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Stoke Bruerne "Village At War" Event 1st & 2nd Coctober


alan_fincher

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Typical, I live just down the road from Stoke Bruerne, but I'm going to be away and miss it! Last year I got collared into running the bar for the Boat Inn. Maybe next year.

 

Fingers crossed the weather is a little bit better than it was for the last gathering there...

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Looks a good do, but to far unfortunately.

 

We have friend in Uppermill and used to go to stay when they have a "Yanks" weekend due to the 70/80s wartime film being filmed around that area.

 

I've had to stop going :(

 

Got fed up of people asking if i was playing Richard Gere,s role.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Barring any extra last minute hitch, we are planning to take Sickle up to Stoke Bruerne for this weekend's event.

 

Please come and say "hello" if you are up there. If you are patient we might even manage a tea or coffee, but given predicted temperatures, I can't see the range being lit!

 

We should be going up the locks tomorrow (Friday) evening, (hopefully before dark!), if anybody is about that way.

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We may well be there, but sans boat - Rev. Mrs. Dick is officiating at a wedding on Saturday and AM services on Sunday, may pop along Sat PM, though.

 

We are moving Pinmill from her mooring tomorrow, so we'll be about between the Navigation and Cosgrove Lock (where I'm mooring her until Sunday, when we travel to out new marina), so keep an eye open for us :)

 

Richard

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Well we had a really great time at the "Village at War" event at Stoke Bruerne.

 

The only problem seems to be we spent so much time seeing the sights, playing boats, chatting with many people, including CWDF members, (and generally eating and drinking :lol:), that we now find we have very few decent pictures of anything much at all......

 

Here are a few of those we do have, but a highly recommended event, if they run it in future years......

 

"Miss Lola Lamour"

 

DSCF5214.jpg

 

Land girls, hard at work!

 

DSCF5238.jpg

 

"Sickle" well guarded whilst waiting again for the top lock

 

IMG_0643.jpg

 

And on her way back to moorings after one of her short runs to provide a bit of moving boat action.....

 

(I really must put some paint back on that "tall pipe" exhaust. :blush: ).

 

IMG_0647.jpg

Edited by alan_fincher
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Land girls, hard at work!

 

DSCF5238.jpg

Pedant Alert!! Those land girls worked on a very modern farm, the pick up baler producing small bales that could he handled by one person was not invented until 1940, and very few came over to the UK before the end of the war. Stationry balers were around in the 1920's but they produced a much larger bale.

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Oh come on David, use some imagination - can't you see that, due to rationing, war-time bales were approximately half the size of those produced pre-1939? What with them being an aid to navigation, sortage of decent hairy string and all :)

 

We went along on Saturday afternoon, but I have to say that because we spent so much time talking to friends (including Famile Fincher), that we missed lots. Our daughter and Jack Russell did get a decent view of most things, though.

 

If you didn't get to go, but have a chance next year, do it, it's a thoroughly enjoyable weekend

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Pedant Alert!! Those land girls worked on a very modern farm, the pick up baler producing small bales that could he handled by one person was not invented until 1940, and very few came over to the UK before the end of the war. Stationry balers were around in the 1920's but they produced a much larger bale.

Yep,

 

And we acknowledge that although "Sickle" was actually cut to her current length specifically as part of the war effort, she didn't have "British Waterways" painted on her side at any point between 1939 and 1945 either.

 

People seem to like her 1963 engine too!

 

Similarly. although the "French resistance" looked fairly convincing, the likelihood they spent much of the war years in a small Northamptonshire village is, I admit, unlikely.

 

More than a few historical inaccuracies, (to put it mildly!), will certainly not stop us going back next year, if it runs again. Apparently the future of the event was by no means uncertain - I rather hope this years cracking turn out means it will not be the last.

 

I'd say best of all the "gala" or "festival" events we have been to this year - and unlike Braunston, we could actually potter around in our boat and provide "entertainments" whenever we felt like doing so......

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We went Saturday morning, and had a lovely time, by the time we left about 11.40 ish it was getting very busy. Nice to see a nice turnout of boats, and all looking splendid. Were many forum members there? Alan, you were busy chatting as we passed, and when we left you had gone!! Also saw Kez and Liam.

Regards,

Dan

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Lol, I ended up there quite by accident, didnt even know it was taking place. I went for a quick cycle ride along the canal from Northampton, ended up at Blisworth tunnel (so much for quick). By this time I needed a drink (didnt take 1 with me) & I had forgotten Stoke Bruerne was the other side of the tunnel. So I ended up going down the road & got there. Had a few pints, didnt talk to anyone, left about 6pm. The last few miles down the canal were a bit hairy due to the fact I had no lights, was wearing prescription sunglasses & hadnt taken my normal ones with me, couldnt see a damn thing by the time I got to Northampton.

 

Still enjoyed myself tho.

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The last few miles down the canal were a bit hairy due to the fact I had no lights, was wearing prescription sunglasses & hadnt taken my normal ones with me, couldnt see a damn thing by the time I got to Northampton.

You think you had problems!

 

After we had gone down the locks, and the light was failing fast, two cyclists turned up, heading South.

 

They asked "How far to Milton Keynes", (a bit of an open question, given the size of Milton Keynes!).

 

They had no lights, and were planning to carry on to try and find a station to get home.

 

Even if they found Wolverton station, they had some 8 miles of very indifferent towpath to travel after dark!

 

The curious thing is that they were heading South, and had said they had decided not to turn off and head for Northampton, quite a few miles ealier, because they thought Milton Keynes was closer.

 

Take a map, is my advice!

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We went, we love anything 40's. It was a brilliant weekend - two quid parking and a fiver entry fee. Well worth it, and the weather was the icing on the cake. Lola Lamour was as ever in fine voice. Well worth putting the dates for next year in your diary - probably the first weekend in October again.

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