archie57

I have a donkey jacket with "BTW" on the back...…..

This will be of interest to one of our forum members, if he hasn't already seen it...…. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-35mm-slide-Boat-regatta-Old-Stop-Lock-Marple-Wharf-Peak-Forest-Canal/264108530465?hash=item3d7e185b21:g:gqsAAOSwG49cJ2qE:rk:13:pf:0

Only heard them called that in the Gloucester/Sharpness area, perhaps a west country thing?

I think Jimmy Hewitt is the figure with the white shirt standing on the back end (ie far end of engine room on RHS). it looks like his dad standing in the doorhole. I don't think it broke it's crank in his ownership. though. Steered it myself a few times while at Marple, slow going on those canals!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/POSTCARD-HERTS-WATFORD-GRAND-UNION-CANAL-RP/233073458621?hash=item364442bdbd:g:v9sAAOSwx9lcDB5k:rk:11:pf:0 Louis Powell and Johnnie Best, so I was informed

This was only rebuilt in the 1980s, pretty well unaltered until then, sold off fairly soon afterwards. Notable for having had the last Petter PD2 in Waterways ownership.

He does appear in the film, disguised, in long distance shots eg when leaving the lay by, Harry H. bumps the boats before it quickly cuts to Ron steering them round towards Brentford

EX - Manchester ship canal I believe

I believe it is the "Electra" which is the cabin-less hulk at Charity dock...….

… but don't these moorings extend all the way from the Wharf to Lily Pascall's………..

Well said - engineers don't get their hands dirty.....!

I remember Erebus in Gas St. basin when Bill Brookes first had it - 40ish years ago......

ISTR the "Chiltern" had a DM3 in it's latter day Leicester Canal Transport life. Also short boat "Irwell" had one.....

Older generations of boaters also called them "hanging up" plates......

Unless I'm mistaken the motor appears to have been trimmed early on in the trip so that it is more level - certainly down at the stern at the start!

Hope his warranty hasn't run out, might have a heart attack....!

Has the warranty on the engine run out...……..!

That's an accepted way to slow the boat, easier to climb the steps than climb out of the lock. While we're boating on the southern GU, if you haven't seen this look out for the Pisces, and Jim Collins at 1.36 - https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-summer-outing-1966-1966-online

Plenty of old boaters to be seen, most of whom now all gone - I think Ron ( plus Brenda and Alice) is the only older one seen who is still with us.....

It only came to Marple for the rally there. ISTR having a ride on it behind the "Hyperion", - which may have brought it there - and it went away soon afterwards.

Further to this, I've just unearthed an old Waterways magazine, Sept/Oct 1957, which refers to provision of pilemaking workshops at Hillmorton - perhaps they couldn't keep up with demand!

- so this must be before Hillmorton started making their own piles?

You've aroused my curiosity - wasn't that like carrying coals to Newcastle?!

They were also used for work inside Harecastle tunnel

Going further back, I recall seeing "Prince" at Lapworth , when owned by Jay Price, back in the early 70s, without an engine. Mark Holtham bought it and fitted a Petter PJ3 - does it still have this? Amongst other things, he used it from time to time for taking the joey boat containing scrap wood from Warwick up to Stockton for burning. He sold it when he had built a Pimblotts look-alike called the "Nelson" - actually I think he swapped it for the "Sweden" and a butty, whose name escapes me!