Zoro

Lovely people but every program I have seen he seems to ram something. Maybe for everyone else s safety, and to save maintenance on hired boats and the waterways structure's. maybe it is time they retired. A question I have asked a few old boaters struggling to operate a lock. Have they ever considered a static caravan?

Sadly yes they are getting more common. I live on the Leeds Liverpool.and see them quite often. The last couple of years the number of ducklings surviving are very few. I have seen the mink dragging a fish bigger than itself along the bank edge and also a adult size mallard duck. They look attractive animals and I know they have to eat. Sadly there are no native animals ferocious enough to fight back.

I used to have a boat name DELIVERANCE. How many times was I asked about the film and do I play the banjo?

When you empty a lock or a pound. It becomes a hole and holes are dangerous??? You or I would probably wear waders and possibly a life jacket. Jump in and handball rubbish out of the hole. BW now CART would never get volunteers insured to do that activity without further stringent safety measures and first fencing off the whole area to stop watchers or volunteers falling in. Knowing some of the old BW safety measures and reasons for those.CART walk a very dangerous line allowing volunteers to do some tasks even though it might look okay and the people are willing to do it. The second point. BW for many years left rubbish in the canal because they were not licenced to get rid of it.If they used a skip or put rubbish in there vehicles. they were charged commercial rates to dump it at the tip. It was considered too expensive and not good use of funds.

From memory these five or six plots of land were on the market about eight years ago. They were built with a access road and water supply. there were restrictions as to what buildings could be erected ie. one shed. They were sold !with the possibility of being used as a permanent mooring ! I haven't been past recently but there but there has never been a mooring on each plot. I do remember a dispute when one of the first purchasers upset the locals and the old BW by cutting trees and clearing the bank. before getting permission to do so. Assuming that by owning the land, making a mooring was an automatic right. If these problems have been sorted and I presume they should have by now. this could be a great mooring for someone who wants to live the good life. A permanent mooring with enough land for a chicken run, market garden orchard etc PS these are just my thoughts and memories. Im not trying to buy or sell it.

YES>YES>YES. I lived on my boat for five years. The Morso Stove was the best thing on the boat. Used carefully it used little fuel. Coal and occasionally logs. It looked good with the real fire glow and kept the whole boat warm. I also had diesel heating but hardly ever used it. Yes it will create a bit more dust/smoke but I thought well worth the effort.

As one of the previous posters Said. The paddles have been disconnected for a number of years. BW are aware. It is not lack of maintainance but for technical reasons. concerning water flow and danger from blockage. Due to that old chestnut health and safety.The gate is at the top of the flight at the end of a long pound. To get at those paddles a large very expensive coffer dam has to be built.The groves for stop planks about 10 feet above it will not suffice. Many boaters comment about it. Maybe its just a new notice.

In reply to your orriginal post. This male swan I know as SLY a play on the blue tag on his leg SL1. He is a great dad. in a previous year his partner SLJ died in the summer but instead of abandoning his signets he stayed with them and reared then on his own until they were all mature enough to fledge on their own. The following season he reappeared with the new female he is still with now. The mystery of the six signets who did dissappear suddenly has not been solved. They did not turn up at any other local sites such as Leigh Flash where many young swans in their first year congregate. Although not proved and because of their sudden and total dissappearance it is thought they were taken for meat. It would be unfair to suspect a particular group of people but there are groups of eastern european people in the wigan area who have taken birds from local parks for the table. The same group who regularly leave illegal night lines and fish traps in the canal fishing for carp for the table.

I have had one for three years now. It has never missed a beat.It was more expensive than some but it starts well.It is fairly quiet and will run everything you described.No problem.

End of garden moorers complaining Why do we have to pay? Maybe its for the water your boat is floating on. It doesnt get there by accident. And im sure you like to move your boat occasionally.

Look on Jim Shed's waterways information. Full of usefull stuff including all registered boat names.

The locks at Wigan say max 60 foot.Occasionally boats up to 64 foot do sneak through. But as said before you need to be carefull and expect a shower from leaking gates behind the steerer. Some of the gates were replaced last winter but they will never totally seal. If the guide says 60 foot and you take a longer boat through please dont damage the locks or sink your boat it will be very expensive and dont expect your insurance company to pay anything???

Nightmare as in what way? there are still 21 in the flight and it is a long steady plod up or down. There has been a lot of work done this winter with new lock ladders and if I remember correctly six new sets of gates.Did you have a problem with the equipment or was it just hard work due to the numbers?

I hope BW are going to seek compensation on a full cost recovery basis for any any all costs incurred for BW.From the driver or his insurers.