agg221
-
Posts
1,475 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Gallery
Blogs
Store
Posts posted by agg221
-
-
11 hours ago, Ian Mac said:
The materials for a wood boat will set you back about £100K at todays prices, and more if you want better quality Oak. It takes about 2 man years worth of effort to build a wooden boat once you know what your at, so with overheads that's about another £200K Now you can get rid of all that last number by doing it yourself but you will need a continuous supply of mates to help you, and retaining them for two years is really hard.
Owning a wooden boat is a stupid thing to do.
--
Cheers Ian Mac
It can be done for a lot less than that (speaking from personal experience) but you do need labour.
Alec
-
27 minutes ago, haggis said:
A very wet morning and the forecast is for rain all day ( if we move we have 17 locks to do ). Fire lit and we may not move. I think this must go down as the wettest muddiest canal holiday we have ever had but we are enjoying it nevertheless.
I can quite understand the decision not to move - equally unpleasant here (and we haven't even made it to the boat yet!)
If you do get a break in the weather and decide to move on a bit then the moorings at the top of Adderley, the top of Audlem and at Cox Bank two locks down Audlem are all very pleasant. We quite often use one of the latter two if we get to the boat on a Friday evening with enough time to set off somewhere, as it breaks up the flights a bit. It is also a fairly easy walk down from Cox Bank to Audlem of the pub beckons!
Alec
-
1
-
-
On 31/12/2023 at 12:57, Lady M said:
Does CRT have an email address for you?
Yep. Checked with a friend we stayed with over New Year (also a licence holder). He has received nothing either.
Alec -
4 hours ago, Rob-M said:
As a license holder you should have received details of the C&RT council elections, if you also volunteer you would have received the volunteer candidates to vote for them as well.
Nope. Neither my wife or I has received anything.
Alec
-
1 hour ago, Rob-M said:
I would add Gower Branch to take in the BCNs staircase, I like to mix the old and new main lines with a combination of Brades locks, Spon Lane locks and Smethwick locks.
Yes, I would agree it is worth seeing both for the contrast, and it doesn't really get lock-heavy whichever way you go around the main Birmingham-Wolverhampton lines.
I have been thinking a bit about other things to see - the problem is that you could easily stretch well beyond the allocated time. However, just to mention that heading up to Titford Pools is an interesting diversion for the opportunity to go around on them. We have also poked our nose as far down the Tat Bank branch as possible, and also continued on up the Ridgeacre Branch of the Wednesbury Old rather than going straight down Ryder's Green (not officially recommended but not banned, and if nobody ever does then it will silt up to oblivion), and gone up what there is of the Gospel Oak branch. All of these are short diversions and so long as you don't mind reversing are very simple but have the feel of exploring lost canals.
I wondered about whether I would head on to the Black Country Museum after having gone down to Hawne Basin and then back to the Wednesbury. If timing looked OK I think I would on balance as one of the less interesting stretches is from Tipton to Wolverhampton, so if that gone missed out it wouldn't be so bad. That might mean going up Smethwick, along the old main line to Dudley, then down Tipton and back along the new main line, although there then wouldn't be an obvious route along the Gower branch, but you could take in the Titford if you felt so inclined. So many choices...!
Things I wouldn't mind missing - The Tame Valley, the Rushall (nice but not worth the detour to get there) and the Main Line from Dudley to Wolverhampton unless the route particularly too me that way.
Diesel is available at Hawne Basin. Not sure whether you have a cassette or pump-out but worth planning around this - both are possible in the centre of Birmingham and at Hawne Basin but beyond that I am not sure on other pump-outs. There is an Elsan point at Wolverhampton (in the old FMC basin, which is worth a look anyway). I mentioned the mooring at Pelsall - didn't mention that this is by a decent pub. There is also a handy mooring in Brownhills near a supermarket. Anglesey Basin is one of the most remote spots on the network - perfect for loud instruments! Also worth mentioning that I think there is still a visitor's mooring at Ocker Hill (pretty much opposite where the Tame Valley meets the Walsall) just up the short arm. This is a little out of date, but can be a useful guide: https://bcnsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/BCN-Safe-Moorings-2017-12-06.pdf
Things around the canal to see and do, depending on your personal taste. Central Birmingham is accessible within walking distance, including the Bull Ring area (Digbeth) where the rag market is worth a look; as is the Jewellery Quarter (good for looking in the windows, perhaps less so to actually go in) and there is the pen museum in the same general direction. Smethwick pumping station is interesting, as is Bradley if you do go up the arm. The Black Country Museum I still find enjoyable, although its shift to a focus on social rather than industrial history makes it less appealing and the condition of the boats and the canal-related end of it I find rather depressing; the trip into the tunnel is still good though. There is some good industrial history up around Anglesey and the other excellent place to stop briefly is the final remaining railway interchange basin with the infrastructure still in place at Chillington Wharf. This is on the run in to Wolverhampton, on the right. You can't get in to it so it is simply a quick pull in and peer over the fence, but it's derelict and collapsing so it won't be there to see for long. In Wolverhampton itself, mooring anywhere near the top lock has always been fine. There are some extremely secure moorings on the offside, where you can't even get off the boat, but we have always found it fine. There is a homeless shelter just across the road so there are usually a few homeless people about but I have always found them friendly and rather lonely, just wanting a chat, never drunk or threatening. It can be a bit of a challenge to get away though! Wolverhampton also has an excellent (and free) art gallery if you enjoy such things. I particularly like the work of Edwin Butler Bayliss and they have the largest collection of his paintings anywhere.
That will do for now!
Alec
Alec
-
1
-
-
I have looked at the topic, but am not aware of what it is referring to. Should I be?
Alec
-
- Popular Post
- Popular Post
1 minute ago, Arthur Marshall said:No, the time before and after doesn't matter much. My wife wants to do the interesting bit, and she's got ten free days, so she could get the train to Rugely if I'm coming down that way. We need a station within reasonable distance at each end of the ten days. I can take as long as I like to get to her start point and home afterwards.
I'm actually leaving from Congleton.
In that case, without working out the stations specifically, I think I would head down the T&M and then the Coventry, probably picking up your wife from Tamworth station. The junction with the Birmingham and Fazeley is a couple of miles from the station but the canal does get closer, to within a mile at Glascote, and Glascote Basin is quite pleasant (and Menzies Marine Hardware is an interesting place to visit).
I would then go down the Birmingham and Fazeley, in to the centre. Exactly where you moor doesn't make much odds but anywhere from Old Turn to the NIA is decent for the centre.
From there, I would consider what you want to see - there isn't a single simple route through, more poking about to look at things. I think I would include a trip down through the Netherton Tunnel and on to Hawne Basin. Just outside Hawne Basin and just south of Netherton are both nice spots to stop. I'm not sure I would look to carry on down to Delph as it takes you a bit out of the way unless you are going down to Stourbridge.
I would then probably head either to the Northern BCN or the Black Country Museum, depending on timing and preference. Ryders Green flight is, for me, the closest thing to the old BCN I have found. The Walsall is not exactly pretty, but it isn't difficult and the basin is OK as a mooring. There is also some interesting work going on clearing out the connection to the Bradley Arm. Once you have reached the top of the Walsall flight, again time dictates where to go. There are no more locks, so you can either head up to Anglesey Basin if you have time (one of my favourite places), or stop at Pelsall, or just turn left and head round to Wolverhampton via Sneyd. If you have time you could head back left at the end and take in Bradley or the Black Country Museum.
When it's time to head home, I would go down the Wolverhampton 21. There is a station within walking distance of Wolverhampton Boat Club just up the SU but you could head up either the S&W or the SU depending on your preference. Both have some nice small towns and plenty of services.
Just a few thoughts - it's all interesting, and I agree with Glenn, if your timing allows then visiting during either the Explorer Cruise or the Challenge could be a good option.
Alec
-
5
-
7 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:
I'm struggling to make sense of the Birmingham canals, so advice will be welcome.
The plan is to come down from the Macc, have a run through Burmingham and then home. The route to and from Birmingham doesn't matter much, but I'd have about eight days to bring the boat through the city before my crew finds a station and goes home. We tend to do five hours cruising a day at most.
Every time I look at the map I get terminally confused, and Nicholsons is incomprehensible. Any suggestions with obvious landmarks on the map....
I've not been through it yet, and the time has come.
Is the 8 days inclusive from leaving your mooring to returning to your mooring? If so, it would be handy to know where on the Macc you need to leave from, and how long it normally takes you to get to the closest point you normally head to. If the 8 days is not inclusive it would be handy to know how close you want to be at the start/end of it. There are some very interesting parts of the BCN to see although I have realised that what we normally cover in the BCN challenge over a weekend is probably nearly six days worth of your trip!
Alec
-
1
-
-
2 minutes ago, magnetman said:
I think it is the same pump. This one is for evacuation of the shower tray.
It might work as a bilge pump but its not what one would usually see.
I've had problems with this pump due to irregular use (soap dodger).
Even so it shouldn't really just seize and stop working. As mentioned above there can be impeller issues with these but thats normally an ageing thing or lots of use. There is a brass plate on the front with about a dozen brass machine screws. One can remove this for inspection.
I found that ageing without use (life ambition) can cause hardness in the impeller and reduce pumping effectiveness whereas excess use (not life ambition) can cause breakage of impeller vanes leading to all sorts of trouble.
Moral: don't use the shower.
The general conclusion is, the most likely problem if this pump has actually been fitted as a bilge pump is to unscrew the brass plate from the front and see what state the impeller is in. If it is stuck, they can be freed off (usually by removing the crud from around the impeller with a small screwdriver) and if the impeller blades have snapped off then a new one is in order. Either way, from memory, it is a good idea to get the service kit as there is a seal which is best changed at the same time rather than re-used I think.
Alec
-
3 minutes ago, Jason322 said:
Thanks Jen yes that’s correct because when I switch the fore pump switch on it will eventually trip itself off . And there is a manual switch for all three pumps the fore bilge will not come on the other two do come on but do not seem to suck up water. There is a manual hand pump like a gusher pump that when you try to use seems to just pump air and no water
How deep is the water you are trying to pump in the two sections where the pumps do come on but do not pump water? Are the pumps located right at the lowest point?
Any chance of a photo of the hand pump? There are several sorts and there are different possibilities as to what the issue may be.
Alec
-
3 minutes ago, MtB said:
I've read that flocks of sheep were often driven up and down freshly-puddled canal beds to compact the clay.
I think they still make them.
I would imagine driving flocks of sheep up and down in narrow trenches behind lock walls may be somewhat frowned upon, although they are probably stupid enough to put themselves down there given half a chance!
Alec
-
8 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:
Wondering if its safe putting metric propane into imperial pipes?
Absolutely not. The molecules are slightly different sizes. If you put metric propane down imperial pipes it won't fit, and if you put imperial propane in metric pipes it will leak out!
Alec
-
1
-
-
6 minutes ago, haggis said:
Yes, that's the name. Does it not show Navigation somewhere? Might stop in Gnosall tomorrow night or might go on to Norbury . We could do with more coal and kindling but not urgent yet. A case of finding somewhere open 😀
Is Turner's open tomorrow? Do they have coal and kindling (I believe they have gas and a shop so it's possible)? If so it might be the easier option while you are there.
Alec
-
17 minutes ago, tom_c said:
I can’t imagine many people would want that dynamo, it is unusual in being chain driven from the flywheel end, I’m not sure there are that many Fowler marine engines around now, the list can’t be that long….
You are making the assumption that it was removed by someone with a clue, who actually had a use for it, rather than just thinking it was 'valuable'. I suggest from previous experience that this is not always the case...
Alec
-
10 minutes ago, magnetman said:
Yes also someone recently pointed out that one can get cordless wet and dry vacuum cleaners. They don't hold a lot of water but the Makita, which might be interesting for someone who already has other Makita tools, seems to hold 7.5 litres.
Other less expensive items available.
And of course mains wet n dry vacs have quite a large capacity.
That is a really interesting thought, for a man who has on several occasions manually baled the bottom of the boat by reaching under the engine bed with a sponge. When it's frozen outside it is not much warmer just inside the hull and this always seems to happen in winter!
Alec
-
8 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:
Report back on the Navigation please, I’m interested to know what it’s like these days,
the Boat’s the one I use at Gnosall.
with open fire by the bar and wood burner in the other bit,
I enjoyed one of their pizzas once, the other food always looks good when it comes out,
I too will be interested to hear how The Navigation is. We had a very pleasant lunch at The Bridge in Brewood in 2022 on the way back from the BCN Challenge and also enjoyed an excellent (although more upmarket) meal at The Staffordshire Grill in the centre of town, but have not yet tried The Navigation.
Bad luck on the cold - I am still trying to shift a persistent cough which I would rather get rid of before going boating so I can empathise. At least you can now pootle back gently. Did you get another look at the boats at Industry on the way by?
Alec -
To reiterate the point made by other posters above, some water running back down the hose when you turn the pump off is quite normal. The pump can only work so far down - expect a bit of water to be left after the pump has removed all it can, say half an inch. The last bit that the pump has pulled up is still in the tube which can't push air so the water sits there just above the impeller and when the pump is switched off it runs back out. If you want to get it truly dry then you need to do the last bit with a sponge and bucket (really dry will need rags or nappies).
The good news is that this is suggesting there is not too much wrong and the water is not too deep. If you follow the other points made above through you should get there. Water can look a lot worse than it is - I noticed water in the bilge of our boat last time I visited, spread across the back third of the boat. In practice, this turned out to be about 5 litres in total. It is still annoying. A photo of the manual pump and a summary of the way in which it is not working would also be useful (ie is it seized, works freely but doesn't pump, feels really slack as you pump it etc) as that would be a handy last resort to have working. I have one for this reason.
Alec
-
Hi Jason,
Aware this may be a somewhat stressful time - finding that none of the bilge pumps are working suggests you may have water onboard and want it out, and when that isn't happening it is never good (been there, done that). The odds of someone on this forum having exactly the same boat are limited, and even if they did, bear in mind that on a 45yr old boat the odds of it having been changed from how it was built are high, so it is usually a case of systematic fault-finding, rather than a simple answer. For this reason, you are likely to get asked lots of questions. It may not be immediately obvious why you are being asked certain things, but it is worth going with it and answering - they will be someone following a train of thought to try and help you. Also, you have figured how to post photos to the forum - this is excellent as they show so much more than words can.
Jen has already made a good start. I will throw in a few more:
1. I can see lights on your panel. That means power is getting to the panel. Bilge pumps however may not be running off the same battery as everything else. As Jen mentions, they are sometimes configured to run when the boat has been left and the main panel turned off. That means they may be wired to the starter battery and then through the panel. The idea is that the pumps will run on the float switch even when the main battery isolator is turned off. It can be confusing, because it looks like the panel is working but the bilge pumps won't, which appears to be your situation.
2. Can you trace the wires from bilge pump directly to a battery? If so, is there a fuse in the loop? Is it the leisure battery or the starter battery? If it is the starter battery, is it still charged or has it run flat (ie will the boat engine start off it)? You could get the symptoms you describe if the starter battery is completely flat but the leisure battery is still charged. If so, you could temporarily run the bilge pump off the leisure battery.
3. I concur with Nigel and Jen that a multimeter is a pretty important piece of kit to have, but would add that making up some extension leads with crocodile clips for it is also very worthwhile for fault tracing, but for now, if you don't have one, what happens if you take each of the bilge pumps in turn and connect them directly over a known charged battery? I agree with Nigel that the float switches fail, but usually they fail in the 'off' position so the pump fails to turn on. It would be unusual for them to fail in the 'on' position and burn out the pump. The pump may well have two pairs of wires - a pair that go to and from the battery and the other pair to and from a bypass switch (on the panel). The idea is that the pump is permanently connected but will switch on and off automatically on the float switch or can be manually started by connecting the other pair of wires. With the main wires connected across the battery, If you either manually rock the float switch which Nigel has already described or touch the other pair of wires together, does it start up?
4. Photos of the electric pumps would be useful.
5. A photo of the hand pump would be useful.
Alec
-
2 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:
A few years back I passed them both within 100 yards of each other near Norbury Wharf, strangely I didn't record it
That would have been quite good to see. Song of the Waterways is a Les Allen that was acquired through a Section 8 order and nobody seems to know its earlier history, but it has been a well loved boat from Jeff to Anton to the current owner, who occasionally frequents this site.
Sorry Haggis - will stop derailing your thread now!
Alec
-
7 minutes ago, haggis said:
It was Song of the Waterways! I momentarily forgot the name and when I asked Iain what the name of Jeff's boat had been he said Coronation. When we used to see Jeff when we stopped in Ansty, it was Coronation he had.
This was me steering it down there (current owner is sat on the cabin top) back in October:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2624035521068163&set=gm.6859427404141463&type=3
Since Jeff had it, Song now has a Lister JP2 fitted so we tend to go boating together on the grounds that whoever breaks down the other one can tow it. So far that has been us being towed! We went up the Llangollen together in October at half term and then took Song down to Stretton to have some new cloths fitted. There are often some interesting boats about at Stretton (Industry Narrowboats) including Caggy quite recently.
Alec
-
2 minutes ago, haggis said:
Day 8
Much less wind and dry apart from the last two miles
Saw the late Jeff Dennison s boat (Coronation) .and Phyllis May ( Narrow Boat to C?) Moored at a boatyard just north of Brewood
this short tiller is hard work !
Was it definitely Coronation you saw, rather than Song of the Waterways (both formerly belonged to the late Jeff Dennison)? The latter is definitely currently at Stretton just north of Brewood so if Coronation is also in the vicinity that would be quite a coincidence.
Alec
-
7 minutes ago, truckcab79 said:
Cheers.
Take more than that to put me off though 😂😂😂. 1mm is what I’ve already ordered and am using as stated earlier.
👍
5mm wall thickness would be safer...
Alec
-
1
-
-
2 minutes ago, Pluto said:
A vibrating flat plate is not the way to make a watertight puddle. It needs to be cut up and chopped at the same time as compacting to make a homogeneous layer about 150mm thick, and then built up with similar layers.. However, it does depend upon the quality of the clay, judging by the engineer's reports given during the construction of some canals.
Compacting is something modern civil engineering is very poor at, judging by the number of road works which end up after a few months with sunken sections of tarmac.
I wondered whether the two operations could be separated out - essentially a pugging operation to prepare material which is fed directly in, followed by compaction. I agree that vibration may not be the most appropriate compaction method but couldn't think of an alternative piece of modern equipment that would replicate pairs of navvies' boots!
Alec
-
9 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:
If I'm understanding correctly & I've got the maths the 'right way around' thats 225 amps at 12v (225Ah per day)
How are the batteries going to be recharged and that 225 amps replaced as you don't have a generator, or, an engine, and their are no 'hook-ups' canalside ?
I think we are somewhat at cross-purposes here.
I think you are still considering the OP's proposition of a fuel-free narrowboat, which I think everyone is in agreement is not achievable.
The thread has moved on to consider the art of the possible - how much can you reduce energy input requirements, using what approaches and, for each individual approach, how much would that reduce energy requirements and what would it cost? This is effectively the watered-down question of 'how close to a fuel-free narrowboat can you currently get?' In this case, I presume a dedicated genset would be used, with solar when available, and hook-ups in marinas or a permanent mooring as a preferred option when available.
Although there are disparaging comments that a thought exercise such as this is effectively a waste of time, I see it as useful as it defines what is currently possible and what the potential impact of emerging technologies will be.
Alec
-
3
-
C&RT council elections
in General Boating
Posted
That was the issue. Now found and voted. Thanks.
Alec