archie57

Paul Redshaw was able to supply me with a newly cast bracket similar to original......

It is the "Star", Midlands and Coast, as opposed to the GUCCC motor of the same name!

Five brothers so I was told - Jim, Bill, Bert, John (went to Australia), Albert.

As Alan said, pairs of "one horse boats" were commonplace at one time, both loaded and empty!

Perhaps when the side ponds were put in......

The first picture is Arthur Pearsall's pair Barrow and Brighton leaving Lady Capels lock with a back load of empty Guiness barrels for Park Royal, a job they worked on for a while during the war, doing a round trip to Birmingham every 7 days......

Dave Houlston's pair Jupiter and Byfield, plus the Anson

- although carries a style of painting never worn in the 1950s, not having been in the BTW carrying fleet!

Thanks! It's the middle one I've seen before, certainly all the details fit Paddington!

I think this is the Fenny - I think you posted one which I think was the Paddington a long time ago, one of Geoff Wheat's iirc?

Paddingtons cabin is indeed original, although much repaired! The line of rivets above the gunnel is a repair I am guessing carried out when a maintenance boat on the NE waterways, where it went around 1950, this is a long plate on the inside which folds under the gunnels as I'm thinking the bottom edge of the cabin sides was going into holes. On restoration in 1985 by GM engineering steel gunnels were fitted and the lower part of the cabin sides were repaired, the extra repair plate staying in position. The engine room top is removable, I've changed the engine a couple of times! I have a series of photos, courtesy of GME, which illustrate all this.

The Park

- the Anchor was the pub there......

There are quite a few places on the N Stratford where boats like mine struggle, a bit of spot dredging would make the world of difference - I carry a Tirfor with me these days.......

Usual Lock Keeper at Napton at the time was one Esme Dowling, always had his dog with him attached to a piece of baling twine.......