adam1uk

We’ve just been on the Thames until a few days ago. We bought a week’s licence at Eynsham Lock having come off the Oxford; the lock keeper there was quite happy to sell us one (the website no longer says anything about doing it by phone). When our week ran out, we tried to buy another day (which of course is actually two days), but failed to find any lock keeper who wanted to take our money. One just shrugged, one directed us to the website, one said they weren’t doing them at the moment... So it seems that right now, it’s almost impossible to give the EA money even if you want to.

Give Lockgate themselves a ring — you often have to leave a message, but they do call back.

That’s good to hear.

I’ve been meaning to ask this for months, but as we’re moored at Nether Heyford tonight I was reminded. The boats (I can’t remember their names) that had their own mooring here, by the house, that were looking more and more neglected are no longer here. Anyone who what’s happened to them? I’m sure Alan mentioned a few hundred pages back that the owner had always declined to sell them.

Hence the advice to slow down early enough to make a difference, and late enough so they can hear you do it!

And on the Trent and Mersey locks caught fenders have been known to lift gates right off as a boat leaves. Instead you get a semi-circle of blacking rubbed off by the fenders, so I can't really see that you're ahead.

The main problem at Lapworth is meeting a boat coming the other way in those really short pounds (especially the ones on a bend) -- and figuring out how you're going to get past each other.

From the Press Association: TWO TREATED FOR BURNS AFTER RIVER BOAT BLAST By Richard Vernalls, PA A man and a woman are being treated for burns after an explosion on board a river boat. The blast happened near the Sandy Lane industrial estate in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, at about 6.40pm on Monday, West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said. The air ambulance was among medical support sent to the scene. A WMAS spokesman said: "On arrival, crews found the man and woman who had been on board doing exactly the right thing - they were using lukewarm water to cool the burns. "The woman was suspected of being the slightly more serious (casualty) of the two. "After assessment and treatment at the scene, she was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham by ambulance." The man was also treated at the scene and later taken to hospital. 041413 AUG 20<

You mean MBNA, the bank. had it been MDMA they would probably go even faster than they do already.

I think so too -- it's a while since we were there, but I'm fairly certain there's a gate to the lockside, and you can cross the lock to the towpath.

It had to happen eventually.

Lock 11 isn't it?

But April and May had less than half the average rainfall.

Back in 2012 there was a shambolic budget which attempted to put vat on takeaway hot foot (which was dubbed the pasty tax) which the government was then forced to reverse. Story here.

We passed it on Sunday near Heyford Fields, and they were going quite slowly there with a procession of boats behind. The first follower said they’d been stuck behind it since Blisworth.