Braunston

Here I am Rune

Distance 2.9 miles

Total 2160 Locks  90 Tunnels

Running total mileage 3095.2 miles 

An hour’s cruise has brought us into Braunston and we immediately found a perfect mooring so, instead of the domestic stuff (empty the elsan, fill the water tank) we just grabbed the mooring and will sort the other stuff out later!

First thing on arrival was a trip to the supplier of our engine alternator back in November of last year. I told the assistant what the problem had been and he stated that he could put the alternator on a test bed they have, he could just fit a new regulator or he could give me a new regulator to fit to see if it cured the problem and if not to then bring the alternator in for them to look at. As service goes I cannot fault them and can’t recommend them highly enough, for reference purposes the company concerned is called Electrostart and they have been brilliant!

A rather sad comparison to this was a visit to Halfords immediately afterwards. This was to replace a worn tyre on my bike and finding the relevant tyre was straightforward but paying for it?... that was a different matter! There didn’t seem many staff working in the shop and none on the tills. I stood an waited for a while and after a couple of minutes was joined by another man trying to buy antifreeze. We both then waited for a couple of minutes and were then joined by a couple of women trying to buy some other product. We still continued to wait, you can tell how long it was since we began conversations with each other about how ‘good’ the service was. There was even an advertising display on the cash till counter in large letters saying ‘DID OUR SERVICE WOW YOU TODAY?’, er, frankly no! After further wait the YTS lad came to the till to eventually serve the now restless queue of people. Did he offer any apology for the delay? Offer any reason for it? No! he just took the money. Not a good sales experience.

The final visit today was to Wharf House Chandlers to stock up on oil and filters so we are good for the next couple of oil changes. 

I was surprised to find that the winter mooring period in Braunston begins on 1^st October so we can stay on the moorings where we currently are for up to 14 days (unlike the 48 hours you get in summer). We shan’t be here that long but will certainly stay until after the weekend although I’m now going to have to manhandle the water to the boat and shift the elsan from it.