sparrowcycles

That is lovely, and interesting too, given that the first BW carrying boats had a rather fancy paint job I did wonder if the maintenance boats did too. I'm aware that sickel had a special paint scheme for a show in London at some point but I thought it was more jazzy than this. I'll look into it, thanks!

Yes he would, to be honest I have no idea what livery the GUC maintenance boats were painted in.. I'll have to have a dig.. But given that Prince was taken into the BW fleet at nationalisation but was surely in maintenance only I do still wonder if the early maintenance paint scheme was different to the later 'one pot' type. No problem if it isn't, it's easier for me to paint like that but if like to have fun exploring some paint jobs on Prince that reflect his history correctly.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Liveaboard-barge-/185042584761?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0 For those into the wider side of life.

Thanks everyone, I do like Darley's paint and it is an inspiration for a future scheme on Prince. I was just aware that often the maintenance boats were painted in a slightly more austere scheme.

Hi folks. Does anyone know what the first BW maintenance boats were painted like? I'm wondering what Prince may have looked like at the time of nationalisation. Thanks s

Just to let everyone know that I finally got the electric start sorted. I bought a JS3 industrial engine and used the flywheel from that but it had a different reverse side so the hand start gear would not fit. To remedy this I designed an adapter plate on cad and got that laser cut/machined. This allowed me to refit the had start gear, reinstall the flywheel and fabricate a bracket for the starter. I'm happy to say that it starts well and runs fine. If anyone is doing the same and wants a copy of the cad file I'd be happy to send it.

Conway up for sale. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324657310455

There are definitely some on ebay right now.

Thanks everyone. I shall contact them to get a concrete answer (hopefully) and will post what I find back here.. S

Hi everyone, Just a quick one, I have had a search on the forum and not found an answer so thought I'd post this. Is there any BSS reason not to fit an lpg water heater in an engine room on a traditional narrowboat? I have a vague memory that it's not allowed but that might be the bathroom 'rule' (which, oddly, I have seen on loads of narrowboats). Any advice much appreciated. S

Let's have a look later!

Hi everyone. Just to update this thread. I found an industrial JS3 and bought that thinking it ideal because it would supply a flywheel for my friends boat and an engines worth of spares for the JS in Prince. However. Having just got both flywheels off I can see that the reverse sides are quite different. I was expecting the JS one to have no provision for the hand start mechanism and suspected I'd have to fabricate an adaptor to take the JP sprocket etc. On further investigation though, not only is the rear hub substantially smaller diameter but crucially the tapered section is actually about 3/4in deeper than on the JP, meaning the widest point of the taper is wider on the JS flywheel than the other one. To further complicate matters it looks like that, depth of taper is pretty important as the flywheel seems to close up tight to the crank end seal housing so a deeper taper would just hit that housing and not tighten.. I have included some photos here so hopefully people will understand what I'm getting at! Any advice on this matter would be much appreciated!

Yes, I've done that to the manifold but the air filter itself is sealed and I can see the same gunk in there but can't clean it out. I could cut it open and weld back together but I'd rather not. OK that makes sense, I've seen some exhausts with the same thread but didn't want to get the wrong one. I'll look into oil Bath filters. Thanks!

Yes, but in this case there is quite a bit of gunky particle-y stuff in there and I'm pretty certain it was a bit of that which held the valve open so I'm not going to put it back on.. Slightly worried about sucking a leaf/ small child or my cat up that pipe though..

Yes that is the type! But for the life of me I can't find them for sale online. If I knew the name to search for... Can't even find them on mps site and couldn't get through on the phone.

Sorry to ask another question of you all, folks! This one is a really boring one too.. Does anyone know the name of the type of air filter normally fitted to JP engines? Prince's is a sealed canister type and has very much passed its prime. I had a stuck valve (carbon deposit on the inlet valve) the other day so have stripped and decoked all the heads and manifolds as well as lapping the valves but I cannot find the air filter online anywhere because, in this modern world, its all about knowing your search terminology If someone could please tell me the type I'd be grateful!

Are all Jp engines the same roataion? I know that a friend was surprised that mine used a right hand prop, believing that all, listers used LH ones. Would it be possible to mount the starter on the other side of the engine? Ie not beside the Injector pump but the other side. Oh I guess the water pump is in the way.. Mine has the seawater pump which is in another place entirely. I had one of these on a 4 cylinder Ford lifeboat engine, it always shocked me how easily it spun it over.. Compressed springs and contained gas always scare me a little.

Indeed, I was just starting to look for any Jp3 engines online (from generators etc) but might have to think on the direction and mounting of the starter some more if it may be of the wrong rotation.

Thanks everyone, I might actually follow that, suggestion and look for a Jp3 complete for spares, in which case I would have plenty of bits for Prince's JS as well as a flywheel and starter for my friend. Anyone got one kicking around? I've just had a look at the JS and the starter is bolted to the engine bearer via a cast plate with the straps in o e piece. If I have a hard time finding a donor engine I think I could make up something similar. That one at redshaws is too pricey for me. I'll have a search now, but if anyone knows of an engine (ideally In poor condition - I don't think I could strip a good one for parts) I'd be grateful. S

Hello folks. I have a friend who is looking at a boat with a hand start only Jp2 in it. She would need it converting to electric start so I'm looking out for a Jp flywheel with ring gear attached plus a suitable starter motor. Does anyone on here have one for sale? Or any of the bits that would assist with the conversion (I'm assuming that I will have to fabricate a mount for the starter but if there are fittings available I would mu h rather buy one that was made for the purpose) All the best, s

Thanks, that is my original post from when I bought kerbau in 2014, Alan's site I have already seen.

Yes, I'm certain that the Harris brothers did the conversion but from an old Hull, I'm also certain that it is not a Bantock because they have a curved stem Post and this one is straight below the top curve. What really puzzles me is the plating, I have seen Calder barges (like June) made with lots of tiny plates but never a joey. Plus the way the plates overlap looks counter intuitive at the gunnel and the footings which makes me think a long strip of iron from some other purpose had the gunnels and footings riveted on to make the hull. Either way I'd be interested to hear if anyone here has seen anything similar.

Hello again folks. Happy Christmas to you all! Im writing this time with an enquiry for a friend, she bought a previous boat, Kerbau - a shortened bcn joey, from me some years ago and loves the boat dearly. However she does need a longer boat and has been looking for a suitable project BCN boat to replace Kerbau but to no avail so far. So, while that search continues, she is looking into the logistics of lengthening Kerbau with sympathy to the hull, the issue being that she is not built like most Bantocks or similar (of which there will be plenty of useable sides around to lengthen her with) but rather she is of a construction like I have never seen before (please see the attached photo) with many small plates riveted in the oddest ways. Im sure we have all heard stories of boats being built from old steam tanks etc and in Kerbau I can readily believe this! My question to you all is, has anyone seen any other boats or scrap iron around that would match, or nearly match, these? We are aware that it is a needle in a haystack and that the costs of such an operation may well be prohibitive in the extreme but its always worth having an ask! best wishes to you all.. s

Great, I'll have a look at that site, thanks! Yes! It does have an extreme pitch (and pronounced prop walk to boot), a 28x20 is required I believe. True, as soon as he is out of the water I'll be swapping the prop. I do believe also that the town class boats swim allows more water to the propeller easily due to its steeper vee shape rather than the rounded barrel shaped swim on Prince. I will investigate the pump and let you all know when the prop is changed.

It's only that I steer a few of the coal boats which have much smaller engines than the JS and they can really really throw some water out the back when wound on a bit which Prince rarely does. Prince does have a 24" prop which is a bit small really but still.. I am aware that I may be looking too hard at something which isn't a problem, it's pretty shallow up here and he is pretty deep as well as having a very different shaped swim than other GU motors, all of which could affect it. Given that he runs smoothly with almost no smoke and good oil pressure I'm inclined to think that the injection timing is alright and the injectors working properly but I might see if I can try another pump just to put my mind at rest.