Derek R.
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Posts posted by Derek R.
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My first lasted three years! There was some fun involved though. The second is still with me after 45yrs. The first two and a half years were/are the best.
(Better hide now).
1976 - first year of despatch riding, I was 29. Ogling girls in short skirts and bare midriffs. It was hot!
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17 hours ago, dogless said:
Somehow seems fitting that nature is reclaiming them.
Rog
Yes. Vegetation to boat to vegetation, and homes for critters and plant life.
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Might this be the works of Braithwaite & Kirk, bridge and certain narrow boat builders at Ryders Green?
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A lot of fuss about nothing. It can be spelt either way. Many locks have the word spelt CILL. How you choose to spell it does not change what it is.
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8 hours ago, alan_fincher said:
Oh I see! The pillows are supposed to be on the right hand side of the boat!
That;s what I have been doing wrong!Sleeping head under the cupboard will give you headaches.
When we had Rosie (our first born) she slept in a hammock above our feet and beneath the cupboard.
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On 30/06/2025 at 21:49, TID Tug Tony said:
That's a lovely photo and great workmanship, thank you for sharing.
I'm going to ask a stupid question now - was it normal for boats not to have a weed hatch back in the day, if so presume it's because the canals didn't weed up when they were in constant use?
No weed hatches on most (all?) ex-working boats. You used a boat hook from the bank - or got in!
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42 minutes ago, TID Tug Tony said:
Indeed, having spent more than 90% of its life with the ram let's hope it stays that way.
Thank you for sharing your 1985 photo, I presume the "Britains Waterways" wording was because British Waterways was still very much in existence and didn't want any confusion to arise?
That's right, at least as far as I was told. It had an apostrophe added at some point too, possibly during Dave Parrotts ownership. Some time after, it was covered in green paint as seen and purchased by myself in 1999. Though it was in blue when we first saw TYCHO moored on the offside somewhere in the Midlands in 1983. Did it have blue tops back then? I thought it did, but memory is unreliable.
Cassio, 2002, after steelwork, new rear bulkhead and new wooden deck (over steel).
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River class butty. Built by E C Jones & Son, Brentford 1961.
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Point taken. But the idea is sound.
Fuzzy , but still a good image. 'Britains . . .'
The blue tops do have their issues. They are rain proof, but not hosepipe or bucket of water proof!
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48 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:
Can I ask what seems sensible to me but probably not. I can roughly gauge where our bow is and bring our boat gently into the side, sometimes at quite a sharp angle. If something is ahead of me I can readily estimate how near that boat is, as our boats end of vision line is only a few foot less than the bow. Same in locks too as well as approaching them when gates are shut. I just hold back from the gates.
With Tycho it looks like it’s rather difficult to estimate this distance and I think I would be a bit worried about hitting the bank or in particular another boat or structure ahead. Is any of the ram visible ahead or do you just have to completely alter your thinking compared to most narrowboats and factor in that length. I guess eventually you get used to it?
I agree I hope the ice breaker stays on.
Yes, the end of the ram can be seen from the steering position.
On little more than tickover, I could turn the boat using tiller and gearbox, without adjusting the speedwheel, nosing gently toward the bank and coming within four inches of the piling. It also helps to know which way the prop turns in reverse to make use of the sideways 'paddle wheel' effect. Very satisfying. She'll turn on a sixpence.
Apart from the flags and bicycle, it should be seen that line of sight from steerer to ram tip is apparent here:
It is an advantage to 'see' a fore end, but not a necessity. I never had any trouble gauging the length of our former boat with a cabin preventing sight of the stem. You just get 'to know' where it is. Even with the big Dutchman, the fore end was over 100 feet away, but I could put her just where I wanted her. You just get to 'know' your own boat.
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1 minute ago, Tonka said:
Surely you would also have to remove that lovely Petter engine from the 1960's to put an older engine in too
That too, though it was installed in 1958 to replace the original Russel Newbery DM2.
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Yes, I stand corrected - 83yrs. It was fitted in 1942, the same year TYCHO was shortened to 40', plus 5' of ram (as a stempost replacement), along with the extra strengthening within the fore end. Anyone going to suggest the extra longitudinal strengthening and rivetted over plating of the fore end locker should be removed - for 'originalities' sake? Put it back to 71' 6", and you'll have ANOTHER full length 'seventy' footer to gawp at. It's not like they are a rarity today. How many specialised Ice boats complete with ice breaking ram in place as per TYCHO? - ONE. TYCHO is unique in that sense. Goes like sh*t off a wet shovel, and draws attention wherever it goes from boaters and towpath walkers alike. The rally scene would be at a loss without her. I'm just sorry I only managed to get her to two Braunston do's in the thirteen years I owned her, courtesy of Ian and Tina Tyler.
Should all the BCN tugs be put back to their original length? Some were made up from old dayboats.
The blue tops made a very useful place for sand and cement (along with plant and tools) to be stored as a maintenance boat. It also gives headroom beneath, doubley useful as an extra cabin, and as they too have some historic status, perfectly justified to remain.
Variety is the spice of life. Through which historic boats and vehicles are made all the more interesting.
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I do not understand why anyone would wish to destroy a piece of waterways history by chopping off the ice breaking ram.
It's been there for
63[corrected] 83 years. A magnificent beast. - And, NO, it doesn't get you bridge'ole precedence. Few see the blade until it's on top of them.Once seen - never forgotten.
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The result in belief, persistence, abilities, a plan - and money! Nearly there.
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Caveat emptor - know what you are buying!
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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:
WRONG
A UK ton is 2400 lbs
The website I quoted from with 2,204.6 was 'wrong', as it was measuring 0.999 of the metric ton, and 2400 lbs is 1.0886 of a metric tonne.
There are 112 lbs in 1 cwt, 20 cwt to the ton, 2,240 lbs in 1 ton.
http://home.clara.net/brianp/weights.html
Isn't this fun.
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We had some bags of Polish way back. The smoke was almost green . . .
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31 minutes ago, blackrose said:
The title of the thread was simply an explanation as to why I was asking about coal in the middle of summer. Yes you tried to oblige which is welcome but you also didn't seem to understand the other aspect of the thread I've outlined above.
Perhaps next time read the original post properly before criticising and asking what the point is.
Of the list originally posted, I would go for Homefire ovals. But I prefer Burnwell Brickettes for value for money.
Other comments mentioned differences in particular stoves, yet you didn't included your make of stove. It may be more prudent to have been more specific - and I was not "criticising", I was seeking specifics, as there are several variables which has brought up a few 'challenges' - one of which you have pointed out in the lbs to a UK ton. 2,240lbs does seem correct. My figures were from this website: https://writingexplained.org/ton-vs-tonnes-difference
Maybe it's 'American English', hence prone to errors.
As booke23 says - 1CWT = 112lbs. 20CWT to the ton.
Edited to add:
another website (seemingly more educated)
https://blog.harwardcommunications.com/2012/01/23/the-difference-between-ton-and-tonne/
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The British ton (also used in other countries that have the Imperial system of weights and measures) is equal to 2,240 pounds or 1,016.047 kg. It is sometimes referred to as the “long ton”, “weight ton” or “gross ton”.
The North American ton (only used in the United States and Canada) is equal to 2,000 pounds or 907.1847 kg. It is sometimes referred to as the “short ton” or “net ton”.
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4 hours ago, GUMPY said:
Is that a ton a tonne or 1000kg?
They often have deals on 3 bags at £7 a bag last time I saw it. Less my 10% trade discount brings it down to £6.30 a bag or £15.75 for 25kg or £630 a 1000kg.
Slightly more reasonable 🤔
A UK ton is 2,204.6 lbs. The US ton is 2,000 lbs, sometimes known as a 'short' ton. The UK ton is also equal to the metric tonne, which is 1,000 kg.
Good to look for 'deals'.
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I hope you got opinions you wanted, but the thread title was : - Coal - Summer prices. Hence, I tried to oblige.
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Quite so. See my first post in this thread.
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Apples and oranges are both fruits.
Taybrite and Burnwell are both fuels. I will burn what I can afford. I took the OP's thread to be 'where a 'best price' could be obtained, or a best quality'.
I have tried expensive coals, I have tried cheap ones. Some of the worst in lighting and burning quality have been the expensive ones.
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What point is there in publishing images of coal sacks then? Just go to the websites and choose your product.
By the way, Ecoal as sold by Wickes, is £11 for a 10kg bag. Value for money? That's £27.50 for 25kg. That's £1,100 for a ton.
Homefire's Taybrite in 25kg bags - £18.60, and for one ton £820.00 Compare with Burnwell's £520. a ton.
These are current prices.
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How fast did flyboats go?
in History & Heritage
Posted
'Waatta', and 'Waasps'. Plenty of the latter this year.