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In 1977 we hired our first narrowboat from Anglo Welsh at Market Harborough.From that moment our destiny was set. In 2006 we finally purchased our own brand new 57' narrowboat which we named 'Free Spirit'. Our aim is to travel the length and breadth of all the navigable rivers and canals of the UK. This will be our story as it unfolds.

Tuesday 19 November 2013

No roar of the engine yet.

Okay the engine isn't quite ready for a trial run yet. Time wasn't on Ian's side as you will see later. The newly skimmed cylinder block is back and what a fabulous job has been made of it. Steve Gibson of Gibson Auto Engineering  runs a small workshop which he predominantly uses for skimming cylinder blocks. He told Ian that the head was badly dished especially around number 2 cylinder.  As Steve has no website I have highlighted the name which will take you to Yellow pages and his phone number. He is well worth considering if you ever need the cylinder head re skimmed.


Newly skimmed.

Checking the gasket will fit.
So Ian had a slight delay in starting to reassemble the engine. On the way back from collecting the cylinder block the car exhaust fell off!! Nothing for it but to turn round and head back to a garage, My Tyre, on the same road as Gibson Auto Engineering. It took a good hour before Ian was back and with it being lunch time, didn't start on the engine until 1pm. Most of it is now finished but he need his other torque wrench, which he left in our garage by mistake, so tomorrow morning it's off to join the rush hour traffic to Sandiacre.

With a glorious day forecast I left Ian to the dash back to Mr Tyre and went out with Jade. The first real frost was all apparent today and I made the most of my macro lens.



After exhausting the Woofit by being out for over an hour, (she is now riddled with arthritis and has to take Metacam daily) I turned up just as Ian returned with our now silent car. Good job he wasnt any later because my boat keys were still lying on the bed! Fingers crossed that tomorrow the engine will once again roar into life.

And finally:-







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