Change Over Day

Up sharpish this morning Change Over Day. Just after half past eight, Mike and Alice set off to walk to the station. Having bought our tickets we realised that we still had about half an hour to wait! However, the information panel said it was on time and the 6, 4 and 2 minute message were duly broadcast.

But 9:30 came and went with no sign of the train - which disappeared off the panel. Had it been a ghost train, we wondered? Then came an announcement of a delay but only 16 minutes so we were not too worried as Mike had an hour for the changeover.

However, by the time we left Moreton-in-Marsh it was at least half an hour late and finally arrived into Reading almost 40 minutes late! (We discovered from the internet that the cause was the theft of signalling cable!) Joanna, waiting with Jess, was beginning to get a bit frantic because of the short term parking restrictions.

Furthermore, it was the last day of the Reading Festival and platforms were wall-to-edge full of young (mostly) people going home. Jess and Mike waited for their train which came in on time but by the time it left there was barely any standing room left. We were fortunate (because Mike made sure that we stood on the platform right opposite a door) to get one seat for both of us and it was a bit of a squash. Jess was overwhelmed at first but behaved exemplary. At Oxford about half of the passengers alighted and we could breathe again.

Although on time at Moreton-in-Marsh we then heard an announcement that there were still delays and eventually we arrived at Evesham almost 20 minutes late - to find Christine waiting for us.

On the way back to the boat we called at Tesco to buy a magazine for Jess. As soon as we reached the boat, Jess quickly orientated herself and obviously remembered where everything was, especially her bed. First task was lunch but then we were off, back up the stretch we unexpectedly covered last night.

Hampton Ferry

Handsam Too

We passed the Hampton Ferry - not easy to photo as we have to stand off whilst the rope is lowered, but at least managed a snap of it waiting at the side. We also saw the well-known Handsam Too out on a trip.

After passing under the new(er) road bridge and also Workman Bridge we reached Evesham Lock where we used the same facilities as last night - just in case we had difficulty finding them further upstream.

Workman Bridge

A boat started to come down the lock just as we were ready to set off again but, alas, it found itself in trouble by becoming caught on the cill and lifting the rudder out of the skeg cup. The crew were a bit fazed by this and it was some time before they could be persuaded to leave the lock. Of course, as this was happening other boats arrived and there was no shortage of advice. Eventually they backed out of the lock onto the mooring above the weir and we could all make progress. By the time we were through they were able to ell us that they had sorted out the rudder, much to their obvious relief.

George Billington Lock

Our problem now was to find a mooring, not helped by the fact that the first two we hoped to stop at that were listed in Nicholsons no longer seemed to exist. As a result we had to press on to George Billington lock where there were four places marked. As it happened (it always does, doesn't it?) that all the spaces were empty so we were spoilt for choice.

4.1 miles - 2 locks