JamesWoolcock

If you are getting on in years or are in some way disabled and are going to be single handed, telephone CRT and talk to them. If not, get on with it. They are delightful and delightfully easy, as long as with the rest of the Shroppie, you are mindful of the fierce by-washes.

Now credit where credit's due; one Richard Parry of CRT got personally involved in this re-alignment, and no doubt, having spent many years in the railway industry, was in a good position to bend a few ears and provide solutions. I believe he took HS2 to task on several other sensitive sites along the proposed line.

Well I think CRT are taking us boaters for mugs. CRT told me it wasn't them but the Highway Authority that demanded the long closure. This indeed is a bridge designed for the deck height to be raised in the case of subsidence. The new deck could easily be made off site, brought to the job and installed. And as for lime mortar taking six months to harden....!

Reported last night that there was a growing queue of historic ex-working boats returning from Ellesmere Port. Good luck!

So whose having your rebate?

Well I would agree with you in many respects, but to say you've never found the town of Mkt Drayton?! So sad. But I'm sure you're not one of those who tie up leaving gaps so us deep boats struggle, and then just get your chair out. It's just up the road, and may have seen more prosperous days, but still full of individual traders and great pubs. Nice little country town and a great street market.

When I was at college in London in the late 60s, the saying was "Don't take the piss out of Watneys, It needs all the flavour it can get."

Moor at Tipton and catch a bus to Sedgley. The Beacon is a moderate walk from there. But there are other alternatives on this trip. 1. Stop off at The Park PH at Woodsetton; Holdens brewery tap. 2. From Sedgley, take the Dudley bus and stop off at the Britannia in Gornal; a Bathams house. Sadly, the Beacon isn't dog friendly, but the others are. Good boozing is the Black Country!

There were no rubbish facilities when I bumped into Julie Sharman and Richard Parry there in the June. They were surprised too and even more so when a local CRT guy explained that Coventry City Council had removed them, presumably without this fella or any of his colleagues reporting it!

Indeed. That is why when I go continuous cruising for 6 or 7 months of the year, the car remains in it's garage and I travel with trusty Bus Pass; yes I'm well old enough for one of those, and my Senior Railcard too.

boatpost2@gmail.com I've used them for a long time and I think you'll find that they offer a similar personal service as Boatmail. After choosing one or the other, your only two problems to sort out are car insurance and NHS. Car insurance is difficult without your address and where it's kept being the same. I have a lockup garage in by my home mooring, and that's the address I give. It's not a problem that there's no one there, as the insurers do all online. For NHS you need an address close to your registered GP. If you don't, they will de-register you and tell you to get a GP near your postal address, which in my case is miles away in a different county too. So the boatyard opposite my home mooring kindly lets me use their address for that. Do PM me if you wish. James

Excellent. Many thanks for this. Shall be paying them a visit before long.

The water pressure from the tap within the elson facility here is not good and it's quite horrifying how many folks rinse their loos under the drinking water tap outside, the dirty people. If I catch them they get told about the aerosol effect and how foul their behaviour is.

We seem to have gone, in common usage, from (Miss) or Mrs) to Ms. Which tells you something, but not all of it, and anyway, married or not would be none of your, our, business. I saw no problem with this. Now the PCers have gone further. James. him/he/me/whatever.

Not happy if they do. Best moorings in town. Around the corner from Castle Rock Brewery's 'Vat & Fiddle' and by the Police Bridewell with Mr and Ms Rozzer going in and out 24 hrs a day with the local miscreants, of which there is an inexhaustible number. How safe can you be in a town thats still as lawless as when Robin Hood was around?