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The last canal carriers


Heartland

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Impressive those Bowker and King tankers - you had to be well tied up when they went past - especially loaded!

2 hours ago, Heartland said:

Is it recorded where the coal came from when it was delivered to Gopsall Wharf on the Ashby Canal. Local collieries included 

 

NCB South Midlands Area

Desford, Donisthorpe, Ellistown, Measham, Rawdon, Snibston and Whitwick.

 

The bulk of traffic went out by rail, but the concrete loading wharf at Gopsall still provided the option for canal transport as is seen on this Ashby Canal website, image-

  

Gopsal Wharf (1) 1971.jpg

The "Ash" again with the "Comet"

2 hours ago, Dav and Pen said:

I have taken the information from Tom Henshaws photograph. I have looked at another photo from that day which shows the Butty’s cabin but without any writing on it and none on the fore end. The date is actual 1973.

Close inspection of the photo will reveal it's not the "Betelgeuse".....

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24 minutes ago, Athy said:

....and that it was cheaper in summer. My parents always used to get their coalhouse filled in August. I don't think that coal merchants do that nowadays.

The barrels were a seasonal winter traffic, so our coal trade was summer-autumn and worked for exactly that reason. I've just realised that we are talking of nigh on fifty years ago, so it didn't do any of us here much harm. Also Towcester is one of the extremely rare motors that has never been converted for pleasure use (unless you count carrying coal as pleasure  ?) and is still amazingly working at the same trade under Jules' ownership.

 

Tam

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3 minutes ago, Tam & Di said:

The barrels were a seasonal winter traffic, so our coal trade was summer-autumn and worked for exactly that reason. I've just realised that we are talking of nigh on fifty years ago, so it didn't do any of us here much harm. Also Towcester is one of the extremely rare motors that has never been converted for pleasure use (unless you count carrying coal as pleasure  ?) and is still amazingly working at the same trade under Jules' ownership.

 

Tam

And Tadworth is about to do the same now restoration is nearly finished.

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1 hour ago, Athy said:

Donisthorpe was close by, so that's a possibility too.

I was in charge of re-installing one of the steam winding engines from Donisthorpe at the never to be completed NCB Museum at Lound Hall. They had the remains of the last long mine boat from Worsley, which I believe was removed to the National Mining Museum at Caphouse Colliery, possibly via Chatterley Whitfield, though little was left. The photo, by Ron Storer, was taken when it was being moved from Worsley.

Worsley 5.jpeg

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  • 1 year later...

Returning to the subject of Ashby Canal loading wharves. There was a time when Illott Wharf was the end of the navigation, and this was rail served from Measham. Further along the canal, southwards, apartfrom Gopsall there was a loading wharf at Market Bosworth by Bridge 42. Does anybody remember the Willow Wren traffis from Illott and who sent coal to Market Bosworth.

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