Geoffrey Hammond

I am about to have a boat fitted out. Many of the ideas for what I would like have been from what I have seen on other boats. I am presently trying to locate a sink for the bathroom shaped as in this poor image. The sink was on a boat that was on brokerage recently and the image comes from taking a photo of the sales details! Has anyone an idea of from where such a shaped sink might be sourced? Many thanks for any help.

It is day three for me on glorious cruise on a hire boat from Union Canal Carriers. Yes, the weather is freshly wonderful; yes, I am happily moored in the basin in Coventry; but the best has been how already two boats have passed me and their owners have paused to tell me how they once spent a holiday on Cheviot, the 35ft Barney boat that I have hired.their comments have been only generous: the plonk of the 1 cylinder Saab, the warmth of the stove, the sense of fun that comes free with the boat. My question is simple: are there other old-friend hire boats still working and bringing pleasure to those who become owners for a week?

Presently I am cruising on a hire boat from Union Canal Carriers and having a great time. On Saturday night I read an article by David Blagrove in the current issue of Waterways World. The final section was correctly concerned with the need to involve the young in the protection of our waterway heritage. On Sunday, at Anstey, I was delighted to meet the Reed Hotel Boats. I was even more delighted to see that the butty was being expertly steered by a boy whom appeared to be no more than twelve years old. Of course, if any misguided representative of the Health and Safety department questions me, I shall say it was but a dream.

The light at the back will be in addition to the one at the front; I just rather like looking at the roof formation of a tunnel as I travel through; I expect the light is a comfort, too, as I'm not brilliant in the dark and would be horrified were the front light to fail in a long tunnel.

Many thanks - this looks jolly like what I used to have. I am most grateful.

I wish to buy a tunnel light for the back of the boat. On a previous boat, I had one which was perfect. It lived in a cupboard and could be brought out and placed on the cabin roof at the back when going through a tunnel. It plugged into a 12v socket on the boat roof, could by directed as required and stayed put through magnetism. Can such still be bought? From whom? Many thanks.

I wish to buy a tunnel light for the front of the boat; is there a best source for a well-made brass old-fashioned light?

When I first went on the canals - as an 10 year old on a school trip - Atherstone was a highlight; I recall delighting in a town which was dominated by hats and which had the dangerous vibrancy of Watling street running through it. In recent years, it had remained a favourite: it had a lock-keeper of character, a thriving boatbuilder of reknown, a richly positioned coal merchant and a flourish of second-hand book shops. When I was there last week it was dismal: the lock-keeper's cottage was but a pale shadow, the coal merchant had gone, the boatbuilding was ended and two of the book shops had closed. Instead my memories are of bargain shop upon bargain shop and of youths in broadest daylight stoning the windows of a decaying canal-side factory. It seems now hardly a place worth stopping for. I may be wrong, but has Atherstone's decline been remarkable even in a period of difficult times for many small towns?

Many thanks for all the excellent advice and information.

When I get my next boat, I would like to have two items on the roof. First, I would like to have a short keb; many locks seem not to have them now. I might be able then - on odd occasions - to help with clearance. Second, I should like to have a boat hook which I could use from the bank to clear rubbish off my propellor without having to go down the weedhatch. Obviously the boat hook would need to be strong and have almost a blade. Naturally, both of the items would have covers on so that neither blade nor spike could harm others. Are there canal blacksmiths who still make such items? Many thanks.

Recently, I was reading a piece on working boatwomen in the war, when I came across referece to the fact that one of the boats got help from an 11 year old boy called Ben Nixon. The only further information is that the boy's uncle ran a Number 1 and that the incident occurred at Hawkesbury. Ben Nixon would now be about 70 years old. I wonder, does anybody know if he is still alive? Many thanks.

I have just completed my first Leicester Ring – it was a delight. I hired a small Barney boat from Union Canal Carriers at Braunston and took things gently on my own for two weeks. Perhaps a brief outline of the trip might help someone else considering undertaking such a journey on their own. The times given are the cruising times. Day 1 To the bottom of Watford Locks 5 hours Day 2 To Welford 7.5 hours Day 3 To Market Harborough 6.5 hours Day 4 To Kilby 7.5 hours Day 5 To Leicester – Castle Mooring 6 hours Day 6 To Loughborough Wharf 7 hours Day 7 To Swarkstone 8.5 hours Day 8 To Alrewas 7.5 hours Day 9 To Fazeley Junction 6 hours Day 10 To near the Valley Cruises base 6.5 hours Day 11 To Coventry Basin 4.5 hours Day 12 Explored Coventry 0 hours Day 13 To Rugby 6.5 hours Day 14 To near Braunston 4.5 hours What did I especially enjoy or appreciate – in addition to the beauty of most of the scenery? • The helpfulness of the lock-keepers at Watford and Foxton • The ease of finding excellent moorings every night – I was the only person in Loughborough Basin! • That I had chosen to go anti-clockwise; I do not think I would have had as much pleasure working up all the Leicester locks. • The brilliance of Leicester Covered Market – I have never bought fruit and vegetables so cheaply in England. • How helpful everyone was to me as a single-boater. • To see the rejuvenation of the Junction House at Fazeley What was disappointing? • Atherstone; to arrive at the top lock and to find that the lock house was no longer a place of vibrancy and interest; to arrive at the top lock and to find that the coal yard was empty. And the town was the only place that I saw ugly behaviour - youths hurling stones to smash the windows of a empty canalside factory. All in all - a cracking holiday.

Many thanks. Yes, that is the boat. It has a PRM 500 gearbox with 1.5:1 reduction. Geoffrey

I am interested in a boat which is for sale. It is 67 feet long and traditional in style. My only qualm is that it is powered by a Gardner 1L2. Is this engine enough for comfortable cruising or will I be having to work it hard all the time and find myself advised to keep off rivers. The advertisement indicates that 'unemcumberred by alternators, the total engine power is devoted to propulsion'; should this comment leave me less worried? All help would be much appreciated.

I happened to moor overnight at the base a year or so ago and got chatting with the owner. He was most interesting - especially as regards maintaining the excellent appearance and condition of each of his boats. He made two points very clear: first that if a first-time north-bound hirer was worried about locking, he would have one of his men meet them at Atherstone and help them through their first lock. Second, that if someone arrived to hire a boat and he, the owner, did not like their manner - that is, he did not believe that they would care for his boat - he would refuse to hire it to them! The fleet certainly still looks outstanding. Have a cracking holiday.

Today I continued my long, slow, patient search for a second-hand boat. I visited three brokerages on the Grand Union. At all three I was treated courteously, but there the similarity ended. At the first, when I asked to see two boats, the manager talked me through them and then let me look at them on my own - one at a time. The boats were well presented inside - they had obviously been professionally cleaned. On my return, he was interested in my reactions. At the second, again I saw two boats. Again the boats were well-presented. On this occasion, I was accompanied, but in now way made to feel under any pressure. At the third and largest marina, I was given two sets of keys, told where the boats were and sent to look. Both boats were poorly presented. On my return, no interest was shown once I said that the boats were not for me. I came away thinking that I would never allow my boat to be sold by the third marina; it neither seemed concerned for nor interested in the boats it was selling. I thought also that people selling their boats there were getting a poor deal in comparison with what was happening elsewhere. Yet this third marina seemed to find it hugely easy to find boats to market. What am I missing?

Tony, Many thanks for your kind reply. Somehow, I had missed that thread. But I am still mulling over whether my friend should head West or East to start off with - visit Llangollen first or last; I have a sneaking suspicion that one option will prove far quieter than the other. Thoughts?

A good friend is hiring a boat for a week from the Welsh Lady base near Frankton for the Whitsun Bank Holiday week - Sat 29th May to Sat 5th June. He has asked my advice on how he should play a week's cruise from there. I could answer, but I know that many forum members will know far more than me about how busy it might be, how hire boats generally disperse and how quickly moorings fill. His especial wonder is whether to to head to Llangollen first, or whether to cruise East and return to do the busy section later. He will have a fit and affable crew and he has cruised many times before. He would think to cruise for up to 8 hours a day. His initial plan was: Saturday: moor at Chirk Bank Sunday: arrive in and moor in Llangollen, then explore. Monday: explore more, then head back to Lion Quays Tuesday: head down the Montgomery to Maesmore Wednesday: back up and to Ellesmere Thursday: enjoy Ellesmere and cruise to Bettisfield Friday: cruise back to Welsh Lady Thoughts? Many thanks for all help.

Last Wednesday, at 0745, I started descending the Farmer's Bridge flight. The first two locks went well. At the third lock, a gentleman came up to me and said that the pound was a tad low below lock 10 - he'd noticed it while walking up. I thanked him. At lock 4 another man approached our boat; he was in a suit and was speaking into a mobile. His message was simple; he was from British Waterways; the locks were closed below lock 10; a lock gate had been damaged and the pound was being emptied; I would have to wind further down. This was a disaster; as a school trip we had booked activities ahead and we were all looking forward to them; nor did I think I would find it easy to wind in the flight. I left another member of staff with the boys and boat at lock 4 and began to follow the BW man down the locks. I was quickly joined by the man in the boat following me who had clearly been told the same story. We shared our concerns on the way down and quickly reached locks 10, 11, 12 and 13 to find not a hint of a problem. And no sight of the BW man. We had been had. Of course, I should have noted the lack of badge or uniform, of course the winding suggestion was nonsense. My only defence was the earliness of the day and the words from the gentleman we had met earlier; I believe he was genuine, but his words had allowed me to be duped by the other. So beware of men in suits bearing sad tidings early in the morning at Farmer's Bridge!

With a large crew, it is not too bad. And there were very few boats about - we certainly did not have to wait at any lock. We did Hatton in 2 hours and 35 minutes and Lapworth in about the same.

We went to the Boat House at Braunston last Friday. We arrived at 1900, got a table at 2030 and were served at 2100! I admit we were a large party, but you are not allowed to book between 1900 and 2030. The menu is of the one meal-free-variety, so it appears cheap. However, the portions were quite small and the quality hit and miss. The service is friendly and, if the weather is kind, the terrace is a super place to sit.

This is a brief record of a recent school canal trip involving eight young boys and two members of staff. There is a trip each year; every third year it is The Frying Pan from Braunston: Braunston, Wigrams, Kingswood, King’s Norton, Gas Street, Aston, Bordesley, Kingswood and back. Perhaps some of the information or reflections may be of use. Saturday Union Canal Carriers at Braunston to top of Calcutt Locks Cruising time: 2.5 hours. Sunday Top of Calcutt Locks to bottom of Hatton flight Cruising time: 8.5 hours Ate out at The Tiller Pin at Leamington – cheap, quick and friendly Monday Bottom of Hatton flight to Hockley Heath Cruising time: 8.25 hours Ate out at the Wharf Tavern – cheap and edible Tuesday Hockley Heath to Gas Street Basin Cruising time: 6 hours Ate out at Cielo – upmarket restaurant very welcoming to children Wednesday Gas Street Basin to Catherine de Barnes Cruising time: 7 hours Thursday Catherine de Barnes to Leamington Spa Cruising time: 8.75 hours Friday Leamington Spa to Braunston Cruising time: 7.75 hours Ate out at the Boat House: very long wait for unremarkable food A few excellences: Quality of cooked breakfasts at café at top of Hatton To see at least two other school boats in action – we had met none for two years. The majestic Knowle locks – surely a show piece flight where the side-ponds could be reintroduced. A Surprise: I had completely forgotten the diversion on the Worcester and Birmingham at the University – it is a hugely impressive engineering site. A few disappointments: Lack of other boats – we did Stockton and Hatton on our own – both ways. To find the Guillotine Stop Lock at King’s Norton still coated in graffiti To find Birmingham seemingly hell-bent on destroying every old building along the canal – it is as though the city wishes to erase every structure which gives the canal a context and meaning. This was most evident going down the Ashted flight. Other: 5 floating dead dogs were spotted between the Ackers and Catherine de Barnes. The boys, as ever, had a cracking time.

This evening I enjoyed a moderate supper at the Wharf Inn at Hockley Heath on the North Stratford. More interesting than the meal was the collection of old canal images on the walls. One showed the bed of the drained Oxford Canal at Ansty being repaired in the 1980s. The image appeared to show rolls of an unidentifiable material being unwound across the canal bed. What was going on? What was the material? I am intrigued.

You could also hire from Canal Boat Escapes on the L and L at Barnoldswick. They have a charming 32' built by Doug Moore which has an excellent multi-fuel stove. I was on it in some brisk and damp weather last October and enjoyed much good heat!

Pete, I can only comment on the first part of your trip. Middlewich to Barbridge took me 4 hours singlehanded. Barbridge to Wrenbury took me 4 hours singlehanded. Your journeys may take longer if there are more boats on the move. Both journeys are attractive. When I arrived in Wrenbury I looked at both pubs. The Cotton Arms was empty; the Dusty Miller full. I went for the Dusty Miller and was brilliantly looked after and well fed. Book a table in the window overlooking the canal if you can. As you arrive in Wrenbury you will encounter two lift bridges; wind just before the second and moor back by the first. On the village green is a most useful post office/shop which is open until 2000. Have a splendid trip. Geoffrey