11th-13th June 2007
Location: Little Penkridge, Staffs. N52:44:56 W2:05:36 (help)
Today: 11 miles, 7 locks. Total distance: 146 miles. Total locks: 103
Left Little Haywood around 08:00 in the morning and headed for the Midland chandler at Penkridge on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal. Passed through some beautiful countryside on the way. Arrived at the chandlers around 13:30 and moored up about 50 yards away so that we would not have too far to carry stuff.
We looked at all of the stoves in the chandlery and ended up going for the Aarrow Becton Bunny 5kw stove. It has been recommended to us and it comes with a lifetime guarantee against cracking. All in all, a nice little stove. Also bought all of the bits needed to fit the stove. Nothing from the old Bubble diesel stove was re-usable as everything is a different size. The old flue was 3.5” diameter, the new one is 5”.
Spent all of Tuesday afternoon fitting the flue and flue collar. Luckily enough, I had an angle grinder to hand to cut the flue pipe to the correct length, it would not have been much fun cutting it with a saw, especially in the heat of the afternoon.
Decided to stay here through Wednesday, just in case any further bits and pieces were required from the chandlers. Turned out that we needed a second tube of high temperature sealant and a blanking fitting to blank off the diesel supply pipe.
It has just started to rain as I am writing this at 14:50. The rain is bouncing off the ground. The day started lovely but has been getting heavier and heavier as the day has gone on. It’s a real beauty of a thunder storm.
Anyway, I finished off fitting the stove this morning, glad I did now that the rain has come on. It all went in nicely and will look good once it gets a coat of black heat resistant paint. Can’t paint it until the sealant sets. Will probably wait till after the first lighting before painting it so that any greasy/oily marks are burnt off.
All in all, it took around 10 hours to fit the stove. It would have been a lot easier if it was a clean installation and there hadn't been a stove there in the first place as everything had to be worked around the original hole in the roof for the flue. I can see now why we were being quoted in the region of £350 to have someone do the job for us. I am glad that I did it myself as I know all of the joints have been very well sealed. There have been a few deaths recently from carbon monoxide poisoning from leaking flues so I took extra care with all of the joints. We also have two carbon monoxide detectors on board, one in the main cabin and one in the bedroom.
Will move on southward tomorrow – weather permitting!!
The rain has stopped and it is brightening up again…..
Shugborough
Shugborough
Becton Bunny stove
Material Copyright © 2007 Ernie Williams
This page last modified on:
15 June, 2007 9:16 AM