Richard T

When Bishop Meadow Lock in Loughborough was regated BW put baffles on the gate paddles within days they were blocked which made Kegworth deep seem fast in comparison!! The baffles quickly disappeared. Kegworth does have its problems in that it is very easy to flood a boat in it. Did anyone have the sense to get a shaft and try to clear rubbish or even drop onto the sill and pull it out?

Thanks for the information. Mission accomplished - BW were happy to let a car stay over the weekend at Endon Sanitary station, providing it did not cause any obstruction. The Holly Bush car park was absolutley packed yetserday.

The mooring at Castle Gardens in Leicester are good. There also places to moor overnight between Kilby Bridge and the city e.g above Kings Lock. North of the city Birstall is very good - moorings within a couple of hundred yards of shops take aways etc. There is then good moorings by the Hope and Anchor which give access to Watermead Country Park which is worth a walk round for the wildlife. Sileby Mill boatyard offer a good service including fuel. Plenty of good moorings in Loughborough. The Soar is a much under rated river - enjoy it but remember water levels have a yo yo tendency especially after a bit of heavy rain!! You can get caught for several days by high water levels. All locks have level indicators. A word of warning if the level is in amber at Barrow on Soar go and have a look at the turn onto the river from the cut and the bridge alignment. Its easy to get caught out here and either scrape your cabin top on a low sprung arch or get broadside across the pillars!! Above all enjoy your cruise.

Does anyone know somewhere reasonably safe to leave a car for a couple of days in the Cheddleton area? Is there anywhere near Endon services?

To overcome the dipstick problem I simply made a wooden one out of a piece of kindling with the marks cut in the right place. It is L shaped so that it can't drop into the gearbox. Simple to use and fairly fool proof we even have a spanner designated for use on the dipstick. If its simple people will do it!! KISS rules Ok.

AMC/Thornycroft do indeed do a good range of BMC spares- They have an online enquiry service which you complete with a phone number, last time I needed anything they rang the next day and the parts arrived two days later. You can't get much better than that.

Our BMC 1.8 is a Thornycroft marinisation and the manual states oil change at 200 hour intervals. We change our oil so regularly and the only time the boat is not in use is from the New Year to just before Easter and even then it often gets taken for a day trip. This New Year the oil had only 50 hours use - so a change was not considered necessary but we will change it at about 120 hours. The oil filter is changed every oil change. We do fuel filters at 400 hour intervals. We have a remote oil filter so changing it is very easy and much cleaner than having it on the crankcase.

From Brentford there is Kew Gardens, Sion House and for steam fans Kew Bridge Engines. This actually in Brentford and has the largest collection of working beam engines in the world including one with a 90inch diameter piston with an 11ft stroke - is awesome when working. They staem at the wekends.

Carl, Was it down the backwater as I thought? It does look an interesting boat - hope you can get some interest in it. Leicester Museums? They have their tranport section just up the road at Belgrave.

Carl, Is it up the backwater below the lock? see linklink

Bones, you need to consider the ergonomics of seating. The bible for data is 'Human Dimension and Space' by Zelnek and Panero, the data is a bit dated now but is a good guide. For seat height measure a couple of dining chairs that you find comfortable, then the seat depth. This will give you your basic dimensions. Remember that the back should be at an obtuse angle to the seat (somewhere round about 95degrees) If the seat is too high you put pressure on the underside of your thighs which is not good for circulation - its why office chairs have a 'waterfall' front. On most boats unlees you put the dinette on a plinth the seat will be too low to see out of the window. Having said all that its possible to design a dinette which satisfies most ergonomic requirements using a standard sheet of ply and good quality cushions.

Consider using a good quality vinyl such as Amtico. A lot easier to keep clean and maintain. Just think of the problems of resanding oak boards every couple of years - with the best will in the world you will track dirt and grit into the boat from the twopath which will scratch and mark timber. An industrial drum sander will be far to big to use on board so any sanding will need to be done with a belt sander and corners with an orbital and then three coats of varnish- a real b..ll ache of a job. Personally we use carpet tiles as its easy to clean or replace one that gets heavily soiled

Morris still do Magnol 20/50 which is a cheaper API CC than the Golden Film. Its just not on their web site . Ring them and you will get info about all their products. I buy Magnol in 25ltr drums for convenience - it last about a year (5 oil changes). The service is excellent delivered free in 2days from placing order. They also do a good stern tube grease. B&Q also sell an API CC oil and if you can find a supplier there is a Comma one as well. Sadly Wilkinsons do not put an API rating on their basic oil so do not use it except in an emergency.

Try talking to the mechanic at Union Canal Carriers, they have Sabbs in their Barney Boats.

The best material is non-slip resin bonded plywood. Its sold under several trade names, try looking at the James Latham or Fitchett and Woolacott web sites www.fitchetts.co.uk. I've just bought a sheet - its not cheap £74+vat for 18mm from Fitchetts who sell it as hexagrip.

I don't see your point (they don't sell guns, btw). They had a couple of large ones on display at their Nottingham branch for many years along with a large mine (presumably emptied of explosive!)

Is the unknown boat Union Canal Carriers Kimberley? It looks right and they were using it as a self drive camper around then.

Try talking to marquee manufacturers or tent makers - for instance Bradford Cover and Tent see link link or Owen Brown at Castle Donington. Anchor Supplies are an ex army equipment supplier - they may be able to sell a large gun to add to your foc'sle.

Alan, What a treasure trove of images. The B&W makes them very atmospheric. Don't knock the old Zenits they were bomb proof. I've still got one but the shutter is no longer light tight. And then had good lenses and were half the price of a Practika.

Make your own!! A srip of hard wood with a rebate a little wider than the table top thickness eg 25mm top 30mm rebate, screw to wall. Then make a nice fancy bracket for the top with a timber turn buckle to retain the table. Less than an hours work plus varnishing time of about 3 days. Overall much better than a bit of nasty plastic.

We've always had good food at the Boot at Lapworth - its a gastro pub and you need to be there early if you haven't booked. Like wise just off the ring The Plough at Huddlesford. A really nice mooring is Kingsbury Water Park on the B&F - the bird life is fabulous. Not certain what the Dog and Doublet is like thes days. There is a choice of pubs at Newbold on Avon and don't forget The Greyhound at Sutton Stop or the likes of the Blue Lias at Stockton. Pubs seem to be very hit and miss these days for food - a change of landlord and all changes, there are plenty to pick from around the ring. There is a good indian at Polesworth and remember Polesworth and Atherstone have very good second hand bookshops. Most of the ring is Ok for mooring - just a bit on the B&F,possibly the centre of Nuneaton and around Bedworthto avoid. In our hire boat days starting at Braunston we would clear Calcutt 3 on the Sat evening and then make the top of Hatton on Sunday - a hard day. The rest is then easy with scope for picking up lost time on the north Oxford.