nebulae

A high speed railway link between London and the north has already been built.A straight,level high speed link between Manchester,Sheffield and London(Also designed to link to the Channel Tunnel).Extensive goods handling facilities and a trans Pennine overhead electric service through Woodhead Tunnel.It was called the Great Central Railway.It was closed and destroyed at great expense because it was not needed(we were told)Now we are told it was needed and is to be rebuilt at vast public expense.The Great Central Railway being built at the expense of private investors.The lack of ability of government bodies to plan ahead hardly inspires confidence in anything they say?

As they said, get a licence and a set.Can be quite dificult to hear.If you instal a fixed set,you can fit an extention speaker,which is much easier to hear when you are standing on top of the engine.I find that a standard wire aerial works O.K.in the folded position,better than handheld when the aerial is in the vertical..On pre agreed open channel you can comunicate with other boats in a convoy(using dual watch)and not clog up Port of London channel.There is not much difference in price now between handheld and a cheap fixed set.The other advantage of fixed is,you dont need to charge the batteries.On a fixed set you wil have MMSI.Might be handy on the tidal bit of the Thames,certainly for anything more adventurous like a trip to the Medway.

Would it be a condition of your B.S.C.that when re fueling any spilt fuel could not enter the boat? Also it might be interesting to start a thread on peoples experience with various makes of generator? Many boaters are buying generators now and they are not cheap. My experience with Chinese sourced generators has been a bit of a disaster(although I dont use a generator on my boat)

I have had various tunnel lights over the years,including an upside down car headlight.The best light I have found is a Tractor Working Light.These are cheaply available from agricultural supliers and give an alround light. They are intended to give a wide area of ilumination and work well as a tunnel light.They are designed to be movable so the aim can be adjusted.I do use it sometimes at night(on narrow canals)I dont think I have ever passed another moving boat at night in 30 years.If I did meet one,I would hope to be able to see him and him me.In tunnels,pointing my light up seems to avoid dazling other boaters and hopefully they will extend me the same courtesy. The use of small cruiser port and starboard ligts, with no masthead or stern light on a river navigation wories me.The rules are there for a reason.

Strongly recomend Godalming on the Wey.Ripon is a must.Boston and Llangollen are definately worth a visit.Enjoy.

I agree that generaly,you dont need a light to cruise narrow canals at night,unless you meet another boat coming the other way,also without lights? Some bridges with a white painted arch(S.U.)help. In my opinion,single handed lock working at night is definately not a good idea. In the days before boats had engines,24hour working was common on some canals,so it is not a novel idea. I have colreg complient lights for my n.b.I cant figure out any way to fix them permanently without them getting knocked off,so they are mounted on on removeable masts.Fine on rivers and commercial waterways,no good on narrow canals.I have an old copy of the B.W. Boaters Handbook.I have read the bit covering travelling at night, several times.I am still not sure but the impression I get,is that navigation lights should be shown.From memory,colregs allow some flexibility ie a masthead light is impractical on a n.b.unless you have a moveable mast?

Got a Python Drive,from Midland Chandlers.Done 2000 hours on it so far.No major problem.Clips holding the rubber cover disintegrated,replaced with cable ties.Otherwise O.K.

There is a gate in the glass safety screen.It might be a good idea to fit a lock opened with a B.W. key.I dont dispute the need for the glass safety screen to prevent the foolish from propelling themselves over the wall.I cant believe that it is necessary to prevent access to street level.That system worked well enough for the last 200 years

We had two cruiser stern boats.Thought it was a good idea before we bought them.Turned out to be a very bad idea.Two people on seats at the back.Visitors/family standing around like spare parts.End up sitting on the roof with feet dangling in the hatch.Have spent many miserable windswept hours on the back of said boats.Nothing on Gods earth would persuade me to buy another cruiser stern.In bad weather I stand inside the hatch with the doors closed and the heater on.Engine and electrics stay dry.Engine room used for drying wet clothes.Cruiser stern O.K. for hire boats in summer(What summer)We were using the heater in August last year.

Got rid of the bus windows in the sleeping area.Proper job,cant see the welds.Well insulated and lined.Boat looks better out side,darker inside as you would expect.Main advantage of getting rid of bus windows is the surprising reduction of noise inside.Very handy for safe but noisy moorings.Also two less windows to remove when painting.

I used to enjoy working through the 9.Two locks had stones in the wall to climb up to street level.(cant remember the numbers)Some genius has put a glass safety screen on top of the wall.There is a gate in the screen but it is locked.I have climbed over it,but it is dammed dificult for an old age pensioner.Otherwise,the boat has to wait at the pontoon.Dont like the lack of handrails either.When there is a lot of water coming down,the gates are hard work.Still enjoy the flight though.

I fitted an indirect cooled engine,as it replaced an air cooled Lister.Did not fancy trying to weld a skin tank into an old boat.The exhaust is very quiet.Cant hear it when holding the boat by the centre line.Fitted a Vetus filter above the water line which works well.Fitted a skin fitting instead of a mud box.This was a mistake. Biggest problem was that the exhaust had to come out at the side of the counter(because of the diesel tank)Had to fit a diverter to stop water shooting on to the tow path, which we then wrenched off.Most modern marine engines that can be used for sea going boats will have the option of wet exhaust.Should be possible to use the pump of one of these,even though you have a skin tank.

I think its better in the current market,to compare a narrow boat with a mobile home.A typical new mobile home,sited,could be £30,000.Value ofter 10 years perhaps £2,000.Depreciation £2,800 per annum plus running costs.My boat is an older boat with a reasonable owner fit out.My best guess is that my boat is worth,in the current market,£6,000 less than I paid 6 years ago.The boat has cost more to maintain and run,but has depreciated less than the caravan.This seems reasonable enough,compared to the depreciation of a car.I would guess that the depreciation on a new boat,particularly a top end one,would be much steeper.As has been said,a boat is a chattel not on investment.

Had a battery explode in my face once.Not something I would recomend.Lucky an eyewash and hose were to hand.Had to pull bits of plastic out of my face.Does everybody understand just how explosive the gas coming from a charging battery is? I disconect the mains supply when leaving the boat and isolate the batterys.Never had a problem with battery charge when coming back to the boat.Better safe than sorry.

I have never used snow tyres before.Just had them fitted to the B.M.W.which is not usualy good in the snow.I cant believe how good the winter tyres are.Drove sraight out of the yard.The Landrover span its wheels in the same place.Hope I have drained the boat down O.K.The Morco is a bit vulnerable.Last one frose at the top and split.

Its better to run the exhaust out of the stern in a non trad.Trouble is,this is often not possible because the diesel tank is across the stern.Dont recomend the roof for a modern boat with the engine right at the stern.You get the fumes in your face as well as the brick dust off bridges and tunnels.If the exhaust sticks out at all,it will snag.I have a wet exhaust with a diverter.I ripped it off several times before we got the design right.As to which side,I cant see it makes any difference.

A couple of years ago,I was passing the boatyard in Stone.I wondered why the sewage sucker lorry was rearing up and belching smoke.All of a sudden the bows of a boat in the yard shot forward,separating from the stern.Looked most amusing at the time.I preume this was a cut and shut about to happen?

In my opinion,the best leader B.W.B. had was Sir Frank Price.He seemed to get the job done,was seen to take a firm position with government ministers at a time of major problems and seemed to carry the public with him.Although not a canal person,he made sure he was well briefed.Surely,there must be other experienced managers like him who can carry the canal lobby with them.Much good work has been done by B.W. over the years for which they should have credit.On the other hand,from my own observations,their man management leaves much to be desired and their public relations efforts have failed to carry their customers with them. I hope the trustees can find the right man for the challenge.

Apologies.Brain fade due to old age.I think it was PETER WALKER who was Secretary of State for Wales when the application for funding for the complete restoration of the canal was made.

Peter Shaw,when he was Secretary of State for Wales,was the p****k,who screwed it all up.The costs were much less at that time,the E.U.funding was in place,all that was needed was match funding from the British government.People who think the canal should be left to nature should walk along the canal bed from Newtown.It is now the route of the main sewer from Newtown to the sewage works.The reason the Welshpool bypass does not cover the canal in Welshpool is because of the work of enthusiasts in the 60s.The reason there are important sites for nature along the canal is because it has been kept in water,despite being abandond.Once you give up on the canal,official vandalism will soon destroy it.A main road or a sewer pipe have very litle visual or wildlife interest.Coming off the most popular canal in the country,at Welsh Frankton,the cruising and financial potential are huge.At the moment,overly resrictive access to the canal needs to be re-assesed,local authorities pressed to do more and local dignitaries encouraged to give their support(what is our local M.P.)doing.The towpath is in exellent condition the locks are in good order,the canal has most of its origional infrastructure(most of the lock houses and warehouses survive)it passes through some of the most pleasant countryside.Progress may be slow,but there is still progress.

Wonderfull photo. Hard to believe such a substantial building existed looking at the minimal remains on the ground. I wonder if this vandalism was official policy or just neglect. Thank goodness for the Landmark Trust. The argument that the properties were in poor. condition and without facilities does not hold water. It is the duty of responsible landlords to keep their properties in good order and up to date.I wonder what these properties would fetch on the open market today?

We had a 45ft trad style with 2 adults and three small children.Good layout(ex hire)Just about O.K.for a fortnight.Present 50ft fine for 2.Bit of a squash with children,grandchildren,friends.Plenty of bigger boats about at sensible money.Remember,its a buyers market at the moment.

Sympathy for your accident.These things happen so quickly,one minute all O.K. next minute,crisis.I have been in a situation where I could not get out of the water.Very frightening.I carry an alluminium ladder with a rope spliced on.In the case of water being deep,the top can be secured to the T studs.I have a proper yacht folding ladder but I find it difficult to use.