johnthebridge

I've bought two boats from John Currer, a Grand Union AND a Denis Cooper! I've always found him to be straight, honest and efficient and, best of all, with no bullshit. What more does one require from a broker of any commodity?

Agreed Alan-I should have made it clearer that I was referring to the sign-written panels that will need re-doing. Denis always made a good boat, but this one at 34 years old is too dear for my liking, whatever one's view of the RN. Could some kind soul do a link to the one I mentioned please?

Agree completely with Alan F here. She's no screaming bargain at that age, with overplating and paint job required, but what I think is really worth a look for your purpose is the Phil Jones 70' on the Duck, under "Tugs", I.d. number 338026. (Sorry, can't do links). National lump, back cabin, WC and the rest to do. Nice looking, one owner. Make an offer. Phil was (is?) almost an unknown in the steel world, but I've seen some of his work in the past and I thought he was good. I hope he won't mind me saying that I felt he modelled his work on Dave Harris's stuff. He was building at Matty's yard, Coseley, next to Dave for a while, but I think he then moved to Hatherton. Maybe incorrect. Good bloke.

No, Mr Mayall sir, I do not believe you have a "duty" to answer any of my questions, but I find it wonderful to behold how you rise to the bait. Your self-importance and absolute certainty concerning the human condition is simply a wonder to behold! How do you manage to be so? Fair play to you, dear boy! Nighty night.

Thank you.

Hello dear boy. Still fannying around with those little red Italian jobs? Same to you and yours.

Yoo-hoo! Mr Mayall sir! Any chance of some impartial replies to the questions I posed in my post 134 please? Perchance you missed them? Perhaps you consider my input beneath your lofty consideration? By the way, you're not a C&RT employee are you? Questions, questions!

Ah, Mayalld, the first of the gainsayers! Please, do tell me just how you know "Mr Moore spends his entire life engaging in litigation..." Surely he has time for other pursuits, seemingly unlike some on here? It seems to me that far from finding "a new angle", Mr Moore is pursuing the same course that he has maintained throughout. Would you, or anyone else for that matter, wish to deny him his right? Are you also now alleging that he has no evidence to support his challenge? Really? I would have thought that he must be pretty sure of his ground to make a very obvious public challenge to this organisation. Still, I too will make an unqualified apology, to you, should subsequent events turn out in the way I'm sure you'd like them to!

Are you implying that Nigel's challenge isn't factual? That he's made it up?

Good move on Mr. Moore's part. He obviously feels that he has a strong case that C&RT staff, should they wish to maintain any credibility, must answer honestly and openly. Yet again, I applaud him for having the nous to do so. Would that others had the same attitude. Anyone taking bets as to whether or not he gets a straight answer to a straight question? Where are all the usual gainsayers on here now then? Oh, sorry, Nigel's only placed his challenge on Narrowboatworld which, of course, none of them ever read! Apparently.

I was under the impression that a site owner was only required to remove potentially libellous remarks should the "libellee" request, through legal channels, to do so. I also thought that it was only if the proprietor then chose to ignore this request could he/she be found to be in breach of regulations and thereby personally liable to prosecution? Have I got this wrong? My own thoughts are with Mr. Moore. If, as it appears, skulduggery in a public body has taken place, then who would gainsay anybody's right to challenge that? Not me.

Nigel, Do you know if BW "obtained" the parcel of land in contention with either Absolute Title or Possessory Title from the Land Registry?

Did he jump, or was he pushed?

Have a look at e-bay number 390576893432

Now that's one story I haven't heard Laurence! As I would have been the owner of Canis at the time, I'm intrigued-do tell! I seem to remember Tony had been a journalist on a Derby newspaper prior to meeting Ken. Is that correct, or does me memory fail me? Stories about KK abound-he and I went round to Salvage Turn one wet afternoon to look at a boat. I think it was the Brittania. His driving was, as I'm sure you know, appalling and after frightening me witless driving across from Carl St. to Brum in his old Volvo estate, he abandons the car on the pavement, wipes off his steamed-up spectacles, dons a very ancient crispy Pac-a-Mac, grabs his trusty 'ommer along with sundry other tools and proceeds to poke and prod at this old girl, innocently sat there minding her own business. After a few minutes, the inevitable water spout appears. KK says, "Time to leave", and leaps out. We're stood on the bank, considering our next move, when KK espies an old bike lying in the hold. Without further ado, he has the front wheel off, the tyre cut off and a patch of decaying rubber made up, which he then neatly tacks over the offending hole, sealed with a handful of towpath grot. Bosh! Leak stemmed, survey continued. He was a lovely man.

Perkins 6354?

The (Robert Wilson?) drawing was introduced by Tony Miles as part of his attempt to bring Keay's yard into the 20th century-as Laurence says, a "rebirth". I always thought the moustachioed geezer wearing the silly trilby in the drawing looked as though he should have been a member of the Village People. I told Ken I felt it was a mistake as it went against the very ethos of the yard and somehow looked out of place. He agreed. Somewhere in the loft I think I still have all my old invoices for work done to Canis and Vulcan in the '70s. Most of them are of the previous, far simpler pattern to this, and look as though they were printed in the 19th century.

On reflection, you're absolutely correct Mr. A!

All the above, plus sombre (did you mean that when you said somnolent?) old-fashioned interior, no throughway from back cabin, over-plated bottom, National looks to be hand start only (unsure about that), mucked about counter, no gunwhale capping (all real pet hates of mine), wants a re-paint. You also have to wonder what "behind the scenes" is like in a boat that's been converted for as long as this one appears to have been. Things like insulation, wiring, plumbing etc. I also get the impression that the market for this type of boat has really slowed down. There do appear to be a lot of them about at the moment. Sign of the times perhaps?

Andy, I expect you'll already have all the relevant info. but when you get to them, if there's anything I can help you with the following ex-GU boats of mine, please feel free to ask:- Canis. Bath. (one for Laurence here-Bath was named Benbow when I got her, ex-Tardebigge Boat Co, ex-a garage in Kidderminster the name of which I've forgotten, so was she the Benbow on your list in the Harris's tug thread Laurence, or was there another? You mention Benbow there as being an Admiral.) Barrow. Sutton. Lynx. Bilster. Bakewell. Marcellus. and two non-GU boats:- Amsterdam. Vulcan. Even if you need no further info, I can probably drum up a tale or two about them........ John.

Is she up for sale again? Nice to see you on here. I'm the brother-in-law of Swallow's previous owner. She's a cracking boat which I was very tempted to buy and take to Ireland to replace our barge.

I think the secret's in the name Cobleigh.....