Ray T

No, only time I now wear a tie, after 40+ years of having to wear one at work, is for hatchums, matchums and dispachums.

Thank you for the link, now bookmarked.

Spok to Captain Kirk, "This asteroid is made of best fillet steak". Captain Kirk "Yes it's meaty o'right". Think I better go at warp factor 9 after that one.

"Read all about it". Here: http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=53883&hl=%2Btim+%2Bmountain#entry1019975 In a nut shell, through his desire to to remain anonymous via "data protection" he had Jim Shead's site closed down which caused wrath across the internet ether and got him far more publicity and exposure than he ever wanted I imagine.

Don't wear a tie when upside down looking for a rattle you think is coming from the Centaflex coupling.

Mike. I did not want direct replacements. The new ones will need fixing with self tappers which I am well capable of doing. I know what I wanted and will have no intention of returning them. With the excess of communications today, firms really have to think seriously about their reputation and what they say to customers, as word on the web can spread very fast. Remember Mr Mountain? A rhetorical question perhaps, would you treat a customer in your own business the way I was?

Yes indeedee.

When I washed our boat windows the other day I inadvertently broke one of the condensation hole covers on the outside of a window at the bottom. It is plastic which had, I suspect, gone brittle. Doing a search on t'web I found a NB window manufacturer in the Midlands. The telephone conversation went something like this: Me, "Do you sell the little alloy vent covers for the condensation drain holes"? Man, "What make are your windows sir"? Me "No idea". Man, "If they are not our make I am unable to sell them to you". Me, Why". Man "Because we do not want our products on inferior windows". Me, " Are you being serious"? Man, "Yes sir". Me, "If that is the case I wish you a good day and goodbye". More searching on t' web and find a company in Wigan only too happy to sell me as many as I want. I was puzzled and a little cross with the first manufacturers approach as these little vent covers do not have any makers name on them. I am surprised that a firm would refuse a sale, I would of thought that any sale was better than none? Needless to say the Midlands manufacturer will get no recommendation from me.

Tooley's yard sell chimney brushes as you are on the South Oxford. http://www.tooleysboatyard.co.uk/

Plus the droopy stern fender, just not on is it?

For me, it makes my eyes travel around and into the picture looking for detail. Plus the fact as no one is looking into the camera it is a snapshot of life.

Many people are not very good at the written word due to possible poor teaching at school, not necessarily poor teachers. For many years Coventry Education Department refused to accept Dyslexia existed - the reason, if it were recognised finances would have to be allocated. We have a good friend, adult, who only has a reading age of 12. He is Dyslexic. At school because he didn't understand "the rules" of English he was told he was stupid. Wouldn't happen now, hopefully, but it did. He is incredibly adept with his hands and put an engineering drawing in front of him and he can explain it all down to the last nut and bolt. If you have a fine command of English, "Like what she is spoke", be grateful. ETA.Not forgetting, many of the original canal people were illiterate, only a few were "scollards". Perhaps if we are to be true canal world people we should unlearn how to read and write.

If folks aren't happy with the article, I'm not. Write to the editor Janet Richardson here: editor@towpathtalk.co.uk I have.

Fascinating, thank you.

Plastic or metal? Plastic: http://www.tek-tanks.com/vehicles/?gclid=CPaJxded9rkCFfMQtAod90cAiA Metal: http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/product/header-tank--horizontal-round/ I have this one in our boat.

When this craft was moored near Birdingbury I stopped to chat to the owner. He told me it had been built at Warwickshire Fly Boat Co for a gent who had sold it to him and his family. He told me it is a South Sea Islands Outrigger minus the mast and outrigger(s). He said originally he intended to get the boat to the coast and have it finished, this was a couple of years ago. Obviously he has changed his plans as it is still around this area. Thread here: http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=59016&hl=%2Bsouth+%2Bsea+%2Bislands#entry1120396 I think there has been at least one other thread about this boat.

Thank you for the correction Alan, I had better go in the corner with my dunces hat on for a while.

I suppose if "one" was getting pickey they could be called ex canal carrying Co cargo or work boats, depends on their function. Interesting because I have not seen any of the preserved dredgers refered to as historic boats including ex BW ones as that title is now also confined to history. Following on from the railway comment all I have seen and heard is railway locos being ex LMS, LNER, BR etc as apart from Tornado they could all be classed as historic. Actually on reflection Tornado in its own way is also now historic, being the first loco built in the UK since Evening Star. (Before any pedants get involved I know the boiler was fabricated in Germany.)

Called "Scratchings" in Coventry.

Fatal error: Out of memory (allocated 18612224) (tried to allocate 122880 bytes) in /home/ggbqjfrf/public_html/forums/admin/applications/forums/modules_public/ajax/topics.php on line 1344 This was supposed to be a quote reply of Chimney Chain

Try Sikh? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikh The Turban is part of one of the 5 K's, along with uncut hair.

http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_5262962_weils-disease-dogs.html Worth reading..... Quote "Leptospirosis, also commonly known as Weil's Disease and Fort Bragg Fever, is an infectious disease that affects dogs, cats, humans, rodents, pigs and other animals. It damages the liver and kidneys of its victims. Some strains of the disease are increasing in the frequency. These particular strains are being seen more often by veterinarians, while those most commonly vaccinated against seem to be decreasing".