Brian Davy Trip Notes (found by Mike Newport 2010)
They are great reading and detailed as would be expected from Brian. These notes are written in the Anglo-Welsh Log Book and the front cover shows the crew as :- Ted Chapman, Simon Gates,
Brian Davy, Mike Newport, Dave King, John Parmenter and Brian Wilson. The boat is PENNANT. These entries confirm the information on the 1987 main page, some of which we, after much
discussion, had managed to agree on previously.
The notes show that we ate a lot of meat, even Steak for Breakfast on occasions. Mike Newport, being a Butcher, used to bring vast quantities of meat, I mean vast, on all the trips he went
on. Note Brian recorded that clocks changed at start of trip.
I believe the Anglo Welsh boat yard we used is now Limekiln Chandlers at Compton. Perhaps somebody reading can confirm this?
Saturday 28th March
Total 3 locks. Cruised 3 hrs 19 mins. Steak
| Time |
Narrative |
| 1526 GMT |
Leave Aldersley Boatyard |
| 1845 |
Wheaton Aston |
Wheaton Aston, Sunday 29th March. Cold. Frozen dew on boat. Clear Sky. Sunny.
Total 25 miles, 17 locks. Cruised 7 hrs 30 mins. Chili Con Carne
(Ed note. The Term Up Spirits refers to the tradition from the Navy of the drinking of the Grog or Rum ration in the morning. During the Second World War Brian served on both the Atlantic
and Russian convoys on destroyers as the ships Surgeon, Ted served on an Aircraft Carrier in the Pacific as an Engine Fitter. A whistle was produced and "Up Spirits" would be piped, a tradition
we still uphold today, but usually without the whistle. It was and is not uncommon for up to a bottle of Lambs Navy Rum to be consumed during this pleasant morning exercise.)
| Time |
Narrative |
| 0825 BST |
Slipped. Kingfisher sighted on Port Bow |
| 1030 |
Gnosall. Bought Teapot £3-95 |
| 1120 |
Slipped |
| 1135 |
s.p. Autherey 14 miles |
| 1150 |
UP SPIRITS |
| 1210 |
Norbury Junction |
| 1425 |
Slipped |
| 1505 |
s.p. Autherley 21 miles. Keen wind. Sunshine |
| 1512 |
Reached Bridge 50 |
| 1621 |
s.p. Autherley 25 miles |
| 1628 |
Tyrley Locks |
| 1700 |
Through Tyrley Locks |
| 1706 |
s.p. Autherley 26 miles |
| 1757 |
s.p. Autherley 29 miles |
| 1815 |
Adderley Locks |
| 1824 |
s.p. Autherley 30 miles |
| 1838 |
Through Adderley Locks |
| 1900 |
Audlem Locks entered |
| 2000 |
Tied up Audlem Bridge |
Audlem, Monday 30th March.
Dry, Cloudy, occasional Sun, a little warmer. Did not stop for lunch. Steak.
(Ed Note. The reference to Wakey Wakey refers I think to one of Ted Chapman's many ditties from his Navy days. This went something like "Wakey Wakey rise and shine, hands off cocks and on
socks......" I will get Pugwash Parmenter to give me the full version and I will post it on Home Page and here.
| Time |
Narrative |
| 0700 |
Wakey, Wakey |
| 0930 |
Slipped |
| 0945 |
Through Audlem locks |
| 1016 |
s.p. Autherley 35 miles |
| 1105 |
s.p. Autherley 36 miles |
| Weather |
Update. Broken cloud, sunny, wind fresh |
| ? |
Beeston Staircase Lock and Dartline (ed now Anglo Welsh) |
| 1500 |
Beeston Stone Lock, Caroline Docherty sold Dave pickled onions |
| 1513 |
s.p. 47 miles Autherley, Beeston Iron Lock |
| 1600 |
Wharton's Lock |
| 1612 |
Bridge 109 |
| 1700 |
Egg Bridge, Waverton |
| 1832 |
Christleton (for water) |
| 1900 |
Christleton Lock, Tied up |
Christleton Lock, Tuesday 31st March.
Weather early overcast drizzle, later rain, drizzle, fine then cloudy. Did not stop for lunch.
Cruised 7 hours 15 mins. Steak.
| Time |
Narrative |
| 0930 |
Christleton Lock |
| 1015 |
Stopped for breakfast |
| 1055 |
Slipped |
| 1045 |
Passing city walls of Chester |
| 1150 |
Northgate Staircase Locks (entered |
| 1230 |
Left Norgate Locks |
| 1455 |
Arrived Boat Museum (Ellesmere Port) |
| 1655 |
Left Boat Museum |
| 1925 |
Tied up in Chester Williams Moorings |
Williams Moorings Chester, 1st April.
Weather raining then dirzzle, later stopped. Temperature falling, wind fresh. Did not stop for lunch.
Total 16 miles. Cruised 8 hours 35 mins -anoted ?a stop somewhere not recorded ?. Curry.
| Time |
Narrative |
| 0848 |
Williams Moorings Chester. Engine was started with difficulty. |
| 1513 |
Beeston Lock. ("Under the influence" was the excuse of two members of the crew for filling an empty lock and then having to empty it again before the boat could enter. Guess who?) |
| 1725 |
Tied up at Barbridge Junction |
Barbridge Junction, 2nd April.
Weather low thick cloud, Fresh, Canal Mirror calm. Later getting colder wind freshening thin cloud, sunshine. Contiuing cold with fresh wind. Almost entire crew has a cold. Cruised 6 hours 40 mins. Shepherds Pie
| Time |
Narrative |
| 0815 |
Slipped Barbridge Junction |
| 0915 |
Stopped at Nantwich for water |
| 1120 |
Hack green Lock given a good hacking by steersman Mike Newport |
| 1230 |
Arrived Audlem - Shopping, Post Office, Pub |
| 1515 |
Left Audlem (in a hurry pursued by two bearded gentlemen) |
| 1640 |
Through Audlem Locks |
| 1710 |
Adderley Locks |
| 1750 |
Left Adderley Locks |
| 1840 |
Market Drayton |
Market Drayton, 3rd April.
Cold. Heavily overcast. Cold breeze. No stop for Lunch, no Lunch but anoted a Breakfast of Grape Fruit, Toast, Steak, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs, Mushrooms. Cruised 6 hours 40 mins. Stew
| Time |
Narrative |
| 0820 |
Slipped. Engine proving increasingly difficult to start in the morning. |
| 0850 |
Tyrley Locks |
| 0920 |
Through Tyrley Locks, stopped for water. |
| 1035 |
Slipped |
| 1300 |
Stopped at Norbury junction for bread and papers |
| 1330 |
slipped |
| 1430 |
Held up at bridge 31 by unmanned BWB boat moored in bridge hole. |
| 1440 |
Under weigh (sic) again |
| 1555 |
Wheaton Aston Lock |
| 1635 |
Stretton Aqueduct |
| 1818 |
Autherley Lock |
| 1844 |
Addersley Junction |
| 1900 |
Tied up in Staffs and Worcester Canal just beyond the Anglo Welsh Boat Yard |
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