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North Oxford - Questions/Advice etc!


RebeccaM

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13 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

 

Bin bags are obviously a thing.

 

Clear bags are obviously a thing.

 

I don't think I've come across clear bin bags so possibly they are not really a thing?

 

 

 

 

 

Are you using the expression in the sense of "do they exist"?

If so, yes: quite often seen in such places as railway stations, perhaps to deter criminals from parking things such as bombs in them.

2 minutes ago, RebeccaM said:

They have clear bin bags at work (London Underground) but not sure how easy they are for the general public to get hold of. 

 

I have now remembered another question I was going to ask:  any water points that are best avoided due to low pressure, connection issues, someone is always moored there, always a queue etc?  Or the flip side, which water points are best to use?  

From memory, Sutton's has at least two, both of which worked when last we tried them. (If I'm mistaken about this, someone will be sure to point my error out).

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31 minutes ago, Athy said:

quite often seen in such places as railway stations, perhaps to deter criminals from parking things such as bombs in them.

 

Indeed, the MOD uses clear bin bags exclusively across its entire estate, presumably for the same reason.

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27 minutes ago, Athy said:

Are you using the expression in the sense of "do they exist"?

If so, yes: quite often seen in such places as railway stations, perhaps to deter criminals from parking things such as bombs in them.

 

Yes, commonly used with that meaning these days.

 

It seems clear bin bags, as per railway stations, have been a thing for many years for the reason stated. I'm still not sure clear bin bags that are easily available to the general public are a thing though. Maybe they are and I've just never spotted them when buying my pedal bin liners. We often use charity bags (or free bin bags as we call them) for our rubbish and our recycling as someone stuffs at least one through our letter box pretty much every day of the week. It's reasonably easy to see what's in them but not like it would be in a fully transparent bag.

 

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3 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

 

Yes, commonly used with that meaning these days.

 

 

 

Perhaps by Americans. But I have never been one.

It is, however, frequently used by Sandy Toskvig on Q.I.: "Now here's a thing", meaning "Here's a surprising or interesting fact". To use it in a third sense would only cause confusion, so include me out.

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34 minutes ago, RebeccaM said:

They have clear bin bags at work (London Underground) but not sure how easy they are for the general public to get hold of. 

 

I have now remembered another question I was going to ask:  any water points that are best avoided due to low pressure, connection issues, someone is always moored there, always a queue etc?  Or the flip side, which water points are best to use?  

 

Clear bin bags so you can see there isn't a bomb in the bin.

 

As for water points:

 

Top of Calcutt locks - although you probably won't have any requirement for it so close to base

Braunston Turn services??? - opposite the junction but it can be busy

Below Hillmorton locks - definitely water there and at a place and time you'll perhaps need some but probably quite a high throughput of boats.

Brownsover on the offside?? Might be boats moored there

Hawkesbury's taps are past the narrows toward Bedworth and you'd have to reverse one way or take a short trip up to the old Newdigate colliery arm and turn there.

 

There must be others. There is a water point at Braunston by the toll house at the marina arm. Strictly speaking it's not on your route but you could head there, turn at the arm and find somewhere to moor.

 

 

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15 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

Clear bin bags so you can see there isn't a bomb in the bin.

 

As for water points:

 

Top of Calcutt locks - although you probably won't have any requirement for it so close to base

Braunston Turn services??? - opposite the junction but it can be busy

Below Hillmorton locks - definitely water there and at a place and time you'll perhaps need some but probably quite a high throughput of boats.

Brownsover on the offside?? Might be boats moored there

Hawkesbury's taps are past the narrows toward Bedworth and you'd have to reverse one way or take a short trip up to the old Newdigate colliery arm and turn there.

 

There must be others. There is a water point at Braunston by the toll house at the marina arm. Strictly speaking it's not on your route but you could head there, turn at the arm and find somewhere to moor.

 

 

re Hawkesbury Junction, there is also a water point on the right immediately before the lock.

 

There is also one at Stretton Stop, on the left I think, just after the swing bridge.

 

Also one at Ansty, on the left just beyond the bridge after the visitor moorings.

 

And another on the left by The Barley Mow pub just before Newbold tunnel.

 

I have used most, but not all, of the water points on the OP's route but I don't recall any of them being especially slow.

 

 

 

15 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

 

Edited by Lily Rose
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12 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

 

 

re Hawkesbury Junction, there is also a water point on the right immediately before the lock.

 

There is also one at Sutton Stop, on the left I think, just after the swing bridge.

 

Also one at Ansty, on the left just beyond the bridge after the visitor moorings.

 

And another on the left by The Barley Mow pub just before Newbold tunnel.

 

 

 

 

Now you mention the one at Hawkesbury I can picture it. A boat pulled out of the lock onto it in front of me a few weeks ago. Of course it's back to back with the water points on the Coventry.

 

You mean Stretton Stop not Sutton (I wondered for a moment how you came to have both Hawkesbury Jn and Sutton Stop as different places). I wasn't sure there was a public tap at Stretton but obvs Rose Narrowboats have a water point.

 

Can't picture the one at Ansty.

 

Forgot about Newbold. That, Hillmorton and Hawkesbury would probably do.

 

ETA - I feel it necessary to add to the above to prevent anyone correcting me to say that Hawkesbury Junction is a junction where the Oxford joins the Coventry Canal and Sutton Stop is a lock on the Oxford a hundred or so metres away and therefore they are different places. Sutton Stop is the entire place to anyone local to the area.

 

 

 

Edited by Captain Pegg
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1 minute ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

Now you mention the one at Hawkesbury I can picture it. A boat pulled oput of the lock onto it in front of me a few weeks ago.

 

You mean Stretton Stop not Sutton (I wondered for a moment how you came to have both Hawkesbury Jn and Sutton Stop as different places). I wasn't sure there was a public tap at Stretton but obvs Rose Narrowboats have a water point.

 

Can't picture the one at Ansty.

 

Forgot about Newbold. That, Hillmorton and Hawkesbury would probably do.

 

 

 

 

Oops, corrected it now. I've never used that one but I'm pretty sure I've seen signs for it. I have used the one at Ansty, it's very close to The Ansty Club and immediately before (when heading towards Coventry) that lovely stretch of "No mooring" towpat h (grrr).

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3 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

 

Oops, corrected it now. I've never used that one but I'm pretty sure I've seen signs for it. I have used the one at Ansty, it's very close to The Ansty Club and immediately before (when heading towards Coventry) that lovely stretch of "No mooring" towpat h (grrr).

 

Now I can picture it.

 

Personally I don't see any issue with the no mooring at Ansty, it seems reasonable to me in the circumstances although it is perhaps a longer stretch than it needs to be. Then again I'm not a big fan of mooring at all.

 

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13 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

.

 

ETA - I feel it necessary to add to the above to prevent anyone correcting me to say that Hawkesbury Junction is a junction where the Oxford joins the Coventry Canal and Sutton Stop is a lock on the Oxford a hundred or so metres away and therefore they are different places. Sutton Stop is the entire place to anyone local to the area.

 

 

 

So, they'fre two different places but also the same place? Thanks for the clarification.:D

 

But METRES? No, whether it be one place or two, it's in England.

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1 minute ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

Now I can picture it.

 

Personally I don't see any issue with the no mooring at Ansty, it seems reasonable to me in the circumstances although it is perhaps a longer stretch than it needs to be. Then again I'm not a big fan of mooring at all.

 

My main concern with the lengthy no mooring section is that if you want to moor in Ansty, perhaps to spend money in the pub or the club, but find the moorings before the bridge are full (which I have) then you are stuffed despite there being a long stretch of towpath that would appear to be good for mooring but for the signs. 

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Thanks for the waterpoint comments so far; Canal Plan obviously shows them all but unless you click through to each AND someone has left a comment it's hard to know which are most useful and which are awkward.  We used the Berkhamsted one last time which was a pain due to a collapsed in bollard making it difficult to tie the boat up but it would be hard to know that until you got there! 

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4 minutes ago, Athy said:

So, they'fre two different places but also the same place? Thanks for the clarification.:D

 

But METRES? No, whether it be one place or two, it's in England.

Is that the England where athletes race over distances measured in metres?

 

I still tend to think in terms of yards rather than metres but I'm not sure my grandchildren do. I could be wrong though.

 

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1 minute ago, Lily Rose said:

Is that the England where athletes race over distances measured in metres?

 

I still tend to think in terms of yards rather than metres but I'm not sure my grandchildren do. I could be wrong though.

 

 

I think that anyone who gets bothered about the system used to describe the same thing is completely missing the point. I mostly use metric measurements because that's how I was taught (I was 1 year and 1 day old at metrication) but like many people I'd struggle to tell you my height and weight in metric measurements and I've never literally ordered 568ml of beer.

 

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1 hour ago, Lily Rose said:

Is that the England where athletes race over distances measured in metres?

 

I still tend to think in terms of yards rather than metres.

 

Yes, but that's to fit in with overseas countries with whom we frequently come into contact during sports competitions. Our canal system, on the other hand, does not come into contact with any other country's.

 

 

 

Yes, feet, inches and yards. I couldn't tell you offhand how tall I am in metres and centimetres, though I could work it out if I could be bothered, which I can't. Ditto temperature. Today it's in the seventies, which I know feels nice and hot. If you yell me that it's twenty-something in centigrade, I have to think before understanding what it feels like. Fortunately, 28 = 82, which is a useful, er, milepost.

Edited by Athy
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1 hour ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

I think that anyone who gets bothered about the system used to describe the same thing is completely missing the point. I mostly use metric measurements because that's how I was taught (I was 1 year and 1 day old at metrication) but like many people I'd struggle to tell you my height and weight in metric measurements and I've never literally ordered 568ml of beer.

 

I was 15 when decimal currency came in and much older when other aspects of metrication came in. Like most people, I suspect, I use metric for some things and imperial for others. I'm happy to continue like that. Although I wouldn't put it past them I hope this government don't force us to go back to measurement systems that are probably alien to most of the population now, albeit less so to us old fogeys. If we had to go all in with one or the other I would hope it was metric. It might not be the British way but it's a lot easier when you get used to it and is much more consistent and logical.

Temperature is a good example of where I have switched over to thinking entirely in metric terms. It just seems to make so much more sense. 

And if you listen to, or watch, weather forecasts it's what they use as well. Unless you're watching something American of course. 

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6 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

 measurement systems that are probably alien to most of the population now, 

 

 

And if you listen to, or watch, weather forecasts it's what they use as well. 

I don't agree with the former point. Even young people will express the distance to the next town in miles. Noyt being in the habit of asking such people how tall they are, I don't know whether they'd be more likely to say "six feet" or "1 metre 85" but I suspect the former..

 

Fortunately the BBC Weather web site allows the user to select metric or British temperature scales. I have selected the latter, so each morning when I look at it on my computer, I can see at a glance whether it's going to be 30 degrees (brrrr!) or 80 degrees (phew, what a scorcher).

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I believe there is a water point Elsan/ rubbish on the right coming from Calcutt just past Braunston Turn, avoid if possible as it makes the navigation extremely narrow, just passable with one nb only and it’s on an angle by the junction . A small detour down towards Braunston is much better, moor up and have a look at Braunston too after the water points then  turn at the marina entrance where signed (though do not approach this weekend 🤣)

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25 minutes ago, Athy said:

I don't agree with the former point. Even young people will express the distance to the next town in miles. Noyt being in the habit of asking such people how tall they are, I don't know whether they'd be more likely to say "six feet" or "1 metre 85" but I suspect the former..

 

Fortunately the BBC Weather web site allows the user to select metric or British temperature scales. I have selected the latter, so each morning when I look at it on my computer, I can see at a glance whether it's going to be 30 degrees (brrrr!) or 80 degrees (phew, what a scorcher).

Yes but that may well be because road distance is a good example of where we have not switched to metric. I think human height is probably similar. If you're talking about the weight of meat or fruit and veg I doubt there are many youngsters who would think in terms of pounds and ounces but I bet quite a few oldies do but they are gradually dying out. Even so, Boris seems to have suggested bringing pounds and ounces back which seems daft to me.

 

You can change website and apps and smart speakers to use the old-fashioned and illogical method for temperature. Doesn't work so well with TV or radio though.

 

33 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

I believe there is a water point Elsan/ rubbish on the right coming from Calcutt just past Braunston Turn, avoid if possible as it makes the navigation extremely narrow, just passable with one nb only and it’s on an angle by the junction . A small detour down towards Braunston is much better, moor up and have a look at Braunston too after the water points then  turn at the marina entrance where signed (though do not approach this weekend 🤣)

The other problem with stopping at the Braunston Turn water point is that there's a risk Mr Miles Away will come along and try and barge his way through a gap that is several inches (or centimetres!) narrower than his unsuitable (for that canal) boat.

 

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32 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

Even so, Boris seems to have suggested bringing pounds and ounces back which seems daft to me.

 

 

n what way is allowing  people the freedom of choice "daft"?

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12 minutes ago, Athy said:

n what way is allowing  people the freedom of choice "daft"?

Perhaps not daft at all if that's what it is, as I suspect it would be as going backwards, rather than offering a choice, would be daft. Even then I suspect many businesses would think having to display two sets of weights is going to increase their costs and it would therefore be unwelcome. Maybe even daft at a time when costs are already rising dramatically.

 

Anyway, this is starting to look like a topic/digression more suited to the political forum and there's no way I'm going over to that poisonous cesspit. So I'm out.

Edited by Lily Rose
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3 hours ago, Athy said:

Fortunately the BBC Weather web site allows the user to select metric or British temperature scales.

 

 

And there was me thinking that Daniel Fahrenheit geezer was Dutchish!

 

But on checking it appears he was actually Polish, and of German extraction, moving to Dutchland when he was five years old.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Gabriel_Fahrenheit

 

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35 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

And there was me thinking that Daniel Fahrenheit geezer was Dutchish!

 

But on checking it appears he was actually Polish, and of German extraction, moving to Dutchland when he was five years old.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Gabriel_Fahrenheit

 

Well I never! It's amazing what you can learn if you look into the history of such things. I wonder if Lou Grade was descended from Centi Grade? If so, that might have something to do with the oddities in the BBC weather site units.

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3 hours ago, MtB said:

 

 

And there was me thinking that Daniel Fahrenheit geezer was Dutchish!

 

But on checking it appears he was actually Polish, and of German extraction, moving to Dutchland when he was five years old.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Gabriel_Fahrenheit

 

I'll set 'em up, you tell 'em.

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5 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

Perhaps not daft at all if that's what it is, as I suspect it would be as going backwards, rather than offering a choice, would be daft. Even then I suspect many businesses would think having to display two sets of weights is going to increase their costs and it would therefore be unwelcome. Maybe even daft at a time when costs are already rising dramatically.

 

Anyway, this is starting to look like a topic/digression more suited to the political forum and there's no way I'm going over to that poisonous cesspit. So I'm out.

I don't think that politricks have really come into it.

Thinking it through, I've realised that two areas which interest me, boats and records, use imperial measurements ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY. yOU'LL OFTEN HEAR A BOATER TALKING ABOUT HIS 45 FOOT BOAT, BUT i HAVE NEVER HEARD ONE SAY THAT HE HAS A 14 METRE (OR WHATEVER) CRAFT. sOME BROKERS TRIED TO USE METRIC LENGTHS TO DESCRIBE THEIR BOATS A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT WHEN i LOOK AT SALES SITES THESE DAYS THJE BOATS ARE ALWAYS measured in feet.

 

I do wonder why my caps lock sometimes does that without my permission.

 

Similarly, in this country records are always referred to as 7" or 12", not 18cm or 30cm.

 

The daftest use of metric must be in the motor trade, where the dimensions of cars tend to be given in piddling little millimetres, making them almost incomprehensible. Why do they do it? If they must usemetric, why not centimetres, or metres and centimetres?

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