magnetman

I'll have a look round for it - if its in Docklands somewhere I should be able to find it. In the original photo it is being towed by the tug in the picture. I've seen them towing large gravel barges up and down the River like that with the tug tied alongside near the stern. Looks a bit "awkward" but seems to do the job no problem. Maybe its a hospitality unit for something to do with the tideway tunnel?(the Super sewer). Or Is it a prison ship

Good question. Perhaps it was towed round the coast. Pretty well designed for rough water - if it was just a shell with no portholes or doors it would probably tow fine even in rough water. Or could it possibly have been lifted into a coaster or something and shipped round ?

Interesting its on the Avon. I wonder if it went there by water? (Limehouse-Thames-Reading-K&A). I knoa tugs are deep for obvious reasons but AFAIK it was used on the River Lee so it might not actually be 4ft6 draught. I don't know what the depth over cills is on the K&A ?

Not 100% sure but I think Olton is a sister ship to this Vessel: Ex British Waterways tug used on River Lee. http://riverthames.sosugary.com/displayimage.php?pid=29

I feel I should apologise for bringing HS2 into this thread. Sorry about that. (I know S J Brooks may be a new member but I also know she is a long term boater and could have a valuable input to the forum)

Good. Look after her and hopefully she will be able to deal with it. This subject is too upsetting to get into deeply but it is a big topic and as you say it is very Good News when someone is brought to account even though it can never undo the damage completely it probably will help.

Edited as off the topic. Hopefully the impact of HS2 on the canal system can be minimised.

It occurred to me that the pit with the boats in might be on the route of a road access point for construction of the viaduct so it could be in danger of being filled in to make a road. Apparently there will be a concrete casting plant on the site as well due to the size of the works. As I understand it its not if it happens but when.. I can't remember the area well enough to work it out but I think there was an old quarry roadway coming down towards the pit - a road I imagine may be reopened by HS2.

There were sidings there opposite common moor. All overground with buddleia now (or have they been reopened ?) I haven't been there for a few years. There is a rumour this is where the train from the moorgate disaster is buried.

There was a short presentation about HS2 at the London Waterways Forum on Wednesday evening. Someone suggested that the spoil from the tunnel coming out of London -might- be dumped at Harefield. No idea if this is true but if so it could put the Hawtreys pit site in danger There is going to be a massive rail viaduct near there as well.

Wooden punt poles are usually made of spruce.

Not entirely accurate in my opinion. Its dodgy to say am ash pole is guaranteed to be blunt because it isn't. Ash poles will still pierce your skin if you are behaving stupidly when they break but they are a little bit less sharp and more difficult to break than pine Bannister rails. I have found broken ash poles in the cut before and they do sometimes break at an angle and provide a sharp point If you want to do ridiculous things like levering a boat off the mud then use a scaffold plank or a thick wall (1/4") aluminium pole.

Its a "reputation score". Entirely worthless in my opinion. A better system would be a display like "xyz likes this" or something like that. The green (or red ) system is also subject to manipulation so not necessarily a true reflection. My 2p

Would this include an Intermediate Naughtiness Examination Level ? Typo

(Still got the 2 points. Very bothersome not quite sure how to get rid of them. Is there a ££ option to clear them like a PCN?