LEO

Hi, As stated, air can be removed from the rad. by a bleed screw. Albi.

Hi, I would have connected the feed from the expansion tank into the return pipe to the boiler, The way you have shown it will result in water in the expansion tank becoming hot. Air could then be bled from the radiator by a normal bleed screw. Not sure what others think. Hope this helps, - the original 'avatar' still looks good. Albi.

Alan, I used to moor in the Cowroast before the current owners took over and the same restriction about stored goods prevailed then. Good job too! as some owners used to end up with the most enormous pile of junk in front of their boat. It's a shame that BW don't operate the same policy more stringently on their linear moorings. When choosing a marina it's worth looking at the car-parking policy, I think at your marina you can drive up to and park close to the boat - a real advantage. Linear moorings - great, provided it's a non towpath side, with a 'no fishing' restriction opposite, a short distance from a lock, water-point and rubbish facility ( I am sure that boaters don't produce all the rubbish at these points, some skips seem to contain large amounts of builders hardcore) and one can cope with the often long walk from the road. Albi.

Hi, I bought a small tin of Gardner Grey from Gardner Enthusiast, cost about £18. I tried to match it at B&Q and various paint specialist but with no luck. Be careful with the low 250rpm tickover, around 420 is recommended and if you have a PRM gearbox the oil pressure may be too low and will cause damage. I have a 1957 2LW, with pics before and after the rebuild, Legendary Engineering excellence. Albi. PS The Gardner engine rally is well worth a visit, held every 2 years the next is 2009.

Hi, Reservoir car park owned and administered by BW, who take no prisoners over parking charges and cars are subject to incidents involving vandalism. Pub car park - pub (White Lion) has now changed hands and is run by the owner of the Anglers Retreat. BW yard and former concrete works are owned and locked up by BW who are hoping to redevelop them. I heard from a boat owner who 'lost' his diesel whilst moored at Marsworth recently, it was thought that this incident occured at Berko, but he confirmed that Marsworth was more likely. Albion.

Hi, I like the 2L2 video as well, but it does seem to be ticking over too slowly 420rpm is the recommended min level by Gardners, nice to see the oil pressure gauge increase slowly from start up - I thought mine was unique! Albion.

HI Geoff, We are watching this carefully, it may be the one which was advertised about a month ago, but that one appeared closer to the bridge and stated it 'was residential with parking available). it may be the former but as far as I am aware there is no parking, and was on the opposite side of the canal. From the position of this one on the map it may be the one which was 'snapped' up for £6000 p.an earlier, as it appears to be about the same place on the towpath. ALBION.

Hi, I found that you have to re-adjust the tappets on a BMC 1.5 as part of the re-assembly proceedure, due to the design of the rocker shaft and position of the head nuts. OP - are you sure there are no cracks in cylinder head? - I have heard that BMC cylinder heads are prone to this problem. Albion

Sorry, My error, the pipe connected to the bottom of the calorifier comes from a spigot off the rear of the cylinder head, not the engine block. Albion

Hi, Have been following this one, are you sure that the flow of water through the calorifer is correct? the water has to be 'pushed' through the internal coil from the bottom to the top (ie, on a BMC 1.5 the pipe from the rear of the cylinder block connects to the lower part of the coil, returning from the top to a point on the block near the engine water pump). I reversed them on mine and the water was cool, reconnected them as above and it returned to working at normal temperature. Engine was a 1.5 BMC raw water cooled with a heat exchanger. Hope that helps. Albion

Hi, Agreed they should get a medal, about time the guys in WW2 Bomber Command got one - 55000 killed, but no medal forthcoming! Albi.

Hi, Buying red diesel from the local garage? doubtful! - transfer pumps mmmm! think carefully before providing info on this one. Albi.

Hi, I was wondering if it was possible to extend this pipe so that it discharges into the same area or container that your stern gland drips into, so that water could then be pumped out by the bilge pump? (assuming that you have one). This then saves emptying the container. ATB Albi. I too wondered about drilling a hole, but thought that the calorifer PRV would be below, or on the water line. (as the Previous poster suggested). hence the idea of running a pipe to the proximity of the bilge pump.

Geoff, Sounds as if you have a Flo-Jet pump, I had one of these, but changed it to a Shurflo which can be used in conjunction with an Accumulator. If it's a horizontal Cylinder you will have to drain a lot lof water out before you can safely remove the PRV. Sure it's not possible to run a Flexy pipe to the bilge drained by a pump to avoid mess due to leakage. Forget incontinence pads for soaking the water up, newspapers do a brilliant job and are cheaper (unless you, or a relative have a problem and the pads are supplied by the NHS). regards. Albi

Geoff, You might find that renewing it does not stop the dripping as the water heats up and expands. I have plumbed the PRV so it discharges via the side of the boat, to avoid spillage into the bilge. Somewhere on the system there should be an expansion vessel to cope with increases/decreases in pressure as the water expands/contracts, or else the pump cuts in at night, when the engine is switched off and the water cools and contracts. Hope that helps. Albi.

Hi, It's easy to change a PRV, take time and make a good joint, but why does it need to be changed? - is it leaking or weeping as the pressure in the tank increases due to water expansion? do you have an expansion tank?, also try turning the knob on the PRV to make sure it seats well, as sometimes they get some scale on the seat preventing a good seal. Best of luck, does the water leaking past the PRV leak into the bilge?. Albi.

Hi, Have you checked there's nothing fouling the prop?. Albi

Hi, I think you only need VHF radio if over 45ft. on the section lower than Limehouse Basin or between Limehouse and Brentford, Brentford to Teddington no radio needed. hope that helps Albi.

Hi, There's one with a hydraulic rudder conversion on the mooring near you, goes well, it was the subject of an article in WWorld about 10 years ago, easy to see if you have a clogged prop. Out boards - I remember were expensive to run, had a tendency to 'walk away' quickly unless treble chained down and the water cooling system kept blocking, resulting in overheating and problems with petrol usage and storage. Listers - great, but noisy if air-cooled and problems with the oil level in the sump rising inconveniently at times and smokey. BMC 1.5 - great small engines, easy to work on, spares reasonable, quiet and a source of hot water, 1.8 probably the same. Inboard every time for me, depends if you want to wear ear-plugs when you are cruising which one you chose. Albi. Lister D's do make good engines for cement mixers though.

There speaks a wise man, that's why I fitted one. I moor against metal piling and it's interesting to connect the boat with the piling via a multi meter and see the milli-amps recorded. Pleased to read of your result against the Surveyor who caused you problems. Albi

Hi Alan, I know of a boat which suffered a serious fire about 20 years ago, probably caused by a gas fridge, the boat, now re-fitted is on a mooring not 50 yards from your mooring. Albi.

Hi, I looked at a couple of boats with Gardner 1L2's (14HP) and was advised that they were too small for river use and one guy had one in a 60ft Nb and found that the 4mph speed limit was a target which was never achieved. The single cylinder engines do blow nice smoke rings though. Albi.

Hi, Enjoyed your blog, it could be that the dry dock in the fens has a monopoly... Albi

Hi, I bought the engine and it came with a 'tug style' boat. You do lose some space with the tug deck and engine room, but there are increases in security with the porthole windows and easier access from the front deck. As has been said the storage vault under the front deck is very useful, They are good looking boats, generally built by experienced builders who put all the right curves in the right places and they have the boatman's cabin. But they are not really family boats, so if you want something different with all the 'goodies' go for one, Ive not regretted buying the engine or the 'metal surrounds' that came with it. ALBI

Hi, This is an interesting one, especially if one considers the stop lock on the Wendover Arm, built as a double lock. Perhaps the locks on the Aylesbury arm were built to allow for future conversion to double locks. The original plan was for the canal to go on from Aylesbury and join the Thames near Dorchester and thus enlargement of the existing locks could have been more easily carried out with one set of balance beams on the non towpath side. I found details of your cruise interesting, in 1964/5 I used to spend lunch breaks from school by the basin, when it had a crane, covered store and most importantly, Mick Riley's second motor cycle store, much better than the IR offices!. Shame it never made it to the River Thames and even more of a shame that the current re-development will ruin the basin in Aylesbury, but then Aylesbury turned it's back on the preservation of old parts of the Town in 1966 with the redevelopment of the town center, (sorry, I digress). Albi