Pat Testing

Well, we've had Pat's Progress, during the renovation and upgrade stage.
Then, Pat's Progressed, following launch and during the commissioning stage.
Now, Pat Testing.  Which takes us through the sea trials and safe operating procedure development.

Yesterday, the CCt's fleet of craft were under the keen eye of the boat safety examiner who was on site around Ebley/Ryeford for most of the day.

Various issues were spotted, but suffice to say that Patricia scored as one of the best.  We are required to add some more insulation to the exhaust pipe circuit.  A pity, since the flexible coupling makes quite a good hand warmer!!   However, this we will do.

Before testing today, we had noticed a small spark, on Monday, from around the fuse panel that is bolted to the engine.  We've mentioned alternator problems in the past, so further investigations revealed a slightly slack stud supporting a large fuse.

This was then dismantled and cleaned, together with checks on all the other components.  Following the rebuild, the engine was started and behold, the battery voltage meter hit the green for the first time and the intermittent warning lights went out.  This is a very pleasing result as it has been niggling us for a while now.

Back to Pat Testing.  It is important that we fully understand the use of the spud legs.  As the JCB boom is swung from side to side and the load shifts with it, the feet tend to settle further into the canal bed/silt.  Nothing too dramatic happens, it is a gradual process.  Our plan is to evaluate this characteristic with the feet both in the straight position and at right angles, protruding outside the boat.

Time today was short and did not permit a full evaluation, so will probably continue next time.  It is interesting the odd things that you stumble across which can contribute to safe operation.  Although we've known before that the spud legs can be lowered when the hydraulic drive is not selected (used when loaded onto lorry at Western Depot) It is a handy way to establish where the canal bed is without forcing them down.  Just letting the legs naturally rest at the bottom is a very gentle way of preparing them for taking load and at the same time ensuring that you have actually made it to the bed.  So this will make its way into the manual.

The sun shone today.  The rest of the dredger team were busy just a bit further east.

Pat's Progressed

Just to remind you... It was the 14th December, last year, that Patricia landed in the car park at Western Depot in a rather neglected and tired condition.  So, today, was a significant milestone in the restoration process.  If you have been following this Blog, you'll be only too aware of all the eventful trials and tribulations we have enjoyed/endured along the way.

Moving swiftly onto today.  It all started in a spookily familiar way with the installation of some coat hooks and a shelf under the sink/hob unit, together with some electrical tests on the alternator, but then shortly afterwards, the team were sat in the facilities cabin, firstly checking the tea brewing capability along with some fine home made cake (thanks Leonie) and then reviewing the test plan, operating procedure and risk assessments - all this with the firm ambition to set sail now that the safety case for stability has been satisfied and closed.  Ah! The joys of running hot water and a warm towel on the rad' to clean sticky fingers cannot be underestimated.

So we cast off. and headed due west towards the Dredging Team at Ryeford.  

With the engine room running on impulse power, we slowly acclimatised with the unfamiliar practice of steering from the front with the rudder at the back.    Turning the boat about at Ebley proved quite tricky, especially trying to locate a spot that was sufficiently wide enough to spin her around.  With a push and shove at the third attempt, she eventually yielded.

Steadily we closed in on the Dredger boys, all who seemed to be standing on various decks taking photo's for some reason!

After a late lunch, we drifted pass by their work site and downed anchor (well, put the legs down) along side Weft.  There then commenced a period of dredging whilst at the same time learning about the dynamics of how the boom functioned together with changes in the leg stability as the bottom of the canal, or the silt, supported the loads.  Checks around the engine room at close of play produced nothing of concern.  The hydraulic oil circuits were cool and the engine had not developed any rattles.  Early days, but we were all extremely pleased with the days events and outcome.  

Patricia will remain on site ready for further tests and evaluation prior to formally entering service.

It has to be said that the sight of two dredgers in action certainly impressed us and our Chairman of Trust who was visibly excited by it all!  Well done and thanks to all the team that has helped us achieve this major milestone. 

The Great & The Good gather in Lechlade

….Describing our members & volunteers, of course.  Today was the CCT's 43rd a.g.m, which this year headed to the eastern end of our canals.  A great opportunity to mingle and meet members of Trust Council.

The usual format was followed, presentations by David Marshall on the 'Stroudwater Navigation Connected' partnership activities, then technical construction aspects of Phase 1B by Ken Burgin.  An interesting and informative event.

Oh! And thanks must also go to the member from down Bristol way that noted his appreciation of this Blog!  

Workboat Flea, coming along nicely.

 by: Ian Moody 

(Sporting new enclosure for the outboard  ed.)

Fancy a Curry?

by: Ron K.

Posted on the Western Depot Notice Board - A charity event.

What a week!

by: Myron

Part 1. Prologue

The main task for the week was to get Samson up to Bowbridge.

A few chaps often take a tug out on a Sunday, good training and keeps the channel open.  This week I said it would be great to take Samson to Dudbridge Bridge, so we could get a good start on getting it through the locks on Monday. Just as and Austin Paul and as arrived they picked up a large object on Margaret’s prop, which turned out to be very big fishermen’s keep net.  They had to bow haul Margaret all the way back to base.  When I heard I decided to forget about it for the time being, Margaret had its job. The problem I had is that there were only three of for Monday, not enough.  A plaintive cry by email produced another three.  Six, enough just.

Part 2. An Amazing Crew

So, not major injury, serious illness, nor even a bereavement in the family deterred this crew from turning up on Monday morning.  I was humbled. I explained how we were to fill and empty Lower Dudbridge lock, and with a final shove from Goliath, we set about getting Samson into the lock.  That bit of dredging the Dredgers managed to do under the bridge seems to have brought results.  It was a very tight squeeze but after jiggling it in a very special way that was revealed to me by one of the Piling Gang, Samson slid into the lock without great effort.  Phew!  In fact without drama but with some effort, we got through both locks before we got stuck on the gas main. We gave it a go in the vain hope that some seismic shift had magically removed the obstruction.  No such luck.  There we wrapped up for the day, please that we had got further than we thought we would.  Great work Team, I was very proud.

Part 3. The Throng

Was it a rock concert, football match maybe.  No, it was the hoard of people that turned up to bow haul Samson on Tuesday morning.  I counted a total of 14 people.  Problem one was when we could not get the crane started.  Well I can tell you we didn’t need it.  With a lock or so of water from Wallbridge, Samson positively glided over the gas main.  It has never done that before, again a bit of dredging that was managed here seems to have made that job just a little easier.

Chestnut Lane Bridge did what it was supposed to do for the first time in my life, another hurdle.  Then the huff and puff at Lodgemore Bridge. It seemed no time before we were into new territory for Samson, the SEWER MAIN.  This was much more challenging than the piffling gas main, as the angles are all wrong to get a straight pull.  Half way over it got stuck.  Start the crane the cry went up. No! it will go over says Alan, and with one last mighty heave it did.  Well I’ll be...

The rest of the journey was not without excitement.  The crew had their eye in now.  The turns around Capel’s Mill were taken like a formula 1 car, well maybe not quite, but certainly with style.  And then we were there.  Eldorado, the source of the Nile, maybe, well Bowbridge anyway.  A glance at my watch showed it be just 12 o'clock. Is that some sort of bow hauling record.  As the Boat Team members left the Piling Gang, they were already getting stuck in digging the foundations out for the landing stage.  They will probably have it finished this week.  So long as they don’t ask me to drag it back down again for a good long while.

Part 4. Me time

We had 10 crew turn up on Wednesday and the first job was to get that obstruction off of Margaret’s prop', which meant a trip to Ryeford locks. Goliath towing Margaret is actually a very pleasant combination, with both boats seeming to steady each other, making for a very smooth transit.  I think they like each other. Weedie was out as well, for the first time in earnest since its repairs. 3 complete crews again, this is so becoming a habit.

Not so fast. The way forward is now strewn with dredgers, hoppers, Wookie Hole and chopped off limbs of trees.  Well it must have been a good half an hour or so, before the dancing stopped and we could progress.  But what a great problem to have.  Once again, 8 boats in the same piece of water, all with a job to do.

To cut a long story short, we took our time taking the 8 foot long keep net off the prop, cleared Goliath’s while we were there.  We made this a training exercise, putting people other than myself in charge of operations.  Both boats settled perfectly in position first time.  Whilst this was happening Weedie was patrolling up and down, removing the floating weed created by the dredging process, which was becoming a hazard to navigation.

Weedie and Goliath then went home, while Margaret made a real meal of moving as hopper 100 metres up the cut.  Our operations are made difficult by the shallow water that we currently have to operate in.  How so, when they have just dredged that bit, I hear you say, but I won’t go into the technical details as to why this is necessary. But we will get much more slick at this game by the time this job is finished.

Pat's Progressed

Whilst we await the green light for Patricia (we're currently on double yellow [a railway term]) our time was spent addressing areas needing attention.

Firstly, the rudder control had not been fully debugged.  We spent a while bleeding the system which involved cracking open the valves at the rudder end whilst pumping fluid through the system at the same time as keeping it topped up.  There was trapped air plus some old oil which required removal.

For the rudder system to work correctly, it is about 3.5 turns of the wheel from end to end.

Secondly, all the grease nipple points were visited.  These are to be found on the spud legs, the clam shell bucket and the JCB jib.  Loads of 'em.   It took quite some time to ensure all had been visited.

During this time we had the engine running, which provided us with hot radiators and water to wash with at the end of the visit.  We also checked the 'fan' [alternator] belt as we suspect that the battery charging is not all it should be from the engine.  The alternator will probably be removed for an external check away from the boat.