aracer

Thanks all. We stopped where suggested near the old railway bridge and enjoyed visiting Sharpness - went down to the docks at midnight to see ships going in and out on the high tide! As mentioned, lots of places to moor, though I think we only stopped in one totally unofficial place. Only issue was that the bridge keeper at Fretherne had got the idea he wasn't allowed to open between 4:30 and 5:30 - having found no mention of that in any guidance I went and spoke to him, he phoned up his boss and then let us through (the two boats who had got there before us were just sitting and waiting...)

2018, I'm assuming that's the most recent edition? Thanks - possibly won't want or need to moor at other than where Nicholson mentions, however CRT is still showing Purton bridges as being inoperable, so being able to moor to the West of there might be handy (and also the reason being able to turn is important, otherwise I'd just turn at Sharpness!) https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/18243-gloucester-and-sharpness-canal-bridge-3-purton-lower-swing-bridge-and-bridge-4-purton-upper-swing-bridge It seems an awfully long time for a power failure, but always handy to have options.

Sorry, old thread revival - just checking whether things have changed as I'm aiming to head onto the G&S in a couple of days. Can I just check that it's still OK to moor anywhere - Nicholson says "remember this is a commercial waterway, only moor at recognised sites" and some of those on the list don't seem to be recognised sites! Also, given a suggested 26m width and an 18m boat, presumably I can turn around pretty much anywhere?

In what way exactly do I not understand the situation? What prevents them from opening the river fully now if they can open it on 4th July?

Well their approach has resulted in reducing their income by at least one toll. Meanwhile it must be costing them money to have to send a team out to operate locks which are usually boater operated. That doesn't appear to be the case at all, certainly not given that they are going back to normal operation on the 4th July. Given the most recent update it's quite clear that they've simply taken an overly restrictive attitude to limiting the movement of those of us who are already allowed to travel. I'm more than capable of working a lock - it makes it a lot harder as I would have to commit to timings 24 hours in advance, can't get through the locks after 4pm and can't be flexible with my plans. I can't see any way in which having to book locks 24 hours in advance would ever make cruising easier. Their statements are at best disingenuous - for those of us living on our boats absolutely nothing changes on 4th July, yet ANT have decided that they can open the navigation fully then but have to restrict us before.

You wrote "If one of these filters is between the tank" - there is only one filter. It's a standard fuel filter exactly as described in the manual provided by Calcutt, with the 2 bleed points as on this pic from the manual

Reviving an old topic, but I presume there are still plenty of BMC engines around and people doing filter changes who might be reading this for reference. I was a bit scared of doing the fuel filter change from what I'd read, but it was all a lot more straightforward than I expected. I successfully bled the system without any difficulty (twice! I only found the new o rings in the bottom of the box after I'd bled it the first time ?). Two filter points as suggested above - that's two points on the one filter, I'm not sure if Tony misunderstood. Didn't need to touch anything on the pump. Didn't find a manual pump lever either and did it by cranking the engine (with the cutoff pulled out). Engine started first time afterwards, which I presume is a good sign (in any case it's now done about 10 hours running since and running as well as it ever has). If it makes any difference mine is a Calcutt conversion on a 1988 boat.

I should probably add my advice to you if I'm going to hijack your thread! Personally I'd very much recommend doing it as a boat trip rather overland even if that was an option for you. The very first time I ever steered a NB was the boat I had just bought at Northampton, which I then took a week getting back to Worcester. Due to constraints on my life that's still the longest trip I've ever done, but even if it wasn't I think it would still be the best because it was a trip with a purpose. Almost all single handed. I had done a lot of sailing, so not unfamiliar with boats, but I watched a lot of Youtube videos to work out what to do with locks etc. - it turned out to mostly be easier than I expected. Oh, and single handed I was going faster than the canalplan defaults even on that first trip.

I came here looking for advice / experience of the Avon in the current situation. My understanding is that the CRT position is no longer essential travel only - as of June 1st their advice is "Our navigations are now open in full, subject to some exceptions, and you can go on longer journeys." My boat is my primary residence, hence I can go where I like and stop the night wherever I want on CRT waters. Which is what friends of mine are now doing. Yet ANT updated their advice yesterday and it says "In line with CRT, including the River Severn, the latest government advice means that passages through locks is still restricted to limited travel only." That doesn't appear to be in line with CRT - yes the Severn locks require booking because they aren't boater operated and CRT are operating with reduced staff. However ANT still say that many boater operated locks are closed to normal traffic and require booking, which isn't in line with CRT at all. i was hoping to take a trip up the Avon in a couple of weeks, but it seems the position of ANT will make it a pain - I've got to work out in advance when I need to use the locks and can't change my plans. It's not an essential trip, but as a liveaboard government advice is that it doesn't have to be - do I have to justify the reasons for my movement to ANT in order to get them to open locks for me?

I'm suggesting the vlockies have a vlockie season - certainly I didn't encounter any in places which have been mentioned on here, or where I've encountered them since.

ISTM that in mid September the thread title is getting a bit old given the vlockies seem to be disappearing ? (I certainly met none at all during my week cruising at the start of October last year)