koukouvagia

An extract from my book "Hampton - The story of a butty"

I am involved in the restoration and re-purposing of the ex-horse boat Kilsby. It is intended that we shall have a hydraulic wheelchair lift and we have identified firms that can fabricate one and make sure that it complies with all the exhaustive H&S regulations. As a preliminary piece of research we collected the following list of organisations that may be able to help. Accessible Boating Association – (Basingstoke) https://www.accessibleboating.org.uk/ Baldwin Trust – (Leicester) https://www.baldwintrust.co.uk/ Bruce Trust - (Wilts & Berks) https://bruceboats.katrust.org.uk/ CanalAbility – (Essex / Hertfordshire) https://www.canalability.org.uk/ Chesterfield Canal Trust – https://chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk/trip-boats/hugh-henshall-worksop/ Hargreaves Narrowboat Trust – (Coventry) https://hargreavesnarrowboat.co.uk/our-narrowboat/ Lyneal Trust – (Shropshire / North Wales) https://www.lyneal-trust.org.uk/ Nottingham Narrowboat Project – (Nottinghamshire) https://nottinghamnarrowboatproject.org.uk/ Pamela May Trust – (Worcestershire) ( plus good info on risk assessments) https://nottinghamnarrowboatproject.org.uk/ Peter Le Marchant Trust – (Leicestershire) https://www.plmt.org.uk/ Rivertime Boat Trust – (Thames Valley) https://rivertimeboattrust.org.uk/ South Staffordshire Narrowboat Co – (Wolverhampton) https://www.ernestthomas.co.uk/ Truman Enterprise Narrowboat Trust – (Staffordshire) https://www.truman-enterprise.org.uk/ WCNT – (Cheshire) https://wcnt.org.uk/ Wildside Activity Centre – (Wolverhampton) https://www.wildsideac.co.uk/our-narrowboat-1 Willow Trust – (Gloucestershire) https://www.willowtrust.org/about-1 See also https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/120174-disabled-access-on-trip-boats/ Portable Wheelchair Lift Hire UK | Indoor or Outdoor - Magic Mobility Ltd https://lyfthaus.com/hidden-platform-lift/

I can highly recommend this: Gloss Red Oxide The paint is made by Richards Paints and is called "R Brushing Red Oxide Gloss" Ref: SK1478. I've never found it stocked anywhere, but I order it direct. You'll need to phone them to order: 0121 588 2261 or email info@richards-paints.co.uk

Another Kelvin starting up. After its initial smoke signal, Owl's engine ran very cleanly. (photo Kathryn Dodington)

The extract below is from "Hampton, the story of a butty". Over the years I have done five refits - none of which would ever have made me any money. The figures below don't include the original cost of the boat - so add on another £9K.

I have had a hydraulic drive on my motorised horse-boat, Hampton for the past 30 years. I have a 1.8 BMC engine (35 hp, or thereabouts). It has more than enough oomph to propel the 70', 25 ton boat like greased lightning. It drives a Parker F12 fixed displacement, bent axis hydraulic motor in the elum supplied ARS Diesels. It is water cooled with an oil cooler as seen in the picture below. The system is practically maintenance-free. I change the oil every five years and I've replaced the hydraulic hoses once as a precaution.

This was my solution.

When I fitted out Owl I used Australian Jarrah - a type of Eucalyptus, I believe. Very stable with a lovely grain.

It's the steering mechanism on a butty, comprising the rudder and tiller. This is an example of the ellum on ex-horseboat Hampton. The wooden rudder has been reproduced in steel and fitted with an hydraulic motor. Also see this: Narrowboat Rudder / Ellum Replaced, Historic Butty boat repairs | Grand Union Canal

The Kilsby Boat Project wins £220,000 Heritage Lottery Grant This will enable the full restoration and re-purposing of the 1913 Braithwaite and Kirk horseboat, Kilsby. Work will start within the next few weeks, with David Kemp doing the steelwork. The boat will be modelled on Hampton, but instead of a diesel engine, it will be powered by a hydraulic-electric propulsion system with the motor in the ellum. Announcing the award, Stuart McLeod, Director of England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We’re proud to support the restoration of Kilsby, a remarkable piece of Oxford’s canal heritage. Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will not only preserve an important historic vessel but also create a hub for the community to connect with the local heritage on their doorstep.” Getting to this point has been a great collective effort. Volunteers, individual donors, local businesses, civic leaders, and charities have made generous and ongoing contributions in cash and kind since 2019 when the boat was donated to the Trust in a salvageable but uninhabitable condition. Since then also, the vision for Kilsby’s future has been shaped by the project’s steering group and other volunteers in the community and now, finally, we are within sight of re-creating this living heritage asset for Oxford. This Heritage Fund award and our match income will enable Kilsby’s urgent repair and restoration works to forge ahead (pun intended, there will be a lot of steel involved!) in 2026.

Well worth a visit to the LCM. This tractor belonged to the late Jim Macdonald.

No, it didn't come off despite the film company attacking it with Brillo pads! They paid for a repaint, though.

This is what happened when Owl was used in the remake of The Railway Children. The director thought our boat looked too shiny 😊

Lovely. Unmistakable.

Sorry. Deleted because Alan has already pointed out the nonsense about the historic licence discount.