Times square
Central park
The Rockefeller centre, ll lit up waiting for the result of the USA presidential election.
And more than 50 holiday-makers face having to cancel their boat trips this weekend while the mess is cleaned up.
Fertiliser was dumped into the Trent and Mersey Canal at Stenson on Monday when a tractor and trailer tried to cross a brick bridge running over the waterway.
Part of the bridge, which is on a private road between two farmers' fields, collapsed as the vehicles passed over it.
This caused the trailer to swing down and disconnect from the tractor before crashing into the canal below at about 1.30pm.
The tractor driver, thought to be a contractor, jumped from his cab and was unhurt.
The canal was blocked and British Waterways lifted the trailer from the water yesterday with a crane.
A round-the-clock clean-up operation is under way to clear the fertiliser from the canal.
British Waterways said it did not how long this would take but it was hoped the waterway could reopen by the end of the week.
The organisation also fears the bridge, which is a listed structure, may have to be knocked down if re-building it will not make it safe.
When a structure is listed, it means it is protected and any alterations respect its character. Demolition is allowed only after very careful consideration.
Caroline Killeavy, general manager for British Waterways, said: "The bridge is a listed structure, so if repair work cannot reconstruct the bridge to a safe, usable standard it may have to be knocked down entirely."
Mrs Killeavy said the fertiliser posed little threat to wildlife.
She said: "We caught the spill early and have been monitoring the water and can say there's very little chance of any risk to wildlife."
British Waterways said it would conduct a full investigation into how the accident happened.
But it did say the cause of the collapse was "due to the vehicle colliding with the parapets on the side of the bridge and the excessive load of the vehicle."
The combined weight of the tractor and trailer was 18 tonnes.
Police are not investigating further.
Marion Baldwin, company secretary for Midland Canal Centre, which runs Stenson Marina, said holiday-makers would be affected..
She said: "We get between 30 and 40 boats coming through the canal most days, so already there is quite a pile-up either side of the bridge.
"Not only that, but it doesn't look like the canal will be opened for at least a few days.
"We have over 50 people booked to use boats on the canal at the weekend and many of those will have to cancel because they just won't be able to get through.
"There's also a child's birthday party booked on one of the boats and that won't be able to go ahead, which is a real shame."
Last post today ;-)
We spotted Sanity mooring up at the junction, well Sheila seems to be working hard - no sign of Bruce. So I can now add them to bloggers boats seen on the cut.
Nev
I like to see the inners of other peoples boats so get posting .
Anyhow last time I was on Waterlily overnight I wired in the thermostat. I set it as best I could but to a hottish pipe. Today I lit the fire after the boat safety check and left it to see if the thermostat switched on the pump at a reasonable temp - it worked perfectly. It has switched on and off about half a dozen times today with a smallish fire going so it it working as I expected. It means we can leave the system to look after itself overnight.
Another little job done.
Nev
In May I posted our introduction of Leia to the world see here I thought you may like to see her now she is a little more grown up.
Well that is another tick in the box of boat ownership.Waterlily has passed her boat safety exam with flying colours today.
This is looking down the Coventry from the junction
This one is up by the turn to Woodend lock, you can see the mist rising with the sun shining through it.
Yesterday was a success in that we got the grass strimmed - a bigger task than it sounds, plus I cleared out the engine bay of all the previous owners stuff - he really was a hoarder. I have put what needs to be kept in the 'shed' and only kept the essential in the engine bay. I am sure it would have failed the boat safety with so many combustible items next to the engine.
While I was doing the strimming Rachel was giving the boat a good vac out with the Dyson and them she rubbed down the areas near the windows that needed a paint and masked and painted them up. This is really just a holding position to get Waterlily through the winter as she really needs a full repaint sooner rather than later. Anyone with recommendations I'd be happy to hear from you.
So off back home shortly to do some pottering there, well as much as I can with the aches the shingles s giving me at the moment.....
Nev
Well as it happens we got a text from Rachels sister Sharon asking if we wanted to go for a walk (she dod not know we were on the boat) so we invited Sharon and the family for lunch and a walk from Fradley.
For the record we were on the boat last week 14th September but just for the day - or rather afternoon to check her after the holiday - I'm pleased to report she was fine.
The Coventry is not a canal we have done much cruising on. It will be a route we use for some of our winter cruising so I need to the books out and plan some routes.
Tom and Lucy braving the crap weather I think this was Aston lock (half way on the Trent and Mersey) For the record there is a new Marina to be built here - surely they have reached saturation point ?
The rain did stop on the last Tuesday, just in time for a little fishing in the late evening.
We had a slow start - which I appreciated after the last couple of days of having to be to a timetable - this is how cruising should be - go when you want, stop when you fancy it, travel or don't - enjoy getting there.
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