nebulae

chrischesher@gmail.com

What a fantastic photo of Aldersley,Lawrence.Many thanks for posting.Is it possible to get a copy?

Reference in Ian Langfords book led me to the purchase of Eric De Mares book The Canals of England.(also a Fleabay purchase)Always wondered what Aldersley Junction looked like in its heyday.Cant believe how comprehensively the infrastructure has been destroyed.I note that as I suspected,there were stone mileposts everey mile on the Staffs & Worcester.I have not yet seen a photo of one.Does one exist?Were they removed during the second world war,as on other canals?Is the stone post just along from Calf Heath a milestone?If they were buried,as on the Maclesfield Canal and the mileages were not acurate,would they ever be retrieved?The program of reinstatement/replacement of mileposts on some other canals has been a great achievement by the relevent canal societies.

Have just managed to obtain a copy of J.Ian Langfords book,Staffs & Worcs.Canal Towpath Guide No 1 from Fleabay.Exellent book,many thanks for the tip.(Wonderfull photos.Had no idea there was a lock keepers cottage at Kidderminster Lock)

Plenty of old nuculear power plants about.The Russians have been cutting them out of old submarines and dumping the in deep water for ages.They will almost certainly be glad to flog you one cheap.A nuclear plant is just a steam engine with some dodgy stuff heating the water.The average D.I.Y. boater should be able to overcome the minor technical issues raised.The boat would be low emmisions.Would it qualify for a discount on the license?

Dont know about the technical side,but when I had Listers I could usualy be seen by my own personal fog.Changed to Isuzu.Last time we went through Stanedge,the B.W.man could not get a reading on his meter.Would that be Carbon Monoxide he was measuring?

Many thanks for the replies.Thats the beauty of this forum,a large pool of knowledge spread over a wide range of subjects.

I thought the 2.5 used by Thorneycroft was a Landrover base unit, as opposed to 2.2 B.M.C.(taxi)engine.This would be post 1984 non turbo unit.I seem to remember they marinised a few 2.2(Series 3 L.R.)units as well .Some early B.M.C.units cross over to Leyland tractors.Only one I can remember is the Leyland 154(1.5 unit).Sometimes a photo of the engine on this forum might drag out a bit more info,

Did not intend to infer lack of literacy had any conection with inteligence.I am sure boat captains were well able to understand the maths otherwise it would have been imposible to function.I am intereted in how the collection of tolls worked,particularly in the 18th and 19th century.The canal companies were first and formost,a business.Efficient collection of income would have been fundamental to their survival.My origional post related to mileposts(or lack of).I know that some canal companies Acts of Parliament required the provision of mileposts.I find it dificult to believe that where they were provided,this was just to tell boatmen where they were.As has been pointed out,bridge names and numbers would do this.I think I need to do some more reaserch.

Presumeably,tonnage was charged on a ton/mile basis.Major embarcation points might be known to toll keepers,but many small wharves would indicate a schedule of mileages on some sort of chart.(I appreciate that in the latter years of n.b.carrying the range and destination of cargoes were more limmited.)If part loads were carried for part distance,or mixed loads on more than one canal,tolls get complicated.Obviously,after the publication of Bradshaws,a calculation would be possible.Would a toll clerk have access to such an august tome.Without clear indication of mileage how would an owner boatman (who could be illiterate)calculate carriage charges?I understand the gauging process.This would cover the tonnage,measured at well known gauging points such as Etruria and Stewpony locks.I dont understand the mileage part of the process.

I thought the purpose of mileposts was primarily to aid in the calculation of tolls.The bridge number would,of course,tell boatmen where they were.

In my opinion,it is the small and sometimes obscure pieces of canal infrastructure which create as much interest as some of the well known major structures.Mileposts are a link with the working past,old mileposts(and new replacements)add to the pleasure of cruising.I believe that canal companies were obliged to provide them in their Acts of Parliament,to facilitate charging of tolls.Does anybody know why there are no mileposts on the Staffs and Worcester Canal?

I have always understood that the main advantage of raw water cooling is that you can have a water cooled exhaust.This applies to direct and indirect systems.You can then use rubber exhaust hose.The water acts as a silencer as well as a coolant.Obviously,a lot of trad engines use a solid lagged exhaust as well as raw water cooling,but it is very convenient for modern lightweight jap engines,as the standard pump only has to circulate through a heat exchanger.The secondary pump can be rated to the size of the heat exchanger.A filter such as the Vetus unit(fitted above the water line)will help the longevity of the impeller.I have a raw water system which works O.K.Fitted it because the previous engine was air cooled so I had no skin tank.All things being equal,I think I would go for skin tank cooling.Having said that,we had no problem for our autumn cruise with heavy leaf fall.

Very sad to hear that CART are throwing their weight around. They are threatening to stop Georges small shop at the bottom of the Audlem flight from trading.Dont know why.This is the sort of small business that creates interest,as well as being useful.My impression is that there are fewer of this sort of business than 20 years ago.If they have got jobsworths working for them that have nothing better to do than hassle small traders,perhaps they need to look at their staffing levels.

Once picked up a womans dress on the Fens Branch.Fortunately no woman inside it.I think it was made of Kevlar.It blunted my hacksaw blade.Early January so water refreshingly cold.Picked up a steel hawser on the Caldon.Still using it as a towrope.Matress on the North Stratford was a cracker.It dated from a time when they realy knew how to make a mattress.

If you use the method described,where you spin the engine for a few seconds with the decompression levers engaged and the fuel enrichment on,the engine will spin at higher than normal cranking speed.As well as building up revs before cranking,this will alow the oil pump to circulate lubricating oil.The initial start up is where most engine wear takes place.Not so critical in the summer,but helps the engine when the oil is very cold.Strongly recommend that you use neither blowlamps or easy start.

Use Morris K99.If you put the greaser tube on the plastic insert in the tin,you should be able to fill the greaser without getting grease everywhere(maybe use your finger to make sure you have evacuated any air)

We are on our sixth narrowboat.Maybe this is the one.Or maybe we realy wanted a trad engine,I thought we had exactly THE BOAT.Then we saw this Northwhich Trader(on this forum).Seriously when you see THE boat you will know.I am sure you are going about it the right way.Find your mooring first.Mooring availability may dictate boat lenghth.Hire to make sure being on a boat meets your expectations.Find your boat.Get it surveyed.Talk to your surveyor.Best of luck.

I have the instruction manual for Isuzu 4LB1,4LC1,4LE1.Not sure if it covers your engine.If the engine came from HMI,their should also be a supplementary operators handbook.Try www.enginesplus.co.uk.They are the people who took over from HMI. Tel01453 547273.

Metal components exposed to cold moist air will always atract condensation.Cylinder walls,valve stems etc will form condensation on their surfaces during cold moist weather.No problem with petrol engine.Remove plugs and add a few drops of Redex.Remember,non synthetic oil will drain to the sump.Longer its left,the less oil left on bearing surfaces.However,most people seem to get away with leaving engines for months without long term damage.A paticular problem I have noticed recently is alternators siezing.Personaly,I like to run an engine up to temperature once a month.Bear in mind that the inhibitors in antifreeze have a limmited life.Blue lasts two years,green three years and red five years.

The difference,as has been pointed out,is whether you live aboard or cruise for leisure.I buy hardwood in in 27 ton lots for home use.The last thing I want to mess with on the boat is solid fuel or logs.My Kabola is very convenient and costs about £25 a week to run.As I have a separate tank for the heater,I could save money by using kerosine(heating oil)Obviously,personal preference is the deciding factor.There is no right or wrong solution.

Its funny how a river seems much wider when you are in the water rather than on it.I have found myself in the water on a number of ocassions,once at sea wearing a life jacket which failed.I consider myself lucky to have survived.At least a self inflating lifejacket will keep a dead body afloat.Saves the emergency services a lot of trouble and expence.The only valid excuse may be when going below in a narrow boat,when emergency exiting may be impaired.I suggest if the vessel is foundering or in distress,it would be unwise to go below.It may be a good idea to practice swimming with your lifejacket on if you lack confidence.The main use of a boyancy aid is for sports such as canoeing,and sailing(when using a wet or dry suit)When dinghy sailing,I always use a lifejacket,my personal preference.Safety equipment is always cheap if it saves your life.

I moor in a marina.I pay for a licence.If,in an emergency,I had to overstay on a restricted mooring,I would be happy to pay for the priviledge.I am happy to pay for a 48 hour stay at Llangollen.I am happy that continuous cruisers do not have to pay for a mooring.I am happy to have passage of Anderton lift and Stanedge Tunnel for no extra charge.In fact,I am a happy chappy.Does this make me unusual.

Some years ago,collected a boat from Godalming on the Wey,to deliver to Cosgrove on the G.U.The Lister ST2 was on its last legs,no oil pressure at all,lots of smoke.Thrashed it on the Thames.Lomg days on canal section.No problem at all(but kept the oil topped up).Personaly,I dont like post 1960 listers,but they do seem to be reliable old beasts.

Recommend the following-Charles Hadfield British Canals(This is the definitive general history)0 7153 4673 3. David and Charles also published histories of British canals by region and by individual canals. Bradshaws Canals and Navigable Rivers by Henry de Salis(7153 4689 X) gives details of canals in 1904. Priestley*s Navigable Rivers and Canals (David and Charles reprint 7153 4395 5),first published in 1831 gives history of all nav. waterways,including some which were never built. Hugh McKnights The Shell Book of Inland Waterways(1975 Gazetteer7153 6884 2).I have included the ISBN numbers,as many waterways classics are out of print and may take a bit of tracking down.Can give you other titles if you are interested.