David Mack

...or a canal.

Why do you think this was illegal? As far as I can see the work is not notifiable under Building Regulations Part P if you have just modified an existing circuit to add the outside socket. It would be notifiable if you had run a complete new wire from the consumer unit. The work does have to comply with the Building Regs and Wiring Regs but if it is not notifiable nobody will check.

Hollow steel. Fabricated at Butterley Engineering in Ripley, Derbyshire and trial assembled, then dismantled and taken to Scotland in 35 lorry loads. See also https://www.tonygee.com/our-work/falkirk-wheel

Nothing new in that. It was said that some of the students on my university engineering course (late 70s) didn't know which end of a nail to put into the wood and which to hit with the hammer.

In the past we have taken part in the morning parade and continued without stopping into the afternoon parade.

I am of the generation that never had the opportunity to do woodwork or metalwork at school, but I learned DIY skills from my father and from books, putting them into practice in the parental home and later on boats and my own homes. But my son showed no interest in these things until he became a house owner himself, and he has since embarked on a variety of projects. He is also on his second woodturning lathe. If you don't have the skills it is now easier than ever to learn with YouTube videos and other online resources. And the Internet also offers a wider range of tools, equipment and materials than could have been found in my youth.

Also bridges any charge relay, meaning that you no longer have a separate engine battery, and that leaving the lights/fridge/computer/etc. on for too long will leave you with no ability to start the engine. I would expect a multi output charger to at least have a diode on each charging connection to prevent this.

The Warwick and Birmingham Canal section of the GU ends at Warwick Bar (which you won't pass), but the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal from Bordesley Junction (bottom of Camp Hill flight) to Salford Bridge Junction on the Birmingham and Fazeley is also part of the GU.

If you turn everything off when not out boating, then 100W solar should be enough to keep the batteries topped up. Even in winter when the output is very small it should be enough to counter the self discharge. So once you have your new batteries try just switching off the charger altogether.

So do some boaters.

And if you moor at the semi tidal level then over high tide your mooring ropes will go very slack.

Can't you just bolt a lathe tool post to the engine beds, and get someone to turn the engine over on the hand start?

News report is still wrong then. If the bow jammed as the lock was emptying, then the stern would have gone down first, yet the report says "when the bow end caught one of the walls, dipped down and began shipping water. The occupants safely got off the boat but the oily water began flooding its front end."

That's 35 locks (down 11 and up 24) from Camp Hill to Birmingham, compared with 25 via Ashted (6 down and 19 up).