Neil TNC

AFAIK Harefield Marina polytunnel would accomodate a 13ft wide boat

A month or so ago our lift booking was delayed a couple of hours, due to back log from the sump pump failure episode. Jason the chief honcho came out to apologise, especially as CaRT were unable to update mobile contact no, after telling them 2 times. He said funding in place for stoppage starting end of next season. They have done a drop test on the rams (left cassion up at night) and the seals are holding up, but will need to be replaced soon. This can be done with the rams in situ, but the cassions must be parked up on emergency frames, then disconnected. There is also a lot of corrosion to be attended to, as well as the guillotine seals. He said work will take at least 18 months, assuming nothing else found.

We managed half an hour, as having done the Walsall Canal, we wanted to get to Pelsall that night.

Search Ebay for Aquasignal, there is one listed

He thought there had been another incident between the 2 boats. Steve was wrong side of other boats approaching the lock, as he was heading for that free mooring, but was beaten to it, but that did not excuse what happened. The locky said it was a shame as he acutaully read, and liked some of Steve's musings. Steve has owned NB Justice for rathger longer than the 23 years we have owned NB Earnest, so should know how to handle it. We are all getting a little passed it, we created a bit of a comedy incident, as I flung the stern rope, not over bollard, but into the water...twice. I don't know what the attraction of the moorings, that far from Henley central are...should you actually want to moor there. We managed 7 days on the Thames without mooring problems, or paying for a mooring.

I know Steve, and was in two minds about this incident. A couple of months ago we passed thro Marsh Lock and the happy chappie locky recognised the TNC narrowboat. We had a good chat, the subject of Steve came up....he saw the whole incident.

Not exactly, I think I have a spare set in the bilge, but I am not going over to Ireland anytime soon

It is an Aquasignal Model40. I have them on my abandoned barge

https://www.mdwoodtech.co.uk/ AFAIK this firm makes them for most of the major window manufacturers. We we going to use them in the failed "last boat project"

We have a habit of taking some of the last pictures of historic ships. Asgard II, June 2008, Dublin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asgard_II

A real shame, we saw her when we were down in Liverpool last July

Funny you should say that, I have not carried the Porto-Power kit for years, but will be bringing it up. Earnest has a recent new plummer block top rudder bearing and shaft. Even though I have kept the shaft to inner bearing cup interface oiled, and the allen key grub screws free, the bloody thing is stuck. I always like to keep this free, so easy to drop the rudder in emergency. The hydraulic wedgy will soon shift it! As for the scaffold pole, we used it twice last year on the swing bridges on the Leeds and Liverpool. Others recommend a watering can as essential kit. If a bridge is stuck, due to expansion in the heat (remember those days?!), all you have to do is cool the tie rods, which contract and lift the bridge deck ends.

I now see ready made ones were available! I flattened the end of ours with that other essential bit of kit, our sledge hammer.

4ft of scaffold pole with flattened end. (ideal for shifting stuck CaRT swingbridges etc)

By strange coincidence, our last three boats were built by people who grew up near the Nene, NB Beatty was fitted by Phil Gardner of Waterways Services, Nether Heyford. Ray of R&D, who built NB Earnest was born in Nothampton, both were staunchly Nen. Steve Nott, who built Barge Maurice A was born and bred in Peterborough was very much in the Neen camp. The only controversial place name round here is Ruislip. One of my old mate's great grandma (first generation Metrolander) always called it Rooslip.

No it dosen't. It was shallowed at the Council Depot turn in 2001ish. The furtest we ever got up there was in Beatty in 1998. http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_98/index.html Earnest did go quite a way further up the "Upper Nene" in 2001 http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_01/fen33.html Looking forward to going under Exhibition Bridge again and seeing all the places on the Fens where we now can't go. OMG a TNC posting on Canalworld...and I even peeked at Facebook!!!!

Only in the barge x 2, they white and Green/red diesel. These are both worth while being 800l each. I would not have thought it worth while on a narrowboat, unless in engine room of a trad.

That will teach me to cut and paste. I was intrigued by the obvious fuel car, so Googled it that way.

818 & 820 cross Cypress Creek whilst hauling FEC121-20 from Jacksonville Bowden Yard to Miami Hialeah, 21 Nov 2017. On 9 November 2017, the Florida East Coast Railroad officially unveiled its modified fleet of 24 GE ES44AC locomotives, to run on LNG, which operate in pairs with a purpose-built fuel tender supplied by Chart Industries, United States.

Thanks for that. Even better for me was the link to the last steam Woolwich ferries. Many a happy trip on these with my grandad, who worked in the docks. That smell of hot oil, steam and churned Thames water came flooding back.

A sad loss to the Irish Waterway community. I first met Brian virtually on the canals list and uk.rec. He was a true gentleman and generous with his time and knowledge. We soon became firm friends and he introduced me and the TNC crew to the Irish waterways, often driving us (sometimes at immense speed in his Subaru!) around all of Ireland to show us the latest restoration, or interesting bit of waterway. One memorable trip was a rather speedy trip down the Grand, into Dublin, where we got accused of "intimidating" the Waterways Ireland staff! On another occasion we got involved in an IWAI Branch waterways quiz. Brian was on our team, and due to his knowledge we trounced the other teams...even though they were using their phones, under the table! Brian at the controls of his mighty barge - Knocknagow

That would be 1972 in a Dawncraft Dandy, hardly any draught. I have tried a few times in our own boats and always failed at the gravel bar. This years tour included a trip up the Golley. We watched from the basin as an AngloWelsh hire boat made a bold (unintentional) attempt at getting further. After much trashing a private boat came out of the basin and snatched them off.

TNC Trip up Wandle/BellCreek in 2006. The half tide weir was inoperable then and kept in down position. Local TNC member had done reccy at LW, to check out obstructions. http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_06/Tour06_Deptford_Creek_Wandle.html

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