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That was her! Let me be absolutely clear that I will stop participating in this thread if it's going to be hijacked into yet another RCR discussion.

I never got that far! For quite a while, three of us handled moddy duties - self, Magpie Patrick and the former Buccaneer. The arrival of two new ones, Jen and Ade, was succour indeed [as in, only a succour would do this job]/ Midway through last year I was, as Nicj Noeman says, beset by a truly exciting cocktail of eye conditions which made long spells of reading irksome. These are mow controlled by medicayion, and my eyes are not deteria...er, daterior...er, getting worse. I'm still taking part in moddy duties, but more in behind the scenes discussions than dront of house. Thanks!

Hello. I'm a lurker. I'm not very old (relatively speaking; I'm not particularly young either), and I don't own a boat. I'd very much like to, one day, but in the meantime I'm busy quietly absorbing information about canal (and boat) history, and reading threads on people performing miracles rebuilding or replicating historic boats, learning different techniques for safely navigating different locks with ground paddles vs those with gates paddles, figuring out how the licensing works, how to find out whether a canal is actually likely to be navigable this week or not, where I'm most likely to get stuck on a trolley in the Rochdale, all that good stuff. A lot of this hopefully one day useful knowledge has been provided by the core group of regular posters on here, who may or may not number approximately 30, I've not counted because I don't in any way care. Precisely none of it has come from one motormouth with about the same level of canal experience as me but about 600 more posts. Just sayin'... Do carry on 😁

Hi! I happened to be driving the boat when the gates fell off. From the other end of the boat nothing looked amiss, the collars were left in place. I don't think the gates hit the boat at all when they fell off, they were pretty damn close though. one of them might have knocked, but I didn't feel or hear anything. We were initially told we could wait on the boat while the CRT assessed the situation, so we got to spend the night in the lock! It was pretty miserable down there, we were told we had to leave the boat around 10am the next day. We had a dog on board, but luckily she wasn't too hard to get out. Pretty miserable situation, but at least no one was hurt.

It is sad that a thread about one of our elder statesmen' members health is being derailed in such an insensitive way. For common decency the culprit should delete his posts . Those of us who have " known ™ Tim for many years are saddened by the news that he is not well and we have our collective fingers crossed for his recovery.

Yes I read it - non-story the Daily Mail of the canal world. I'm also fed up with the CRT baiters in this forum. We're soon going to have a fight for the survival of the canal system and all some people want to do is pick holes whilst the whole edifice (the canals,not those running them) collapses. There you go, battle line drawn.

Apologies to everyone for the delay in responding: I haven't had access to the internet for the past couple of days. Thanks also to everyone for the support and showing that newbie boaters are welcome: it is much appreciated.

An app that allows simple reporting of issues makes sense - exact location provided, probably a pick list of standard options (broken paddle, jammed gate, whatever) and hopefully more people reporting problems rather than just moaning. If that's being made available, it might as well also provide up to date stoppages and restrictions. If more people can and do report issues then CRT get a better idea of which problems are having the biggest effect on boaters. Don't forget that it's obvious to us boaters but not necessarily to whoever collects the reports.

To close the important part of this topic. I have been conversing with LadyG by PM over the last few days and I think that we have a solution. It seems that she and far too many others I have come across, did not differentiate between charging voltage, rested voltage and surface charge voltage, so seeing 13V plus on the meter when charging was taking place, in their minds, meant a well charged battery. I think that she has got it now and after two longish engines charging she has found the ammeter at +2 A which I don't think she has ever seen before and 14.1V on the stern batteries, with a bit less on the bow batteries. She seems to accept that the bow batteries will always be compromised charge wise, but is happy that they are servable. I also think that she will send more time engine charging than has been her habit and understand just how long it takes to charge LA batteries. It seems like a result.

I've just been down to check and I have picked them up to stop them being nicked/thrown in the cut, I will PM you

I now own a boat 🙃 Big thank you to everyone that gave me advice, thoughts, assurance (and occasionally instilled fear 😂) during this journey. It wasn't as plain sailing as I'd hoped for, and though some lingering things remain (to join the never-ending list) it'll be nice to get on board and be able to finally enjoy the boat. …and I cannot wait to give the inside a deep clean, change the curtains, remove some of the previous (hah, weird saying that) owners decor additions, and make the boat look and feel less like a brochure pic I've stared at since October and more like a boat I own.

Tim messaged me today, he is improving slowly he is hoping to be out of hospital next week, that's with fingers crossed and a following wind

As an retired employee of both BW and CRT with 40 years plus service, I can now say how I feel about the moaners and boaters. I for one found Richard Parry one of the best CEO that the company has ever had, he was open and honest and had the time to talk and listen to everyone. He has bought the Waterways to front in every thing that they do. I only hope that his replacement is as good as he was.

I hope any replacement will turn up to boat gatherings and events just as Richard did….cant fault him for actually going places and chatting to people. I personally found him quite approachable and willing to listen….not always the case with CEO’s.

Our boat has been at Glascote Basin since last November where it is being repainted to a very high standard by the team at Norton Canes Boatbuilders with experienced supervision provided by Sarah Edgson. There is more information on our website here. We did start repainting 'Alnwick' in 2005 but for many reasons, progress slowed when we had completed the outside of the back cabin. By 2016, we decided that the paint we had purchased more than ten years earlier was by then too old to use!

It's amazing what a bit of sunshine can do, the late winter / early spring sunny warm days are good for the mind and soul, and help to get out of the winter doldrums.... with this in mind we thought we'd have a break from welding for a bit and very much in earnest slap a bit of paint on. Psychologically this has massively helped, it very much spurs us on to push towards the October launch date........

First of all my apologies for the delay in responding: I don't always have access to the internet. When I was young I had a memory that was fantastic and I could remember word for word every conversation I had, even years old conversations, and every poem that I read, articles I read, etc.. I was intolerant of others that didn't have the same fantastic memory as me. Then I was involved in a road traffic accident and took a bang on the head. My fantastic memory disappeared. When Gybe Ho was mentioning facts I didn't for one minute assume stalking, I just assumed that they had a memory like the one that I used to have. I appreciate the help that everyone gives but I do think that there are better ways of communicating than going into slanging matches. Perhaps a more appropriate and less antagonistic way of responding would be along the lines of 'I see this issue different to 'insert name' and feel that this is the correct way that 'it' should be done'. The forum would then be a much more peaceful and welcoming place where people wouldn't be afraid of asking a question in case the said question started a full scale argument. Thanks everyone for your help.

Yes. Scaffold boards hung over the side. Or another option is loads of half full 20 litre plastic containers roped around at the waterline. The ice breaking is I think one thing where attitudes have changed over the years. My first winter 94/95 was spent partly near Wolfhampcote. It froze over properly. Ernie Kendall used to take the restaurant Boat 'Bracken' out with people eating their lunch while crashing through the ice. It was brilliant. Everyone was enjoying it all including me in my little narrow Boat. These days people are moaning about it. The attitudes on the canal have changed enormously in the last 30 years and not for the better. If the Boat can't deal with ice then don't keep it on a canal in winter.

It's a breath of fresh air being somewhere online with no advertising. Long may it continue.

The above is a good reason why reporting it is the correct course of action. The boat is on a canal where passage of wide beam craft is only allowed for transit to or from marinas and online mooring is not permitted. All movements are subject to advice notices from CRT so it’s pretty easy to surmise that something is amiss, be it a wanton or unintended action. It’s also not really the point that the poster was able to pass. What about another wide beam making a legitimate booked passage or the loaded coal boat? Passing on the Oxford can be problematic if you are pushed toward the offside of the deep channel.

Come on guys Tim is a long standing member of this forum in ill health. Let's not derail this thread like so many others. Let's keep it for his well wishers. Take your politics elsewhere. Please?

Politically, me too, but his posts were always interesting, disagreement with him never became nasty because his sincerity was obvious, and snide responses simply aren't in his charscter. It was always obvious how much he had loved boating and how much he regretted having to go back to land living - and the whole saga told in an entertaining way. One of the much missed.

It’s a fascinating job to do as well, you can learn so much about the way they are put together by taking them apart! I have owned Bingley since early 1977, when I was still in my teens (just), first as a camping boat, eventually as a houseboat with a full conversion. Now I have retired the plan now is to deconvert and restore, starting at the fore end. I am intending to do a blog about it, I’ll keep you posted

Ok, so having read all the posts, feel the need to respond. As the wife of the now gone OP, I can categorically confirm that : 1. The boat was NOT loaned out, nobody else has keys, nor has anyone been paying rent OR was anyone asked to do work on it 2. The boat was left at Plank Lane by us. 3. The overstay was noted by CRT in March, at which point, I emailed them and advised of the valid reasons. 4. The boat has a valid license. On the online portal, the last sighting was on April 26th. There have been no other sightings logged by CRT enforcement. 5. The boat was in an area, overseen by many. 'Someone' was in contact with us. It was this person, who told us it was no longer there. That person has since not responded to any questions as to when they noticed it had gone. 6. The assumption by us that CRT had removed it was dismissed by them which led to me reporting to the police on 02/12 and subsequently the insurers 7. We genuinely no idea when it was moved and have given as much detail as we thought necessary knowing that this is a Public forum and can be viewed by anyone, including the person/s who took it. Please, this has been incredibly stressful for both of us. Law abiding citizen's who have owned the boat, licensed and insured it since 2016, who unfortunately, weren't able to visit it on a regular basis. We aren't in the habit of sharing personal information online, we like our privacy and are fully aware of the consequences of misinterpreted information. Opinions can be varied, and sadly, when the first response is 'and you've only just noticed', followed up by a comment about the Crime reference no, set the tone for a fair bit of conspiracy theories and unnecessary comments. Having never been in the position of having a boat stolen, I can only apologise to all. Finally, thank you all for responding to my husbands posts regarding our definitely stolen boat, they are, in general appreciated.

After seven years off the cut since leaving Halsall and moving on to pastures new, I've finally got a new (to me) old boat. Thanks to Sarah Edgson at Norton Canes (Glascote) for an easy purchase of Ballinger, a 1890's mk.1 Bantock boat, cut in half in the 60's by Max Sinclair and others, and a steel cabin added. It's got a lovely fit out, which the sales particulars suggest was by Ken Brenchley at Brinklow, but it has also been suggested to me that Brinklow Boat Services might not have been about then, so who knows. Propulsion is by a Dorman 2LB which was originally in a back-up generator at Stansted Airport. I picked the boat up Saturday morning, and after much faffing about finally got going at lunchtime. Everything worked fine first time, despite the boat having sat at the brokers for some time. I filled the water tank from the water point at the top of Glascote Locks, and was caught out by the water pressure. The hose popped straight out of the filler and then sprayed water around (and all over me) as the hose did it's angry snake impression. I finally managed to tame it, and learnt my first thing about the boat - always hold the hose in the filler! I descended those first 2 locks tentatively, having not done any locks for 7 years, and wanting to see how the boat behaves in a lock. Once on the move I was surprised to see so many boats moving, but the weather was great for boating, and maybe the last sunny and mild weekend of the year. Nevertheless the stove was going by my feet, offering warth. I've never had a boat that doesn't have a range by the back doors, so god knows how those of you without manage. First thought was that the boat was moving quite slowly. Then I realised it's leaf soup season, and having originally thought the draught would be about 2' 6", I got a glimpse at a previous survey which states it is actually 2' 9", so I'm going to have to get used to cruising sedately. I'd originally hoped to get to Rugeley Saturday evening, and Stone on Sunday evening, but the slow going and my late start put pay to this. I forgot to dip the tank before I left the yard, so when I did so in my first lock, I found it was nearly empty. With the next fuel opportunity all the way at Streethay, I was watching the clock, and worrying if I was going to start picking up any crud or water that might be in the bottom of the tank. Google told me the wharf shut at 5pm, but thankfully I rang to confirm, as it's actually 4.3ppm on a Saturday. When I told the guy on the phone I would wind it on a bit and do my best, he said he'd hang around and wait for me. I finally rocked up about 4.45pm, and took on fuel, as well as getting a pint of milk for the morning and a tin of emergency soup. Thanks to Steve at Streethay for staying open for me. I thought he looked familiar, and turns out he'd previously been on the Shroppie and a customer of mine on the fuel boat. I cracked on a bit further, and whilst it would have been nice to get to Fradley Junction, I had a memory of my one and only visit there around 10 years ago, when I'd arrived at dusk on Halsall and not been able to find any space before the swing bridge, and then 'no mooring' signs galore around the corner, forcing me up the locks in darkness. Looking at the clock, I could see history repeating itself, so when I spotted room for one boat on some piling in what my map suggested was Fradley Village, I took it just as day turned to night. Craving some proper food, I thought I'd check Google for a shop, and discovered there was a Co-op a few minutes walk away. Imagine my suprise when I found a chippy, cafe, subway etc... Having bought some fresh food from the co-op, I treated myself to a fish and chips supper. I could have stayed here longer, with such good facilities close-by. 5G inside the boat as well!!! I had my best nights sleep in several years. The boat is hydraulic drive, so the back cabin has extra head height, as well as the drop down bed being a third bigger than the norm, something that Mrs Junior will be very happy with as we used to sleep with our knees bent on Halsall 😂. The range went out overnight, so that'll take a bit of practice. An early start after a bacon roll and coffee, and the tree next to the boat had dumped all it's leaves on the roof. Perhaps why that one spot was free. I arrived at Fradley just as the volunteer lock keepers arrived for the day. I welcomed their assistance. I explained I'd only just got the boat and these were my first uphill locks. Did they mind taking it easy so I could see how the boat behaved, as I wanted the boat to come forward the ride up the gate. It did as I expected. What didn't look far on the map seemed to take a lot longer than expected, again because of leaves and depth. I rolled into Rugeley at lunchtime, and realised I wasn't going to make Stone, so reassessed. Less boats moving than yesterday, but of course having not seen anyone for hours, I met someone at Armatige, and had a good practice at going astern. Another glorious day, and so many people out enjoying the canal. I timed Colwich Lock right, as there was one coming out and another waiting to come down. So I slotted in as their respective crews kindly worked me through. The ground paddle here is broken, with a sign saying it is under repair. Not much evidence of any repairing going on. The downside to getting assistance at the locks is that I was hungry, thirsty and desperate for the toilet, as these are all tasks better carried out in a lock when single handed. Roll on winter when I can sit in a lock and make my lunch! As Mrs Junior was coming to pick me up by road, and the options for leaving the boat a couple of days quite minimal after Great Haywood, I decided to call it a day on the visitor moorings just before the junction mid-afternoon, and took the opportunity to sort a few bits out and start deciding what would live where on the boat. I nipped to the Spar and after a bit of daylight robbery on their part, got some provisions I could turn into a hot meal. I decided to clean out the well deck/catch area and set up the table, and Mrs Junior and mini Junior joined me for dinner at dusk, before we all set of back home in the car. Note the paper plates...£3.69 for 20! Must buy some proper ones today to take back to the boat. I'll be back to the boat in a couple of days to move a bit more. The aim is to get the boat back to Dutton where I hope CRT are going to let me have an End of Garden mooring as there's been one here previously, and it exists as a drop down on the mooring location section on the licensing page. I've took a few photos, which I'll try too add. Being single handed, they're mostly from the same perspective!

Speaking to a few people during a tour of Bradley Workshops at the festival earlier this year, I think the situation may not be so bleak as it at first appears. The main issue as it was told is that locks have an average lifespan of 25yrs and the total number of locks on the system exceeds 1/25th of their annual production capability. They are currently hitting the peak of the problem as the locks on the millenium restoration projects are now reaching end of life. The issue is that lock gate manufacturing is still highly manual. For example, the curve on the heel post is made by multiple passes through a planer on a rotating jig, turning a few degrees at a time which takes about 3hrs. The finish is then hand sanded to create the curve. With a finite space for manufacturing in there is not much that can be done to accelerate throughput with the existing method of manufacture. The solution they are proposing is to go to CNC manufacturing to replace a lot of the manual front end processes. The heel post for example could then be made in 10mins. These numbers aren't quite right, but if you look back through threads a few months ago at the time of the festival I posted more accurate numbers. It was something like current production enables 180 leaves a year, they need to manufacture 220 leaves per year to keep up with the renewal programme and the revised method of manufacture should enable 260 leaves per year. The plan for the remaining capacity is to address some current latent demand for gates outside of CRT, both in the UK and overseas (there is a canal in Canada which wants gates). Selling these additional gates should cover the depreciation cost of the investment in the CNC equipment. Another change is a redesign of gates to facilitate in-situ replacement of balance beams and heel post tops. This has already been implemented on some newer gates and as well as reducing stoppage times when gates fail before design life, it also allows re-use of beams which may only have been in service a year or two before the rest of the gate is renewed, reducing material use. There is also consideration being given to reverting to the original plank and frame gate design on some locks where a vertical beam design was adopted at a point when material was cheap and labour expensive (WW1 I think). This allows material savings, reducing overall cost without any loss of performance. The current situation is undeniably bad. It probably won't get better for a couple of years, but after that if the above goes ahead I am hopeful that a sustainable and cost-effective solution is possible. No, I do not work for CRT, but I was suitably impressed at the thought processes and dedication being put in by the team to modernise lock gate manufacturing and I wish them all the best with it - it is in all our interests for it to work. Alec

Yeah that was my boat Badger, 24hrs of complete stress. So I entered the lock yesterday (6th September) at 3 pm and was freed today around 3:30 pm. First of all I have to say a massive thanks to Nick, Dan and the rest of the lads in blue, by their accounts it was the worst hang up in that lock. They worked tirelessly to free Badger. The moment I realised I was stuck was the most terrifying moment of my boating life. I was on the back of the boat as my friend opened the paddles, looking behind me to how close to the gates I was I heard the dreaded grating noise of metal against brick. As I turned back and realised I was stuck in a pinch point at the rear of the boat. Looking towards the bow I could see the front rising into the air at speed. I just managed to shout to my friend to drop the paddles which he did at great speed just as water started to come over the footplate and poured into the engine room. I jumped on to the door with windless handle in hand, luckily I was able to climb out and open the bottom paddle. The boat settled with an engine room half full of water, which I managed to pump out immediately. My whole life flashed In front of eyes in those seconds.Not something I ever wish to repeat again. Anyways, that’s the story

Much like some of the posters in the original thread, which I have just read, I find this type of thread rather saddening. I have a longstanding interest in the history of canals, going back over 40yrs. I had Richard Dean's map of the BCN on the wall of my room at University, rather than the standard student posters, and still really enjoy poking around the backwaters of the BCN, have worked on restoration projects and I particularly like the quirky smaller boats - the tugs and the iceboats. I was therefore absolutely delighted when Oates came up for sale at a time and a price when we could take it on. Oates is a family boat. My wife, daughters and I all enjoy boating. We have a historic licence discount and as part of that I feel an obligation to take Oates to places where it helps form part of an attraction and allows other people to enjoy seeing it. We take it to Ellesmere Port, we went to the tug gathering and after the BCN Challenge we left it on the BCN for an extra couple of weeks so that we could take it to the Bradley festival, which had asked for historic boats which were available to attend (we were one of four). For reasons of travel logistics and mooring fees, going to Bradley actually cost more than the historic boat discount, but I don't mind that, it was good to take it to a worthwhile event. I don't deny enjoying being at these gatherings, but that isn't the only reason we go. We have set up an information board and usually spend quite a few hours standing by the boat, chatting to visitors about the boat and the engine, and if it ties in I am always happy to let people see it running, show the start-up procedure etc. At Ellesmere Port we have been up to the water point and it always gets a lot of extra interest from visitors to see a boat moving through the locks. Rather like some other short boats including Sickle, many people appear to assume that because the boat is short it is easy to manoeuvre and must be shallow drafted, but it isn't on either count. Being very deep, we do tend to create movement as we pass boats, but I take it slowly, although I don't always guess how long it will take to slow down correctly as it is dependent on channel depth. Mostly I get smiles, waves, nods and thumbs up from boats we are passing so people generally seem happy to see and hear us pass (they also talk to me but it is much louder on the stern than people realise and I can't usually hear what they are saying). As anyone who read my recent comment regarding previous experience with some historic boat owners would be aware, I have also experienced unpleasant behaviour. It is definitely not universal by a very long way, but it does exist, just as it does with all types of boat owner. We sometimes need to get on but that's not about being historic - for us, boating is restricted to outside school times so if we are on the boat for the weekend then we need to get somewhere specific to pick up a car and get the children home at a reasonable hour to get ready for school on Monday. The mindset which some people without time constraints have does not quite apply to us, but that has nothing to do with being historic. We are also pretty efficient with locks and swing bridges and we often catch someone else up on a flight and give them a hand. I have done the Wolverhampton 21 in 1hr 20mins in the past, with a crew of three, so when we came down a couple of weekends ago and the queue built up to four boats with us at the back, that was not ideal and it took nearly 3hrs, but we still got home at a fairly reasonable hour so no issues, but I will admit that I wasn't hanging about on the clear bits of the Shroppie. I can empathise with @beerbeerbeerbeerbeer's observations on comments about continuous cruisers. Just because you happen to have a particular type of boat or use it in a particular way does not automatically mean you conform to someone else's stereotype. Alec

@KezzerN I'm so sorry you are feeling like this 😔. Please hang on in there as, by and large, this is a wonderful place with so many kind and helpful people. We all have bad days and people that, in the real world, we might not necessarily get on with and I guess it's the same here. I hope you have already had lots of help that shows you just how supportive it can be. The vast majority of us make no claim to be experts (unless we are talking about sewing, in which case I'm your gal!). Some of us (not me, I hasten to add) have an immense store of knowledge and know-how about all things boat. Hang on on there. From the reading of your threads it sounds like you've already achieved so much since you got your boat. Best, Marianne

I am going to keep asking basic questions and judging by some of the people I have met on the canals and some of the advice I have been given from people with narrowboats it is a shame they didn't try doing the same when they started out! If you don't want to answer those basic questions then don't, and you also have the option of blocking me so that you aren't inconvenienced by reading those questions!

Just had an offer accepted on Arden No 2 🙂 Many thanks to everyone who encouraged me to consider older boats, especially @agg221. It's a lovely boat, owned by the same couple since being built/rebuilt in 1990, and has been very well cared for. I must be mad!

I think everyone needs to calm down a bit and do what they can to find the boat. Rightly or wrongly I get the impression that the OP is not in a good place mentally at the moment (forgive me if I am wrong) and his helplessness and frustration at having his boat stolen are resulting in "flying off the handle) posts. On the other hand, I have felt the implications from some of the helpers posts that there was something "fishy" going on have not helped. Could I please ask everyone, new and old posters, to calm down and stop picking fights and try to locate the boat. It is the season of goodwill after all!

He was still steering this Summer when we saw him out with his family at Kingston on Thames. Damn good life and much joy was given to others. Sail on in Peace Tim

It's all very well wanting a thread that flags up experts, what we really need is a flag for posters who know absolutely nothing about narrowboats, don't own one, appear to have never been close to one, and offer stupid advice from a position of total ignorance.

Indeed. Most YouTubers are far more knowledgeable about making good videos than they are about boating. Mike Askin is a notable exception, I'd suggest. Even so, I'd suggest engaging astern under every bridge 'ole is a dopey idea. Knocking it out of gear and coasting through does much the same thing if you're worried, and slows the boat down less.

Sent last week on the Caldon. Met some egregious people. The people who helped my wife (and me!) with a stiff paddle on the staircase. Horrible. The people who found us a table in their pub despite it being clearly rammed to the gills with prebooked tables. Awful. The people who warned us of a hidden underwater obstacle at Cheddleton Flint mill. Vile. The dozen or so CRT volunteers doing a fabulous job clearing the towpath. Terrible people. Dreadful canal as well. All the locks working (bar the one stiff paddle), everything well maintained. I trust that fits in with the style of posting people like to read on here. I'd hate anyone to imagine we had a good time on a nice canal with some lovely people.

Oddly enough, I saw Captain Birdseye, and Mrs Birdseye out and about on the Macc today, and he said that there was recent speculation that I might have sold up. As Mac has mentioned, my wife died (7 years ago now), and that reduced my boating a bit and my posting. My boating from there on in was more focussed around going out at the same time as my daughter, Elizabeth, on her boat, but the end of her marriage in 2021 curtailed her boating too, whilst she got back on her feet. She has now sold her boat, and we are ALL getting back out on the canal on Mr Jinks in various combinations of me, daugher, her new husband, her children and stepchildren. The crew that frakhn saw would have been me on the tiller, and the teenage grandchildren working the lock whilst daughter had a nap below. Actually, probably just Nick (tall lad, 17 years old with long blond hair), because Tim who is 13 would have had some excuse for not helping! As I am back out there boating, and its lost none of its appeal, I will probably be back on the forum. Now, I've been out for a fortnight, so there is a plethora of things that I might want to comment on!!

I note that you have totally failed to answer the way forward question, apart from posting replies that basically say "you lot who abide by the rules keep on doing so, but allow me and others to break them at will and don't you dare get upset about our antics".

And just a bit of background for you. In 1990 (I think) British Waterways put up a bill in parliament, including a proposed requirement that all craft should have a permanent 'home' mooring. Objections were received on the basis that there were a small number of boaters who lived aboard and boated widely over the canal network throughout the year and had no need of a home mooring. They were generally retired, or worked as writers, artists etc. or were of independent means, and were not tied to a particular location for reasons of work, education etc. And so the 1995 Act included a provision for what are now termed 'continuous cruisers', who did not need a home mooring, but were required to travel throughout the period of their boat licence, not (normally) staying in one place for more than 14 days. But in more recent years, driven largely by housing costs, people who are tied to a location for work, education (or their children's education) or other local ties have moved onto boats and have interpreted the continuous cruising requirements as permitting a succession of 14 day stays in one place with only minimal travel between each stay. When there were only a few boaters doing this it didn't really cause any issues, and BW allowed the practice to go largely unchecked, and CCer boat numbers grew. A couple of attempts by BW to enforce greater movement in the courts failed because of the vague wording of the '95 Act, and since then BW and now CRT have only taken enforcement action against the very worst offenders. A number of issues now seem to have brought matters to a head: - the shear number of liveaboards particularly in London but also over much of the country, a concern which has been added to with the recent growth in the number of wide boats which can't be double-moored and so put even more pressure on available mooring space. - resentment from boaters who pay for a home mooring that CCers aren't paying their fair share, despite making more use of boater facilities (fresh water, rubbish and sewage disposal), and that the tendency of some CCers to occupy prime visitor moorings is making boating and visiting places along the canal more difficult for other boaters. - concern from local residents about noise and fumes of engines and generators running for hours to keep boat batteries charged, smoke from solid fuel stoves, allegations that toilets are being emptied directly into the canal etc. as well as the overall 'scruffiness' of some of the boats. - concern from local authorities that what are effectively permanent liveaboard areas (even if the individual boats keep swapping places) are de facto residential areas without planning approval and contrary to planning policies, and may not be of habitable standard (I.e. potential slums). - CRT's ability to manage the canals being hampered by the vague requirements of the '95 Act, the obligations imposed under the Human Rights Act where a boat is someone's home, the high cost of enforcement action if a non compliant boater has to be evicted (sometimes after years of legal proceedings). Hence CRT have set up the Commission to look into the issues, and to report back with suggested changes to CRT's licence terms and conditions, and potentially xhanges to the legislative framework. Edited to add: Composed this some hours ago but it didn't upload. So others have already made some of my points.

Yes, but I'm sure the old working boatmen pulled along the canal by horses would have said something similar about your engine.

It's a new cruising ring. If CaRT restore the lock in Chester you can do Chester to Hurleston, then up the Llangollen to the Ponty, make the leap down to the River Dee and back to Chester. Shooting the rapids and weirs of the Dee will be child's play after the Ponty jump. This boater clearly bottled out and throttled back the engine just before turning the tiller. Got to keep the revs on. Their other mistake was going against the water flow, slowing them down more. The correct way is to wind at Trevor to be heading downstream when making the jump. There are extra points for the number and style of turns and somersaults you can get in, plus the neatness of your entry in to the Dee. Bow first in to a field, with the stern pointing at the sky, or landing on the roof gets nil point.

On another topic there was a post from @Pluto with a picture of a large stationary steam engine at the brewery museum in Burton on Trent. I recognised it as I'd seen it's pair recently on my visit to a small museum in Norfolk and I posted a few pictures. @ditchcrawler replied that he lived not too far away and had never heard of this museum so I thought I'd share a few more pictures. I had come across the Forncett Industrial Steam Museum several years ago while browsing the internet but had forgotten all about it. My parents visited on a private tour earlier in the year and I went back with them a month ago on one of their steam days. It started as private collection belonging to an ex surgeon who still gives the guided tours and one who you can listen to for hours. He has a team of volunteers who look after the engines and it really is an amazing place with some impressive and unique engines. The twin of the engine mentioned in the other topic is a 1904 Robey engine from Sleaford Maltings. In the same part of the building there is a Hunter & English engine from Poplar gas works In the other part of the building is the engine which stated the collection, a 1897 Jessop & Appleby engine originally in the Crosse & Blackwell factory then later Sarsons vinegar. Next to that is a 1873 Hick Hargreaves from a lace factory in Nottingham. The big surprise is a Vickers Armstrong engine of 1941 which was the installed to supplement the original 1898 engines at Tower Bridge. It was removed and given to the museum when the bridge was converted to electric power in 1974. Through a door you find a Grimson & Co beam engine from the Hopwas Water Works. A separate building houses another beam engine made by Easton Anderson from the Roall pumping station in Eggborough. The last big engine is a Worthington Simpson engine built in 1937 from Dover Waterworks. There are other smaller engines and exhibits including a Soame Steam Cart All the engines in my pictures were in steam when I visited as well as a few others. I recommend anyone interested in that kind of thing to pay it a visit if you're in the area. https://www.forncettsteammuseum.co.uk/ I have no connection with the museum, only a very happy visitor.