Reading questions

[Nightwatch]

Sad, really, the few spoiling it for the many. 

[dmr]

1 hour ago, Johny London said:

Thank you all for the brilliant info! I feel better prepared now, though am looking forward to getting through all the clag of the town! After a re supply anyway

I didn't know you had to push the button for the lights - would have been a long wait!

Yup, push the button, if nobody is coming down (or just pressed the button upstream out of mischief) then it should go green straight away. It might go red again after a second or two whilst you are still getting ready to move off, but thats just how it works, as long as you get sigh of green its ok to go. Watch out for possible eddy right below County lock that sucks the front out. Mooring above Fobney is increasingly common but it used to be a big no go area and there can still be trouble, close to big bad housing estate. Common wisdom was not till stop till you get to the Cunning Man.

 

............Dave

 

[Tim Lewis]

1 hour ago, billS said:

I don't understand, given the proliferation of Cmers on the Thames at Kennet mouth, why the moorings above County lock are so clear. I have only seen the occasional boat moored on them for a short period of time during the last couple of years,

Maybe cos they are different navigation authorities ?

[MtB]

2 hours ago, Athy said:

Why not? I supposed that one reason for a boat to stay in one place for extended periods is so that the owner has access to transport links, e.g. a railway or a road, fr convenience of travelling to work or taking children to school,not so?

 

You can be shockingly naïve sometimes!

 

Honestly, do you really think yer average CMing Rodney boater with crap all over the roof is holding down a well paid job in central London?

 

 

[Athy]

12 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

You can be shockingly naïve sometimes!

 

Honestly, do you really think yer average CMing Rodney boater with crap all over the roof is holding down a well paid job in central London?

 

 

You can be jarringly dismissive sometimes.

 

No one had mentioned crap all over the roof, nor well-paid jobs, nor even central London. However, in previous threads (including, from memory, one about the K&A) there were references to liveaboard boaters who didn't wan't to move from their moorings because of school and work commitments. So, I based my comments on apparently well-informed posts which I had previously read.

I know a few liveaboards in our mooring area and, with the exception of one who is not very well, they all go out to work. Gosh, even you do sometimes, don't you?

[MtB]

5 minutes ago, Athy said:

No one had mentioned crap all over the roof, nor well-paid jobs, nor even central London.

 

Apologies for my jarring dismissiveness. We are discussing the CMers on the Thames around Kennet Mouth specifically, which you presumably have not seen. And the railway station is Reading central from where most people here commute to London.

[Athy]

5 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Apologies for my jarring dismissiveness. We are discussing the CMers on the Thames around Kennet Mouth specifically, which you presumably have not seen. And the railway station is Reading central from where most people here commute to London.

Accepted, of course.

No, I haven't seen those particular boats.

I fully realise that Reading is a major commuter station for London (that's why I said so in the first place) but you mentioned workers in CENTRAL London, which I didn't; thee are less prestigious jobs in the lesser suburbs to which people also commute.

[Tony Brooks]

3 hours ago, billS said:

I don't understand, given the proliferation of Cmers on the Thames at Kennet mouth, why the moorings above County lock are so clear. I have only seen the occasional boat moored on them for a short period of time during the last couple of years,

At one time, before they redeveloped the land on the other side boats moored there regularly got stoned, I think the reputation has stuck.

[Nightwatch]

I used to travel a lot by car, and I, quite often 'had a job' getting into London. (And out of).

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, Tim Lewis said:

Maybe cos they are different navigation authorities ?

And I think they are still officially CaRT long term moorings but no facilities.

[billS]

1 minute ago, Tony Brooks said:

And I think they are still officially CaRT long term moorings but no facilities.

There is a water tap but it is very well hidden.

 

The flats opposite the mooring have been there for at least 15 years, so that should have been enough to get rid of the reputation.

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

23 hours ago, Johny London said:

And lastly - I hear there is a tricky weir and it looks from the book as though it is west of County lock - so if I'm going West it wont be such a problem?

 

 

Coming downstream getting onto the upstream County Lock moorings can be a little interesting when there is a bit of flow but you will be going the other way. Just tie up for the lock wheeler as close to the lock as you can.

 

The next "tricky" weir is the overspill at Fobney that can push the bow across but just moor up well back on the layby.

 

The only other "tricky" place that I can think of is the intimidate upstream approach  to the lock at  Woolhampton (The Rowbarge) where a weir stream from your right cab push you into the bank when there is some flow, its worse going the other way.

 

Really no bits I find particularly tricky.

 

 

Edited May 31, 2018 by Tony Brooks

[mrsmelly]

1 hour ago, Athy said:

You can be jarringly dismissive sometimes.

 

No one had mentioned crap all over the roof, nor well-paid jobs, nor even central London. However, in previous threads (including, from memory, one about the K&A) there were references to liveaboard boaters who didn't wan't to move from their moorings because of school and work commitments. So, I based my comments on apparently well-informed posts which I had previously read.

I know a few liveaboards in our mooring area and, with the exception of one who is not very well, they all go out to work. Gosh, even you do sometimes, don't you?

They dont commute. The reason they stay in one place is its far easier to sign on than if actualy moving. The standard fare so far in the last month going down the GU and at present the K and A is one and a half bikes, two pallets and two chickens on the roof. Other crap is also encouraged. Remember its an alternative lifestyle man and many dont do that silly daily grind they let others do it and sign on innitt. ?

[Athy]

15 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

They dont commute. The reason they stay in one place is its far easier to sign on than if actualy moving. The standard fare so far in the last month going down the GU and at present the K and A is one and a half bikes, two pallets and two chickens on the roof. Other crap is also encouraged. Remember its an alternative lifestyle man and many dont do that silly daily grind they let others do it and sign on innitt. ?

Is the half a bike called Eric?

 

(Monty python reference).

[mrsmelly]

7 minutes ago, Athy said:

Is the half a bike called Eric?

 

(Monty python reference).

Talking of Monty Python my bro in law called me Mr Creosote yesterday  and Im of such a delicate disposition I was all upset!! 

[Johny London]

Actually, I just saw all the - you call them Cmers? I call them Catzweazles. Thanks to several disgustingly filthy looking boats moored at the EA visitor mooring I was unable to get a space there. Infact I phoned EA to check I was looking in the right place because there were no signs - the guy said they had all been ripped down by the Cmers, which they already know about but have no real plans to do anything with! So, I was forced to use the now notorious DE mooring outside Tesco. I tell you what - at least you get a clean wooden walkway (I say wood - it's actually some kind of composite and as slippery as f**ck - pulling the boat in, I simply slid to the edge, despite having my grippy boots on). So yeh, thanks to all the Cmers for that. Had a walk down and checked the canal through Reading - the moorings on the "ring road" - half are long term occupied, no signs but presumably that what it's for - the other half (DE) completely empty. So I wont be spending much time in Reading by the looks of it!

Will post my DE experiences on the relevant post.