Derek

Yo' da' man! It should be called the "back to the future" cruise! Derek

Well done, mate! I know that bit of canal (from the land only, my ex's brother and his family live in Marsden. Plenty of locks to keep you amused!. BTW I think the locals call it slewitt, or something aproximating that! Derek

We used to dream of living in a paper bag! It were a wet fag packet 17 of us used to live in. We had to get up half an hour before we went to bed, crawl thirty miles over broken glass to get to work, do a 29 hour day and pay the gaffer a pound just for the priveledge. And if you told the young folks today, they'd never believe you.... Derek

Didn't think they were, John! But seriously though I'm surprised that you thought the pubs were not busier with food that when you visited last. Perhaps the period of time between your visits was longer than mine. I hadn't been up for about eight years. This visit I couldn't get a seat even in the garden in the Black Lion At Consal. Last time it was virtually deserted. The only pubs I thought were unchanged were the Sportsman at Stockton Brook and the Black 'un at Cheddleton, up the hill. Derek

My opinions should not be regarded as Pronouncements. Derek (a.k.a. Prophet of Doom)

This is probably the one I was thinking about. If they made it a condition of a refund of a "CC" licence, I would think that a lot more CCers would try harder! Derek

I visited Stafford boat club a few years back and they had what looked like an excerpt of a dictionary framed on the wall. It said: Boat (bowt) n. A steel hole in the water into which one throws money. Derek

For my two penn'orth I liked the idea that was put forward some time ago. Charge all CCers a fee for one years cruising, which would be refunded if they proved that they have indeed been cruising. The genuine folks would then use this charge for their next years cruising, while the ones who are primarily avoiding mooring fees would have to pay again. I admit it would take a lot of administration, but the idea seems fair to all. Derek

I must have seen twenty brigdewater ONLY licenced boats pass my moorings on the southern Shroppie this summer. But I bow to local knowledge! Derek

The two week limit does not include any mileage limits, I have often seen Bridgewater licenced boats "doing" the four counties ring and beyond. Derek

They used to use push bikes to set the locks ahead, I think that it where the term wheeling comes from. Derek

Size isn't everything Location, location, location! Derek

£1480!! (chokes on tea!) I pay half that and consider myself hard done by! Derek

Tell us again when you have got your two red "M's" in your mitts! Derek

I would think we all had to put up with bull from time to time and most of us learned to put up with it. The bullers will always be there so expecing exemtion from it is a forlorn pastime. Derek

How did you get the first blokes name? They are a bit secretive! Perhaps you could phone the office and ask the receptionist for the blokes boss, or just ask to talk to the head PooBah and tell him how slow his minions are... Derek

Seriously though paul, you should be able to find the head of department through the local BW offices web page. Then it should be a matter of transposing the name to a web address. Derek

Next time you e-mail, copy his boss (and HIS boss!) Derek