LEO

The idea of a vendor survey is a good one, at least you know what you are selling, the purchaser should also have a survey prior to purchase, keeps every one happy. The requirements for a hull survey are increasing with insurance companies attitudes to older boats. I recently had a hull survey on my boat, combining it with a blacking, £400, not bad when one considers the cost of a BSC inspection, really you have to weigh up peace of mind and how deep are your pockets if problems crop up. Experience sometimes helps, when you make make an informal judgement taking into account the age of the boat, builder. useage and maintenance, but for most people, caution should be your watchword. Hope this helps.

I have done that with my 2LW, no problem.

Yes, I wondered about that, looks like one, and the building (left) looks as though it is constructed using stone.

Agreed, but thanks to his amazing records, he certainly chose some 'grim' cross country routes, but I guess there wasn't the traffic volumes we have now, (well in pre Covid days).

My boat came out for blacking 4 years ago, and for my own interest I had a hull survey carried out, cost £400. It was interesting, the boat was built in 1998 and I bought it in 2005 without a survey. I am with Saga insurance, but they are ceasing boat insurance and I will be 'punting round' in November looking for another insurer - not sure if the survey will be too old, will have to see. But if you can combine a survey and blacking it helps.

Mark, Have sent you a PM and email. if you have survived 10 days quarantined in a hotel at Gatwick and engine trouble you deserve a break.........hope she fires up. Mike. Day Tank Full?

Interesting, and well worth following up, on that engine you can actually feel the individual injectors 'doing their job' through the pipes.

Hi, The batteries in Cypress are just 2 years old, the engine starts well normally, but it's not a 'quick turn of the key' starter, it'a vintage job! and needs some respect, It's dead easy to flatten the battery by just turning it over without any thought and cables do become hot under these circumstances. I would not let anybody have a go a starting it without some thought and instruction. That engine needs careful use of the de-compression lever, easy starting on that engine is achieved by using the lever to decompress the engine, turning it over a few times with the starting handle, then turn it over on the starter motor getting revs up, then throw the decompression lever and away she goes. Sometimes, with that engine a blast from a blow torch helps, it's a good engine that one, but takes a knack to start it, it sounds as though the 'numpties' trying to start it have not got the experience and just keeping a digit on the starter button will not get it going, doing that will just flatten batteries and heat up cables. The charging system was modified to overcome problems a few years ago, it now has 2 alternators and a Battery management system, and the engine had new pistons and a through overhaul at Watford some years ago. Letting anybody loose on a vintage engine, even down to trying to start it is not recommended. It's a difficult times for engines and batteries, my 2LW started perfectly, after lockdown, but the batteries needed renewal. Hope this helps. Mike

I agree with you, long drive to get a car to this point though.

Bit Cheeky!, although visits to the boat are a bit infrequent as my broken leg is taking ages to mend, hope all well.

Hi, A bit of a mish mash. and not sure about cars on the towpath, there is a nice Triumph TR2? by the lock. The scene has 'something' of the Marsworth flight about it, by the style of the cottages, but there are not 2 at one lock.......or a bridge like that on the flight. Nice pic, but a lot of artistic licence incorporated?

Awwww! I knew it another 'Cock & Bull' story...........Pop reckoned it was opposite but he never had a good MSD twix the two.

Interesting!, I must confess I like the Central shopping centre / area, which has a good market and has grown as needed, it pulls in shoppers from a huge area. The smaller shopping areas are good and I was impressed when we wanted a new lounge suite to find 7 or 8 big outlets grouped in one area, all within easy walking distance of each other. As said, planning is good with lots of open spaces, when asked, many people hate driving in MK and complain about roundabouts but few consider the 'grid' layout, or the relevance of 'V' or 'H' roads. Loads of history if you look for it and I am here 'cos my folks met at a dance held at the 'Bull' in Stony Stratford in 1937...................opposite is the inn called the 'Cock' - that's another story.

Actually it's really good, I've visited North Bucks since I was a kid and been working in and been an 'observer' of MK since it's inception, brilliant place, just misunderstood by people. New building are excellent and the camouflaging of some large storage buildings, superb. Great to drive in and through...........and good to boat through as well.

I believe there was a plan to extend the canal to Chesham, something like 19 locks were proposed..........the River Chess is now flowing strongly (April 2021).

A second vote for Oxon Boat painters, do a good job and great on decorative details, but prepare to wait.boat painters get very booked up, Suggest you 'bone up' on the pitfalls of boat painting, - weather, humidity, pain quality etc. M

I've got 'piles' of the magazines as well...........................the line to Brill was just a tramway, and there were proposals to extend the line from Chesham through to Tring, some land was purchased and you can pick up the line going up the Vale out of Chesham. A new blog I have picked up on Utube is by a couple - the Whitewicks who explore old rail line, tunnels and stations, it's good and the are extending it to canals.

Sorry to read the sad news. M

Outstanding post, the Amersham Tunnel though is being re-opened by the HS2 'bunch'. and extended down to the Denham area to give one of the longest canal tunnels in the UK, this will reduce journey times twix Bulbourne and Denham by I day and improve coal supplies to the Bulls Bridge area. The River Chess is being converted to a new 'open sewer' as the existing treatment works are inadequate to cope with localised flooding.

I live near the other end of the tunnel, lots of work there and a very active Anti HS2 fans on the A413 just outside Wendover on the A413 - a veritable 'pallet city'.

You should be able to wind a 48ft boat in Berko, lot of locks down from Cowroast to Berko, might be worth turning at Cowroast and exploring the Wendover Arm - it's lovely tie up at the end and relax. Pubs are few and far between twix Bulbourne and Berko, the one at Cowroast is closed and semi derelict. The Aylesbury Arm is worth a visit, allow a day down from Marsworth and a day back, good views and single locks. Hope that helps.

I can see where this is heading, no photo shopping allowed.......................................

Looking through some of my boating pictures, I came across this one, we set out from Cowroast in July 1989 to boat round the Thames ring, great weather and we travelled on towards London. At lock 56, just through Berko we came upon a Springer called 'Milo' which caught on the cill when the lock was drained, a BW team were on hand, planks were placed across the lock and a block and tackle set up. It was about 1.00pm. The water level was lowered and work started to right the boat, by-standers from a couple of hotel boats watched and others, my self included joined in helping. 'Milo' was righted and pumped out and we were on our way by about 5.30pm, I wonder what the delay for a similar accident would be to-day?. This trip was delayed by gearbox troubled on the Thames, repaired, it broke down again and we had a months stay at Gayton, getting back to Cowroast in September. happy days.