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Video: 'Leo' Visiting Stretford for lunch in the summer.
Paul Lorenz of Lorenz Canal Services on their regular jaunt along the Bridgewater as far as Runcorn collecting rubbish out of the canal-passing Stretford Boatyard.
Tim on look-out going up towards the city centre along the Irwell Thursday evening 3rd. May 2007- a jaunt up to the Mark Addy Pub.
Mooring outside the Lowry Centre for the filming to be done on Friday 4th. May
Video: Filming on the Irwell
VIDEO:Bluebell wood between Keighley and Skipton on the Leeds and Liverpool canal
Photo: John Fryer
Bedford Basin, Leigh: Lorenz Canal Services
Monday 11th June 2007
Taking Roger Lorenz's boat 'Neptune' down to Liverpool for the International Waterways Conference. Paul Lorenz at the helm.
Tuesday 12th June 2007
Making slow progress through the reeds and the rubbish on the rarely frequented lower section approaching Liverpool
Video: Journey to Liverpool on Neptune
Antony Gormley's 'Another Place' stretches along the coast from the exit of Liverpool Harbour to Crosby. One hundred rusty men looking out to sea. Some submerged and others stranded at high tide.
VIDEO: paramotor training session in Gloucestershire. Sunday 20th May 2007.
Video: Swan Ballet
Leeds and Liverpool Canal, above Bank Newton
Pictures of 'Bart' moored above Bank Newton Locks.
two boats on the Norfolk Broads. a day trip this summer.
Thursday 18th October 2007
Smart newly painted 'Leo' after being in dry dock at Worsley,off to collect the rubbish on the Bridgewater as far as Runcorn. Steve Connolly and Paul Lorenz, crew. Get an invite to the annual bonfire and boater's lunch. Discuss the menu with Steve and have to choose what to to eat now as the food is ordered beforehand. Decide on mussels- could be risky.
(note from editor, they were delicious)
Friday November 2nd. 2007
Manchester Ship Canal Company boat with crew returning from cutting branches and tidying up the canal around Brooklands. The crane on board has a maximum lift of one ton. Skipper of the boat says 'Shellfen' is looking a lot better, and one of the crew asks 'where is Miss Piggy?' when he sees Kermit on the front.
(strange fact: another boat passed to day with Kermit hanging in the cratch. what is going on?)
Saturday 3rd. November 2007
On my way up to the Tank in the afternoon. Arrive in the dark and moor up in Bedford Basin. In time for the fireworks , bonfire and plenty of food and drink. FIre in the front cabin in Shellfen- have to leave the hatch open as it gets warm. The restored boathouse looking like a pagoda in some exotic kingdom rather than a coal shed in Leigh.
The Toll House, Bedford Basin, Leigh
spider's web
Sunday 4th November 2007
The cruise in the mist down to the pub at Astley for the Bonfire Sunday Lunch. About 50 assorted people mainly boaters plus Paul's dad. The mussels were delicious.
I have to leave just before 3 to get across the Tank before it shuts at 4.30 make it with about 20 mins to spare as I was travelling faster than normal. Tied up at Stretford and on my way home by 5.
Off to lunch, 'Pauline' in the mist. Tables and chairs provided by the bonfire.
looking towards the city
looking west towards Liverpool.
crossing 'the Tank'
Video: Bedford Basin Bonfire Party 2007.
The sunday morning cruise down to the pub in Astley through the mist.
Video: An outing along the Leed and Liverpool in the little boat with Kier and friends.
Friday 27th July 2007
Trying out the 'nibbler' needle gun. Reaches parts that other scrapers cannot reach.
work in progress
VIDEO: Preparation 1, Frank tries out two possible methods
In the end sand blasting and other methods were not working, at least not without a more powerful compressor and using crushed glass instead of sand which would have done the job.
Instead use powertools and a generator to shift loose stuff and get paint on to protect the boat for the winter.
hatch cover before painting
'Centre Plate' marking on tank.
work is going on preparing the boat for repainting. One of the interesting discoveries is the marking on the front of the boat showing the registration number and the registered weight of the boat. Also under the paint the metalwork appears to be in very good order thanks to some form of metal treatment that probably is now illegal due to lead content, but certainly has preserved the metal.
Sunday 14th october 2007
. Priming of boat completed, top coat to go on next.
Tuesday, 11th December.2007
The boat is moored back at the original position almost under the bridge. The portholes are leaking which means replacing the rubber seals.
