Steve King

I’ve been trying to answer the question of Jason’s true identity for over thirty years now. Shall we start at the beginning? Around one hundred years ago FMC were building the ‘Country’ class of butty boats, to include the iron-composite France, Holland and Portugal, some of the class being provided with forecabins. In 1937-8 FMC selected 12 of these butty boats to be converted into motors by Yarwoods, this being achieved by the removal of the butty stern and its replacement with a motor boat counter, by way of a complete new cabin and engine room section. After nationalisation of the FMC fleet in 1948 three of these motor boats found their way into the hands of Thomas Clayton of Birmingham ; England(?) France and Portugal. Claytons had used decked-over wooden motors to carry liquid by-products from gas works for some time but the story goes that one of these iron-composite motors overturned in service, and thereafter the boatman would not be persuaded to use metal boats. In Robert May’s pictorial book of the BCN there is a photo of Adder (believed to be ex-France) decked over and in TC service at Wolverhampton in 1951, under way and passing Towy & Kubina and Ferret tied up. Also in 1951 John James commenced a passenger boat service on the Regent’s Canal at Little Venice using the former Chas Nelson of Stockton wooden motor Jason. This wooden boat eventually failed its Bot exam and John purchased one of the Thos Clayton motors as a replacement. The late Hector Bijl took it to Walkers of Rickmansworth for conversion to a trip boat and it was the penultimate boat (before Arcturus) to be docked there in 1959. Anthony Walker had no photos of the boat ‘as delivered’. Hector Bijl could not remember the number it had displayed somewhere. John James view was that if it had no name he could call it Jason like its predecessor so his advice at the time was ‘if it has a name, I don’t want to know what it is’. The second Jason entered service in 1960. It was joined by the Small Northwich butty Serpens in 1968 and the boats were to be seen operating as a traditional pair for many years. John James retired in 1972 and the business was sold. In 1976 I started work on the Jenny Wren trip boat at Camden Town, but in the following year managed to get some part-time work on the Jason, which, being an ex-working boat was much more to my liking. In January 1978 I went to work for Jason’s Trip full time. The general feeling amongst those who knew (or cared) was that Jason was ex-FMC Portugal, but former boater Charlie Green on the BW Zoo Waterbus Service maintained that it was France. When Mungo Park’s ex-FMC motor France turned up at Little Venice Charlie reaffirmed his view and said he didn’t know what this other imposter was. NBOC information at the time was that this brazen claimant to the title France had been Thos Clayton’s Adder - and of course, Adder had been France. Either way, inspection of Jason’s open hull revealed to passengers and crew alike ( a ) that the boat had previously had a much longer foredeck ending in a substantial 3in frame with a 1in cladding that must have been the rear bulkhead of a forecabin (although only corrosion of the hull now remained to tell the tale) and ( b ) a series of holes, a distance below gunwhale level and now welded up, showed that frames had been in place for the boat to have been decked over as a tar tanker. In dock some time later I was able to confirm that Jason was an old composite boat with a later counter ; the age of the fore-end was evident and the join discernible if you cared to look hard for it. During the 1980s(?) Serpens was sold off and replaced by another motor boat, giving more flexible operation, and thus coincidentally the Holland (another conversion like Jason) joined the fleet. It is interesting to note the different shape of the counters, Jason vs Holland, despite their being converted at the same yard not that long apart. I had, around 1993, an opportunity to inspect France when it came up for sale at Tewkesbury. It too showed the signs of having previously possessed a forecabin, and interestingly retained the riveted-on half of small metal angle brackets along the hull side, the horizontal part evidently having simply been broken off with a sledge hammer when no longer required. I also checked for a square hole for an anser pin in the old gunwhale angle behind the stove (this being covered then by a new steel gunwhale two inches above) but unfortunately I didn’t record what I found – anyway, more of that later. Probably around this time Charlie Green changed his tune and came out in favour of Jason being Portugal. In more recent times a friend has spoken to the owner of France who rejected any doubt as to the identity of his boat, going as far as to observe that one of the floor sections in the boatman’s cabin has France’s fleet number stamped on it. Even more recently, in conversation with the owner (30 years) of ex-FMC Penguin I was to learn that the BCN Records show continuous gauging records of France becoming Adder. So it seems highly likely that France is France and Jason is Portugal. Doesn’t it? Well probably, apart from one piece of interesting visual evidence. GUCCCo motor boats were provided with anser pins on the gunwhale, to which a short rope was attached such that the loop in the end could be put over the butty’s tunnel hook and the boats therefore breasted more satisfactorily. FMC did not work this way, preferring to use a line from the motor’s bow to the mast on the butty, so FMC boats were not fitted with anser pins. These latter are a large metal ‘pin’ firmly bolted through both the metal gunwhale angle and the timber capping, and thus requiring a square hole of about 1½in, quite different to that for a normal gunwhale bolt. Now, thinking back to that photo of Adder in 1951 it is quite clear to see that the boat has been fitted with an anser pin on the port side gunwhale. Hence my search for this hole on France in 1993, and shame on me that I didn’t write down what I found. Could it be that I didn’t write anything down as I didn’t find anything? Most interesting to note later then, that I discovered that the Jason does indeed possess such a hole (although not through the timber and not therefore visible from the outside). My logic is thus: Jason could be Adder in the photo – but could France? More specifically, if France does not have a hole for an anser pin, how could it possibly be Adder in the photo? It might be illuminating to go through the BCN gauging records to find the whereabouts of France, Portugal, and perhaps England (although this latter boat is accounted for). It might also be interesting to take a look at the original gunwhale angle behind the stove on France and see what sort of holes lurk there. But anyway, there you have it, more than thirty years of research and observance as to whether Jason is France or Portugal. And I’d still love to know the anser.

Well, how interesting to see the finished video, albeit fifteen years after I saw it being filmed ! I was there at work in the London Waterbus Co office on the day that Bob Dylan and his entourage turned up at Camden Lock. I remember them walking over the roving bridge, and I thought they did some filming on the lock island, but since this isn't seen, perhaps they didn't after all. I decided to try and get Dylan's autograph for a friend, so when they stopped filming I dashed out with a waterbus postcard and a biro in my hand. I had to run towards Camden High street as he had paid off the entourage and was now with just the film crew and heading down Camden High Street. They went into a cafe before I caught up and on the spur of the moment I carried on in and approached the man, now sitting at a table. I explained that my friend had grown up with his music and would be so pleased to have his autograph. I proffered the postcard and he duly signed it without a word. I thanked him and left. Wow, I thought, I've just met Bob Dylan ! There is an iterior shot in the video that appears to be taken inside the cafe, by a fireplace I think. The cafe was (is?) two shops made into one and would be 248 or 246 Camden High Street, ie next to Paddy Walker's Antique Shop as was. As for the boat, well I think it may have been Dave Stewart's narrowboat, which he kept moored at Blomfield Road, near Maida Tunnel. I can't recall the name but it was certainly green and a rather boxy shape. One day we were operating the winter waterbus service with Water Buffalo when, approaching the tunnel, we were confronted by Dave Stewart on his boat right across the canal in front of us and apparently unable to move. It was clear to see from the propwash that his propeller was fouled so we tied up, I cleared the prop for him, and we both went on our way. Steve

May I be a pedant and note here (it's an interesting historical fact!) that Kingfisher was ordered by the Grand Junction Canal Company - but delivered to the Grand Union Canal Company, the merger having been made in the interim period of the boat being built. I remember the boat being docked at the Paint Dock at Bulls Bridge by BW some time in the late 1980s. We were outside preparing to leave with one of the waterbuses that had just come off the dock, and Kingfisher was settling onto the baulks as the water drained out of the dock. Shortly there was the sound of a big 'crash' and we went in to the dock again to find that Kingfisher had fallen over on her side. She had a round bilge! The dock was quickly refilled, the boat righted and props positioned to keep the boat upright as the water was drained out once more ... Steve

This may be off-topic but there's an interesting video of the radar sequence for when the QE2 ran aground on a sandbank at Southampton earlier this week. The ship approaches from the east near the IoW and commences a turn into the 'Maintained Depth' channel - but then goes straight on and runs aground. The coastguard stated the wind was coming from the southwest, whereas I was at Mayflower Park most of the day and the wind was coming from the northwest, but either way it's hard to see how it would have blown the liner in that direction, even though the strong winds were cited as a factor in the incident. Was the liner going too fast to make the turn? Did the crew steer her in the wrong direction? Did they pick up a plastic bag around the propeller? We'll have to wait for the outcome of the inquiry to find out. See what happened here: http://www.ais-live.co.uk/News/shippingnews.html Some good still photos can be seen here: http://ianhaskell.fotopic.net/c1610317.html Steve

That would have been 'Powys Princess', a Middle Northwich butty as I recall. 'Planet' was similarly equipped: http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...i&img=3029# Steve

I think you are correct after all Alan. I started working for BWB in 1978 on the waterbus service and I remember they still had hire cruisers then. One was available free of charge to staff but I was never sure if I would qualify, being only a seasonal employee! Hoseasons are an agency, not an operator, and they may well have been the agency for BWB. And besides, who but BWB would paint their boats blue and white at that time? The waterbuses carried those colours too around that time. I've had a quick look back at WW for that period and a list of APCO operators in the Jan '78 issue shows BWB as having five 4-berth, fourteen 6-berth and four 8-berth craft. I think Hilmorton was still used as a base then. The March '78 issue of WW carries this photo on the cover which shows the BWB were still introducing now boats to the hire fleet even in the late 1970s, albeit in a different colour scheme: http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...si&img=3028 "Cover - Just as countless numbers of working boats have done before them, two new hire cruisers descend the Braunston flight of locks breasted up. This attractive Spring-time shot was taken by Michael E. Ware who was helping to deliver the new boats from their builders, Harborough Marine, to the British Waterways Board base at Nantwich." Steve

If you can find a copy of Ronald Russell's "Lost Canals of England and Wales" (David & Charles, 1971) it should be of interest. Also this: http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/tunnels/database.html Good Luck, Steve

Well spotted, and interesting to see them. The GU promo books list them at Durdan's Dock which was on the south bank. However, judging from the angle of filming - travelling west and looking to the right - as you say they were on the north bank. The book 'Braunston to Brentford' (1980) notes: From around 1820 extensive brickfields were developed along the arm between Southall and Northolt. Ample clay deposits were dug to make bricks for the rapidly expanding suburbs of London. When the fields were exhausted, they were filled in with rubbish brought by boat from London. Willow Tree Wharf remains on the west bank, with narrow-gauge rails that used to lead into the brickfields. There were private arms into the fields slightly further north, but the area was recently landscaped by the local authority. The West End Brick Company continued in production until the 1930's. Alan Faulkner's 'The Grand Junction Canal' (1972) has a diagram (p202) of the local docks and depicts Durdan's Dock/135yds but then confusingly shows Willow Tree Dock/1075yds (aka Hewitt's Dock, and forked at the end) further east of the present Willow Tree Marina location. Willow Tree Wharf and Willow Tree Dock could have been separate locations of course. Neither of the GU promo books shows either of them. Perhaps the detailed Godfrey maps cover this area and would reveal more accurate detail. Steve

I seem to remember seeing some narrow gauge railway lines by the edge of the canal there back in the late 1970s or thereabouts. They curved away from the canal at the western end. I can't remember any buildings there though. The promotional book 'Grand Union Canal (Including Regent's Dock) and Associated Companies' from the 1930s lists these companies 6 furlongs east of the Hayes Road at Durdan's Dock, which would be almost exactly opposite the wharf in question: Sharp, Jones & Co Ltd James Davies (Timber) Merchants Ltd Joinery & Builders' Supply Co Ltd Durdans Dock was probably where the modern warehouses are now. Perhaps inspection of the piling would reveal where the towpath bridge over the dock entrance was? I don't think there was a dock at Willowtree until the present marina was excavated? I guess the timber companies may have had sheds on the offside as well and that would explain the railway if my memory is correct. One of the old b&w films might just have a view of the scene but I'm not sure if there's one that goes from London to Birmingham? Steve

Hi Paul, Orange Broadband, Internet Explorer and Apollo Duck is available (http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/). Maybe this will get you there: http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/listings.phtml?cid=75 Good Luck Steve

What a delightful account of life on working narrowboats. I'm only on page 3 but I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the subject. This is surely no vague recollection written years since the experience after searching back through the memory for half-forgotten detail. The writing has so much presence to it that it must surely have been written soon after the events, perhaps in the form of a diary? I suspect that it was in fact typed-up at some point and only more recently treated to OCR (optical character recognition) software which has given some of the curious detail* and punctuation where the precise text could not be transcribed. Still, it makes for a great read, and even allows the enthusiast to think they know better than the author on occasion ! Definitely as good as (and more realistic than) 'Hold on a Minute' and better perhaps than any of the wartime trainee books (although I admit I haven't read any for a number of years). * "We were still sheeting up when once more came that shrill wine and for the first time I saw a buzz bomb pass across the sky and take its fateful crash." The grapes of wrath perhaps? Steve

Alan, you put it very politely and I own up to incorrectly suggesting that the boat was caught on the cill. Some here had the opportunity to view the photos of Abigail soon after the incident and clearly showing the boat hung up at the tail of the lock and by the fore end. I however had only seen the photo in WW and the one on nbw which appeared to show the boat suspended from what must surely have been the head of the lock, and therefore most probably the top cill. That it could possibly have been the tail of the lock seemed impossible to believe (what is there to hang a boat on there?) and so I came to the wrong conclusion. Steve

Thanks for that Scotty, expecially the photos. So what looked in WW and nbw like the top of the lock is in fact the bottom - amazing. I stand corrected on my diagnosis of what went wrong. Still somewhat of a mystery though. Surely a bow fender wouldn't be strong enough to hang a boat up like that so perhaps there was a projection on the lockside which tipped the boat and jammed it as it descended - but if so why has it not been located? Steve

Looking at the photo of the nb stranded in Lock 14 of the Offerton flight in the September Waterways World (p46) I almost dismissed the incident as just another narrowboat hung up on the cill. However, closer inspection of the photo reveals that it is the bow of the boat that is up in the air this time, not the stern. And the bow is not just caught on the cill but sitting completely across it with the top lock gate open. The text observes that 'a narrowboat became wedged whilst going down Lock 14. Going down? Backwards? Surely not. And what did the crew do to sink the boat if that was the case, open the bottom gate paddles whilst forgetting that the top gate had yet to be closed? Very unlikely I'd say. The plot thickens if you look at the item that had now appeared on nbw: http://www.narrowboatworld.com/ Here there is no claim that the boat was locking down so perhaps we can assume that it was locking up, which would seem much more likely. The boaters claim that the boat 'had caught on something in the lock and had become jammed'. The text goes a bit awry now when it states 'Abigail was neither on the cill or caught in a lock gate' as it is clear from the photo that the boat must indeed be resting across the top cill. A BW investigation finds that 'that brickwork in the lock was not protruding or in such condition to have been the cause of the incident' and 'it is considered the most likely cause of the incident was that the crew of the boat concerned, regrettably, did not manage the locking appropriately'. So what went wrong? And why haven't the boaters concerned or BW managed to pin-point the reason for the sinking? Well, I have a theory as to what happened. The boat was locking up and the crew would have filled the lock as usual, and then opened the top gate. What they did not perhaps notice was that the water level in the next pound was rather low. As they motored out of the lock the boat ran aground on the top gate cill. This would explain why the crew thought the boat had jammed - it had, on the bottom of the lock. Perhaps the front of the boat rose as it grounded, causing the stern to dip until water started to enter somewhere. Or perhaps the level in the lock started to drop off due to leakage through the bottom gates. Either way, the boat filled with water and sank in the lock. I think it behoves us to understand the real reason for this sinking (whatever it is if I'm not correct) so as to be able to avoid this happening in the future. On leaving a lock it is important to check that the boat has sufficient depth available to clear the cill. If in doubt, motor out slowly so as not to get stuck there with dreadful consequences. Any thoughts? Steve

Alan, a couple of years ago I discovered Farecla G3 compound, which is a water-based cutting compound that the trade use in the motor industry (available on eBay). I used to use T-Cut but G3 is sooo much better that I gave away my T-Cut. You use just a tiny amount on a damp cloth, it has no ammonia etc in it so it doesn't dry out while you're using it, and it cuts the old paint really well, but only as hard as you want to do so by the pressure you use. After washing off any residue and waiting for the paint to dry I would apply a fairly thin coat of gloss marine varnish - not so thin that it doesn't dry glossy but not so thick that it curtains. Every three or so years afterwards you will need to flat down the varninsh with fine wet & dry paper (or G3 it again) and re-varnish. Do not leave it longer, as if the varnish starts to craze you will need to do the whole paint job again. This works for me, others will doubtless have other ways of achieving similar results. Steve

Sweeping statement! I purchased my Tayberg launch shell in grey primer in 1998 and painted the hull in Johnstone's coloured gloss with bitumastic paint below the waterline. It had no special preparation and yet I've never noticed any millscale or had trouble with paint coming off, inside or out, above or below the waterline. Steve

A little anecdote to add to the discussion about the Petter PD2. The story goes that boats fitted with the PD2 never picked up rubbish on the propeller. The reason? The PD2, unlike all the other marine engines around at that time had a 2:1 reduction gearbox instead of the more common 3:1. When the prop is fouled, the boatman engages reverse gear to throw the rubbish off, but because of the reduction ratio the Petter's propeller was <always> turning that way, so it never picked up rubbish I think I may have read this in a book on canals many years ago but I really have no idea now where it came from. And the gear ratios may be wrong too, so the whole story is open to correction, but it's a nice little bit of canal lore anyway. Steve

Hello Tillergirl, The closest you can get to Cambridge city centre is just below Jesus Green Lock, it's a very attractive spot and worth cruising there even if you then turn round and go back to Fen Ditton. There are visitor moorings and a water / pump out point just below the lock but the moorings tend to be busy. It is only a short walk across Jesus Green into town from there. 'The Backs' (above Jesus Lock) is a most attractive stretch of river and if you have time to hire a punt from Magdalene Bridge and go up to Silver Street and back I very much doubt that you would be disappointed - do take a camera! Steve Liberty Belle, Ely

Well, Paul and Derek, some interesting observations on Tycho's paintwork. I guess the clincher would be the location of the Mattys yellow; below the BW blue and the latter would not be original, above the BW blue and it would be original British Waterways blue. With more names being mentioned I can add a little more information. Stewart Qureshi worked as a steerer on the London trip boats, initially for Jason's Trip and later for Canal Cruises (Jenny Wren and Fair Lady). I think it was he and his (then) wife Hannah who converted the hold. I hadn't remembered that Chris Nicholls sold Tycho to Martin Cottis (well, he didn't have it long!) but I can say that Martin and Anne Cottis had owned Barnham & Angel, and Martin later owned Coronis I think. A few years ago he was instrumental in trying to keep going some moorings on the Thames tideway near Rotherhithe where he lived on Dutch barge Vogelzand. Paul Money worked initially as a steerer for London Waterbus Co and then defected to Jason's Trip (a well trodden path). Before Tycho he had owned Shed, that curious pontoon conversion being bow-hauled by that bearded character Rob Robinson when pictured in Bob May's photographic book of the BCN. That ought to complete the list of owners during that period! Steve

A word of caution if I may. Can you be sure that this paint and lettering was applied by British Waterways (Board)? I took a photo of Tycho at Matty's yard in the late 1970s when it was painted in their yellow. When the boat appeared at Camden Town en route to its new mooring at Battlebridge Basin in the early 1980s I remember that it had been painted (by WFBC ?) in BW blue and lettered accordingly. Is it this paint that we see in these photos? The boat had been purchased by Chris ... (?) and was owned later by Stewart Qureshi and then Paul Money, the latter two owners keeping the boat in Paddington. Paul Money started painting the boat in green but never finished it. I'm just a little concerned that with the cabin being given a refit in the early 1980s that the exterior paint may have been stripped off then and what was applied afterwards is now being granted the status of actual BWB paint? It should be possible to check with the people involved at that time to confirm what was actually done. Hope I'm wrong though as the lettering looks most interesting. As Phil mentions, if it is a transfer then it would be the original BWB application. Steve King

Well Alan, I took the photos at the Boxmoor Rally on 10th September 1977. I had travelled to the site from Kensal Green with Ray Williams on Aster & Lucy and I stayed in Aster's cabin. We seem first to have moored at the spot where the photos were taken from, but must have gone on to wind and then moored below Fishery Lock (partly visible in the extreme right of the second photo). Why I was later allowed to stand on the roof of the immaculately turned out Barnes (Dave and Gill Humphreys) to take the photos I will never know! Bilster is seen carrying the band at the Rally, although unfortunately they could be heard but not seen on account of the high sides of the Town class butty! At some point I spoke to Mike and was impressed that he had rebuilt Bilster's cabin in three weeks (he said). The boat was certainly much improved over its rather poor condition when it was lurking at the Swan & Bottle, Uxbridge, in late 1975. Angel looked smart too, she had recently been paired with Royalty Duke (John Ward) and although I wasn't to know it at the time I was soon (January 1978) to purchase Duke. I still have the negatives of these photos and I could send you a scan if you'd like to give me your email address so that you can have a couple of proper colour prints made? Steve

A couple of photos of them here Alan: http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...si&img=2825 http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...si&img=2826 Steve