rotrax
Well-known member
Used to love slotting my narrowboat into those locks a few inches from the disapproving glares of the gin palaces cheerily waving. Very few of them can drive the bloody things as well as them being wildly inappropriate craft for a non tidal river.
A neighbour and I went to Abingdon Lock to see a well known inland waterways bod taking a Leeds and Liverpool short boat - 60X 14 feet - on his way up the Thames to Oxford before he took it across the Channel to explore the waterways over there.
Big and smokey air start Dorman diesel IIRC, so he was allowed to keep it going in the lock chambers.
The weekend Admirals did not like this at all. When a lady crew was sent forward from a flybridge type ocean going cruiser with the boat hook to fend off should it be required our Hero, dressed in bib and brace overalls and a disreputable blue sweater took his pipe out of his mouth and called out
" Dont you scratch my nice black paint! "
How we laughed............................