Ken X

Sloping paddle gear on Wallbridge Upper Lock, Thames and Severn Canal.

We are always tweaking the height of the fenders due to bank variations. Our knot of choice is a round turn and two half hitches. Having said that the wooden tent style runner is a neat solution and one I would use if I wasn't in the hands of the hire company.

You do pass the Lancashire Mining Museum though which I thought was well worth a visit.

Just as an idea, when we roll up the car hood we put a length of foam water pipe insulation, such as armourflex, inside to help make the hood roll rather than crease. Helps the vision panels last longer.

If you are on the South Stratford Canal Anglo Welsh have a yard at Wootton Wawen. Probably be able to assist if required.

Whilst every pump is different, the fitted water pump can be a tough little beastie. We were watering up early one morning on the Bridgewater last year when a hire boat appeared and asked if we could assist as they had completely run out of water. We stopped filling our boat and began to sort out their hose over our boat. They then asked if I could diagnose what an incessant whirring noise was on their boat. I stuck my head inside and quickly worked out it was the water pump running dry. Turned out they had run out of water the night before and the pump had been running dry all night and some of the morning. We started to fill their tank and, as expected, the noise stopped. A quick test confirmed normal service had been resumed. Did feel sorry for the pump though.

Second vote for the Corn Mill in Llangollen. As Ian says they don't give it away but we find the foods always good. The Aquaduct Inn at Froncysylite is another we use. Last time we moored at Trefor basin and walked over the Ponty to it. The walk back in the dark was interesting 🙂 Particularly as it was January. We often pop into the short Whitchurch arm overnight to shop and eat if timings are right for us.

This worked a treat at Hampstead Road Lock, Camden one very hot day. OC Domestic (all 4ft 11 of her) marched up to the large crowd of mildly stoned or drunk bods draped over the balance beams and lock sides and engaged her Swiss German persona at considerable volume. She had them sorting the gates and helping her with the paddles most efficiently whilst I bobbed around in the lock. Never had such an easy passage.🙂

We went through Big Lock during last years Middlewich Festival. Didn't realise until we came down through Maureens Lock and saw the crowds. The flight of three was OK as there were volockies but, as we came down to Big Lock we realised that there was a stage complete with performing band on the offside of the lock and a small grandstand of people on the towpath side. What could possibly go wrong 😄 We have never worked a lock to such a big crowd. Couldn't hear a thing due to the band so hand signals were the order of the day. Took it very carefully and almost looked like we knew what we were doing. Made very sure the centre line was ashore so we could, at least, retrieve the boat at the end. One of the bottom gates was a right sod though. Hope it has been sorted by now. Enjoy.

We have two approaches depending on the lock and how fit the boss is feeling. Usually I drop her off and enter the lock. I chuck up a long center line which she passes behind (not round) a bollard and drops the end back to me where I hold it, possibly with a turn around a cleat as the lock fills. If she is having an off day, I drop her off, enter the lock and nip up the ladder with the centre line and stick a turn or two on a bollard whilst I fill the lock and she watches the boat. When full we use the centre line to retrieve the boat. Means you need a long centre line, which requires you to manage it carefully otherwise bad things can happen, but it works for us.

Indeed. Though a few have tried and had to explain to the person with the curly wig what they were thinking. Didn't end well in one case I had personal experience of.

With the proviso this must be very upsetting for those involved and I hope it is all sorted, some people do seem easy to part from money. If I spend £lots on a property or similar I am very keen to get the legal side well checked over by others more qualified than me. Twice now it has saved me considerable pain and expense. It's never good to receive a phone call saying "stop everything there is a problem" but better that than the alternative. Perhaps I am over cautious, but so far it's served me well.

CTEK for me. Used all winter keeping the cars ticking over. MXS 10 might fit the bill.

OC Domestic hails from warmer climes and on hot days draws all the curtains and blinds on the south side of the house at dawn. Keeps the house cool all day. At sunset every curtain is opened and, once the outside temps have dropped sufficiently windows opened to ventilate. Seems to work OK. On the boat we have all doors and windows open if moving or curtains drawn if moored. Again it works to a degree but have everything open after nightfall if its dry. Not been bothered too much by bugs and you can stargaze through the houdini whilst in bed. 😄

As someone who was born in Hampton on Thames this scheme interests me. We always figured we were about sixth in line for the water we drank. Looks like a few people are going to be after us if this scheme comes to fruitition. 🙂 Never realised there was a pipeline to the Lee valley.