springy

There's Ice on the cannock extension today, but I'd hardly call it "frozen in" springy

I suspect that there might be flow through the instant heater - maybe not enough to fire up the burners, particularly if the calorifier is much further away from the pump than the instant heater, but it could cool the water coming from the calorifier before it got to the taps springy

I put an "L port" valve inbetween the outlet from the instant water heater and the calorifier outlet, with the outlet from this valve feeding all the hot water taps (at the time it was still a BSS fail). I have since added another valve on the calorifier inlet - this allows me to drain the calorifier in the winter & then isolate it - so I can still refill & use the instant heater without having to refill the whole system. I did once see a similar thing done using two (plastic) stop valves instead of an "L port" by arranging the pipework such that the stop valve knobs sat "top to top" and then had a piece of plastic pipe joining the two knobs - thus turning one off also turned the other one on. springy

How big are the portholes ? Have seen them done very effectively with "multi-sides" - 6" would probably be ok with just a hexagon, these were 11" and decagonal, anything bigger would probably need to be bihexagonal, took a bit of working out to get all the dimensions just right & some carefull cutting with a mitre saw (10 lots of 10 pieces all "identical") but looked very good in the end & cost less than the fifty quid needed to buy one turned liner of the shelf, to make all ten ! springy

In fact (unsurprisingly) it depends where you are in the system :- on a typical system where you have tank -> primary filter/water trap -> lift pump -> secondary filter -> injector pump -> injectors When the engine is running any problems before the lift pump (suction side) may result in air being drawn in (slightly below atmospheric pressure), problems after the lift pump (pressure side) will show up as a leak, if the engine is not running then either is actually possible, but leaks before the lift pump and air drawn in after is more likely. If you have a gravity fed system (day tank) then leaks. (or air drawn in if there's a blockage). Not quite sure with modern injector pumps where the "lift pump" is actually built in to the injector pump but i would expect the same principle - anything before the pump may leak when the engine is not running, and draw air when the engine is running, however as they are often "self bleeding" you may not notice it. springy

I'd probably put those two the other way round - first make sure youre getting rid of the hot air & not just recirculating, if that is all ok or makes no difference - then examine the state of the fins - if its just dust then an airline will get rid of most of it without stripping too much of the cowling, if it is a mixture of dust/oil/fibres and has been there some time you will need to remove the cowling and make yourself a fin scraper as per the manual. springy

I have heard many times from a variety of sources stories of bits of the the BCN catching fire as a result of the phosphorous waste "lost overboard" when it was a regular traffic (heading for disposal down a disused mineshaft). springy

Hi Gaggle Your test setup should be perfectly ok - it is a new filter, once any air has bled out fuel should flow quite freely through it, the pump is in exactly the right place for what you ultimately need to achieve, I can only suspect your inlet pipe/ syphon bulb is providing some obstruction to free flow. As an aside the "inline filter" you originally linked to is unacceptable to the BSS - its plastic, all components in a fuel system must either be metal or suitably marked rubber hose, which is also why the plastic drain bung originally fitted to the bottom of your new filter bowl must be replaced by a metal one. springy

IIRC the actual unit has 3/8 bsp female threads, like blackrose I changed the fittings in mine - one to 1/2" compression, and one to 1/2" bsp female (straight onto bulkhead fitting) howevever the original fittings were bl**dy tight, on examination after dismantling I am fairly certain that a "setting" thread sealant had been used (as opposed to a "non setting" sealant such as calor-tite). springy

not sure how much this helps but I've got a Lidl one, but I guess its an erratic stock item springy

Link to BBC report Here, Midlands Today lunchtime news report seemed to suggest that they fell in the chamber. springy

If you run the fire without proper circulation it is likely that you are actually boiling the water in the "back boiler" - which may explain the gurgling noises, if you run the fire with the boiler drained you run the risk of damaging the boiler. Although the current position of the pump may not be ideal - does it circulate the hot water ? Whilst gravity circulation is a much better option in many ways it does need bigger pipes - if these are already installed (at least 22mm preferably 28mm) with a route that will allow a gravity flow then changing is a simple matter, however if you have to change all the pipe work or the layout you might be better just moving your pump. springy

Having been and had a look I think this may be it:- Right hand side of the engine as viewed from the flywheel end, Immediately below the Oil pressure switch/gauge connection you can just make out a plug, I suspect I would have to remove either the starter or the oil filter to get at it ! springy

Why not add a vent/bleed to the top of the skin tank - the steel should be thick enough to take a tapped thread - I used an M6 stainless pan head screw with a fibre washer under the head, - It will make life so much easier next time. springy

I can't remember ever noticing one on my 1.8, however according to the manual there should be either a tap or a plug on the right hand side of the engine. springy

Usually the accumulator has a rubber membrane which separates the air from the water so it doesnt actually matter which way up it is - mine is on its side, but there may be good reasons why vertical with the inlet at the bottom is 'prefered' springy

Plug goes back in at Chasewater BBC linky good news for the BCN (in a couple of years !) springy

I thought hinny was an affectionate term for a north eastern lass ? rugged hinny ..... ? hmm, risky territory springy

The Flying Scot(sman) is looked after by Dudley Canal Trust (not BCLM) and is normally worked with the Stewarts & Lloyds tug Bittell, unfortunately the combination is just too long to fit in a lock together. She is used for all sorts - including bonfire timber, rubbish on BCN clean up, as a Skittle Alley at Titford Pump house gatherings - yes you have to stand quite still as you aim (and you may still be subject to malicious tilting !) and even "posh" people as seen in the second picture down on this page from DCTs site DCT News page. springy ETA just found this clip on youtube

Superb photos, truly showing "the colours of the cut" ! springy

I think you have to have an "acceptable" boat to be able to moor Inside the museum arm, i.e. historic boat of visibly appropriate appearance, in working trim - this does exclude some boats which are arguably "period" in original working trim such as Blue Tops, visible loads of plastic bagged coal etc. Modern boats such as the tug Joanna whilst looking ok would probably not pass muster, and conversions are also excluded, though you would probably get away with short cabin extensions - such as Minnow. Mooring outside the museum arm is "freely available" though the harbour master will arrange Historic boats to "fill up the space" nearest to the museum - but you can get away with converted historic boats, modern built working boats, coal in plastic bags etc. springy

Alan Faulkner's & Roger Fuller's lists show it as being ex "Imperial Chemical Industries (General Chemicals) Ltd.", registered & gauged late 1924, purchased by Tho's Claytons in 1949. springy

Hi Generally your description/assessment is correct - the skeg usually supports the weight of the rudder assembly, the cup stops the bottom of the rudder post moving sideways off the skeg, and the top "bearing" provides vertical alignment for the post - however occasionally builders do have "other" ideas. Is there a hole in the top of the rudder blade ? If so thread a rope through the hole and make fast to the stern dollies before starting the job - once the swan neck & bearing are removed there is only the cup & if the rudder post was sitting on the edge of the cup it would only take a slight nudge before the whole rudder & post is lying on the bottom of the cut ! It is usually possible (given sufficient depth of water) to actually remove the rudder completely without docking - simply attach another rope to the top of the rudder post - using an eye bolt - lift the rudder out of the cup, lower to the bottom of the canal & then retrieve using the first rope attached to the rudder blade, leave the second rope through the rudder apperture to allow you to pull the rudder post back up when you have finished. Any idea why the bearing has broken up ? - some builders only fit a plain sleeve at the top - this allows the rudder post to vibrate more BUT if you do catch a cill or something else on the bottom then it just slides up, however if a bearing is fitted & clamped or pressed on to the rudder post, then any cill or other obstruction which lifts the rudder blade may actually damage the bearing or part the races allowing the balls/rollers to escape ? springy

Have you topped it up recently ? What engine is it ? As the water cooling the engine heats up it will expand & so it is normal for the water level in an open header tank to rise (it will happen in a closed system but is often less noticable) - If you have "overfilled" the system then as the water expands it will overflow the header tank. This should only happen once & subsequent engine hours will only expand the water to not quite overflow level. If this happens repeatedly, without topping up inbetween, then a more serious problem must be suspected - thermostat, head gasket, poor circulation - does the engine run hotter than it used to ? springy