J R ALSOP

When I worked for Coles Morten Marine we sold a engine to a boatyard in Stoke on Trent, when the payment was due they said they did not have the money and anyway the engine had been fitted into a boat to be sold. Next morning at 0800 after being told there was no money to pay for the engine, myself and three lads had the engine out of the boat and were back in Whaley Bridge before you could say jack robinson. They payed up front for the next engine.

That was Ken, he lived at Buxworth, he first raised and cut a boat in half that the British Transport Commision sunk in the Bugsworth arm, then he bought the "Kenelm" which we used to transport all the Bolinder parts from Willow Wren at Braunston to Preston Brook, a full boat load. he did a bit of carrying with and then had a pair with Willow Wren for a while, it was after this he started to build "Delph" with PFC (Peak Forest Canal) on the side, he is still boating, met him last year on my travels.

Ken Mullins and myself took Parrot and Dorset from Preston Brook to Castlefield Junction with the Rochdale Canal for the start of this epic trip, David Owen and others involved, it was so long ago I forget names. We both still have boats of our own, I am on the Southern GU,and Ken is in the midlands. I still have not seen so much wood in a lock as we found on our arrival to make the passage up the Nine. I carried on working for Peter Froud on Jupiter and Saturn, then worked for Willow Wren with Comet and Dabchick, then after feed up keeping it afloat we were given the Barnes, I have worked since then at Coles Morten Marine at Whaley Bridge when it started up, then in 1980 went south for the Hackney IWA rally, stayed at Lea Valley Narrowboats working Holland as a trip boat, come to Bridgewater Boats in 1985 and stayed there till 2000. Commercial boating then re-started with Wood, Hall and Heward, working in the London area with Bantam pusher tugs, various styled hoppers and Leeds and Liverpool short boats, Clitheroe, Everton and Derwent. If any one wants to hear more send me a email comet@nildram.co.uk.

But whats under the carpet?

If you have to ask any of these questions, you really shouldn't be doing it, stay in a house or flat where you are more than likely to be in your comfort zone. The next thing would be to hire a boat for a week or two and see if you could live the dream.

If you have to ask, it is not for you.

Nb. Duke passed me yesterday while I was having a pint in the Boat pub. in Berkhamsted, left all gates open going south, glad I wasn't following him. 1/2 hour later, pound was down 18inches.

I was recentley offered a Gardner that was fitted in a Aston Martin that was owned by the Gardner family. They have fitted a petrol engine, more in keeping with the age of the car.

Recently cut two 100mm holes either side of a cruiser style back decked narrowboat, got two buckets of crap out, welding stubs, mill scale, sludge etc, the pick up pipe was some 100mm from the bottom, no amount of fuel polishing would have shifted that lot. The boat was 20years old.

Have a ride on the open top bus, great views from the Downs and super views of the Gorge.

I have seen a boat with one of these they were using it with the Center line rope, round the bollard ashore and back to the steering position where he then tightened it like a guitar string. It didn't tick my box.

This year we have had a man help up Farmers Bridge, he was like a human dynamo, he used to have a boat but when wife became ill he had to give it up, he would not take anything he just still liked to do locks, he lived about halfway up in some flats. He goes as far as top of Camp Hill. We had help from another man on the Delph flight, he just liked to help. We also had a lady at Marsworth, she had a share in a multi-ownership boat, and was loosening up for her holiday. All knew what they were doing, going ahead or closing up, not wasting water, only emptying when locks started to fill and vice versa. We only saw 2 Cart lockies and they were entrenched at the top lock at Stoke Bruerne. this was all after 600 miles and 500 locks.

I wish people would not call PRM (Percy Riley Motors) hydraulic gear boxes, they are mechanical with hydraulic piston/clutch plate gear shift.

I would buy some big fenders and say"we don't share locks" or as I saw a sign in a boat window that said "we don't share locks because the dog gets nervous at the banging about".

Why not put it all in the kayak and tow it,

All those of you still hoping to visit Stoke Bruerne for a last look at the boat weighing machine here are to late. It was dismantled by contractors today with a big crane reaching from the car park of Spice of Bruerne, it has now gone to be refurbished and sited at the Museum of Swansea where it will be fully operational with boat and (so I was told by the firm who dismantled it) loaded with class rooms of children when they visit to show how it works It was a very hot day watching from under the umbrellas outside the Boat Inn drinking lots of Marstons "Old Empire", we then adjourned to the said Indian restaurant and had a good curry.

Being a BSS examiner i have been in e few boats with these, I would say do not go down the road of spending lots of money on these, they smell terrible, you have to have a box to stand on to reach them, and they look aweful, buy your self a porta poti and have a good few meals out with the money saved.

I would go for a cruise, they can not swim very fast.

Did mine today, we have a guest using loo in engine room at night, take out swivel elbow, remove dump seal, get old washing up brush with good bristles and get your arm in, it is very satisfying, you could eat your dinner out of it, replaced dump through seal, a bit of silicone grease and it is as good as new.

Named my boat in 1979 "Comet" after the small Woolwich that I worked for Willow Wren in 1963/4.

Most bad tastes like TCP come from leaving a hose out in the sun light, I keep my lay flat hose (34years old) in the dark in the front locker. I invested in stainless tanks in 1979 and have never had a bad drink of water.

Went past it today 200 yds north of Red Lion, Marsworth

Spied them going through Berkhamsted, kept my head down as usual.

Best use I have ever found for a back cabin is a good woman!

Do not forget Ansty on Northern Oxford, above Copper Mill Lock Southern Grand Union, Between Weedon and Budbrook just past the missing swing bridge.