Dav and Pen

We had a boatman who got stuck in Loughborough by a flood one winter. He met up with some students who persuaded him it would be a good idea to plant some weed on islands in the sewer and then harvest it in due course. He had some plants in the back cabin but forgot to water them so grand scheme came to nowt.

So the Planning Committee of Daventry council give themselves planning permission to go ahead with the canal arm despite the majority in a recent referendum being against it. Local democracy in action. They do not say how much it will cost or where the money will come from, they say that CRT is for the project but will they take on the maintenance once its finished. As a local tax payer believe me there is a lot more things that need doing in Daventry district before a canal although it might be handy now the local tip only opens 3 days a week. David

According to the local paper it goes before the DDC planing committee this week with recommendations for approval. After that funds and tenders, who knows still lots of opposition in the area.

I seem to remember that there was one when we brought Tadworth off BWB. It was a T shaped brass with the calibration stamped on its flat side.

The towpath of the Burgundy canal is well used by cyclists and most of it is tarmac paved ( dam site better than the roads in Northamptonshire) and there are marked velo routes taking in points of interest. Where I keep my barge there is a fine chambre de hote which has overnight groups of cyclists whose luggage is moved around for them but also individuals. If you started from near the summit at Pouilly en Auxois it's al downhill to the R.Soane where there's the Vois bleu which is part of a real long distance cycle way ending in Budapest but that's a bit far for two weeks. Enjoy

A boatman in Gnosal pub was asked does your boat rock when you make love, reply don't know we live in Lichfield.

These are good locks but doubt West really did it in 1 1/2 hours if he was steering. Been up them single handed and loaded in under 3 hours using one paddle to fill and one on the next lock to empty, afraid didn't close top gate. Lock keeper hid in his house until I got to the top lock. Happy days!.

I to am confused by the 15m "rule" as the owner of a 22m barge for 15 years on the continent I have come across some moorings that have very small finger pontoons but can honestly say that we have never had a serious problem mooring. The smaller French canals are generally in a poor state of maintenance and it's rare to get into the bank to moor but above locks usually good. The other plus point is that they close at night generally around seven so no passing craft to pull the pins out. The regulations that have come in for over 20m boats are really not any more onerous than when the original BSC came originally for hire boats and houseboats and sensible surveyors reasoned that old boats couldn't always meet the requirements to the letter. We were never made to cut a doorway between the back cabin and engine hole on our Northwich and Woolwich Camping boats although strictly there should have been one. There's plenty to keep you busy on the smaller waterways (38m locks) and it may be worth looking at the extra cost of being put in at Simon Evans yard at Migennes. Shop around to see if it's possible to get a back load to France. We took our 50ft NB to Ireland as a back load for an Irish hauler. It's a different world but a great one for boating.

I have a 100 year old Dutch barge a type called Hagenaar. Originally a sailing barge they were built of 5.5 mm steel riveted to frames which are at 400 mm centers. Very light by narrow boat standards but strong by design. Over all these years it has been overplated and the usual places are the starboard bilge strake which rubs the sides of shallow waterways when passing and mooring and the fore end at waterline. It is common in the Nederlands and Belgium for these older boats to be completely overplated on the bottom and there is plenty of experience in the yards there how to do it. Many have spent time in salt or brackish waters so corrosion must be expected. A good surveyer will be able to advise. When we brought the NB Crane from willow Wren it had been overplated up to about a foot from the bottom which was a surprise as it is a Josher but turns out WW had it and some others done at Brentford in the 60,s. Strange really as its better to cut out the bad stuff and rebuild when the hull is unconverted. Have a good look at your potential purchase and don't be afraid of spending money and n a survey and walking away. The usual contract on the continent for barges like this require the owner to put right any faults that show up and this includes hull thickness that doesn't meet insurance requirements usual less than 4 mm. Good luck

Had our 50 ft narrow boat over in Ireland for 2 years based At Shannon harbour. It was taken over by an Irish hauler on an extentable trailer and craned in at Salins. We brought in back to the UK to sell it as we intended to buy a small Tjalk or similar to take back to Ireland as some of the big lakes can be a bit hairy with a NB as the wind gets up quickly and can whip up some big waves. It was loaded at Shannonharbour and but in at Calcut Boats. The Grand Canal is pretty easy going and even the bog is interesting and the River Barrow navigation is well worth doing. The Shannon with its big lakes makes for a real contrast but the highlight for us was the beautiful lakes upper and lower Erne a Lake District we had no knowledge of and areal hidden gem. Only drawback the Irish weather as its not called the Emerald Isle for no reason but the pubs and the music great. David

Steerer our partner in the Crane called David Chapman and the young lady the first mate Penny actually doing a crossword puzzle. Regards David

Just found photo of scruff on roof of Crane.

We have an Airedale and he's the third one who has been boating with us and they are all great boat dogs as they seem to be able to adapt to anywhere and are alert watch dogs. When we were carrying and camping boating we had an old black mongrel called scruff. Now he was a boat dog he could run down the top planks from cabin to fore end, jump off at bridge holes and swim after the boat. In a Thames lock he once decided to get off but the coping was at least 6 ft above the cabin top and he slide down the wall into the water. The keeper fished him out with a keb and put him on the roof saying your dog reminds me of a lavatory brush on legs. I said sorry he couldn't read the keep of the grass signs. Going down the Stratford with a load of coal to the big festival I bashed him on the head putting the tiller bar down into the cabin as he was jumping up, thought he was dead but after another couple of locks he came round good job as he was really the kids dog. David

Been down the tidal Trent a few times with 72 ft narrow boats. Scariest time was trying to turn below Gainsborough to moor alongside a coaster and wait the tide. Went sideways for some distance before getting control. We took our 50 ft narrow boat which was built on a station boat fore end so flat and low to Ireland for 2 years and the waves on Lough Alan really put it to the test, managed until we had to turn into the mooring and boy did it roll. Thought about turning back at one stage but the swell was to much to risk it so ploughed on.( literally). It surprising what a narrow boat can take but ours where always fairly deep draughted ones by modern standards and think that helps. David

Hope your Airedales are ok. Our new one is a year old and boy is he a handful. Enjoy the Rhone Rhin Canal and watch out for the rocks, some of the channel markers are difficult to spot. David

Temac Paints from Hull are very good and do a complete range. Talk to their tech people to find what's best to use over the epoxy base. For many years I always used Dulux Coach paint mixed for brushing on my Narrow Boats and Ronnie Hough extolled the Dulux Weathershield. David

Remember Bert towing Joe to a rally think Stoke and not being able to get the Friendship under Barton Turn bridge as the cratch was to tall and the bridge had a beam under it for strengthening, we had low cratches on the camping boats so we could get under it. Bert and Joe went in the pub by the lock,the vine I think, and got some of the locals on the fore end enough to get into the lock. The tale was repeated whenever we saw them. David

No it wasn't Latimer and Crick but a chap from Eastcote I think who had a plan to use the old power station on middy meadow as a store. The pair where unloaded at Stowe Hill. All a bit of a farce really but then we were trying to find loads anywhere even whole food groceries London to Birmingham as well as the retail coal. Davidj

Rose Whitlock wouldn't go to Whitworths as she was "afeared " of the Nene and thought the water over the top gates would sink the butty. Don't think anybody liked the "gulintine" gates. There was a trial traffic from Liverpool to Northampton for a grain merchant which the Colliers carried can't recal the date but in the80 s But it came to nothing. Remember well Tam and Di and Alan carrying to the Wey. David

What sad news, We served on the IWA Northampton branch committee together for many years and he was a great part of the success of the big rally in 1971 at Northampton. Before that we had spent many hours in his company at various pubs up and down the cut. When he and Tony went into the coal business I took the Tadworth to stoke Bruerne for them to unload through the week or maybe two. Think Tony did lot of the graft as David was teaching. Will always remember the singing and as the Irish say the crack. Big man in all respects sorely missed. David

What a disaster hope all are safe. I wonder if it is time to give up on the EA and go back to more local river and drainage boards who managed for years to look after their patches. At the very least the management structure would be local and would be answerable to the locals not based in London as part of an even bigger organisation. After major flooding of Northampton in the 30's the Nene river board carried out the works which we know today and kept the town safe for over 50 years. Now the flood plain is a massive concrete apron of monster warehouses and even now new housing estates are being built on places where when I was a youngster we used to skate on the frozen fields. Northampton is not alone in having building in flood plains. Let us hope some really serious work comes out of this tragedy and not just some hot air from the Westminster short term mob.

We lived in Braunston for many years and when we brought Tadworth in 1972 Ron didn't like the transfers on the doors to say the least. He painted the cans and dippers for us over many years and these are at home and on our barge in France where we have to explain to visitors what they are. Whenever we met in the summer the talk was of the county cricket (Northamptonshire) and in the winter it was usually about the state of the local pubs! Needless to say he didn't particularly like the changes to most of them. At the "wake" in the Boatman many tales where told and and Ron was very fondly remembered .

Not sure where to post this. Ron Hough's funeral was yesterday at Braunston. It was very well attended by his friends and some of the many people who have had painting done by him over the years. A true gentalman who will be sadly missed. David

I seem to remember an incident after closing time at the boat about this time, good or bad old days depending on your point of view.Nice to see Collette if only a back view. Tony don't change now