Geoffrey Hammond

John, Many thanks for your reply. Concerning the white bridges - what is it that makes the Trent and Mersey special? I can pass under many brick bridges on the Oxford Canal and see plain bricks, but almost every brick bridge north of Red Bull on the Tand M is painted white. Geoffrey

Having just returned from a thoroughly enjoyable week's school canal trip round the Cheshire Ring, I would like to find answers to two questions which the boys fairly asked, but which I was unable to answer. 1. On the Trent and Mersey, why are almost all the bridges white? 2. At the beautiful Bosley flight on the Macclesfield, what is the role of the white curved spike in the ground about 4 ft beyond the top gates on the right hand side of many of the locks? Many thanks.

A brief note which may be of interest for families cruising through Manchester. If you are intending travel up the Ashton flight in the school holidays, it is well worth making contact with the Manchester Velodrome in order to book your children in on on an introductory track session for those aged 9 to 16. I took eight boys from our school canal cruise there last week and they had a cracking time: helmets and bikes were provided free and they had an hour on the track under excellent and friendly guidance from a track coach - and all for £5.50 each! I know there will be sessions in the Summer School holidays and I imagine they will book up quickly. The contact number is 0161 223 2244. I hope this helps.

Last week, whilst on the Coventry Canal at Hawkesbury, I saw a narrowboat which I thought looked utterly superb. It was a modern tug and somehow it was elegant and strong at the same time. Its name was Levick. I spoke briefly with the owners and they told me it had been built by Richard Hurley and that it was twenty years old - though it looked new. We chatted a little longer and I learned that Mr Hurley, as a result of illness, no longer built boats. I wonder if anyone can help me further. Did Richard Hurley build many boats? Where did he build? Is he still alive? Is he well enough to write to? Does any one know the owners of Levick - I should like to ask them a few more questions. Many thanks, Geoffrey Hammond

Many thanks to all who have offered advice and information; I now have no qualms about the visit.

I wonder if anyone could help me. In early April I will be cruising on the Bridgewater Canal with a school group of 7 boys aged 11 or so. I should like to take them on a Old Trafford stadium tour, but I have heard that mooring close by and access from the canal are both tricky. I would be most grateful if someone might advise me of the best place to moor near the stadium in order to have safe access from the canal? I have contacted Manchester United directly, but they were unable to help. Many thanks for any advice. Geoffrey Hammond

Now that cold has arrived, next time I use my boat I should like to light the woodburning/coalburning stove. Before I do, I have some simple questions. 1) The boat is secondhand, and the stove was seemingly used by the previous owner for several years. Are there safety checks I need to carry out before I first use it? 2) I would like to heat the living area - about 15ft long - for about 5 hours in the evening, but then leave the fire glowing overnight so that I can return to a gentle warmth in the morning. Should I aim for a mixture of wood and 'coal'? Is there a best wood; is there a best 'coal'? Are there advantages/disadvantages to smokeless fuels? Are firelighters or kindling the better starter? 3) Is there routine maintenance I should carry out? For instance, does the chimney need sweeping from time to time? 4) I have seen some chimneys which appear to have an inner section. Are these an advantage? If you can help with any of these points I would be most grateful - and probably warmer. Geoffrey Hammond

Many thanks. I am learning. I hope you like can.

It is excellent to see the friendly response to my post. I do not believe Jo has a website but you can email her at k.hunt@btinternet.com I am not a good photographer, nor a wizard with computers, but I hope I have attached two images of the can she has painted for me: IMG]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo97/geoffreyhammond/buc2.jpg[/img] IMG]http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo97/geoffreyhammond/buc1.jpg[/img]

Many thanks for all the comments this far. On the first voyage of three weeks, there was one case of overheating three days in; I put that down to bad luck and a very hot day. For the next two and a half weeks nothing happened. On the second voyage, it happened after three hours and then subsequently six times whilst trying to get to the boat back and on a further test voyage. The engine is in a traditional engine room. The boat was built by Stow Hill. As far as I am aware, the skin tank is on one swim. As far as I am aware there is no raw water intake. The thermostat seems to be working correctly. Very kindly, Paul Redshaw at Braunston is having a look at it for me.

Many thanks for this. It is a sealed system, so that there is no water intake. If I go any faster than tick-over, it overheats more quickly.

This topic is posted to bring to your attention an outstanding canalware artist who, because she works quietly and away from shows, is perhaps little known. Earlier in the year, I travelled on the Worcester and Birmingham and came across a canal shop at Dunhampstead Wharf. It was newly set up and there, making beautiful rag rugs and painstakingly painting buckby cans, churns and more, was a most friendly lady - Jo Hunt. The whole shop was a delight, as though what was made and sold was done through love for the canals rather than love for money. I ordered a buckby can for my boat. Jo tracked down an undecorated can and painted it with the attention to detail which seems so rare on much that is sold now. Yesterday, I collected it from a very proud artist. When I left the shop, I felt grateful and delighted and wanted to see if I could help ensure that this most excellent and quiet artist could thrive. I hope this pst helps.

Recently, I bought a second-hand boat with a Lister HRW3 engine. On its second voayge, the engine overheated - the water in the header tank boiled over. The boatyard went throgh all the standard checks. It also checked the impeller, because I was getting no hot water from the engine. The impeller was found to have broken - one of the fins had broken off. Finally, the fin was found and removed; it had lodged in the pump. A new impeller was fitted and off I went. Immediately the same problem: the engine would run for about 60 minutes at tick-over, and then it would overheat. The problem will be solved; there is no evidence that it is a head-gasket matter, but no evidence of anything else either. Has anyone any ideas? I promise to let the forum know what the solution is - when it is found. Many thanks.

I hope the forum allows messages of praise, if not I apologise. Recently. I bought a second-hand boat through, and decided to moor it at, Braunston Marina. All went well. However, last week, on only its second voyage, the engine started to overheat. From then on, the boatyard were outstanding. An engineer came three times out to the boat and worked the best part of a day trying to solve the problem. More than that, every contact with the boatyard was met with concern and sympathy - they knew that the boat and my holiday meant a lot to me and did the best they could. The problem is not yet solved, but I do not feel I could be in better hands. For the problem, see 'An Overheating Engine'.

Last week, and two weeks earlier, I was on the Oxford canal at Rugby. On both occasions, there was an apparently unoccupied narrowboat, Saturn, moored there. What worried me was the decline in its condition over only two weeks. The second time I saw it, it was listing markedly and its stern had begun to be used as a rubbish skip. Further, I heard from another moorer that he had had to clear some children off it - they were using the stern as a play area. Is there anyone who knows and could contact the owner? Many thanks.

I wonder if anyone can help. Recently, whilst cruising near Atherstone, I saw a fine looking tug-style boat moored at Bradley Green. It was named Harvey - Tug No. 4. Does anyone know who built it? Many thanks.

Probably this has been commented on before, but perhaps not. Whilst cruising towards Birmingham recently, I saw a great number of austere looking white laminated bridge identifying notices either on or by bridges which already had clear names or numbers on. At first, I had thought they were a joke or a temporary measure, but they appear to be riveted firm. Why are they appearing? Already some have been defaced or torn. They are unsightly and cheapening.

A few days back, I moored past the top of the Curdworth flight, just beyond the tunnel, in a slightly gloomy cut. It was an excellent place to moor: there were rings; there was close by a post office and convenience store; but most of all there was an excellent gentleman. He approached me in the early evening to check if I was alright, to see if I was aware of the store and the two pubs, to wish me a happy evening. I noticed he also noted the names of the boats which were moored. It was a delight that someone - presumably from the village - was concerned for and interested in those on the canal.

A small problem. I moored in Birmingham last night opposite Symphomy Hall. Sadly, in the night someone came aboard, and unscrewed and took away my roof-mounted radio aerial. It was one of those which are about a foot long, flexible and coated in black rubber. A simple question. Can these easily be bought? I would like to start listening to the radio again ASAP. Many thanks, Geoffrey Hammond

The boat I am intending to purchase has a Lister Petter HRW3 3-cylinder 43 HP engine. Is this a good engine? Are there particular quirks, oddities to it? Is it easy to service/maintain? Can I find out its age? Many thanks.

I wonder if someone could help me. I am about to purchase a second-hand boat, a tug style trad-backed narrow boat. I have noticed that the boat has no brackets at the back to enable me to step from the steering position to the roof - a manoeuvre I shall have to accomplish when locking. Some boats I have used in the past have one on each side; some I have seen have just one in the doorway, at the steering position. Is either set up better regarded, safer, stronger? I am concerned, too, by the relative cost. I apologise if this is too basic a question for the forum, but it is one which is important to me. Many thanks.