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archie57

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  2. The last canal carriers

    in History & Heritage

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

    I obviously have trouble counting as it was only 8 days between my motor and its butty (both owned by the same person) unloading at Croxley and REDSHANK and ARA unloading at the same destination. A small detail I know, but I would rather the correct information appeared here as it is readily available :captain:

    If I am reading the loading and discharge records correctly this coal was in REDSHANK and ARA for 8 days :captain:

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

  3. The last canal carriers

    in History & Heritage

    Posted

    33 minutes ago, Dav and Pen said:

    This is Tom Henshaws photo of the last load to Croxley at Braunston. 

    936C6D7A-255F-4F1B-8BFA-A8307DCEB762.jpeg

    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...…..

  4. The last canal carriers

    in History & Heritage

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Dav and Pen said:

    I believe that the last carriers on regular traffic were three fellows on the lime juice for ACT. ACT also organised the last of the Croxley traffic using various private carriers.

    not sure when the cement traffic from the long ichington works to Sampson road finished, no doubt somebody has the details

    800FB245-36D0-48E6-80D2-7274068EF45D.jpeg

    Cement traffic finished 1969 - "all mop and windlass"

  5. March of the Widebeams

    in General Boating

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, Chris Williams said:

    Whatever turns you on.  Can't think of any good reason to change.  Some old boy on the GU told be that she once had a bus engine, complete with radiator.  Might account for the big engine room.  The engine bearers had more holes than a colander.

     

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

  6. Old boats in Hebden

    in General Boating

    Posted

    4 hours ago, pete harrison said:

    I think there may me somebody else here who can answer this better than me, but my understanding is that Bulls Bridge condemned the original stern as being knackered so cut it off. A new stern of sorts (I am told it was poor but I did not see it) was fitted to the original fore end and this SALTAIRE was put back into maintenance service. The disconnected stern was sold in 1977 and was subsequently built into the SALTAIRE that was at Hebden Bridge, the steelwork being started by Doug Greaves and completed by Dave Harris about 10 years later.

     

    The fore end of SALTAIRE (fitted with a poor stern) continued to work in the B.W.B. maintenance fleet until being sold off in February 1987, where it was fitted with a new counter stern to a similar design to original and rebuilt into a full length carrying boat - which it still is today.

     

    So the story you heard is not correct as the two sections of SALTAIRE were sold 10 years apart, although clearly their individual rebuilds were both completed at about the same time - and they even have the same engines. :captain:

     

    edit = On my return home from Hebden Bridge I sent the current owner of SALTAIRE (original stern) one of my boat history documents (for what it is worth), although I have yet to have confirmation that it has been received.

    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

  13. Tadworth

    in History & Heritage

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

    If the date of June 1958 is correct for the photograph http://collections.canalrivertrust.org.uk/bw197.2.8.1 mentioned above then this pairing would be THAXTED and ANDROMEDA under C. Green (Charlie Green ?), or at least it was for the fleet list dated 20 May 1958 - with TADWORTH paired with DENTON under P. Garrett.

     

    My records suggest that Phil Garrett turned in TADWORTH for THAXTED some time between 26 January 1959 (TADWORTH & BETELGEUSE on fleet list under P. Garrett) and 28 May 1959 (Braunston traffic record - TADWORTH under Lane - with THAXTED under Garrett on 20 June 1959) :captain:

    I stand corrected!  - he did have the Thaxted off Charlie Green, after an incident at Three bridges with the Tadworth

  15. Hire boats - any research been done

    in History & Heritage

    Posted

    2 hours ago, magpie patrick said:

    I'll bet those four created quite a stir on that holiday - typical boating garb of the time it is not! In fact you don't see it often even now.....

     

    On a more serious note, unless the man with the horse is husband, boyfriend or brother to one of them, which seems unlikely, that's not self-drive....

    It appears to be an LMS maintenance boat....

  24. Historic Boats for sale online

    in History & Heritage

    Posted

    2 hours ago, pete harrison said:

    WATER ARABIS - (shortened FMC motor ARABIA) is still short but with traditional cabin.

    WATER FERN - (iron FMC horse boat stern) is hulked and on the bank.

    WATER HYACYNTH (LMSR fore end DART) is still short and fairly original looking.

    WATER IRIS - (small Woolwich fore end AURORA) has been subject to a recent hull restoration in its guise as a hire cruiser conversion, but is still an open hull with no fittings.

    WATER IVY (LMSR stern end DART) lengthened 10' and recently subject to major works.

    WATER LILAC - (small Woolwich fore end ANTONY) is for sale as ANTONY pretty much as converted but with tiller steering and an engine change.

    WATER VIOLET - (small Woolwich stern end AURORA) is still short but recabinned in steel.

    WATER VOLE - (large Northwich fore end KELSO) is still short but recabinned in steel.

     

    I am not sure about WATER DAFFODIL and WATER ERICA (fore end & stern end of an iron FMC horse boat), but all others have been rebuilt into boats that have obliterated their 'British Waterways' hire boat conversions - and is all based upon the last time I saw each boat or updated my records, and of course will always be subject to change as owners are fickle.

     

    You mention WATER LUPIN (GORSE) - sold by British Waterways Board in 1979 (tender closing date 28 February 1979) and went to owners on the Bridgewater Canal - rebuilt as 70' house boat utilising the hire boat cabin in 1990 by the same owners - 07/1992 sold to owner at Nantwich - 07/2012 sold for rebuild but works not completed - 2013 fore end sold and rebuilt into 57' carrying boat with original style counter stern and cabin/engineroom (I have all of the owners names but have withheld them to protect their privacy) :captain: 

     

    edit - before somebody mentions the small Woolwich butty stern converted into the 39' flat sterned pleasure boat MISS B-HAVIN / SAFEST HAVEN I am sure that this is not a 'British Waterways' hire boat conversion, although it does have some similarities. I am also pretty sure I know what this boat was built out of but I am keeping my opinion to myself without further evidence. I have seen this boat being discussed as the stern of AURORA but it is not.

    re Water Lilac - my understanding is that it was sold by BW to James Ryle ( - always Mr Ryle to us! -) in about 1977/8 after he sold the "Cassiopeia". At this time it was fitted with a Lister HA2, presumably the same one it still has...…!

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