Sorry Spirit Saved by Lupin's Lively Liberation.

 

Narrowboats are tough old birds. They will last forever seemingly. Every so often though, small problems rear their ugly heads. Wednesday 23 August saw me steering Spirit with a group on board from 'The Fairways,' some fairly elderly [but nevertheless ambulatory {with help}] members enjoying the peace and quiet of the waterway as the silver highway meanders its way through the environs of West London. 

 

Going south, the favourite stop of many parties is "The Horse and Barge" at Widewater Lock. However, as not many pensioners are eager to use the playground facilities, the decision was made to continue on down to the winding hole just south of the A40 at Denham and slowly return northwards to finish for the day back at Coppermill. This was achieved with the minimum of fuss. The 'oldies' on board having a wonderful day, spotting the wildlife and enjoying the ambience of the surroundings. 

 

Spirit recently had a new engine fitted, the old one beginning to sound like a bag of spanners on startup, the engine had certainly given good and faithful service over the years with countless trips and many hours running, so there was no reason to moan about the installation of "a new lump."  

 

Unfortunately, there had been some teething problems with the new engine installation but these had been ironed out successfully and I was just thinking to myself that all appeared to be working well [always fatal] when, a couple of hundred yards south of Black Jack's Lock, a strange series of noises emanated from beneath my feet, the rev counter fell to zero and the audible alarm began to ululate vociferously! Leaping athletically [well, a man can dream, can't he?] to the control panel I switched off the ignition and silenced the alarm. Calling out to the folks inside to prepare themselves for a bump I was pleasantly surprised to only experience a 'smooth caress' with the towpath bank, owing to an abundance of overhanging greenery on the piled bank. So, everyone on board was O.K. but we were now stranded. Thank God for the mobile phone -- I called Tim who managed to contact Dave and Deidre on "Lupin."  They had passed us some thirty minutes earlier on their way to "The National" at Beale Park. Turning round at Widewater, Lupin came back to rescue us from Black Jack's pound by breasting up with Spirit and delivering her safely back to Coppermill before turning yet again for the Thames and ultimately, Beale Park near Pangbourne. 

 

Whilst Lupin was still making her way back to us, Jane Palmer, the lady in charge of the passengers aboard Spirit, contacted her minibus driver and arranged for him to pick up his charges at Black Jack's Lock so as to get them back home virtually on time. Bearing in mind there was one lady on board of 100 [my oldest passenger, see "Barry and Deidre get busy in Denham" elsewhere for my youngest!] due thought had to be given as to exactly how people were to be transferred from boat to minibus. In the final analysis, with plenty of willing hands to assist aged limbs, including Jane Hendley from Black Jack's Cottage, this manoeuvre was carried out successfully--the pensioners declaring as they went that the breakdown and rescue had been "quite exciting!" 

 

On examining Spirit's engine later, we discovered a broken fan belt. The next morning the ever-dependable Harold Redshaw fitted a replacement and [fingers crossed, touch wood] Spirit has behaved perfectly since!