sarahavfc

According to my firefighter friend who was in attendance, the boat had a number of helium tanks on board, the small ones you get in shops for blowing up balloons. He also said that the port hole didn’t need to be smashed as the sealant had melted and they just pushed the glass inside.

Speak to Steve Priest at Brinklow, he’s doing one at the moment for a friend of mine.

3 or 4” radius are the most common, but it varies depending on the manufacturer.

Millscale won’t develop after blasting, you may get a little flash rust, but that’s easily removed. It looks as though you’ve got one of two things, microblistering or solvent pop. There’s plenty written online about the two. I’d be more worried if it were microblistering as it will only get worse. Hope this helps.

Try Heart of England Narrowboats, which run out of my yard, Glascote Basin. They have just added Thames Valley to the fleet and have repainted and re-named it “Dusk til Dawn”. The boat only arrived last month and we have managed to get it ready for them earlier than anticipated so there are quite a few weeks available at the moment, but they are booking quickly.

Hi Alan, I am not sure if there is much truth in this rumour, I feel it may have come about because someone recently commented on a facebook brokerage advert of mine from about 4 years ago, which put the advert onto a number of peoples timelines. Sarah

I do sell diesel, but I have only got a small tank so tend to just sell it to our moorers and use it for our own equipment.

I’m looking at Stokie as we speak, it’s owned by a friend of mine. PM me and I’ll give you further info. Sarah

You want one of the nice late Yarwoods Boats with forged skegs and balanced rudders. Light as a feather and the elegance of a Josher. Perfect!

That was my thoughts too, but I was told at the funeral that’s where they were going. Very strange as LH was very anti CRT museums as they have lost some of his items in the past. I did offer to organise a project to make his archive available to enthusiasts, but there was no interest from the family and was told it was going to Gloucester, so I left it at that.

I believe his archive is being given to the Waterways Museum at Gloucester. The man who would know what has happened to it is Bob Williams of Lichfield and Hatherton Canal Restoration Trust. PS. I have a length or two of Barley Twist that Laurence gave to me.

We are still here, just having domain issues with the website, it seems the company I purchased the domain through no longer exists, so I can't renew, hoping to go back live next week when I've sorted ownership issues.. Facebook had the phone number for the boatyard at Norton Canes, now disconnected as the office and majority of our work is now at Glascote. I have now edited it to show the Glascote number. Oh and I have smoke boxes, top plates and fire bricks for Eppings and I have a massive amount of spares for MC Classics and Premier ranges too.

I can confirm that the boat on the bank at Glascote is Theophilus. We have had the boat for around 3 years now and have been working on and off on the boat as schedules and owners funds allow. As you can appreciate the owner does not have bottomless pockets and we have other projects that are keeping us busy. Works already completed include a new 'V' bottom, plates let into hull sides, a new counter and curved uxterplates, internal and external shot blasting works. So although she may look a little sad for herself at the moment, the hull is in excellent order. The owner has purchased the cabin that was removed from Ladybank, which he has measured against that of Tycho (which was moored here at Glascote a year or so ago) and has found the dimensions to be remarkably similar. It is the intention to fit this cabin with a small extension and cover the hold with a tug deck. I hope that answers a few of the questions raised. Sarah

Yes, that is certainly Trevor in post 56 and Dad is pictured in post 51, in the last picture winching the boat out of the water. When I was at school I did a project which involved designing and making a lamp, Trevor helped me with my project and I got in trouble for it being too good! I’m now very pleased to own a boat built by Dad and fitted out (over about 4 years...) by Trevor.

Just to confirm, we weren’t painting Boats at Norton Canes in 2014.

I’ve not had to touch the ceiling. The original varnish is still in excellent condition. The only bit I have re done is where I took out cupboards between the galley and saloon. Its not quite finished, but I’m pleased with how the modernising is going.

I may be a little biased but I would agree with this. 6 months ago I purchased a 70ft Norton Canes built in 1991 for what I thought to be a sensible amount of money. The fitout is in solid Brazilian mahogany, it has a vintage (ish) engine and back cabin and a great liveaboard layout. I’ve done a bit of modernising inside and the boat is now looking great. We’ve just had her out of the water for gritblasting and 2K epoxy blacking. Hull is in sound condition for its age, a little pitting but nothing scary, which the 2K epoxy has now put to bed. Do your homework and go for a pedigree builder would be my advice. Sarah

If you’re really lucky Mick will answer ?

I will have a crane at Glascote Basin around that date. Give me a call on Monday if interested 01827311317. Sarah

The bottom appears to have got a lot closer to the top. That’s a hell of a lot of water to have lost.

We’re in Pelsall and I’ve just been outside to have a look, it’s a bit dark but the levels seem to be extremely low, I’ll have a better look in the morning.

Try GJW, they are actively encouraging historic boat owners to insure with them.

Looks like a Lesters can to me.

Iain Jones is my preference.

The first thing we did was burn the old stop planks for ours and fabricate a new steel guilottine gate. Not cheap even done in house, but saves a hell of a lot of time, doesn't leak and keeps the dock far cleaner.