His homework for the "Fly Run" has been most thorough and we are hoping to replicate a steamer "Fly Run" as closely as present day conditions permit - canal depth and lock paddle changes that have occurred since the days of the flying steamers having an effect, of course. The timings Richard has produced will be adhered to, barring accidents and failures. The crew change-over points of old are being observed, the difference in the arrangement is that it will be a four for four crew change instead of alternating pairs, the total crew, therefore, being eight.

Those off duty will travel on our sister boat "Vulcan". Since the two boats met on the way to the IWA National Rally at Hawkesbury in 1987 they have shared a number of adventures together, the Manchester Ship Canal and the Brindley Run being among them, so it is very appropriate that "Vulcan" should make the "Fly Run" with 'President' this year. They make a grand pair for such historic occasions - I think we'd now feel lonely without her at such times, and we should not forget the family tie that existed between the two boats in their working days.

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It has been reported at recent committee meetings that a considerable footage of video film of 'President' was shot, both professional and amateur, during last year's boating season, and some prior to this. Plans are being discussed for drawing together the best of this with a view to producing a video tape for members to purchase. There is the possibility of including still rostrum shots using old photographs, and transferring from 8mm ciné film, material from the early days of "President's" preservation.

A few weeks ago, when I went over to Tony Millatt's house to discuss production of "195", we ended the evening by watching the part of the video film shot for the 150th Anniversary Celebrations of Royal Leamington Spa in 1988 covering "President's" participation. The tape Tony has has been supplemented with additional 'President' footage not on the tape produced for sale, and very enjoyable viewing it was, complete with excellent sound recording - 'President' chuffs very well across the television screen.

I hope the planned video comes to fruition, just the tonic for miserable winter evenings.

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I would have hoped by now Roger Cromblehome's cardboard model of 'President' would have come to fruition - see Edition No.17, Page 4, of "195". I must write to him to see what has happened. His range of cardboard models is quite extensive; buildings, tram cars, industrial locomotives, etc., so an historic narrow boat would seem to be an obvious addition

Her 70 ft plus length and the scale he works at may have run the idea into cardboard size problems. When we met he did explain that there was such a constraint. Hopefully, these could be overcome - my 'X-acto' knife and glue are all ready to go.

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You may remember that in Edition 13 of "195" Friends of President member Chris Allen contributed an excellent article on the steam powered Bosphorus ferry boats. This contribution not only was very interesting, it was also much appreciated by Trevor Hale and myself anxiously searching for copy for our first edition of "195".

Well, its off to your local friendly newsagent again, this time to ask him to get you a copy of "Old Glory", Edition No.13, March 1991. In this edition Chris Allen again talks about the Bosphorus ferries in an article entitled "Smokescreens across the Bosphorus". This time his text is accompanied by a number of superb colour photographs.

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Referring to the photographs on the back pages of the last "195" you will have noticed refreshments being taken. It was, in fact, a jam doughnut party underway.

Dave Stott, having forsaken Hobnobs, is now into jam doughnuts, and it should be recorded that all those contented looking workers referred to were partaking in juicy jam doughnuts, whole boxes of them, provided by Dave during the working party weekend.

Could this be 'good-bye' to the steamboater's favourite snack?

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In an endeavour to reproduce in "195", articles which have appeared in the past on earlier days of "President's" preservation days, we are further rewarded, through the kind permission of Nicholas Bostock, and Hugh Potter, Editor of 'Waterways World', in being able to include Nicholas Bostock's article, 'Restored to Power', which appeared in the September 1979 edition of 'Waterways World'.

This is an excellent article and clearly shows the very great effort put in by the restorers of 'President' to get the boat back as far as possible to original condition.

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The Black Country Living Museum is keen to see 'President' in steam as often as possible. This is especially so when the boat is lying at the museum.

Currently being discussed with the Friends of President Committee is the idea of steaming the boat at week-ends on a monthly basis. This would offer much more time for additional crew training, and the opportunity for members who support us through their subscription but do not take an active rôle to have a journey on the boat, albeit, perhaps only to Factory Locks and back.

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There is a particularly attractive photography opportunity I would like to see realised. The location is between Caldwall Lock and Falling Sands Lock, just South of Kidderminster, where the Staffs and Worcester is crossed by the line of the Severn Valley Railway. I have often thought it would be very exciting to see 'President' and one of S.V.R.'s preserved steam locomotive engines in the same shot.

This year, especially, will be one of the very best opportunities, since the S.V.R. is to have on loan two historic record breaking locomotives, G.W.R. No. 3440, "City of Truro", and L.N.E.R. No. 4472 "Flying Scotsman". The real attraction is "City of Truro". This locomotive is of the same Edwardian era as 'President', built 1903 and 1908 respectively. Each a greyhound in their different elements.

Seems to me our Chairman, or the Black Country Living Museum, should have a chat with the General Manager of the S.V.R. to see what can be arranged. It has to be said, however, that the railway crosses the canal at a high level so clever photographic angles will be the order of the day.

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'President' has its friends, so, too, does the Editor of "195". Mike Wilkinson, who is now into the boat building business as well as manufacturing carpets, was our most patient printer until quite recently. To get an edition of "195" out took two days at his works in Kidderminster, two days during which his staff were very understanding as the editor hogged the copying machine for most of the day, and his reception area became a collation, stapling, and 'putting in envelopes' department.

Due to my typewriter not really being suitable to produce the newsletter to a reasonable standard Tony Millatt kindly offered to improve the quality of the print using all the latest word processing equipment that IBM can offer. Malcolm Nixon, with compatible word processor, also taking on some of the task for an edition or two. Having put an edition onto a floppy disk, it is a straightforward matter to run it off on an IBM printer.

This has meant the railway journeys to Kidderminster have ceased for now, pity really, I enjoyed rolling through the Black Country and on into the Worcestershire countryside, and I always found twenty minutes or so to visit the Kidderminster station of the Severn Valley Railway. It was also nice to see Mike for a chat about boats and trains, particularly the Welshpool - Llanfair C' railway, of which we were both early members.

Tony can also process the photographs we use onto the floppy disk using a computer. Previously, tuning up pictures on the photocopier to allow for varying densities of print could, at times, diminish the quality of the text, and this has now been overcome. Occasionally a trace may be lost in picture definition with one or two of the pictures, but the overall quality of the page where pictures and text occur together is vastly improved.

Tony also played about with cover designs on his computer and submitted the new one we now use for approval. It has added the missing boldness to the front of our journal without losting the Friends of President 'Corporate Identity'. I like it.

So, having reached Edition No.20 of "195" this is a very appropriate time to say thank you, Mike and Tony, for all your help. And, also to Ian Myers, who originally got "195" under way.

P.S. Get your colour copier, Mike, and I'll be over to do the covers!

Thank you, too, to Susan and Katie Hammon, mother and big sister respectively of Junior Member Lucy, who, at the last minute helped Trevor and myself by typing up our first edition of "195". Thinks - I still haven't bought the box of chocolates I promised them for their help.

And thank you, too, to all those who have contributed articles over the past twenty editions - your efforts have been much appreciated by editors chewing the ends of their pencils and trolling round the grey matter searching for inspiration.

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I selected the cover photograph of Bert Dunkley at the tiller of "Vulcan", prior to the March meeting of the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society at Coventry, at which gathering I heard that in the second week of March Bert celebrated his 80th Birthday. So, the cover photograph is now doubly important, firstly as a salute to Bert's work over very many years to fight for our canal heritage, and to research our canal history and enthrall all who attend his talks when he presents the results of his researches and personal reminiscences, and secondly, to celebrate his birthday.
Friends of President send Bert their Best Wishes.
The 'President' himself was just a young lad when Bert was born - they have both travelled a long and interesting journey since then. Of the two, Bert is now the more authentic and is still operating with his original boiler.

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The first signs of Spring are appearing, time to get out button caps, red 'kerchiefs, corduroy trousers etc.

The Editor of "195" and officers and committee of Friends of President wish all members a good 1991 boating season - enjoy yourselves whatever, you are doing.

Keith Rogers

A message from the Chairman

Dear Friends,

'President' has just returned to the Museum following another successful trip, to Ellesmere Port and Etruria. From reports I have heard everybody had a good time and a great number of people enjoyed seeing the boat on its journey around the North West. Thanks have come from both the Boat Museum and the Etruscan Bone and Flint Mill; these I pass on to all involved in crewing and getting the boat ready. I spent the last day on the boat and have to say it is going better than ever. We all must thank the members who have given up so much time over the past weeks sorting out all the problems in the engine room - without their dedication and skill 'President' would not go anywhere.

You will all be pleased to hear that 'President' has been awarded the Steam Heritage Marine Section Award this year. The award is to be presented on May 2nd at the Black Country Living Museum at 12 noon. The museum are hosts for the awards this year from the 2nd to the 6th of May. 'President' will be in steam and moving in and out of the site for the whole of the event. Other special exhibits will be on show, an 1834 Quadricycle, and "Joem", a railway locomotive (ex N.E.R. Class J72 No. 69023) will be in steam and running on a 250 metre track which is to be laid specially for the event. There will be many other steam related exhibits so I am sure you would have a great time if you made it.

Please support the "Fly Run". It is going to be a great event for F.O.P.. Please respect the wishes of the crew if you visit the boat on the run, we will not be taking passengers on board. We all look forward to seeing you if you turn out to watch us go by.

I look forward to seeing as many members as possible at the A.G.M. this year, details are elsewhere in this issue.

All the Best,

David Powell
Chairman

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Engineering Report

Working parties for 1991 started with small select gatherings on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Museum - Dave Stott, Andy Flack, Gerry Townsend and Larry Smith. These working parties started early in the year, in bleak conditions. By the departure of the boat the week before Easter, many hours had been put in, and a lot had been achieved:

• The Worthington pump had been removed and sent back to Worthington Simpson at Newark in December. They very generously gave it a thorough reconditioning, and returned it in fine condition.

  When restored, 'President' had an 1899 vintage Worthington Simpson which had originally been supplied to Latchmere Road Baths, but in 1988 this was swapped with the current pump - which is of 1920s or 1930s manufacture.

• The main steam valve was modified to remove the annoying click from last year, and rotated so the engineman no longer burns his wrist when using it.

  All valves were fitted with new seatings.

• New funnel fitted - it incorporates a discharge pipe that sits over the safety valve outlet, so the valve blowing off will no longer pull the fire. With the design of the new boiler, it was not possible to use the original safety valve discharge pipe.

• A 'snifter' (or vacuum release valve) has been fitted so a vacuum cannot form in the boiler when it cools. This is in the auxiliary steam line, so this line should not now be shut off when the boat is left.

• The cylinder drains now feed into some beautiful pipework by Gerry Townsend. The engineman should no longer get a squirt of hot steam in this trousers when using the drain cocks, which will avoid a few embarrasing and potentially dangerous moments.

• To give the engineman future embarrassment, the reversing lever was reversed. Why? Well, in the past, the engine always appeared to run better in reverse than ahead. The exhaust beat was more even and the engine ran more smoothly. Andy spent some time examining the valve setting and produced several valve diagrams to determine the optimum setting. When he was assembling the forward gear he observed that the logic of the valve gear was wrong. Further investigation proved that the eccentric arms were in fact crossed and the markings on the components did not tally. Also, there is a photo of the engine after it was restored prior to its installation in 'President' that clearly shows the eccentric arms to be open and not crossed - hence the change to the position of the lever.

• The cracked valve chest cover has been replaced.

• A coal bunker has been fitted on the starboard side. Most of the bunker is along the boat bottoms, with a shute from the cabin roof. It holds about seven (55lb) bags of coal, and discharges at floor level to the right of the boiler. It is a great success and makes engineroom conditions much less unpleasant when firing.

• The bilge ejector valve has been replaced and re-located. The old one was worn out. Re-location will enable drivers to see the water flow.
  Ed. Note: Driver Bob Sawyer was ace at operating the bilge ejector - it sang a pretty tune for him without fail. They train them well on the the Bluebell Railway - did Bulleid Pacifics have bilge ejectors ??

• The filter box lid has been strengthened, and the fine filters replaced with a single flat filter.

• A 12 volt bilge pump has been installed under the cabin floor, complete with a float switch - when the boat is left, a battery can be put under the seat, so the bilge water level is kept under control.

• It was planned to change the fusible plug on the boiler, but in fact this has not yet been done. We have 2 spare plugs - they are fitted from the fire side of the boiler.

Boiler Inspection

The Boiler Inspector has paid two visits to the boat. At the first 'out of steam' inspection, he was very satisfied with the state of the boiler. He liked the water treatment set up which has been fitted and was impressed with the boiler's internal condition. He fully endorsed the winterisation measures adopted, i.e. complete drain-down, all mud covers off, and installation of electric heater.

For the second inspection the boiler was in steam, the safety valve tested etc etc.

Boiler inspection is getting more stringent, and it is likely that the boiler will have to be removed from the boat in 1993 for a full inspection.

Thanks to Dave Stott for the above information. Dave has circulated all enginemen with more detailed information on many of these changes.

Jobs not tackled this winter were the moving of one of the gauge glasses to the other side. We have been quoted £700 to move the second gauge to the left side of the boiler. This price includes cutting, studding, and stress relieving.

By law there has to be one water gauge mounted on the boiler shell. There was some discussion on alternative means of fitting the second gauge to the left side of the boiler. One idea propounded was to 'T' off the secondary steam line and to 'T' off the feed line after the clack and put the second glass in a tube joining these!

We have also postponed the moving of the blow-down valve to make it accessible from the engine hole. Re-location is scheduled for next year.

At the March Committee Meeting, it was stated that the boiler water test kit is to be installed in a purpose-made wooden case. It was made clear that use of the test kit should be banned from the boatman's cabin to remove risk of contamination of commestibles with reagents. It will, however, continue to be kept in the cabin since the very high temperatures obtaining in the engine room will deleteriously affect the standard solutions used in the test kit. Whenever possible titrations should be made outside of the boat to ensure good observation of the phenolphthalein end point.

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Boat Working Parties

February 16th-17th:   was the first major working party. We arrived on the Saturday morning to find 'President' frozen in the ice under the bridge, and with 6 inches of water ABOVE the plates in the engine hole. The source of the water was a bit of a mystery - the previous Wednesday there had been some water in the boat, and also some snow on the boat, but not that much... It is thought that ice in the water inlet valve which feeds the filters had prevented the valve being fully closed and, of course, when the ice melted, water came in.

Anyway, the boat was pumped out. The ice was broken, and the boat moved alongside the wall. Jobs done included creosoting shutts, painting side cloths, deck cloths, engine room plates, boiler room roof inside and out, etc. etc. Despite the bleak weather the previous week, the sun appeared and it was reasonably warm, but not good enough to dry the paint well. We had thoughts of painting the hull, but with the ice we could not get the work flat round, and nobody volunteered to use the ice as a working platform.

Helpers at the weekend were Andy Brooker, Martin Cardwell, John Connett, John Goldrick, Nigel Jackson, Tony Millatt, Sean Neill, Maurice Parker and Dave Stott.

March 2nd-3rd:   - a busy weekend and a lot of hard work.

• Remaining stock of steam coal loaded onto "Birchills" (approximately 16 tonne).
• Hull painted with bitumastic paint.
• Cabin roof resealed and painted with red oxide primer.
• Bulls eye in cabin resealed.
• Fenders removed and creosoted.
• Various areas of the engine/boiler room were painted.
• Engine room floor plates painted black.
• New bunker painted with red oxide primer
• Boiler front plate painted black.

Working at the weekend were John Connett, John Goldrick, Dave Goodman, Nigel Jackson, Bob Jervis, Sean Neill, Eddie Oades, Maurice Parker, David Powell and David Upton.

March 16th-17th:   The hold was cleared and five and a half tons of coal loaded from "Birchills". There was plenty of painting to do, but the rain limited activity to painting inside. Bilge pump installed in bilge beneath the cabin; stern tube packed; a winter's growth removed from much of the brass; boiler filled.

Working at the weekend were Andy Brooker, Martin Cardwell, John Connett, Cyril Deane, Andy Flack, Harry Green, Nigel Jackson, Tony Millatt, Rupert & Sean Neil, Pat & Eddie Oades, Maurice Parker, Dave Stott, Gerry Townsend, Mike Young.

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Deep Navigation Mine

The last edition of "195" had an optimistic article about Deep Navigation Mine. Alas, it was not to be, and it was announced early this year that the mine would close at the end of March.

Deep Navigation Mine nestles in the valley by the small town of Treharris in South Wales. The mine was sunk in 1873 and the first coal produced in 1879. At the time it was the deepest mine in South Wales - 2215 feet deep and 650 feet deeper than any other mine. It has since gone deeper than this.

The mine was owned by the Ocean Coal Company. Its quality steam coal was popular with the Admiralty, who in the days of a coal-fired navy bought large quantities of coal and would pay a premium price for Deep Navigation coal.

Between 1880 and 1914 an average of 3 people a year were killed in the mine.

In March 1991, the mine was producing about 210 tons a day, 90 percent of which was crushed and went to Aberthaw Power Station. The mine shut in March. Some geological problems had been encountered, but the real problem was economic - investment was needed and the bleak future for UK coal production did not justify it. It is planned to fill the shaft with shale, so the chances of the mine ever reopening seem remote.

Some 300 jobs were lost with the closure of Deep Navigation, leaving less than 1,000 miners in the South Wales coal field. There were 28,000 miners in South Wales before the 1984-85 coal strike, and at one time the industry in South Wales employed 250,000 miners. It has been announced that nearby Penallt mine will close by the end of the year, and it is predicted that all deep mining in South Wales will end in the next 2 or 3 years.

We are still burning Deep Navigation coal on 'President', and hopefully have enough to last us into next year.

The Delivery Note reproduced above will soon become a historic document - it was for 4 tons of coal delivered to 'President' at Bridge 26 on the Stratford Canal on the way to London in 1990.

Tony Millatt

The 1991 Fly Run

On May 23rd 'President' sets out on a 'Fly-run' from City Road Basin in London and will run non-stop to Braunston - a distance of 105 miles and 95 locks. This run is being done by Friends of President to help raise funds for both the IWA Waterways for All campaign, and for the continued preservation of 'President'. Further details on the run and how to sponsor it are on a separate sheet included with this magazine.

The planned times for the 1991 fly run are as follows:

Date	Time	Place
23.5.91	1900	Leave City Road Basin
	2000	Hawley Lock 2
	2100 ss	Maida Hill Tunnel
	2200	Mitre Dock, Kensal Green
	2330 *	Greenford Road Bridge
24.5.91	0000	Western Avenue Bridge
	0100	Hayes Road Bridge
	0200	Dawley Bridge 198
	0300	Cowley Peachey Junction
	0400 *	Uxbridge Lock 88
	0500 sr	Harefield Lock 86
	0600	Coppermill Lock 84
	0700	Batchworth Lock 81
	0800	Cassio Bridge Lock 78
	0900	Lady Capel Lock 74
	1000	Bridge 159
	1100	Nash Mill Bottom Lock 69
	1200	Apsley Lock 66
	1300 *	Fishery Lock 63
	1400	Winkwell Top Lock 60
	1500	Topside Lock 56
	1600	Berkhampstead Top Lock 53
	1700	Northchurch Top Lock 49
	1730 *	Cowroast Lock 46
	1800	Bridge 134
	1900	Marsworth Lock 43
	2000	Marsworth Lock 37
	2100 ss	Ivinghoe Bridge 123
	2200 *	Slapton Lock
	2300	Grove Lock 28
25.5.91	0000	Leighton Buzzard Bridge 114
	0100	Bridge 110
	0200	Soulbury Bottom Lock 24
	0230 *	Stoke Hammond Lock 23
	0300	Willowbridge Marina
	0400	Fenny Stratford Lock 22
	0500 sr	Bridge 37, Woughton
	0600	Bridge 79, Monks Way
	0700 *	Bradwell Wharf
	0800	Cosgrove Wharf
	0900	Yardley Wharf
	1000	Stoke Bruerne Bottom Lock 20
	1100	Stoke Bruerne Locks
	1130 *	Stoke Bruerne Top Lock 14
	1200	In Blisworth Tunnel
	1300	Banbury Lane Bridge 43
	1400	Nether Hayford
	1500	Bridge 23, Dodford
	1600 *	Buckby Bottom Lock 13, Whilton
	1700	In Buckby Locks
	1800	Bridge 7
	1900	In Braunston Tunnel
	2000	Braunston Top Lock 6
	2100	In Braunston Locks
	2130	Arrive Braunston Depot

* = Crew Shift Change Point sr = sunrise ss = sunset

Note: These times may vary by up to 1 hour during the run.

Richard Thomas.

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Photographs Needed

Richard Thomas is preparing a presentation which can be given to IWA Branches, Boat Clubs, Women's Institutes etc etc.

He needs more photographs, both of 'President' in its role today and in its working days.

If you have or know of any suitable photographs, Richard will be pleased to hear from you...

Boating Programme Part I

We have already made inroads into the 1991 Boating Programme we announced with the last magazine. Still to do in Part I of the programme are:

Steam Heritage Awards and Training Weekend

In Steam Thursday 2nd May to Monday 6th May

Visit to Stoke Bruerne

Leave: Black Country Living Museum Tuesday 7th May Arrive: Stoke Bruerne Saturday 11th May
In steam: 11th May to 18th May

Journey to City Road Basin

Leave: Stoke Bruerne Saturday 18th May Arrive: City Road Wednesday 22nd May

Fly run London to Braunston

Leave: City Road 19:00 hrs Thursday 23rd May Arrive:Braunston 21:30 hrs Saturday 25th May

Return to Black Country Living Museum

Leave: Braunston Monday 27th May Arrive: Black Country Living Museum Saturday 1st June]

Boating Programme Part II

After the hectic first half of the year, 'President' will not be moving so far from her home for the rest of 1991. The Black Country Living Museum are keen to have the boat on display and in steam whenever possible, and we shall be holding "Steam Weekends" at regular intervals. Short journeys will be made, which will give both engine men and steerers the chance to increase their skills and experience.

The dates for the rest of the year are as follows:

From	To	Activity
1/6/91	2/6/91	Steam Weekend at Black Country Living Museum
29/6/91		Annual General Meeting of F.O.P at Black Country Living Museum
6/7/91	7/7/91	Steam Weekend at Black Country Living Museum
17/8/91	18/8/91	Heart of the Waterways Rally, Cambrian Wharf, Birmingham
23/8/91	27/8/91	IWA National Rally - Windmill End
13/9/91	16/9/91	Black Country Boating Festival, Stone Cross, Tame Valley
28/9/91	29/9/91	Boaters Gathering, Black Country Living Museum
18/10/91	21/10/91	Bonded Warehouse, Stourbridge

If you wish to take part in any of these, please write to me at 42, Admirals Walk, Hoddesdon, Herts, EN11 8AG.

Richard Thomas

New members of Friends of President

Welcome to the following new members who have joined Friends of President:

Kevin Maslin	Nick Oliver	David Parry
Michael Price	Mr P C Rose	Mr M Weblin

Gauging

Have you ever looked closely at Nigel Jackson's bracelet? It is a copper gauging strip from a boat in the Potteries. In those parts, boats had copper gauging strips fixed to the outside of the hull, roughly at the four corners of the hold. They were always vulnerable to being knocked off, and those Nigel has come from the bottom of Harecastle Tunnel!

Until 1963, boats paid tolls dependent on the amount and type of cargo carried. They would be gauged at different points on the system, tolls calculated and charged.

In the Potteries, these gauging strips were marked in tons. There was a gauging dock by Etruria Top Lock and in it, weights would be added to the boat, and the tonnage marked on the gauging strip at the water line.

In other areas the amount of cargo on a boat was calculated by measuring the boat's freeboard (the distance between the water line and the gunwale). The toll clerk carried a gauging stick which would be placed at the four gauging points (roughly at the corners of the hold) - a small plate on the gunwale marked the gauging point.

In this case, when a boat was gauged, the weights would be recorded on a gauging sheet. This sheet could then be copied to the various gauging stations. To gauge the boat, the toll clerk would measure the dry inches of freeboard at the four points and take the average. He could then look at the gauging sheet and read off the tonnage.

We are still searching for a gauging sheet for 'President' when she was a steamer.

The following two pages contain a copy of the gauging sheet from 'President' as a motor in 1926. The original is in the 'President' file at the Black Country Living Museum.

Characters of the Cut - II

"A sad tail with a happy ending"

I was walking home from work one Summer evening last year, along the Coventry five and a half, when I met a friendly hound bounding along the other way.

A few yards behind came his master. I remarked to him that he had a nice dog, and he related to me how the dog had come to his possession.

As a baby puppy he had been left on his doorstep in a cardboard box, and in the box with him was a rather scruffy teddy bear.

Well, we had a good old chat about dogs - we'd always had a dog in the family, and they really are man's best friend - a comforting paw in times of sorrow and a wagging tale when life is full of joy and happiness.

I spoke of the toys - particularly of the squeaky variety - that we had bought for our dogs, and the fun they had with them, particularly how they seemed to take great pleasure in silencing the squeak with their sharp teeth.

"Pedro's just the same", the man replied, "he destroys all his toys". "That is, except for his teddy bear, which he still takes to bed with him".

I went on my way thinking what a special friend the scruffy teddy bear had been to that abandoned little puppy, and still was to Pedro as he grew up from puppyhood.

I thought, too, of whoever it was who had abandoned him. They clearly must have done so with a heavy heart, for they had looked for a friendly doorstep and left with the little puppy his friend the teddy bear so that he didn't feel alone and without a friend.

Keith Rogers

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The 1991 Commissioning Cruise

Six intrepid explorers left the Museum at 2.00 on Sunday 24th March to navigate 'President' to the Port. We were hoping to float there but a set of wheels would have come in handy; during the winter most of the mud that normally resides on the edges had slipped down into the channel. However, there is good in everything - I can guarantee there is no rubbish left in the Wolverhampton level - we collected the lot!

The crew of Eddie Oades, his wife Pat, Celia Byham, Bob Jervis and me, were joined by David Parry for the first part of the trip. David had made the mistake of walking alongside the boat on Saturday, during a trip to Brades, and saying that he was interested.... five minutes later he was a paid up member, and on Sunday he discovered firsthand, the malevolent habits of 'President' with a prop-full of rope and plastic.

We were greeted at Lock 5 on the 21 by both Big and Little Alan, who had walked up from Aldersley. Big Alan looked fitter than ever after his op. They helped us down the 21 in the dark and then went off to Autherley, where "Sir William Stanier". was tied up. After removing part of the Staffs and Worcs from our prop and a large member of the Water Travel fleet from outside the stop lock we moored near "Stanier" at 9.20.

Monday saw us away at 9.30 up the Shroppie where we continued to collect rubbish at regular intervals (including a bra, custom built for a 54 inch chest, which nearly stopped the engine). At Norbury Junction we met a gentleman who showed us "President's" old brass horn with "FMC President" stamped on it.

Going through Woodseaves Cutting was fairly ghostly and one can understand the old boatmen's feelings about it. "Stanier", which had left Autherley at 12.30 finally caught up at 8.45 at Tyrley top where we both tied up for the night.

Next morning, BW man Albert Ashton told us that he used to drive 'President' in 1950/51 when she carried cement, sand and gravel for concrete walling work. He well remembers starting "that big Bolinder" every morning.

Imprecations emitting from &hp5.inside the boiler indicated that Eddie wasn't entirely happy with the state of the fire bricks and this coupled with refitting the front plate of the boiler, delayed our start until 12.30. A good run through the three flights saw us at the Shroppie Fly at 5.20. There we met a party from the Museum at Etruria who brought us our cargo of 5 x 1cwt sacks of bone. This was duly loaded, covering all and sundry (and the boat) with a fine white powder.

We moored that night below the bottom lock at Audlem, between Daystar Theatre and a rich agricultural smell.

A visit from the Daystar Theatre Company, next morning, saw us in possession of a rose painted teapot, courtesy of George Naldrett, which was immediately put to good use. This, a pleasant morning, and a smooth run to Nantwich Aqueduct, gave the lie to what was to follow. A boat moored on our exit line from the left-angle bend after the aqueduct caused a sudden cessation of our forward progress. No damage ensued, except the crew's nerves. This was the herald of a number of interesting situations over the next two days; the underwater mountain just after Barbridge; the shallows after Bunbury; the lack of bank depth at Bate's Mill, where we were determined to moor for the night.

Thursday, beware the mudflats under the new bridge above Christleton (five tries to get through). Note for navigators - the new 3ft 6inch channel is ten feet out from the towpath.

A certain amount of forwarding, asterning and poling brought us to Northgate top where we paired up with FMC motor "Badger" - another Malcolm Braine restoration.

Little Alan (who wielded an oven and potato peeler with great skill for us on "Stanier") informed us that we were going to get soaked going down the staircase. Big Alan in "Stanier" had just found out that the top gates of the middle lock leaked impressively. We were lucky with that, but got wet instead removing the fore and after fenders so the gates could open.

Our biggest disaster followed. We were stuck fast on the mud in Tower Wharf and needed to be helped off - and the event faithfully recorded on film by the crew of "Badger"!

We set off at 6.30 next morning for an uninterrupted passage to Ellesmere Port where we arrived at 9.30. After passing through the narrow locks, we winded in the lower basin and returned to the short pound between the locks. Here we moored and opened for business and the interest of the public.

Richard Thomas