Stroudwater1

TBF at least Ariel and Hesperus have travelled further in the last year than some boats have done in many. Ariel having navigated a tunnel and 6 locks 😁

Ive seen duck ones too several times, theres a boat around the N Oxford called Teal which seems an appropriate name to have a duck shaped hole.

it’s a £50 call-out fee for RCR with GJW.

what? No Glenfinnan viaduct pictures Peter? 😂

You could always ask for a delivery from Morris’s directly 🤣 🤔 Sentinal steam wagon 1931, Welland . Despite being thought to be steam so slow these steam wagons are capable of up to 60mph though more comfortable at 45-50 mph

That must be quite a leak, doesnt a small river tributary flow in on that stretch?

Yes a sad tale . Historic boats seem to have no status at all preservation wise other than money off CRT licences when applicable. In far better nick than Medway Queen and Ryde, though sadly I doubt Ryde will ever recover either. Externally in good nick in 2010, I was drinking in her in 2005. Cut up in late 2010 IIRC https://paddlesteamers.org/news/scottish/chairmans-blog-no-10-ps-lincoln-castle/ http://www.paddlesteamers.info/LincolnCastle.htm

We may not have a member Piglet on here but IanM has a boat called Piglet I believe Arthur. It has a piglet painted nicely on the side too IIRC.

Interesting read, there used to be a steam powered stern wheeler called Phoenix moored for years at Alvechurch in the 1980s . Can’t find any images so I fear it’s gone from the canals . Perhaps it’s in storage somewhere. I do have a picture in the steam boat book I have but that’s somewhere too

Found the video of this one, she has changed since May/June 2021 with a full repaint, there a fair change at the bow too. The owner does a nice internal walkthrough. The engine makes a longer appearance on the Severn and Avon

Theres barely been rain for months, the Severn and Avon are low. Extremely unlikely to be an issue for tonight. Im sure you will be fine. Rare images cause shock because they are rare. Mooring at Pitchcroft, the racecourse are pretty decent, though I think you may need to pay a small fee possibly. Mooring at Diglis I believe by the lock is OK too IIRC .

In short not many do it, but yes, its lovely to do as long as you are careful with how you moor. Most like to moor on more secure areas though, and TBF many of these places are lovely. Passed Evesham on Sat and only one boat moored by the park there, see elsewhere for recommended stops, though you maybe a good way down by now.

Agree thats definitely well worth a try- We used Farecla three process (A bit like T cut but less harsh, then one finisher then finally wax . It has probably prolonged the need for a few years. I suspect theres a lot of boaters who go straight to a repaint before trying this.

Can someone relieve me from my paranoia of dropping the screw cap from the Elsan cassette into the pan. I fear it usually would sit there not going round the u bend but then I muse would it be better to leave it there or face the prospect of fishing it out. Then I ponder is it better to see it disappear that’s that and not need to face the first issue. But then worry it will block the drain. Has anyone dropped theirs into the pan and what happened next? I was so relieved to find a spare cassette cap in the Summer lying round by an Elsan, perhaps it’s one that was dropped in earlier. At least if I do drop one in I can use the spare on my cassette 🤣

I see what you mean, as here on one of the lower locks taken this year. We have never noticed this as problem which goes to show how we rather take things for granted with Heath/ eyesight/ our sizes. Glad you got up there OK.

I wonder if boaters and other canal users contribute with their urea too sometimes tbf 🤔

Past the old brewery too You may see a steam engine on Shrewsbury rally weekend too

Or Ullswater. Sadly the Sir Walter Scott on Loch Katrine steam boat is out for much work, another boat sails there. Then there’s Loch Lomand too. a lovely trip, past the park, school (that used to be a hospital) several bridges and boathouses

Hi Daniel Agreed. But can we be advised which moderator will remain and who will be relinquished of their portfolio? Is there to be a vote on the matter? We disserve to know. Thanks 😁

The Elsan at Venetian marina I believe is free to use so not much further if you are going that way of course

Thats a shame, it was open in June 😢

It’s one of the best rings to do. We did it clockwise too. The Avon locks are probably easier that way. I’m not sure why people advise against mooring at Kings Norton, Hopwood is lovely but it depends when you get off from Alvechurch. It’s not far to Hopwood and you may like to get on a bit so you can explore Stratford or other places for longer. We moored just by Kings Norton junction and didn’t see a soul in August 2020. I’m not sure I would leave a boat there unattended for days but that’s not what you are doing. At this time of the year less folk congregate outside of an evening anyway. Bideford is another place to moor on the Avon. The Avon is a fairly short river and you would be unlucky to find it flooding if you haven’t experienced much rain. If it’s raining heavily for a few days it’s possible it will flood but follow advise from previous posters then. Some of the Avon lock gates can be quite hard and hefty but that’s all part of the fun. The Avon winds around a lot in some areas, part of it’s charm. Try to keep away from inside of bends on rivers which is usually shallower. If you ever do get grounded it’s usually easier to reverse off sometimes you would need to reverse for further than you may think necessary. Poling from the front or back generally fails as the boats swings like a see saw but you can get the rear further out by poling there and reversing. Most hire boats aren’t too deep in the water which makes getting grounded a little less of an issue anyway. At 66 foot concentrate hard on keeping clear of the cill when descending locks! Have a lovely time.

A bit too wet today for a trip

Agree with ignoring the survey, ours were flagged as needing replacing but are still going strong 19 months on. They are sealed ones that the surveyor “tested” and the voltage was down but hadn’t been charged or used for a while before the sale.