adam1uk

To be fair, it doesn’t say they’re going to Weltonfield or Weston Hythe. It says they’re going to Welton — and the first bridge after the tunnel is Welton Lane Bridge, and the mooring there are Welton Wharf. And anyway, the Welton location is probably only given so people understand the direction of travel.

There was a volunteer lock keeper today at Hawkesbury Junction. You know, that lock that’s almost a whole foot deep. Anyway, none of the five people on the hire boat coming the other way even bothered to get off the boat, having the lock worked for them. But when it was our turn I suggested that as it was the only lock of the day, I’d quite like to do it myself. To his credit, he left me to it, and only popped out again when another boat turned up going the other way. I can understand CRT having a volunteer to raise their profile at what is quite a busy spot — but a lock keeper?

Agree with all of this. We like the Oozells St Loop, because the towpath along there is a dead end, so there’s not much foot traffic. It’s unfortunate that there are bollards in central Birmingham rather than rings to moor to, because it’s so much easier for people to slip your rope off a bollard. I have been known to use a cable tie round my mooring lines so they’re tight to the bollard; even if you are untied on the boat you won’t go anywhere.

Staffordshire actually. Brewood, Wheaton Aston, and Norbury are all in Staffs. Only a relatively short part of the Shropshire is actually in Shropshire, either side of Market Drayton. By the time you get to Audlem, you’re out the other side into Cheshire.

Aren’t you having a Finesse Boat? I thought they had Jonathan build their shells.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything from Nuneaton named as a highlight before.

It is just not true that he'll be able to apply for parole after a third of the 35 years. For life sentences with a minimum term, parole cannot be granted until the minimum term has been served (the link you posted even makes this clear if you scroll down).

I think you are right, there do seem to have been a lot of stoppages. My theory is that it’s because there was a year with very little use because of lockdowns, followed by a year of more use than usual as everyone took to the water.

Another vote for Hawne Basin. We filled up there last week — at 65p per litre.

Came up Atherstone today, admittedly in the rain. As the boat rose in Lock 2 I walked up to the top lock which appeared to be full. It was, with a top paddle up. I asked one of the five volunteers in the office whether the paddle was up for a reason. ‘Just to keep the levels up’, was his answer. I closed it. He then asked if we were coming up, and were we in Lock 2. I said we were, to save him looking, and he came with me to empty the lock. By the time we were coming into the top lock, there was a vlockie on each bottom gate, and one on each top paddle. So at least I didn’t have to work that lock.

Going through Ashted, one of us will be on the towpath with the centre line pulling the boat in to the towpath side. That’s been just enough to keep the handrails safe.

Aga may well do buy backs — but I doubt they’d buy a Heritage Uno, seeing as how it’s made by a completely different company! The Heritage is designed to be suitable for a narrowboat, and people who have them love them.

Probably because the Bridgewater is not a CRT canal.

Passed you today on the Tame Valley. Didn’t have time to tell you about the work boats in the middle of the Rushall — hope you managed to get past them like we did. We did the Anglesey Branch yesterday and it was fine.

I can't imagine that introducing a six inch gap in the pipe did anything to reduce the smell...

This year, the Midland Chandler’s marquee is about a quarter of the usual size, and has other stands (including Craftmaster) inside it. The other chandlery tend down by the marina is not there, mostly because it was from Braunston Bottom Lock, which is no longer trading. The boating marquee is also smaller than usual and with fewer exhibitors. All in all, quite hard this year to find much to spend money on.

Just look back a few posts. It's all there.

I would agree with this -- and if I remember correctly there's only really one mooring by the sani station at Camp Hill, and you won't know until you get there whether it's free. I would opt for a later lunch at the pub, and then just stay there for the night. Or meet your friends for dinner rather than lunch.

I really wondered where this was going until I got to the word Desmo.

You should definitely tell the police about this.

Family tribute to the victim.

As I added above, it’s on the lock landing now but it wasn’t at the time of the incident.

It’s not on a lock landing, it’s just off the landing — and it wasn’t tied like that at the time of the incident. There are still forensic searches going on; I don’t know about divers, but it’s a possibility I suppose. edited to add, it wasn’t on the lock landing when we came past a few minutes after the incident, but it is now.

The police tell me the canal may not be open until Thursday.

Latest info is that a man was arrested the early hours on suspicion of murder. The woman was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.