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Scholar Gypsy

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Everything posted by Scholar Gypsy

  1. ... and on my greasers (I have one on a plummer block as well) I usually unscrew the top (so that you have a cylinder with nothing at either end), and that makes getting grease in and air out even easier.
  2. Rather fine new pontoon moorings at Gravesend, if you want to pause there. See photos here. The sea state was very calm, though the wash from passing ships and tugs was quite substantial. SPCC are doing this trip again on 7-8 June.
  3. Thanks again to all for their comments. I think I have seen the Chatteris town band on the DVD I have on the Middle Level ... In the end I had a spare day, and it was a toss-up between a diversion to Chatteris or an exploration of the Wissey. The Wissey won! The Nene was indeed fabulous, though it was a pity that the moorings at Cogenhoe are no more. I also tried the backwater at Nassington (there were narrow boats on the wharf) but gave up when I ran aground in soft mud... A few photos on the blog.
  4. Dear By'eck I look forward to meeting you - I have just done this trip, and took up my new mooring at Ely on Saturday. I think it may be possible to buy a gold licence from 1 Jan 2014 and to get a refund on the unused portion of your C&RT licence - I think that is what I did a few years ago when I switched from standard C&RT to a Gold licence. Then you need another one for 2015.
  5. There is clearly a large amount of cross subsidy between different users, depending on how much they move their boat and which waterways they use. That is unavoidable if one goes for a national C&RT licence rather than tolls (which would of course be easier to run nowadays using modern technology eg remote sensing, RFID chips etc etc - compare the debates on road pricing!). One could construct an argument that as canals are more expensive to maintain (for navigation purposes, eg electricity for back pumping) a canals only licence should be more expensive than an all system C&RT licence - comparing two users who do the same amount of cruising. For now I think the current system is OK. (I am a Gold licence holder).
  6. Dear June I cruised past a couple of days ago, on the way to Ely. My impression was that the park looked very tidy and well run. I didn't see the notice about how to enquire about moorings (as I recall, a phone number and a discouragement to call at the bungalow?) until I had nearly gone past. So I would suggest you might consider a notice at each end of the marina, saying who you are and whether/where/how visiting boats are encouraged to stop. In biggish letters, so we can read them... As I recall most of the earlier postings were about whether passing boaters could stop for the night, as proper overnight moorings are not that easy to find on the ML. We stopped for lunch for 30 mins by just tying up to the flood bank a few hundred yards further on, which was fine.
  7. Here is proof of one of my sons (I can't see which...) waterskiiing on the Wissey - very clean water
  8. There are also staithes (rather than wharves) in Norfolk (e.g. Well Creek, the River Wissey, which I have visited this week).
  9. they have also done the tidal thames, very useful if you want to know where brentford creek is ...
  10. I would recommend looking out for the entrance to brentford dock marina, a small lock & lots of 1970s flats. the creek is just after that on the left....
  11. Many thanks - that's very helpful. The walk will be good for me! I hope to be there on Friday 18th, in advance of locking out at Salters Lode on Saturday. It all rather depends how I get on on the Nene.
  12. Does anyone have any fairly recent experience of where is the best place to moor to visit Chatteris (on the Middle Level) for a couple of hours? I can see two bridges, one (west) on a slight bend and the other (east) on a straight bit. Many thanks
  13. The previous ship lock was 350 x 60 ' - you can still see one of the inner gates. There is a photo somewhere here of the last cruise before the new lock was built inside it in the late 1980s. The most I have seen in the new lock is five narrowboats at a time. I don't believe the 30 foot width measurement - closer to 25 feet (three boats plus a bit of air). The spectacle the OP records will be repeated this year on Saturday 17th May, at approximately 1200 - the Limehouse-Margaretness-Brentford/Teddington cruise. (Low Water at Woolwich is 1015).
  14. This is what you need for timings: http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/5113.pdf More advice here - in essence leave Brentford as soon as you can (2 hours before HW Brentford, ie 1 hour before HW London Bridge).
  15. My last trip through Netherton was enlivened by a workboat moored up (and I think/hope with nobody on board) in the middle, with a rather feeble flashing orange light. That was quite disconcerting. In general I would say Blisworth is more interesting/fun/eerie, especially if you stop and have a look into the side adit - for some reason one of the ventilation shafts was sunk about 15 feet off to the side.
  16. I think the Farmington Canal, also known as the New Haven and Northampton Canal, would have gone quite close to Yale, though I am not sure if there was a lock of that name there. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmington_Canal
  17. I believe that at Bell Weir some of the [edited] gate paddles squirt water into pipes laid along the bottom of the lock with holes in, so the water comes up from the bottom of the lock thoughout its length. Sandford is a bottom filler as well, I am sure.
  18. The advice above is correct. However there are some SPCC members (eg me...) who might be able to come along with their radio & licence (and lifejacket). If you are interested please send me a PM.... [oops I see I have said that already on a previous post].
  19. I have on occasion steered single handed, but using the long pole from the stern. I find this is OK provided you go slowly; and that way you are near to the engine controls.
  20. Is the C really a G? In which case could it be Tipton Green? And is there a T at the end of the inscription as well? NB also the padlock hasp and chain, and the slightly unusual paddle arrangement (more common on the T&M than the BCN?).
  21. Dudley Castle? http://www.dudleyzoo.org.uk/
  22. I believe it is reopening on April 12th, with a history day organised by the friends on Sunday 13th But the official website does not give an opening date yet ...
  23. I was going to suggest the Warwickshire ring - Warwick Castle has a good dungeon though I found it a bit synthetic. Or what about a trip based around London - there is at least one company that will let you take a boat through the middle of London (Tower Bridge etc) and then you could pootle up to Windsor. The lower Grand Union (once you get to Uxbridge) is rather fine. http://canalplan.org.uk/ may help you with cruising hours etc..
  24. Yes - St Pancras are organising a trip on 10th May (with Deptford Creek an optional extra on the 11th). Details are here - places are booking up fast, I gather.
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