G4YVM

Well I am a proppa G4...because before that I was a G8 so I think that counts. G8YJI in fact...if youve got a QSL card of mine from the 80s I'd love to see it. A pilot...no, I drive boats around the airport on wet days. On dry days it's just Thomas Cook jets!!! Buying a boat is an interesting option, cheaper than a flat I guess but as you say, a depreciating asset (does that make it a liability??) Lots to chew over D

I dont know whether this is going to go anywhere, but bear with me...even though to almost everyone I am essentially a stranger here! I live darn sarf in Salisbury but soon will have to go the Birmingham area to work for a few days each week, weekdays and weekends, who knows. I will obviously need somewhere to live and as my job is basically shift work (Im a pilot) my comings and goings are at odd hours of the day and night. I would be happy to travel up to about 40 minutes each way to the airport. I can either get a b and b, or rent a room somewhere or, it occurred to me, try to live on a canal boat. Is this likely to be a possibility do you think? Can I rent a vessel for this purpose? Does anyone have a boat they might want someone on a few nights or days a week throughout the winter to keep it warm and safe? I have rented boats in the past, and borrowed boats from friends so Im a safe pair of hands and it will only be me on board, no family etc etc. David

Thank you all. Sorry for miss-spelling the old girls name too. D

Quick question: My brother says that if the Pontycyssilt aqueduct iced up it would burst open, destroying it. I say because its open at both ends and the top too, ice will have no damaging effects. Who is right? D

Thanks Nick. How long did the whole trip, A to A take you? David

Yes, it was the mine that freaked me out. D

I stumbled across this book whilst on holiday last week. I thought, well, it worth a punt. Wow. What a book. I can honestly say I had the worst nights sleep after reading a few stories that I can recall. Very, very creepy but well written. D

Yes, but please don't assume that I DID refuse to let the faster boat get past and carried on for miles! D

Yes in fairness there were some lovely people, notably the owner of Eleventh Heaven and Mick of Enchanted, whom I led both ways through the narrow sections to save him having to run around like a blue arsed fly. Nice blokes, both of them. Nice boats too! D

Im sure I was over sensitive as I was trying to de-stress!! Im already looking at next years trip: I would love to do the Huddersfield and go through the Standedge Tunnel. Anyone got any thoughts on this? (mods, Im happy to start a new thread if you think thats best) David

Well we had great weather for a weeks hire from Anglo Welsh. I started at Trevor, turned left across the Ponty, got as far as the Monty and diverted for two days to Maesbury. Re entered the Llan and went to Ellesemere, then back up to Llan itself for a very nice overnight before turning round and returning to Trevor. Impressions. Anglo Welsh: Pretty good. The boat, Lacewing, a 65 footer, was not bad at all. Everything worked and worked fine. Couple of niggles: the potable water pump was a "fortnight" pump (too weak!) and the ropes provided were risible. Three lines, fore, mid and aft, of about twenty foot each. They did the job but no more. I'd use AW again though, and thats the final arbiter. The Llangollen itself...I think I'll steer clear in future. The bit into Llan was great and e enjoyed it, and the basin, but the stretch from Trevor to the Monty is populated by rude nutters. I was overtaken three times on the first afternoon by some very clever Number 1s who oh so clearly knew that I was utterly incompetent because I was hiring. At one point I was coming round a blind corner that was too tight for my boat so I was, I admit, straddling the centre of the canal. Because of this I made sound signals and proceeded dead slow in accordance with the colregs. Around the corner came a smart Number 1 doing flank speed! He slammed it into a canal churning reverse, lost all steerage and rammed the bank. He then lectured me on the rules of the road. I said something like "sorry mate, cant hear over the noise of your engine" and drove away. Even if I was doing it all wrong (I wasnt), his speed was daft. He lost control, not me. On another occasion I came through the ellesmere tunnel which ends in a blind corner. Once again, sound sigs and dead slow ahead. As I was halfway through around pops another Number 1, slams into reverse and gives me a dirty look. When in ear shot he says "didnt you hear my sound signal???" I replied, "No, sorry. Didnt you hear mine?" He mumbled no and prepared for another go. I could have had some sympathy if he was single handed but he had a surfeit of crew and and could easily have sent someone ahead for a look. There's no escaping the fact that hirers are treated like dirt on the llan! Then there's the Canal Boat Club! Stories for another day. All in all, I am glad I did the Ponty and would recommend anyone to do it, after that do the Monty, which is lovely. Then do another canal, the Llan isnt worth the hassle in summer. I have a feeling it might be bliss in the winter though. David

Why do people put this stuff in bags anyway? Seemingly Invariably (though there must be some exceptions) the bags then get hurled into bushes and trees to hang there in perpetuity like some sick Christmas bauble. Shitmas bauble. It bugs me everywhere I go... Little bags of dog poo. Why???? David

Thanks! D

Reading a few books makes it plain that a motor boat might not steer well under tow, certainly not as well as a genuine butty might. Did / do butties have bigger rudder blades? David

Just started Bread Upon the Waters when No 1 plopped through the letter box. I had a quick look and was gripped. Foxon's is a good author, his stuff is very readable. D

I wanted to, I would have offered myself as crew, but work have got first dibs and they seem to expect me to go in ! I'm really miffed because until now I was really hoping to get along. Never done it before. I hope there will be photos! David

Thanks. I'll look for Foxon's other books too. I have read Narow Boat by Rolt but dint like it t all. D

I bought a few of the books I was recommended...AfO was the first to be read. Superb read! Thanks for the advice. Bread Upon the Waters next! David

He's right though. It is stupid and Guy comes across as as smart as my whippet! And he might be a nice guy but he's a dreadful presenter, chief. And his name should not be in the same sentence as Dibnah's, chief. Caught unawares, Guy thought cotton came from a sheep's back, chief! Twice. D

Spent a very pleasant hour or two at Bratch yesterday watching the boats going through Brindley's remedial work! One foreign crew (three couples) made a right hard job of steering, but they redeemed themselves by inviting my boys aboard to go through the locks with them. Great fun. I remember doing that s a teenager: being invited aboard a boat and travelling for miles before they said " when do you want to get off?" to which I replied " I dont care, I live the way weve just come!" But can you imagine this behaviour elsewhere? Hello little boys, please get in my car! Something about canals I guess. D

Ah I hasn't realised the book was so old. If its not in print I wonder if it would be worth contacting the author or copyright owner to ask whether someone could produce an ebook from it? D

Tried to order TO60M but my bank don't do cheques, so emailed for other options. However in looking at the Wiki entry I came across the article on Lapal disused and the tunnel. I'm impressed that some people see a dried up cut and seriously then endeavour to re-open it. Truly impressive I'll order the blue book too! Who wrote TBB? D

Thanks Richard I'll look into that BCN challenge. D

Just reading Tom Foxon's book Anderton for Orders and mentions the places in my thread title. Do they still exist? How much of the old BCN does still exit? I grew up around Tipton and Dudley, so knew the area quite well but very rarely went into Brum. David