Timleech

Secondhand ones seem to go for silly money on ebay!

I suppose the book means 3/8" Whit thread, and 5/16" spanner size (ie 3/8" BS size) for the nut. Older ones had a big wing nut. Tim

There's Whitworth, as specced by Sir Charles, and then British Standard Whitworth. It's the BSW which uses the smaller hex sizes. Also British Standard Fine uses the same sizes as BSW. Your spanner example above should be labelled 3/8"W, 7/16" BS. Tim

In the late 1960s, we would frequently, if we went away for a weekend or longer, lock the front door but leave the back kitchen window (very low level, easy to climb through) open for the cat. Two big changes since that time. One, as already mentioned, there wasn't much of a problem with peple stealing to pay for drugs. The other was that people generally had many fewer possessions. Tim

Fred Gibbs on Shad, 1965 Tim

It's possible that I own the oldest Gardner of any forum member, an 0VC from 1931, but it's no longer in my boat and not an LW. I think my 4LW started life in the late 1930s, but it depends partly which number you believe & I've never checked properly. Tim

The 'new content' button has disappeared from my screen! Tim

Modern spindles have the tapers machined, rather than forged as they used to be. This does leave them with fairly sharp corners when new. I suppose it's just possible that an oversized windlass slipping on one of these spindles could raise a burr on the corners, which could conceivable then cut somebody's hand. No need for replacement after that, if it really does happen - just clean up the burrs with a file or a soft pad in a cordless grinder, five minute job. Even better, make the new spindles a bit less sharp-cornered when new. I'd like to see evidence that it really can happen, though. Tim

Engine mounts or drive plate (between engine and gearbox) failing are the most likely candidates. Tim

I agree that a view of the figure related to a high cabined boat in a full lock would give a better idea as to whether it is sensible, from the safety angle. Tim

Better with no primer. Just put on an extra coat in those areas if you have the time. Tim

I'd have thought that windlass jamming onto spindle was a much bigger risk than actual damage (assume he was worried about corners getting rounded off).

Gears

Do the 1/2 hour or whatever the ridiculous limit is signs have any legitimacy whatever? Does anything happen to people who ignore them (other than maybe a grumpy house dweller having a rant)? On the way over last year, Pluto did offer (the other) Kennet's mooring for an overnight but in practice stopping there would not have worked for us. Tim

Depends on the product and the conditions, but maybe 6 hours. Edit to add that I've found Epicol CT still useable next morning, but it has an advertised pot life of 8 hours, while some 2-packs have pot lives of nearer to half that. I think some need moisture to help the curing process, those will probably keep for longer in a sealed pot. Tim

The SW2 is surely as close to a watercooled SR2 as you can get? Tim

Quite a few. Your best bet will be to find someone with a Armstrong with lift pump, and ask them very nicely if there's any chance they will take the pump off so that you can examine it. Have you got the roller for the injection pump lever? Tim

Sounds good. Where to tie up, though? Tim

the darker recesses of my mind have come up with a ball bearing, or just a round piece of hardened steel, held to the side of the injection pump lever with the pinch bolt for the timing adjustment. Tim

Just to confirm that the pump I have is the Lister style. Edit - racking my brain to remember whether the injector pump lever had a bit added to contact the lift pump arm. Tim

From what I remember, it was an AC pump, basically the same as fitted to the Lister HA, but with a long arm to reach through to the camshaft or at least to the pump lever. I've got an old pump knocking around somewhere, but pretty sure it's the HA version which has a very short arm (pushrod operated). I'll have a look later. Tim

I'll put five bob on it being a Dorman Tim

He might not want to publish that info if he's sniffing around before it's formally on the market...