john10

Hello Lunamoon Terry worked in Willowbridge yard in the 80's & 90's as a general engineer working on anything that came along.From memory he built around 3 or 4 boats a year some for order and some on spec ,not much work on build a boat !. He could turn his hand to any job and was font of imformation on many subjects. His health was not the the best a combination of welding and smoking I think he retired on these grounds in the mid 90"s .Willowbridge was a great yard to keep a boat in at this time Terry worked at one end and Aidie Brindle & Sid at the other with a auto electrician Paul in the middle alone with the spares shop a yard second to none, so much nohow and skill in one place Redcap John

Hello Ed The photos of the dredger have the look of a a Harris built hull, lapped joints and plates less than 6 ft that needed bending i have many photos of harris hulls and this one looks promising to me .Redcaps knees have harts hill stamped on them see if you can find this on your hull maybe useful also chiselled cuts to the plates and rivets on top of rivets are good clues .Hope this helps in your search.Pity the pointy end is missing Best of luck Redcap John

Hello Everybody. REDCAP is now back in the water, complete with its DIY stainless steel cabin (stainless steel purchased from local scrap yard for the princely sum of £20 a sheet!). The stainless steel is 2mm thick. This was a massive job but it's now done and I'm very pleased with the result. I am pleased to read Anthony's post. When Anthony bought the OXFORD 1/2 hull, I gave him all the information I had. I'm glad he's passed it on to Pete Downing, who has come to the same conclusion as me regarding our boats after reading documents at Warwick Public Records Office. I first came across the records now residing at Warwick, courtesy of Charles Hadfield, in a box in a shed at Hillmorton. I had a quick dig in them and retrieved a few pieces relevant to REDCAP. The boys at Hillmorton had been told to chuck them and I told them not to, but I wasn't sure what to do with them. Fortunately, Charles came up soon after me knew where to send them. From memory, I think the contents of this box is the entire records that are now held at Warwick; a good job they were saved. I think the identity swap occurred earlier than Anthony suggested, to save the Oxford Canal Company directors' faces, as REDCAP did not break ice as they had expected and they instructed the engineer to write to Harris Brothers requesting a much rounder bow design for their second boat. Unfortunately, according to Happy Smith, the blacksmith at Hillmorton, "The second boat wouldn't break eggshells!". I do have copies of correspondence between the Oxford Canal Company and Harris Brothers, and at a later date will post copies here to support both Pete's and my conclusion about our respective boats. I also have a photograph of Pete's boat at Warwickshire Fly Boats water and at the Braunston Turn, when in the ownership of Anthony, which I will try and find and post at the same time as the letters. Below is a recent photo of REDCAP in the water at Wayford Bridge. Redcap John.

Hello everybody Redcap is indeed back in the water after a re cabin

The boat in the opening scene is Redcap when in the ownership of Colonel Richie Redcap John