Brassed off






Lottie on the bow

Hartshill BW Yard

The Captain dug out his trousers as he decided the morning was too chilly for shorts. Strangely it has been warmer heading into autumn that it was in windy August. The mornings cruise was pleasant as we passed numerous allotments through Nuneaton. 

We chose to stop at the picturesque Hartshill. As soon as we moored up the boat directly in front of ours started his engine which was loud and vibrated nastily.

“I’m not having lunch listening to that!” the Captain moaned and moved the boat a few minutes up the cut. 

working Barge

Quiet waters at Hartshill

As he switched off the engine the sound of a Brass band playing wafted over the hedge. Lottie shivered and shook. The band grew louder as if they were marching around the field next to us but there was no sign of people with tubas just cows.

Within minutes we regretted our new mooring but were reluctant to move on again in case there was no mooring before the flight of 11 locks.



entrance to Hartshill Yard

I love music including brass bands but this one grated on the nerves. They were working on a selection of Abba songs with varying success. Dancing Queen was particularly out of key. The band would stop, instructions yelled at them and then off they would go again still off key. By the time they reached SOS I was waiting for the discordant notes and wondering if this band were performing at a fete tomorrow. The Captain loves Abba but he winced at the murderous renditions as if he had toothache.



Fabulous canal art

After a shortened lunch due to Lottie Lurcher trembling each time the band hit a particularly flat note we set off towards the locks. Every now and then haunting strains of dancing queen chased after us down the cut. It’s amazing how far the sound of brass travels.


By the time we reached the flight of 11 Atherston locks Lottie relaxed, as if she could no longer hear the band. The Captain bought a paper then set off down the locks even though it was raining lightly. I have never seen the locks so deserted. Within minutes the rain stopped and we continued peacefully though after three locks we met a boat coming up.

Lottie enjoyed sniffing around while we wound paddles and acted as if she realised where we were. Had she been expecting us to retrace our steps to return to our marina? At the lowest locks we met two more boats. We moored on the visitor moorings below the locks and during the evening were joined by two more boats that had descended the locks. 


Narrow boat bearing carriers sign

After dinner the peace was shattered by fireworks banging and whizzing. Lottie swiftly slid off the sofa and took refuge in the narrow corridor trembling. Fortunately the display was not of long duration.


working boats

As we took Lottie out for her last toilet trip at 11-00 we could hear the locks being worked and see a spotlight cutting through the night sky. By 11.30 two massive working boats had slid through the locks. Almost silently they moored up behind us.