The Bona Boaters - The 1st JH trip

1994 - The First John Hughes Trip.

Crew : John L, Nursie, Stan, Colin, Geoff, Iain, Dick Perry and John Hughes.

Boat : Stratford (although it is more usually referred to as the St. Ratford...)

From : Anglowelsh , Wootton Wawen.

Route : Wootton Wawen > Stratford on Avon > Kingswood > Lapworth Link > Grand Union Canal to Bordesly Junction > Down Garrison Locks to Salford junction > Tame Valley canal to Rushall Junction > Rushall Canal to Longwood Junction > Daw End Branch > Anglesey Branch > Anglesey Basin & Chasewater > Catshill Junction > Curly Wurly to Wolverhampton > Netherton > Engine Arm > Worcester & Birmingham canal to King's Norton > Stratford Canal to Kingswood Junction > Wootton Wawen.

Notes : The "John Hughes" mentioned in the title is an acquaintence of many of the Bona Boaters.

As the author, I was not present on this trip. I have relied on Nursie & John L to furnish the information. The route is as accurate as they can remember, even though I have had to guess where and when some of the stops may have been made. Consequently, they may be wrong. I also do not know where any of the photos were taken, except the one with the car in the canal which is the approach to Netherton Tunnel. If anyone else present on the trip has any other information, I'd be grateful.

Anyone know where this is ?

... or this ?

Saturday

Lunch : Wootton Wawen. Picked up the boat and set off for Stratford upon Avon.

Evening : Stratford upon Avon. Went into a pub called The Recession where the austrailan barmaid appeared not to know what a beermat was.

The Rag Doll moored near Stratford on Avon.

Sunday

Lunch : Wootton Wawen. Back to the boatyard where we picked up Iain. We hadn't left him behind, he just couldn't arrive until Sunday.

Evening : Catherine de Barnes. We went to The Boat. There was no food on as the landlady had just had a baby the day before. We entered the pub quiz and won it - much to the annoyance the local teachers' team. Colin and John L walked to a chippie a couple of miles away, and we had fish & chips heated up on the boat when they got back.

Monday.

Lunch : Bordesley. We descended Garrison Locks, where left the boat in a lock and went to The New Inn. On returning to the boat, we made bubble & squeak from last night's chips, much to Iain's horror.

Evening : Somewhere around Perry Barr / Rushall Junction ?

Tuesday.

Lunch : Anglesey Basin / Chasewater ?

Evening : unknown.

Colin and Chris taking the air at Chasewater Reservoir.

Boating on The Anglesey Branch.

Wednesday.

Lunch : Somewhere near Birchills Junction / Walsall ?

Evening : Wolverhampton. Went for a curry where we found some previous customers had left some wine. As the staff didn't drink, we had to drink it. We then went to The Great Western.

Thursday.

Lunch : Gosty Hill. We left Wolverhampton and set off for Netherton Tunnel. There was a car in the canal on the approach to the tunnel. We passed through the tunnel, turned left at Windmill end Junction and went to The Boat Inn at Gosty Hill. There was horse racing on CEEFAX on the TV. We had some excellent crusty rolls for lunch and John Hughes both broke and then mended the toilet cistern all in one go.

There was a car in the canal on the approach to

Netherton Tunnel

Evening : Smethwick. We returned through Netherton Tunnel and went to The Engine Arm. It was in a very poor state and we ended up with a tyre on the prop. As the light was failing, we were 'buzzed' by a police helicopter. In an attempt to capture it, we chalked a big 'H' on the boat roof and scattered some breadcrumbs for it, but it remained resolutely airborne. Due to having caught a tyre on the prop, Dick struggled to haul the boat back to point where Stan could get the tyre off. We then moored on the Main Line and walked what felt like miles to The Ivy Bush.

Friday.

Lunch : Birmingham ?

Evening : Lapworth. We went to The Navigation, where there was some 'rivalry' over who would get the last helpings of jam roly-poly.

Saturday.

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