NEW PUMP OLD SEALS

For reasons to complicated to go into the old seals are back on the pump and it’s weeping water again. Managed ok up the Severn and no replacements available so we are carrying on as it is. A great show at the Tontine Gardens courtesy of Stourport Forward with nearly 200 people on a site overlooking the wide beam locks from Stourport basin onto the Severn. Off at 7am on Thursday up the Staffs and Worcester – as lovely as ever but very slow going and showers turned to heavy rain which kept up all day. Stopped for water at Stewponey Wharf so the tanks were very full. A slight knock on a lock gate caused by much turbulence from the weirs due to the heavy rain and the tanks leapt forward and pulled off a hose. After a while Tyseley starts leaning to starboard. An inspection revealed the bows were full of water and all costumes and extension leads submerged.
Thankfully the Witts came to our rescue and met us at Wightwick where we arrived about 9pm after 14 hours more or less continuous boating and took all to be dried. Cycled to the Spar in Wightwick and picked up drinking water as tanks are fouled with bilge water and baby wipes for washing.
Collapsed into bed at midnight and set off at 6am in pouring rain again. Fixed hose back on tanks and filled with water which thankfully stayed in the tanks. Onward to our last lock of the tour on the Shroppie. Lovely show at the Witts who dried our costumes, fed us and lent us a marquee, extension leads and induced diabetic coma with white chocolate cheese cake.
Felt a bit tired and realised that 30 hours boating and 3 shows in four days was probably the reason why.
Packed into the van again – thanks Ed Fulcher for bringing her up to Gnosall and trying to get home from Gnosall to Tewksbury on his new bus pass. Only took him 12 hours and gave him the idea for next year’s Mikron show on the bus service called ‘A Comedy of Errors’ –nice suggestion Ed but it may have already been done. Have to look into it. And back to Pershore to the Brandy Cask. Promised rain which didn’t materialise but we did the show in the bar anyway to a packed house – literally.