alan_fincher
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Posts posted by alan_fincher
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I think unless you are very lucky, you will not successfully heat as much water in a horizontal calorifier as in a vertical one.
That said, I agree with Tony that "rotational adjustment" of an horizontal one might well improve its performance. -
3 hours ago, Ray T said:
Apart from the name I don't think there is a connection between Dave Mayall and John Jinks. I stand to be corrected though.
Photo from a book.
Severn Dolphin is a boat that has been under renovation at Brinklow Boat Services over an extended period of time. From memory I think it was overplated on parts that had already bee overplated!
It is one of several "Middle Northwich" motor boats that were on the BW maintenance fleet in the South West, and I believe is one of those for which the original GUCCCo "Star" name cannot be known with certainty. (Unless I am no longer up to date on this subject).
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Like some have already said I also (much) prefer Vactan to Fertan.
In fact I don't know where I went wrong trying use Fertan, but it was an unmitigated failure. -
19 hours ago, Derek R. said:
As David states......
David ?
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Just now, David Mack said:
This is the link to the series of photos given earlier in this thread.
Yes, I've just worked that one out!Back in the days when every Marsworth lock had a full set of balance beams. Last time I walked up the flight only one lock had 4 genuine balance beams - every other one had one horrible temporary" 😂 alternative arrangement. If this is true for much of the rest of the GU then it really is disgraceful
On 27/03/2025 at 17:41, David Schweizer said:Both the boats appear to be in BW livery so, presumably, before they were aquired by Blue Line.
The CRT archive claims these to be 1955 images, so only about 7 years after nationalisation.
Dates on the archive are sometimes wrong, but from the presentation of the boats 1955 sounds well plausible.
There was probably around 15 years to run before they ended up with Blue Line, I'm guessing. -
On 28/03/2025 at 07:41, Derek R. said:
The first in the series is most definitely the top lock at Maffers. The dry dock is behind the photographer.
The rest are all taken along the Maffers flight. Bear in mind there are things that have been removed since 1955. The white painted rail did not survive, and I suspect the tin hut by the side ponds went long ago.
I'm confused/intrigued....
I can only see a post with this image, and not a series of photos that can be attributed to the Marsworth flight.
Can you please provide a link to the post that shows multiple images.
Thanks.
EDIT:
A bit of a look at the CRT archive throws up other images of Renfrew and Belmont
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32 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:
Base plates last for ever, that is why there is no need to paint them, the water 2 foot down doesn't contain any oxygen so the steel cant rust. Well that is what I have read in dozens of posts
I'm not sure if that is meant to be slightly tongue in cheek, but...
Most originally steel or iron working boats have long since had to have had an all new bottom.
Both my 1933 built boats have replacement undersides. -
1 hour ago, Puffers said:
had a look at Greenlaw with a view to purchase, which bits of the network are inaccessible with a big woolwich?. CRT say watford flight beam is a max of 6 foot 11 inch.
greenlaw is 7 foot and a half inch wide..
You would have no problem on the Leicester section at Watford and Foxton - these locks are significantly wider that a typical ex GUCCCo motor.
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16 hours ago, MtB said:
What was the rationale behind the shortening? Just curious...
Good info here about boats shortened for use in the North...
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I'm reasonably (say 80%) certain that I may still have an old manual for a Kestrel controller.
Unfortunately though, if I do, it will be on the boats, where I currently am not.
I have no plans to be there for a week or two (I think), but when I do go, I'll have a look around.For what it's worth I'm firmly of the view that if you have a Kestrel you should get rid of it ASAP.
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Just one thing - it says "gas boiler" was new in 2022. Assuming they mean the instantaneous water heater, I'm struggling to believe you could buy one that looked like that 3 years ago. To me it looks a great deal older, but I'm happy to be proved wrong.
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2 hours ago, Richard Carter said:
I wonder whether any of the historians/writers in the forum are - or would be open to - considering tackling a history of those "enthusiast" companies which made the transition from the end of carrying via camping boating to modern pleasure boating? While there are still enough people around who were there and can remember?
With no pretence to any sort of completeness - Birmingham & Midland, Willow Wren, Seymour Roseblade, Threefellows (see a recent "Where I am"post), Murrells, Foxton Boat Services, Union Canal Carriers, Educational Cruises, Warwickshire Flyboat Co.
Can certainly add Tim and Andy Collier, and those working with them, (including my two brothers). -
On 23/03/2025 at 14:35, Tony Brooks said:
I note that the HP for the ST2 is quoted at 3000rpm, ..............
As ever different sources tend to give different numbers
I can certainly find reference to the ST2 giving 20HP at 2,600 rpm.
However going anywhere near that number would be fairly unpleasant for those aboard, I feel. -
Out of curiosity, was the "someone" you got Tony Tucker or somebody else?
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3 minutes ago, matty40s said:
Which Watford...
His member details say Watford, Herts.
55 minutes ago, jasonlovesthegroove said:Hi
I’m looking for a surveyor for a hull survey at short notice, so prob won’t have much luck, so a few names to try would be handy if anyone knows good ones. Cheers
Do you have somewhere booked to dock it?
No use finding a surveyor who can act quickly if you can't also get it out of the water at a suitable time to match. -
A piece of trivia.....
Allegedly the funnels originally served two purposes.
1) The engine exhaust
2) Vent pipe relating to an Elsan in the engine room.
So now you know! -
11 hours ago, Jonny P said:
I’ve passed Bognor a couple of times this week and the funnel is fabulous. I wasn’t sure if it’s an original GUCCCo type though. I thought they were wider but I’m no expert on such things.
Nonetheless it’s the stand out feature of the boat. Peeked in the engine room doors when passing and couldn’t even detect if there was an engine in there.
From what I remember the "funnel" made a nod to the original GUCCCo item, but definitely was not a close copy of it.
I think one of the problems with the GUCCCo funnel was its considerable weight - it could not easily be demounted in a hurry. That is why they quite quickly became a rarity.
That said a few preserved boats now have them - probably a new item in most cases - I'm not sure if any original funnels are still in use.
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1 hour ago, Stroudwater1 said:
Would Aylesbury boat club be similar to others mentioned (If there are spaces available)
If you based yourself at Aylesbury you would have to travel through 17 locks in each direction just to get positioned on the Grand Union main line.
This will not be an issue for many people, but doesn't really fit in with the idea of weekend only trips. You would end up seeing a great deal of the Aylesbury arm, but not much of anywhere else.
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3 hours ago, Lady M said:
A boat club might suit if you don't mind joining in to help with maintenance and also socialising. Some of them offer shorter moorings at lower prices.
Yes, worth trying this.
There are at least the following three on the Grand Union.
Dunstable & DistrictTaverners
Lionhearts.
However they tend to select you, rather than you choosing them. There may well be an interview to include their commodore, (yes honestly!).
They may also need you to convince them that you will spend adequate time on club related activities, such as rotas for grass cutting or similar.
The only one I ever applied to rejected me, so at least they set some reasonable standards! 😄-
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On 14/02/2025 at 18:39, matty40s said:
It is well worth a look inside, you might have a shock....
Nah! That's looking down the weed hatch, surely? -
1 hour ago, Nicola haydon said:
A few bow thruster issues but that can be fixed🤞🤔😁
Yep!
Simply have a plate welded over each end of the tube.
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16 hours ago, oboat said:
We were 58'6" on the C&H and the HBC no problems.
What were you on other canals?
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Thanks for pointing this out - and to Mike for doing the video.
Very interesting. Unlike some old hands who I have seen being able to correctly remember what their slides were of, Graham seemed to be very on the ball with his subject matter. At least when he wasn't sure which boat was depicted he said so - rather than just inventing a name! -
2 minutes ago, Rod Stewart said:
I think Alan was nearly correct regarding Northampton. You can get to Northampton in a boat over 7' wide via the river Nene and the sea, or by lorry.
Except that he says "you cannot get North of"....
If you were on the Nene, there would be no problem in going North.
Historic Boats for sale online
in History & Heritage
Posted
I can attest to this being an absolutely gorgeous little boat.
A few years back we encountered it at the top lock at Etruria. I got the impression it is actually rather more practical than you might at first assume.