narrowboatworld

HERE at Oxley we are usually up for an engineering challenge and this tale recounts our latest.

FINALLY we are starting to see boats moving around the canals again here in the West Midlands. The winter stoppages are scheduled to have finished and water (without solid ‘lumps') has settled to a more consistent level.

THIS year, 2013, is not turning out to be a good one so far here in the yard. I can fully appreciate the feelings of HM The Queen when she coined the phrase 'Annus Horriblis'. I will try and be cheerful but may struggle.

HERE we are in 2013 and you find us still going! I'd dearly like to say "strongly" but that would be telling porkies! Nevertheless—onwards and upwards is the cry!

WE HAVE reached the week before Christmas and another year is closing. This year has seen some major change in many areas and times have been ‘interesting', writes Orph Mable.

NOW well into December and the ‘silly season' is well and truly upon us, writes Orph Mable.

LOOKING back over previous ‘Yarns', readers would be excused for thinking that we only get ‘interesting' jobs here at Oxley, writes Orph Mable.

IT WAS just a routine referral from River Canal Rescue that we received during afternoon tea (inconsiderate or what?) to attend a narrowboat break-down at Kinver Bottom Lock. writes Orph Mable.

THE darker and colder days of winter are now well and truly upon us so it comes to the time to put right all those little bumps and scrapes that us narrowboat owners have accumulated over the balmy (I wish) summer days of cruising, writes Orph Mable.

THIS ongoing saga, nay epic, was apparently reaching its conclusion with Phil taking Marcellus, complete with refurbished Kelvin P4 engine and TMP gearbox, on a two hour test run, writes Orph Mable.

THE first extended test run for Marcellus with the refurbished Kelvin P4R was, to put it mildly, a bit of a disaster and terribly embarrassing to David and Alex who were conducting the trial, writes Orph Mable.