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Tonic required. Send in your photos of what is nice on the waterways now.


DandV

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7 minutes ago, PeterScott said:

This afternoon 2021

 

 

 

 

Tonic27_DSCN4468.jpg.9e92fb9f8982ddbcc6a08d611e74f5a5.jpg

 

Some of the proposed developments on the Icknield Port Road Wharf Loop Line have been completed, some with residents already moved in. Around the other side of the loop

 

 

 

 

It looks like the fat boat is staying.

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4 hours ago, Tam & Di said:

 

A really good film - we know the middle section of their route Gent down to Chalon sur Saône extremely well, having wintered in Cambrai for several years and based our barge handling school there. I've not seen the use of guaging rods before - I'd have thought they would be more sophisticated now, but they're not greatly different to the 3 or 4 ancient ones from UK canals we've got in our shed.

I was slightly surprised to see the woman leaning over the side and guiding her husband into locks - I've never ever seen a boatman resorting to that before. I did once have a couple with a 24m barge who I was examining for their licence who did that, and I told him I would not authorise his ticket unless he showed me that he could go into a lock making his own judgement.   ?

The guy with Vite here alongside me at Condé was just 19 and on one of his first freights, for grain ex Chalons-en-Champagne for Amsterdam. The industry is so highly regarded in the Netherlands that he'd been given a bank loan to completely refurbish the ship - the accommodation was really swish. The ship also has McGregor type sliding hatches, making life much easier.

 

Tam

 

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I too was interested to see the steerer being counted into the locks. We do this on the Luciole, as in the picture, because we have to. Whereas, on the Secunda, 5 metres in beam, I could get her into locks without assistance (despite  the massive  rudder, stiff steering and a tendency to slip sideways) with the Luciole it is very difficult indeed. She displaces 170 tons and, like many French peniches, is built of thinner metal than narrow boats are, There is only an inch to spare on each side, and If we nudge the entrance we really know about it.

 

 I have got her into locks without guidance, but with the superstructure blocking the view it isn't easy. When there is a wind catching the saloon and the current of the river is coming in at angle, having someone counting is a blessing.

 

One other aspect of the Traveler movie was the guy's facility with ropes. Many of us can lasso a bollard - most of the time. But I try not to depend upon it, in fact I lecture our crew to (a) take the boat in slowly, while (b) whoever is tending the bow line walks ashore to put the noose in place. Should there be a cock-up then (c) the steerer should have the time and space to stop the boat on the engine if needs be.

 

Ninety-nine per cent of the time it all works fine, but our season is long enough, and we've had  44 of them now, so those one per cent occasions do mount up!

 

Screen Shot 2020-06-02 at 14.45.39.png

Edited by John Liley
Mis-spelling (as ever)
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This afternoon 2021

 

Tonic32_DSCN4591.jpg.f22079a07d6d01e7ec2c5d0f9a56ac13.jpg

 

Tonic33_DSCN4596.jpg.928a07299f84ff9db5239364aea80140.jpg

 

Galton Tunnel BCN Main Line

 

Tonic31_DSCN4587.jpg.b5c65695989f29bbdfa313b1f29fa3df.jpg

 

Tonic34_DSCN4609.jpg.8c5fefb90d865db92802ecc9f0fb2c0e.jpgWith the samesign at both ends advising height 6'5" width 6'11" and to give way to oncoming craft (as well as not having a flame, to have a headlight and to allow canoes).

 

The consultations in the seventies about Summit and Galton Tunnels (as they became known) included the assurance that two boats would pass in the tunnels, as indeed they still can. Hmmmm.

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And they are asking silly money(£300 plus) for the new houses there in Ladywood where the fat boat is.NOT a good area.An area where shootings & stabbings are a regular thing.Only yesterday a 17 yr old was stabbed in nearby Bearwood & died when the car he'd been bundled into crashed near to the hospital there.At least one shooting & a few stabbings in recent weeks.

*Just had a quick look,some are closer to £400,000 !?

Edited by The Bearwood Boster
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22 minutes ago, PeterScott said:

This afternoon 2021

 

Tonic32_DSCN4591.jpg.f22079a07d6d01e7ec2c5d0f9a56ac13.jpg

 

Tonic33_DSCN4596.jpg.928a07299f84ff9db5239364aea80140.jpg

 

Galton Tunnel BCN Main Line

 

Tonic31_DSCN4587.jpg.b5c65695989f29bbdfa313b1f29fa3df.jpg

 

Tonic34_DSCN4609.jpg.8c5fefb90d865db92802ecc9f0fb2c0e.jpgWith the samesign at both ends advising height 6'5" width 6'11" and to give way to oncoming craft (as well as not having a flame, to have a headlight and to allow canoes).

 

The consultations in the seventies about Summit and Galton Tunnels (as they became known) included the assurance that two boats would pass in the tunnels, as indeed they still can. Hmmmm.

That's what I thought but had left the tunnel when I read it

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46 minutes ago, John Liley said:

One other aspect of the Traveler movie was the guy's facility with ropes. Many of us can lasso a bollard - most of the time. But I try not to depend upon it, in fact I lecture our crew to (a) take the boat in slowly, while (b) whoever is tending the bow line walks ashore to put the noose in place.

 We used to include it as part of our barge handling course. Obviously it helps to use a suitable line - we used 3-strand Nelson spun polypropylene from Chatham ropery - and large enough eye. The difficulty for most pleasureboaters is that handling ropes is not part of their everyday life, but ropework is so important and is a factor in many of the accidents that happen. Sadly we know of a couple of professionals with less than 10 fingers, and a pleasure boater with a severely damaged leg caused by standing in the coil of her line at a lock. ?

 

Our no.1 son was brought up on our UK freight narrow boats, and became master of one of our small coastal barges. We were on board when he came in to Rotterdam on one occasion; his totally inept mate made three rather pathetic attempts to throw the line onto  a quayside bollard, and Jason left the wheelbox, ran down the deck, threw the line, and was on his way back before it even went onto the bollard. ?

 

Tam

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10 hours ago, Athy said:

Well I for one hope that you don't mind doing so - those of us (and I think there are quite a few) with an interest in French and other European waterways find such first-hand information valuable and interesting.

Add me to that list too.

Thank you.

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A couple of photos of the spits barge Floan owned by English couple George and Helen Smith. Helens about to flick the noose over the bollard. They are now retired and back in Braunston.  Also photo of empty exiting lock to show how tight it is.

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Back on the barge this day 2017. Sorting out the left aboard paint to see if it’s set hard or usable.

D18980F4-888C-47C4-98E5-3B8F9DCD5984.jpeg

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Today 2021

Tonic35_DSCN4923.jpg.39ce8cc22d6a64f4d7a4ca5b329730a3.jpg

 

 

Tonic37_DSCN4955.jpg.90902a2017701a26eb065fe417a98069.jpg

 

Tonic38_DSCN4963.jpg.81fa8d1abd2aaa6700873c0af3264541.jpg

 

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Wolverhampton 21 BCN, which we started early this morning and finished before the promised downpour. 

 

It's a matter of taste to put these in order of preference.

 

The new C&RT yellow bag will be the least good-value once we have to unwind them from the prop. Maybe useful to put all the other prop debris in.

Tonic41_DSCN5027.jpg.3b0662d0f9327bf2f79096591866f44c.jpg

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14 hours ago, PeterScott said:

The new C&RT yellow bag will be the least good-value once we have to unwind them from the prop. Maybe useful to put all the other prop debris in.

Should silence all the moaners who claim CaRT aren't spending enough on maintenance. Look at the investment in customised yellow bags they have made to stick over dead paddle gear. ? When the sinking tyre logo is replaced after the next rebranding exercise, the top priority will be to go round the system replacing all the yellow bags.

 

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This afternoon 2021, an hour ago

Tonic48_DSCN5367.jpg.dc100d1773444d57cdc47cd9801d1c47.jpg

 

Tonic49_DSCN5368.jpg.2306e6cfd163813b785705bf10a4d842.jpg

 

S+W Tixall between the Wide and the Lock

 

Passed another boat sometimes seen hereabouts

 

Exchanged waves as we went our separate ways.

 

Weather undecided between cold blasts of rain and bright, sometimes warmish, sun. This was a bright spell before a sharp shower while we were mooring.Tonic47_DSCN5373.jpg.63adad9a5ea9a11b88c8d7102e689e8c.jpg

 

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28 minutes ago, PeterScott said:

This afternoon 2021, an hour ago

Tonic48_DSCN5367.jpg.dc100d1773444d57cdc47cd9801d1c47.jpg

 

Tonic49_DSCN5368.jpg.2306e6cfd163813b785705bf10a4d842.jpg

 

S+W Tixall between the Wide and the Lock

 

Passed another boat sometimes seen hereabouts

 

Exchanged waves as we went our separate ways.

 

Weather undecided between cold blasts of rain and bright, sometimes warmish, sun. This was a bright spell before a sharp shower while we were mooring.Tonic47_DSCN5373.jpg.63adad9a5ea9a11b88c8d7102e689e8c.jpg

 

You've had a shift on, when we boat Great Haywood to Birmingham in two days people think we are mad.

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5 hours ago, PeterScott said:

This afternoon 2021, an hour ago

Tonic48_DSCN5367.jpg.dc100d1773444d57cdc47cd9801d1c47.jpg

 

Tonic49_DSCN5368.jpg.2306e6cfd163813b785705bf10a4d842.jpg

 

S+W Tixall between the Wide and the Lock

 

Passed another boat sometimes seen hereabouts

 

Exchanged waves as we went our separate ways.

 

Weather undecided between cold blasts of rain and bright, sometimes warmish, sun. This was a bright spell before a sharp shower while we were mooring.Tonic47_DSCN5373.jpg.63adad9a5ea9a11b88c8d7102e689e8c.jpg

 

 

Untitled.jpg

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This afternoon 2021

Tonic50_DSCN5485.jpg.e6461da4c1ee3f0e353ef9f433f7b690.jpg

 

Tonic51_DSCN5472.jpg.e1885a7d34607207eb5848ef0eef76ec.jpg

 

Tonic53_DSCN5422.jpg.253bc3dae311b67b4eee56e739356f4d.jpgGreat Haywood

 

T&M/S&W  

 

Compare  

#5922 (1978)

#3852 (1995) 

#527 (2001) 

#4303 #5425 #6102 (2003) 

#4283 #4291 (2004) 

#4651 (2007) 

#3586 (2012)

#699 #2712 (2013) 

#3918 (2014)

#3580 (2015)

#3989 (2016) 

#1945 #5597 (2019)

#6162 (2021)

 

Tonic52_DSCN5436.jpg.4d091bfa15eabe1a9c304af0c33091ab.jpg

 

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