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Neil2

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After 2 years of fitting out and 5 years full time liveaboard ccers a family bereavement forced us to move ashore, no regrets, I've never done them anyway. Wife occasionally misses the nice rose coloured glasses cruising bit but not muddy towpaths and selfish moorers who won't 'udge up a bit.

Good while it lasted but life moves on. 

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1 hour ago, MtB said:

 

Excellent! 

 

I've seen it written that when they dug Blisworth, they tunnelled into the hill from both sides and met in the middle. This bit about this that astounds me is they got the levels right. As a historian of the canals do you know how they synced the levels on each side of a hill as they dug? 

 

As a few people have pointed out most tunnels are constructed by driving headings in both directions from a series of construction shafts (some of which then become ventilation shafts after completion). The initial headings wouldn't typically be the full cross sectional area of the tunnel so provided they were close enough to meet there was plenty of tolerance for getting the final alignment of the full section correct.

 

Nonetheless there are some cock-ups about, possibly including Braunston's wobbles.

Edited by Captain Pegg
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1 hour ago, MtB said:

 

Excellent! 

 

I've seen it written that when they dug Blisworth, they tunnelled into the hill from both sides and met in the middle. This bit about this that astounds me is they got the levels right. As a historian of the canals do you know how they synced the levels on each side of a hill as they dug? 

On the Standedge Tunnel they didn't quite get it right.

It was dug from both ends,and the engineer must have got his sums wrong.as the two tunnels missed each other by several yards.

That's why there is a large S bend in the middle.

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We have very reluctantly sold our boat after umpteen years living aboard simply due to health reasons. We have downgraded to a very nice house not far from a fabulous coast so as we never wanted to be hobby boaters it had to go. Ive just been back tut canal though for a few days at a wedding and music bash which was nice and returned to the house an hour ago. If my kidneys were not cream crackered there is absolutely no way we would have ever moved back into a house, but hey ho there are some small plus points. ( scratches head )

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1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

We have very reluctantly sold our boat after umpteen years living aboard simply due to health reasons. We have downgraded to a very nice house not far from a fabulous coast so as we never wanted to be hobby boaters it had to go. Ive just been back tut canal though for a few days at a wedding and music bash which was nice and returned to the house an hour ago. If my kidneys were not cream crackered there is absolutely no way we would have ever moved back into a house, but hey ho there are some small plus points. ( scratches head )

 

I'm sorry to hear that @mrsmelly it's truly sad if you have to pack in on health grounds.  As for the plus points well our house is costing us a bloody fortune at the moment so I'll have to get back to you on that..

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7 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

Which of course remained as ventilation shafts.

Some of which remained as ventilation shafts. On many tunnels most of the construction shafts were backfilled once the tunnel was complete. It was the collapse of an undocumented construction shaft at Wast Hill Tunnel that killed two men working on brickwork repairs in 1979.

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Archive.-a0125289656

Edited by David Mack
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2 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Some of which remained as ventilation shafts. On many tunnels most of the construction shafts were backfilled once the tunnel was complete. It was the collapse of an undocumented construction shaft at Wast Hill Tunnel that killed two men working on brickwork repairs in 1979.

 

 

Yes of course.

 

Thankyou for highlighting my unforgivable and grave lack of precision in my respone.

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Just now, Sea Dog said:

This is indeed a reason to go for a caravan or camper - you can enjoy feeling of the open road in front of you... because all the bloomin' "traffic" is stuck behind you! ;)

 

 

Oh, so true - up here in the Highlands these things are wall to wall and you have to increase your journey times to compensate.

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2 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

 

Oh, so true - up here in the Highlands these things are wall to wall and you have to increase your journey times to compensate.

 

Problem? What problem?

 

EU6I2OoX0AApOzU.jpg

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We’d owned Owl for over thirty years and the butty Hampton for twenty five.  Maintaining two historic boats meant that we were spending more time repairing and renovating than we were actually boating.

Crunch time came in 2017 when I was going aground with Owl on the north Stratford every 100 yards and for the first time in over thirty years I was not enjoying boating.

We decided to sell Owl and use the money to restore to a very high standard our butty,  Yes, I miss the Kelvin, but it’s a joy to boat with the far less deep drafted Hampton.

We were very pleased to see that Owl is now in the possession of an enthusiast who will lavish attention (and most likely, money) on looking after the boat for the next generation.

 

Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis.

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On 05/09/2021 at 15:20, Naughty Cal said:

We had done all that we wanted to do with the boat. It was time for a change of scenery. We had become fed up of chugging up and down the same waters and had become increasingly disappointed in the rapidly declining state of our local waterways.

 

We had also become increasingly aware that NC had done a lot of hours for the type of boat and although well maintained if we were to continue using her in the same manner there would be some very large bills on the horizon.

 

We took the desicion that while she was still in good order now (February this year) was the right time for us to sell. We have every confidence that she will be a good boat for her new owners in her semi retirement on the Norfolk Broads. 

 

We do of course miss her terribly. She was a massive part of our lives for 13 years. But equally we are very much enjoying our new venture with the motorhome and are very much enjoying exploring new places that the boat couldn't physically take us as well as visiting favourite places in a different mode of transport.

 

We were, perhaps understandably, very concerned whether we had made the right choice or not. I think any fears have now been disproven as we are very much enjoying our new passtime and with every passing journey and place we explore we are growing more and more fond of the van. I think she will be well travelled by the time we have parted company 😃

I always enjoyed your comments and views. Your take no rubbish, suffer no fools and take no prisoners comments are missed.......By me at least!

 

Glad to hear all is going well motor homing. I'm in the process of getting my narrow boat ready for sale. I've had the boat for 10 years and like you, feel the need to explore horizons not accessible by boat.  

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Our reason for leaving was actually decided before we even started. We'd enjoyed hiring for many years and had decided that when we retired we'd buy a boat and cc. Then I got the diagnosis of a chronic condition and it was obvious that by retirement I wouldn't be fit enough for boating.

So we jumped off a cliff financially, gave up our jobs, let the house out and bought a boat with the rather meagre £25k we managed to scrape together (oh how they laughed at us at ABNB. A very helpful man refused to let us look at any boats and treated us to an interminable lecture advising us that we were too poor and too ignorant to consider buying s boat)

Our gorgeous Doug Moore boat was purchased not long after and seven years of cc'ing followed, we had decided that was our life until we were old, we loved it so much. 

Bugger, my medical condition suddenly ramped up, I couldn't lockwheel or steer so we sold our much loved boat and returned to our house in Kent where I have family support.

So many amazing memories and so many new friends that will be friends for life, no regrets just sadness that there were so many more places we wanted to visit.

Anyone in the same position - jump off that cliff, life's too bloody short.

Love this photo 

FB_IMG_1630978571079.jpg

Our roof was our garden shed and that little dog loved navigating the obstacle course ☺️

Edited by Ange
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9 hours ago, koukouvagia said:

We’d owned Owl for over thirty years and the butty Hampton for twenty five.  Maintaining two historic boats meant that we were spending more time repairing and renovating than we were actually boating.

Crunch time came in 2017 when I was going aground with Owl on the north Stratford every 100 yards and for the first time in over thirty years I was not enjoying boating.

We decided to sell Owl and use the money to restore to a very high standard our butty,  Yes, I miss the Kelvin, but it’s a joy to boat with the far less deep drafted Hampton.

We were very pleased to see that Owl is now in the possession of an enthusiast who will lavish attention (and most likely, money) on looking after the boat for the next generation.

 

Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis.

Owl came past a few days ago and looked/sounded splendid.

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4 hours ago, Ange said:

Our reason for leaving was actually decided before we even started. We'd enjoyed hiring for many years and had decided that when we retired we'd buy a boat and cc. Then I got the diagnosis of a chronic condition and it was obvious that by retirement I wouldn't be fit enough for boating.

So we jumped off a cliff financially, gave up our jobs, let the house out and bought a boat with the rather meagre £25k we managed to scrape together (oh how they laughed at us at ABNB. A very helpful man refused to let us look at any boats and treated us to an interminable lecture advising us that we were too poor and too ignorant to consider buying s boat)

Our gorgeous Doug Moore boat was purchased not long after and seven years of cc'ing followed, we had decided that was our life until we were old, we loved it so much. 

Bugger, my medical condition suddenly ramped up, I couldn't lockwheel or steer so we sold our much loved boat and returned to our house in Kent where I have family support.

So many amazing memories and so many new friends that will be friends for life, no regrets just sadness that there were so many more places we wanted to visit.

Anyone in the same position - jump off that cliff, life's too bloody short.

Love this photo 

FB_IMG_1630978571079.jpg

Our roof was our garden shed and that little dog loved navigating the obstacle course ☺️

So sorry to hear your medical condition forced the end of boating. The lesson to "jump off the financial cliff" is well made, and I'm sure you treasure those memories of your time afloat.

I retire in a few months and find myself neither on the cliff nor the ground. Falling, falling towards the water rapidly approaching beneath. Will there be a boat to land on or will I be forced to swim towards the bank and climb out a soggy mess?

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9 hours ago, jeddlad said:

I always enjoyed your comments and views. Your take no rubbish, suffer no fools and take no prisoners comments are missed.......By me at least!

 

Glad to hear all is going well motor homing. I'm in the process of getting my narrow boat ready for sale. I've had the boat for 10 years and like you, feel the need to explore horizons not accessible by boat.  

I don't think we had realised quite how much we had fallen out of favour with the boat and boating until it was gone.

 

We were expecting it to be a sad day when she was taken from our mooring to her new home in Norfolk but actually we both had a sense of relief which we were not expecting.

 

It was definitely time for a change and truth be told probably had been for a couple of years or more.

12 hours ago, Neil2 said:

 

Oh, so true - up here in the Highlands these things are wall to wall and you have to increase your journey times to compensate.

We will be joining them in a few weeks :lol:

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We sold Aber last month after 30 years of boating. Age, CRT  and the after effects of cancer were making long distance boating more difficult. Now free we are travelling around the country before deciding whether to buy a smaller boat in the spring.

 

we received a FINAL DEMAND  CRT’s bold lettering for the balance of our license paid up to date by direct debit. When queried it was because we hadn’t paid their £30 admin fee for processing the cancellation. We then got a very efficient email confirming that our refund for £0.00 would be processed shortly. Just check our account we have not received it yet.

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7 hours ago, Ange said:

Our reason for leaving was actually decided before we even started. We'd enjoyed hiring for many years and had decided that when we retired we'd buy a boat and cc. Then I got the diagnosis of a chronic condition and it was obvious that by retirement I wouldn't be fit enough for boating.

So we jumped off a cliff financially, gave up our jobs, let the house out and bought a boat with the rather meagre £25k we managed to scrape together (oh how they laughed at us at ABNB. A very helpful man refused to let us look at any boats and treated us to an interminable lecture advising us that we were too poor and too ignorant to consider buying s boat)

Our gorgeous Doug Moore boat was purchased not long after and seven years of cc'ing followed, we had decided that was our life until we were old, we loved it so much. 

Bugger, my medical condition suddenly ramped up, I couldn't lockwheel or steer so we sold our much loved boat and returned to our house in Kent where I have family support.

So many amazing memories and so many new friends that will be friends for life, no regrets just sadness that there were so many more places we wanted to visit.

Anyone in the same position - jump off that cliff, life's too bloody short.

Love this photo 

FB_IMG_1630978571079.jpg

Our roof was our garden shed and that little dog loved navigating the obstacle course ☺️

So bloody true Ange. Far too many people spend their lives dreaming and letting finance take first place and being gonna dos when they retire and never get there. We had over 30 fantastic years which could never be replaced by simply staying put in a house all that time.

6 hours ago, Ange said:

This as well. All wood only taken when it was fallen 

FB_IMG_1630982203972.jpg

Bloody Pikeys ;)

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22 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Excellent! 

 

I've seen it written that when they dug Blisworth, they tunnelled into the hill from both sides and met in the middle. This bit about this that astounds me is they got the levels right. As a historian of the canals do you know how they synced the levels on each side of a hill as they dug? 

The theodolite, and its cousin, the level were developed around the time of canal mania and were in comparatively advanced form when Blisworth tunnel was constructed.  Even so, it must have been quite challenging because even a relatively recent mechanical instrument would have a tolerance of a couple of feet over a mile - which was the distance from each end.

 

However, then (as until recently too) the surveying techniques provide for working-back to the original point (closing the traverse) and checking to see the height of the original peg remains where it should be.  Any error is shared out amongst the stations proportionately which goes a long way to remedying any issues in leveling the instrument.    I also believe smaller drainage borings were sometimes made prior to main heading - which will have helped no end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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3 minutes ago, Tacet said:

However, then (as until recently too) the surveying techniques provide for working-back to the original point (closing the traverse) and checking to see the height of the original peg remains where it should be. 

 

Ah now THAT makes obvious sense. Thanks! 

 

(Along with the apportioning of any error so revealed.)

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12 minutes ago, Tacet said:

The theodolite, and its cousin, the level were developed around the time of canal mania and were in comparatively advanced form when Blisworth tunnel was constructed.  Even so, it must have been quite challenging because even a relatively recent mechanical instrument would have a tolerance of a couple of feet over a mile - which was the distance from each end.

 

However, then (as until recently too) the surveying techniques provide for working-back to the original point (closing the traverse) and checking to see the height of the original peg remains where it should be.  Any error is shared out amongst the stations proportionately which goes a long way to remedying any issues in leveling the instrument.    I also believe smaller drainage borings were sometimes made prior to main heading - which will have helped no end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So are we saying they didnt use a laser guided TBM....?

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5 hours ago, matty40s said:

Owl came past a few days ago and looked/sounded splendid.

 

I had a close encounter with Owl last week. I passed it coming out of Aylesbury while I was heading in and then caught it up while it was locking down from Cowroast with another single handed boat. As I was lock wheeling for our boat I ended up opening the bottom gates and closing behind them too. It has an immense turn of acceleration. They kindly suggested we go ahead of them from our overnight mooring at Winkwell (in truth they'd been in the pub too late to leave as early as we did).

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