dave moore

Oh dear.....to this old dinosaur, every change has been for the worse. I loved the wave logo from BW days, to me it symbolised a moving, living waterway, especially as I could precede an index number on the cabin side with something I could paint in 3 strokes of the brush. The bridge and bullrush version suggested more of a moribund canal and I was underwhelmed, to say the least, with the giant swan in bridgehole offering. This is worse.....sorry. Dave

Hi The usual practice is to leave the mount screwed to the slide with a suitable bung in the centre to prevent water ingress, removing the Klaxon for safe keeping when not in use. Should you need help with the horn itself, I have the number of a restorer.

Ray, ower kid....yower missus ood understond whar a cob is. Wheer my wench cums from on the Wirral, to “ Have a cob on” means to be angry and annoyed about something...funny stuff, dialects...

I have mentioned the Anchor previously on the forum. It’s an unspoilt pub serving real ales and ciders, renowned locally for its superb cobs. Just a few minutes walk from the canal at Caunsall, it is worthy of patronage by discerning boaters. We’ve just returned from a visit to celebrate a boating friend’s 70th birthday and I couldn’t resist a picture of typical fare. These are cheese, the ham and beef varieties have a substantial filling about 1/4” of thick meat. The 3 Tuns bitter was just as tasty. Cheers!! Dave

Hear, hear Mark. Well said.

If you have bare metalled the boat already, be aware that surface rust can form again and needs removing prior to priming. Some of the painters I work with use Rustoleum primers to minimise the risk of micro blistering. In their opinion, zinc phosphate is not what it used to be. Good luck!

Certainly not Fred Winnet’s work, I’ve been familiar with it since my days on Tay in the 60s. The work is confident but somewhat crude, most boatmen painters had a more careful approach. It has the look of pleasure days rather than working times to me, though not in the recent styles.

Here is another old can, heavy, bucket handle, 3 gallon.....it was waiting for me earlier at an Antiques market in Ludlow. Painted a while ago by the patina evident, the floral work looks to have been inspired by George Preston to my eyes. Interestingly, it has been overpainted.....from what I can see, the earlier work was quite vigorous and larger in scale. I just wondered if only old time members could recognise the painter? My guess is early pleasure boat era. If anyone can help, I’d be grateful for your thoughts. I’ll probably strip and re-paint it at some stage, it would sit well on something historic or very traditional.....

Alexander Boats are Jim Sparks. I met him in the 80s when he was building for Brummagem Boats years ago. Solid, well developed steelwork with good lines.....spoken well of by my good friend Graham Edgson, one of the best in the field..... Dave

I agree with Rose. Transfers for sure. The bottom edge of the Castle transfer is lifting slightly. Dave

We took Resolute years ago. No problem then, the only stipulation being that non historic craft were asked to moor in the lower basin. No idea about the dog situation, sorry.....

Just a thought or two. Malcolm Braine built many wooden topped boats in his time at Norton Canes. Most eventually suffered with rot. One solution was to clad them in fibre glass resin, a partial solution, though many went on to have a steel skin over the existing wooden cabin, pioneered by Malcolm’s successor, Graham Edgson. A wooden cabin should serve for some time without issues, though it may be a drawback if wishing to sell at some future time.

David recorded his version on a BBC album called , I think, Narrowboats....a collection of his Canal songs mixed with the reminiscences of working boaters ....released in the 60s, possibly 67. Hardworking Boatman was inspired by Ewan McColls song Champion at Keeping them Rolling, written about the life and times of truck drivers.

2 signs in the Midlands this afternoon.....local children riding bikes in the street, then the sound of a lawn mower in a nearby garden. I’ll stay in my workshop waggling paintbrushes. Dave

Because many know no better. Why searchlight type headlamps are popular is an enduring mystery to me.