ieestok

Hmm, true. Maybe I will then.

That would explain it! And thank you very much if you do get to ask him. Thank you for the information, I feel it may be a little odd for me just to go and knock on his door though..! "Hi, you don't know me but I'm buying a boat you built...."

Thank you very much, this has pretty much answered my original questions, and was what I suspected. Yes, of course I can paint it any colour I want, I'm just interested as to how she was first done out. What do you believe is more pressing? The first job on my list is stripping her down and painting and blacking her, as at the moment the metal is unprotected and starting to rust. Thanks for the well wishes - fortunately deep pockets won't be needed, she's structurally sound, just a little rough around the edges.

Hmmm yes that does appear to be a different boat. So it seems my only lead is to find D. Jones? Still have no ideas on data and still interested in the little back cabin. Would also love to know what colours I should be doing her up in!

I've just looked up Cetus, looks like the paint job Perch used to have once upon a time, before somebody slathered two thirds of her in red oxide! Would this just be Mr. Hollingshead's taste, or would it be worth restoring the BW paint job? I would doubt she's a properly historic boat (all steel hull, just doesn't seem old enough) but if it's appropriate to her past in some capacity I most certainly would. Perhaps D. Jones would know. Also thank you for the well wishes Dave.

It was the just-visible edge to the transfer in this one that made me realise! ^ The little castles on the doors ARE hand painted, as the two doors have quite different images (though of the same castle). Sadly I have no photos of the painting on the side hatch doors, I believe it's quite similar to the green panel shown there

Don't I feel a lemon now - on closer inspection of the photos they are in fact all transfers! I didn't even think to check that, as they weren't sticking out like the big bulky vinyl things you see and they looked so good, I just assumed. More fool me. I can still post photos if you're still interested, sorry if I raised false hope Thank you! If nobody has contact details I'll be sure to stop if I'm going past.

My plan is to preserve as much as I can! I'm not really sure how to go about saving the door. At the very least I'll save the painted panels. I'll post pictures in a sec - it's a bit of a faff getting them on here. Cheers for the link That's a fantastic piece of information! I would love to see photos or hear what she was like in all her original glory! How would you suggest getting in touch with Mr Hollingshead? It's a bloody lovely boat under all the grime and peeling paint, and the hull is in fantastic nick, would you believe. Been neglected for the last two years, hence ending up in CRT's possession. The surveyor was jealous himself!

Unfortunately this is the best image I have of the bow (it's not my photo) and before the pigeon box was put in its proper location... And stern: Excuse the grottiness, I will be doing her up imminently. It's almost exactly the same scene! Most of the castles and roses on the boat are hand painted, I wasn't aware transfers were used Here is a closer photo of my table (I have some of other painted bits if that would be of use/interest!)

Don't have many good images but this should vaguely illustrate what I'm talking about If there's anything in particular I can see if I've got a photo

That would be fantastic! Yep, that's the boat... Just figuring out how to post pictures haha

Hi all, I'm trying to find out as much as I can about the past life of a boat I have just purchased. It's an old CRT seizure (and in a bit of a state) so I can't ask the previous owner any questions and I'm hitting dead ends trying to find things online - I thought you lot might be able to help me. It was built by David Jones of Chester, and most results when searching this is the for-sale listing for my boat, although I've found a few mentions of a David Jones working at a Chester boatyard. Its registration number is 62624, and a search only lists its name and D. Jones as the builder, no date. The number indicates it was registered in 1980/81 but obviously this means nothing as it could have been going long before 1980. I wouldn't be so interested if it wasn't for the layout of the boat. There is a traditional back cabin which is completely separate from the rest of the boat, there is no connecting door (and if there was, it would go through to the engine room). The main internal fit out appears to be from the mid 80s, but the main body of the boat doesn't look as though it's a later addition (ie converted from a working boat) and the surveyor agreed. It is also painted in the British Waterways livery, although of course this doesn't mean anything either. What I'm trying to figure out is, if this boat was built in the 70s/80s, why include the traditional and separate back cabin - and if it was built earlier, should it not have been a working boat which has been converted? Were traditional back cabins ever included as a novelty sort of thing? Thanks in advance for any light anybody can shed on anything.