alan_fincher
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Posts posted by alan_fincher
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There are old threads on Widdop engines, including a case where my brother Mike was storing / moving parts on behalf of others.
I've not studied this old thread in detail, though it may be of interest to others to do so.
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11 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:
First two numbers look like 35 to me, so 1985 year.
I don't think that is possible for an SR engine = production of these ended in 1976, I think.
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1 hour ago, Arthur Marshall said:
The first number is ok but the rest of the plate has seriously degraded. It's come out better in a photo
Ah! I see your difficulties!
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9 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:
Ta, found the plate but it's sadly unreadable.
That's a bit strange - they are usually fairly easy to read.
What's the problem with yours?
Painted over?
Scraped about?
Not adequately embossed?
If paint is the problem stripping it off may improve readability.
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Are you sure those are actually fuse holders?
OK, I admit there is a "Fuse" label, but many panels like this actually use reset-able circuit breakers.
I think, (as has been suggested), it is worth getting at the back of it.My current money is on "no actual fuse", but I am purely speculating, and could be wrong.
Here's an example of the kind of thing I'm thinking of.
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4 hours ago, David Mack said:
But past the top of the locks it's not so good! Level is 6" down, very slow going when we are moving and we have got stuck fast on the bottom twice within a mile. Currently shifting ballast from the stern to the bows.
Well unless they have dredged it in recent times, good luck with the Shirley lift bridge.
We can get totally stuck in there, even with the pound at a good level.
Needless to say motorists are far from impressed if you are physically under the bridge, and unable to move in either direction!
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26 minutes ago, Kingdom Isambard Brunel said:
Looks like a shed to me.
14 minutes ago, MtB said:And "fully-priced" shed too!
A shed load off money for that shed, certainly.
This thing is almost 50 years old, and looks it.
I won't add my say to opinions already given, other than to suggest that if looking at the water heater installation is typical of the boat generally it is most definitely one to avoid.It should be possible to do a great deal better
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3 hours ago, Ogwr said:
I would presume with Malcolm?s son Ian
I agree that would seem the most likely, but I don't know.
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Malcolm Braine certainly had a very extensive archive, particularly of BCN based photographs and slides.
I rather suspect though that much of his material was not cataloged in any way - any "indexing" seemed to be only as good as his memory.
Obviously an entirely private collection, but does anybody know where it ended up, please?
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10 minutes ago, James Owen said:
Already been done ✔️
Indeed, or so we are told.
That said I have yet to hear anybody owning up to actually wielding the sledge hammer.
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My one observation is that the JP2 tends to be more sought after than the JP3, and hence to change hands at more money.
Nowt wrong with a 3 pot, of course, but I would want the twin.Also when I fave see them in a GUCCCo boat engine room the JP3 leaves things rather too oovercrowned.
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I agree with Tony. This certainly looks like a twin coil calorifier. Each picture shows a pair of connections one vertically above the other, and it would be surprising if one picture didn't show the connections for one coil and the other picture those for the other coil.
As well as Tony's "blow in them" method, you could also lay it flat on its side with a pair of connectors at the highest point, and pump water down one connector - it should then flow out the other one.
The lowest connector, with part of a plastic Hep2O still attached, would logically be "cold water in". The only thing that surprises me is just how close it is to the lower calorifier connection - no reason why it should not be, but I can't recall seeing one like that.
The other thing that surprises me is that all 4 calorifier connections have got an adapter which (assuming you don't remove them) means you would need unusually oversized pipe and connectors. I can't think why you would use very much larger hardware to connect to the calorifier than the "native" connections that the calorifier has.
It's obviously not new. Do you know its history.
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Given the way things are going I suspect it will not be long before it is easier (and shorter) to publish a list of what canals are currently OPEN.
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8 minutes ago, Bitty said:
Mine on FMC England.
Oh I see! The pillows are supposed to be on the right hand side of the boat!
That;s what I have been doing wrong! -
On 04/07/2025 at 14:33, Wafi said:
One thing that puzzled me is that there are restricted hours at Hillmorton but not at Calcutt, even though that's draining the same pound. Not sure whether that's related to the stoppage at Stockton, maintaining access to Calcutt/Ventnor marinas, or for some other reason.
Many of the "candlestick" locks on the Grand Union Birmingham main line have (often automated) back pumps installed, meaning that water used through lockage gets pumped back above the lock involved.
If that were the case at Calcutt it would mean water levels there are to some extent self maintaining, whereas at Hillmorton once it has run down it can't be put back up again.
That said my ageing memory can't recall obvious signs of back-pumping at Calcutt, so I am rather doubting that this could be an explanation.
Anybody know?
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There are stoppage notices for Marston Doles & Claydon.
However these show a start date of July 1st, so there isn't (quite) yet an actual stoppage. -
I've never heard of Craftsman Engines.
Can you provide a link to somewhere that has details of them, please?
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1 minute ago, MtB said:
Are you trying to tell us the ram is not original?
So removing it would get the boater closer to 'as built'?
Only if you also put back the missing 31 feet 6 inches!
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2 hours ago, MtB said:
Sickle looks far prettier without the ram and is no less "historic" as a result. If it ever gets cut off it should go in the hold for people to marevel at and say "what was THAT for?" and say "you're joking!" once they are told.
Yes, but Sickle had its Ram removed by British Waterways at some date around 1957. So as it is currently restored, it is historically accurate as it worked as a BW maintenance boat from that year onwards.
Tycho, on the other hand had its Ram left untouched by BW. and it even managed to retain it whilst working for Mattys.
Removing it would be contra to its history -- as a shortened Motor, it has never not had a ram.-
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5 hours ago, Paul H said:
Really hope it’s going to someone without access to a gas axe!
Now that would be more or less the ultimate act of vandalism....
But, on the other hand, they are more than welcome to get rid of the Blue Tops!-
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No obvious "gotchas" I can see, but I am always suspicious when the broker has had their own pre-sale survey done, (presumably by their own "tame" surveyor). I wouldn't trust anything in that survey, and realise you have already understand the need to commission your own.
A few other random points:-
I personally dislike having a completely squared odd counter stern. It is not helpful when trying to get going if the bow has been pushed away from the bank, but the stern is still touching it. A round stern will not attempt to run along the piling, but a square one may well try to.
Many people have a strong dislike of large area of painted wall paneling or ceilings. It has often been done as a cheap way to brighten a boat up for sale. It may be obscuring former damage from leaking windows or roof vents.
The PRM80 gearbox fitted to the engine is a basic "mechanical" changing type. They are OK, but often very clunky compared to the "hydraulic" types such as the PRM150.1 hour ago, Lady M said:Perhaps the boat was blacked after the survey to cover the associated markings.
And indeed scraping off of small areas of blacking to allow for the ultrasound testing.
Unfortunately if you have your own reputable surveyor they will also be scraping off similar areas, meaning you will need to at least re-black those areas, and probably better to re-black the whole to avoid a patchwork quilt effect.-
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A 74 foot boat will easily fit all Grand Union locks from London to Knowle (on the way to Birmingham)
That's not typical of other canals, but it could be boated over an area massively larger than many other live aboard boats on the GU!Our FLAMINGO is reputedly gauged at 71' 8", And we have yet to find a "full length" lock that it will not fit into.
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20 hours ago, junior said:
If ever a boat was worth 'top dollar' then surely this fits the bill. When you look at the calibre of people involved in the restoration/maintenance, rare wooden cabin (that sounds like it's been built to last) and original National engine, then it's got several appealing aspects.
It would be interesting to know which unconverted Grand Union motor still in working trim represents the most expensive so far ever sold.
I haven't been keeping much track for quite a few years now, but am of the impression that few fetch in excess of £50K.
Any boat where the "asking" is £20K more than this would I think have to be something exceptional. Maybe Buckden qualifies - I admit it is an example I don't know a great deal about.
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43 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:
I think someone HAS to be in charge.
Had you been going through (say) 50 years ago there wouldn't have been anybody other than boat crews controlling how things were done.
It sounds surprising now, but I don't recall things working any less well than is now the case with volunteer lockies.
Love letters from 1962 found in canal by magnet fisher
in Waterways News & Press
Posted · Edited by alan_fincher
Corrected a typo,,,
The one (old) penny price of a stamp makes postage prices in 1962 considerably better value than those in 2025!