Mike Nicoll
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Posts posted by Mike Nicoll
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4 hours ago, dogless said:
Anyone know how the story went on these two ?
Rog
I have read through this post there is no mention of the history of these two boats.
I believe that for some years they were operated as hotel boats.
It is a sad fact that these have had there time, these days the cost is greater than the interest.
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2 hours ago, Ray T said:
We have these by B J Freeman.
These were also used on plates and there is a good set of plates of Alan Frith
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I think I prefer works by Alan Firth.
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17 minutes ago, agg221 said:
Another picture which could go in the ‘Where I Am’ thread. This one hangs on my hallway wall.
Alec
Clearly not Alan Firth!
This is in my study
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5 minutes ago, BuckbyLocks said:
Nebulae was motorised but is currently a working butty again.
Thanks I did not know that, it was an expensive set up so I understand.
My guess is that when the painting was done Nebulae was motorised.
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21 hours ago, IanM said:
There seems to be a distinct lack of tow rope.
Nebulae is a motorised butty
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Just now, magnetman said:
Is it made of oak wood?
I don't know all that much about wooden narrow boats but did think they were usually made of elm wood.
The advert is claiming oak and that it could be useful timber.
Most wooden Narrow boats are made with Oak sides and an Elm Bottom the time I knew this boat she never took in water.
Her timbers looked good so all I can say is that for the last twenty years she could not have been cared for.
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23 hours ago, Ian Mac said:
I believe this to be Chance II..
I have also responded to Historic boats on line to confirm that this is indeed Chance 2
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2 hours ago, John Brightley said:
If it is Chance 2 (and it appears to be), then previous threads said it was at Chester, then moved to Hurleston about the time you say, found it couldn't get up the Llangollen, was taken back to Nantwich and craned out there.
I can confirm that this is chance 2 very sad to see her like this.
Yes she was an interesting boat not the easiest to steer especially on tight bends.
I cruised her from keynsham on the Avon to Watford Hertfordshire.
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18 minutes ago, dave moore said:
Ah....the image in my avatar is indeed by Frank Jones, an old can I acquired many years ago. I knew he did the decorative work on Arcturus but the can in the film didn’t ring a bell with me. Here’s one of mine....
Very impressive, You are an Artist.
The same cans on Arcturus Taken about 2009 with the Butty Sirius.
The cans had since been repainted by my Mother who also did the roses on Sirius
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6 minutes ago, agg221 said:
That had me slightly confused too, but I think Mike may be referring to your avatar (which I presume is your own work?)
Alec
Apologies, yes it was the image in Dave's heading that through me.
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12 minutes ago, agg221 said:
Hello Mike,
Bryan's son I presume?
If you work through the film, there are two cans on the roof of Arcturus at one point, both appearing to have a black ground. You can see them side by side at 3:09. There are images of single cans at 4.46, 5.11, 6:24 and 6:40 but I think all except the first are of the other can.
Alec
Hello Alec
Yes, I am Bryan's Son.
You are right Arcturus did have two water cans both painted by the same artist and in a different style to the one in Dave Moore's image.
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16 hours ago, dave moore said:
Hi, Alec
No, I’m sorry but I can’t identify the painter. I recall Arcturus from the 64 Rally at Stratford but I suspect that it was one of the enthusiasts of the time, not one of those from working days.....but I’ve been wrong before!😉
Hello Dave.
The image of the can that you have shown does not look the same as the one on Arcturus, I am trying to identify the can that you have shown, I noticed that the spout in your image is red and yellow but on Arcturus it is all red with a symbol in yellow on it.
The one on Arcturus I believe was painted by Frank Jones from a boat yard at Leighton buzzard, though I will get confirmation on this.
Frank Jones painted all the roses and castles on Arcturus prior to beginning as a trip boat on the River Way at Guildford.
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48 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:
Hello Tim.
Thanks for sharing these great films, but does anyone have film or photos of Sirius in the 60s or 70s as I think that joe would be very interested in these, I know that I would be.
Mike.
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4 minutes ago, mark99 said:
Arcturus was very well known in the 70's onwards as a guided day trip boat around Watford and Croxley. Operated by Bryan Nicholl iirc.
Arcturus did school Trips and Sunday afternoon Trips for the public also evening cruises for groups of people from 1959 - 1999, first on the river way in Guildford then eventually in Watford from the mid 60s but this topic is mainly to do with Sirius which I owned between 1978 & 2010.
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On 13/06/2021 at 12:24, JoeSlow said:
Update on Sirius: Found
Thanks to you all for helping me trace Sirius. I've just been on the phone to Jem Bates and yes, Arcturus and Sirius are both there so I am going to be able to go and visit my first home. I am really chuffed.
My question was why are these boats 'famous'? well they were prototypes of the Star class in 1934 and Jem has told me they are the last surviving original pair of wooden boats. He is holding onto them with an eye to renovation when possible. I will be providing him with photos and a little more info I have from the 70's to add to the boats provenance and known history - mainly pictures with me in
Thanks again
Joe
Hello Joe.
I believe that Sirius was sold to a guy called Tony Danial's in 1976 and I brought Sirius from him in 1978 where I then had her taken to Brentford where John Wooley rebuilt the stern 30ft then in 1989 I had the rest of the bottoms replace and the bottom strake and Kelson.
I forwarded both Arcturus & Sirius to Jem Bates in 2010.
Mike Nicoll
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7 minutes ago, Joseph said:
Many thanks Mike
Is Alan Snowdon still with us?
Regards
Joseph
Alan was a friend of my father, so I do not no the answer to that, though I would have thought he is still with us, as there is a lot of films that he has made being put onto YouTube, most of which are railways, I have to say all very interesting.
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13 minutes ago, Joseph said:
Fascinating
I'm no expert, but it was very well filmed, given that the boat was moving all the time and so nothing could be staged. A lot of interesting detail; very glad to see that it has been recorded.
Just wondering who is/was Alan, who recorded much of the film? I assume that it is Mr Nicoll at the tiller, but who are the others with him? And who is the commentator?
Happy New Year
J
The filming was done by Alan Snowdon and the commentary was done by his wife, sorry I cannot think of her name at the moment,
The crew was David Pusell though this may not be the correct spelling.
As you say very well filmed and Thanks for Patron for sharing this on this site.
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11 minutes ago, mark99 said:
I recall your father taking his boat many, many times through Croxley. Pretty sure he smoked a pipe then. 1970s.
Yes he did, but after a health scare he stopped and has not smoked since, not sure when he gave up I think maybe early 80s
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2 minutes ago, mark99 said:
Cassiobury.
Yes, I realised that I had spelt this wrong after I had sent it, but it has taken over a month for anyone to pick up on this!
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18 hours ago, astalweeks said:
I always believed that I had sold Sirius to Bryan through the good offices of John Wooley. I am pleased to hear that it had further work undertaken by John though when I had it the hull was still in a reasonable condition. But obviously not as good as I thought it was.
So where are Arcturus and Sirius now?
I was 18 when I brought Sirius so my dad was involved in the purchase and soon after Sirius was Taken to Brentford for the stern end rebuild, then in 1989-90 I took Sirius to Uxbridge where the rest of the bottom boards and bottom strake were replaced, and a fit out under canvas was done.
Arcturus and Sirius went to Puttenham in 2010, but by then Arcturus needed new bottoms and bottom strakes all round.
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3 hours ago, roland elsdon said:
Thank you. Our old stomping ground in the early 80s. Haven’t gone back since 88. Don’t want to ruin memories.
Remember installing our Rayburn off the bridge at common moor, running trips up to blackjacks, and of course Brian Nichol and the boat who then ran trips from Jim McDonald’s wharf at Cassio. He had Sirius as well.
We had a mooring in the Stinkhole for a time. Cost us a bottle of whisky a year. Never ever used it. Uninhabitable.
Just to correct a couple of points here the correct spelling is Nicoll
Arcturus never ran trips from Jim McDonalds Wharf at Cassio, in fact the Public trips were run from Cassioberry park and the private charter trips from Cassio Bridge.
My father Bryan Nicoll never owned Sirius, as I brought Sirius in 1978 and then had the stern end completely rebuilt by John Wooley who had rebuilt the stern end of Arcturus.
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Another shot of Sirius at Gas street basin in 1975
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Back to gas street June 1975
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Mabel and Forget me Not
in History & Heritage
Posted
The forget me not that is shown in one of your pictures with a motor stern is now with the wooden boat trust near Manchester. not the same one.
Had a quick look on face book a lot of information on these boats there.
A quick quote has Mabel being built in 1929 and forget me not as 1928 they worked as hotel boats from 1957 - 1987,
it also mentions forget me not as being owned by Samuel Barlow coal co.