RichLech

Thanks for all the suggestions

We are cruising the Grand Union Leicester Line/River Soar, then Trent/T&M to Fradley Junction over the next couple of weeks. This is new water for us so I'd be interested in any good mooring suggestions. We like a mixture of rural and less rural. Perhaps close to a pub. Are there any places where mooring is not advised? Also would appreciate recommendations for stops near supermarkets. We prefer to do a fairly big shop every few days rather than bits & pieces every day or so. Any other thoughts/recommendations for this cruising route will be most welcome.

Another vote for an ice cream tub. Haven't got a bilge pump in it. I empty it at the end of each days cruising and it is very rarely more than 50 - 75% full. This way I don't actually get any water laying in the engine bilge, although I do check the engine bilge pump regularly.

We recently did the stretch between Hawkesbury Junction and Coventry Basin and were disappointed with the state of the canal. The basin itself is quite nice but there is not much going on there. We felt more needed to be done to attract both boaters and others. There was quite a bit of rubbish in the canal and were scraping along in a couple of places (particularly around bridge 4 if I recall correctly). So, by all means visit Coventry Basin but don't expect to be delighted with the approach! I can recommend the Saltisford Arm at Warwick if you get over that way. Ideal for visiting the castle. Stratford on Avon is also a delight with lots of nice mooring in the basin and the option to drop onto the River Avon as well. However this area would involve moor locks.

I love that spot at Marlow, with that beautiful view down towards the bridge.

Usually plenty of space upstream of Sonning Lock (EA moorings). Good food in the Bull, but expensive. Not a great deal to do there but a nice place to relax. EA moorings at Wargrave. Lots of paid mooring in Henley and always plenty going on. Cheapest moorings are below the bridge adjacent to the regatta course. (£9?) There is space for about 4 or 5 narrowboats immediately upsteam of Higginson Park in Marlow. Good for shopping. These are free 24hr. Avoid the expensive park moorings. Nice village moorings in Cookham. Often very busy. Charged by local council. Various lovely National Trust moorings along Cliveden Reach. Plenty of paid moorings in Maidenhead but never fancied them. Couple of free moorings against the wall just above Bray Lock. EA moorings adjacent to the Eton (Olympic) boating lake upstream of Windsor. These are often full of boats out from Windsor Marinas for the day. There are a couple more on the corner just upstream. Baths Island in Windsor. We particularly like getting tucked in around the back of the island. Good for shopping. EA moorings immediately downstream of Runnymede park. Some free town moorings in Staines. OK for shopping. EA moorings against wall immediately below Shepperton Lock. Nice moorings on "the loop" (old Thames channel) downstream of Shepperton Lock. Often busy, especially at weekends. I think it is free for 24 hr. There are some others but these are the ones that spring to mind.

I use the following on my 05 year Shire 45. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gates-Fan-Belt-950mm-11-9mm-section-6318MC-fan-alternator-v-belt-AV-11/160758489356?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649 for the starter alternator (960mm x 11.9mm) and https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gates-Fan-Belt-950mm-12-5mm-section-6468MC-fan-alternator-v-belt-AV-13/130662068982?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649 for the leisure alternator (950mm x 12.5mm). To get the leisure alternator belt on I find the easiest way is to take the pulley off the front of the engine, fit the belt on both alternator and engine pulleys then refit the engine pulley.

I use this API CD in my Barrus Shire https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EXOL-VICTORY-15W40-MINERAL-ENGINE-OIL-API-CD-SF-4-X-4-5-LTR-CAR-COMMERCIAL/350465431780?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

I've also used Oxley Marine at Autherley Junction recently. I think it was 75p - cash only.

Thanks for visibility of the EA/TVM contract. When I first became aware of TVM I (naively) thought that their income would be from mooring fees and I could never see how they could collect enough to run their service and pay some over to EA. Seems I was correct on that score in that EA are actually paying TVM! So the arrangement is even worse than I originally thought. It looks like the EA moorings are actually costing money to run, rather than contributing anything to EA coffers. I'd love to see the figures for the 12 month trial period.

Many thanks for all these suggestions.

I've spent ages looking into this in the past. I've got a Barrus Shire (Yanmar) engine. I found I was going round in circles and never 100% confident about compatibility. I ended up buying genuine Yanmar filters from Ebay suppliers (typically suppliers of tractor/digger spares) at reasonable prices including delivery. I'm sure I could have saved a few pounds if I'd spent longer researching but it's a once a year purchase so I'm happy to stick with the Yanmar parts.

If it has got to the stage where it is stiff and squeaky it might be worth planning for a new bearing when the boat is next out of the water. Mine got to that stage a couple of years ago and greasing only eased things for a short while as the damage to the bearing had already been done.

Just planning our summer cruise, leaving in a couple of weeks time. As title says, seeking suggestions for convenient shopping stops. Our preference is to stop every 4 or 5 days at a large supermarket close to the canal. Our goal is to get provisioned as quickly as possible, then back to the tranquillity of the canal. We are starting from Calcutt, going to Birmingham via the Stratford on Avon and the Worcester & Birmingham. Then the Birmingham Main Line, up through Wolverhampton and onto the Shropshire Union as far as Nantwich. We wanted to do the Four Counties Ring but as that isn't possible we haven't decided where to go after Nantwich. So, any suggestions for shopping stops between, say, Kings Norton Junction on the Worcester & Birmingham and Nantwich on the Shroppie will be much appreciated.

I'm sure there are a couple of bollards immediately downstream of Caversham Bridge, on the south bank. I think they are trip boat bollards but if you synchronise arrival times I'm sure you could stop long enough to pick up Mrs P. I don't think I've ever seen a trip boat there and I have used them for long enough to let the dogs off for a pee.

I'm fairly sure there is access. I recall that when cruising past you can see a set of steps that go up towards the station. However, you can also see boats permanently moored on the bank near those steps. Pick up may not be that simple. I think central Reading pick up by Caversham Bridge would be more straight-forward.

I have reservations about TVM. My first is that there is now a third party between myself and Environment Agency and that party is going to take some revenue that I would prefer went direct to EA. My second reservation is about enforcement. TVM cannot possible monitor all the EA mooring sites without an army of enforcement people. The signs say that the sites are monitored by CCTV. If that's the case why do they need you to register to ascertain how much space is available? ( That is "tonge in cheek" as they obviously do not have cctv at all , if any, sites.) I am also averse to logging on to anything while I am cruising. That means I have to make a call just to inform TVM I am mooring for one night, which is free. I would prefer management by exception ie. make contact and pay if I do want to stay more than one night. Lastly, as mentioned above, the system was meant to be a trial. So how did the trial go? I would like to know how much money was collected during that trial, how much was swallowed in costs and how much was passed on to EA. I was on the Thames a couple of weeks ago and didn't notice any real difference in mooring availability from previous trips two or three a year in recent years. Apologies for the negative post but I just can't see the cost model working, or that it will make Thames mooring much easier. I would have preferred more focussed enforcement by EA.

Nice moorings in Cookham too. 6 or 7 pounds a night when I last stopped there. I've seen boats left for a while behind Baths island in Windsor itself. Handy for railway station. Can't remember how much but not too bad for a relatively safe mooring.

I believe the prices are displayed in the Byfleet Boat Club so if you know a member they could probably tell you. There is a phone number on the board at the basin entrance but I'm afraid I didn't take note when we passed.

You have to put your address (don't have to provide proof you live there) on the licence application and the address/location of where the boat is moored. So I guess if you don't supply an "official" mooring location you won't get a licence. They must rely on their lengthsmen to keep an eye out for boats moored illegally. I suspect boaters protective of the Wey's status would soon identify abusers as well.

Went past last weekend. About 15 - 20 boats in there already. Apparently not all services available yet. I suspect several moved when their Pyrford Marina moorings came up for renewal 1st April. I couldn't find a website either, presumably because it is not fully open.

Good advice to prime the spin-on filter if you can, but I have changed both fuel filters on my Shire 45 without priming and it has started OK.