junior

The CBOA would be a good starter for ten for the developer if they are serious about using the waterways as part of their development. Don't forget that empty boats coming in to collect stuff could actually be used to bring in materials to a site too. About 10 years ago there was a substantial gravel haulage operation taking garvel out from Paddington Basin whilst it was being developed. Tbh I'm not sure exactly where it went but several commercial/historic narrowboat owners were used on this job, Archie & Ara, Victoria, Callisto and Arundel iirc. YouTube searched will give you an idea of what they were able to achieve. There was also another sustained commercial operation on the lower GU around the same time i think with a wharf being set up and gravel (i think) being moved in decent tonnage but narrowboat (possibly Arundel again?). I doubt this sort of operation you are suggesting would make financial sense as you'd need to get the materials to and from the canalside and have means for loading and unloading a boat, but it wouldn't certainly have a positive environmental impact and give good PR and for that reason I'm sure CRT/local authority and CBOA would be willing to help facilitate.

Nice to see a modeller attempting to get things right. I've lost count of the number of layouts I've seen at model railway exhibitions where the builders have gone to ridiculous deatail to get things right on the locos, stations and stations, i.e liveries, vehicles, coaches for correct era etc, but will then go and plonk a model leisure narrowboat in the middle of their canal scene in their 1930's LMS period layout, or put a 2.99 gift shop tat model working boat in their transhipment wharf.

What's the layout in the cabin on Birchills? Is it the typical range, table cupboard and bed ole' with shelf/cupboard above and side bed/bench down the other side?

Drying out the next day!

In fact heres the evidence of my sleeping bag next to the porta potti!

If i recall, i slept next to the toilet!

I'm sure Matty could tell you a thing or two about rain and the BCN Challenge..

Is each side a separate task, or do you really have 143 things on your list?

Hi! Yes good thank you. Been saving like mad for the last couple of years and whilst the boat budget is still small, we have found something that might be workable. But it's trad back cabin, engine room and very small cabin extension. In that extension we would need to get a sink, cooker, fridge, seating for 2 (ideally that converts into a double berth) and if possible a toilet cubicle because Charlotte is not keen on sitting on a porta potti staring at a 2 pot lister anymore! That's quite a lot to fit into a small cabin exgension that is probably about the size of the one on Columba above! Hope you are both well.

Does anybody have any expriences of maximising a tiny space? E.g fitting the essentials into a very small cabin. What little tricks are there? I'm looking at a boat that has a very small cabin that is ready to fit out, and would need to get into it a sink, something to cook on, somewhere to sit and then ideally somwhere for 2 guests to sleep and maybe a toilet cubicle to save having the porta potti in the engine ole'. Something like the small cabin extentions that people put onto historic unconverted boats would be a good start. What can you fit in them? Does anyone have a photos?

River Class 'Blue top' butty URE for sale. Resonable price assuming it's sound. https://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/e-c-jones-sons-river-class-butty/611979 Anyone know what the motor boat is behind in the photos?

I'm with Cheshire Rose on this. It even looks like today the layout has changed from yesterday. Every time i come on here something is different. A while back i was getting a notification every time someone posted anything, anywhere on any thread. Now i get no notifications at all, even if someone quotes me. I'd be curious to know how many times I've posted since the layout of the forum changed considerably, but it's few compared to how active i used to be and how much i enjoyed the forum. I'm sure there must be others who feel the same. I think that's part of the problem. To you those sentences seem normal, but to me they may as well be Japanese.

Wondered how long it would take for the first one of these. LEAVES!

I really like it.

It should be pointed out of course that despite all these comments about how lovely the Caldon is, mine included, it's widely recognised that you shouldn't moor overnight between Etruria Junction (start of Caldon) and Engine Lock. People do stop in Milton sometimes as it looks nice but it's quite common for windows to be smashed on boats there.