Derek R.

No. 2 Is indeed Lady Capels, boats southbound. No. 3 Is the bridge 148 above Fishery lock, and little changed to this day - the double telegraph poles being the main loss. That's the railway embankment in the background. (Yes Alan, Old Fishery Lane). No. 4 Is Iron Bridge lock 77 Cassiobury Park - does anyone know when the house was demolished? Wide boat Leeds possibly for Tooveys Mill. No. 5 Is not Northchurch! I can recall the ribs of some of those boats protruding from the water as recent as 1990. The pound looks well 'off', and probably why they are all waiting around - more water. No. 1 has a picture credit that simply says 'Lower Grand Union'. I would imagine the buildings and railings, along with the telegraph poles must be long gone. I did wonder if the negative had been transposed when printing putting everything about face, but it would seem more natural (for most) to have held the horse with the right hand, and the tin with the left. The curve of the towpath screams Sweeps taken from outside the Rising Sun, but the bridge looks all wrong for that. Could it have been taken by Gas Two? Firstly, the towpath is the wrong side, though if the picture IS transposed it's possible - BUT, there's no bridge at gas Two. It's not the Nestles factory down the Aylesbury arm, as the windows are wrong for one thing, and the Nestles building is one big solid mill type building close to the road bridge. Was there anywhere along the Buckby flight that looked like that? It's not the original Berkhamsted railway station, as that was further back and had the appearance of a Church, with buttressed walls - and the towpath fence and buildings as seen are wrong. The buildings do have a 'municipal' appearance though - and Louise has just taken a look and said "I know where that is." (Oh yeah, here we go) "That's by Apsley yard where old misery guts used to work from." And I think she might be right. Could these buildings be factory units amongst the New'uns, between locks 65 & 66? Looks favourite to me so far. Derek

Here are five for starters, I know all the locations bar one: This one - It looks like the short pound between Sweeps 2, but the bridge (is it a bridge?) appears to go downhill to the right. Anyone? Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Picture 4 Picture 5 Derek

I had a tidy up recently, and see all the previous pics of Apsley & Nash have technically gone. I can fetch them back if desired, but will pop this in as a cast back in time. I think we can fairly reckon the location, but how about when? Derek Sorted - they're all back up.

Wow! Don't think I'd want to be under that bridge when it was traversing above!! Interesting to see their solution to re-launching at the top - take it higher, turn it around, and back into the higher level. I will assume this is due to some danger of the freezing river damaging an upper set of lock gates. Quite an achievement.

That's a very nicely edited video, everything clear and in sequence. Good work. I challenge anyone to start the PD3 on the handle though . . . Took two of us on the twin, the three would end up filling the bilges with sweat. Derek

That was the case then - I used them too, but now they are missing pinions or they're fixed and unusable. Great shame. But there's benches and barbecues, and a bit of paint slapped around now and then, so they're still looking after the Waterways . . . .

Which reminds me: http://www.scribd.com/doc/361603/A-Russian-highway I would not want to mess with those women! Love the pot-hole by the garages.

Looks familiar. Let me see - tunnel of Love, Southend Kursaal? Amazing footage, thanks for posting the link Mike. A visit into Worsleys mines would be quite something, I've always been incredulous about 40 miles of underground canal. Derek

Now that I LIKE! UAS's if I'm not mistaken. Looks like an average Russian Trunk road in half decent condition. Correct again, and yes to Shipley and Apollo. Yes, you're right, I'd forgotten about them. Love that sinking door. Rambler were the first with seat belts, and fitted them to stop sleeping passengers from 'falling out the car' a convertible of some sort I think.

Correct Sir, Wye and the Dee. 1988. Not Horbury, close to Leeds.

I think it means more 'noughts' on the end of the bill.

Sliding, nanny don't allow now. Remember the Evening Standard CA's - big bundles thrown out the side on the move! 'Workbus' that had the wooden slatted seats. One here called a 'Busette', http://tinyurl.com/auw92h got cushions, and I suspect a different seating layout. Derek

Brentford - probably. You'll find a bunch of gems amongst this lot:http://tinyurl.com/8jjjdz Search through the upper panel on the right under the 'More from this user' tab. They seem to change from time to time, probably on a rotational basis dependent on demand. Don't think you'll find any croaking frogs, false goatees and canvas thank heaven. Derek

That was what we had, sliding door, and the Austin badged like this. Diesel Morris, petrol Austin. Preferred the Austin, slimmer & smoother. With the door latched on open, I could jump in - hit the clutch and gear lever - press the throttle and be moving before my bum bounced in the seat! We all tried a Transit one week, and had to open the door, climb in, feed your legs around the wheel arch, shut the door . . .

OK, back on topic. Big girls - which? (Gonna be easy for some)

Ooops! Bit off the beaten track here - Speedo, reads up to 50mph. Pressure - No gauge, but a metal stencilled flag that dropped down into drivers line of sight on loss of sufficient air, and a clear lamp above that came on. Here's the Guy Special - four speed crash box; 1st & 2nd Right forward & back, 3rd & top Left fwd. & back. Catches people out. Perkins straight six, lovely growl to it. http://www.countrybus.org.uk/GS/GS.html#intro

Aah! I see the light. Cigarette advert! - knew a bloke who was constantly troubled by nightmares in which he awoke having heard continual counting. Drove him mad. Eventually told a pal at work. His pal asked "What do you smoke?" "Players - why?" "Open the packet, what's it say inside the lid?" Done many miles delivering in Morris J2's and the Austin J4 Neil? - Dixelda wallpapers, and the awful BMC JU250. And Thames 10/12cwt for the Council as a rat catcher - Hillman Imp van too. That was pretty dire. Later a big Austin ex-army wireless truck, had a petrol engine crash gearbox, kitted out as a judges come commentators box for horse do's. Best of all was the RT bus though. Nine litre AEC. No, that's the RF. What was in the packet? 'It's the tobacco that counts!'

Many thanks for the link Rick, I'd been after something like that for my sister who has been horse mad all her life (75yrs now, and leaves me standing). I now have the book in my possession, and must say I'm going to find it hard to pass on!! Some superb pictures I've never seen anywhere before. Worth its weight for sure - even for a motor boater like me. Derek

Hmm, they're coming up as TIFF files and not visible. Should I be making some adjustments?

Ah! Whoever is responsible for changing the forum layout back to what it was previously is deserving of a pint or two. All that dodging about working out who replied to what was a real put off. Many thanks! And posts that I thought had disappeared have re-appeared - Hurrah! So, which was Baildon - the blue boat with the shrunken Waterways 'like' cabin and newish back end - or one of Blossom's pics? Ah - yes, Neils blue'un. I recognised the pile of tyres that's about all. That's not Matty's yard either as Blossom has informed me. No prizes for guessing the other boats.

Well, your all boring or don't know. Front row left to right; Colonel; Jaguar; Renown. Second two; Jenny (modern); Ash. Third; Japonica (modern); Yarmouth; Hazel. Last; Elizabeth outside of an unknown. It is suspected the boat on the left is Olympian, and likely Elder would have been inside of that.

It may be superfluous to add to this thread, as much valuable information has already been given. But with the exception of one person, mention of a vapour barrier has been left out completely, and is of prime importance. Let alone the fact that living afloat is in close proximity to water, air born water, in the form of vapour, is present all around us at all times, measured as a percentage of humidity, and is given off from the human body in quantity. With the addition of more heat from heating appliances - some of which will give off direct vapour - there are the acts of cooking and washing. Even with the minimal amount of vapour contributing elements, any vapour will be permeating every crack and crevice in panelling until it finds a surface cold enough to condense upon. Once condensed, the droplets become heavy and gravity does the rest - it runs and drips. A steel shell is in itself a vapour barrier keeping water out - rain and the canal. But within that shell is required another kind, and it's position in relation to the internal panelling and the cold steel is vitally important. Hugh mentioned polythene, it is light, flexible, does the job, but must be fitted with all possible joins and gaps made up and taped together to prevent the warm moisture laden air within the boat to reach cold steel. This vapour barrier needs to be immediately behind any panelling and between the insulation and the panelling. This is especially so with the use of glass fibre based materials, Rockwool, and any kind of insulation that itself is permeable. If no vapour barrier is fitted when used with these insulating mediums, vapour will flow through the insulation until it condenses on the steel, then soak back into the insulation material until it begins to sag and fall down under its own weight in the panelling to steel gap. The condensation will continue to build up until it soaks the panelling from behind and show itself in the angle of the 'gunnel' or around window frames staining the wood black in the process. This is indicative of poorly applied insulation, or a lack of the most essential elements of knowledge about insulative techniques. Spray foam insulation, if of the correct grade and applied by conciencious professionals, is superb at what it does. But it must be applied in adequate thickness and to every part of the steel - no single fraction of a square inch must be missed. Even an eighth on an inch hole exposing steel will begin to 'bleed' moisture just as if you had pricked your finger as water vapour finds it and gathers to form a droplet. In itself, spray foam once set is a vapor barrier, it is in effect waterproof by virtue of the tiny cells of foam which are sealed from one another and cannot therefore transmit moisture laden air, or moisture itself as a sponge would. As this is the case, then no extra vapour barrier such as ploythene should be needed. However, if the spray foam is applied incorrectly; in insufficient thickness, and/or not covering all the steel, condensation may and probably will occur. To suggest that a can of DIY expanding foam will cure the inadequacies of a few or many areas, or that stuffing Rockwool into certain gaps will be sufficient, is a sign that someone is wriggling off a hook, for in such circumstances that have been described by Waitey, the job would appear to have been spoiled for possibly speed of finish and reduced cost of materials. Moreover, the cans of aftermarket expanding filler will neither have the same content of flame retardent, nor R value of the original spray foam. As to how thick is enough, four inches is the industry standard in construction for effective insulation using Cellotex, and I would chance my arm at saying absolutely nothing less than one inch of quality spray foam, and if the case is still the same today with cost of application being worked on the square foot as it was in '86 when we had our boat previous sprayed, then go for as much as you can get in the available space - only 'cowboys' will sell you short. It should also be remembered, that any air space between panelling and insulation, or insulation and steelwork, will allow currents of air to convect. Convected air is a transmitter of temperature exchanging cold for hot, it needs to be stopped by filling - not to a packed capacity, for that encourages conduction of heat - but through simply trapping air in tiny pockets and keeping it immobile with a lightly 'fluffed' filling. I've mentioned Cellotex, which is available in sheet form in varying thicknesses from 10cms up and comes with a foil face which is a vapour barrier and a heat reflective surface in one. It isn't cheap, quality does not come cheap. 3m have also launched into the boat market with their Thinsulate, a comparatively easy to apply material in varying thicknesses. That suggested for boats is one inch thick, and is its own vapour barrier. I am using it behind the panelling on Tycho, and although not having been yet tested in the heat of battle, I'm impressed with the vapour barrier qualities, ease of fitting and sound deadening. Not cheap! Something I have not touched on is what is happening to the steel behind all this. Paint can and does crack and flake over periods of time. Waxoyl and the like cannot be 'stuck' to. Spray foam is not invulnerable to parting company from the steel, though in all honesty, little rust or corrosion is going to take place that would have any detrimental effect structurally. It also will be necessary to know how the various insulative products and the methods of applying them, behave when plating has to be welded from the outside. Will it catch light? Is any adhesive used flammable over time? Will the insulation properties be eroded? I have witnessed quality spray-on foam self extinguish, though leaving behind a shrunken hole. Rockwool may glow when direct heat is applied, but extinguish when withdrawn. Polystyrene slab on the other hand, I have seen burn quite merrily, giving off noxious fumes into the bargain. And of course we all know wood burns, as will the spirit medium that carries Waxoyl, though as time passes this usually evaporates away and is only a great risk when freshly applied (though I would stand corrected on that). None of the above is any real advice on Waiteys predicament, but in the hope that more knowledge means more power, then I hope the above - which has all been gleaned from first hand experience over many years of 'doing it my way' (and not always the right way) - is of some guidance. It looks like Waitey has a battle on his hands to win compensation, or fulfilment of a better quality of workmanship from the builder, and that may be down to what guarantees and agreements have been entered into.

The planks were part of some bank piling that Waterways were working on. The Scotch was part of an exchange mechanism part way up the Wigan flight. We'd got delayed - I think by a de-watered pound - and John supplied the lubricant in exchange for tall tales and a protective presence to deter the local oiks from getting too interested in the boats. He wasn't in uniform or anything, but they all knew him by sight. I don't think we would have had any problems even without him, as one of the accompanying boats had an Airedale that would have taken on Schwarzenegger and spat him out for breakfast. The towpath was 'impassable' while he was there. It did turn into a very entertaining evening though. Yes, I remember you got 'sectioned' for the tidal:- Just locked out at Keadby on a new flood bound for Lincoln. And before that, a young Satellite steerer peeking out:- Look at this - two 40hp Bolinder powered tubs trying to keep up with an old Josher with a PD2! Sorry chaps, we seem to have digressed off guessing the boats!

That's Georgie Pattle holding the other end of the plank, and whilst our dog at that time was Bert, the one seen there is John and Georgie's Domino. I think you were marching, with a sword . . . fished out the cut . . . or perhaps offered up from the deep by the ancient fisherman. Leeds & Liverpool. We'd tied up and were short of planks, and 'Waterways' had some spare. (We put 'em back - honest).

Correct Sir! (Pic's back now - I've done playing) Careful - Don't forget I've got a picture of you in your romper suit somewhere . . . Can't remember if John and Sue were there, might well have been, but not in that shot.