Dovetail

Thanks everyone very interesting and will pass it on as it seems these archeologists like all this background information if it only confirms or explains local stories that can sometimes get a bit mixed up.

Thanks. I have read about the River Brent flooding but does not feed this particular stretch of canal as that only happens from below the Hanwell flight and many miles away. However it does add weight to the flooding caused by severe weather and not a breach of the canal.

Working with a field archaeologist in Perivale and the local knowledge is referring to a major breach of the Grand Union Canal causing severe flooding in the eighties? apparently this was following some severe wet weather. I cannot find any evidence to back this up and think at best the canal may have overflowed at that point and not the cause of the flooding. Does anyone know if there are records or any way of verifying right or wrong if this breach happened or not. For those who don't know this part of the system this is a huge pound several miles between locks and the land falls away down a slope so any breach would have been a big event.

Thanks for the fast replies and the link very helpful. I suspect in time the distance will change perhaps not by a great amount but change all the same.

Sorry I suspect it's been discussed a thousand times on this site but reading CART Refusing to re licence cc boats they consider have not moved enough over the previous year did they ever clarified what distance they considered far enough as they never made that clear at the time of issuing the notices. I am not personally worried over this right now as I do move around but also know the distance could be altered each year and eventually could be worried.

Just received an email regarding winter moorings and am I right in thinking the general towpath moorings introduced over the past two winters are pretty much dead and buried and they seem to be merged into the old type winter moorings with the inevitable huge price increases.

The sheds have had the corrugated roof removed I think it was unsafe and the concrete wall along the towpath has had a very nice murial painted in its full length with canal scenes and fish and ducks ect and very nice it is to.

Thanks for all the replies and sorry for late reply been a bit busy at the mo. So I guess the doubling of the charge is roomer but then again things may change slightly. Personally I think it’s a great success and did it for the first time this winter and nothing short of fantastic, walk to work kept my van at work just great for the long dark winter months but on the move again and that’s great also

Probably just a rumour but I heard that the general towpath winter mooring is set to double next winter and wondered if there is any truth in the rumour. I would expect some increase but if it doubles!!!

Probably just a rumour but I heard that the general towpath winter mooring is set to double next winter and wondered if there is any truth in the rumour. I would expect some increase but if it doubles!!!

Well don't ask me how but it's up and running as smooth as I could hope did the checks that Tony suggested but stopped short of getting the filter out of the back of the pump as I decided to many small pieces to drop. I decided to bleed it through one more time as far as I could and just then turn the engine over until the battery ran flat if need be and during this it just started sluggish at first but got going great in the end without any problems. I guess whatever was sticking released and the engine pushed out the air either way I am one happy bunny. The bit that still baffles me still no diesel out of the top vent nut and will investigate this at another time and leave well alone and fill up with diesel sap.

Thanks Tony some good points. I am confident as can be the lift pump is good its not that old and although can go wrong it is pumping plenty of diesel around the rest of the system. Yes I am able to bleed the pump from the side of the pump and good point about about the stop leaver but as the engine cut out itself I never operated the leaver but it's a good point and will check it first before I go any further. I actually had it stick once before and it took me a few goes at trying to start the engine before realising but as mentioned never used it this time but strange things happen. Looking at the manual and yes a filter with spring behind will check that also. Cheers a great help and a few more things to check. I should add although I can bleed the side screw perhaps the filter is partly blocked and restricting diesel so will check all the same.

Think I may have an injector problem on my bmc 1.5. Back story is I stupidly ran out of diesel last week andgot the engine up and running but approx every ten mins it would increase its revs and then settle down only to do it again some ten mins later. Every now and then it would cut out and the only way to start it was to crack a nut on an injector and away she went. I thought it's getting some air in the system although it was not obvious when I restarted the engine. The engine cut out once more and this time thought better change the fuel filter. This is the bit that makes me think perhaps all is not well with the pump. I changed the fuel filter and started to bleed the system and everything is fine upto the top bleed point on the pump as no matter what I try I am not getting any diesel or air out of it nor am I getting any out at the injectors. Everything right up to the side bleed point on the pump has good supply of diesel but nothing through or beyond the pump. I am thinking perhaps this old pump was still going but just and this running out of diesel has only brought forward a failure. Also don't know if regular diesel should play a part as it was all I could get to get the boat up and running again. If anyone can shed any light on it or any suggestions then it will be most welcome. Sorry not a BMW although that would be nice.

No key pads as mentioned above and look identical to the ones on the water point that to my knowledge have never worked. Obviously an isolation switch somewhere. I guess time will reveal all.

It has been mentioned that it has something to do with the new flats and perhaps they are going to pay for the electric and water?? They perhaps don’t want noisy engines or smoky fires right under their £400,000 studio flats but will have to start handing out some electric heaters to stop the latter. There appears to be nothing to stop anyone simply plugging in or filling up with water or even a card slot. They are the same as the water and electric points on the water point and I dont think they have ever worked so perhaps they will never be turned on. Time will tell. Just one final bit there has been some really nice spray painted murals under the overhanging sheds makes the place look almost smart

No my mooring is not one of the traditional winter moorings that cost an arm and a leg especially at Brentford but one of the new general towpath moorings and very reasonably priced. Although not supposed to be moored in the marina I am as I moved down for my safety and stupidly ran out of diesel and since getting my engine going it's been doing a few strange things so not keen to move until I have sorted it and hopefully tonight. From memory only one person has taken the winter moorings the past couple of years and he will be very excited with my appearance in the marina and keeping his peculiar very sharp. That stretch from Hanwell to Brentford is getting worse and worse only a matter of time and it will be non navigable, if you don't know it very easy to get stuck. By the way out of interest does anyone know what is the deal with the new electric and water points on the visitor moorings looks like they may be turned into permanent moorings to me? It's hard to imaging they are providing them free?

I can Think of a couple of moorings you have moved to that have a bit of garden and have often thought they look nice when I pass on my way to one of my regular pitches at yeading. congratulations with the baby and perhaps meet up sometime in the spring but you may have your hands full Will be at Brentford for the winter as I have taken the general towpath winter mooring this yea. Good luck.

Move to pastures new or just up the cut? We bumped into each other on a couple of times. I see Ralph has joined the towpath, sensible man and lovely feller just like your good self. So where are you these days.

I think you just were unlucky Brentford is a very safe place. Although in this world we live in these days trouble can happen a shame but don't let that one incident cloud your thoughts of Brentford.

As the title someone has handed me a bunch of keys found at Osterley Lock this evening obviously from a boat. So if you have or know someone who has lost some keys please get in touch so they can be returned.

I went down the arm about four years ago so well before any dredging and in places with the reeds ect it was barley wide enough for one boat to get through, I remember praying hope another boat is not coming the other way as it would have been virtually impossible to reverse out with all the reeds and weed. However the clarity of the water and wildlife made it all worthwhile even though as others have said the end is disappointing. May do it again next year now that it has been dredged as it is worth a day visit.

I suppose they could have been zebra mussels but from having a quick look on Google I don't remember seeing the distinctive stripes and also the triangular shape does not ring a bell. The ones I remember were similar to the mussles you get in the sea but only much smaller and slightly more brown in colour. I have always wished I had taken a few photos at the time as I now realise it was a bit odd but as I was new to boating just thought at the time perhaps normal.

When I first took my boat out of the water some ten years ago now the bottom was almost completely covered in mussels and as I used the jet wash they flew around as though fired from a machine gun. I suppose the ones on my boat were fresh water mussels but the ones in the report seem to be bad news and hope they can be confined to that lake. I wonder what the Likelihood of fishermen unknowingly spreading them through their fishing tackle is?