BuckbyLocks

Bursens are Belgian Organ builders. They were still building in the 70s and may well still be. Hoboken is close to Antwerp and several of their organs are known to have been sold to English buyers.

Even more rolled knees from the Hartshill Iron/steelworks. Many of the Grand Union fleet have them apparently, not dependent on builder.

" I have yet to come across such traffic, though" Longford and Baddesley were the principal loading points for Coal for Croxley and London during the Second World War. Trainees like Moira Strachan illustrated above, often cycled from Baddesley to the Office at Suttons to find out where they were due to load rather than get to Longford and have to return to Baddesley when travelling the Bottom Road back from Brum.

"The Coventry Gasworks was called Foleshill, and the boats were loading coke in the foreground, not coal. " Think you might be confusing Longford and Foleshill. These boats are loading coal at Longford.

I understand there is a memorial to some more IWT personnel beside the Caledonian Canal which was operated by them at this time.

Although the IWT had a depot at Aldershot and the article in the 'Great War' Magazine from 1918 is very careful to not name any locations which might be of use to the enemy, especially Richborough, I understand that the training camp was at Longmoor, IWT being a Railway branch of the RE. The sign at the far right of Pluto's picture is headed GWR. I am sure this set of 9 photos has been discussed before on the Forum and I have always believed, as I still do, that the canal is near Devizes. Anyone who has attempted to access the wonderful pictures in the Imperial War Museum Archives will know that they are not at all user friendly and in this case they too do not disclose the location.

Devizes. Series of photos now found in the Imperial War Museum Archives, but probably originally taken for a magazine.

Royalty 'Victoria' was modified by Brum coal merchant, S T Brant because his boatmen had to duck to go under the low BCN bridges on the high original foot board when being used empty as a tug, i.e. most of the time. It was not a problem steering and provided a useful seating area on fine days. You really are perched very high on Victoria now when empty. Can't help on Joshers though.

7307 Great video Mike. Spotted both of us sat watching Jim paddling and again slightly later. Can I get a couple of stills from it somehow? (Not very technical!)

Cygnus was indeed one of Caggy's rubbish boats, along with (I think) 3 of the 'B' butties. Their names escape me at the moment although I think Beverley was one of them. Cygnus was the first to leave that fleet.

The first one of the dredger looks very like the Grand Junction Dredging point on Braunston Puddle Banks, and the floating one could also be the GJC one (which continued into GU days.)

I remember talking to the Far Cotton History Group several years ago so it is possible they can help you Jeannette. I think Associated Canal Carriers, pre GUCCC operated from Far Cotton Wharf and the Black Shed on the Arm.

Well, as the boat is quite clearly one of Alan Steven's Rubbish Boats it seems to fit in quite well. I have never heard of Wimbolds Green either and it doesn't look like Winson Green. These things are nearly always agreed a long time before any press releases are free from embargo.

Geographical Magazine, June 1945 has an article written by New Zealander Cecily Ramsay, "On Canal Boats in War Time" which has several pictures which are identifiable as being Anthony, including the 2 from the Kit Gayford Collection.

Antony was worked by one of the Wartime Trainees, with Alphons in September 1944. There is a photo in one of the Books written by Trainees, which says the motor is Alcor, but Alcor was in use by the London Fire Brigade at this time so it is highly likely that this is really Antony. Additionally there are two photographs in the Kit Gayford Collection showing a pair loading at Longford which has also been claimed as Antony and Alphons. In neither of them are the boats identifiable. I believe one of these photos has been used in either Waterways World or Narrow Boat Magazines but no idea which or when. Somebody will know! Margaret Cornish, in her book Troubled Waters has a picture of Alphons paired with a motor, but she doesn't name the motor either. As she worked with Margery McPhee and later owned Alphons again it is quite likely that the motor is Antony.

To the best of my knowledge the Weighing Machine that has now gone back to Wales came straight to Stoke Bruerne from under a bridge in Cardiff, where it had been stored ever since it went out of use, (in Wales!) I would suggest that if there are matching recesses on both side of the locks, they were added to provide supports for bridges across the out of use locks.

Yes, and on Thursday evening too, not the weekend.

The Radio 4 Play for the Day version has been broadcast at least twice and bears very little resemblance to either the original book or the televised version. In the radio play, Wilfred is portrayed as being Kit Gayford's brother, whereas in the original book his character is based on the future husband of one of the Trainees - at the time a Captain in the RN.

A 3 part series shown in 1977 and then repeated as a single episode in 1978. Featured boats from Tam and Di also 3 Fellows and cameo roles for Elstree and Lyra as themselves, not repainted as Venus and Ariadne. Mostly filmed on the Leicester Line of the GU and in Limehouse. Best part of the series according to Emma Smith was Geoffrey Palmer as Wilfrid! No copy has been identified yet, but it is possible to view at the British Film Institute by appointment.

Surprised how few people I recognised in this. The Millwards, Tony Lewery and David Owen. Couldn't even spot myself in the final sequences. I was there, having walked from Chester and spent many happy hours there ever since. Seems a long time ago!

A Ribble was in there. Ribble. National (Coal Board presumably.

It was very hard to identify most of them. Frank and Ribble come to mind, but I certainly didn't try to list them.

Seen de Majesteit many times, although never travelled on it. Always used to appear at Dordrecht for the Steam weekend. Had a glass coach on it for several years which rather ruined its appearance.

Remember asking about this myself when we passed it in the 80s. I think someone suggested it was a generator for use with pumps. Obviously on a wide waterway like the Weaver.