zimzim
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Posts posted by zimzim
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I've sometimes wondered why this lift was considered necessary?
That lock is deep, but it's a simple/conventional solution as compared to the contraption in the picture.
In the context of Tardebigge, even two locks, or a staircase would seem easier?
Is it something about the terrain?
I'm sure someone will explain....
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I use an old silicon sealant tube with top cut off.
Arrange string down centre through a hole in centre of the plunger cap, pour in old wax (melted) from whatever source.
When it's set just put into your sealant gun and push out a candle!
Works really well, and you can repeat as required.
They look like this...
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I have thought about this in considering boat purchase...
Must admit - some of these walk-thru layouts can give the appearance that there is a toilet at one end of the sitting area or the bedroom space.
I like the loo to be closed off, both for maintenance of access through the boat and for aesthetics.
In fact, I think I prefer a toilet area that is hermetically sealed!!!
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Looks like a good trip to me!
(As pointed out, that map doesn't really work don't follow it! - there is a spur down from Kings Norton to Stourport that should be replaced by a spur down from Lapworth to Stratford).
I would certainly plan to stop in centre of Brum - it's an essential canal experience (in a good way) and centre is safe.
Likewise, a night in Bancroft Basin (Stratford) is a memorable stop.
Just a thought....You might want to consider going anti-clock. When doing a 'ring with a detour' like this, I tend to leave the detour part until later in the trip, because that's the section I can adjust if necessary to match circumstances and progress made at the time.
Another thought.... If you begin to feel this is a bit too demanding, you could replace your trip down the Stratford with an easier detour up the Ashby. You could even make this decision a couple of days into the trip if you wanted to.
The good news is there are around 8 million quite decent tourist attractions on your route.
Ones I would visit are:
Cape of Good Hope - Warwick
Two Boats - Long Itchington
Tom O'The Wood - Rowington (or alternatively Navigation Inn at Lapworth)
Fleurs De Leys - Lowsonford
Dirty Duck - Stratford
Blue Bell Cider House - Earlswood
Tap and Spile - Gas St Basin (but countless alternatives)
Dog and Doublet - Bodymoor Heath
Get busy on Canalplan and Google and get at least a rough idea of an itinerary.
If you have a plan (some people don't believe in them, I know) then you can relax properly knowing that you are on schedule, or get a bit of a wriggle on if necessary.
Enjoy.
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6 minutes ago, furnessvale said:
if an incident occurs and the dashcam shows I am not at fault, I will certainly NOT be accepting "Knock for Knock".
Agree with your sentiment, but sadly this is entirely at the discretion of the insurance company (in my experience!)
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Just to update.....
Matter was reported to ANT, who were very helpful.
They said they would enter it in their log, and if it proved to be anything other than an isolated incident they would ask local police to take a wander that way at night.
Just one week later I was coming out of Birmingham towards Shirley/Earlswood on the Stratford. As I passed under bridge 6 (Yardley Wood area) there were a couple of splashes in the water next to me, followed immediately by something pretty substantial bouncing off the deck next to my feet. I responded with some carefully crafted words and the bombardment ceased (I think I had probably reached the limit of their range).
Such a shame - we had a great couple of weeks going around the Avon Ring again. I really cherish my annual chance to escape from the real world for a while. Seems the real world is intent upon following me and lobbing rocks at me!
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Had a bad time at the recreation ground moorings last night. Bunch of lads decided it would be fun to start throwing stones at the boat around midnight. I tried to ignore but they just retreated a short distance then came back for another go. This time I went to confront them (not a good feeling on your own... not in these times). Happily, they ran away. I hung around for a while until sure they'd gone, then tried to get some sleep. Just thought I'd mention in case this is becoming bigger problem.
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Thanks all above for these helpful responses. I think with a slightly tweaked plan we will be fine.
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58 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:
Unless you have used every hire boat company you cannot state that.
I know that we were told how to do it by Anglo Welsh and Black Prince when we hired.So when I said 'no, they are not [told about procedure when hung-up in a lock], and it's a really good point. I think most would just freeze and watch the disaster unfold. '
I should have added a caveat like 'In my experience' or 'I'm sure there are occasions when...'. (I knew there was a reason why I don't post on here).?
This is based on hiring boats from all sorts of places since the 1970's (anyone remember Clubline Cruisers at Swan Lane in Coventry?)
BUT
I think the real problem may be that this advice forms part of that basic 'how to do a lock' briefing that might only be part of handover for a first-timer-boater (not repeat offenders)?
I suspect that anyone who has been on a boat holiday before might not get this safety advice repeated?
Certainly, first timers I have spoken with in locks know all about avoiding the cill, but that's about as far as it goes.
There's an awful lot to take in for a complete novice confronted with a bloody great boat that they are expected to drive away in a few minutes! I sometimes wonder how long it can be allowed in these times of health and safety obsession.
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4 hours ago, Chris Williams said:
Are hirers told to 'Drop the paddles' when something starts to go wrong ? Too many sinkings were avoidable.
Simple answer is 'no, they are not', and it's a really good point. I think most would just freeze and watch the disaster unfold.
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We are just beginning to gird our loins for a circuit (clockwise) of the Avon Ring this Summer.
Having done this previously in school holiday time, my cunning plan was to give it a try in early July before the schools break up.
Now I find that this coincides with a bunch of 'river festivals' (Stratford July 6-7, Evesham July 12-14, Pershore July 20).
(Sigh - so much for getting away from it all..... So much for cunning plans.)
Having previously been at pains to avoid Cropredy around festival time, I'm wondering if I should have a re-think about being on the Avon?
I can easily plan not to be in any of these locations on the actual days of their festivals, but I'm wondering if the river will more generally be ridiculously busy (and moorings even more difficult to find)?
Thoughts?
BTW - please don't advise me to go to the festivals - we're supposed to be fed tea and oranges all the way from China, not warm beer and hot-dogs from Bob's Best Burgers.
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On 26/05/2019 at 18:39, Ray T said:
Steve Haywood has written an interesting article in July 2019 Canal Boat, page 25, about the treatment of hire boaters on the cut.
Yes - I read that. How depressing that this bad attitude towards hirers still prevails. Many of these hirers (like myself) are planning to be owners before too long!
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On 15/03/2019 at 20:20, hugh dumbarton said:
The north west and pennines from Nicholson would appear to cover that area. Information we need locks,water points, eating places,winding holes,shops within walking distance etc.
The great thing about your own 'paper' map is that you can accumulate your personal scribbles and notes for future reference (stopping places, good meals eaten, etc, etc) - use post-it notes if you have a moral objection to scribbling in a book. Your guides (in my case Nicholson's) quickly become old friends.
(BTW - a medium size freezer bag is just the right size for an open Nicholson's - stops the pages turning in the wind and keeps the rain off!)
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Presently moored at Queen's Head, ready to start up Tardebigge flight in the morning. We have seen maybe 4 or 5 boats all day, and we have the visitor moorings to ourselves. All the hire bases we have passed (on the Avon Ring) over the past week have been full of boats.... what's going on?!
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Just an observation, but I am quite often given cause to grumble about not being able to moor near a pub that i would like to use, because all VMs have been taken by boats that are busy cooking their evening meals whilst downing the first of their evenings drinks on board. My grumbles usually involve wondering why they have bothered to stop on a mooring that is handy for a pub that they have no intention of using - if I were them I would be out in the middle of nowhere with my spag bol and my bottle of wine.
Is it because people are strangely drawn to moor in spots that 'seem popular'?
Should something be done to help the pubs to make the most of passing boat trade - limited as it is?
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What are thoughts on these spiral ground-anchor kind of things?
Is this, coupled with chain/padlock about as tamper-proof as you can be (without armco/rings/etc)?
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Thankfully not. The only times I have been 'in' it was just a question of standing up.
I take the point about having both hands free.
The thought only came about having recently met at a lock a very slightly built lady-of-some-years who was pottering about with a pretty serious (and heavy-looking) ratchet device strapped to her back. It occurred to me that if she fell in, she was going straight to the bottom!
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2 minutes ago, Athy said:
I suspect that most people's instinct, if they were to slip, would be to hold on tightly to it rather than let it go
Blimey - not mine! It's 'goodbye windlass' when I fall in. Bouyancy would be an instant priority.
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Just a thought that springs to mind sometimes when observing folk doing locks.....
I see people with windlasses hooked into belts, or held in those special harnesses on their backs. Sometimes they have those quite large and heavy gear-assisted windlass devices.
Does it occur to anyone else that wearing this stuff around water is a bit like wearing diving weights? If/when I fall in, the last thing I want is heavy metal equipment attached to me.
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Happened to be watching this and thought what good ambassadors NB Dawn 'til Dusk were for the boating community....
On encountering the lady in distress (broken ankle whilst walking on towpath) they had apparently pulled over and helped to make her comfortable until ambulance arrived (when they did arrive she was sipping a mug of tea). They then provided a (smooth) ride for patient and paramedic to the next road bridge - along with the above mentioned bacon sarnie for the medic! I got the impression they were not particularly keen to be on camera, but should be commended for their community spirit.
I'm pretty sure I shared a couple of locks with this boat approaching Leamington last week. If I'm right, then it's a share boat that was being recovered by fellow-owner following an accident that had put one of crew in Warwick hospital - I hope all turned out OK.
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31 minutes ago, OldGoat said:
Sometimes, sometimes Must-not-haves turn into I-could-possibly-live-with-that. Your example of an engine room is a case in point. In the right boat it could be of benefit.
So perhaps your your 'must not' into something more like I-could-possibly-do-without and I-could-possibly-modify-that-to suit my needs.
Engine room - somewhere to dry clothes, keep firewood, have a small workshop or replace-pump out with cassette....
Agreed - but this is a holiday boat, so keeping firewood and having a workshop might not be paramount.
I wouldn't want to suggest what should be on the list (each to his own)..... I just think some sort of list might be useful for the purposes of elimination.
I like lists when facing really complicated decisions. Spreadsheets even better!
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This may be an interesting thread for me to keep an eye on - you are a couple of years ahead of my own aspirations!
I think I am forming a mental list of Must-Haves (length, age, basic spec, etc), Must-Not-Haves (things like an engine room), and Would-Be-Nices (eg solar, travel-power, bow-thruster?), just in an attempt to reduce the options.
When I get serious, I'll probably write all this down, but I think it's good to get some of the big decisions made as early as possible in the process.
Best of luck!
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It looks like you may be in the market for a 10 or 11 day hire (?), which some hirers are better at accommodating than others.
The Southern Oxford is highly recommended.....
Just a thought, but if you need to open up many more options for hiring, then consider starting at the northern end of your range and venturing southwards (and back!).....
If you start from the Rugby/Napton or Warwick area (easily accessible by train) you will find several more hiring companies come into consideration. The extra train travel time will be minimal.
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Lapworth locks do sometimes have V-Lockies.
I'm not a fan of the Cadbury World moorings - a bit too urban/industrial for my taste, with a railway station only a few feet away.
If you carry on for a couple of miles, I have found moorings just before the winding hole at bridge 84a (start looking after bridge 84) in an area called The Vale. Choose a point with a reasonable distance from the railway line that accompanies the canal all the way into Brum. These are the grounds of the University and the Hospital in Edgbaston. They are at least 'semi-rural', and you are just a few minutes from the city centre next morning and exit from Brum later that day (I would be aiming for the excellent Dog and Doublet at Bodymoor Heath for the next night). Watch out for a fairly busy cycle-way/tow-path if you stop at The Vale.
This is making me want to do the Warwickshire Ring again!
Tardebigge Boat Lift
in History & Heritage
Posted
ah - yes - that would make sense - IIRC it's a little beyond the reservoir at the top of the flight. I will ponder no more...thanks!