Swallowman

http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=21339 Just like the one I bought for the boat some years ago - but cheaper. I have bought lots of Powerfix branded tools from LIDL and the quality is really good at the price. Not quite up to Snap-On but not far short - havn't broken or worn anything out yet.

Course it doesn't work - that's why it was in the cut! SWMBO took a photo of me moored in Gas Street basin up to my armpit down't weed 'ole on our very first cruise on Swallow - first pic on our page of the boat's website. http://www.nb-swallow.co.uk/styled-8/styled-22/styled-24/index.html

It's gone!! River level was lowered to enable some remedial works to the weir just downstream and according to friends who live in the flats opposite, some bods turned up on the Saturday morning to try and pump her out but like Fred Carnot's Army, failed dismally. Consequently the EA came along with the A Team on Sunday and Achilles was back afloat within an hour. it was apparently towed through the lock and away downstream but to where is another question entirely. Strange but true, a smaller red and green narrowboat is now moored where Achilles lay on the opposite side to the Council run moorings..

River level has been lowered considerably and Achilles is now about 85% visible. I took a few pics on my b***dy silly BlackBerry yesterday but I can't extract them to post on here. I have pm'd Dazbot8 but as he hasn't been on here since December last year, i don't hold out much hope. Wouldn't mind betting the EA themselves will pull her out and dispose of as scrap. Don't know what engine it had but it would be pity to lose an old one.

When I bought my first car (1947 Series E Morris 8) in 1969, I bought a Swiss-made Wanner 315 grease gun which I still use on my 1937 Morris 8 and Rover 3 litre cars. There were a few nipples that were difficult to get at with the rigid steel tube from the pump to the nipple connector and I found that by using a flexible rubber brake hose instead of the steel tube, I could get at the awkward nipples much more easily. It strikes me that the TAT nipples need the grease gun to be applied at an almost exact right angle to ensure a tight fit so the brake hose idea may allow a little more leeway if the space is tight. Good luck with all the work, with all Marcus's enthusiasm it will happen.