classicstove
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Posts posted by classicstove
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Most of the Post Office around the country will accept mail as 'Poste Restante' - mail sent to a Post Office to await collection, but check first that the office accepts mail as some are too small to store any items - and no, there is not a definitive list on the web !
Some boatyards will accept mail to be delivered/collected from them but only on an ad hoc basis and its normal that you buy something from them to says thanks - again, always ask as most are very helpful
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Think you need to give them a ring - mine came through within 10 days of sending the application in
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I also use '3'
AS an example of connectvity, not always a full 5 bars of signal though, I spent 5 down the Fens earlier in the year and only had 2 nights where I could not get a connection. The performance of dongles has improved dramatically since they were first introduced
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Hi
I own boatmail and I always encourge boaters to look at other providers before deciding on my services
If boaters look in any of the canal related magazines they can see who advertises and a search in a search engine under mail forwarding will produce many companies who operate a service
Many will not do a pay by item service for low volume users
I provide a Uk street address so things like driving licencees and government elements are catered for
If anyone has any questions about mail forwarding, I'm happy to answer at info@boatmail.co.uk
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No !
You can get a 14 feet wide barge to Camp Hill on the Grand Union but to get to the River Avon, the Stratford, Worcester and Birmingham and Staffs and Worcs have only 7 feet wide locks
Have you thoiugh about having it craned into the River Avon somewhere ?
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Would always have water coming from the top end paddles enterin the lock in several places so there is little turbulence and that it would also shut the bottom gates (prefer two) on lifting of the top paddle on the same side (like Perry Bar and Garrison)
Also, need to think about side pounds so water is used efficiently
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Why not ring BW at Red Bull in the morning so you get a local view answer ?
I suspect you have been fed duff info. - I've searched the stoppage emails and the winter stoppages and can only see the two you refer to.
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Unfortunatley, this paddle gear (like most of the original canal company gear) has now gone and whats there today can be found across the system. They are still wooden paddle starts so have not been replaced with the standard BCN design and, from memory, all the top paddles down the flight are the same
Good to see an early Harborough Marine boat again
Yes,
It seems to be fairly widely agreed that the original design allowed drawing the top paddles to close the bottom gates.
Although hard to see, when we did this in the early 1970s, the paddles were an unusual design, with the rack enclosed inside the paddle post until you wound it up, and a pawl that served a dual function of covering the rack over when the paddle was dropped.
I've not been back to Garrison since then, so don't know if any of this paddle type are still used there.....
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If you use a rubber hosepipe, you will find that the pipe does not crush and will easily 'roll' into a loop - you can then take as much of the loop as required to reach to the tap - the trick is to moor so the water point is very near to the water filling point on the boat
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LOoks like a narrow lock somewhere so first guess would have been Bosley on the Macclesfield although most of the chambers are of stone rather than brick
If I have to book to use the staircase, then maybe Welsh Frankton ?
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I know of someone who went there for lunch over the weekend
Food good but expensive - the cheapest item on the menu was soup
Menu price from £10.25
Early days for them yet so hopefully the offerings will grow
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There are two types available based on temperature of the stove
Traditional coal/wood burning stoves burn hotter that diesel fired stoves on tickover
The Ecofan suitable for gas stoves (thats how its advertised) works at a lower temperature and is more effective.
There arte of course the ortiginal 2 and 3 bladed fans of which the later does move more air
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There are moorings between the tunnel and the top lock although don't remember any rings/bollards to tie up to
Between the top lock and the second, there is a solid bank with rings - plenty of moorings and sheltered if the wind is blowing
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You ma find that marinas will have Wifi on site but will charge you for the use !
The suggestion of a 3G dongle seems a sensible way forward and most of the canal system now has a reasonable 3G signal (providing you are not stuck down a hole !)
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Sorry to appear in any way negative, but that site gives VERY little more than a list of pubs.
Any fool can find that a pub exists simply by going for a wander. If a pub site is to have any use, it needs to be much more informative, much more focused on customer reviews, and much easier to search for pubs based on user selected criteria.
My original idea was to produce a guide that showed all the possible details including real ales served and the current menu with a history of the pub
Most readers will appreciate the time that it takes to merely keep on top of one canal (the Macclesfield Canal pubs changed considerably bewteen my last two visits) so now the aim is to provide info that the pub is still there, its contact details and whether it does food including a map so readers can see how far from the cut it is. The current canal guides are falling out of date from publication date and on-line at leasts allows near instant updates to be made
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I had a lovely meal at the Red Lion on Saturday...
Casp'
You may try to find pubs via the link below - ite reasonably up to date although any refreshes would be very welcome for the benefit of all
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I don't live aboard and the longest single cruise we have (just) done resulted in us being aboard for a three week stint - over all that time I can't recall that I have ever been let down by my 3 dongle.
We often moor in remote places too.
To the OP - our old stomping ground was the T&M and similarly we had no problems down there either.
ETA - to enhance the signal from a dongle buy yourself a shortish USB extension lead - just long enough to be able to hang it in your window rather than use it plugged direct into a USB port on your lappy.
Earlier in the year I spent some 5 weeks travelling to/from Birmingham to all points in the Fens
Generally, I managed to get a signal inside the cabin most nights and if not then by sitting outside the boat (no mooring in any cuttings as usual)
The suggestion of a USB extension is good but would add that a better way may be to invest in a booster aerial
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Graham
Many thanks for mentioning canalandriversidepubs.co.uk - my website
With feedback, I hope to grow this to be the most current picture of pubs across navigations
If you find any chnages to the guide, please e-mail me and I will update for the benefit of all
John
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Came down Knowle locks earlier this week (same pound as top of Hatton Locks) and the pound was about 6 inches down
The Southern Stratford has only a feed from Kingswood Junction and it is normally has good levels all the way to Preston Bagot. The long pound here and that between Bearley Lock and the top of Wilmcote, does go down during the summer
Levels can change when someone leaves a paddle up..................................
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Hi there,
I work for Royal Mail and have just spoken to my boss on this matter.
Apparently Royal Mail have stopped this due to fraud/security issues.
He also said that aslong as the parcel isnt special delivery/recorded and IF the post office AGREES to accepting your item/s then to put your name on it but the address of the Post Office you want it delivering too.
In other words dont let it go through the Royal Mail system.
If it is a valuable item and it gets lost then the only problem with what I have mentioned above is that you wont be able to trace it.
Hope this helps and sorry I cant offer you better advice.
Regards
Rachel
Rachel
I spent many years working for Royal Mail and think this is incorrect information you have been provided.It is not a service provided by Royal Mail - POst Office Ltd are the providers
The Poste Restante service is still active: not all Post Offices will accept items as either they do not have the space or choose not to. It is always better to ring the office and ask the question
I am still using the Poste Restante facility as part of my business and none of my (substantial number) of customers, have said that it has been stopped
Two links that night help:
Finding a location of a Post Office:
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/finder?catId=20700386&pageId=ftn_finder_po_postoffice
and the Poste Restante Service:
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Tom o The Wood has been open since May in its current reincarnation and has a selection of 3 real ales normally available and has a good selection of traditional pub grub on ofer
From Lapworth, its 15 mins by boat from Kingswood Jct but can also be reached by walking down the South Stratford and up the lane by Dicks Lane Lock
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Received from the Startford and Warwick Waterways Trust:
<< The Red House is the furthest point upstream where a 67' boat can be winded successfully.
It is some 2 miles upstream from Stratford (Bancroft / The Theatre). It is a sharp left-hand bend marked on OS maps as 'Avoncliffe', its Grid Ref is 226562.
In the River Avon Guide - published by ANT (The Avon Navigation Trust) it is marked as: Avoncliffe Red House, Safe Limit of Navigation GR226562.
The Guide is well worth buying (not least for the rest of the Avon - for which it is easily the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide). It can be obtained either from the ANT Information Boat 'William James' - moored adjacent to the River Lock in Bancroft Basin, or from the Lock-keeper at Tewkesbury - (depending on whether your 'Ring Trip' is either clockwise or anti-clockwise.
Alternatively it can be purchased in advance from 'ANT' < www.avonnavigationtrust.org > >>
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Stratford has unrestricted street parking providing you are prepared to walk for nearly a mile. Closer to the town you are either in bays with a 2 hour restriction or paying in an expensive car park
Stratford Town moorings are either in the canal basin outside the Royal Shakespeare Theatre which is a short walk to all the shops or between the basin and the first lock behind The Red Lion which is on the inner ring road
The Red Lion is a Whitbread Table Table pub and serves a 'and chips' menu but can be seen as good value for money
You could also moor above Birmingham Road lock (the fist of the last into the town) or stop at Wilmcote and save yourself 4/5 hours of quite hard work and get the regular train servcie into Stratford. Wilmcote has unregulated parking
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The Middle Level Commissioners produce a very good leaflet that shows all that is navigable and the bridge heights
I'm sure if you gave them a ring they would sent you a copy or both Salters Lode and Stanground Sluice have them to give boats passing through
Post (snail-mail) when Cruising
in Living Afloat
Posted
I'm surprised to hear that you can exist without a postal address for certain items eg a driving licence and other government documentation
You could always renew on line:
https://secure.britishwaterways.co.uk/boat-licensing/renewal/getting-started
or go to one of the waterside sellers of licences - bootom of page for link:
http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/boating/licensing
If you do need a UK street address, there are many mail forwarders who can supply these and some provide a pay by item service which accomodates low volume usage. Typing mail forwarders into a search engine will give you plenty to choose from