[Sanitary (?) Facilities on The Shroppie]

I used the showers in Norbury back in July and was pleasantly suprised. I found it to be a nice service block.

I trued to use the showers in Norbury in August but they were out of order, also had the issue of there being no tap on the elsan but somebody left a handy milk container to fetch water from the water point. WA was in full working order.

[Historic Boats for sale online]

Not on any list yet, but this lovely Yarwood and Sons tug appeared today, quickly snapped as I cruised home from work.

 

That looks very nice.

[Have you ever fallen into the canal?]

I've been in a few times, mostly when I did turn round as a kid and used to wash hire boats. One occasion was slipping between two breasted up boats which could of been worse than it was. The most recent was a couple of years back coming round Sutton Stop in the wind and rain, I got pinned to the bridge 'ole so walked down the side to push off and slipped but had a good hold so only went in to my knees, it was raining so hard that I didn't get any wetter.

[Engine Starting Issue]

Any chance of a picture?

Not at the moment as I am at home again.

[Engine Starting Issue]

I have a Vetus M4.14 and it is becoming a bit of a pain to start, sometimes having to try up to 10 times. What is strange though is the randomness as yesterday I arrived at the boat having not been there for a couple of weeks, turned the key and the engine fired first time. Today when I tried to start it it took about 15 attempts before it started. When it doesn't start I just get a click and then nothing. I have had the starter battery checked by an electrician when he was doing some wiring for me and he has said the battery is good. Any ideas on what else to check...?

[Continuous Cruising?]

There was mention in one of the canal mags of a new map CRT have produced which defines places on each of the waterways so that CCers know how far they have to travel to move to a new place.

[What have you fettled for the boat today?]

Where did you get the creosote from (I love that smell btw).

It's not the real stuff, I am using a Home base substitute, Creotec, which is oil based but smells like the real thing.

[What have you fettled for the boat today?]

Got a house stinking of creosote at the moment as the new fenders from Joe Hollingshead are given a soaking in the garage before hanging on the boat.

[River Weaver]

I thought many were volunteers in Anderton not salaried staff.

[Harecastle tunnel]

Last time I went through, just after Easter, there was a sunken pick up truck near the tunnel entrance which some local kids had burnt out and dumped in the canal. That made it tight getting in the tunnel as the police didn't want it disturbed being a crime scene.

[There and back again, to see how far it is.]

I moored overnight outside the Red Bull CRT offices last time I went through there. Had a chat with the CRT guys in the evening and the morning and none of them mentioned I was on the water point. Good showers and facilities there as well as the pub just over the bridge.

[Wilsons of Kinver - merged topic]

Our chairs were delivered by a guy called Alan who was very pleasant. The delivery was done on a Saturday as that was the only day we said we would be on the boat.

[Warwickshire Ring,(what can I expect)]

Personally I prefer clockwise as I like going up Hatton and down Farmers Bridge. Also, I like to go along the Stratford and in to Birmingham for an overnight stop. I would say Birmingham is one of the best city centres to moor overnight in.

[Black Country Living Museum - recommendation and mooring.]

There are visitor moorings at the museum with a locked gate on the towpath. The fish and chip shop is worth a visit, if you have children with you take them in to the school. If you're not claustrophobic take a trip down the mine.

[Audlem Annual Gathering of Historic Narrowboats]

I was talking to Glyn on Sunday, it's great to see the loaded pair being worked and to know they have not had any problems with depth on any of the canals they have travelled on during this trip. I think you can safely say they are pretty deep draughted.

[Warwickshire Avon]

Oh, should have said, you're supposed to have an anchor "ready for immediate deployment", accorded to the ANT licence conditions.

Having come down the Severn to Saul Junction last year the anchor is ready to deploy. The trip down the Avon is to give us a change from just coming straight down the Severn via Worcester.

[Warwickshire Avon]

Thanks all for the info, just need to hope the weather holds out for another couple of weeks before we set off.

[Warwickshire Avon]

I'm planning on coming down the Avon from Stratford to Tewkesbury and other than having to purchase a visitor license is there anything else I will need such as keys for locks or water points...? It is about 30 years since I have been on the Avon and I can't remember if there was anything different required.

[Waxing Paintwork]

I used the Craft Master wax, just put it on with a cloth and then rubbed over with another cloth. I was surprised how much colour ended up on the cloth I used to polish it off.

[Toilets]

Waste water from washing, showering goes straight over the side it isn't held in a waste tank.

[Audlem Annual Gathering of Historic Narrowboats]

I should be there Sunday but only by modern car.

[Gloucester to the Midlands, River Severn in one day?]

I left Gloucester Docks a few weeks back at 8am and tied up in Worcester on the floating pontoon visitor moorings in the afternoon, I was going to stop at Upton but it was full. I had a chat with the lock keeper in Gloucester before leaving to check the tides, I also used http://www.riverlevels.info/river-severn-gloucester-gloucester-severn to keep an eye on the levels before setting out.

[Wilsons of Kinver - merged topic]

We stopped at Kinver a couple of weeks ago as we were boating past and called in to look at sofa beds. The lady in the office called Ralph and showed us in to his mobile showroom, Ralph promptly arrived discussed options with us and after a fair amount of discussion we placed an order. No deposit required and we got a call this week to say the order was ready for delivery and we will pay once it is on our boat so hopefully next weekend we will be happy owners of the new sofa bed chairs.

[Stoppage bonanza!]

Me too.

[Hillmorton to Manchester]

If I was going that way I would head to Fradley Junction then straight up the T & M to Preston Brook, which would take in Harecastle and Heartbreak Hill. Then round the Bridgewater. Once you know how long you have to get back to London you could then look at the options for the return, either round the Macclesfield or back to Anderson and on to the Weaver. Also you could come back via the Middlewich branch and down the Shroppie through Nantwich, Audlem etc.