Graham Davis
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Posts posted by Graham Davis
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I used to do the first aid at Upton Jazz Festival with St John and we used to put an ambulance in the town, opposite the end of the bridge, up to about 11 oclock at night. We were sitting in it one night waiting for something to do, when my slighty aged female assistant said she thought she saw someone falling down in the riverside garden. Not wanting to get out of the truck she turned on the handheld spot light and tracked across the garden, only to see a white bum appear then disappear very quickly. 2 minutes later a dishevelled couple appeared and ran off.
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Funnily enough a similar thread has come up this week on one of the 4x4 Forums, and the general consensus there has been to go for a bow saw.
One point that was raised there, which hasn't been here, is that if using a chain saw in a public place then you need to be Certificated for it's use, and since a towpath is a public place, you could be prosecuted by the HSE if ANY accident took place, even if that accident was to you.
We are lucky as one of our members is a Forester.
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Can't see anyone has said it yet, but
YOU CANNOT RUN A DIESEL ON LPG ALONE
This has been looked at in great detail in the 4x4 world, and the only system available injects a SMALL amount of LPG into the injectors. This does increase power but has very little effect on fuel consumption, it does however give a much cleaner burn, and therefore less emmisions.
I believe it was tried by one of the big bus companies for a while, but they gave it up because it hadn't saved them enough money.
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Interesting reading that.
All I know is that we aren't going to get terrestial digital where I live, so the only option is a satellite dish, and because we live in a conservation zone, and because of the particular placement of my house, we have just been told by the Planning Office that we will not be allowed to put a dish on the only place that will receive a signal. So currently it looks like we are giving up tele next year!!
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Hi David,
I'm only just down the road from you.
We basically did the 4 Counties Ring in October, but added a bit extra.
We started from Fradley, went up to Middlewich, across to Nantwich, down to Autherley Junction, and then instead of going back up the Staffs and Worcs, went up the Wolverhampton 21, through the centre of Brum, onto the Coventry, up the Fazeley Junction and back to Fradley.
We did that in an easy 2 weeks, with just the 2 of us, but we have been boating for 30 years now, so think we know what we are doing.
Would say that just the 4 Counties Ring, for a beginner, would be hard work in a week. Remember that part of the fun of a canal holiday is to slow down and chill out. Much better to do it in 2 weeks!
If you want a chat, PM me for my number.
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Try Empress at Nantwich, by the Basin.
They seem to be reasonable and the boats seem to be quite good.
They look after one of the timeshare boats for our group and they always provide a good service.
Please note I have no connection with this company, other than above.
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AYE
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Well folks, we are back home safe and sound and surprisingly dry too.
Had a very good trip up the T & M with no problems at all.
Found several nice pubs to stop at and imbibe the favourite Welsh liquid intake.
Harecastle was fun as we had never done it before!
Stopped off at a couple of places coming down the Shroppie and even managed to moor up safely at Audesley Junct, despite all the rumours of mass piracy we heard from the hire boaters on the way down.
Wolverhampton 21 wasn't as daunting as we had been led to believe, and there is a brilliant "greasy spoon" van not too far from the top that does a most excellent bacon buttie.
Spent a half day at the Black Country Museum after using their overnight moorings and had a lovely pint of Banks' and fish & chips from their shop.
The Old Main Line through the Black Country was interesting, after we thought to go down the Brades flight but found them empty!
Mooring in Brum Centre was excellent, right under the camera at the junction end of the Sherbourne St Loop. It really does feel most secure. We then went down Farmers Bridge and Aston Flights to Cuckoo Wharf for another good nights mooring, with a security guard on site. Also there is a little cafe there that does a reasonable sarnie for breakfast!
Finished off through Curdworth and Fazeley Junction to Fradley yesterday morning.
The only problems we had were a couple of noisy dossers on the Farmers Bridge Flight and couple of "chavs" at the top of the Aston Flight, but they were more noise than action.
We were surprised at how shallow the length was between Fazeley and Fradley and how seemingly il informed the hirers from "Holidays Afloat" were in this area. Twice we were pushed aground by their speed and lack of "giving way" when we passed them. Is it just their bases in this area that either attracts or doesn't tell them what they should do, as we never had the same problem from "Holidays Afloat" boats anywhere else?
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hmmmmm - is this a new language that I need to learn? HELP!! (lol)
Sue,
my avatar is a Draig Goch.
But don't worry we speak english too!
Keep looking for us.
Graham & Sheila
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We 2 mad and damp Mid Walians will be flying the "Draig Goch" from In Hoc for the next 2 weeks.
Taking a route from Fradley Junction up the T & M to Middlewich, across to the Shroppie and down to Wolverhampton, up the 21 to the Black Country Museum, through Brum and back to Fradley.
If you see us give us a shout and a wave.
Would be nice to know someone reads these notes.
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Instead of using the blue "Blue" why not use the green one instead.
We have been using this in our caravan's cassette system for a couple of years and find it just as effective and it smells better!!
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Similar system:
going up,
drop off before lock,
empty lock (well aren't they always against you?)
open gates,
wait for boat!!!!!!
close bottom paddles whilst waiting,
boat to top gate, in forward gear,
shut bottom gates, with steerer's help on one side if possible,
open top paddle.
If in a flight, lock-wheel ahead leaving steerer to close lock
Going down is basically the same, but the steerer can help with the paddles whilst the boat is in gear against the bottom gate and still within stepping distance of the top of the lock.
The only time we seem to have a problem is geting the locker back onto the boat where the tail of the lock doesn't have steps or a bridge hole following.
We are invariably only 2 of us on the boat and have been doing it this way for a while. yes it can take a bit longer to work a lock, but we are in no great hurry and if we delay anyone, and they aren't helping, then i will get out of their way.
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I'd go Garrison/Ashtead rather than Aston Locks, its the lesser used route so deserves a bit of traffic, then up Farmers Bridge Locks into Birmingham. You'll struggle to find narrow locks in a nicer urban setting than Farmers Bridge. Then go up Smethick Locks and use the Old Main Line to Tipton rather than the new. Its much more interesting, like being on a country lane rather than the motorway.
Hadn't thought about that way!
It looks like we will be doing Brum, Wolves and then up the Shroppie and down the T&M so that we can be near a station for the daughter.
Anyone got some good stops, pubs etc?
Where is the best place to moor coming in to Brum that way?
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Well I'm guessing I've been validated because I'm posting this, but I've never had a confirmatory email.
Should I be worried?
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Hi Graham.
Well you have lots of options, always better to choose a trip you haven't done before. One you did not mention is, head North through the Harecastle Tunnel and turn right onto the Macclesfield and Upper Peak Forest canals allowing a few days for a detour onto the Caldon.
John
We really want to do a circular route this year, as we did the route up the T&M last time we were out.
I haven't been down the Coventry before, or done the northern part of the Shroppie.
Plus we have just found out that our daughter and her boyfriend fancy joining us for a couple of nights over the middle weekend, and as they live in the south Midlands we need to be near a station for them.
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We are 2 experienced steerers, who are taking Ad Hoc out for 2 weeks in mid October.
Can't decide on which route to take, so have thought of 2 that we want to do.
Fradley, Birmingham Centre, Black Country Museum, Wolverhampton, up the Shroppie to Barbridge, across the Middlewich Arm, and then back down the T & M to Fradley.
or
Fradley, Birmingham, down the Worcester, up the Severn to Stourport, up the Shroppie to Great Haywood, and than back to Fradley.
Any one got any good or bad points about these routes, and any good places to drink, eat, etc?
The Welsh Invasion starts tomorrow!!!
in Holidays Afloat
Posted · Edited by Graham Davis
Blimey, thought this was dead and buried!!
Flag was flying from the front chimney for most of the time, until I hit a tree on the Shroppie and broke the stick!!! Then we improvised.
Did meet a boat at Norbury Junct with a huge Ddriag Goch flag flying on their tiller.
Doesn't look like we are going to get out this year, unfortunately. So the next waterbourne invasion will have to be held over until 2008!!!