Derek R.

Looks like lockie had a fair sized vegetable patch too. Quite a few houses like that on the S. GU. often with an unwanted amount of canal creeping through the walls!

Fantastic stuff! But needs cake . . .

Thank you gents - I think it will be a keeper, and I'll leave the patination alone - flakey bits and all!

OK, I personally don't think this can is of quality build, but it's serviceable though has had a repair to a split in the periphery of the base. The painting is bold and professional - but some contemporary 'gift' artists do have the knack. But what say the jury of my peers? Didn't cost an arm or a leg either. We quite like it.

It would indeed appear so. A look on Google Maps shows the towpath bridge still with water beneath, and the rest of the line built over with Bentley Retail Park. Shown through the link is a letter 'A', almost where a lock house might have been adjacent to Well Lane. http://goo.gl/maps/pgv4g PS It carried on to join the Anson Branch, which adjoined the Walsall.

Icarus has an idea: http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=63267&page=2#entry1216852

With regard to French Rail, there is an interesting link here that tells of SNCF's problems. The short report is now 14yrs old, but I doubt any improvements have been made in the interim: http://www.transport-watch.co.uk/topic-28-french-rail-1 As regard trams, the pro-tram network can be read here, though their thoughts on any further progress beyond 2004 was doubtful. Edinburgh's trams were fought against by many, but it went ahead and cost fortunes with delays, arguments galore, and legal actions. Joy. One post from Subrosa on the problems HERE dated 2012. The first 'comment' mentions HS2. Re-introducing trams is always a government plaything. Can they ever be wrong? PS: In checking out the light rail link above, note the proximity to the pavements in places such as Croydon and Sheffield. Imagine you have deliveries to be made to several of the premises during the working day. Moreover, when a tram gets de-railed, or the system loses power - it's dead. Other problems -

Trams may be attractive, but their faults were known long ago when it was realised that they could not and cannot accommodate changes of route due to incidents, road works, and road and building development. They are transport in a straight jacket. London's trams were earmarked for removal in the 1920's, it wasn't until 1949 that their fate was sealed. Yes, they were characterful - yes, they were loved in many ways, but - the motor bus is available for route diversions for any reason, and resale for other towns and communities for various uses. Tramways sharing road space with other traffic cause innumerable problems for access. The trackwork needs replacing periodically, the overhead supply network is high cost and high maintenance - and London's sub-surface conduit system was a disaster accumulating all the detritus from the roads and the environment in general. For trams - visit Chrich or the Continent. Monorails were a fad. Mag-lev is real, and Japan appears to lead the way - but for what purpose? 300mph between two distant points? Supersonic travel was 'The' future at one time, but not for most, and now only select military. France is a large country, but when the French go on their vacances, they take the road. This country is trillions of pounds in debt, and foreclosure is seen by some as in sight. HS2 is a folly of huge proportions as was the decision to stop dredging and pumping the Somerset levels. The environment agency under the then minister Barbara Young in 2008 stated costs as excessive and unnecessary, prompting the infamous quote: "Just add water". All of which appeased the EU Directives enormously. Somerset disagrees. Government decisions are made by government stooges in the pockets of bankers. (And I don't mean Natwest).

The last time I boated on the Oxford was in '83, before the M40 was built. The sense of detachment from the madding crowd and the passing through another time was palpable and wonderful. HS2 is progress towards something sought by those with little consideration for anything other than investment and profit on a large scale. Quite why such a scheme is lauded to provide faster transport for business is laughable, when internet and video conferencing is available. The centralisation of commodity distribution and the subsequent closure of local services - and work, creates the need for travel and transport. The cost is cut for the consumer yet is ironically born by same in the need for personal transport - and often the tranquility fo valued quiet places. Against the likes of HS2 backers - ants on a playing field. Sooner or later something will break, and most likely from a financial basis - always the Achilles Heel. Would that it was sooner rather than later.

Re: A tape to hold depth from the centre: If the shutts are fitted it will be the same as at the gunnel as they do not follow the steel bottom (not the original ones that is, though my replacement ones did). If you lifted the shutts, then you have either the depth at the centre, or the depth at the edge - or you might take an average. Which is why I think the most quoted figures are from gunnel to shutts. Simple, and makes sense. But conjecture.

I caught one once, but it got away. As regards hold depth measurement, only conjecture I know, but I would have thought the examples so far give and which are repeated in several publications, would have been taken from the top of the gunnel to the top of the hold floor - the shutts, the bit you load onto inside - not the base plate inside or out. The round of the chine in a Middle Northwich is barely visible from within with shutts in place As regards measuring displacement of an empty vessel, it gets more complicated as curves, swim, and 'V' bottoms are added. If you had a tank full of water and marked off the level, then lowered an empty hull in, the water displaced would rise up the side of the tank, and measurements taken of the new raised water level could have the old level subtracted, and there would be the displacement in an easily calculated volume of water. Unless I am mistaken, which I might be. Leaky dry docks need not apply.

Looks like it's tape measures at dawn.

That's the one! Gauged the stream OK, and got the fore end through no probs., and the wheelhouse was going in the right direction too - until the fore end got hit by flush from the emptying lock round the corner and pushed the fore end off to the right. To keep the wheelhouse from clouting the bridge I had to let the fore end go where it will and concentrate on getting through unscathed. We got through, but with an overhanging limb of a Chestnut tree hooked onto the fore end. That's when the Salters 'Steamer' appeared from the lock! Skipper asked if we needed a pull off, but we were OK. After which the dog took off at the lockside and went runabout. Little bu**er. Part of life's rich pageant. Hambledon was fun too. Wierstream from the right prior to the lock approach. Lockie had pulled sluices that caused a clockwise circulatory flow in the lock approach. Countered the initial push from the right, but caught by the rotation from the left as we pushed through. That sent us the wrong way and we biffed the empty mooring stakes, bounced off them and now the fore end's going left and the stern is treated to the push to the right! Sorted that out and the lockie apologised for the difficulties experienced - blamed the relief, naturally. Interesting times. Gardner 6LW, 94hp through a ZF electromagnetic box with 4:1 reduction.

It can be quite good fun watching brown trousers appear along with the G & T's. 34m above Boulters good fun. Though Sonning Bridge was entertaining - sort of.

Thanks Mark, would you be wanting to chamfer that block of wood off to stop catching under?

Yes, I had TYCHO for 13yrs, now Speedwheel has taken the tiller. Replaced her with several things, but no boat.

Almost - one owner and one ex-owner.

Looks like it was here: http://wikimapia.org/3252043/Pimblott-s-Boat-Yard If you grab the map and move North you will see where Yarwood's were. They built 13 VIC's too. (Pimblott's that is). A short paragraph: http://www.themackenzies.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/puffers/pimblott.htm

Minor point - and you're the only one counting!

The period document is mistaken! EC (East Central) numbers only go up to 4. North Woolwich is in E 16. http://www.newhamstory.com/image/tid/1301?page=2 Harland & Wolff's works and headquarters at North Woolwich are framed in the lower left of this shot, and a dock at the end of King George V. I believe the launching of narrow boats built there was into the river which would be 'beneath' the camera position. All flats there now. http://goo.gl/maps/iQVkK

A Stain upon the Thames might be about right - the town that is. Was there last Monday, and left on Tuesday. (A long stain, sorry stay.) . . . coat.

I agree with Tim. DRAKE looks most business like as is, the wheelhouse on BEECLIFFE would be where to sit and savour the view. Glazed hull sides - ports or not, just kill a vessel. If you really wanted to take a look quayside from a below saloon, why not install a periscope? Need only a fitting similar to a stove pipe above hatches.

As the thread title asks the question, surely the difference between Sloop and Keel was the sail rig. Square sail for Keel, Fore & Aft for Sloop. Outside of that there must have been many 'types'.

Does anyone worry about cable failure when in a lift? The required safety factor is at least 10:1 as with any lifting device, and there are fails safes in operation in the event. But it does seem commonsense has won through at Foxton on maintenance costs alone.

The sound of double hammering must have been close to musical compared to the rapid machine gun sound of air driven riveters. I was working on construction on Tyneside when the last Ark Royal was launched, and it was a bit like Memorial Sunday - all went quiet for a spell while folk disappeared off to watch - if not near the yard, on tele. We got time off to view.