Stone to Tixall Wide

Last Wednesday we were expecting James' cousin Laura to arrive at Stone station, having left her car at Tamworth, and join us for a couple of days. We had the message from her she was on the train and expecting to arrive about half an hour later, we were just about to leave to meet her at the station when another message from her arrived to say there were signalling problems in Stafford so the train wouldn't be stopping at Stone, we later realised the train went through Stone but due to the signalling problems it was on the wrong track to be able to stop at the station. Instead she ended up at Stoke then got a taxi to Stone, where we headed to the Royal Exchange for a pint, pie and crisps before going on our way to Tixall Wide.

We went down the four locks from Stone and then through Aston Lock I then got the fire lit and casserole cooking as it would be fairly late by the time we arrived at Tixall.

Hard at work

And still hard at work!

We had a further lock at Sandon to do, it was great with two of us working the locks we were zooming through them.

We turned right onto the Staffs and Worcs Canal at Great Haywood Junction, it must have been just before 8pm when we arrived at Tixall Wide and were very lucky as there was just one space available and it was LJ size.

Tixall Wide (the following morning, the boat in front had left)

10.75 miles and 6 locks

Total  388.75 miles and 339 locks