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

on a number of occasions i have tried to remove debris from my tank using a pump via the filler cap with limited success and often wondered why narrowboats do not have a waterproof inspection hatch bolted on to the deck to allow proper access. is it against BSS or merely the fear of water ingress. any suggestions ?

I understand that the panels should be disconnected first and battery connections second and then re reconnect in the reverse order . as a precaution i cover my panels so that they are not producing any charge to protect the MPPT unit when i disconnect the system

LOCATIONS: From Stratford upon Avon to Tewkesbury The river levels on most reaches are now returning to normal levels, however due to the lock structures and moorings being submerged for many weeks there may still be hidden hazards. The Trust Engineers are currently carrying out a safety sweep of the whole 47 miles of the Navigation in deep drafted tugs. Each lock site will be checked for safe operation and damage and depths checked for silting up. The advice from the Trust currently is DO NOT NAVIGATE unless absolutely necessary and if you do, proceed with extreme caution. We will send further updates and note any specific hazards when the navigation has been fully assessed. The pump out facilities at Evesham Lock and Pershore Riverside Youth Centre have been submerged by the flood and are inoperable. We are waiting for parts to re-build the machines. River Level Gauge Information located below most lock structures and other places: RED DO NOT NAVIGATE AMBER NAVIGATE WITH CAUTION GREEN NORMAL LEVELS For further information please do not hesitate to call the incident line below. Adrian Main Office Manager Further information call the incident line: 0300 999 2010

i have a Beta 38 my fuel filter has a black plastic knob to press down to prime the pump, yours looks to be a little older, just wondering if what appears to be a bolt is the bleed screw to let air out of the filter casing.

i have had good results with one of the cheaper Screwfix periodic aerials on a short mast, albeit a taller pole would be better in hilly areas, on the technical side, in order to obtain a clear picture ,it is necessary to persuade other crew members to go aloft in the rain to spin it round while the skipper remains in the warmth of the cabin to shout instructions,

almost all the vessels have been identified and metal plaques installed on the banks by "friends of purton" they have a very good website with a comprehensive history of the graveyard. well worth a look. oops wrong side of the river apologies

the end is in sight CRT navigation notice today Update on 18/02/2019: Update - The new high capacity pumps have now been installed at the lock and successfully tested. The diving team have been able to start work on repairing the leaks in the cill preparatory to dewatering the lock, however the high tides expected on the River Severn this week will delay this work due to safety concerns and the risk to the work boats on site. We will report any further progress as it occurs, but our timeline for completion is still uncertain. For further information or advice, please contact the Gloucester Dock Office on 01452 318012 or at enquiries.southwalessevern@canalrivertrust.org.uk.

CRT are still having problems regarding de watering the lock due to leak from top gates and high tides, alternative pumps will be installed next week. stoppage will continue for some time as the bottom cill requires attention.

further press release from CRT Gloucester Update on 01/02/2019: Update - Despite our best efforts this week, we have been unable to dewater Gloucester Lock due to the high rate of inflow of water from both the top end (top gate/paddles) and the bottom end of the safety gate. So next week we are going to improve the water tightness at both ends with the intent to facilitate dewatering the lock and effecting repairs to the cills. We expect to be able to start this by 11th February. Regrettably this may mean the stoppage extending beyond w/c 18th February. We will keep you informed of any updates as they occur. Please take this closure into account when planning your journey. For further information or advice, please contact the Gloucester Dock Office on 01452 318012 or at enquiries.southwalessevern@canalrivertrust.org.uk. Thank you for your understanding and co-operation in this matter.

extract from CRT Press Release A lock gate connecting Gloucester Docks to the River Severn is closed after a “severe leak” was discovered. No barges will be allowed into the lock while crews start to repair, and possibly replace the lock gates – an operation which could cost as much as £30,000. It is not known how long the lock gates are out of bounds for but it is expected that work to repair the gates will take place on Monday, January 28.