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Post by Jim on Jun 22, 2018 12:08:17 GMT
^^^ This. I'll go to murder some prostitutes on the Grand Central Railway tomorrow. They operate on steam trains on the UK's only heritage main line. Talking of old puffers, we were suddenly confronted by a 'orrible Black Thing bearing down on us a speed belching out smoke at Gargrave station. It sped by and a couple of anoraks with telephoto lenses told us was The Royal Scot. Going to Keighley to be used on the KWVR for a few days. You must have been chuffed to bits.
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Post by naughtyfox on Jun 22, 2018 12:11:06 GMT
What would people here go with? An umbrella and a bar of chocolate. And some Moomin plasters in case I get stabbed.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2018 16:34:36 GMT
We were advised by a local boater to moor on the rings by the closed down pub before the sharp left turn (when travelling from the Trent) which we did, and it was fine for the two or three nights we were there.
We were told by the same boater that the basin is very busy and can be extremely noisy.
Interested for future reference, to hear what you thought of it as a mooring. We obviously walked throught it many times en route into town and back, and it looked fine and fairly quiet.
Rog
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Post by Mr Stabby on Jun 22, 2018 17:02:47 GMT
I was there from around 15:00 yesterday until 12:00 today, there are moorings for half a dozen boats although I only saw three other boats while I was there, and two of those only stopped long enough to do brief shopping trips. Only one stayed overnight. There was quite a bit of footfall, and a few kids playing a bit noisily during the afternoon although it quietened down later. There were a couple of bare-topped lads sitting around drinking beer from cans this morning but we exchanged the pleasantries of the day and I didn't find them at all intimidating. There's a fairly newish toilet and shower block, and Elsan point there.
It felt a bit claustrophobic with tall buildings on three sides, it was convenient for town centre shopping as I needed to go to several different shops but although I didn't have any problems there I don't think it would be a future mooring of choice if I didn't need provisions.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2018 20:14:30 GMT
Thanks for that.
Did you do the train journey, was looking at their site on line.
Rog
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Post by Mr Stabby on Jun 22, 2018 21:16:46 GMT
Thanks for that. Did you do the train journey, was looking at their site on line. Rog No, that will be tomorrow, according to their timetable they weren't running a service today, although I'm moored quite near it and heard train whistles a few times this afternoon, presumably either from shunting operations, footplate experience rides or private hire. After that I intend to go down the GU to London although I will probably head back to my mooring for a couple of days first, the diversion from Braunston will only add a day each way to the journey and there are a few things I need to do there. I'm not in any rush though and may do the Market Harborough arm on the way as Market Harborough is a rather agreeable market town, this will also have the effect of delaying my passage through Foxton Locks until next weekend as it is much busier at weekends and I have a bit of a vanity thing going on about having my photo taken by grinning Japanese tourists.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2018 21:28:11 GMT
Restrain yourself then! Your big chopper will do nothing for international diplomacy and the tourist industry Rog
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Post by patty on Jun 23, 2018 8:37:25 GMT
Love Foxton locks spent many a happy hour there.
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Post by Mr Stabby on Jun 23, 2018 20:17:40 GMT
Random pic of the day-
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2018 21:07:48 GMT
Very evocative.
Rog
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Post by Mr Stabby on Jun 29, 2018 17:38:31 GMT
Just a quick update, am about two miles short of Foxton Locks now and will go up tomorrow early afternoon so I have an audience. I never get tired of being asked "Does it get cold in Winter?" but I've also found, as I still have half a dozen bags of coal on the roof, that I've been asked a few times lately "Does it have a steam engine?".
I might therefore light the stove before I get to Foxton just for dramatic effect.
I pulled up on piling earlier today and as I tied up, I found an abandoned (presumably forgotten) nappy pin in the piling. I don't really like them although they can sometimes be useful, especially at this time of year when heavy growth, particularly stinging nettles, can make goat chains slightly problematic. This is the second nappy pin I've found in this way, and I've also found two windlasses on lock balance beams.
In each case I have adopted them, but I'm never sure if this is the correct protocol. I've looked out for boaters further on who look like they may have a sudden windlass/ nappy pin deficit so I could reunite the item with its owner, but never found such a boater. I figure it unlikely that anyone would return for them and at least I have spares in case somebody else needs one in the future. What do other people do?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2018 17:50:13 GMT
I pick up any such abandoned items too. I have often encountered hire boat crews who have lost a pin or windlass. This gives me the opportunity to redistribute my 'wealth' of such items and appear like a Robin Hood figure. Little things..... Rog
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2018 17:51:43 GMT
Just a quick update, am about two miles short of Foxton Locks now and will go up tomorrow early afternoon so I have an audience. I never get tired of being asked "Does it get cold in Winter?" but I've also found, as I still have half a dozen bags of coal on the roof, that I've been asked a few times lately "Does it have a steam engine?". I might therefore light the stove before I get to Foxton just for dramatic effect. I pulled up on piling earlier today and as I tied up, I found an abandoned (presumably forgotten) nappy pin in the piling. I don't really like them although they can sometimes be useful, especially at this time of year when heavy growth, particularly stinging nettles, can make goat chains slightly problematic. This is the second nappy pin I've found in this way, and I've also found two windlasses on lock balance beams. In each case I have adopted them, but I'm never sure if this is the correct protocol. I've looked out for boaters further on who look like they may have a sudden windlass/ nappy pin deficit so I could reunite the item with its owner, but never found such a boater. I figure it unlikely that anyone would return for them and at least I have spares in case somebody else needs one in the future. What do other people do? Exactly the same, give them a good home, hand them back to their rightful owner on the very rare occasion we meet someone looking for a windlass or abloy key. I'm welding a rusty old 1994 Corsa GSI up tomorrow, wouldn't have agreed to it had I known you were going to be just up the road at Foxton
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2018 17:56:18 GMT
If you fancy a lunchtime beer before you entertain the tourists pm me. If I don't hear from you I have some rotten tomotoes to get rid of;-)
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Post by Mr Stabby on Jun 29, 2018 18:02:44 GMT
If you fancy a lunchtime beer before you entertain the tourists pm me. If I don't hear from you I have some rotten tomotoes to get rid of;-) OK, that would be good. How about if I time it to arrive at the bottom lock at midday exactly? In the past I've normally had to wait an hour or so before they let me loose so there's beer time there.
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