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| 1992 Oxford & Grand Union |
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| Oxford Canal, Aynho Lock, Steve, JOC, Colin and Jake (where the f**k are we!).3rd May 1992 |
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| Grand Union Canal (Stockton Locks) Iain, Colin,Jake,Dude and Ron |
| The first 3 Navigator trips of the modern era (1989-1991) started (and ended) at Autherley Junction. Wishing to break new ground we hired our boat from Lower Heyford on the Oxford Canal. By remarkable timing our two cars arrived at the chosen supermarket at exactly the same time. Heading north the pubs we found on the first couple of days were of less than the highest quality, the nadir coming when JOC - having consulted an outdated source - led us across the fields to what might once have been a decent pub but which was no little more than an upmarket restaurant with bar. However, that evening we hit the jackpot - the Crown at Napton, a homely Banks pub complete with Northants skittles and friendly, eccentric guvnor. We quickly rearranged plans to accommodate a return visit.
The other highlight came on the last day when we stopped for lunch at the Barley Mow in Upper Heyford. This is a Fullers pub (a long way from Chiswick) and many of its customers came from the nearby now defunct US air base. The pub stayed open all day - and so did we! We did go back to the boat for food (still a Friday cooking rota in those days) but were soon back on the London Pride. I have a vague memory of the guvnor (sporting a highly dubious perm) buying us all a pint at around midnight when of course we really needed more drink. Luckily Colin and John weren't breathalysed driving home the next day. This was the last trip with only 8 of us. Clearly we needed a few more recruits..... |
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| We don't know either! However Tom's notes says the picture was taken on the Oxford Canal between bridge 159 and Little Bourton Lock, and he adds the comment Dude and Ron (this is a truly frightening sight!). |
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| Oxford canall. (Banbury Locks), Steve (Tom's notes - every time I took my camera out, he threw himself on the tiller!). |
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| Somerton Deep Lock Oxford canal |
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| Grand Union Canal (Stockton Locks) Dude |
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| Iaiin (I don't care where we are). |
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| Grand Union Canal (Stockton Locks) JOC |
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| Oxford Canal looking down to bridge 172 and our boat the King Alfred - the crew are on the way back from a walk to a pub. |
| Nighttime no 10-30 in the morning. The famous photo taken by Les just outside Worcester, of Dude, John and Steve (who seems to be driving!!1). These four heroes crewed the boat whilst the other Navigators slunk inside the boat sheltering from the elements including lightning. As the photo was taken mid-morning the readers can judge for themselves how bad things were. |
| 1993 Stoke Works to Worcester Ring |
| Doc & Les start their Navigating careers |
| You've seen those student stunts like getting as many people as possible into a phone box? Well, for this year's extravaganza the idea was to cram as many as possible into one narrow boat. As well as the usual eight, we were joined by first timers Les and Doc while Cat (with the floating hat) made a welcome return. A temporary absentee was Steve who had gone to watch Bruce Springsteen or some such feeble excuse.
Our starting point was Tardebigge on the Worcs & Brum and the original idea was to do the Avon ring. We met on the Saturday lunchtime in the Red Lion at Bromsgrove where Les told his bloody swan joke for the first time. There followed a lengthy afternoon/evening drive, finally mooring just before dusk outside an M & B pub in a suburb of Brum. Thankfully there were two bars which meant we could avoid the karaoke session. Sunday morning we were on the Stratford Canal. There was an excellent stretch of towpath with some nice water points, all thanks to EC funding according to a notice. The money must have run out 'cos the towpath certainly did! By late morning we were descending the Lapworth flight of locks where there was a noticeable tail back. It transpired that a lock further down had been damaged and progress was impossible. It being nearly midday what else could we do than tie up and go to the pub? And what a pub! This was our first visit to the award-winning Navigation Inn, that legend, that jewel among canalside pubs, with its fine range of quality ales and superb ladies toilets. Admittedly the tone was lowered when Steve arrived but we all agreed it was worth a return visit. In fact there was little choice given the state of the locks and it transpired that there was no prospect of further progress for at least 24 hours. So it was Plan B: turn the boat round and go back the way we came, back past the boatyard, down the Tardebigge flight and down to Worcester. From here we went south on the River Severn, taking care not to fall in, to Upton on Severn. We were back in Worcester for Thursday lunchtime where we visited the Toad & Tulip. This excellent pub was owned by the Jolly Roger brewery and run by Jonathan Crisp, who also ran an SPBW branch in the city (sadly both brewery and branch are long defunct, hope Jonathan isn't). There were some excellent beers to sup and a skittle alley on which to display our skills. Here we had an audience in the shape of a young (?) lady (???) named Lorraine who seemed to be very friendly. When we left, Cat - by now into the strong ale - said he'd stay for a bit and catch us up. We moved on to the Bridge at Tibberton for the night but still no sign of the errant hippy. He finally showed up as were we getting up the next morning. As he tucked into his left over pie and mash he confessed that he had gone back to Lorraine's place and partied (drank, smoked dope and shagged is what he meant I think). She did have a boyfriend but he was away - inside in fact, though his name wasn't really 'Mad' Frank Fraser. The last afternoon saw us ascend the Tardebigge flight where we introduced the concept of a steering rota. Cat's brief performance with the tiller suggested he was suffering serious after effects of his close encounter of the previous day and also ensured he was relieved of driving duties forever. Now how did we fit 11 of us into one boat? |
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| A broken lock gate near Lapworth meant a day’s delay so we were unable to complete a round trip in our holiday week. The good news was it forced us to have 2sessions in that wonderful pub the Navigation |
| On the way to the Navigation at Lapworth, Tom ducks under the bridge as Jake, Ron and Cat rush for sneakies in the award winning Navigation |
| 1993 Academy Awards
Skittler - Les for his constant experimental techniques. Driver - Iain so close to the Canadians in front that they invited all in the bow over for tea. Best Dressed-Dude with his greasy spoon vest and Tamara Press tracksuit. Statement -Cat on being asked "How you are getting on?" the boat) replied Alright" Foul emission - Jake with his early morning specials. "Hello Boys"- Doc for thinking up the statement. Rip Van Winkle - Doc with his habit of constantly nodding off. Wind up - John getting eleven people to go on another canal holiday. Adventurer -Cat for his Thursday/Friday nocturnal adventure. Coward - Colin for being shy about his Arsenal T shirt Playing to the Crowd Award. Les and Dude joint winners. Les for his unbalanced state and Dude for bribing the Jury at the Academy Awards Chief - Dude for a chicken dish. The quick chief - Steve for his 'Tin Opener Special' Beer of the week - Flagship Best Pub of the week - Toad and Tulip Oldies vs Youngies Skittle Match won by Youngies @ Toad and Tulip 2-1 Man of the Canal - Dude Boy of the Canal - Cat Turd of the Canal - Doc |
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| Iain driving, John operating the lock and Ron, Jake and Colin watching |
| 4 times magnification with Colin on his bunk, John in his, Dude’s arm and Ron’s leg |
| John and Dude reading Eric van Lustbades ‘Shan’ |
| John posing with a glass of milk? Tough times indeed |
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| Extract from Navigator Vol 15 “10 Years on – The Navigator Trips”
A year later our venture began at Tardebigge, with a drastic increase in numbers: Doc was recruited from the JHC quiz team, Les from BT's Old Boys, and Cat was allowed back afloat having enlivened on or two boating ventures in earlier years. Of course he had to disgrace himself by pulling some old slapper with a dodgy boyfriend in Worcester. Of the new 'boys', Doc revealed a rare ability to fall asleep in pubs, and Les a worrying preference for ladies toliets. This trip also saw the birth of the legend of the Navigation Inn at Lapworth -who can forget how we had to enjoy both Sunday sessions there following the mysterious damage to a nearby lock. |
| Extract from Navigator Vol 3 “Canal Babylon”
Del met a nice girl in a canalside pub one lunch time and spent the rest of the day and the night with her, drinking, smoking dope and screwing. But the next morning his morals deserted him and he returned to his boat to eat the left over pie and mash -yes, including gravy , mushy peas and sweet corn -from the day before. |
| Steve joins the crew for a celebratory drink in the award winning Navigation, spiritual home of Navigators after watching Bruce Springsteen the previous day. |
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| Les and John wrapped up warm, Les handing over his driving duties for a break |
| Les’s first year saw him among other things do a great deal of driving. Here is seen taking his duties seriously and never having time to change. Doc never seemed awake long enough to do any tiller duties |
| Les, John, Steve and Tom pose for a picy with Ron in the background, left |
| Jake, Cat and John on the towpath with Colin and Doc, holding an OS map on the boat checking up on our Navigator |
| Steve again posing holding the tiller when the boat is moored, trying to live down his reputation of not driving much. John and Colin are on the back, Jake on the Towpath and Doc poking his head up from the front |
| More rain, Les driving, Steve watching him, Tom and JOC on the lock gates and in the distance, Jake and Colin walking onto the next lock |
| teatime – John, Tom, Iain, Les and Steve |
| 1994 Grand Union Canal |
| The year that Dude went in, Cat went to Australia & Les stayed home |
| The Edited version of a Diary of a modern Elizabethan Dandy Vol. 83 Chapter 4. A boating Holiday.
Saturday Well I am off on holiday tomorrow so I'll wait until midnight to do my washing and then pack in the morning. This will get me into a right agitated state and I can appear hot and bothered when I first see the crew. Packed at last, I didn't think it would take so long to put all those holes in my underpants, still the crew expects these little touches from the Dude. I'm glad that car trip was over. I've persuaded the lads to put me in charge of rations and cooking. I haven't been impressed by the standard over the last few years. "Come on boys, drink up, the cool Dude will show you how to shop?" "Tom you get the baked beans, lain ten bottles of Mother's best cooking sherry. Jake get some Taco gravy, whilst I get a packet of Turkey Rashers which my old mate Bernard says are great, I just love to name drop." Disaster. The Taco gravy was a failure. Tom was nearly horse whipped by the mutinous crew. Mind you it didn't help, that he forgot to cook the vegetables and didn't even peel the potatoes and the meat was a bit tough. Never mind, tomorrow the turkey rashers will cheer up the boys. Sunday. Those lads have no taste. Though I must admit the rashers didn't either. If I am honest they were a bit tough. I am going back to my bunk to read the Diary of an Edwardian Dandy again they'll love me when I serve up my chicken stuffed with avocado pear and covered in sherry. The lads liked it. Monday. Well we've been to the pub and lain gave the dog my hat. I'll get even with them for laughing at me as I chased the dog around the bar. Back to the boat John and lain are cooking. Can't be much good as they spurned my offer of putting some sherry in it. I just take the bottle up on deck with me for a afternoon drinkie pooh. "Watch me lads I can walk down the side of the boat balancing a bottle on my head and singing. What shall we do with the drunken sailor. Where am I? Why am I cold and wet? What is this fish doing in my underpants? Help! Help! Where is my sherry, I've lost my sherry. Hi boys I'm alright, Jake stop prodding me with the barge pole? Tuesday. Another day another meal. A new look Dude hits the boards. Decked out in Colin's glasses and with extra street cred. Also a brand new name. Jacques le Dude it gives me a touch of je ne sais quois. I think. I've knocked all nine skittles in one throw, everyone wants to be near me. I'm a champ. Wednesday. I think. On the Canals somewhere in England. John has said I can claim on the insurance for my glasses and watch. I'll wait till there are a few people around and I will make a poser phone call. "Now boys just watch how a professional does it? Hello wench I' man insurance bod so don' t give me any crap. I fell in the canal somewhere and I want to make a claim. I know how the business works so post me the forms toot sweet luv, otherwise I'll report you? Got that Chow baby? Iain our grief counsellor has arranged to cure me of my fear of tunnels. The other crew members surround me to give me comfort. I don't like it. I pretend its alright but in the dark they don't see that I'm not wearing Colin's glasses and I have my eyes closed. Thursday. I must get some points on the food front. If I can't win by quality I'll try by quantity. "Tom, get out the buckets and we'll start mixing Desperate Dan Shepherds pie? More anyone, we still have a three oven trays more if anyone isn't completely full. Friday. The Academy Awards day, have I done enough to win? In the words of the Swiss. "I think not". What can I go to get into the ranking's. Something will turn up, 'cause I'm the cool Dude. A moored private boat with a lovely canal bucket on top. Thank you God. wallop, take that sucker, the Dude is back, the Dude is back. In the water you go, how silly to leave painted buckets on top of the boat. Just for luck and to ensure I win the boating prize I'll hit the concrete bank at full pelt. "It wasn't my fault boys, its the tiller." Well the voting starts soon. Tom is bribing everyone not to vote for the Taco gravy meal. No chance there, it will take a miracle to get people to forget that loathsome mess. He is working on Jake and the Doc to vote against their dish of curry, the things people do. The Skittler award is first. I'm in with a chance. Well anyone can throw a cheese into the ashtray. Ah now here's the boating award. Yes, a well played trump. The clothing award again down to me. Looks like I'm man of the canals again. Hurry up and give me the prize. I might even celebrate with a large sherry. Oh dear after the seventh award Ron is neck and neck with me, still I stand a good chance in the next three categories. Adventurer, Coward and Playing to the crowd awards. Bingo -two out of three awards, piece of cake. Two more wins in the food categories makes it 'Man of the Canals' for yet another year. John has arranged an individual quiz, I'll enter in it even though it doesn't get me any brownie points. Easy, won the first round now to thrash the lavatory boy in the semis. Piece of cake, Steve didn't know what hit him. He should stick to cleaning toilets. Now for the Doc in the " final. Why are they mouthing 'Dry Ice' to me. Stupid fools don't they know that ice is wet. Well who wants to be a quiz champion anyway. Saturday, last day. I'll surprise the lads and get up early. Then I'll sit in the kitchen and talk to John and Steve. Well would you believe it fancy getting upset for talking to them. What's wrong with a chat at 5-30. It’s share out the food time. Jake got the coffee, Tom the Taco cubes and I managed to take home the Diary of an Edwardian Dandy vol.4. I can't wait to get home. |
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| 1994 Academy Awards
Skittler Award Nominations: 1 Dude for knocking all nine skittles down in his first throw. 2 Doc for his constant quest for perfection or failing that to knock over a few skittles. 3 Ron for being good at it. (No chance -nobody likes a goodie goodie) 4 Iain for missing the table but managing to get the cheese into the floor ashtray Winner Iain Driver Award Nominations: 1. Steve for going the wrong way under the influence of Marstons. 2. Dude playing a late trump card by smashing into a moored boat knocking various artefacts from it into the canal when docking for the Academy Award ceremony. Winner The Dude. Best Dressed Nominations: 1. Ron for his Bobby Charlton outfit. 2. Dude for his '94 wet look outfit. 3. The dog in the New Inn with Dude's hat in his mouth. Winner Dude Statement Nominations: 1. Dude. "I could drink sherry till it comes out of my ears?" 2. Tom. "More Taco gravy anyone?" 3. Steve. "What's at the end of a tadger?" Winner Steve -Note this boy is either not into personal hygiene, or washes himself with a blindfold. Foul emission Jake. Petulance at Colin asking for a cheese sandwich following 'the curry' left the gas on whilst we were in the pub. "Hello Boys" Nominations: 1 Dude. for his figure hugging wet look outfit. 2. Ron for holding the governor of the Railway's hand all through a ten minute joke. Winner Ron for hand holding. Rip Van Winkle Nominations : 1 Colin and Iain for holding a snoring conversations at night. 2 Colin for instantly falling asleep and snoring on Saturday night. Winner Colin Wind up Award Nominations: 1. John for telling the Doc he would be unable to get his car to Braunston and meet us by Sunday Lunchtime. (Nearly, came true despite the best efforts of Jake our navigation officer and the BT obscene calls squad) . 2. Jake for taking us yet again to the Navigation. Has his relatives earned enough money after this visit to retire? 4. Ron for bringing the Diary of an Edwardian Dandy vol. 4. 5. John for saying the weather would be better towards the end of May. Winner Ron. Adventurer Nominations: 1. Steve for going the wrong way and then blaming the navigator. 2. Jacques le Dude for his under canal swimming extravaganza. 3. Whole crew -minus Doc for trying the Taco Gravy. Winner Dude. Coward Nominations: 1. Doc and the Dude for refusing to walk 50 yards to the next lock. 2. Doc for arriving late and missing out on the Taco gravy. 3. Tom for being frightened on the way home from the pub on Thursday night. Winner Doc as a reward for missing the infamous liquid poison. Playing to the Crowd Nominations: 1. Dude for unauthorised high board diving. 2. Ron for bringing the book entitled Pornographic filth under an historic title. 3. Tom for trying to poison the crew with his Taco gravy and Turkey rasher surprise meals. Winner Dude Dereliction of Duty Health and Safety Officer Colin for agreeing with Steve's idea of testing for gas on the boat by tossing a lighted match through the door. Best carrying out of nominated Duty Nominations: 1. Ron as whip manager 2. Steve for leaving the toilets in the state the crew left them. 3. Grief councillor Iain for continuing his sessions in snoring mode at night with Colin. Winner Ron Reading Material Nominations: 1. Ron for bringing the Diary of an Edwardian Dandy vol. 4. 2. Jake for Dude of the Rings and other pre trip material. 3. The Dude's Chicken and avocado recipe. 3. Jake's navigation tables and books (unopened) Winner Jake for Dude of the Rings Worst breakfast nominations. 1. Tom and the Dude for the Turkey rasher surprise and what a surprise! 2. Steve for managing to mess up 'boil in the bag' kippers. Winner Tom and the Dude Best breakfast nominations: 1. Ron and Steve for toast and boiled eggs -you can see what the standard of cooking had fallen to -it was hard to mess this up. (There were reports of burnt toast and eggs not cooked to liking, however.) 2. lain and John for Black pudding and mushrooms plus another name for their greasy spoon revival Winner John and lain Note: No mention of the excellent fried bread Best dinner Award nominations: 1. Jake and Doc's curry -see also worst Dinner. 2. Dude and Steve's Chicken and avocado. 3 Dude and Tom. (A surprise Tom being in this -the better categories) Shepherd pie for 18. Second helpings mandatory. Winner Dude and Tom. Worst Dinner Award nominations: 1. From the dog in the New Inn, the Dude's hat. 2. Jake and Doc for a vegetable curry or a cheese sandwich according to Colin 3. Tom and Jake's offering which included overcooked toughened 'meat', unpeeled potatoes, raw vegetables and introducing the infamous Taco gravy -the boatman's or to that matter anyone's worst nightmare Winner Jake and the Doc. Note In view of unscrupulous efforts of Tom to fiddle the voting for this award and thus avoid the notorious accreditation for his noxious offering, the Academy is considering changing the voting methods for next year's award ceremony. |
| Extract from Navigator Vol 15 “10 Years on – The Navigator Trips”
The 1994 trip was so dramatic, climaxed by Dude's magnificent plunge into the Grand Union, that John and I launched the award winning Navigator to keep track of everything that went on -and make up a few that didn't. New traditions were established: Doc's confessional sessions, 'games' of chase-the-ace, Dude falling ill etc. Then came the inception of that coveted item of silverware -the two Bob Trophy awarded to the Man of the Canals. |
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| The weather was cold but in those days Iain and Colin had hair to keep them warm. 24-05-1994, G.U.C. adj. bridge 11,(Long Buckby), Iain & Colin. |
| Our thanks to Tom for most of these pictures and his comments |
| The most famous canal jumpers of all. 27-05-1994, G.U.C. adj. bridge 47, obviously a very fashion conscious young gentleman with the latest two tone jumper |
| Jake and Doc hard at work whilst we go through a lock but what's Doc reading? 22-05-1994, Grand Union Canal,lock 19 (Wood Lock) |
| Meanwhile Dude and John are hard at work at the other end of the boat- note John is using a brick as a mobile phone |
| 27-05-1994, G.U.C. adj. Buckby Lock, (flight 13), Doc. (driving and sleeping at the same time, who said a college education did not equip you for the real world?) |
| Man of the canals with the hat the Dog ran away with 27-05-1994, G.U.C. adj. bridge 35 |
| Colin, John and Jake aren't talking it seems. 27-05-1994, G.U.C. lock 12, (Buckby flight), from left to right; Colin, a fat broke (I think he was just hanging about, one of those sad individuals you tend to meet on the canals), Jake (trying to avoid having to speak to the fat broke). |
| 27-05-1994, G.U.C. Bascote Top Lock (staircase lock), 'Chiltern,' Iain (driving) & Ron (instructing), (I think that's who it is, its a bit difficult to see with the light reflecting from top of their heads) |
| Doc interfering with a lock part, 23-05-1994, G.U.C. lock 32 |
| Jake with his favourite jumper that went with him on canal trips till the turn of the century 23-05-1994, G.U.C. bridge 54 |
| Beer of the week- Banks
Best Pub - Eykyn Arms . Worst Pub - New Inn Skittle Match won by Youngies in the Crown 2-1 Man of the Canals - Dude Boy of the Canals - Ron Turd of the Canals -Jake |
| In those days Steve used to Drive a bit. 27-05-1994, G.U.C. adj. bridge 47, Steve. (only time he was on the tiller?). |
| Ron's can still been seen. 27-05-1994, G.U.C. Buckby Lock (flight 13), from left to right; Ron (looking really elegant), that fat bloke again (still unable to engage Jake in conversation), and Jake. |
| The Daily Rage of course and he's wearing headphones to cut off the jeers of the rest of the crew. |
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