer paunch, shorts, big boots and a cowboy hat. Crossing the arena between the theatre and the toilet in costume I passed unnoticed as Itchington Scratchit complete with badge encrusted tattered waistcoat, flat cap and kerchief but got many strange looks when wearing my Fair Trade costume of black trousers, white shirt and black shoes as if to say - "who is this weirdo?" Short shorts prize goes to Mike Palmer of the WRGies and show sponsor of our show at the Tom O'Wood.

We had three sell out shows with minimal disruption from the blaring musack from the fairground, the marching band and the public address system and a great response from our home crowd.

Sad to say goodbye to Tyseley (and difficult to know how to say goodbye to a boat) but good to know that she is in Gandalf's safe hands on her journey back up to Leigh. It has been a real privilege to have been boat captain on such a beautiful boat all summer. Final thanks to Pete Toon (General Manager of Mikron) who has supported us all the way and to my long suffering colleagues Gemma, George and Rachel. I attach some pictures from Steve Morley which have all four of us together on stage. See you on the Autumn Tour.

FULL CIRCLE

A lovely day's boating down the river Soar to Loughborough, setting off at 7am with sunshine sparkling on the water and willows waving against a clear blue sky. We passed the busy preparations for the IWA festival at Redhill in the shadow of the power station and then up the Soar - one of the most beautiful stretches of river I have ever seen - nearly as good as the Avon :-) Strange to be back in Loughborough which is where I started with Mikron two and a half years ago. The dent is still there on the bridge where I crashed into it during my first go on the tiller. I remember the first time we winded round in the entrance to the Grand Union and realised that Tyseley was not quite as manoeuvrable as more modern smaller boats. Now the BW Basin is fully operational with excellent shower, toilets, water, nice pontoon moorings and a good winding hole. Hoping that we can stay here for the rest of this week while we travel out by van to our various performances. The al fresco drinkers are still shouting over their cans of special brew and the little apple tree by the Nottingham Road Bridge is still there, this time covered in brightly coloured crab apples whereas when I first saw it, it was in full blossom. The beer in the 'Swan in the Rushes' is still great and the kebabs in 'Saleh' as good as ever.
Thanks to Liz and Colin Wicks for moving the van down from Shardlow for us and to Sophie at the Rose in Hose for stepping in at the last minute when the Black Horse closed down. Let's hope that the the Rose will become as successful a Mikron venue in future years as the Black Horse has been in the past.

TALES OF THE SHROPPIE

As hoped the three shows on the Shropshire Union were very enjoyable and successful. Luckily we winded before mooring at High Offley as there was a breach shortly afterwards at Shebden which closed the canal. Despite heavy clouds all day and probably because we had collected the marquee from the Witts at Gnosall, the sky cleared and we had a lovely evening show with the usual huge appreciative crowd and a good sing song in the bar afterwards.
With a very threatening sky at Gnosall we set up the marquee, our gazebo and another gazebo - covering the Witts tiny garden in canvas - in expectation of a downpour which never materialised and again we had a great evening. Thanks to Mary and Barry and the boys for looking after us, doing our washing and feeding us.
We had another lovely clear but cold evening at the Junction Inn in Norbury and our third well attended show.
Then Gandalf (Mr Tuplin) arrived to take Tyseley up to Shardlow while we went off by van to the independent republic of Doxey where we once more enjoyed the marvellous Doxey hospitality. Thanks Jane and Jill and all the Doxey tribe. Then to Market Harborough to the lovely little theatre right in the town centre and finally to the rural paradise of Appelby Magna where we once again performed in the beautiful old school hall, enjoying the great hospitality and good company of Mr Gerald Box, patron saint of red wine, cheese and crackers.
Thanks to everyone for making our journey and visits so much fun. Finally we return to find Tyseley safe and sound and clean as a new pin, tucked up under a huge willow tree right outside the Clock Warehouse in Shardlow. So thanks once again to Ian and Ruth for all their help.

LORD SCRUMPY

Sadly we are now on the last page of the summer tour schedule. The Coal House wasn’t flooded this year but the rain did it’s best to raise the level of the Severn and so we had a cramped but enjoyable show in the bar. Then two of the village halls that have remained with us over the years and now have a sizeable following. At Bishampton we went outdoors for the first time in a while and at Randwick we were in the packed village hall. We had many nice comments and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Including us. After that the Haw Bridge, which was cancelled two years ago because it was under water and a van job last year because of the high water levels. This year it was a perfect evening and we performed in the garden to a packed and appreciative house.
With so many easy shows you can sometimes get complacent but Grimley was a wake up call to what pub theatre can be all about. The Camp House at Grimley is an independent republic where scrumpy is god and misrules his subjects with an iron will. It started with a group of teenage lads jumping off our boat into the water having medicated themselves heavily with the amber liquid and some other less legal additives. When I suggested to one that although you could swim in the river, it might be better to do it sober, he replied - “Nah..I’m stronger when I’m drunk”. I thought I was in the opening scene of Casualty for a moment.
I went for a walk up the river but got a text from Rachel – “Gang of lads climbing on boat, would you mind coming back”. In all fairness they obliged politely when asked to keep on the jetty.
The sun was baking and the scrumpy was flowing as we set up in the garden for the show. Politely moving picnic benches crammed with drinkers who had little thought of watching a play about the co-operative movement. By the time we started at 8 o’clock, there was a hen party and two large groups of young people enjoying a noisy evening out sharing the garden with us, a crowd of Mikron supporters, numerous extremely sociable turkeys and the ever raucous peacocks. We battled through the show, shouting above the din and finally reached the end of the play to much applause from our supporters, a crowd of abandoned children and the few who had been won over to our cause from the various parties of hedonists who whooped, screamed, argued and laughed around us.
Best ad lib of the tour in my opinion was from George as he was chased across the ‘stage’ by the largest turkey I have ever seen shouting - “Where’s Bernard Matthews when you need him!”. We were kindly helped to reload all our gear by a gentleman with incredibly hairy arms and who insisted in tottering dangerously with our boxes across the unlit jetty elbowing his way through the equally well oiled night fishermen who were by now making a party of it in front of our boat. He then kindly brought us all a drink and firmly lectured George on the perils of drinking bitter. Supporting himself by leaning with both hands on the end of the picnic table where we were sitting he solemnly declared – “A real man will drink beer....(long pause)...but he prefers to drink cider!” It was a discussion that was never concluded.
By contrast our journey up the river Severn the next day was wonderfully beautiful and serene, the sun shone, the kingfishers sped through the shadows with a glint of bright turquoise and the dense woods fringing the river could have been unchanged since time began. I would not have been surprised to see a herd of brontosaurus grazing in the shallows or a Viking long boat appear round the corner.
A couple of long day’s boating on Sunday and Monday and a damp and cold evening at the Fieldhouse Inn at Wightwick. But big thanks to Mike, the landlord for all his help and kindness in ferrying us and our gear up the hill in his pick-up and feeding us with marvellous pig roast.
Now here we are on the Shroppie at last, moored up at Norbury Junction with three potentially great Mikron venues coming up next week – The Anchor, Gnosall and Norbury Junction. I hope the lovely weather we had most of yesterday will return. Above – a picture of the Waterloo sunset from the decks of HMS President and Tyseley moored at the Haw Bridge on the Severn.

FULL THROTTLE

With 50 years of experience as a boat builder Mr Pinder fixes the cooling system with some grease and kitchen paper, even though we have to borrow a ladder to get him into the engine room. Thanks John. And so off to Pershore.

Thursday 30th July
Still in sunny Pershore, the view of Bredon Hill obscured by driving rain all day yesterday has raised the water level at Pershore lock to two feet into the red. The debris is pouring steadily down the river, the weirs are roaring the ducks are paddling hard and little groups of boaters gather on the shore discussing the latest information. People still leave in their boats but we head back to the moorings, the launderette, the market and the public toilets at the back of Asda and wait. Don’t want to wrap Tyseley round Eckington bridge on the way back to Tewkesbury.
A good show last night packed into the bar of the Rock of Gibraltar at Enslow Bridge, a very generous collection and great Greek food provided after the show by our hosts – Faith and Stamatis. Will ring the lockkeeper at Avon lock early afternoon and hope for good news.

No good news so we stay at Pershore another day. Up at six the next morning and paddle down to the lock to check the levels. Still on red but down a long way so back to bed for an hour and then paddle down to the lock again. The level is just a centimetre above the amber so ring the lock at Tewkesbury and the whole river is on amber so decide to go for it. The best day’s boating of my life. Went past the lock and back upstream to avoid crashing the gates and swung round on ropes to get in. Left the lock gates at 10.00am and powered through the swirling current at the two Pershore bridges passing the stranded boaters on the moorings and sped past the plastic boats, keeping the speed up to keep steerage. The river looks so beautiful, sparkling in the sunshine, Bredon Hill looking serenely down and the woods and fields speeding past. A few gentle curves and then Nafford lock. We get on the moorings easily but have to clear the lock of debris before entering backwards. The indicator is on red but this is the narrowest part of the river so after consulting the lock keeper again we carry on. The weir, which I thought would turn us round actually pulls us in and a few hairy moments before it pushes our nose slowly downstream and we are on our way to the swan’s neck. No problem here, just a quick burst of power out of the curve and we are on our way to the next obstacle, Eckington Bridge. Again the power of Tyseley puts us in exactly the right place and keeps control all the way through. We stop for water and sewage and then on to Strensham lock. Going in backward we have to stop a tiny punt with an outboard following us in as we have to straddle the lock. The wind is coming directly upstream so there is nothing to pull us round as we exit. Instead we reverse right across the stream and spin round to catch the current off the weir to bring us round. A straight run into Tewksbury where the river is on green by now, turn on a rope with the help of the lock keeper and back into our mooring on the weir stream.
Jumping straight into the van we motor to Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire for the night’s show and then back to Tyseley to catch a few hours sleep before setting off for London and HMS President on the banks of the Thames, where I am sitting now looking out on the now calm high tide waters and the lights of ‘Sea Containers House’ across the river.

WORKING BOAT?

Just sitting in the shade waiting for the fourteenth man to come and fix stuff on Tyseley since we started the tour. Another impeller has shredded itself and we are grounded again. The cooling system failed in the first week of the tour and Darren from Cowroast Marina came and replaced the impeller and cleared out debris. He recommended a new water pump so Ralph from Denham Marine came and fitted one at Brentford. In London the boiler started producing a pretty ball of flame and a big bang when lit, so Dave came and cleaned her out at Henley and advised us to get a new one but she should last to the end of the tour. At Woolhampton the shower started leaking and Mark the plumber came and advised us we needed a new thermostatic mixer unit and he and his brother Dave fitted it two days later. The boiler gave up the ghost finally in a great jet of steam and a big bang and a window shattered suddenly so David from Oxfordshire Narrow boats fitted a new boiler at Aynho and the new glass at Fenny Compton. Ian fixed the rudder and fitted it back with the help of two assistants from Calcutt Boats. In between we had Mike from River Canal Rescue for the rudder and another River Canal Rescue guy who put us in touch with Tony from Pinders Boat Builders who cleaned out the cooling system and put in the latest impeller. I am now waiting for Mr Pinder senior who will be the fourteenth man.
On the bright side, Bredon Hill looks as lovely as ever with the beautiful River Avon winding around it on a perfect English summer's day. I went for a swim in the river in the early morning and got grumbled at by an ancient angler for disturding the fish - he commented loudly to his companions that had he had his gun it would be a different matter.

RUDDER VERSUS CILL

The rudder on Tyseley is very big. I know this now because I have seen it in it's full glory - lying on the towpath like a beached whale.
That crunching sound that every boater dreads assailed our ears in the bottom lock of the Napton flight having made excellent time from Fenny Compton with a 6am leave and much fighting our way through the shallows of the Oxford canal. We had managed to sit the rudder neatly on the cill coming down and she popped out of the skeg and bent round like a hairpin with the full weight of the venerable lady Tyseley sitting on top of her.
Now members of River Canal Rescue we got a prompt visitation from Mike who managed after three hours and much impact engineering to get the swan neck off and the rudder dangling by a rope in the canal. Admitting defeat he contacted Calcutt boats who sent Ian out to us, again very promptly and he managed to pull the rudder out as we pulled Tyseley forward on ropes. Getting the rudder onto the towpath we could see firstly the impressive size and secondly the serious damage - the stock was bent at an angle of 45 degrees. Despairing of ever being able to continue the tour by boat we got the van from Aynho and went by road to the Boat Inn at Stockton for our next show.
There in the bar was Ian. 'I fixed the rudder' he said calmly. He had shredded the shaft with oxyacetylene, heated it to red and used the weight of a JCB to put it straight again and then welded it all back together. And he was coming to fit it at 8am the next morning!
The next morning we backed into the lock to give us space below and with two extra helpers from Calcutt boats Ian pulled the rudder back up, fixed on the swan neck and incredibly we were on our way less than 24 hours since the accident. We stopped in at Calcutt boats for Ian to make a final adjustment and for us to express our sincere thanks for the great service. Thanks once again Ian and Calcutt Boats.

BACK TO THE GRINDSTONE

Not much of a signal at Cropredy so just a brief post to let you know we are all back from our hols and wandering happily up the beautiful Oxford canal. Here is a picture of our home for two days as guests of Sarah and David at the Wharf house mooring in Cropredy (and looked after as always by lovely Auntie Shirl). The weather still good, fluffy clouds, the odd shower but plenty of sunshine too. The good weather gave us a better than expected house for Fair Trade last night and advance bookings for tonight are pretty good too. George and Gemma put loads of new photos on Facebook which I think you can see if you join the Mikron group. If not I will upload some to the blog when I get a better signal. Just off to the local shop now to see if I can interest them in 170 quids worth of loose change! Or shall I have a nap?

AIN HO? ARN OH? I KNOW?

Much discussion on our third passage along the Oxford between Thrupp and Heyford about how to pronounce Aynho. But we arrived there in good order and kept dead in the middle as much as possible, much to the dismay of various trip boaters who scurry to the sides as we hold an unwavering course right until the last minute, swinging back behind them with a cherry 'Morning!' and plenty of wash. Had our last water based show last night at the Great Western Arms. It's been a long time since Mikron was at this lovely location and although it was a perfect hot summer's evening the house was small but perfectly formed although I think slighty bewildered at finding a dramatic rendition of everything you ever wanted to know about the Co-op (and some you probably didn't) with music and mob caps in the courtyard of a charming rural pub restaurant. The new landlords Rene and Ali were very welcoming, despite being given no clue about our arrival by the previous owner when they took over only a month ago. The wharf owners and mooring warden, Pat did all they could to publicise the event and Rene and Ali have asked us back next year so let's hope this can develop again into a great Mikron venue. Back on the van today and off to the Wey and Arun, the Basingstoke and the Chichester canals. They do drive at 3 mph on the right hand side on the M40 don't they?

TIME FLIES

Can't believe it's five days since the last posting. I seem to have been quite busy. It was great seeing Mike Lucas at Long Wittenham ( I took the precaution of winding Tyseley before he arrived but in fact she went round easily - although we scared one plastic boat off the mooring) and Vashti and Richard at Wolvercote Green and Bablock Hythe. The weather has been lovely and we've had some excellent boating and some very good beer(!). Thanks to Marina for breakfast and Judith for doing our washing and doing a lot of work to really get a good house at Wolvercote - which she did with great success. Sad to say goodbye to the Thames at Duke's Cut but looking forward to the Avon after the break. With the low water level the turn off the river in Oxford was much easier than previous years and passers by on the foot bridge stopped to watch as we slipped effortlessly under instead of scurrying for the bank as Tyseley and the bridge locked horns - as on some past occasions. We are back on the Oxford and there are lots of boats, lots of mud and not a great deal of water. As predicted Gandalf (in the shape of Ian Tuplin) returned to the towpath and helped us fight our way into the bank a mile past Thrupp as there was no mooring to be had anywhere - not even for ready money. Met the mooring warden, Mike, and hopefully he will find us somewhere to unload when we return on Sunday. Just to make you jealous I attach the view from my bedroom window at Goring Lock. It's a hard life but someone has to do it.

EPIC JOURNEY

Something of an epic struggle from Woolhampton to Reading. Water levels were rather low for two Dutch barges that were labouring up to Reading and everywhere we went there were dire warnings from other boaters that they were grounded in locks and across the stream. When we eventually caught up with them one was stuck solidly in the centre of the channel just downstream of the turf lock. We let a few locks worth of water down to float him off with no effect and then had to decide whether to wait for BW who were on their way or try and sneak past. We decided to try and sneak past and going slowly we managed to get nearly by and were just cheerily shouting – ‘ See you at the Abbey Ruins’ when we stuck fast. We tried everything. Rocking, poling, cutting a channel by going back and forwards. Twice we managed to move forward a few feet and then grounded again. The barge skipper was on the phone to BW gleefully announcing - ‘Now Mikron are grounded as well!’ With renewed determination we poled the bows right out into the stream, put Tyseley in slow forward and pulled on the barge’s ropes to inch forward agonisingly slowly – but we were free!
Other notable events were an encounter with a willow tree that had the crew pressed on their faces to the front deck, winding above Woolhampton in the winding hole clearly marked ‘Max 60 foot’, two members of the company managing to expose themselves to fellow boaters while showering, Rachel finding that the sure way to arrive at a lock is to make a cup of tea and seeing a tramp find (and finish) a bottle of vodka in a litter bin by County lock in Reading – who throws bottles of vodka away I wonder?
The next morning I woke to find the bows of the Dutch barge looming above the back cabin so they managed to make it after all. My first question – ‘what time are you leaving tomorrow?’ (because I want to make sure I'm in front of you)
Now here we are all set up, fed and watered in Benson and above is an (almost) live picture of the event.

REHEARSALS

Seem to have spent my whole life outside (and inside) the Rowbarge at Woolhampton. But it's not all lounging around in the sun you know. I attach a picture of the dedicated Mikron cast having a line and song run through of 'Fair Trade' after a gap of over two weeks since the last performance. Just in case you thought it was all beer and sandwiches. Big thanks to Margaret and Charles, two local friends of Mikron, for letting us use their shower while ours is still leaking steadily into the River Kennet and for doing our washing. Also to Guy, Kyle, Fred and everyone at the Rowbarge for many things - not least the parsley for the fish pie that Rachel is cooking tonight!

DAYS OFF - YELLOW THING IN SKY

Thanks everyone for your comments, please keep them coming. Sorry to hear about NB Blue Goose - isn't it the way that just when you think you know what you're doing you can mess up in a big way with boating. Tyseley is an expert at dropping you in it and of course only when there is a large and appreciative audience to enjoy one's humiliation.
We have had two lovely shows recently. First at the Bounty in the Independent Republic of Cockmarsh. Thanks David and Sue for the usual warm welcome, copious amounts of good ale and lots of singing Beatles songs into the night. Then a great new venue - The Angel on the Bridge at Henley. Thanks Mark for your kind welcome, lunch and again drinking into the wee smalls. The shows went down pretty well too.
Unfortunately we had our second Henley show cancelled so we have extra days off. Gemma and I are boating slowly on to Woolhampton and Rachel and George have gone home for a well earned rest. Also after days of regular rain there is a curious round yellow thing that has appeared in the sky...I wonder what it is?

MARLOW

Arrived yesterday evening cold and wet after a long day's boating and annoyed a group of Polish fishermen who were drinking whisky round a camp fire on the public moorings and didn't take kindly to being asked to move so we compromised and left our behind out in the stream so that they could stay where they were. They did offer me some whisky though. Highlight of the day for Gemma was managing to knock an obliging skiffer's glasses into the river with one throw of a wet rope. That'll learn him to be chivalrous to lady narrowboaters at locks. As we were being pressed forward by a number of 'gin palaces' we couldn't stop to help but the narrowboat behind us who was stopping to eat his breakfast on the lock moorings (!) had a magnet and when last seen they were dipping hopefully. Tremendous thunder storm and torrential rain in the night which terrified everyone except George who slept through it. A leisurely day in Marlow buying food, eating lunch, shopping and banking as we had done all the boating yesterday. Managed to unload on the public slipway, designed for rowing boats of maximum length ten foot which left us sticking out into the stream almost across to the weir, much to the surprise of the plastic boats still trolling up and down into the lock. Luckily the landlord of the Two Brewers found us a mooring at the end of the garden of a beautiful riverside mansion, undergoing restoration. And we had help from the caretaker Tony in carrying our gear up to the pub. Fortunately we are in the barn at the back of the pub as it looks like more rain. Small prayer - please don't let the Avon be in flood again this year, Lord. The gas boiler is on it's last legs but the gas man cometh on Tuesday I hope.

TALES OF THE THAMES

Going out on to the Thames much less choppy than last year and a calm journey up to Walton on Thames. Tyseley with new water pump seems to be running well but weeps oil on to the exhaust pipe when pushed too hard so we will retain a sedate pace and hopefully keep going. Sailed blithely past the Swan (our next venue) and had to turn round at the next bridge. You can't do that on a canal. Managed to persuade the boats on the 24 hour mooring to budge up and let us in. Took the kayak out for the first time this year, current very light and then obligatory night time swim at end of which cut all the fishing line off the prop. In the morning we found that someone had untied our three mooring ropes, obviously hoping we would drift off down the river in our sleep. Luckily we were wedged fast on the gravel at the edge and there was so little flow we didn't move! The pub has some awnings we can perform under tonight if it rains which it has been, on and off, since early morning.

ONWARD

June and a heat wave. Dropped the Tuplins off at a bridge hole going through Little Venice. No time to say goodbye but like Gandalf in Lord of the Rings I feel sure that they will return in our hour of need. Spent three lovely days at the Canal Museum including a day off – the hottest day of the year – and went swimming at the Lido in Hyde Park which was great. Made a ridiculous fuss out of getting off the mooring at the museum much to the consternation of the local boating inhabitants. Note to self – watch the wind, it makes a difference. What is the problem with the Camden trip boats? We met one in a tunnel and had to back out to let him past. No problem you would think but the tirade of foul mouthed abuse from the skipper was unbelievable, quite unjustified and in earshot of his customers in the boat. I send him love and light, forgiveness and the earnest hope that he gets happy soon. Then a very pleasant and leisurely journey to Brentford.

FRIENDS OF MIKRON

Well here we are at the Packet Boat Marina. It's 14.00, the sun is shining, we are moored up where we will perform tonight, there are showers, toilets, power, we are fed, watered and rested. How have we got here when thousands of years ago (yesterday) we were exhausted, broken down (poor Tyseley) and the best part of 20 hours boating from where we needed to be. The answer is the fabulous Friends of Mikron who have come to our rescue yet again. Thanks to the marvellous Morleys for moving our van, feeding us and doing our washing. Thanks to the beneficent Beryl Hunter for feeding us (twice), making a birthday cake for Gemma (happy birthday Gemma), doing our washing (what was left) and advertising the show up and down the canal in the Bulbourne/Marsworth area ensuring two excellent shows.
We left Bulbourne immediately after the show and watered up and then boated in the dark risking the fact that the engine had overheated and cut out twice in the day. Having met Ian Tuplin - down South on business - at one of the Tring locks he realised that someone (hem hem) had turned off the sea cock in checking the mud box and not put it on again so she had run dry. About 1 am she stopped again so we pulled in and moored up until morning. Getting up four hours later she went for less than an hour and cut out again near Cow Roast Marina. At the limit of my technical knowledge, despite many phone calls to Ian (who knows Tyseley very well from moving her over the years but was now home in Cumbria) we got an engineer from the marina who changed the impeller and fished the broken bits out of the thermostat housing. Now many hours late we set off again, running quite smoothly and Ian and Ruth kindly drove all the way from Cumbria to help us with the boating. We made good progress the rest of the day despite being well behind schedule but by the time the Tuplins found us we were on our last legs. They took over and boated on for 3 hours and then got up at 6am and boated on while we slept. We finally made it here early! So thanks to the Terrific Tuplins as well. What would we do without you all. Thanks and thanks again!

THE LONGEST DAY

22/05/09
A perfect evening at Badsey’s with Ian and Lesley and friends. The sun shone, we had a great crowd including a party of South Africans we met going into Braunston locks and an American couple on their 25th wedding anniversary trip. Ian cooked us a lovely meal after the show and we enjoyed a few pints of Vicar’s Peril (or Ruin or something). Thanks Ian and Lesley.
23/05/09
An epic journey from Napton Bridge to Stoke Bruerne starting at 5 am, winding through the bends we got stuck firmly on the bank after half an hour and in poling off managed to drop the lovely brass hooter into the water (which wasn’t tied on as it should have been) but not realise it until we were on our way. This sacrifice to the river gods got us into Braunston before any one was about and we managed to buy a new one for seven quid which looks like a plastic surgical appliance but makes a noise like an aircraft carrier. We ran out of water just after Braunston and dared to stop for 20 minutes just to replenish and then onward to our tight schedule. George and Rachel getting very good at the boating now, bending in and out of the turns with ease and keeping impact navigation to a minimum. Speeding down the Buckby flight we met Steve and Mandy at Weedon to give them the keys to move the van from Welford to Milton Keynes and then onward. We made tea coming through Blisworth tunnel, gobbled it down at Stoke Bruerne and then set up and did the show by the museum. As we got up to set off again the next day at 8 o’clock George remarked somewhat wistfully – “wouldn’t it have been easier to come by van?”

OFF WE JOLLY WELL

Well here we are finally on our way. Tyseley looks beautiful in her new paint and we have two shows under our belts – Fair Trade at the Wharf Inn Welford and Tales of the Thames at Foxton Locks Inn. Welford is very much the old style Mikron, with great support from Neil at the Welford Marina and Alex at the Wharf Inn that is very much geared to the local boating community. We have equally great support from Stephanie and Bob at Foxton Locks Inn who are catering for a much more touristy and ‘fair weather’ crowd.
A great day’s boating today. George and Rachel are natural boaters and have no trouble in bending Tyseley into (and out) of the many beautiful curves the canal makes on our journey from Foxton up to Badsey’s . Some of the canal is very shallow and there is plenty of poling off, reversing off mud banks and a useful tow from a couple from Yorkshire who come to the rescue of their fellow countrymen when they see we are from Marsden.
We have decided on key roles in the company already – George is Music Captain (as he has to whisper the chords to me during the show as I invariably forget them), Rachel is Cleaning Captain, Gemma is Bosun, food and fire captain and I am boat captain and general dogsbody. Apologies to our friend the lock keeper at Watford locks for knocking the metal top off the lock gates AGAIN this year. He was still fuming about it from last year. Sincere apologies (and humble advice to re drill them and put some carriage bolts in instead of gluing them on with shower sealant before the next 72 foot coal boat comes along and sits on top of them ;-).

TALES OF THE THAMES

Opened Tales of the Thames at the Syngenta Cellar in the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield last night. Lovely to have a capacity crowd of over 100 people and a very warm response from the audience. Sight lines are always difficult with the very wide staging but good practice for some of the other strange places we will be playing in over the coming months. George's family was there in force to support their boy and most of the Mikron team who had worked on the show. Big thanks to Rosie, daughter of Paul Lorenz (who looks after Tyseley) and Steph, who helped Katy with the costumes and props for both shows. Weather still very cold and wet. Where is the heat wave we have been promised ? Tomorrow we will be driving down to meet Tyseley and our first show is on Monday at the Wharf Inn, Welford. Sunshine has been requested!

FAIR TRADE

Doesn't seem like a week already since we opened the new improved Fair Trade at the Mechanics Hall in Marsden. It went down very well and we received many favourable comments from the host of Friends, Well wishers and ordinary sensation seekers out for a good time on a Saturday evening in Marsden. Particularly nice to see Erica, coming back to see what we had done to the show since she was in it. Congratulations to her and Andrew as they are having a baby in August! Clever them! Since then a busy week of rehearsals for Tales of the Thames - really enjoying the excellent songs and the strong story with great characters. Only two weeks now till we will be meeting Tyseley in Wellford in her brand new overcoat.

WELCOME

Welcome to the Mikron 2009 Summer tour blog. We are now in the last week of rehearsal for the (slightly) revamped Fair Trade with new song, new scenes and (some) new actors. Bye bye to Dan and Erica and Hello to George and Rachel. Hello again to Gemma and me, Adrian. Dan's blog was so successful in 2007 - it was the only way his Mum and Dad had any idea where he was or what he was up to - that he received no feedback from his many fans and discontinued it in 2008. A great chorus of dissappoinment followed so here it is again. If there is anybody out there reading this please get in touch, join in, contribute, ridicule and have fun. More later. I am writing this travelling up from london to manchester on the train, through the morning mist and thinking that I will soon be travelling in the opposite direction on a brand newly painted Tyseley on the Grand Union canal.