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Me too. I like working locks, and I like sitting on the boat while someone else works them. I like going along, too, which is something fewer and fewer boaters seem to enjoy.

I'm really not sure why you feel the need to stop. I think everyone has been enjoying your pictures and stories.

The Metro WaterBus was actually the brain child of the newly appointed WYPTE Recreational Transport Officer Colin Speakman, the noted historian, writer and transport activist, with whom I am still in touch. It was fortuitous as, inspired by the BW Zoo Water Bus service, and the South Yorkshire service introduced in (I think) 1975 between Doncaster and Conisbrough, I'd had similar ideas myself. Bus and Canal tours had been operated since 1976 by Bradford, Leeds, Halifax and Huddersfield buses, using 'Apollo', between Shipley and Rodley and these were phased out when the water bus was introduced in 1983. The publicity was excellent, so much so that people were turned away initially leading to some grumbles. In the first year WYPTE provided an income guarantee but in fact the subsidy required was only £314, less than the £1750 envisaged. From 1984 the number of trips was increased (eventually daily in the peaks) and with Metro support with promotion and publicity, not to mention the genuine bus stops, timetables cases, and ticket machines, the service then operated and washed its face financially. Boats used were 'Apollo' (a 1929 Midlands & Coast vessel built by Chrichtons on the Dee, purchased by me in 1971), and 'Water Prince' (formerly 'Wharfe' built by Pimblotts in 1936, converted to a passenger vessel by British waterways in 1958 and purchased by me (Apollo Canal Carriers Ltd) in 1976). 'Apollo' (48 seats) generally did two round trips, and 'Water Prince' (78 seats) one, per day but when the number of days operating was increased it was just 'Apollo' on the service. In the first year over 3000 passengers were carried and the waterbus continued to be a popular feature of the district with the service extended slightly down through Shipley to Windhill, and the junction with the Bradford Canal. Keeping to the schedule, with three locks in the route, was a challenge, but after BW appointed a seasonal lock keeper at Dowley Gap, Alan would have the locks ready and waiting every time on cue and this was a great help. After sale of the business in 1998 the new owners, at some point, decided to discontinue the service. I retained ownership of 'Apollo' (leased initially to the new owners) and the boat has over the last ten years been gradually restored to its historic condition as an Ernest Thomas tug in which guise, shortened to 56 feet, it had operated on the BCN until the late 1960s. Another West Yorkshire water bus trial operation in 1983 was on the Calder & Hebble between Dewsbury and Wakefield but this was not successful and was abandoned, however a trial service on the Rochdale Canal between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden was deemed to be a success and was continued. In 1984 Waterways World listed water bus services in Bristol Docks, Colchester, Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Mexborough, and on the Thames - but curiously not the well established (1959?) Zoo Water Bus, nor the central London Thames services. How many water bus services are operated today? In recent years services have been established in central Birmingham, in Glasgow (on the Clyde), and (marketed unfortunately as a 'water taxi') in Leeds but I believe the Glasgow service no longer operates. Photo shows 'Apollo' in water bus mode picking up conductor, lock and swing bridge operator and barman Derek Offord below Hirst Lock, with skipper Jim at the tiller.

Here are some pics , boat went in the water August last year

Its not a case of hating working locks more a case of age catching up and help with locks is welcome. It will come to most of us 🙂

This all very much sounds like the conversion from internal to external regulation hasn't been done properly. I reckon the internal regulator is still connected to the brushes. For negative regulation, one brush should be connected to +12v and the other via the regulator to negative. Nothing else should be connected to the brushes... The Adverc does not stand alone like the Zeus, it relies on using the internal regulator when it's not pulsing the field up to get 14.4v etc. If you had an Adverc connected previously and simply connected the wire coming out of the alternator to the Zeus, the internal regulator is still connected and will be doing all manner of weird things in parallel with the Zeus! You should have a little pile of bits of potted PCB which you chopped out the alternator to modify it for external regulation.

But look at them, they're in the shape of a pair of boats breasted-up, perhaps the moss is to simulate the weed growth on the hulls of a pair of those oft-mentioned boats in that London?

Having an inverter doesn't mean you have to use it and all your electricity hungry appliances year round. My setup is just as efficient as one without an inverter in winter... In my last post I mentioned the best way to do it off grid is to use gas/woodburner during winter to cook, and free electricity from solar in summer. As I mentioned before, if you're new to living off grid, it's very good advice to avoid heating things with electricity until you get an idea of how much energy your solar yields and how much energy various appliances use. Then you can look into changing your setup to suit your needs. I CC and live off grid and I'm quite vocal about recommending lithium batteries with lots of solar and electric kettles/induction hobs/air fryers to people. In summer, you save money on gas (although this is only £100 or so a year) and get greater convenience. With ample solar and the correct battery setup, there is no reason to minimise your electricity consumption in summer; quite the opposite, make the most of all that free energy raining down on your roof! FYI I don't have to run my engine to generate electricity for 8 months of the year.

neither have I, I’m sure I’ve used a microwave but can’t remember when, definitely a proper Luddite, all 12v, I cook with gas and sometimes use the stove to cook, hand shadows illuminated by a candle for evening entertainment, (ETA : a Luddite with a smart phone and iPad)

I didn't mean to add anything to this part of my story but the mention of Healings at Tewkesbury caused a pang. So I will add a 1960 photo, by my Brownie Box, of one of their barges in the River, I think either Bushley or Apperley, and another alongside the quay. At far right, alongside the quay is I think Tony, a tanker. Perhaps an effluent tanker. But you may well not be able to see it. And because they were my favourites, a photo of the three, 50 years later. Handsome, aren't they? Bristol built in 1933/34 by Hills.

Given how many people seem to hate working their own locks, it puzzles me why they bought a canal boat.

Oh dear. I have got the name wrong again. Sorry about that. The fact is that as children we called it the River Stroud. Anyway it was good fun for us when it flooded. I haven't got a photo of us sailing on its water meadows, but here is one of sailing on the Stroudwater. I doubt it is a sight often seen these fifty years. In the days of trade however no doubt sails were used whenever convenient. And better set than in the photo. The rig was a sliding gunter and something has gone wrong. Reverting to my story and back to Gloucester. Here is a photo of the docks, looking towards the drydocks. I accept it is a poor shot but it may give some idea of the variety of commercial vessels in the 1950s. In the drydock, the white bows of the Shell Glassmaker. Clustered around the entrance, to the right, Regent King, an unpowered tankbarge, to the left Severn Trader, the first of a new batch of IWE traders of which it was the first and the last, then the diesel tug Severn Iris, and the steam tug Primrose. Plus some lighters the names of which I have forgotten. In the foreground, at left, the Glevum. Now I believe a residential barge in Bristol. Again, I accept it may be difficult to make them out. The quayside right in the foreground, had below it an outlet from one of the mills. From it one could catch good big roach with the aid of a stick with a line and breadpaste hook. Not good to eat but fun to catch. Now to the other end of the Ship Canal, and our alternative route. We could not moor in the Dock itself, so we used the Old Dock. Right under the bows of the Gravesend Sea School's Vindicatrix. Just to the left of her is the hull of the schooner Dispatch, built on Speyside and famous in her day. Inboard of her one of the war-built ferro-concrete barges, of which there were a number hanging about the Old and New Docks, all ending up beached on the banks of the Severn at Purton. Save one which was retrieved, towed up to the museum in Gloucester where it stayed for a while before being relegated again, this time to the timber ponds near Sharpness, where it is still, sunk beneath the waters. Our mooring in the Old Docks was quite dramatic.We overlooked the Severn Railway bridge, and the sight and sounds of the river as the tide roared in and out brought home just how dangerous the river could be and was. The weather could change in minutes to a thick mist which blanketed everything. However my father didn't much like being moored close to the tankers, nor did he appreciate the early morning activities of the cadets clumping about on the deck high above us. Here for good measure is a photo of the Regent Queen, fully laden, waiting to depart at 6 a.m. for Stourport. Under the old coal shute. Neither still exist. The Regent Queen was broken up on the foreshore by Sharpness Docks and the coal shute a remarkable building, was demolished. So we moved. Where we then stayed, off and on for three or four years, was at Purton. This was a wild and beautiful place. We could see behind us the railway bridge and watch the steam locomotives trundle across it. And on the other side of the towpath was the Purton Graveyard. In the 1950s it was the finest collection of wooden hulled vessels, both local and national, anywhere in the country. It was visited by the maritime historians of the day. And by me. Just two of my many photos. On the right the former schooner Sarah McDonald, built in Perth in 1867. To the right, the former trow Edith built at Bridgwater in 1901and a local trader, first in sail and then by motor. Both destroyed by arson in 1986. If you go there now, there is little to see. The same vessels from a little distance, but including in the foreground, the Kennet barge Harriett, and the Gloucester built towing barge Dursley. The Harriett remains, I think, sinking ever lower into the mud, with such protection from damage as a scheduled Ancient Monument can command. Right. That is enough. That is the end of my beginning.

Big thanks to the Hatton Vlockies for their assistance today as we climbed the flight in the rain .Good start to our 8month summer cruise. It's summer for a real Yorkshire man lol

We came up last Saturday in three hours twenty five ... only used one gate and paddle as it was quite icy. The locks were mostly set for us (but for leakage). No sign of volunteers, or indeed other boats. We're obviously not as old and infirm as we'd feared after five months at home ... and the breakfast in the cafe was stunning 👍🏻 Rog

Cant have been this year, that's blue sky there....

If you are correct then I have done it wrong and this could explain the problem. But if you are correct tthen the Zeus instructions are misleading or just plain wrong.............. "This output acts like a switch between your load (light or fan) and the internal ground in the Smart Regulator. It can switch uo to 48V at 1 Amo."

Good swipe, well done. May you never mis type anything

Hi Tony, yes rads and calorifier are fitted. I'm struggling with the manual on aspects like: do I need a separate pump, how do I fill the system, electrics and expansion tank and header. Also how to connect to engine. I've never done anything like this before so have little confidence and little knowledge

TBH, I'm surprised dumping of cooking oil into the GU around there doesn't happen more often. Anyway he might not want to have the whip removed.. 😕 I hope all is well with you both Matty. Currently trapped between 3 stoppages. I'm more worried about that TBH.

If you want the proper Post Box red, as agreed between Royal Mail and Historic England, it is Royal Mail red, colour ref no. 538 BS381C, available from a number of paint suppliers. (See https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/royal-mail-post-boxes/ and download the Policy Statement).

Where from the link above? Let people know for similar in the future👍

We have Symphony Paints Ferrari red so we can go faster.

Post Office Red

Mine was originally painted signal red (my request!), but once on the boat I found this was too orange. It was then changed to Ruby Red (RAL3003) which looks much better -- and turned out to be what Finesse normally use... 😉 (other band is RAL9001 Cream, looks better than white)

Honestly, if I was doing it all again, I wouldn't bother with an inverter at all. I'd run all my regular stuff off 12v (laptops, tv, fridge etc). Don't use electricity to run anything which produces heat (so use the hob/grill for kettle and toast). I'd have a generator for the occassions when I really need to run 240v (power tools, washing machine), and that way I'd have another way to charge my batteries in case of engine issues. A reasonable quality genny is cheaper (for the same power) than a reasonable quality inverter. Doing it this was will also put less strain of your batteries, so they'll last longer, saving you even more money. To the OP, it's not until you go cruising permanently, that you'll realise just how important it is to minimise electricity consumption. Until you do, repeatedly wrecked batteries will be the order of the day. Also, get solar panels fitted.

No multi-lingual notices in the mid-1990s, and a Polish attitude to H&S - you could wander around anywhere, such as into the waterwheel house. On one visit to Poland, working with industrial archaeology students from Wroclaw, we went into an old gold mine, with access via a flooded entrance. They simply asked the local fire brigade to pump out the water. From the entrance, the tunnel went up hill slightly, so not flooded, though the mine then followed a seam downwards. The water here was crystal clear, and you could see the wooden props between the two sides disappearing into the darkness. The industrial archaeology course was at Wroclaw Polytechnic, and they had a museum based around a river Oder steam tug, built in Holland after the war. The River Authority were very helpful, and I stayed aboard their inspection boat on several occasions.

We did a couple of retail coal trips to Cadbury's Wharf in Frampton early '70s, loading at Gopsall on the Moira. Coal boats to Cadburys were still in people's memories and we had no problem selling some 15-18 tonnes to locals as I recall. The hulks at Purton were still relatively intact at that point. We did continue on to Bath once, long before the K&A was reopened, and someone subsequently sent us postcard showing Towcester moored below Pulteney Bridge.

Was the word 'hydraulic' used, by any chance? On the Esplanade here in Ryde there are a couple of manhole covers with the name 'Ham Baker' cast into them. I've taken I pic, meaning to post it here but it is too large a file size, apparently.

We went up the Sat before Queens jubilee weekend, 3pm, nobody there. We came down 2pm on the Sunday of the big weekend, it was drizzling and they stayed in the hut. For Frangar reasons, we were quite happy about that.

My new key arrived today, It is perfect, Cost £2.75 plus 75p postage. Bar**s can take a jump. £21 quid ffs . Avin a larf eh. Thanks for all your help again. Where would I be without you lovely lot? David.

Nothing to do with boats, just some amazing wild animal encounters. I rode past a few these recently while riding over 1,200 miles around Sri Lanka over 3 weeks on a 125cc scooter. They don't really have anything bigger than 250cc bikes & scooters for rent. In terms of danger the biggest risk doesn't come from the elephants but from drivers and other motorbike riders who don't look, or who do look but pull out anyway, tuk tuks, maniac bus drivers, thousands of stray dogs on the road as well as people, cows, goats and I even saw a huge snake crossing the road which I think got run over by a car coming the other way. Great adventure though and the Sri Lankan people are warm and welcoming. In that second picture I didn't stop that close. The elephant was further away but suddenly walked up to the bike quickly as I was taking a picture and I didn't have time to get back on the bike so I ran away! 🤣

I’ve had my boat built by XR&D. Can’t recommend them enough. Honest blokes, not afraid to tell me when I’m being stupid and always gave sound advice.

Its the new forum habit here. Anyone new whose posts you don't like, accuse them of being an AI!

I've previously described here my involvement with Canis, but I assume you didn't see my post. I bought Canis, as a complete boat, from Ken in about 1975. She'd lain empty and cabin-less at Pratt's Bridge since acquisition from Stewarts and Lloyds, and my original intention was to cut her in two, get Ken to make a 60' motor from the fore-end and sell the stern on. Some time before any of this happened, Ken told me that the Josher steamer Vulcan, then owned by Charlie Foster and lying at the yard, was for sale. Cutting a long story short, I bought her, and then sold the (by then) two halves of Canis to two friends of mine, John Harmon and Peter Ward. John had first choice and, for reasons I never understood, chose the stern end. Too long ago now to remember properly, but Canis Major was probably the last fully-completed boat off the dock before it closed. I can certainly remember John and I dragging stuff away from the yard and towing it down the curly Wyrley to Minerva, probably around 1981-2, John on Canis and me on Barrow. I remember it was very cold, with cat ice on the cut. It was immensely sad, the yard had occupied an awful lot of our time during the '70s, and I still miss the sights, sounds and smell of it, even now. You never saw Ken sign-writing much. Most of the work then was done by the late Selwyn Jordan. When the time came, and the yard finished, none of the full time blokes moved to Minerva with Keith Humby. Mr. Humby's company there, Keelkast, was a name they had made up by using the Humby family's christian names--KEith, ELaine, KAtherine and STeven. They were not a company I would have ever employed, either to build, or work on, any of my boats.