Hastings

The boat in LMS colours is Tebay, built in 1929 - and it was one of the boats converted to be a long distance butty. But it's now about 52'

Sorry, but we can only reserve places within the three pounds we use for the event, so we have no control over who moors around the Weaver aqueduct. It will be first come, first served. Best of luck! Peter

I'm not trying to defend the shelf, but I believe that much of the Shroppie was in any case built as a V section, with a flat bottom, so sides were not vertical, and mooring would always have been difficult. This ties in with the fact that this canal (Birmingham & Liverpool Junction, from Cut End at Autherley to Nantwich) was built for fly-boating, where boats would only stop at wharves - which of course still have vertical sides. There was then no need to stop anywhere else.

We're still hoping to go ahead with the event on 24/25 July (Boris permitting!) We have 27 boats booked in, so there's space for a few more. Please contact us to book a place.

No, it wasn't that photo or even a GW prairie, but was taken, if I can remember right, in the nineteenth century when railway branch lines were being built. But I have no idea where it was, or where I saw it. It was probably like the photo of the prairie - photo taken during a flood, or photoshopped (except there weren't such things when I saw the photo).

There was one canal (but I can't remember which) where they laid railway track along the canal bed and ran trains in the canal, but I don't think this experiment lasted long. The bow wave must have done some damage, and there might have been some rust problems?

Absolutely right Dave. I recently talked to Harry Arnold's widow and daughter about this, but I suspect that it might be a slow process. There were rather a lot of photos! Peter

You can get all the Working Waterways series (and hundreds of other canal books and guides) at canalbookshop.co.uk, or call at Audlem Mill on the Shroppie.

John I'd love to get John to record his canal related experieces, as it would make fascinating reading, but I fear it won't happen. I've known John for nearly 40 years on and off, and I have heard lots of experiences. I gather that his first canal related role was as office boy in about 1948 or 1949 in the IWA office in Robert Aickman's house in Gower Street, WC1. Perhaps his memories on that might be interesting!

To clarify the rights to books. The first eight of the ten books in the Working Waterways series were published by Mark Baldwin in the 1980s-1990s with permission of the copyright owners, though some had (due to having been written often much earlier) been previously put out by other publishers. John Lawes published the final two, again with permission, after having acquired the rights to the first eight books from Mark Baldwin. Hence there is another edition of "Maidens' Trip" available, and possibly of another title. We at CanalBookShop at Audlem Mill are now the sole distributor to the trade of the whole series (on behalf of John Lawes/Belmont). John also acquired the rights from Robert Wilson to his wonderful series of books, most having been written by Robert or by Alan Faulkner, who both died reasonably recently. John issued new editions of two or three titles under his Belmont imprint, including a much enlarged version of "FMC". Again, we are the distributor for that series of books. This fits in with our canal book publishing portfolio, which concentrates on books of a historical nature. I believe that in the past, Belmont might have published new editions of, or reprinted, one or two books first published by David & Charles, who of course started with exclusively canal and railway books, only to move away from them almost completely.

We at Audlem Mill (CanalBookShop) still buy books wholesale from John Lawes at Belmont in Harrow, and in fact we are now the sole trade distributors for the ten books in the Working Waterways series to which he has the publishing rights (e.g. Idle Women, Maidens' Trip, Troubled Waters) - which we have listed on Amazon - and the Robert Wilson series (e.g. FMC, The George & The Mary) - most of which we have on Amazon. He still operates Belmont (1948) from his house in Harrow, where he has lived for decades. (Note that he has traded as The Belmont Press, also for decades, but is not connected to the printing company with the same name in Northampton.) John is 92 tomorrow, and is naturally slowing down and doing less - which is why we now distribute some of the poular titles for him. And just to clarify, Mark is John's son, but Anne is his daughter. And it was John who ran a canal holiday booking service in, I believe, the 1960s-80s, and who had a small hire fleet. To my knowledge, John has been involved with canals since about WW2, and he was one of the earliest IWA members. He was also a keen folk dancer and barn dance caller, and is still involved with a model railway society. I must confirm that the business is still very much in John's hands, and is fully operational (apart from any delays caused by COVID). Peter Silvester

We're planning the annual gathering of historic boats at Audlem, which will be held on 24/25 July 2021 (Boris permitting). Already, 20 boats have booked in. Please email info@audlemmill.co.uk with any enquiries or to book a boat in, or phone Peter on 01270 811059 (applications can only be accepted for ex-working boats built up to 1962). Please note that we do not have commercial stands at this event.

CRT advised yesterday that Hack Green Lock will be closed for repair from Wednesday 21 October; repairs likely to take one week. Last passage through for the week will be Tuesday 20th, up to 2.30pm

CanalBookShop has the widest selection of canal books and guides in Britain, and we've been selling them for 10 years or more. We post anywhere in the world. But we have the same problem at the moment - several Nicholsons guides have been out of print for quite a while; currently, four are awaited. Check our website at https://canalbookshop.co.uk/nicholsons.html for the latest availability.

Just in case you're interested, we are publishing a new edition of John Knill's Navy, with some original photos, plus many others. It should be available by late summer/early autumn. Peter, CanalBookShop

The Audlem gathering on 25/26 July has just been cancelled, and we're planning for the 2021 event on 24/25 July

Various pounds at Audlem have been low or empty over the last week, due, as has been said, to virtually no flow coming down through Adderley, where the canal is still closed until a dam round the repair site can be removed (the dam men might be busy somewhere else with floods?). So it's pretty academic whether the Audlem flight is open or not. If going up, you reach Adderley locks - closed, and no winding hole when you get there. If going down, you can get to Barbridge, where again there's a closure awaiting dam removal, and nowhere to turn. And Hurleston bottom lock (where at least you can turn) will be closed for the next ten days.

You can also get Richard Dean's historic map of Birmingham canals from CanalBookShop

We definittely have a couple of copies of Ray Shill's book "The Industrial Canal, The Railway Interchange Trade" at CanalBookShop. This is the standard (and perhaps only) work devoted to railway interchange basins, and it's required reading if you want to know about them. We also have "The Other Sixty Miles". These books are of course secondhand. We may have a copy of the Blue Book, correctly known as "Birmingham Canal Navigations, A Cruising and Walking Guide", but I can't check tonight.

The gathering of historic boats at Audlem on the Shroppie will be held on 25/26 July. It's open to ex-working boats built up to 1962. Please contact Peter and Christine Silvester at Audlem Mill if you'd like to bring your boat - 01270 811059 or info@audlemmill.co.uk

I'll get some DVDs ordered, then let you know. Peter

The film was produced by four friends in 1964, one (Geoffrey Hart) being the father of the university friend who got me into canals back in 1965. It was Geoffrey, I believe, who wrote the script. We at Audlem Mill released the film as a DVD a while ago, although we sold out a couple of weeks ago. We can get more done if anybody's interested. The film was shot about 1962-63; it took a while to process the film and release it.

Thanks - I'll put copies aside.

We have a couple of copies of the "Blue Book", and The Other Sixty Miles, at Audlem Mill

Tam and Di I was involved a little with the similar (but much smaller) event in Braunston Church last December, which attracted about 70 visitors. This year, the event will be held in a large marquee at the Marina, with the day split into sessions of an hour at most - probably a bit less to allow one audience to leave and another arrive. The books being discussed are Di's books (at 12.45), Tony Lewery's new book Off the Mainline, Leo McNeir's canal murder novels, Tom Chaplin's recent book Narrow Boats, Great Canal Journeys with Tim and Pru West, and a book that has nothing to do with canals, A Nun's Story by Sister Agatha. There's also a childrens' session, looking at Dan Clacher's Muddy Waters series. In each session, there will be a person who talks to the author about their book(s), and this might of course widen up to their life with canals. In your case, the 'interviewer' will be Cassandra McNeir, wife of Leo, and cookery writer - in Canal Boat magazine, and a few books. There will be early evening entertainment, with Timothy West and Prunella Scales performing their favourite passages from Shakespeare – with musical accompaniment. Tim/Braunston Marina are funding all the costs of putting this event on, and visitors will pay £10 per session, with all profits going to the Sinking Fund of Friends of Raymond (except that money from the Sister's session will go to a convent). My involvement this year is to provide a CanalBookShop sales stall where visitors can buy the books covered in the sessions. I will contact you direct about this. Do contact me if I've missed something, and I'll try to help. Peter Audlem Mill