dave moore

I first met Malcolm as a teen in the mid 60s when he brought the Joshers Cactus and Penguin to Harris’s yard at Netherton. I was quickly enlisted to help in the refurbishment of Cactus, work I embraced eagerly. Real boats!! He went on to establish a yard at Yates Brothers, Norton Canes. In those days the norm was to acquire an ex working boat and add a conversion, many fine looking craft emerging from the yard . Malcolm then went on to build steel hulls, the Lionheart range of memory serves. He ran the business until 1986 when foreman Graham Edgson took over, Malcolm concentrating on surv

Young Charlie is the steerer.

If that’s Cactus, then it’s highly likely that the chap is Young Charlie, the son. He did a lot with Malcolm. Looks like him too.

I’ve used it too....it actually works, unlike the average stuff available which wouldn’t pull the skin off a rice pudding!

The Royalty would be Linda, now Victoria. The right hand stern could be Sharpness, the tunnel tug owned then by Stan Clover

And here’s the other side of the story. Occasionally I’ve had an email enquiry from a boater, asking for a quote, with a very vague specification. My usual response is to reply with phone numbers, suggesting that we discuss options before proceeding. I rarely receive a call or further email afterwards. Ah well.

Possibly, but the name doesn’t ring a bell. It’s long ago and far away, now. Graham Wigley is still around, looking remarkably like the younger man I knew in those days, as is Tony Phillips, the owner of Trent 5 for many years, Clayton’s Tay before that.

I knew Dave in the 60s when he worked for Denis Cooper, steering the trip boat David and when he was with Birmingham and Midland in Gas St. I met your brother a few years back at the Parkhead festival and gave him pointers of those he might talk to to find out more. It’s long ago now but some of us remember....

Ash strips were attached to hardwood cants, often oak. It was these that were kept scrubbed. I recall fitting some to the counter of Tay many years ago.

Just a thought.....Dave Ross, among others, is a fine engineer as well as a builder and restorer. Noticed the post in Lister.

Brinklow have a fine, well deserved reputation as top end builders and woodworkers. They are thoroughly old school and traditionally minded, working with historic craft restorations as well as new builds, often taking on tasks outside the remit of many modern yards. I’ve never been a customer, rather a specialist working alongside from time to time, though a good few of my customers have been theirs too. Years ago now, one of my customers, a long time boater, said ” Dave, you could put all of the quality builders in the back of a taxi!”...these guys have long earned that place....perhaps

I’ve been at Canal Transport Sevices today. I asked Denis, the owner about Merlin. He said it rang a bell but he couldn’t be sure. They’ve done quite a few over the years!! He’s thinking about it. I’ll add further comment if useful.

Or even bid for the tea tray, specially painted for this auction by yours truly. Don’t be put off by the description of Palm Trees in the blurb, I fear someone was going ott when writing. I’ve never painted a palm tree, honest....

To this grumpy old bugger, every change of logo has been a step for the worse. The British Waterways wave logo, symbolising moving water in a busy waterway, was the best for me. The bridge and bullrush effort suggested a moribund canal to my eyes and what a giant swan was doing in a bridge hole, I’ve no idea. I find the current version meaningless...Tunnel? Reflections? Half submerged tyre as a fender? I don’t know....

I’ve just spoken with Graham and he has no knowledge of a tug called Merlin. He wonders whether the name is original, also that the work could have been done at Canal Transport Services, the Yard next door. I’ll enquire, I’m there next week.