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I've no idea what the frequency of the updating regime will be. However the beauty of the eBooks, from the boaters point of view, is that there is an infinite amount of space within an eBook for note taking - so no more trying to cram one's own notes into an ever decreasing amount of white space on a particular page. Doing one's own 'updating' and 'personalising' therefore becomes a doddle.

No - there isn't any GPS functionality - so horses for courses when choosing which to buy.

After what I understand to be a series of technical hitches, the Nicholson Waterways Books 1 and 4 are finally launched as eBooks in two weeks time - on 15th August. Book 1 covers the Grand Union, Oxford Canals & the South East while Book 4 covers the Four Counties & the Welsh Canals. They will be available on both the IOS and Android platforms, availalble from the iTunes Store and on Amazon - at £8.99 each. Whilst they in no way compete in the digital marketplace with the Water-Ways e-canalmapp App – being somewhat different products – the two offerings do seem to compliment one another rather neatly.

A 'dig' yes ............... but a 'rant' no! But thank you at least for, in part, answering my question.

A few facts: When the OP passed the Battlestone and Fusedale on the afternoon of Wednesday 24th July, news of the closure of the Whitwood Wharf and therefore the ending of the Besthorpe - Whitwood gravel traffic had only just been announced, possibly less than an hour previously. I was telephoned the following morning by John Branford - who operates 3 boats on this run and co-ordinates the remaining vessels - with the whole sorry story. The first he knew that the final load was to be delivered on Wednesday 31st July - just seven days hence - was via a phone call from the local Lafarge Tarmac manager on Wednesday afternoon. To say that he was still in a state of shock when he phoned me would be an understatement. From time to time I crew for him on that run and we are both absolutely gutted. The explanation he was given was that the current 'Whitwood Operation' was making a loss as 4/5th of the aggregate landed there is forwarded by wagon to other, local Lafarge concrete batching plants. So just one fifth of the aggregate landed at Whitwood is used on site, in their own concrete plant (which is to remain open, supplied by road) while the remainder is forwarded to the four other plants. It appears that this double handling is the main financial stumbling block. At no point in the conversation with the Lafarge manger was the quality of the material at Besthorpe Quarry mentioned, nor that Girton was to be a replacment for the material running out at Besthorpe ............. which as far as anyone knows - isn't!!. Over a very considerable number of years John has operated a range of craft for Lafarge and their predecessors from various pits up and down the Trent, landing the aggregates in Leeds before Whitwood came on stream. Previously he carried glassmaking sands to Knottingley and when a riverside pit closed, he briefly (and reluctantly) went into the road haulage business simply to keep the sand traffic going. This is quite a testiment to his comittment to water transport and it represents an immense loyalty to the company he has carried for over a considerable number of years. To be repaid for this with seven days notice of cessation of carriage is a very poor reward indeed, and altogether pretty shabby treatment. It is ironic that in a conversation, only a month or so earlier, with the same manager tasked with breaking Wednesday's news, John was reassured that his operation looked very secure (backed up by new investment at Whitwood) - although said manager was very nervous about keeping his job in the light of the recent Lafarge - Tarmac merger. As anyone out on the NE waterways will testify, John keeps his three boats - Humber Renown, Farndale and Fossdale - in beautifull condition and invests heavily in their upkeep. He is continually chasing new cargoes but shortage of wharfage and the demand for carriage at an unrealistic rate are constant impediments. Whilst John - who has been a skipper for more than 50 years - is 3 years past retirement age, he is anxious to maintain the family barging business for his son who now represents the fourth generation of bargemen. In the past quarry management have always showed a willingness to involve John in any negotiations from setting tonnage rates, through general problem solving, to the design of wharfage - indeed he helped design the set up at Whitwood. It will indeed be a great pity if the directors of Lafarge Tarmac continue with the "there is nothing to discuss" attitude when presented with the opportunity of a meeting to examine possible ways to compromise in resolving this issue.

As I understand it Humber Pride's contract finished last Autumn and Humber Princess makes twice weekly trips to Rotherham via the SSYN - so that's no work left for the lockies on the A & C. This government (backed by it's profit-led supports: big business) has barely mentioned climate change and the impact of CO2 emmisssions in the last few years nor has it aired its 'green credentials' in any tangible or sensible form that I can recall.

Not only do the barge owners and crews loose their jobs - the mobile lockies working the Pollington to Castleford stretch will now have no commercial traffic to pass through. Oh, and where was/is the CBOA in all this. Deafeningly quiet as usual I fear .................... !

Based on my experience of this engine I'd second this approach. The excess fuel button is on the end of the pivot supporting the stop lever: where the spring runs from, to an injector in your picture 021. Just push it in before turning the key. It's a brilliant diesel engine that will run for ever if not abused too much. Parts are readily available - for anything up to and including a complete re-build - via vintage tractor fraternity. Look on Ebay under Fordson Major as a starting point.

Used to know a vet once whose party trick was to ignite 'bottom air.' He once made the mistake of doing it in a cow house that had just been freshly strawed down and nearly had the whole lot on fire. Somehow I don't think that this particular flatulent milker was over impressed.

If, like me, you've almost forgotten to complete that survey, here's another reminder - in fact the one I've just received from the chairman of the Grantham Canal Society - and am about to act on! In a nutshell, this waterway is a gem: 32 miles of rural bliss threading its way through delightful, quintessential, English Countryside right in the heart of Britain. Thoughtfully, its builders placed the lock flights at either end of the navigation leaving a 20 mile pound in between. If these four locks can be restored then, in conjunction with the three above already completed, something like 25 miles of linked waterway will be opened up: a not insignificant mileage, that can be cruised westwards from the charming market town of Grantham, almost to the A46 Fosseway - not far from the outskirts of Nottingham. Hi, Please help the Grantham Canal Society by responding to a survey we are undertaking. This is in relation to Stage 2 of our bid to HLF for funding to restore Locks 15 & 14 of the canal. I would greatly appreciate your support. You can access the survey readers from the website - www.granthamcanalheritageinitiative.com Select the box: canal survey The survey will only take a few minutes to complete. The greater the number of survey responses the greater the impact on the HLF committee Many thanks Mike Stone Chairman

This is perfectly true - but I was happy that they bounced though!!

My understanding of the situation is that HarperCollins (HCP) had a few minor difficulties meeting the very stringent criteria imposed by Apple for acceptance in the iBooks Store. The Android platform is, I believe, much less demanding. These difficulties are now resolved and it is expected that the eBook version of Nicholson Guides 1 & 4 will be available within 2 weeks. HCP worldwide have an agreement with Android and Apple that any titles that they publish on one platform must be available on the other, which will be why they temporarily withdrew the titles from Amazon.

The reference to the HLF bid is on their website at: http://www.granthamcanal.org/heritage-lottery-fund/ There is also a monthly eMagazine called BRIDGE which is available to anyone who wants to subscribe - not just members of the Canal Society. Details available at: http://www.granthamcanal.org/subscribe-to-bridge-our-regular-newletter/ Thank you to those that sorted the Link out for me - and I'm truly sorry if it offended against your sensibilities Alan!

In an unashamed attempt to 'bump' this thread please don't forget to pen a supporting letter ........... This a situation where a letter of support would really make a big difference to opening up what is one of the most attractive stretches of un-restored waterway in the country. On this occasion NarrowBoatWorld have come up with some timely, factual reporting and I hope that in the wider interests of canal restoration, they'll forgive me from quoting, virtually verbatim, from their piece at: http://www.narrowboa...s-funding-help. Further details, particularly with the form that a letter might take, are also available on their website.

With Excel as your friend who needs enemies! Now Numbers ....... well that's a totally different matter .......... running as it does on an iPad or iPhone!

THE Grantham Canal Society and Grantham Canal Partnership are in the process of applying for major funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, (HLF) but need support to achieve this. The project is to train volunteers to restore locks 14 and 15, but they have been requested by the HLF to consider adding locks 12 and 13 as this would make it of greater value. The extra two locks are a tall order, but with the help of the HLF, volunteers, supporters and rangers, the combined partnership believe it is achievable. There would then be seven working locks and access to the 19 miles lock-free stretch of the canal, and with the winding hole below lock 12 the attraction of a 13 mile return boat trip from the A1. A massive achievement—and the Society is going for it! This a situation where a letter of support would really make a big difference to opening up what is one of the most attractive stretches of un-restored waterway in the country. On this occasion NarrowBoatWorld have come up with some timely, factual reporting and I hope that in the wider interests of canal restoration, they'll forgive me from quoting, virtually verbatim, from their piece at: http://www.narrowboatworld.com/index.php/leatest/5577-grantham-canal-needs-funding-help. Further details, particularly with the form that a letter might take, are also available on their website.

It might be interesting to carefully consider the 'heat' category. Many years ago I was taught that a typical diesel engine was approximately 40% efficient - i.e. 40% of the fuel was converted into useable energy (pushing a boat along in this case) while the remaining 60% was lost in the form of heat. In a vehicle a small part of this lost energy is captured by the heating system but most is lost via the cooling system to the great outdoors. With a boat the situation is somewhat different. This lost heat energy is in fact retained to a greater or lesser extent in the form of water heating and, in the case of an internal engine room, space heating. Only when the thermostat opens and the coolant water is diverted to the skin tank are we finally not in a position to utilize 100% of the energy inherent in the fuel we purchase. My point being that, in calculating the split for VAT purposes, should we not in fact be taking into account a far greater proportion of the fuel purchased to set against the non-propulsion (in this case 'heating') fraction? In the case of my own boat, with its internal engine room, cruising in these current, and often sub-zero temperatures (where the thermostat rarely opens to allow water to flow to the skin tank) I should start off by claiming the full 60% (inherent in the heat losses) and add to that electricity generation etc. Now that would represent the time when when I'm cruising. Any other use of the engine would be battery charging, heating or whatever and therefore qualify for the full 100% - further pushing up the equation to the point where a 60:40 split is, in fact, totally unrealistic. In other words, taking into account my premise above, the 60:40 split is way too conservative and (depending on the type of engine installation; the way the boat is used - and when; etc) a split of 70:30, and upwards, would be a far more sensible reflection of reality in most cases.

All 39 locks on the Forth & Clyde have similar self-filling characteristics. This one at Maryhill, on the northern outskirts of Glasgow, is a very mild example! [/url] IMG

Just for clarification as to what one might be fishing out of t'cut is it a) a copy of Nicholson; a laptop running the EurEauWeb Water-Way Guides software or c) an iPad loaded with the e-canalmapp App such as the Eastern Region example referred to in a recent post? It's just that all three seem to have been covered at one time or another in the course of this thread! Somehow I feel that there might be more incentive in the case of and c) although I'm not sure whether a night by the Morso would bring much life back to either device ..........

Also tends to disguise nature and therefore value of item from yoot - local or otherwise. There's very little street cred to be had when you appear to be phoning with a black brick!

When - much to my amazement - I found myself the owner of an iPhone, the fact that it was worth much the same as a respectable laptop was initially a great worry to me. After all what I was doing with a phone I would never dream of doing with a computer. Then I discovered the Griffin Survivor range of cases https://store.griffintechnology.com/ for the iPhone range - and more recently for my iPad. Whilst they do nothing to enhance Apple's unbeatable aesthetics they do allow these these devices to survive total abuse and regular outdoor use. They're not a bad price on Amazon either.

A few development/technical hiccups I understand - they will be back in the Kindle store and iTunes shortly.

What a sheltered upbringing I've had ........ it was always the gonads that fitted that ditty .......

I don't think girls have them .......... but I might have got it wrong ........

Fumes leaking from the ill fitting chimney inspection door. As the chimney was cold and the air was very still there was minimum draw on the stove. As the almost dead fire began to glow and then re-ignite the gases from the few remaining partially burnt ovoids, the fumes initially found the easiest path out of the stove. Without the aforementioned draught up the cold chimney this path was through the chimney door and around the poorly fitting top plates. Usually the slightest draught up the chimney will overcome any leaks in the stove and the fumes go where they are intended. So, as is so often the case, it's a combination of factors co-inciding that generates the potential for a 'one-off' calamity.