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I recently came across another copy of the fourth picture in this series and whilst the gauging number is still not clear I read it as 2381 which is S T Brant 'Gertrude'? Is that a possibility?? Regards Martin O'Keeffe

The BCN planned to use electric haulage in Dudley Tunnel but changed their minds and had two motor tugs instead, the Phyllis and the Dudley. Probably just as well as haulage of boats through Dudley Tunnel was fairly short lived. The North Staffordshire Railway authorised (in April 1913) payment to Bullivant of £6227 for Harecastle Tunnels - rope haulage by electricity. Regards Martin O'Keeffe

I went by the wharf yesterday afternoon and whilst the building was still standing looked very sorry having been fire damaged. Passed by again this afternoon and it has been largely demolished. Martin O'Keeffe

The Allen Register certainly still exists, holding social meetings and issuing the occasional newsletter. A social meeting is planned for the end of November. If anyone needs any further information about the register please private message me. Regards Martin O'Keeffe

The BCN Society did indeed have a number of meeting with Wolverhampton Council, EWS and the Railway Heritage Trust. EWS seemed keen to see the basin restored and the Railway Heritage Trust were prepared to help with funding. At that time the project included conserving the overhead crane. In the end the project stalled because of the concerns of the local manager at Wolverhampton Steel terminal. At the time the sidings around the basin were still being used for storing wagons and also steel billets placed onto the ground. They seemed bothered that even if the basin could be sympathetically fenced off from the tracks it was not an arrangement that met the safety requirements of the site. I don't recall any problems with asbestos although the basin roof has some structural problems. Rectification of these was part of the proposals. The original listing was made in 1995. Regards Martin O'Keeffe

So more likely 865 then Pete? Regards Martin

Worsey boat No.52. That would make it BCN 419. Regards Martin O'Keeffe

Les Allen & Sons ground out a similar scollop and vee into their boats. In general boating terms they refer to a breasthook. Regards Martin O'Keeffe

There is a further image in the group of pictures taken by Arthur Watts which shows the position of the bows and illustrates more clearly that the boat is set back from the others. Regards Martin O'Keeffe

The scheme in the picture in this post follows (but not exactly) the scheme in Ken Keay's "A boat builders sketch book" for Elwell's Tiptonian. The book is a useful reference to BCN paint schemes. Regards Martin O'Keeffe

This one :- http://www.ebay.co.u...ZgAAOSwcBhWaBEJ is definitely the BCN old main line from Brades Hall junction looking towards Oldbury. As was surmised in an earlier post the photographer probably took the picture looking down the lock (which was in an earlier batch) then turned and took this one. It is not on the Wyrley and Essington! Regards Martin O'Keeffe

Laurence Hope you enjoyed the wine! And the compliments of the season to you too! ATB Martin

Hadley Bridge is as was described in another post the first bridge where Phoenix Street crosses the canal on the Balls Hill Branch just after the junction at the top of Rider's Green Locks. I think the post by Laurence Hogg referring to the Hadley Branch at the end of the Ridgeacre is mistaken, surely this is the Halford Branch? Regards Martin O'Keeffe

Having looked at the files at the National Archives the transfer date is given as the 31st December 1950 after which Bantock's acted as managers and were compensated by the BTC when the final settlement was made in 1953. The business was worth in the order of £230k at that time. In the agreement the land at Ettingshall was described as having a frontage of 58 yards to the Millfields Road and contained approx 3000 sq yards and boardered by the canal to the North East and South East. There was a 'cottage warehouse shopping and other buildings' on the site. So by then at least the site was certainly just adjacent to Millfields Bridge, In this view, and at least at that time (1946) http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw001258 the dock seems to be restricted to the site as described above and although it is a little fuzzy a Belfast roofed building can be seen alongside the canal on the site. Nearer to Gibbet Lane bridge is a basin presumably the Probert coal wharf or the Windmill cement wharf. Regards Martin

There were at one time two boat docks side by side between Millfield Bridge and Gibbet Lane Bridge, the one adjacent to Millfield Bridge was Bantock's and the next one was Poole's. Looking at the ordnance survey maps the Millfield dock seems to have a fixed property line over many years. I think the transfer to the BTC took place at the end of 1950, at that time they had 136 motor vehicles, 193 trailers, 74 canal boats (valued at £23,500) and 30 horses and horse drawn vehicles. By 1952 the boats were considered to be loss making. Regards Martin O'Keeffe

Laurence I don't think this is Bantock's boat dock which was situated as you say between Gibbet Lane Bridge and Millfield Bridge, the Aerofilms picture shows the area on the Wolverhampton side of Gibbet Lane Bridge looking towards Catchems Corner Bridge. The image is dated 1921. This image shows the area of the Bantock dock off in the distance. http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw013267 Regards Martin O'Keeffe

I see that this is the basin that served the corporation salvage department destructor. This is now an industrial estate, http://www.cpbigwood.../24338/search/1 An unusual opportunity! Regards Martin O'Keeffe

This link take you to a view from 'Britain from Above' which shows the relationship of the railway to the canal at Old Turn Junc. As Laurence has observed there certainly is not much between the top of the railway tunnel and the bottom of the canal. http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw058069?search=birmingham&ref=698 Regards Martin O'Keeffe

Thanks to Caroline Jones for the pointer to the BBC 'Your Paintings' website, this one caught my eye :- http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/galton-bridge-20629 Regards Martin O'Keeffe

I found a report in the Birmingham Gazette for Thursday 26th April 1917 which reads :- "FIRST MOTOR BARGE ARRIVAL IN LONDON WITH COAL FROM CANNOCK. With the object of getting more coal into London, an interesting experiment was brought to a most successful conclusion yesterday, when two barges -a motor barge drawing a companion—with 50 tons of house coal on board reached London by canal from the Midlands. The barges were despatched from the Cannock district by Messrs. Coggins and Arthur, coal factors, of Birmingham, on Sunday last. All along the 150 miles of route, which included the use of fewer than seven distinct waterways. The barges have had quite distinguished company board, as the Government attached "such importance to the experiment that the Board Trade instructed Mr. G. Hales, assistant engineer of the Birmingham Canal Navigation Board (sic), to represent them on the voyage. The seven canals through which the motor-barge passed were the Birmingham, Birmingham and Warwick Junction, Birmingham and Warwick, Warwick and Napton, Oxford, Grand Junction, and Regent's Canals." I wonder if this was a detachable engine? Regards Martin O'Keeffe

Ray Tailby applied to use his motor boat on traffic between his works in West Bromwich Old Hill and Selly Oak sometimes via Lappal Tunnel in April 1914. In April 1916 the BCN carried out a test with the Gosty Hill tug in Lappal Tunnel to see if the fumes would be a nuisance, this was prior to constructing two tugs for use in Dudley Tunnel. Not found anything for 1915 yet. Regards Martin O'Keeffe

How about these :- http://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-end-of-the-music-halls-oldest-joke http://www.britishpathe.com/video/duke-of-gloucester-visits-wigan Regards Martin O'Keeffe

In one shot a lorry has a 'WT' registration which I believe is Yorkshire and a steam lorry has a Doncaster phone number on it. Not much help I know. Regards Martin O'Keeffe

The Orr Watt & Co built narrowboats for Cadbury were delivered by rail. Not surprising I suppose seeing as the builders works was in Motherwell. Regards Martin O'Keeffe

This takes you to the vendors auctions page http://www.cottons.co.uk/auctions.asp click auction results and pick the top one for yesterdays auction it was lot 49. See also the catalogue for the property details. ATB Martin O'Keeffe