James Owen

Hi Andy, I'm sorry to say the last I heard of her she was on the bank being cut up, albeit quite carefully to make getting rid of the scrap pieces easier. Nick

Nothing to do with the BSS.

And as of 1st April the BSS charge will increase to £43 + VAT.

The plot thickens.......

One of your many alter egos no doubt!

I spoke with the new owner yesterday, a pleasant chap with realistic expectations on what he's bought. He had, in fact, been after the boat for several months so the 'mailshot' was probably, to my mind at least, not really necessary.

Or 77 years, depending on your mathematics. ?

I agree Pete. Each owner be they commercial or private individuals has, and shall continue to do so, left their mark on these boats whilst under their respective tenures and I believe that is no bad thing. If every boat were 'as built' that would make for some tedious sights. I concede that budget restraints will ultimately decide on what degree of 'restoration' any boat is likely to undergo but that shouldn't, in this day and age and with the original present for use as a reference, affect the overall shape of the boat. As one boat builder put it "it's as flat as a witches t*t and all welded". Does that not make it sanitised?

I believe it is. Ex-Ladybank.

An optimistic price I'd agree, even more so given that the Theophilus' hull has been somewhat 'sanitised' and no longer bears any resemblance to a Middle boat, has an incomplete (albeit Tim Leech built) ten year old (at least) cabin that was cut off another Grand Union motor and a RN that hasn't run for several years. Yes, "kit form" just about covers it ??

B&Q

Unless the mooring in question is the disabled mooring just South of Butchers? From memory, always allocated to the Joseph.

Are there currently any boats, histeric or otherwise, retailing fuel south of Napton?

Yep!