Bullfrog

We too had a nice dinner at the Fox last month, but the water on the mooring bubbles like Alka Seltzer - obviously something fermenting nicely!

Wish I could remember when. Thank you Richard and Bottle. David

I've just done a system restore and problem has gone away. Obviously something I picked up in the last few days that is too new for Malwarebytes to spot. Be careful folks it's dangerous out there ! David

My enjoyment of the forum is being impaired by lots of links being scattered through it as per the tags above. I'm on a PC with Windows 7 and Firefox. I've run Malwarebytes without any errors being reported. It's obviously some kind of virus infection. Anyone got any suggestions how to remove? David

No bashing from me, just testing the waters for other peoples opinion and hoping to learn more - and I've certainly done that. Thank you all for your input. I do think that CaRT should consider changing away from the 0800 system since in my opinion the majority of calls they get will be from mobiles, and with current arrangements many of those mobile users will get charged, this is in itself a disincentive to report problems. There may be many reasons why this shouldn't happen and I would be interested in hearing them.

Except that CaRT choose to use what is effectively a premium 0800 number for many mobile users for the "emergency" situation, whiilst their fund-raising number is an 0303 number which is not chargeable separately under my mobile contract. That situation is completely under their control. 08004799947 as listed on the bridge's instruction board

Recently held up by a break-down of the swing-bridge at Tyle Mill Lock on the K+A apparently it was the 4th time it had failed in 2 days. Road barriers were down but the bridge had stalled and wouldn't complete its opening sequence. (God forbid they ever have a fire or medical emergency up that road!) I tried to phone the emergency number listed on the instruction board by the bridge. It was an 0800 number which turns out to be chargeable on my mobile (and who would be calling on anything other than a mobile?) it rang out for ages with no reply other than to tell me I was held in a queue. I have subsequently found that this futile exercise cost me around £2.50 not to report to CaRT that they had a problem. Later on I found another CaRT board basically promoting their fund-raising activities. I phoned the contact number on this one - not chargeable - and the operator undertook to pass on the message to the correct party. Engineers eventually turned up and reset the bridge mechanism and on we went. It left me pondering on the morality of a system that charges the user for reporting problems, some of which could indeed be an emergency. Anyone else have views on this one?

Fixed mine to right-angled aluminium bracket and then bolted that to a vertical surface

apparently the tank has been emptied and is working again. hurrah!!!

I'm going to raise my head above the parapet and try and get back to the OP's question. With regard to their perceived bad press I don't know the answer! I have moored at Cowroast for 9 years. We are a weekends and holidays only user. Since it was taken over by BWML things there have improved a lot. I find they have invested in the site, improved facilities etc, and tried to engage with their customers at regular tenants meetings. I also appreciate their reciprocal moorings deal where I can moor up to 28 days at any other of their sites free of charge. For instance last year we stayed at Limehouse and this summer we are off down the K+A and I will be leaving the boat at Bath Marina for 2 weeks at no extra charge. My experience of them so far has only been good. David

Moorings at Castle Gardens are fine and secure - not many of them though. On our only visit, there was exactly 42'6" of space left on the end of the pontoon, which is exactly the length of our boat - whew We had an excellent visit and really enjoyed Leicester. David

Really ? Who are "we"? Credentials?

Thank you scholar gypsy for your very helpful link. Alan, I do hope we are well pumped out before we get to Brentford! David

I remember on our only journey down-stream on the Thames some years ago we were held at Teddington until a "tidal window" when the lock-keeper then allowed us to proceed. How do you work out when this is? I assume this is the same when coming up from Brentford? When travelling up-stream from Brentford where would I get Thames permit? When travelling downstream from the K+A where would I get a Thames permit? Who can I contact for more info? Sorry if this has all been asked before. David

Yup and the on-site toilets are closed too! Thanks for the list Alan.

Not too late yet thank you Bizzard, it's not that urgent. I'm just trying to find out how far I have to go to get the damn thing emptied! Thank you all for your help.

Mooring at Cowroast Marina I've always used their pump-out. Now it's out of action until further notice (something to do with their cess tank being affected by the recent flooding) I need to find another somewhere close. Any (sensible) suggestions please? David

I saw your boat yesterday Mike, having its bottom seen to!

Thank you for that. I'm amused that despite complaints about the quality of the journalism, the Metro had this on the 16th, but it didn't make the Independent until the 18th!

West also presented eight series of the Central TV series about canals and narrowboating, Water World. Thank you Wiki

No-one on board so no risk to personnel

Make sure the leads and sockets are in good order. Having one whisker of the wire in the wrong place can lose you all your signal. I replaced mine with soldered joints on the plugs instead of the horrible screw together jobs they come with and problems went away