Derek R.

I live in my coat, and faeries get the Flit Gun. Despite TRIAL as being in the list of Narrow craft, it certainly looks wide. Thanks for those links Chris, the first of the two I have not yet read fully, but what a wonderful trove of personal histories about boats and the working of. A gem. PS About the towpath: I wondered that, but thought perhaps the bridge was a turnover of a primitive kind. There appears to be a path of sorts on the 'wrong' side today, and the site of previously demolished where the towpath appears in the print. Yet further back the path appears on the 'correct' side. Hard to say with so much having changed over time. Could be a different lock. Needs local knowledge.

I wonder if the other boat was called Tribulation? Seems to be a padlock on TRIAL, so maybe the lads were encouraged to hop aboard for the sake of scale in the photo. Certainly looks wider than 7', though the one ahead seems narrow. Nice photo. From that bridge today: Butterrow Hill.

Possibly, but a very close copy if they are. 'Shepherd's Hut' Cotswoldman!! http://www.cotswoldshepherdshuts.co.uk/ Even got your monica in the website address - but proper ones are more like back cabin interiors. For Romany wagons see here.

I Spy with my little . . . Well, don't know when this was taken, but the Shepherd's hut is visible. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=52.285871,-1.118303&spn=0.000564,0.001053&t=h&z=20&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=52.285871,-1.118303&cbp=12,0,,0,0&photoid=po-49711378 (Might have been March this year.)

I suppose 'development' can go both ways - lack of time/money/incentive!! - Or as suggested - different use. Certainly the purists of the Guzzi Marque will declare the original the best! (though it had its faults).

Here we are Geoffrey: http://www1.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_uki_ihc.nsf/stc-vw-sublinks/CF2F5A906644572E8025704D003B48CB?openDocument That's a link to the Salvation Army pages relating to the 'Barge Ministry' run by the Fieldings, and this link will take you to the previous thread on same: Salvation Army & the Fieldings. The images are gone, but the same as those pasted above (I was having a tidy up). Edited to add: Just a thought, but in the text of the first link, it is stated the Fieldings were given a rent free canalside cottage for their use. It does not specify where. I wonder if there was another that perhaps did get demolished at some time.

There are seldom Mk1 anythings, it's not until an 'improved' version comes out that an 'original' becomes known as a Mk1. Certainly true of several motor vehicles. Nowadays we speak of Moto-Guzzi Le-Mans Mk1, and as there were at least three that followed with the same name, when the second version came out, the original was coined Mk1', though never carried any identification as such. It was just the Le-Mans. The Generation Game. Perhaps as problems entailed made changes necessary - a second came along, but enthusiasts are quick to adapt some sort of title, hence Mk. It may at times help define things when greater details are not known or understood - until they are.

Last time I passed by was 2008, and it was all so trim as to make me wonder if it was the same place the Fieldings retired to. Brigadier was often seen in the garden with his Airedale - that was in the early-mid eighties. Truth be told, recently it looked more like the Toll House it once used to be - a little stark, though functional. It became a sad sight after his death, though I found the rambling tree growth pleasing. I believe guests may have taken to the caravan, but only a guess, and it was kept neat. These shots went up on a thread some time back after someone had enquired about the Fieldings. There's history there.

Very satisfying seeing work get done, as I'm sure it is getting it done. Thanks for the pictures.

Bit like living in a sleepy abandoned branch line station, only to suddenly find trains are returning! The 'water feature' has sprung into life. I wonder if they had hopes of an infilled lock and expanded garden.

I think you are correct Mike. That lattice bridge could have been over the Brent as it leaves above Osterley lock. New structure there now of course. I'm sure cost would have dictated all was done around one area in one day.

Welcome Simon. There are still folk working on BW maintenance who remember working with Alf Best, Ian Tyler being one, and who has a great respect for him. Ian lives aboard his boat SENTINEL at Bulbourne yard. He's not much for writing, so a trip might be best. I remember him only in passing Stockers Lock in the early eighties when he was resident there. Always had an array of implements and bits of gear on display and all painted up. Kept a tidy garden too. I'm sure you must be familiar with it, but the opening sequence of 'There go the Boats' sees Alf and Mrs Best steering DARLEY and AYR around Lady Capel's with two lads on the motor cabin top, while a third must be in the cot beneath a shawl on the Butty top under the eye of Mrs. Best. Link to the film. EDITED to add: Aah! I see you have found it on another thread!

Hanwell Yes, the lattice towpath bridge looks like that opposite Walkers at Ricky, and the last few seconds could be Cassiobury of further afield. Sound effects and continuity about on par with 'Painted Boats'.

I think the answer may be conjecture only. Creating complexity of decoration on a full length cabin would almost certainly lead to a simplification on repaint, hence all blue. Can't help with their fates, though Tom Chaplin is seen on the counter of his boat STENTOR on the back of his 'The Narrow Boat Book', but looks a different boat altogether.

Tantalising view of the butty's fore end looks like it 'might' be 'BALHAM' on the top bend, that would make it a large Woolwich and intended to be paired with BANSTEAD, but we all know there was no guarantee that was so. BANSTEAD appears in The Bargee without panelled cabin sides. Was it built with panelled sides and changed between 1940 and '63? Did any Large Woolwich have all panelled cabin and engine'ole?

Kearley & Tonge had a warehouse and head offices in Mitre Square as far as I can tell. What coal they used there would almost certainly have arrived by horse and cart. Any reference to possible 'Seamen' would almost undoubtedly be because they were Seamen! The Port of London is on the doorstep. There is a thread with pictures of Kearley & Tonge, and more details on Jack the Ripper HERE. Some history of Kearley & Tonge HERE. Edit to add: There are two booklets available that might be of interest; 'Through London by Canal 1885' which is (was?) a British Waterways Production ISBN 0 903218 17 8 24 pages in length with full page illustrations every other page, 'On The Canal' by John Hollingshead. Narrative of a journey from London to Birmingham in 1858. Published 1973, 48 pages with many illustrations, available from the Waterways Museum Stoke Bruerne, but possibly elsewhere. Both these booklets were priced at less than £1, but this was over thirty years ago!

So who was 'Jimpty', what is his story?

The Jim Collins mentioned as possibly living on LUCY (Rose Whitlock did after retirement), was this the gent known as 'Jimpty'? Seems to be several Kendalls', and maybe Father and Son with the same Christian name. I'm sure Braunston folk have the details.

It's true 'wich' comes from the term place, but also from Wikipedia: "Wich and wych are names associated (but not exclusively) with brine springs or wells in England. Originally derived from the Latin vicus, meaning place, by the 11th century use of the 'wich' suffix in placenames was associated with places with a specialised function including that of salt production.[6] Several English places carry the suffix and are historically related to salt, including the four Cheshire 'wiches' of Middlewich, Nantwich, Northwich and Leftwich (a small village south of Northwich), and Droitwich in Worcestershire. Middlewich, Nantwich, Northwich and Droitwich are known as the Domesday Wiches due to their mention in the Domesday Book, "an indication of the significance of the salt-working towns in the economy of the region, and indeed of the country". The Latin for salt is sali. I wonder where that places Salisbury. Do I hear - 'Wiltshire'? Wiki is not the most trustworthy of sources but I think it fits.

There you go - putting words in other peoples mouths . . . . I would be interested in finding out the names of the children though. Where are they now? Never was one for crosswords or captions, but love these: Fork handles. Bar banter. Think I'll join Jack & Victor.

Thank you both. Looks like PACIFIC alongside, Matty had that too. 'Old Glory' did a piece on PACIFIC showing both in the basin at Callaghan's scrapyard, not as credited to Matty's Yard in the magazine (Blossom). 5'11" - that would be a squeeze!

Thanks Carl, the more the merrier but only if you're not otherwise occupied. I'm not in the running for another in any case. There's a shot in Coventry Canal Society's booklet 'Coventry's Waterways' first published 1972 showing an Ice breaker that is reckoned to be TYCHO, credited to the Coventry Evening Telegraph. The date is wrong, but on the right is what is firmly believed to be OXFORD No.2, with what looks like some curved piece of riveted something aligned with the cabin. See if I can dig it out.

"Derek - thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's iceboat." Yes yes - point taken! 'Tis most desirable though . . . Eyes bigger than belly . .

That is just sublime! The swim begins less so, but it's a difficult shape to achieve with double curvature, and I suspect Harris's weren't geared for such complexities though they got the fore end done. Was the swim and motor counter a later addition? ATLANTIC's fore end doesn't seem so refined in comparison. Still a lovely little boat. Can Pete tell us when built and the dimensions, and if that cabin might be original. Is there much of a gunnel Carl?

Can I recommend 'How To Win Friends and Influence People' by Dale Carnegie?