Theo

That article doesn't contradict what I said but I will leave it at that for the time being as being

Adding yet another to the list of disadvantages, petrol can be really difficult to coe by on the cut. You can't buy it at boatyards you need to find a local petrol station. However you can get kits to convert to gas power which turns out much cheaper than petrol per kilowatt hour and is much easier to get from boatyards. N

Quite right too. It's to do with the logarithmic repsone of the ear. I have a theory that, because sound intensity in watts per square metre obeys the inverse square law the ear has evolved a logarithmic response so that pecieved loudness is a linear variation with distance from the source. I must add that I have not had this theory confirmed or deinied by anyone mor qualified than I. N Which come to the same thing!

Stability does not disappear ant any particular angle until the deckedge goes under and the waterplane area reduces. Placing weight up high reduces stability and makes the boat more "tender" in that a smaller heeling moment will cause a greater heel. I could bore you further but will stop now.

And who am I to argue with Arthur Ransome? Have you read his biography? It's really good. N

Nah. You stream it from the bow. N

May I recommend the use of rond anchors instead of pins. They are easy to insert: hardly any hammering required. They are very secure: the fastest passing boat makes them dig in deeper. They are easy to remove: just a gentle pull will unhook them from the mud. Oh, yes, and another thing: They sit close to the ground and are much less prone to trip up people. N

Since we have been on lock down we have taken out a subscription to BritBox and have watched Miss Marple, Poirot, All of Morse, All of Lewis, and are now part way through Shetland. I thought that we were quite a peacable couple but I am beginning to doubt. Since being on te boat for the past weeke we have watched nothing. N

We set off from our permanent mooring at Tardebigge Old Wharf on Thursday to meet our son and his family who were collecting a hire boat from Wootton Wawen on Friday afternoon. We met a boat on Friday morning and were given the news that Bancorft Basin had been drained, and the Stratford Canal had several pounds drained above that. Also reports of lots of boats stranded, queuing and all sorts of associated mayhem. Is there any truth in this or was it just the spreading of a rumour to keep people away? I have used the search on here and a general search on the web that is wide and worldly and and can find no reference to this. We asked at Anglo-Welsh in WW and they confirmed that there were problems so we suppose that there was truth in the story. Does anyonw know about this? N

Please may I have some sympathy too? We were booked to go on the Clyde puffer VIC 32 this week for a trip to include Colonsay. ? N

Thanks. Sorry about the careless typing in the title. It was meant to read "Hire bases on the N & S Stratford"! N

Anglo Welsh at Wooton Wawen, Any more? Nick

I tried to strap Theodora to a stop when approaching a lock on the HNC. It removed the bollard and a section of the coping. I didn't dp that again! N Mud weights can be useful when reversing in a wind. Helps to stop the bow paying off. N

Good Grief! I just had a quick look at one of the 91 document associated with the application. I lost the will to live when I noticed that it was 345 pages long! I did find a map on it though. I might have misinterpreted it but it looked as if the canal goes right through the middle of the site with a lock there. Should prove a nice bit of interest to the visitors to the Stadium. I wonder what the objections are. N

We have a brum tug. She's called Theodora now but was Kingswood Lady in times past. 60' 12ft open deck in the bow. Reverse mounted engine with belt drive to the prop shaft. Here is a copy of the discussion had on CWDF. Looking at the photograph of your boat, although a little small, and your statement that it was built by Colecraft in 1983 would I be correct in thinking it was completed by Brummagem Boats, Sherborne Street Wharf, Birmingham as a 60' 'Brum Tug' ? I lived at, and operated camping boats from Sherborne Street Wharf from 1980 to 1985 and your boat looks familiar ! Pete Harrison Our knowledge of the origins of Theodora are sketchy in the extreme and based on comments in the survey done by the last but one owner. Apparently the brass builder's plaque was left lying about in the boat so it might not even belong to Theodora. I have a feeling that the steelwork is genuine Colecraft because she has been identified as such by two apparently knowledgeable gongoozlers who volunteered the suggestion unsolicited. We would be delighted if you can tell us any more about her origins or suggest where we might look for more information. Many thanks for contacting us. Is your B.W.B. Index Number 70695 ? If this is your boat it was registered in 1984 as KINGSWOOD LADY, and also issued with a house boat certificate (B.W.B. records - not Jim Shead's website). The boat I remember was about 60', part converted with a steel cabin and was a house boat at Kingswood Junction (about a length up from the junction bridge although I do not recall its name as it was in red oxide). One identifying feature of 'Brum Tugs' was a traditional style rear to the cabin with the engine placed beneath the rear deck driving the propellor via 'V' belts or a chain. This gave full standing height all the way through the cabin. The 30' 'Brum Tugs' also had a flat prow so that a button fender would sit neatly on the fore end, but this may not have been the case with the one off 60' version. I am sure this should establish whether we are talking about the same boat or not ! Regards. On the nail, Pete! All you say is correct, right down to the license number. We have a triple v belt drive and the engine (BMC 1.5) is mounted in reverse so we have a left handed prop. The stern is of a traditional shape but is larger in area than a true trad. having the engine mounted this way around means that there is a bit more full height cabin space because the engine can sit further back and the gear box and belt drive fit under the back steps. She is 60' to the ends of the fixed metalwork i.e. excluding the fenders and the rudder. You say that she was "part converted". From what? We are at Camden tonight and on the way down from Paddington one of the water buses passed us. The steerer said that he recognised the style and that she was a Rugby boat. Is she a Colecraft build? Waiting with eager anticipation! Nick "I love it when a plan comes together". My true interest is in 'historic' narrow boats so this is an interesting, if not rather nostalgic tangent for me to be heading off on. I am pleased I have added something to the history of your boat and I can confirm that the bare hull was built by Colecraft at their Long Itchington factory (near Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire) and fitted out by Brummagem Boats, Sherborne Street Wharf, Brimingham. I recall the fore end of your boat as being slightly different to the other 'Brum Tugs', perhaps built a little more substantially due to its extra weight (the 30' 'Brum Tugs' were a little flimsy, but they all still survive !). I suppose its shape is not dis-similar to a Rugby Boatbuilders built boat of the 1970's, but it is definately not one. When I said part converted I meant the cabin went part way down the hold, equally part unconverted. Your boat was a completely new build and did not incorporate any parts of any other boat. I think the B.M.C. 1500 is probably the original engine. I did not work for Brummagem Boats (well maybe helping prepare hire boats for beer money from time to time) but I did live at their wharf from 1980 to 1985, working for another company as a camping boat steerer. A freind of mine purchased the first 'Brum Tug', TRELEASE and I have always had a soft spot for these boats since. I have seen TRELEASE (although now renamed) on a number of occassions tied at Denham Deep Lock, near Uxbridge. Comments from a conversation that I had with Barry Stanton in September 2013 Built for Brummagem Boats by Colecraft? And with Typical Colecraft bow rather than a BB bow which had a flat plate for a button. Engine room: typical BB layout Stern fender typical BB Possibly stretched (extra thick plate fitted randomly to starboard hold space. Bought as liveaboard moored at Kingswood Junction BB used to build boats with about 12' open bow space and cloths Hope this helps. Picture to follow.

Something to lift the spirits:

I don't remember the trade name for the rose hip syrup but I do remember that one brand of the malt stuff was called "Keplers"

Ah!

Without looking at the maps I don't know if they are progressively down hill. If they are it makes me wonder if what they are interested in is drifting down the canal. N

That was very delightful. I loved the bits with the children joining in. I would love to be as flexible as they are!

It rather depends on the government of the day. In a totalitarian state I would think that "lawful business" could mean anything that they wanted it to mean.

I'm in that area. Lorry overturned on the river bank?

The alphabet as far as I remember it: A for 'Orses B for mutton C forth Highlanders D for enshul E ? F for vescence G ? H b for beauty I for Novello J ? K? L for leather M? N O? P? Q for a bus R ? S? T for 2 U ? V? W? X for breakfast Y? Z? Ah! Here it is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockney_Alphabet