Skeggy

Tommy Johnston would be the person to ask, Ive seen him two or three times this year. Hes still on for BW When Jinty (thats the name I remember, proberbly a childhood error) went in to hospital for treatment for a tumor. Pam and Tom looked after him during his convelesance. They were living at the top lock at the time. He wasnt allowed back into his back cabin until it had been cleaned. I used to be terrified of walking past his boat for some reason. It was just the back cabin no hold or fore end. It was moored right by the bridge on the offside at bottom lock.

A mate of mine who lives up that flight tells me one is an iron joey and the other he thinks is a wooden ballinger. Regards

With respect when was this? Maybe things have changed since then. I have been left with the impression from my time with the gas safe trainer <august 2010> that you will not work with a gas unless you have the training, experience and obviously the gas safe card. Maybe things vary from one training center to the next. I did notice one center offering courses to convert from natural gas to lpg. Whatever the situation. One things for sure its an expensive game to be in re. training and qualifications. Regards

Im sure you cant just walk in off the street with a bag of money and come out a fully trained and registerd gas fitter. If you could everyone would be at it. As we know anyone can pass an exam if they study hard enough. What gas safe require is evidence of experience in the idustry. An apprenticeship idealy. This makes it tricky for most people over the age of say, 25, to get a foothold on the ladder. Due to the traditionaly low wage an apprentice receives. There may be training providers out there who can link you up with employers. Spacebar says he used to work in the industry. Maybe this will count. Maybe a boat yard could help with a portfolio. I can understand the frustration people feel. I for one struggled like hell to get my portfolio together. And i work for a plumbing firm! Due to the nature of LPG and the environment its being used in i.e vehicals i dont think every Tom Dick and Harry should be offering gas services to the unsuspecting public. Anyone remember the fiberglass cruiser in what was Ladyline Marina, Braunston. I can. It went quite high. That said it is the only gas safety incident i can recall. Maybe due to stringent regulations this country enforces.

To get my core gas i had to produce a portfolio of 12 jobs including instalation and servicing and fault finding. I therefore had to be working for a gas safe registerd firm. I spent one year on day release at college. And then sat the 3 day Gas safe exam. If i were to take any other appliences for instance gas fires or warm air heaters it would cost more money and require more training at college. I would imagine the LPG side is similer. Ie you take a core gas exam and then anything else on top would be extra say caravans or boats. I belive Moulton college in Northampton are doing LPG courses now. I expressed an interest in LPG and my tutors reply was. 'If you think this is hard work then try LPG'. But i'm sure if you put your mind to it it cant be that bad. Good luck

superb images. cheers for posting

Whats the difference and why?

Hi Tim. Maybe you could try Alister in daventry. I could get you his number if you havent all ready got it. Regards

Cheers Ben. Yes the weather was perfect.The 5 o clock start made it all the more memorable. I cant take any praise for the pictures as my wife took them. The run out of liverpool was just as memorable. For all the right reasons. I would recommend a trip to and through liverpool to anyone. I guess its home turf for the Beatty but its all new cut to me.

Here are a few pictures of the Mersey Crossing on 28th April following the Easter Gathering at Ellesmere Port

Thank you all.

Please can anyone give me any information regarding the fate or whereabouts of an ex oveltine motor William. She was bought direct from Ovaltine by the Beauchamp Lodge Community Center, based in London, in the early sixties and used as used by the youth club for several years. She was bought by a chap called John Stokes in the early seventies and used as a pleasure craft. He then sold her on in 1977 or thereabouts. The Bolinder was replaced with a 3 cylinder petter during this time. I'm afraid this is all the information I have. Thanks

Hi Pete Phobos has a steel bottom (Simon Wain) and steel back cabin. I do not know who put this on. The conversion is the wooden one put on in the seventies when she was used as a 'hotel' boat. The National was replaced with an RN which is still going strong.