Tacet

Wikipedia is very detailed. But it doesn't say why the first link between Limehouse Cut and Regent's Canal Dock was filled-in, when the river lock serving the Cut was reinstated. Surely it would have been useful to unload the coasters in the basin before taking timber up the Lee. I seem to recall being told the the short link leaked - but is that correct?

And planks as well as sheets as in the art of poling and waling (which has a nice ring to it) to support the sides of a trench. The poling planks are/were typically about the same section scaffold boards; they are placed vertically against the trench side with the foot buried a little. The horizontal waling at higher level is kept apart by timber or steel struts.

Burscough is good

I saw a couple of teenagers scale that chimney; it scared me

On my visit-before-last, Well Creek was not navigable and our route across the Middle Level included Horseway and Welches Dam locks, the Old Bedford River and onto the Greater Ouse via the sluice adjacent to the Salters Lode Lock. I struggle to keep up with all the changes

Closing all gates wasn't a general rule on the southern waterways in the early 1970s although dropping the paddles was. I recall my father saying that the practice differed around a particular point/line. But I can't remember where it was - and if I could, it would only to lead to arguments. It would make some sense as the southern GU, Thames, Lee, Medway, Kennet and Wey are rarely short of water. The southern Oxford might be an exception.

The lantern on the far left is a Tllley AL8, mostly used as a trackwork lamp. Bit disappointing really, as Tilley made models particularly for use in tunnels. The larger lantern (not in this picture) is an FL6. Don't know what the other lamp in the above picture is; I suspect it is a nasty electric gadget supplied by the funny box close to it

Please sir, I have been through that lock. There was an IWA at Chelmsford in the early 1970s which we attended in a trailed boat.

Most thread systems, including metric, have clumsy changes in sizes. For example 3mm to 3,5mm is proportionately a larger change than 5.5mm to 6mm; same applies to pitch. The BA system (much loved of Bizzard and his Meccano sets) has the advantage in in its constant 0.9 factor and is metric inasmuch as it starts with BA 0 at 6mm diameter with a 1mm pitch. And with Whitworth, at least a spanner with 1/4" marked on it fits a 1/4" nut or bolt. Unless you try to interchange before and after the AF size was reduced, which wasn't so clever.

United Nations Fread

The Huddersfield Narrow is one where you best keep one person on the bank and one person on the boat or you're likely have tears.

I doubt it would run for ever -even if you drew no power from it

Getting stuck in Harecastle tunnel in a kayak at midnight is a bit odd. Were they exploring the old tunnel?

Which tunnel? If you want to become trapped, it would be easier to use the Brindley tunnel

This was a good while back - before the lock was reduced in size. I seem to recall that after a few years, the tide data was available in digital form but was rather expensive. Copying across manually was a liability as a simple mistake would cause problems. Rather more sentimentally, I recall using the dock and lock in the early 1970's. The wharves were still active, loading scrap metal. And there would be one or two enormous boats in the basin with crews speaking strange languages. It was a secretive place.

Years ago, BW was inconsistent about the Limehouse Lock opening times to the extent it was frequently not available when one reasonably thought it was to be. If you complained, there was invariably a new, previously un-mentioned rule. For example, if the opening times would otherwise mean a period of less than an hour, it didn't open at all. Or different for days following bank holidays etc. So having asked for ALL the rules, my Dad and brother wrote a programme which they applied to the next year's tidetable and BW was asked to confirm the lock would be manned at the stated times - which it did. More surprisingly BW asked how much it would cost to produce the schedule for subsequent years and then took up the offer. The time-consuming element was entering the HW at London Bridge times from Old Moore's Almanac

Try putting the torque wrench on another bolt somewhere else. You will then have a reasonably good feel for use with the open ended spanners.

This could take a while - but let's try the Pirate Castle at Camden

Did your school say, like mine, that knowledge of Latin would be useful on occasions?

See this and others... https://www.luptonfawcett.com/about-us/blog/landlords-should-understand-the-april-2020-changes-to-private-residence-relief/ My understanding is that any capital gain over the entire period of ownership is broadly pro-rata'd according to the period of primary residence and letting. The slight twist is that the final 9 months (used to be 18 months and before that, three years) is effectively exempt. The liked article refers to any gain made in this period - but I am pretty sure it is just a pro-rata adjustment rather than a separate calculation of gain in that period. If that is correct, the calculations partly depend on whether your period of occupation included the last nine months, as I don't think you can claim twice for the same period. The government is fond of fiddling with the CGT reliefs - so it could easily change again.

Apologies for hijacking this thread - I would like to put a 296 type filter into a heating oil line. At the moment there is a really tiny filter at the joining of a 3/8 copper to 10mm plastic (underground) pipe. Is there is a BSP filter head? I can't find a 1/2 UNF male to 10mm compression fitting.