1st Navigation: Uxbridge to Bull’s Bridge
Shiny, Happy Solars in Uxbridge
Blog PostThe truth is that there isn’t much to say about Bull’s Bridge. It’s a bit of a no man’s land, on the edge of Southall, and other than that it is the gateway to London via the Paddington Arm, which I hope to get to at the very end of this journey, and there is home to an excellent Tesco’s superstore, is of no interest to anybody.
The journey from Bull’s Bridge to Uxbridge is a relatively picturesque one, especially at this time of the year, and does have one, for me, two interesting points of interest. Just past Bull’s Bridge, in Hayes, is the now defunct Nestle chocolate factory. Apparently, the last cargo to be taken there via barge, along the Grand Union, was a consignment of lime juice, which went from the aptly named Limehouse Basin to this factory in 1990. I know it sounds a bit unlikely, especially the recent date, but I heard this from a source who I consider to be impeccably reliable, as I do most drunken boaters I encounter in the various canal side pubs, so it must be true.
It also touches on my second point: Bull’s bridge and the site of the Nestle factory are both located in what is known as The Long Pound – a pound being a stretch of canal between locks. The Long Pound, the longest on the entire canal network, is, I believe, about twenty-three miles. It stretches all the way from Cowley Lock, just below Uxbridge, down the main Grand Union to Norwood Top Lock, which is near Osterly Park in Ealing. Via the Paddington Arm it then stretches all they way into Camden. But it is the Western section of this long pound, around Hayes, down towards Osterly and, via the Paddington Arm, about as far as Greenford, that is of interest here. For in this area, back when I started boating in 2011, there use to be an inordinate amount of floating coconuts. Flocks of them, which would merrily bob along, sometimes gently tapping along the side of the hull and, occasionally, getting caught in the propeller – making a helluva racket and, just for a moment, giving me both the heebies and the jeebies. Word had it that these wild coconuts were escapees from the Nestle chocolate factory where they had been taken, sadly by truck and not canal, to be butchered and turned into Bounty bars. I don’t know if there’s any truth to the rumour as I have yet to encounter a boater, drunken or otherwise, in any canal side pub to confirm or refute. But I do rather like the idea and, whenever I navigate this stretch, I still find myself happily singing, “Oh, give me a home, where there co-co-nuts roam; and the swans and the geese, they do play.”
Speaking of canal side pubs, there are two in the Uxbridge area which I patronised on this journey. The first is The General Eliot, relatively near the centre of Uxbridge, which is a fine place run by decent, boater-loving folk. They pour an excellent pint of ale, always served with a smile and, if there’s time and the customer has the inclination, a chat. It’s a place I highly recommend. The other is called The Malt Shovel, adjacent to Cowley Lock and an establishment I remember as a friendly dive. During lockdown, however, it’s had a refurbishment, gone posh and, with it, developed delusions of adequacy. The beer is overpriced and the bar staff, who in this age of facemarks and sanitisers act more like wardens, are surly. Don’t go there if you don’t have to.
On the refurbishment front: I’m thrilled to report that I am now the proud owner of two deciduously large solar panels which, apparently, are capable of generating up to four hundred and twelve Watts each. I’m sure that means absolutely nothing to all you gridders reading this but, trust me, to us off gridders it’s a pretty big deal. I may include a photograph of them, just to show off, as they do look rather magnificent – mainly due to the sterling work of PJ of The Floating Workshop.
I came close on having the water heater put in but, sadly, came a cropper due to a supply shortage of essential parts which, depending on their political stances, various suppliers blamed on either Brexit or the Chinese.
Some progress was made on the solid fuel stove, thanks to Chris the Gas Man (who will be seeing to my water heater, once either the dust settles on Brexit or the Chinese become more cooperative) and his recommendation of a company who shall carry out the work in Rickmansworth: my next stop.