A beautiful, sunny walk was enlivened by all the activity on the canal and up at the lock. Saltaire's Titus trip boat was plying up and down, though it was having difficulty turning round at the lock. (Its tour doesn't go through the lock.) There was a widebeam boat berthed in the turning area, waiting to go up the lock. It couldn't move on, because there was a party of volunteers and Community Payback workers (offenders sentenced to community orders) busy repairing and painting the lock gates.
Apparently they have returned to a traditional method of sealing the gaps in lock gates, using coal ash, now sourced from our heritage steam railways. The ash is floated on the surface of the water in the lock and gets drawn into the gaps in the gates, where it forms a tight seal. Fascinating... Read more HERE.
I passed a narrowboat that I can't recall seeing before, and she was rather smart in her blue paint with an orange and blue canopy. She was named Miss Tilly Flood. I don't know the significance of that name. There are quite a few boats called 'Tilly', I think.
She had not only her name but a quotation painted on her side. Well, it was a day for being dazzled by beauty.
Loved the painted decorations on Tilly Flood! She is a smart looking craft. I'd never heard that about coal ash sealing locks. Interesting to know. Not that it will help much in my own life. Trivia at it's best.
ReplyDeleteThat first image conveys such a feeling of tranquility. The slow pace of canal boats is such a contrast to the usual tempo of modern life... ;)
ReplyDeleteI wonder why they name a lot of them Tilly?
ReplyDeleteA wonderful sentiment from Miss Tilly Flood!
ReplyDeleteThe blue and orange looks beautiful, and well kept. I like it that we can see your reflection in the quote :-)
ReplyDeleteMiss Tilly Flood is a pretty boat. It would be relaxing floating down the canal in one of those.
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