Livery Used by BW For 1957 Exhibition Of Equipment

[alan_fincher]

Our historic ice breaker / tug "Sickle" is due for a repaint.

We are trying to explore the possibility of putting it into the special "exhibition" livery we know it carried for an exhibition of waterways equipment by BW in 1957 in Brownings Pool, Little Venice.

 

The problem is that we only have one colour photograph to give clues as to the exact colours and details of this particular livery, and the version we currently have is not high definition.  (I have tried several times to get a better copy from the archives at Ellesmere Port, without success, but am now trying yet again).

This is from a slide from the Herbert Dunkley collection, and we have no guarantee about the colours.

Does anybody have any theories about this particular colour scheme, and possible matching to modern day paints, please?

(And yes we are aware that if we go for this countless enthusiasts will tell us that "no BW work boat was ever painted in such an elaborate scheme"!)

 

 

Additionally we are not sure if this phollowing image is "Sickle", though there seems to be a very good chance that it may be, as the livery carried is again not the norm, and remarkably similar to that known to have been carried by Sickle.

The doubts though are that the yellow band along the cabin side seems to be at a different height.

This wonderful picture was taken by the late Cyril Boucher, and I'm most grateful to his son Andrew for letting me use it.  The copyright is Andrew Boucher's.

[Note the team dredger still in use at this date - a splendid image of the past!]


 

Edited April 23, 2019 by alan_fincher

[BWM]

It looks as if the gunwhales were painted yellow at some point, and is there a funnel type exhaust or similar on the engine room cabin top?

[alan_fincher]

18 minutes ago, BWM said:

It looks as if the gunwhales were painted yellow at some point, and is there a funnel type exhaust or similar on the engine room cabin top?

The bit that you are describing as gunwales is, I think, just the edge of the planks that cover the hold.  I don't think it had wooden gunwales.  I agree it looks like it might have had yellow paint on these - shades of modern day work boats that have large amounts of "hi-viz" yellow on them maybe.

Yes, it does look like it has a funnel on the exhaust.  At that time it would have had a "Parsons Peregrine" engine, (an Armstrong Siddeley AS3 marinised and supplied by Parsons), and I don't know if the actual exhaust outlet would have been in that position, or whether it is just a fake funnel, in the style of the much larger ones added to boats by BW when converted to trip boats.

I think much higher definition pictures would be required to answer these things with much certainty.

The only thing the picture definitely confirms is that the ice ram had been torched off by this date, though when this actually occurred remains completely unknown to us.

[David Schweizer]

2 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

The bit that you are describing as gunwales is, I think, just the edge of the planks that cover the hold.  I don't think it had wooden gunwales.  I agree it looks like it might have had yellow paint on these - shades of modern day work boats that have large amounts of "hi-viz" yellow on them maybe.

Yes, it does look like it has a funnel on the exhaust.  At that time it would have had a "Parsons Peregrine" engine, (an Armstrong Siddeley AS3 marinised and supplied by Parsons), and I don't know if the actual exhaust outlet would have been in that position, or whether it is just a fake funnel, in the style of the much larger ones added to boats by BW when converted to trip boats.

I think much higher definition pictures would be required to answer these things with much certainty.

The only thing the picture definitely confirms is that the ice ram had been torched off by this date, though when this actually occurred remains completely unknown to us.

To be Honest, I cannot see anything in that picture that resembles the "fake funnel"  we had on Pisces, which it aquired when operating as a trip boat. They were installed to contain the gas cylinder, apparently because the BW person in charge of Trip Boats believed it was unsafe to have gas inside the boat.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 23, 2019 by David Schweizer

[mark99]

Where are those images taken David?

Edited April 24, 2019 by mark99

[Mike Adams]

There was a picture of my tug White Heather that appeared in waterways world many years ago at the top of Norwood GU locks. It seemed to be painted in a darkish blue and yellow with a logo on the funnel which was either BTC or BTW with a circle around it. Unfortunately a haven't kept my copies of WW and I am sure it was before ww was in colour. Someone with a photographic memory may remember it? Being local it may well have been painted up and used at the exhibition.

[David Schweizer]

33 minutes ago, mark99 said:

Where are those images taken David?

The first one under one of the bridges near Salford Junction. The second one on the off side immediately below Uxbridge lock

[alan_fincher]

11 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

To be Honest, I cannot see anything in that picture that resembles the "fake funnel"  we had on Pisces, which it aquired when operating as a trip boat. They were installed to contain the gas cylinder, apparently because the BW person in charge of Trip Boats believed it was unsafe to have gas inside the boat.

 

To be clear, I wasn't intending to imply that it was in any way the same as the massive things fitted to the trip boats, which is why I said "shades of" rather than "like" or "the same as".

It does appear to be carrying a small funnel that would achieve little practical purpose, and I assume it was put there more as decoration than as an actual exhaust outlet.  It is not obvious whether actual exhaust passed through it or not.

It is certainly known that this is not the only ice breaker that BW fitted an apparently useless fake funnel to.  The ice breaker Snowdrop still carries hers to this day.  This is much bigger than what's on Sickle, but not big enough to serve as Calor gas cylinder holder.

Edited April 24, 2019 by alan_fincher

[Derek R.]

SNOWDROP at work. SICKLE is behind about to take the tow of mud boats.

 

Is your image taken by the White Lion bottom of Maffers Alan? Just a guess.

[alan_fincher]

2 minutes ago, Derek R. said:

SNOWDROP at work. SICKLE is behind about to take the tow of mud boats.

 

Is your image taken by the White Lion bottom of Maffers Alan? Just a guess.

The modern day picture of Sickle passing Snowdrop is taken at Cosgrove, Derek.

[Derek R.]

Aah - wrong again!