Neil TNC

So sorry to hear this. Bruce was one of the Old School internet boaters and will be missed by many.

My money is on the next lock up, Newton Top No23, GU Leics Line, Taken from Lock No24 Picture taken a couple of weeks ago. It would appear that the rear extension to the lock cottage is recent.

I have already bought one of these for my new build: https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4908854 Bush AG56TB 50cm Twin Cavity Gas Cooker - Black 490/8854 - £219. 50cm wide, 60cm deep, 90cm high. It DOES come with lpg jets and is an easy conversion. ffd's on all burners. Twin cavity, NO GLASS LID, NO FAN and easy conversion from 240vac ignition to 12vdc. using this; https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/products/ignition-conversion-kit-12v-series-9-hob-gc-154 I also converted lamp in main cavity to 12v, with a high temp bulb I had floating about (these now seem hard to get) Over hanging back corners, mean it will be easy to bolt down. Bench tested at home. Seems quite well built, better than the New World on the barge.

In Ireland a lot of the local boaters refer to the narrowboats over there as "English Barges". WBNB's are always referred to as barges.

Just imagine the fun we are going to have in Ireland, where 8 miles of the Shannon-Erne waterway is the border and even the locals would be hard put to find the border in the Upper Erne. Spot the "UK"/EU border (one of the Upper Erne "loops")

I had the same trouble, when you get to a certain age things like this really bug you. For years I remembered a ghostly tv series with weird credits - abandoned night scene of funfair in full swing, with no one present. Someone on a random group told me what it was!

The only series I remember somewhat like you describe is: http://cult-tv-lounge.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-gold-robbers.html

The first image shows the end a couple of weeks ago. It there is a water point to that side (extreme left of image) then I would not attempt to get to it. The mooring the other side had at least one supermarket trolley. This is why we (To Mrs TNC's disappointment) did not stop for lunch. The other image shows the view from the end.

It was certainly very navigable a few weeks ago. Any weed up to HLY had been trashed, mostly by their fat hire boat. OK up to around St Mary's Road Bridge No9. From here to the end (easy wind) there was a lot of blanket weed mixed with a little plastic, just do this on tick-over. No idea if the water tap is still there, we did no stop. One of our fastest passages, only two trips down the weed hatch!

Our own fine craft (soon to be retired from the fleet) comes about as close to your wish list in a go everywhere length. Rear double bunk cabin with single dinette/hip bath/fixed double/double dinette/240v from inverter or Travelpower/Miele washer-dryer/self pump-out macerator toilet/large water, diesel, calorifier and waste holding tanks/ample storage/ 440Ah domestic battery bank/diesel and solid fuel heating http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/earnest/index.html Recent upgrades include a Trojan domestic battery bank/Merlin SmartBank, Smartguage/ Victron inverter/charger and a Villager Puffin Mk2 stove. Earnest has recently had a lot of work done on it - alternators/rudder/rudder bearings/cutlass stern tube bearing/gearbox/bow thruster brushes/drive plate/fenders/cratch cover/rear cover/blacking/anodes/hull plates thickness survey.

I have not seen this for a while, it is really looking quite neat. I suppose we will pass it on out way back up the GU to Teletubby-Ashby-land.

Nah...he has got a lifeboat!

..or get a kink in their flexi discharge hose??

I find this one a bit waring

Mmmmm...Mrs TNC is impressed!