Mike55

Lifejackets arrived today. Automatic bobbins are out-of-date (as expected) so I'll order replacements from rt supplies, although I'm holding fire on ordering them until I've checked our two existing lifejackets to see if they're out-of-date too. Unfortunately being under house arrest, sorry lockdown I can't visit the boat currently.

We have a manual two way valve that allows us to feed either cold or hot water into our Candy washing machine. We put it to the hot position for the initial fill and then move it to the cold position before the rinses start. The grey water outflow can be easily seen from the steering position, and so we just move the valve across when we see the wash water coming out. Usually takes about 16 minutes with our machine. We only use the washer when we're under way. Washing m/c connects to lower port.

Yes, I had spotted that, thanks.

I too have 2 on order, hopefully they'll be delivered tomorrow. Thanks for the 'heads up' on this Alan, very useful. As is the details about where to get service parts. This site at it's best!??

Congratulations! We're some way behind you - done 15 so far, although it would have been more but Coronavirus disrupted our plans, as it did for most people. We had hoped to get to 18 by now. They'll have to wait until next year now.

This is what I found as well. On my southbound passage a few weeks ago, I had to postpone my booking several times as I was trapped the wrong side of the then closed Bosley locks. In every case the response was very prompt confirming my booking. I've found it very easy to use.

Afraid not. This morning they posted a stoppage for this morning to fix it. They were still working on it when I left Fradley about 11 this morning. I'm just glad we came through last night. Bearing in mind that this was a planned repair, why couldn't CRT post it in advance?

I successfully turned our 57' 3" boat in the entrance to the feeder/facilities just over a week ago, whilst the water shortage stoppage was on. Not helped by a boat sitting on half of the water point opposite. As one of the blokes watching observed: good job it wasn't a yard longer. I think you could turn a 58' boat there however. Easier than a 1.5 mile reverse!

We're currently stuck at Gurnett (Sutton) aqueduct as we had intended to go down Bosley locks today, so we went for a walk to Sutton reservoir instead. I can see why the locks are closed with Toddbrook out & the alternative reservoirs being this low.

This is what Sutton reservoir looked like earlier today:

As you're using them outside consider corrosion. The ones shown are ferrite (which is essentially rust) so the magnets should be fine, but what about the casings they're in? Probably steel, so likely to corrode in time. Also beware of other magnet types which may be stronger, but will corrode.

The IWA is due to run a 'campaign cruise' through Weston Marsh lock (twice) in late August, so I suspect it's currently operational. The CRT boater's information for the Anderson lift & the Weaver, doesn't give any information about opening times of this lock. You don't need to pre-book lock passages on the other Weaver locks, but this lock may be different. I suggest you contact CRT.

I certainly was not attempting to judge, just expressing my opinion that it's probably an unnecessary precaution. Your signature line is relevant here: "If my opinion was correct, true and valid. We would all share the same opinion. Then it wouldn't be an opinion."

Given that narrow boats are nominally 7ft wide (i.e. >2m) provided the steerers are sensible about where they stand, wearing a mask in that situation is probably an unnecessary precaution. Apart from anything a mask mostly protects other people from you, so they're only really effective if everyone nearby is wearing them. A far greater risk is gongoozlers standing on the lock side above the steerer and chatting at them.

We had some blinds made to measure by cabincare.co.uk. Ours weren't cellular, but I know they do cellular too. Ours were made to fit into the window recess, so you could have nets in front if you wanted. They're not cheap, but they are good. Sorry, can't find a photo of them at the moment.

What are "bell boating activities"? Diving bells?

Yet another vote for Edwardian Bedding. Ours is 10 years old now, and still OK. As it's a split mattress it can't be turned so it's stood up very well to always being loaded in the same places. I wouldn't hesitate to get our next mattress from them, when eventually this mattress needs replacing.

I think their justification is that they leave it there to pick up on the way back from walking Fido, although they may 'accidentally' forget to do so. It's the same excuse they use for hanging it on trees etc. The thing that gets me is that they've done the difficult bit by picking it up & bagging it, so why can't they finish the job?

According to the programme (available from the IWA website), Fulbourne (1937), Kew (1960) & Pride of Lee will be there amongst approx. 100 boats. https://www.waterways.org.uk/events_festivals/festival_water/IWA_festival_water

Found this picture of a tractor in use on the GU in 1975. It was in the IWA website mystery photo archive. https://www.waterways.org.uk/support_us/competitions/mystery_photo/mystery_photo_archive

Yes, you're right. I was thinking of it in terms of the water flow when it was built, not to mention also when it is restored. Referring to it as west of the stop lock would be less ambiguous.

Probably more passages than that as due to the low water level above the lock boats had to be lightly loaded.

I think it's pretty accurate. The booklet I was quoting from is published by the Trust, and the webpage you reference is consistent with other published sources.

According to "A Brief History of the Wendover Arm 1793-1968" the stop lock at Little Tring was built in 1896 to protect the summit from the leaks in the Wendover Arm, the idea being that if a lightly loaded boat with a shallow draught wanted to pass it could do. Apparently this was "virtually never used", although there are records of traffic in 1897 with the canal in low water: 620 tons of manure up the arm & 500 tons of hay back. In 1904 the arm was abandoned and the stop lock was used as a convenient point to dam the arm.

The London Canal Museum in Battlebridge Basin is well worth a visit in its own right, but it is also a good mooring close to King's Cross. It's £10 per night (1 night per stay only), accommodates 2 narrowboats breasted up, has access to a water point and electric hook up. It's not the easiest mooring to get into or out of as there are residential moored boats on both sides. The moorings are reserved (quite reasonably) for museum visitors during their opening hours (1000 to 1600). Overnight mooring is therefore from 1600 to 1000 the following day unless you are also visiting the museum (as we did). Access to the water point is by a combination padlock, and there is gated access to the site, also by combination lock. The museum will give you the codes for both of these. One slight oddity is that the electricity hook up (included) is via flat pin 13 Amp weatherproofed sockets rather than the more common 16 Amp blue circular ones, so you'll need a suitable adaptor lead. You can obviously also only draw 13 Amps rather than 16. There are no refuse or elsan facilities there.