Philip Hooton

when passing the Red Lion Wainlodes last week i saw an otter , so if you pass this way worth keeping an eye out. otherwise there not much to commend the approaches to Gloucester, but worth the journey to enjoy the G and S canal, in particular the lower part at Purton

i have always had a reply on Channel 74 from Gloucester Lock and always have my vhf set on. came in handy recently when the Edward Elgar had an altercation with a fallen tree in the partings and got wedged across the channel.

basically the Severn is not safely navigable above Sharpness, the usual route for narrowboats and other craft is from Sharpness to Portishead/Avonmouth Bristol Docks in any event a pilot will be required due to high tidal flow and shifting sand bars, good weather and calm waters are also a requirement along with evidence of fuel polishing and a sound engine. further advice can be obtained from Gloucester or Barry Pilots ..

Further down the canal at the side of a fairly deep lock, the by wash has a water turbine generator feeding into the grid, this has been running for several years and producing a respectable amount of power.

some slightly better ANT news, after 2 yrs of the Avon Lock at Tewkesbury being operated by volunteers during the summer months with limited hours and virtually closed throughout the winter, the Navigation Authority intend to re instate a paid lock keeper, hopefully this will mean all year round access and extended summer hours. i gather mid March is the intended start date

having had similar problems removing my swan neck, spare a thought to those who follow and use copper grease on all the parts when you re assemble...it may pay dividends later

I suspect in this instance boat confiscation was the only option for a repeat offender, fines are irrelevant as they will rarely be paid and the sanctions against non payment are pretty much non existent. in all a pointless exercise for the authorities. "But snapshot figures from early January, show that only five of the 196 £10,000 fines handed out in England have been paid. While 53 are being formally contested, 42 have been ignored and 96 still had time left to pay in the 28-day payment period. The data from criminal records office Acro, that administers the fines, were given to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC)".

i'm not sure of the name for the timbers, i think they were very necessary in earlier days when the G and S was used by the John Harker Tanker fleet transporting oil from Milford Haven and Avonmouth to Gloucester and Worcester as they were a tight fit going through the swing bridges

i installed two panels 3 years ago using 50mm diameter round magnets , they came with a chromium cover and a pre drilled hole for a fixing bolt, despite strong winds and a variety of severe storms they have stayed put. they give the appearance and feel of being bolted down but have the advantage of removal for painting etc. try ebay where there is a wide variety of magnets available for very little cost. good luck..

indeed another useless sign which, like many others will become defunct, as per this recent item in the national press RIDERLESS bicycles free of dangerous knobheads in lycra will soon be a reality, scientists believe. Artificial intelligence will soon make the sanctimonious, above-the-law tossers currently mounted atop bicycles a thing of the past. A spokesman said: “The ecological ideal of the self-operating bike, free of the tit in the saddle, once seemed the stuff of science fiction. “Our riderless bike will not run red lights, stays off the pavement, respects other road users and never provokes arguments which it later self-righteously posts on YouTube. blue touch paper now smoldering...

i have recently repainted my roof with Symphony Narrow Boat paint not cheap but very high quality, i was advised by professional boat painters, not to thin the paint with white spirit ,as this can lead to flaking at a later date ,but thin with Owatrol oil which makes the paint flow more easily and it contains a rust inhibitor . i have achieved a good finish but only time will tell. i did spend time treating the rusted areas with rust inhibitor prior to undercoat application.

might be worth a look.... e bay Brass Headlight Solid brass surround and casing. Hella C90119 clear glass lens Halogen bulb. 12V Glass diameter 155mm / 6" Overall diameter 200mm / 8" complete with 30" of 2 core cable Hinged mounting bracket. Please look in our ebay shop or phone 01299 821111 Limekiln Limited