archie57

This is another one of Bob Grantham. I knew him well, a great character, liked his darts, a champion player within the BTW social competitions! This is one of the pictures he gave me at the time. He appeared as A (Arthur) Grantham on the fleet lists, but was Bob to his friends. He worked for Barlows as well, swopping between the two in the 1950s/60s. Not sure if this is the "Birmingham", he had the "Camborne" at one time

ISTR having somewhere a newspaper cutting from the 1930s with a FMC wideboat in Leamington - but until I can locate it......

being pedantic, aren't they bricks rather than stones...…… - and as for Coronation Street "Cobbles"...……!

Further to this, here he is again, when boating...... http://collections.canalrivertrust.org.uk/bw197.2.26.15

Probably the "Pipit" . Afraid he's no longer with us.

Bert Wallington

I believe the "Arthur" got no further than bridge 103, between Flecknoe and Shuckburgh

Did a camping trip with him and a group in 1973, by which time he'd finished with the "William" I seem to remember.

Was this in the days of Dennis Jewiss?

Correct!

There was the LMS warehouse in Kidderminster - GW territory!

I like the ariel photo, complete with Canal Co. offices , not much left beside the warehouses and (former) "Admiral Codrington"!

One of the warehouses in Coventry basin used to carry the lettering "Grand Union Canal Warehouse" - it was changed to the present lettering perhaps 30 years ago

Two motors, Chertsey and an ailing Dipper

- so perhaps he was at Braunston for 2 or 3 days, certainly there when we came past.

Ted Ward lay there for a while to make sure of his place in the history books, only arriving at Croxley after the deadline for water-borne deliveries had passed...…..

Cement traffic finished 1969 - "all mop and windlass"

Had a Lister FR3 with radiator, fitted Saltley, 1956 I believe

Doug Greaves bought the stern end as scrap, he took the "Otley" down to Bulls Bridge where he loaded the "Saltaire" stern end on it's side and took it to, IIRC, Caggy's yard at Tipton where it had (most of) the fore end built. As you say it was some time later that it was completed, ownership having passed meanwhile from Mr Greaves to Dick Smith to Malcolm Wigley, and the intended PD2 was never fitted, instead having a (again IIRC) HR2

I recall seeing the "Saltaire" inside another Northwich motor...……...

So what was the fate of the "Chesham" - was it one of those boats, as "Happy" Smith ( blacksmith at Hillmorton yard) once told me with relish, that was taken in to the outside dry dock there and burned?!

Hillmorton!

I was told they were lined with poleite ( - think that's how you spell it!), an asbestos-containing board

It was about this time when Mr Green went to Paddington to work on the Zoo buses