Dav and Pen

I steered one of these at Fazely for Land and water pushing hoppers. I brought it on it’s own from Atherstone where it had been abandoned by previous steerer, dam near lethal on there own as wanted to dive at anything like decent speed.

Afraid not could do with some myself.

I am presently in France but next week will be at home and will ask Nick Hill where the photo was taken. He doesn’t do computers so will show him it. we were doing the coal run with Tadworth In the 70’s and. Banbury was pretty run down with the Bus station on one side and if I remember right a fence on the other. Occasionally stopped overnight to get some stores and a pint of hookies. The town bridge was a pig and uphill into the lock always meant keeping it up and as said previously upset the locals who seemed to appear as if by magic once you had got it up. Got into big row with BWB for pushing gates open and was threatened with removal from the waterway. Told them to fetch a crane as I’d had enough of his waterway and anyway needed to black round. He went away. Phot shows price of coal in 1975 at Thrupp.

France is a strange place that never seems to change. Some of the menus have been the same ever since we first came in the seventies. Here on the Burgundy canal the season is over and in a couple of weeks the canal closes for the winter and so has our local cafe/bar. Only opens at midday for the lunch trade at 13 euros 3 courses. Shuts Saturday even in the season as his horses are more important than his business, did open for Sunday lunch July and August and even though the majority of his customers are locals it’s to much effort. nice photos of Brittany I guess you’ve noticed the lack of signs telling you what to do or where to go. On the Nivernais canal this year in one of the river section the wire was straight ahead behind an island and the cut 90 degrees to the right put the arrow on the island was overgrown and hidden behind the bushes. Enjoy your boatmans holiday

I think the Banbury picture of Jaguar May be the old Banbury dairies site where Joy Skinner used to take coal to. My memories of the place involve Banbury sticking at the old aluminum factory bridge and the town bridge, Bloody heavy things both of them.

You only need to put deflectors on if your light dip to the left. A lot of modern cars dip straight down or very slightly left so no problem. Used to use bit of black insulating tape.

Mrs Bray used to make a mean fruit cake which she would pass over a big slice when we meet. I seem to remember a lot of sausage and beans in cans, think they were made by Hunters. One of our camping boat Steerers had a continuous curry moldering away on the range. A snack was Swiss roll and bottle of pop. still going 50 years later somehow.

I have a tag called bib and go for the autoroutes. It’s great as madam struggles to reach the toll booth machine and when I’m on my own it saves having to get out of the car. Please remember that on the ordinary roads the speed limit is now 80 kph not 90. Not that many French drivers are bothering. also make sure you have the cars paperwork and driving license with you whenever out in the car, it’s 110euro fine and it’s a Friday! Enjoy your cruise.

There is a report in the Coventry Observer of a boat fire at Clifton Wharf. It was caused by a welding accident and is burnt out inside. It was on the bank being worked on by the owner. It was not insured so a crowdfunding has been started as the owner has lost everything.

I have had this e.mail from ASAP who I use occasionally for parts. Now got to check credit card statements but I never leave my credit details with anybody always enter them fresh every time. I would hope that this lessens the chance of the details being stored. i must say that in the past the service from this company has been first class

The great chocolate man himself .

My 6 cylinder Perkins uses 10/40. I buy it from Watson’s Fuels in a 20 litre container. Not quite £2 per litre delivered.

Wait for the Daventry arm to be built or go by bus from Braunston she will be very happy in the high street. Hard to find a non charity shop.

The commercial looks like a Dutch or Belgian inland barge probably about 100m . Didn’t know any of these did deep water stuff.

It’s all Mr Beechings fault. There used to be a station at blisworth arm end and one at watford village. Easy walk from the junction and to Welton fields at other end.