David Schweizer

Technically that would be correct if it was not designated as a Public Footpath, but you would still have legal "Permitted Access" which is different to a Right of way which applies to Public Roads, Bridleways and Footpaths Correct, but they are still required to Inform the Minor Authiority and secure their agreement.

You are basicly correct but it is a bit more complicated than that, as I found out when I had the responsiblity as Parish Clerk, to close all public foot paths in our Parish during the foot and mouth epidemic. All Canal towpaths are owned by the Navigation Authority (usually (C&ART). and the public have "Permitted Access" which can be withdrawn by the navigation Authority for a variety of reasons, without notice. Some towpaths are also officially designated as Public Footpaths where the public have a legal right to uninterupted access. The Navigation Authority can still close these but only with the agreement of the local Minor Authority, usually a Parish or Town Council.

I "found" the Forncett steam museum whilst we were on holiday in Norfolk about five years ago, and spent some time there on the Saturday whilst Jan watched the Wimbledon men's final back at the holiday cottage. It is probobly one of the most comprehensive and facinating collections of working steam engines in the country, and well worth a visit. My only disapointment was that it was not a Steaming day, but the volunteers that were presemnt were very informative and helpfull.

It is a lot more complicated than it was in the past, but this sequence may help:- Account Settings > Display Name, Email Address Etc. > Complete My Profile > Next > Edit Profile. Hope that Helps.

Captain Tolly's Creeping Crack Cure came onto the market in 1986. Cyanoacrylate glue was first available for sale to the general public by the early 1960's, albeit quite difficult to find at the time. I used to get hold of it from a friend who worked for a company who made aircraft ejector seats, it was used to glue the seams on their silk parachutes. Back to the topic - I used Captain Tolly's on the windows of Helvetia, and it worked brilliantly.

I always have assumed that Tracy was actually a man, and someone who I knew. I wrote to him and asked whether we knew each other and wheher they would reveal their identity, the reply indicated that we did know each other, but would rather not say who they were. This response was very much in the character of the person I thought was calling themselves Tracy. If I am correct, I know his son, so will be able to find out quite easily.

Are you referring to Tracy D arth ? She last posted in June, and no menton that I recall from her, that she was moving to Portugal.

Welcome back David, we corresponded at various times but, sadly, never met. I enjoyed your posts and will look forward to doing so again in the near future. We sold our boat a few years ago, before I got too old to work the locks, which was a sensible decision, but I still miss it.

When we first moved, almost every house in our village had one or two House Martin nests, and the early evening sky was full of them catching flies, but numbers have diminished over the years. This year there appear to be only two pairs.

An interesting film. Several scenes were out of sequence, but it certainly reminded me of what the Grand Union between Leighton Buzzard and Braunston looked like in the early 1960's. Quite a few working boaters portrayed, but the only ones I recognized were Arthur Bray and Ernie Kendall on Roger and Raymond.

When I started boating in the 1960's the annual IWA "National Festival" was called a Campaign Rally. From recollection they were not commercial fund raising events, but events held in places intended to draw attention to the need for improved maintenance and more traffic. They were well attended by both boats and the public, but I do not recall any significant emphasis on traders. When did the emphasis change to "making a profit?"

Not completely, there were still quite a few BW working pairs on the southern GU in the 1960's

If you need a surveyor, may I suggest Balliol Fowden who has decades of experience surveying Dutch Barges. I believe he still lives on one somewhere in Europe, but also has a UK base near Braunston, trading under the title Anglo European Marine Ltd. My last known contact information is:- Telephone No. 01788 541020 - email address balliol[at]angloeuromarine[dot]com

I have many happy memories of spending a Saturday night in the White Lion when we moored Pisces just below the bridge. I am sad to see what it looks like now. One memory is that at 10.30pm the Landlord would call time and put towels over the pumps, when anyone who was not a regular had left, the towels came off and serving re-commencd, often with the local Bobby calling in about 11.00 pm for a free pint. It wasn't a posh pub, but it was friendly and we were always welcome and treated as "locals"

I live in a village surrounded by small farms and the only sounds I hear when I take my daily walk is from birds, cattle, and sheep. The noises you are describing tend to be created by heavy arable machinery, which is presumably what surrounds where you live. The only occasional interupting noise we get is from small private aircraft and hellicopters, which has increased since they closed RAF Lyneham.