Heartland

Yes, I know Mike has that expertise, as Lorna has the expertise for canal boatmen family history, and I have had both give talks to the Canal Workshops Martin O Keefe and myself organised across the country, Speaking of which, Mike, will note from a recent Waterways History Group email, I am looking at putting together another, this time on waterways motor traction next year, if suitable speakers can come forward.

The Leeds & Liverpool Canal was controlled by the Northern sub committee, as was the Aire & Calder, and the HQ for this committee was at Leeds in the A & C offices. I gather there must have been challenges for the LLC to get traffic as the traditional cargoes may not have been there.

Yes, I believe, the video is Gunnels Under and came about after a reconstruction of raising a boat by specialist tackle at the Black Country Museum using the Birchill, i believe. Such tackle being preserved after being discovery at Broad Street Canal warehouse in Wolverhampton. It would be of interest to note the age. This warehouse was built for the Shropshire Union. It passed to Midland & Coast, then FMC, and then Docks & Inland Waterways, British Transport Waterways and finally British Waterways. It would be reasonable to say it was put there post 1947, but then the canal carriers might have also had the need of raising boats.

The Shropshire Union experimented with semi diesels at different times, three boats have been identified Water Lily 1910 Adonis 1911 Hoogley 1920 But there was also a trial of Gardner engine fitted to an unspecified narrowboat, which is mentioned in a report by the Midland Canal Control Committee in January 1918, which probably was not any of the above.

"Up to December of 1917, some 1,100 officers and nearly 30,000 men transferred to or enlisted in the Inland Water Transport Section. During 1917 633 officers and 8,270 men were drafted overseas to theatres of war. (France, Mesopotamia, Salonika, Mediterrean, Egypt and East Africa). By the end of WW1 the total personnel in the Inland Water Transport and Docks Service amounted to 1,666 officers and 29,436 other ranks." This is a useful fact, but were these servicemen under Army control or another service ? Also how do these figures relate to the Transport Workers Battalions. Under the instructions of the War Cabinet the men of the Transport Workers Battalions were to be used as the necessity arose to maintain the flow of traffic through the canals.

I heard that it was discussed at a meeting at the CRT Birmingham offices, March 11th, so presumably the CRT are still mulling the proposal over. My concern is that the projected lock gate replacements on the Rushall will lead a stoppage that will restrict boat movement to and from the Rally.

As a supplement to the last Digby was registered in Birmingham 966, in 1897, with Thomas Webb master . So it would seem Digby remained in the ownership of FMC

It is an interesting website, which shows canal and river navigation infrastrucure. This view shows the Moselle/Mosel at the German/ Luxembourg border with the bridge to Grevenmacher

Lorna, The boatmen which you mention may not have gone off to war, some went off to work in the better paid munitions factories. But if they did join the services, there are probably websites to search for them, but knowing your expertise to chasing such items up, I do wonder if they ended up in the killing fields of France. During 1917 the canals came under the canal control committee of the Board of Trade, and this organisation made every attempt to recruit boatmen.

I was surprised to hear that a series of summer stoppages are planned including the Rushall Canal, which may affect those travelling to the Brownhills Rally. If this is the case, It would probably mean greater use of the Walsall Locks. This option is not favorite with boaters, I believe

Thank you, I did think it was the winding hole, but with the vegitation having died down, there is a better view of the house and raises the question if parts of the building were used as a warehouse for the carrying trade.

Horse boating was a core means of transport on the waterways and varied according to the type of transport needed. From the single horse, used to haul the general craft to the fly boat and the packet boat. Hauling narrow boats was one important trade, but there are also the barges and larger craft on ship canals where horses might be used. Then there is the team aspect, where canal carriers used horses for cartage purposes in towns and cities.\ It is a vast and wide subject to explore, as it looking for what remains. This would include the stables that once were common waterside features, to to less obvious accommodation at canal side public houses or public houses near the waterway. This was, of course, in a time when horses were common being used to haul road waggons, tramway waggons, wagons in railway sidings, on colliery railways both above and below ground and many other uses. Moving hay and related feed materials was once common on inland navigation.

That is definitely an useful comment. Yet, to clarify, Willow Wren had two fleets, again if I understand correctly. One in the North West, that ceased in 1967, and one in the South East, somewhat larger in number with some boats carrying on to serve the Croxley Paper Mill until 1970. The Wendover Arm dump is stated to be 1967, would it be fair to state asset stripping was done to keep the few working craft in service.

Replacing engines in British Transport Waterways times is another topic worthy of discussion, I suppose, The reasons for this being done must be a historical factor to consider. That original engines became worn out may be proof of extensive use, or it could be through lacking maintenance ( although I under stand the BTW were keen to maintain their craft). Having smaller engines may have been a factor. The 9 HP bolinder, for example, may have been considered a reason for replacement. Also with the hiring out of craft to firms like Willow Wren, the maintenance of craft might had lain with BTW/BW or was it with the hirer? Lamprey was originally fitted with a 9HP Bolinder engine, I understand, it is seen on the Shropshire Union near Gnosall.

Nice to see the stretch of waterway as it is in 2019. I was interested to know where this image was taken