ranworthbreeze

Without the endless volunteers that have worked over many years a lot of the canals we love would not be open and used by the nation. We went as a family for several years working on the Chesterfield Canal every Sunday and joined in with IWA work party weekends at places like Wantage. Clearing capped or silted up locks can be a major undertaking by digging by hand and removing the spoil by barrow hoists, dirty work with unexpected finds found in the spoil. The joy of a volunteer group finding the funding to have lock gates made and the eventual fitting of the said locks in situ is a major event. Tapton lock in Chesterfield was one of the first locks we worked on. I wish the Members of North Walsham & Dilham Canal Society luck with their endeavours. Are there any canal days planned to promote the canal & its future? Regards Alan

Hi Iain, My knees went weak just at the thought of it. Regards Alan

Hi Alan, Great news and only a couple of hundred yards up the lane to the Dukes Head for a few bears or a meal. Regards Alan

Hi Lou back to the NBN forum. Regards Alan

I received it but can not open the message. Why send it in that format? Regards Alan

Well Done Howard, I too have made a small donation, I hope more forum members will do likewise. Regards Alan

Hi Carol, Thank you for sharing. Regards Alan

Hi Stowager, Sadly I do remember, my best man had a supercar licence when he was a child. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=supercar+licence&rlz=1C2AFAB_enGB469GB524&biw=1024&bih=673&tbm=isch&imgil=oUdZ_dSBTnNjSM%253A%253BIMVxrLKDQ_-hFM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.aiai.ed.ac.uk%25252F~bat%25252FGA%25252Fsupercar-licence.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=oUdZ_dSBTnNjSM%253A%252CIMVxrLKDQ_-hFM%252C_&usg=__9Hh6YSMca8IcjMI5XD7f1xWbljU%3D&ved=0CFkQyjc&ei=fMPtVOv1INOv7AbuuoGIDQ#imgdii=_&imgrc=oUdZ_dSBTnNjSM%253A%3BIMVxrLKDQ_-hFM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.aiai.ed.ac.uk%252F~bat%252FGA%252FIMG%252Fsupercar-licence-dgh-2.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.aiai.ed.ac.uk%252F~bat%252FGA%252Fsupercar-licence.html%3B1094%3B867 If any of you think the clip above was bad you should have seen the Torchy the Battery Boy, Twizzle and Four Feather Fall all brought to the TV screen by Gerry Anderson in the late 50's early 60's. Regards Alan

Hello Marina & Ian, I am sorry to hear of your bad news, I hope you and your pet feel safe soon. I am sure Alan will help with beefing up your security. Regards Alan

Well done Steve. It looks a good job and looking forward to the end results. You could have course have padded your knees, but I think you have gone for the better option Regards Alan

Hi Mark, I have edited the description of your entry on our services information (in useful links). Best of luck with the new website. Regards Alan

The place ought to be turned into one of those farm shops/cafe similar to the one on the A17, that place is always busy even though they have competion across the road. Regards Alan

Hi Strowager, For the price that looks like a good buy subject to having it looked over, it is getting on a bit but it is a classic style. I wonder how much it will go for? Regards Alan

Pity there is not a picture of the engine bay. Regards Alan

We still have the old Nicolson's waterway guides, yes they were in black & white but the pages and maps were printed horizontal. The latest guides go down the page which makes it an issue if you have not got your mind on the job in hand., remembering which way to flick the pages especially if you need to go onto the next guide. Will Smith got the controls right the second time in Independence Day by fixing the sign upside down. Regards Alan

We try Alan we all try. After saying that I know my place, only mooring and yachts push Tan out of the helm. Regards Alan

Hi Alan, Mum's and following the plot. Our lads especially Michael can lead Tan on without mercy. Regards Alan

"Talking of canal tunnels, one of the longest and most scary, is the Harecastle Tunnel near Stoke. I was glad to get out of there, as it is quiet wet and very low in places. But nevertheless, it is an experience. Not sure if the Standege Tunnel is open yet, on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, which is the longest canal tunnel in Britain, at I think, three and a half miles. I doubt whether we will do any of the canals again now, we are getting too old for all that lock work." Geoff we rather like going through the tunnels, the longer ones where you are spending a couple of hours underground in the cold can be taxing if you are not dressed for it, the pin prick of light when you can see it (many of the tunnels are not straight and there are a couple with kinks in them). As I have said when we go on the canals these days we go as a group three couples, Tan is the youngest and the rest of us are in our 60's and as Chris says he has been in his late 60's for many a year. The Standege tunnel is open and on the Timothy West & Prunela Scales series on the canals they passed through the tunnel. I agree not enough good programmes on the TV. Regards Alan

Sleet, snow and rain all day followed by high winds and frost in the late evening. Hope it warms up a bit during this week we are down to the boat Friday night for a long weekend to get Ranworth Breeze ready for the season start. Regards Alan

We like looking at webcams where we visit such as the ones of Hope Cove in the South Hams down in Devon. http://www.camsecure.co.uk/SalcombeHopeCove.html Usually there are a couple more which are currently off line. Regards Alan

I tend to agree with you Geoff, the programme is not long enough, the Chirk tunnel and aqueduct were not show which is a pity, the construction of the aqueduct and the parallel railway bridge are very impressive and the passage through the tunnel feels as if you are going uphill, impossible but in narrow shallow water narrow boats slow down and struggle to make any pace. I still think that any waterways programme is far better than any form of soap or reality programme. I rather liked the Guy Martin's programmes that he did on the canals. I especially was impressed by his two programmes recently in India. Regards Alan

Just a reminder Barging About is on ITV this evening at 8.00PM, Regards Alan

Hi Martin, You are correct re the introduction but for many houses it was into the 60's & 70's before it became common place. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit The introduction of aluminium copper cables in the 70's (as far as I know) was a dead loss and dreadful to terminate most electricians at the time hated using it. We electricians had to work with plenty of plain daft regulations such as the Diverity Factor used in the sizing of cables for electric cookers etc. Yes there are times when both ovens and rings not used but on average when cooking there is never enough rings and ovens. Regards Alan Regards Alan

As Andy says there are advantages to radial circuits and this is not purely for boats, domestic installations can and are wired for individual circuits such as fridge or freezer, outdoor sockets, immersion heater, etc. On a small boat (2 or 3 sockets) I would be inclined to run them as separate circuits anyway each with its own breaker, that way if you are on shore power and are away from the boat you can turn all the breakers off other than say the battery charger or frost state controlled engine bay heaters. On Ranworth Breeze when leaving the boat the only breakers left on are the 12 volt breaker for the fridge (the bilge pumps are auto) and the battery charger/engine bay heaters. Regards Alan

Hi Alan, I suggest that you launch the pointy end first and hope for the best Regards Alan