Ray T

Can't add any history but took these photo's in 2010, Barby Straight. Same boat?

No idea of the date, Stoke Bruerne top lock. Another alternative, a highways / road works paraffin warning lamp. Painted by Harry Bentley. On display at Ellesmere Port.

Type “Vintage mast head light or lamp” in eBay search box. Good unmolested ones are’t cheap! Be aware of Copper copies and those converted to electric table lamps. https://www.piecesofship.com/shipsalvage.htm https://www.marinesalvageantiques.com/nautical-lanterns/ https://www.nautical-bygones.co.uk/store/ship-s-lighting Photo, Bulls Bridge paint store, unfortunately long closed. Or try The Samuel Barlow at Alvecote, the proprietor may have some.

It was an IWA festival, but I have forgotten where and when.

In days of yore Black Prince also had dancing girls.

@bluebrummie Some places to look and make enquiries. About Us | For anyone interested in their canal and river boat ancestors | SPELLWEAVER - Canal and River Boatmen (spellweaver-online.co.uk) https://www.facebook.com/groups/379770275469928 Waterways Heritage - Family History https://www.facebook.com/groups/206330239886258 Life on the cut in bygone days https://www.facebook.com/groups/CanalsoftheMidlandsPast https://www.narrowboatmagazine.com/ https://www.dudley.gov.uk/things-to-do/dudley-borough-libraries/archives-and-local-history-service/

PRESS RELEASE 22nd October 2021 CANAL & RIVER TRUST TO RECEIVE OVER £1.4M FOR MAJOR WORKS FROM GOVERNMENT’S HERITAGE STIMULUS FUND The Canal & River Trust, the national waterways and wellbeing charity, has been awarded over £1.4 million in funding for seven major heritage projects across the country. This is the second tranche of funding for the Trust, which received over £1.6m in the first round last year. The funding, which has been awarded via the Heritage Stimulus Fund, part of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund, will help the charity’s vital work to safeguard the nation’s historic canals and rivers, so the public can enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of being by water. The following projects will benefit from funding: Locks 13 and 15 on the Ashton Canal in Greater Manchester, Ryders Green Locks 1 and 3 in Sandwell, Wigan Locks 73 and 80 and Bingley Five Rise on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, plus conservation work along the Hertford Union Canal, at Soulbury in Bucks, and at Marple on the Peak Forest Canal in Stockport. Richard Parry, chief executive at the Canal & River Trust, said: “Canals are at the heart of the nation’s industrial heritage, forming the transport network that enabled trade and industry to expand more than 200 years ago. Now they provide valuable health and wellbeing benefits to those who spend time by or on the water, boating, exercising, or simply enjoying the peace of mind that can come from stepping away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. They provide corridors for nature in the heart of our towns and cities. “Faced with the demands of a changing climate and more extreme weather events, the task of looking after these ageing assets is a greater challenge than ever, so that we keep them in good working order. We are delighted that the importance of our work has been recognised once again by Historic England and the Government. “These Heritage Stimulus Fund grants will be spent during our annual winter works programme, which is essential to ensure our canals and rivers can continue to provide a valuable resource to the public.” Heritage sites across England received a boost of £35 million thanks to the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. Administered on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport by Historic England, 142 sites will receive support, bolstering local economies and supporting jobs across the country. Money from the government’s £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund is intended to open up heritage and the benefits it brings to everyone, helping to level up and improve life and opportunities for people in places that need it most. The latest £35 million funding awards builds on £52 million already allocated from the first round of the Heritage Stimulus Fund, which has supported works at 800 of the country’s treasured heritage assets. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “From local churches to ancient buildings and landscapes, the UK's unique heritage makes our towns, cities and villages stronger, more vibrant and helps bring communities together. “This latest funding - £35 million from our unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund - will help protect sites including Jane Austen's House and Hampton Court Palace for future generations and help them build back better from the pandemic." Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s Chief Executive, said: “Funding from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund is hugely welcome at a time when the people and organisations who look after our vast and varied array of heritage urgently need support to carry out essential repairs. Heritage is a fragile eco-system, with an amazing cast of characters who keep our historic places alive, with specialist skills that take time to learn and experience to perfect. These grants will protect their livelihoods, as they use their expertise to help our heritage survive.” Trust projects that received grants of over £100k from Round One of the funding included Hunts Lock on the River Weaver, Sawley Locks 1 and 2 on the River Trent, Diglis Lock 1 where the River Severn meets the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, Soulbury Three Locks on the Grand Union Canal, and Wigan Flight Lock 71 on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal For more information about the Canal & River Trust, including how to volunteer and donate, visit: www.canalrivertrust.org.uk. ENDS For further media requests please contact: Jonathan Ludford, Canal & River Trust m 07747 897783 e jonathan.ludford@canalrivertrust.org.uk

PRESS RELEASE 21st October 2021 RESTORING TODDBROOK RESERVOIR – CANAL CHARITY SUBMITS PLANNING APPLICATION FOR MAJOR REPAIR The restoration of Toddbrook Reservoir in Whaley Bridge takes a major step forward this month with submission of a planning application for its permanent repair by the Canal & River Trust charity. The Trust, which cares for the reservoir and 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales, has applied to High Peak Borough Council for permission to replace the 1970s-built spillway, damaged following torrential rain in summer 2019, with a new overflow structure to the north of the dam which will funnel away excess water when the reservoir is full. The application for the new structure includes building a new overflow side channel weir, ‘tumble bay’, spillway channel and stilling basin which links to the existing bypass channel before flowing into the River Goyt in the town’s Memorial Park. The planning application also includes a proposal to replace the current sailing club facilities, which will be impacted by the new spillway. Plans feature a new clubhouse, boat storage, slipway and car park, located on a site behind the proposed tumble bay. The repair project is estimated to cost in the region of £12 million - £16 million. Subject to planning permission, work is due to start in spring 2022 and is expected to take about two years to complete, with the reservoir re-opening to the public in summer 2024. Feedback from two public consultations influenced several design features to reduce the visual impact of the new concrete structures. These include the addition of natural stone cladding to most exterior side walls above ground level and ensuring wall heights are kept as low as possible. There was also a public wish to see water constantly flowing down the spillway channel instead of it being predominantly dry and this has been achieved by connecting the top of the tumble bay into the existing reservoir bypass channel. The 1970s overflow spillway overlooking the park, which was damaged in summer 2019, will be de-commissioned, the concrete panels removed and the dam slope grassed over. The original 1840s spillway, near the existing sailing club, will also be removed and some of the stone reclaimed and re-used as cladding on the exterior walls of the new structures. Daniel Greenhalgh, Canal & River Trust North West director, said: “We are very grateful to everyone who has given feedback or attended our public consultations in September 2020 and June this year. We have also had extensive discussions with local residents, particularly those nearest the site, and have tried to adapt our plans and designs to cause the least disruption and inconvenience. “We recognise the repair work will cause disruption for some residents, particularly those living nearby, and we will do our very best to mitigate noise and inconvenience as far as we are able. We thank everyone for their patience and support over the last two years. Plans for the permanent repair design have been guided by modern engineering best practice and shaped by local feedback. Public safety is our top priority. “Restoring Toddbrook is vital to ensure the long term viability of the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals. We look forward to completing this challenging engineering project so we can again rely on its essential water supply and for the beautiful reservoir to be re-instated for the benefit of everyone in Whaley Bridge.” The Trust has been working closely with engineering and consultancy firm Arup to prepare the detailed plans after carrying out extensive technical investigations and design work. The construction project will be delivered by the Trust’s main contractor Kier. Temporary site compound in the Memorial Park In order to carry out the essential repairs, the Trust will set up a temporary site compound at the northern end of the Memorial Park, next to the dam. Following feedback from local residents, a footpath will be retained across the park, connecting Wharf Road along the river to the Memorial Park Bridge, providing a viewing point for the construction site. During the works the playground will unfortunately have to be removed but will be replaced with temporary alternative play equipment at the top of the dam next to Whaley Bridge Athletic Football Club. A new playground, similar to the existing one, will be rebuilt at the same location in the Memorial Park at the end of the project in 2024. The park will be re-landscaped, with extra footpaths and a new footbridge over the bypass channel. Access for construction vehicles into the site compound will be along Reservoir Road. There will be no temporary traffic lights at weekends or evenings and the Trust will arrange for weekday construction traffic to be managed by having staff on duty with ‘stop’ and ‘go’ signs and radios to provide a more personal and interactive traffic management service. A number of trees will need to be felled to make way for the construction of the new spillway but the Trust has worked closely with the council to discuss replacement planting and habitat creation, which is predicted to achieve a net biodiversity gain of more than 10%. Toddbrook Reservoir, which supplies water to the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals, has been out of action and almost empty of water since the spillway was damaged after excessive rainfall in July 2019. Last summer, ahead of the permanent repair, the Trust and its contractors Kier carried out works to make safe the damaged spillway and add a protective waterproof nib to the dam crest. The major construction project on the dam will be followed by works to the inlet cascade, at the far end of the reservoir, to increase its resilience to high flows from the Todd Brook stream. High volume pumps will remain in the reservoir to manage water levels until the end of the restoration project. The planning application will be available for view on the High Peak Borough Council website, once uploaded: http://planning.highpeak.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet For more information about restoring Toddbrook Reservoir, please go to the Canal & River Trust website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/restoring-toddbrook-reservoir ENDS For further media requests please contact: Lynn Pegler m 07783 686246 e lynn.pegler@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Seems familiar? Read that before somewhere. Quote: "And so armed with our list, we looked at web sites and then visited several boat builders to put forward our thoughts. Now that was interesting! Many of them just stared with their eyes seeming to glaze over as we tried to explain our bizarre concept for the cut. The lights were on but there was certainly nobody home at many of the places we visited. Others trotted out such phrases such as: "We haven't done that before". Some even came out with such out of keeping comments that we knew they hadn't really fully digested the tablet. i.e. " We have a sign writer who is very good at decorative watering cans "….What ?"

Fin tube radiators? Fin Tube / Bare Elements - Slantfin

Blisworth, GU.

When Singer sewing machines had factory at Kilbowie. They used the then disused Forth Clyde Canal for cooling. Someone had released some gold fish into the canal, because of the water being warmer than usual they had grown to a good size and reproduced prolifically. This was when I was last there in 1965.

All that is needed is an extra balance weight. There appears to be a spare at Buckby top lock.

@Jen-in-Wellies Never did like poached water vole, prefer mine flambé.

PRESS RELEASE 19th October 2021 INDUSTRIAL AGE CANALS REINVENTED TO TACKLE 21ST CENTURY CLIMATE CHANGE CRISIS Research proves it is ‘cool’ to be by canals in the UK’s overheating towns and cities Photos available on Dropbox As global attention focuses on climate change at the UK’s COP26 conference in November, the Canal & River Trust charity is highlighting how the nation’s 200-year-old canals offer huge ‘blue’ opportunities to help Britain tackle the climate change crisis. Following dereliction and decline in the 20th century, today’s canals are enjoying a second golden age to help drive the ‘Green Industrial Revolution’. The modern-day benefits of historic canals include heat transfer technology, which enables canal water to heat and cool more than a quarter of a million UK homes and businesses, flood mitigation by providing extra urban drainage, and more electricity generated through hydro generators. The widespread network of canals is also able to move water from areas of plenty to areas of drought, provides off-road towpaths perfectly placed for sustainable transport, and connects otherwise fragmented wildlife habitat to address biodiversity loss. And moving freight on larger commercial waterways remains a green alternative, removing hundreds of articulated lorry journeys from the roads. Research published today by the Canal & River Trust and University of Manchester shows the presence of canal water in urban areas can also cool Britain’s overheating cities during heatwaves by up to 1.6 degrees Celsius in a 100-metre-wide corridor along the waterway. Richard Parry, chief executive at Canal & River Trust, said: “Our network of canals and river navigations flowing through the hearts of Britain’s towns and cities are perfectly placed to tackle the challenges wrought by climate change, offering opportunities to provide ‘net zero’ solutions and climate change mitigation. “With the right investment, our waterways will play an important role in meeting the aspirations of COP26. They can cool cities in summer, heat homes in winter, provide low-carbon energy, transfer water to where it’s needed and take it away from places where it’s not, and provide a network to move goods and materials, connect important wildlife habitat and offer sustainable transport. The canals are ready to be the arteries of the new Green Industrial Revolution.” The University of Manchester research creates a new model which shows the extent to which urban waterways cool cities, where the ‘urban heat island’ effect plus a warming climate threatens to make summers intolerable. The research conducted across Birmingham, London and Manchester shows reductions in summer temperatures of up to 1.6 degrees Celsius, without undesirable cooling in winter, and demonstrates the importance of choosing the right type, height, scale and location of waterside buildings to maximise the benefits. Richard continued: “This research proves the important role waterways play in reducing temperatures where and when it’s needed most. This valuable knowledge should be used to inform urban planning and design and, combined with a full package of waterway benefits, can make a significant ‘blue’ contribution towards mitigating the damaging effects of climate change. We ask central government, local authorities, planners and developers to work with us to help make a real difference.” Dr Joanne Tippett, from University of Manchester, said: “The canals in our cities were a product of the Industrial Revolution, a time of great innovation. Adapting to climate change will require new thinking and ways of working, and this research shows the importance of working across disciplines and in partnership. Bringing together our industrial heritage with new technologies and cutting-edge research like this can help us create urban areas where people and nature thrive in a more sustainable future.” The Trust is working with partners on a range of projects that support the Government’s decarbonisation agenda and tackling the physical effects of climate change. Heating and cooling. Water-sourced heat pumps have the potential in the UK to heat and cool a quarter of a million waterside homes, as well as other commercial buildings, saving well over a million tonnes per year of CO2 entering the atmosphere compared to more traditional energy sources. The technology is helping to heat and cool buildings at large commercial sites such as GlaxoSmithKline’s canal-side headquarters in London, the Hepworth Wakefield art gallery, the Mailbox shopping and media centre in Birmingham, York’s Guildhall, and Dollar Bay and Baltimore Tower in London’s Docklands. The Trust is also involved in big infrastructure projects like Nottingham’s District Heating Network where waterways are used to cool the generation plant. Low-carbon energy. The Trust’s waterways support hydro schemes generating around 21MWh per year, the equivalent energy for around 10,000 homes, with the potential to create a further 17MWh of hydro power for adjacent buildings and developments, particularly those located near weirs and locks. Low carbon transport. In order to reach net zero emissions by 2050, the UK urgently needs to improve the country’s active travel infrastructure to promote walking and cycling. The Trust has worked with many local councils and developers in recent years to lay all-weather surfaces on towpaths to provide off-road routes for sustainable transport into our towns and cities, with year-round access also encouraging people to stay local and discover the waterside destinations on their doorstep. In addition, thousands of tonnes of freight are moved every year on the Trust’s canals and rivers, where lower carbon emissions make them a green alternative that removes hundreds of articulated lorry journeys from the roads. Water supply and land drainage. Three of the UK’s five wettest winters on record have occurred in the past eight years, causing flood damage as intense storms follow in close succession. The Trust’s waterways accept over 2,500 drainage discharges, relieving the strain on overflowing urban surface water systems. The network offers the opportunity for new sustainable urban drainage schemes to connect to the Trust’s waterways to remove surplus surface water. Conversely, increased temperatures, due to climate change, will exacerbate summer water stress in coming years. The Trust’s waterways can play an important role in transferring water across England and Wales, from areas with a surplus of water, to those with higher levels of water stress such as London and the south. Nature recovery. Many waterside habitats have become fragmented or have vanished from the countryside entirely, making canals especially valuable habitats and much-needed corridors for wildlife. For some species, the Trust’s waterways are among their last remaining strongholds, and, for many others, they provide vital resources now scarce in the wider countryside. Canals and rivers are helping to slow the loss of wildlife in the UK, helping to connect isolated natural habitats, so wildlife can spread, recover, and thrive again. For the Trust, keeping the aging waterways fit for purpose is a constant challenge. This winter it is carrying out 168 large-scale works, across 48 different waterways, replacing lock gates, repairing masonry and brickwork, fixing leaks, updating and installing hydraulics and electrics at mechanised structures, as well as ongoing works to ensure resilience at several canal-feeding reservoirs. For more information on the role the waterways play in combatting climate change, including a video about the urban cooling research, please visit the Trust’s website. To read the University of Manchester’s research report, please click here. Photos of Birmingham, London and Manchester canal locations are available on Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/x0kk6vd1dr0l2xo/AAAwvloxxr5Y6Q50Tlhw5dlxa?dl=0 -ends- For further media requests please contact: Fran Read, Canal & River Trust m 07796 610 427 e fran.read@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Any of these? pink antifreeze coolant - search results (bing.com)

We were out on the boat this weekend, I was steering and just passed some moored boats so was on tickover. Heard a loud clonk and the engine stopped dead. a sawn log semi surfaced and then sank. The engine started straight away and on further inspection showed no damage to the drive train or anything else. Got off light methinks.

Panther is run by the Coventry Canal Society. Give them their due both them, CRT and Coventry City Council have worked hard recently to tidy up the Five and a half. Unfortunately some of the residents where the canal passes through still use the canal and the towpath for rubbish disposal.

15th October 2021 CANALS & TOWPATHS FLY THE GREEN FLAG FOR QUALITY The Canal & River Trust is announcing that 40 new miles of waterway, including the iconic locks at Foxton and urban canals in Coventry, Manchester and Stoke, have been awarded prestigious Green Flag status by Keep Britain Tidy. The past year has seen the waterway and wellbeing charity’s plans and volunteering activity impacted by the pandemic. Despite this, the Trust was able to add new stretches across England and Wales to the 400 miles which already hold the quality mark. Julie Sharman, chief operating officer at Canal & River Trust, comments: “Our efforts to win Green Flags are founded on the principle of local community action. Canals offer amazing green and blue spaces on our doorsteps teeming with nature and wildlife, but we do need the community to act now to help look after these 200-year-old special places. “I’d like to thank and congratulate everyone who works or volunteers with the Trust, including those in the community who do their ‘little bit’ to help look after their local canal. The Green Flags are thanks to those efforts. Every action makes a difference, from picking up the odd piece of litter on a towpath walk, getting involved in adopting a stretch of canal, or making a donation to help fund the repairs and maintenance that keeps the canals open and available for people to use. We welcome everyone who wants to come along and make positive changes in their local community.” A stretch of the Rochdale Canal in the heart of Manchester between Dukes Lock on Castle Street and the Aytoun Street Bridge has been added to the existing award, with twelve and a half miles of the city’s canal now holding Green Flag status. This is an astonishing transformation in an area that has previously suffered from antisocial behaviour. In Saddleworth in Greater Manchester, a stretch of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal also gained a Green Flag. 2021’s City of Culture, Coventry, has another reason to celebrate, with five and half miles of the Coventry Canal receiving a Green Flag, while the Trent & Mersey Canal is bringing quality blue-green space into Stoke, with just over seven and a half miles awarded a Green Flag. Other waterways achieving Green Flag status include Foxton Locks on the Grand Union Canal, Wigan Lock Flight on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Red Bull to Harding’s Wood on the Trent & Mersey Canal, and a further stretch of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Commenting on the Canal & River Trust’s success, Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making the canals worthy of a Green Flag Award. “To meet the requirements demanded by the scheme is testament to the hard work of the staff and volunteers who do so much to ensure that these waterways have high standards of horticulture, safety and environmental management and is a place that supports people to live healthy lives.” The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for their management across the United Kingdom and around the world. The status recognizes that canals and their towpaths meet these criteria and play an important role in the local community, offering great places to relax, exercise, escape for a while, and get close to nature. To find out more about how to Act Now For Canals and make your area blue, green and better, please visit: canalrivertrust.org.uk/actnowforcanals-and-look-after-the-blue-and-green-space-on-your-doorstep For more general information about the Trust visit: canalrivertrust.org.uk -ends- For further media requests please contact: Fran Read, Canal & River Trust m 07796 610 427 e fran.read@canalrivertrust.org.uk

The rudder / elum shakes could always be put to music.

Just curious, are there Hoggs related to Lawrence?

From time to time people tell me “relax, it’s just a dog” or “it’s a lot of money just for a dog.” They don’t understand the distance traveled, the time invested or the costs incurred by “just a dog.” Some of my proudest moments happened with “just a dog.” Many hours passed being my only company “just a dog”, but not for a single moment I felt despised. Some of my saddest moments were for “just a dog,” and on those gray days, the gentle touch of “just a dog” gave me the comfort and reason to spend the day. If you also think “it’s just a dog,” then you’ll probably understand phrases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.” “Only a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust and pure and unbridled joy. “Only a dog” brings the compassion and patience that make me a better person. For “just a dog,” I’m getting up early, going for long walks and looking forward to the future. So for me, and for people like me, it is not “just a dog,” but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the memories of the past and the absolute joy of the moment. “Only a dog” brings good in me and diverts my thoughts away from me and the daily worries. I hope one day you can understand that it’s not “just a dog”, but what gives me humanity and prevents me from being “just a human”. So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog,” you just smile because you “just don’t understand.” One phrase I picked up recently: "I want to become the person my dog already thinks I am."

Knowle Flight on 5th October this year. Not a boat in sight. Pity about the side ponds.

We had cause to do some ice breaking one year and the fitting got a little bent. Photo from when the boat was being docked for a repaint.