Grebe

We had a red roof and apart from the metal getting hot, we had problems with the paint fading. (It is a particular problem with red because of the 'safe' pigments used). When we repainted we settled on a light grey roof. No glare, cooler to touch and no fading.

Hi Tone, We were 'out and about' by road at Barmby on Thursday. We knew a boat was due 1400ish but had gone to Melbourne by then so missed the live show. Yes we went to the Kings Head for lunch. Excellent with a capital E. Are you waiting for the bridge at Wheldrake Ings? what is the normal headroom there ? Regards Mal

We've been using a Wallas hob for 11 years. It has never fully let us down but has needed servicing such as new fuel needles and a noisy fan motor replacement, but we wouldn't change. We got the warm-air lid conversion and it provides about 1.2 kw of heat into the cabin on cooler days.

Yes Carole at Broadland Memeories would love to add your tales and pictures to the archive.

Phylis, thanks for doing the picture. RLWP and Iain_s, thanks for your comments confirming our suspicions. We had not considered the pressure equalization point before. Regards Mal

On Sunday we helped an apprehensive crew of a narrowboat through their first lock - quietly and slowly (there were no other boats about). Surely everyone remembers their first lock? It was great being a part of that crew's story. I can remember my first lock. As a teenager, boating with my parents, having read up on what to do at locks before we collected our hired narrowboat (first boat with a tiller). We must have been delayed on our journey because we arrived at the bottom lock of the Llangollen in deep dusk, it was cold, windy, with drizzle in the air. Oh joy. Dad and I worked the lock, but I don't remember the details - only of him wearing a black overcoat and getting more up-tight about what we were doing. But, nevertheless, married and many years later, a boat owner and still a boating nut. Christine

Not sure what they were for. Swing bridges would seem pointless as there are other fixed bridges and the remaining abuttments/narrows are very high and substancial. They also have pools behind them. We are now thinking they are inverted syphons that were used to get canal over existing drains/ditches at the time of construction. Normal practice would have been to put the canal on an embankment with proper culverts. Perhaps the needs of the flood plain, River Aire levels etc. required a more radical approach.

Yesterday we were at West Haddlesey on the Selby Canal doing some photography and a bit of walking. We walked up to the narrows that look like an aqueduct but there was no watercourse. Having looked at maps and images along the canal there are similar structures. Does anyone know what they were originally bulit for?

The watch-word is always be alert. Work paddles gradually, watch what the boat is doing, keep eye contact with the person on the boat, ignore by standers if needs be. After clearing the weed hatch run the prop in both directions to check that the seal is effective.

What about Smith's Flour Mill in Worksop? Big yard, next to canal, non-towpath, used to vehicle movements...