What a day we have had already; we moved down to Rugby and whilst Myra went off to boost the profits at Tesco, I refilled Martlet's water tank. Mooring between the bend and the road bridge, it was not long before the contact sport began.
A dredger travelling from Hillmorton was pushed sideways into a moored boat by a boat in the other direction who failed to give him room on the bend - words were exchanged and then calm returned.
I went to collect Myra and act as pack mule with the goodies; we were able to moor on the straight away from the bend on our return.
We walked over the road bridge to where Gypsy Rover was moored and to have a chat with Dot and Derek, who have sold the boat and are awaiting the delivery of a block of flats with wheels. It is of necessity a three axle motorhome: the size dictated by the need to display the name: Autotrail Frontier Arapaho. It looks to be a really nice one and we wish them both many hours of safe and happy motoring in it. As is so often the case when in good company, the time simply flew by and all too soon we were saying our farewells.
We had just finished our lunch and were about to move off when we spied Phil (Nb Huffler)and Michelle Nb.Loopy Lou, walking on the other side of the canal. They had seen Martlet moored and came across for a cuppa and to arrange for a Chinese meal for this evening. We moved off having agreed to meet later at Bridge 69.
Approaching Clifton wharf, we saw Ragamuffin moored and reversed alongside to say hello to Mick and Crystal. They put the kettle on and we started to catch up with each other's news. Mick told me in passing that Pricess Elizabeth was due in at Rugby station at 7.25pm on a special train.
We had to leave them in order to meet Phil and Michelle, and had moored at Hillmorton when I heard the sound of the Stanier Pacific. I climbed on the roof and managed to get a couple of pictures as she passed Hillmorton junction. At the tail end of the rake of carriages was a class 47 diesel which Network rail usually insist upon in case of failure of the steam loco, as the safety valves were lifting on the loco, the added 115 tons of the diesel did not worry her over much, although the gradient is falling towards Rugby at that point.
Soon afterwards, the meal delivery team arrived and we spent a lovely evening in the company of Phil and Michelle playing news catch up once more.
