Jump to content

Pennine

Member
  • Posts

    110
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Pennine

  1. In the 1950s, I used to pop in the Wharf Office when in 'Town', to pick up a copy of the British Transport Waterways Staff Magazine. Full of interesting information. I wish I had kept them all.
  2. A suitable 100A 30mA RCD with left hand neutral is available from Toolstation: https://www.toolstation.com/axiom-rcd-a-type/p20302
  3. Of course! It should be Phoebe
  4. Oh dear. Just a week after Plants lock (nearside) was re-opened, after work on the top gate, offside lock is closed, due to: "a snap on the collar gate which has caused the gate to fall." At least it is handy for the pub for nb Pheobe stranded in the lock.
  5. I was pleasantly surprised this afternoon, when a representative of Fountains took the trouble to walk the towpath to find me and offer an apology. ?
  6. Luckily, I'm a couple of hundred yards from Red Bull office. May have a stroll there in the morning and see what (if anything) they think about it.
  7. Off doing a bit of shopping, to return to the boat to find this... and the cut full of grass cuttings. Does this idiot wielding the strimmer not realise if they traversed the other way, the cuttings would not be sprayed all over the boat? Or is it deliberate?
  8. The power saving function works quite well, but as you have observed, it does need a reasonable current draw (around 1+? amps) to trigger. Unfortunately there is no way to adjust this threshold. BTW, I do hope the box has some good ventilation as it does need ventilation to disipate the heat when working hard. Invertek DAI-3000C-12xx.pdf
  9. Of itself, an interesting video from Practical Engineering about the Evergiven episode in the Suez Canal, and (at 5.41) the demonstration of Bernoulli’s Principle, Squatting, and ‘Bank Effect’ on a boat in a narrow canal is excellent.
  10. The original route can just be seen in the loop in the lower left corner. If you look at the next map to the south, you can easily follow the original route, which eventualy rejoins at the south-west end of the cutting.
  11. 1883-4 Published 1885 https://maps.nls.uk/view/115635790#zoom=6&lat=2309&lon=10785&layers=BT
  12. I notice that the 'load' positive is on the same battery as 'load'negative. If there is enough play in the positive 'load' cable it would be much better to move it to the positive terminal on the furthest battery. Best practice is to take the load from opposite ends of a battery bank
  13. Today on lockdownsceptics.org: A little bit of woke gobbledegook for you… I am a friend of the Canal & River Trust: I live near a lovely canal in the North West and every day I enjoy a soothing walk along the towpath, enjoying the wildlife and the slowly gliding narrowboats and so on. The Trust issues a monthly magazine called Waterfront, which used to be an unusually excellent publication – well-designed, beautifully illustrated, with great content, covering nature and history and the literature of the waterways and so on. The latest issue though is a slimmer, cheaper, less imaginative and far less interesting publication. The editorial justifies the change thus: “Waterfront is now easier to read and more economical to ensure more funds are available for vital heritage, wildlife and wellbeing work.” (Er, wellbeing?) What a shame. But the truly irksome thing in the uglified new-look magazine is a double page spread that boldly proclaims: “It’s time for everyone’s story to be told.” Because, yes, even us canal fans need to be reminded that the canals are first and foremost tools of historical racism and exploitation. The article begins: “When you walk along our canals, it’s not immediately clear that their story is inextricably entwined with the story of exploitation of people through slavery.” Not immediately clear? No, it’s not – but please tell us more! “In spring of this year, the Canal & River Trust worked with honarary research fellow, Dr Jodie Matthews, to start mapping those historical links. Her literature review drew together the available research whhich outlined that money from the transatlantic slave trade was invested in building canals. And that cargo produced by enslaved people, like sugar, cotton and tobacco was carried on our canal network.” Hmm. Most people with the slightest awareness of history will already have been broadly aware of these facts. They’ve hardly been kept quiet all these years. But in the interests of wokeness, let’s indulge in some tedious virtue signalling, shall we? The text then goes on to outline ways in which the profits of slavery were invested in canals, and name checks wealthy slave-owners who had shares in companies that built the canals. (In the interests of fairness, it is acknowledged that Josiah Wedgwood, who invested in the Trent and Mersey Canal, was actually an abolitionist. Phew!) The article then points out that “canals transported goods produced by enslaved people, including indigo, tobacco, rice, cotton and sugar”. Liverpool and Manchester are singled out as being particularly guilty. The article concludes piously: “To date, the history of the canals has generally been told from only one perspective. History can often be selective. Jodie’s review found links exists, but more specific research needs to be done to understand its true extent and tell the full story of those marginalised by history.” Which reads like the sign-off to a second-rate A-Level essay. C minus, try harder. Actually, please don’t bother. And of course, the article is accompanied by a photograph of the removal of the statue of Robert Milligan “whose wealth built the West India Docks”. Milligan’s ejection, we’re told, was “an important step in recognising the feelings of the local community”. Whose feelings? Those of white, privately-educated wokesters? Thank you, Waterfront. I’ll certainly be sure to reflect guiltily upon these historical injustices and my own white privilege as I stroll along the towpath this lunchtime. Actually, perhaps I’ll just chuck myself in the water and be done with it.
  14. Available from Battery Megastore https://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/product/hankook-xl31-leisure-battery/ I bought 4 from their ebay shop in April for £400 free delivery. Currently £407.44 for 4 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x-XL31-Deep-Cycle-Leisure-Battery-Caravan-Camper-12V-130AH-330x172x242mm-/254168569707?hash=item3b2da0976b Heavy too (Good) 28.4 Kg each
  15. The CRT staff after helping all the boats in front of me (all with crews), by the time it was my turn - single handed - they seem to got bored/needed to cosult phones/disappeared into the cabin, and just completely ignored me ... so I was through and away quite speadily.
  16. Have you got the lock numbers the wrong way round? Lock 1 is the top lock with the long pound below it, lock12 is bottom lock. I was 7th in line going down, and as far as I know, everyone going both ways managed to get through succesfully. Although last passage was 1.00pm, there was no-one at lock 12 stopping boats going up.
  17. Be aware that with Three, a contract does not end at the end of the minimum term. It automatically continues (inevitably at a higher rate) unless you give them 30 days notice of cancellation, In the small print: 'All of our SIM Only plans are available on a minimum term contract – we currently offer minimum terms of 1, 12 or 24 months. To end your contract, you’ll need to give us 30 days’ notice'. https://www.techradar.com/uk/sim-only/unlimited-data-sim-only-deals Three Unlimited Sim 12 months £18 direct with Three. Strange that this offer is not on their website anywhere. Better still via buymobiles.net, same deal with £40 cashback after 99 days which works out at £14.66 p/m
  18. It is utilises 3 network. Also allows tethering: https://help.superdrugmobile.com/en/articles/1778302-can-i-tether-and-create-a-personal-hotspot-on-superdrug-mobile
  19. Peak Forest & Macclesfield Canal Water Resources Hello, As one of our boating customers located on the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals we'd love you to join us to discuss water resources for the busier boating months ahead on the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals. We are keen to update you on the work we are doing to manage water levels in your area. Two meetings will be held in just over a week's time: 18th February 6pm - 8pm North Cheshire Cruising Club SK6 8AA 19th February 6pm - 8pm Macclesfield Golf Club SK11 7EA Meetings start at 6pm - Tea and coffee will be available on arrival. If you intend on coming along please let us know at enquiries.northwest@canalrivertrust.org.uk Thanks! Liam Cooper Boating & Customer Service Manager, North West
  20. Sir Roger Scruton's reort for the government's 'Building Better, Building Beautiful Commision' released today. Top of the list - planting two million more trees and opening old canals in urban areas over the next 5 years. https://order-order.com/2020/01/30/scrutons-last-report-proposes-end-housing-crisis/
  21. Like Athy I uses Pearson's 'Canal Companions'. Although I also have some Nicholson's, they are rarely consulted. I find the map scale of Pearson's - 2 inches to the mile - rather than Nicholson's OS 1 inch to the mile, much better. Every one of mine has copious added notes, such as: nice mooring spots; which swing bridges have towpath side operation or need BW key or windlass to operate (handy to know when single handed as I am), visitor moorings allowed time, etc. Google maps on tablet for finding local shops etc., then noted on Pearson's for future reference.
  22. My very first canal holiday. Aboard nb Ernest Thomas in 1958. A school organised holiday for fortnight, from Autherley up to Chester, then to Weston Point, and back to Autherley. The following year we went from Walsall to Oxford to vist the AERE at Harwell, where we were mightily impressed by a computer that could print a picture of a naked woman! Fred Morley was skipper both times, as can be seen here in this pic. Lovely bloke. Whilst we kipped on folding bunks hung from chains, Fred kipped on a pipe bunk slung over the engine, a BMC 1500.
  23. When South Yorkshire Police built their new Operations Complex in Tinsley, Sheffield, they chose the name of the new access road ... Letsby Avenue. The residents of Butt Hole Road in Conisbrough, managed to persuade the Council to change the name in 2015 to Archer Way.
  24. Just below the first lock of the flight (Lock 41 - just past the junction with the Macc) there is good mooring to pop round the corner to a large Tesco if supplies are needed. As said above, the rings by Red Bull yard betwenn Locks 43 & 44 (Water, Refuse, Elsan, Shower etc.) are fine for the pub (48 hrs). Harecastle Tunnel - Last arrival for guaranteed passage through the tunnel 4.00pm - No booking required.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.