Email: The dreaded word
'Obsolete' must be the dreaded word many narrowboat owners become accustomed to hearing. With boats built to last, and most kept in exceptional repair by their proud owners they go on and on for years...
Boats and owners! So too does their equipment—just the boats this time!
My problem is that my willing little cooker on my narrowboat, in perfect condition but for one small item, is in danger of becoming obsolete. My wife has always said the oven performs better than the range cooker we have at home—until this week.
While the hob and grill ignited and boiled and toasted away merrily as ever, the oven refused to join in. No usual hiss of gas, no smell of gas, no flame at the burner.
An expert called out declared that it required a new oven tap. But then called back later to say he could not source the required item. It was obsolete.
So can anyone help me prove him wrong and give my little Stoves plc Prescot cooker a little more life before being consigned to the scrapheap? It's a Vanette 5000 WL, model 059037712.
Andrew Malkin. (Contact: