LEO

I used to have one of those 'special' spanners shown in the illustration, purchased it from 'Snap On', made life a lot easier when I had a 1.5. Good luck, I recall the nuts were 5/8 AF........

Hi, The Gardner 2LW (March1957) in my nb. was like many other 2LW's exported to South Africa, to work in various jobs in the gold mines. 'Digging' round and with the help of the Gardner website I have details of the original order when lots of them were exported to power small Hunslet rail traction engines, order dated 1956/57. It was probably repatriated about 1998,and again like many rebuilt by Walshes. Attached is a pic of the small Hunslet engines and the restored engine. It was probably and early restoration, not highly polished and it gives great service. I had this picture made into a computerised jig saw puzzle, brill if you like puzzles......Happy Days.

Hi, just read the Wendover Arm has been closed by inserting stop planks, closing off the length from Little Tring Bridge to the winding hole, apparently water is draining into the fields at this point. CRT have required the investigation. So winding is limited to the feeder.............and remember the fun that caused at the Festivals........ No indication how long this stoppage will last.

Also good for conservatory roofs. Use it conjunction with a Karcher extending lance, can reach up to soffitts on houses.

There is interest in the canal at the old workshops, the owners of the Manager's house have just emailed me, they are delighted with the picture, want to buy it and will make a generous donation to charity, good news, My wife is delighted as well, a bit more 'junk' cleared from the garage.

Thanks, an excellent set of pictures, I wonder if the original forge remains, good seeing the gates made..........wonder where all the templates for gate sizes for all locks on the GU went?................I did see a small railway cart loaded with sheet metal has been retained, but I doubt if ever a boat will moor again......the Pub has reverted to it's original name and is under the Oakman Inns badge. The Cowroast PH name is shelved, it's now the Artisan.................check dress codes before you cross the threshold........

I have moored at Cowroast for many years (30+), as have many others, some of us used to organise charity auctions, they were renowned - buy the stuff one year, store it, resell it next year (for the same amount).............well it was for charity!. About 7 years ago I bought a framed (20"x 15") print of a boat passing the Manager's house and Workshops at Bulbourne, it was a Springer, the picture was taken about about 1986..... good quality picture. It cost £2............... The redevelopment started - sell it to the Developers I thought..........Covid came......I broke my leg, I had a new knee......the picture gathered dust in the garage. So in 'TYOL 2024'the development is finished, the Manager's house has sold for about £1million+ my wife wanted to visit Tring Garden Centre at Bulbourne ( a short walk from the canal - best value restaurant on the summit). I thought, I wonder if those peeps who bought the Manager's house might like........... I called, no answer to video door bell.....another door bell.....somebody came, I had interrupted a Zoom Call............no real interest in the picture. my wife might want it - 'How much?' - a fiver for canal related charity.............I had left full contact details......... I left the picture.......not heard anything. Actually, the conversion of Bulbourne Yard looked brilliant, a place to live brilliant, interest in canals history from the inhabitants............................................................ ZERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So at Bulbourne, the pub has changed, the last time any recognition of history emerged there was when filming of an episode of 'Call the Midwife' was filmed there............ We traveled on to Cowroast, another Boater's stopover.............here the 'modernisation' of canalside pubs, in this case the Cowroast (now the Artisan) continues, but unless CRT have left you with any money and you have very (£60 a head for a meal) deep pockets AVOID............... again canal or local history ZERO...............the basic dream is to develop it into a Night club..........so scurry on dear Boater.......North or South...........history is disappearing.......

Hi, I have a Kabola Old Dutch, good little stoves, that 'nut' needs really careful adjustment, so that the flap is just closed, be careful as the nut is the counterweight. The fires are sensitive to 'down draughts' and can blow out. which is annoying. Take care when cleaning the bottom of the burner pot as mine developed a pin prick hole, and replacement pots are expensive and in very short supply. they like burning for long periods, I think mine burnt continuously for just 3 weeks once.

Like others I don't like that rigid connector and instructions normally want a flexible connection twix pump and pipework (as others have suggested) Also I like to mount the pump in an ally cooking tray, it catches water from leaks and make the search for same easier.

Thanks an excellent set of pictures, the first (oldest) one brings back a lot of memories - 1963/4, school lunch breaks, wanting around here, spares from Mick Riley's motorcycle worksop in the canal buildings, or Claude Rye across the road. The canal was scheduled to go from here and link up with the River Thame to join the Thames near Dorchester............seeing narrowboats being converted in the covered area..................... I think one of the 'Clee' boats built here ended up at os D&DBC at Pitstone, great picture, thanks.

Thanks for the info..........

That was a while ago, I think there was a Rally down there, early 60's?. It's all change now, the power station in the background has gone. I have attached a picture of a dockside crane at the Aylesbury basin, which appears in a series of pictures recently released. Hope you are well... M

An alternator charging only one battery.............sounds like the old argument again - alternator only charges for a short while after starting, and needing a -stimulator to keep them charging.

I have had 3 Samsung tablets, all good, lastest one S9 FE+, lovely bit of kit, bought a folding case for it and it comes with a stylus. I had a problem with the second one, the screen died, repaired under 2 year warranty. I see Samsung have closed their shops.

Thanks for that, I am looking at paraffin prices and availability......................Eco fan powering a Zibro stove. I wonder?.