national velvet

We have been lucky enough to be able to moor our boat at this property, on a temporary basis for a number of years. It is a beautiful situation and has stacks of potential - having a paddock that also boarders the canal. It started off life as a coal wharf many years ago. But as you say is marred by the A38, as is this whole stretch of the Trent and Mersey.

http://www.parker-hall.co.uk/property-for-sale/barton-under-needwood/mill-lane-8?propsearch=479e05

The Cotswold Cruising Club, of approx 12 boats are heading for the Chesterfield Canal and are due to travel to Stockwith Friday and Saturday. Therefore today will be a good day to travel to avoid congestion!

What's wrong with the derelict section of the Chesterfield canal. The Norwood flight a good subject I would say ?

Love the gent on the towpath lighting up his pipe.

Fantastic,thanks .

smart photo ,but what about the very early three wheeler reliant robin,that would be a show stopper.

The Trent at it's very very best.

Travelled on Anderson lift this August without booking. No problem either down or up. Turned up and got virtually straight onto the lift both times. Most boaters we have talked to have said the same. Only need to book if you are in a dreadful rush and need to know that you can definitely travel when you need to. Wonderful piece of Victorian engineering, not to be missed if you are in the vicinity. Having said that booking of Standedge Tunnel is a different matter due to restriction of number of boats that can go through and days that it is available. Booking on line will be a bonus .

Does anyone know the number for the company at Fradley, that do boat painting? I think they may be called Fradley Marine Services, but they do not come up on Google. Meant to take number last time we floated past, but forgot! Thanks

We always try to use shower facilities where possible, it saves having to fill our tank up! We have also found a vast difference in cleanliness and space / what is provided in the shower. The Lancashire side of the Leeds and Liverpool when we travelled through this year was excellent, but the Yorkshire side were near non existent.

A more recently built wooden narrowboat is Dawn Rose on the Chesterfield Canal, granted it is a cuckoo boat not a boat for living and cruising in. But It did take specialist knowledge from members of the canal trust to build it. Also it will need treating correctly in order to maintain it.

Hi Jim make a gasket out of a piece of lino or floor covering, it works surprisingly well as a gasket.

Another recommendation for AE Woodwards in Hull. Our prop has been there today and come back completely renewed, all dings and misshapes have been removed, it has been reprofiled, balanced and polished, all done while we waited if booked in prior to work, looks good as new. And all for a very reasonable price.

My 3 pot national has its original works plate intact ,on the block opposite the fly wheel and just above where the timing arrow is that points to the fly wheel.

the dip stick on my national dm3 sites in a raised casting on the block .And is loose like yours, its never been a problem.

Without a doubt sir, your boat should fail the test because of the following:- The day tank must have an isolation valve at the top and bottom of it. In-between the 2 valves should be a glass tube, protected by at least 2 brass bars. The theory is you should travel on your boat with both the top and bottom isolation valves closed. This is because if the glass tube shatters the only diesel that escapes is in the tube. Obviously the top and bottom valves are opened before pumping up the diesel, to ascertain the level, and then closed when completed. As per photograph of my day tank.

Yes, you should be able to wind, particularly if the water is high.

If you are only interested in the vintage sound of the engine, forget it. Every engine has its own personality and requires care and attention to detail.you need to have a feel for your own engine. Every engine is different they work diffenrntly, they need different attention, but generally they will give good service if they are treated properly. The balls in your court! The older the engine the more love it will require.

We have a tug deck and are on the Chesterfield as are several others. As has been said, go well prepared, tugs are much easier to use in the tidal locks as you have better access to the sliders on the lock sides. In any narrowboat you have to take stock of the weather and you have said you are a fair weather boater. No one type of narrowboat is any better than any other, so go for what you fancy and we shall look for a new tug boat at stockwith soon.

About time too, last week on Wednesday we did trip from Torksey to Stockwith and had to fight our way out of the cut onto the Trent due to the amount of rubbish hanging about in the Fossdyke entrance. Neil the lock keeper was having to flush water down from the lock to try and clear the entrance in order that boats could enter the lock.

Visiting boats are going up and down regularly, and we have not heard any complaints about the locks. However the weed is growing extremely fast at the moment due to the warm weather. CARTS weed boat contractor is about doing what it can to alleviate the problem.

Full Article in Waterways world this month on this particular boat. It is a semi trad. The article gives full details and pictures so probably better information than on the website. Enjoy your holiday!