Ex Brummie

You can't expect them to be current, when some of their advice is out of date and about the wrong place. We got stuck there once, when the weir lock board was just in the green, but a queue of boats at the lock was not clearing, and you could visibly watch the water level rise. The problem, of course, is compounded as the water you use whilst waiting lets the bow rise higher. We took a taxi into Banbury, did the laundry, had a long lunch at 'Spoons and returned for the night. Next day, the level started dropping, and we managed to pass into the lock with the help of some crew off a hire boat. Once up, the problem did not go away, and mooring in the pound below Banbury required poles down the bank to keep in the channel,

Why would one want Tecso's when there is a perfectly good Waitrose in town? When in Rome etc.

The week before this occurred, we were on a Boat Club cruise and Walsall Basin was completely clear. We often wondered whether we had bought it down with us from the top, and emptying raw water filters contributed. As an aside, according to local opinion, the 'smartly dressed' businessman may have been engaged in business of an unsavoury sort.

As a fairly regular visitor to the Thames, competition for moorings is not unusual. If you are 'beaten' to a spot, then grin and bear it. There are many arrogant boaters on any waterway, and the Thames certainly has its share. Once at Shepperton lock going upstream, there were several cruisers holding for the lock to empty, and approaching the lock I could see the landing stage empty, so made for it, only to be harangued by a skipper, through a megaphone, that there was a queue. He soon shut up when I suggested that I could lie alongside him. As my blacking was a year old, I suggested that I would not leave many marks. He was even more upset when the lockkeeper put 2 narrowboats in the lock before him. Once out of the lock, hw went like stink to the next lock where on self service, he rejoiced in closing the gates in our faces. Coming back to this episode, whilst I think Steve Heywood was a complete t**t, if I recall, there are signs at that lock reversing the normal protocol, and if the cruiser proceeding upstream was not looking to moor, then surely he was in the wrong position. Also, isn't the mooring in question cheaper than the ones downstream? It's certainly a long walk into town .

Perhaps that's why he wears dark glasses?

No reason why it should not work, But you may want to incorporate an isolation valve to each appliance so that you are not using one boiler to heat another. It looks like you are adding further radiators, so you need to consult a manufacturer's chart so that you can see that the expansion vessel is sufficient for the new capacity. A new vessel is going to be necessary if the boilers can be isolated.

I noticed they made no attempt to disguise the continuous moorers along the canal.

The land between the Grand Union, River Cole, and the old Great Western Main Line through Small Heath in Birmingham is known as the 'Ackerdocks', subsequently shortened to rhe 'Ackers' by some latterday youth workers/community gurus. In my childhood/youth, it was the most wonderful adventure playground where you could dig into the Victorian (and later) spoil tips from Birmingham's Refuse boats from Montague Street, for treasures like old glass bottles, digspent bullets out of the B.S.A. test firing range, bounce up and down on the disused wharves like trampolines, and if you found the right engine driver, spend the day shunting rolling stock in the cab of a 0-6-0 'Matchbox' at Tyseley Engine Sheds. Happy Days.

The last 4 blackings I've had have been craned out and placed on cradles. No problems were encountered in the boat. One dry docking made the bathroom door difficult to open, as did one slipway docking, when chocks were added after drawing out. Once back in the water, everything was back to normal. I've seen a boat that was fitted out on hardstanding that needed remedial work after launching. Having just looked at David Mack's link, my last 4 lifts have been at Stretton !!!! I don't think that will stop me using them again.

I've cleared a blocked pipe this way. Normally the gate valve is close enough to the tank to enable the blockage to be poked through it, and quickly closed on withdrawal. This where lever valves score over gate valves, as the closure is instant.

You need to 'T' of flow and returns so you can balance the system, otherwise the first heat emitter will take all your heat and leave little for the remaining circuit. There may also be times when you may want to isolate parts. I assume you have sized your circuit to be compatible with the boiler output. I have read your post, but wonder how much thought you have given it.

So you have discounted the possibility of a leak after the pump? A pump trying to pump air makes a different noise to a pump pumping water. Follow your pipework from the pump through taps and the calorifier, if fitted and look for water leaks.

The crane driver will be able to ascertain any imbalance of his load as he starts lifting, but heavy weight at either extremity is not a good idea if being craned out.

Avoid mooring in lock flights.

If it's not registered, can you put in a claim?