dave moore

I’m with Steve on this one!

Many of the painters I work with use Kleen Edge tape, or Tesa 3434. Either way, it is important to thumb the contact edge well down. Ordinary masking tape is a waste of time in my experience. Wrights of Lymm, signwriters merchants, also offer an American plastic tape, the Edge, which I use on lettering and other jobs. Super stuff!

It was!

I’m sorry, but I can’t help with identifying the painter. I’m inclined to agree with David that it is probably the work of an amateur, possibly a boater, seemingly painted carefully rather than with the practised ease of a dock painter. It would appear that early work carried a wider variety of flowers than are usually painted today. Some of the other stuff on display looks much more recent and the crockery and mug seem to have been influenced by the Ann Young book.

Alvechurch experimented with the bulbous bow in the 80s.

That’s the Kevin plaque, I think, rather than the gear change wheel. We got ours from Dick Goble and attached it to the side wall lining of our engine hole. Can’t recall how much we paid but it wouldn’t have been a fortune. Maybe he still has one knocking around? I have his numbers. Great bloke!

Phil formulated Grand Union Pale Blue, which should be available from Craftmaster. It used to be available from Atex paints in Brierley Hill but they no longer manufacture paints in small quantities. Bear in mind that the original blue will have faded, this might not sit too well with the new paint. I guess my lettering is a bit faded by now, too!

Tunnel bands is a modern term for them. Since the 60s, I’ve always known them as counter bands. I don’t think the waterways press help in this respect, I’ve seen what I know as a stop beam referred to as a “ boatman’s beam” , likewise a cabin stool called a “ boatman’s stool”. Side doors called swan or duck hatches make me wince….

Indeed. I have one surviving older relative, my uncle who married dad’s youngest sister. We celebrated his 92nd birthday last summer. Back in early January, I had a call from my cousin, his daughter. After several falls, he had been hospitalised…..weeks on, he has lost the use of both arms, back home in a hospital bed with carers 4 times a day. After a long life of public service, from scouting, local politics, school governor and local law, it is heartbreaking to see a physical shell housing a still active mind. Awful.

Back in the 70s as an avid folkie, I used to help out at a local music shop, Modern Music in Dudley. The owners, former professional musicians, set up the shop not only to sell stuff but also to offer repair services to touring musicians, based on their own working experiences. Jack, one of the owners, was a superb jazz guitarist and would sometimes leave the rear office to shoo off the time wasters in the shop, playing lots of notes but little music, in his opinion. He retired many years ago and I bumped into him shortly afterwards in our local shopping centre. We chatted for a while and then he admonished “ Dave, don’t get old” ” Why, Jack?” ” Well” he added….” All the bits that used to work don’t any more. And the ones that are left…hurt! “ I now know only too well the wisdom of his words.

Mrs Ballinger.?

Many thanks. I was curious. D

Browsing Facebook earlier, I came across an ad for subscription to the magazine. My eye was caught by a header on the March cover about a sinking on the Soar. If any members are subscribers, I’d be interested to hear of the content. There was a cilling in Kegworth deep last year involving a CTS boat called Titan, a boat I’d had much to do with over time. Not only that, but my old boat Resolute was in the same lock when the incident occurred! if the article concerns those boats, I’ll try and find a copy but since WH Smith fell foul of Covid in my local shopping centre, there are no decent local newsagents to try. Thanks in advance if you are able to help Dave

Again, whole area in lightest colour. Set out diamonds using straight edge and pencil. Generally, diamonds look best if the length is twice the width but the space available may force different proportions. Assuming a cream or white base, I’d tape up the next lightest colour ( yellow?) and paint them in. Tape up next colour ( lining tape again) and paint in. Repeat for darkest colour.

Many of the yards I’ve worked with over time will take 4-6 weeks for a bare metal repaint, sometimes longer.For a first class finish, the preparation is exacting and can’t be skimped.