Jonny P

I can’t help feeling this thread may be unduly worrying the OP. In reality most prop fouls are minor and generally evidenced by the stream from the propellor being splayed out sideways as much as backwards with a resulting loss of propulsion. If it’s weeds you’ll throw them off with a burst of reverse. Most other stuff that requires opening the weed hatch - or to get the shaft on for those without a weed hatch - is plastic bags and accumulated rubbish; since once one thing gets caught it attracts other stuff. Best course of action is to try not to get a snag in the first place. Reduce power through bridge holes and coast through floating rubbish.

That wasn’t meant to be describing just one boat 😂

It first opened mid to late 90s IIRC and was a proper drinking pub in the upstairs bar. It was a step up from other establishments in the vicinity of the office in which I worked at the time and so was quite a popular venue for after work drinks. In more recent years it’s just been the downstairs area and as much about eating as drinking, very different from how it was. It sounds like it may be going back to how it was and that’s a good thing.

It was my maternal Granddad’s local, literally about 15 doors away. He wasn’t a boater, he just married into a local boating family while working at the power station. My mum and grandma were born just past the end of that row of houses on the left and later lived in the second from the end. I can remember going there when I was young. A stones throw from Sutton Stop.

You were correct with the Coventry. But not entirely wrong with the Oxford.

Apologies, it sounded like what you were describing. I’m sure the folk I referenced above were so pre-occupied with completing what they knew to be a difficult manoeuvre that they inadvertently put themselves in danger. I think any experienced boater would be lying if they hadn’t done the same at some point. That’s why it’s useful to have someone point it out.

I don’t think anyone is advocating that trying to stop a moving boat with nothing but your own weight is good practice. It’s the friction of the rope around a bollard or ring that does the job. I’m reminded of the photo posted recently of someone hauling directly on a line while standing on a downward slope above a 10’ high retaining wall above a tidal river to help a boat get into West Stockwith lock. The steerer was also leaning way over the edge of counter hauling the tiller over in a position where if their hand slipped they’d have been in. I wondered what the lock keeper made of it all. Maybe had a quiet word afterwards.

On the right track but not Tuttle Hill

Now that I do know. But I’ll not say for now.

One of my thoughts was Marston Junction but as it was described as not difficult I figured the building is still standing. So that’s my guess, Marston Junction.

I thought of that but decided not. Partly because of the building behind on the right and no real evidence of the approach to the bridge. But that may be just out of shot. It could be and it certainly fits with the idea that it’s not difficult.

I think a good broker will be more likely to work with the vendor to make sure this is self evident to prospective buyers rather than suggest it to them. A less good broker will simply sell the boat in whatever state the vendor delivers it to them. Both types of broker exist. Also there are plenty of good boats that take longer than the ‘norm’ to sell. Anything over 57’, with a trad stern and/or engine room, or idiosyncratic features has a smaller market than say a 57’ semi-trad reverse layout with a standard fit out and sensible external paint scheme.

Is it a lock or just a narrows?

It’s not difficult if you know where it is, but it is difficult if you don’t, and evidently folks don’t.

It’s fairly common for boats to move from the jurisdiction of one navigation authority to another (or indeed none) when sold, hence the use of trade plates to get them to or from brokerage.

Wouldn’t ‘Halfway Lock Cottage’ refer to the second one that I posted a link too? It’s both closer to the middle of the flight and is the third of five cottages in either direction. The one that had the radio masts is second from the bottom and is four locks below the middle of the flight. Or perhaps it was a name made up by an estate agent?

Stopping a boat in a lock using a line on a bollard was the only way there was for at least 150 years. It’s also the simplest way of getting a narrowboat to lie against the side of a wide lock as it stops and I’d argue safer when ascending such a lock single handed. Why do you think it’s bad practice?

Yesterday I visited my brother-in-law and his wife - both Brummies - in the company of my wife, also a Brummie. They live on the ridge of hills in north Worcestershire beyond which lies Birmingham and the Black Country. We were offered cobs for lunch. On the way home my wife remarked that she was told we were having cobs and that was indeed what we got because they were crusty. Naturally I corrected her by telling her it’s a batch and she responded with “bap, or a cob if it’s crusty”. Though I would support the notion that faggots and peas in catering establishments is largely an infiltration from the Black Country it’s not as though faggots weren’t a widespread food in homes. While in the Navigation in Greensforge recently my friend - born and brought up in Llanelli - upon seeing faggots on the menu said he remembered eating them at home when young. I do too in Coventry.

Yes. I had a look out when they were first mentioned on this post and couldn’t see them. They are also visible (in clear conditions) when approaching runway 33 at Birmingham Airport.

I can see them from the bedroom window and I’m also just passing them in the car (I’m not driving).

I explain to customers how I operate boats and that they are responsible for the adequacy of any anchor points or fairleads that are available for my use. That’s because I find many have corroded fittings and haven’t seen much if any use. My RYA IW Helmsman training taught to use the centre line to bring the boat to a stand but in a way that would not cause the line to bind and heel the boat over. I like to find boats have two centre lines and fairleads but dislike overly long and/or thick centre lines. They are much harder to keep away from the cabin sides or will get under your feet. No line should be longer and thicker than you can easily coil and hold in one hand. My preferred method of leaving a downhill lock is to bow haul (or should that be centre haul?) and I will often release the line from the fairlead to do this if there’s nothing it’s likely catch on.

I suspect some brokers would adjust prices to not allow such a big discrepancy to become the norm. Hence any prospective buyers might be advised not to assume this applies to the whole market in general. ETA - noted that it didn’t say that offers at 30% less than adversities price were accepted which is what I had assumed when I replied. Point still stands though, different brokerages have different business models.

I’m not sure what the future holds for the Droitwich (or correctly Wychbold) masts. They have or are about to be decommissioned. I’m pretty sure that car park was used by the residents. Just had a look on the agents site and also found that the next cottage up the flight is also for sale. Same price too for what judging by a quick glimpse at the interior photos is a more ‘ready’ property. https://apmorgan.co.uk/property/3-bed-detached-cottage-for-sale-in-upper-gambolds-lane-stoke-prior/554388 Edited to correct misidentification of the location the second cottage.

Of course Bridgewater licence holders aren’t paying for a through route. They are paying in the first instance simply to be on the canal. That demand won’t disappear entirely while the through route is breached. CRT licence holders on the other hand only have the need for a through route; but currently don’t pay for it anyway. Hence the bones of a solution may have been hit upon.

The Tardebigge cottage is the one between locks 39 and 40 which many may recognise as the one that had the large radio masts and large dogs. I noted these had gone when I descended the flight last November and the apparently vacant property was being assessed by a group of what I assumed were estate agents. It’s not very far from the car park where the volockies have their messing facilities so not too difficult in terms of parking. The top lock cottage was sold by auction a couple of years ago. That was a holiday let prior to auction. The lower of the five lock cottages is a Landmark Trust rental property.