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Blue Tops

Chertsey

By Chertsey
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Chertsey Veteran

Chertsey

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Been noticing a lot of them lately. Keep meeting Kew coming down from Atherstone, and have seen Dee. Also spotted a converted one at Bill Fen and another (Lee) on the Cam this morning. What I was wondering was if there are any fully restored ones. I know about Anne, which is (or at least was last year) trading, but are there any restored to 'as new' show condition? If not, is it because of some technical difficulty or just because no one can be bothered?

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Hairy-Neil Veteran

Hairy-Neil

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What are Blue Tops ?

 

Nicknamed Bluetops because of their glassfibre hatch lids rather than traditional side and top cloths, these were the River Class boats built for British Waterways c.1957/1959. They were amongst the last boats commissioned for commercial carrying. The majority were butties as there was a shortage at the time. There were also a couple of experimental motor boats built to the same hull design, but with an unorthadox propulsion system, much like a huge outboard motor. (some spare Josher motors had also been converted to butties and Walkers of Rickmansworth had built a couple of wooden butties too to the Town Class GUCCC design, Aberystwyth and Bangor)

 

For more details see here:- A.M.Models

 

Been noticing a lot of them lately. Keep meeting Kew coming down from Atherstone, and have seen Dee. Also spotted a converted one at Bill Fen and another (Lee) on the Cam this morning. What I was wondering was if there are any fully restored ones. I know about Anne, which is (or at least was last year) trading, but are there any restored to 'as new' show condition? If not, is it because of some technical difficulty or just because no one can be bothered?

 

There's one thats a hulk used for maintenance work, currently (well, this time last week) tied up at the junction of the Wednesbury Old Canal (often wrongly called the Ridgeacre Branch) :(

Edited by Hairy-Neil
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John Orentas Veteran II

John Orentas

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I used to be friendly with a chap who lived on a Blue top butty, AXE he would scrounge a tow now and then to get a change of scenery. The boat was in very good nick and was totally original as far as I could see. That was probably getting on for 20 years ago.

 

Anyone know anything about it.

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Hairy-Neil Veteran

Hairy-Neil

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The Ridgacre Branch is often wrongly called the Ridgeacre Branch as well! ;)

 

Blame Nicholsons..... :cheers:

 

Oddly too, the BCN Society also refer to it as Ridgeacre on their website.....

 

In fact Google just found 474 references to Ridgacre and 210 references to Ridgeacre Branch so I'd say that was pretty well common usage....... :(

 

AXE......Anyone know anything about it.

 

According to A.M.Models website.....AXE; Rebuilt as a motor, Stone, 1995. Lister HA3, and 22ft cabin. Trip boat, Aynho, Oxford.

 

Stern end of AXE; Forms a floral display at Star Lock in Stone.

Edited by Hairy-Neil
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John Orentas Veteran II

John Orentas

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According to A.M.Models website.....AXE; Rebuilt as a motor, Stone, 1995. Lister HA3, and 22ft cabin. Trip boat, Aynho, Oxford.

Stern end of AXE; Forms a floral display at Star Lock in Stone.

 

 

Thanks for that Neil, had I known all that last year I could have paid my respects to both halves in my single trip.

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AMModels Experienced

AMModels

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rebekah.jpg

 

This is the stern of AXE which can be seen in Stone, Im not sure if it ever bore the name REBEKAH on the water. You can see from this pic and also those of the converted motor DORY (she was converted to a butty) that the sterns were pretty shapeless. DORY has in later years been converted back to a motor and has carried the name ELAINE carrying stone for the Palace of Westminster refurbishment and also Chris Coburns driveway cobbles before reverting to her original name.

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Stephen Sugg Proficient

Stephen Sugg

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This is the stern of AXE which can be seen in Stone, Im not sure if it ever bore the name REBEKAH on the water. You can see from this pic and also those of the converted motor DORY (she was converted to a butty) that the sterns were pretty shapeless. DORY has in later years been converted back to a motor and has carried the name ELAINE carrying stone for the Palace of Westminster refurbishment and also Chris Coburns driveway cobbles before reverting to her original name.

The last time I was in Braunston there were some old actual blue tops (the plastic covers) behind the pump house, waiting for a home. This was earlier this year

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Hairy-Neil Veteran

Hairy-Neil

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.....and has carried the name ELAINE carrying stone for the Palace of Westminster refurbishment....
I remember the trip carrying stone for the restoration of Windsor Castle after the fire, I also remember her carrying the Graham Palmer memorial stone to the Montgomery Canal lock of the same name. Edited by Hairy-Neil
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  • 3 weeks later...
rainbowdragonfly Gongoozler

rainbowdragonfly

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Indeed this is the stern of former AXE, based in Stone. Axe was left on a tip on Whitebridge Ind. Estate and the owner was goign to chop her up, my Dad bought the stern off him for about £25 pounds and then gave AXE the name REBEKAH, after myself. The council then asked if they could use her to represent Stone, which is how she got to where she is now.

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AMModels Experienced

AMModels

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Hi Rebekah thanks for that history snippet I spoke with your father quite a few times when we collaborated on the lists that are now hosted on my website, I think I may have spoken to either you or your sister in the past as well. Hope you are well.

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Chertsey Veteran

Chertsey

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This is getting interesting, as I was subsequently told by the marina owners that the one at Bill Fen (third one down here) is Axe. I will try to post some more pics somewhere later. This one now has a very nicely built trad stern on it. Another distinguishing feature is sections cut out of the hull sides to give lower opening side hatches. It is also irridescent mauve with upvc window units though that might be an even later addition!

 

Any ideas about the one at Rothens (fourth one down)?

 

And do River and Admiralty class have different hull shapes?

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carlt Veteran II

carlt

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This is getting interesting, as I was subsequently told by the marina owners that the one at Bill Fen (third one down here) is Axe. I will try to post some more pics somewhere later. This one now has a very nicely built trad stern on it. Another distinguishing feature is sections cut out of the hull sides to give lower opening side hatches. It is also irridescent mauve with upvc window units though that might be an even later addition!

 

Any ideas about the one at Rothens (fourth one down)?

 

And do River and Admiralty class have different hull shapes?

Axe was purple 10 years ago when down at Cropredy (It was painted under the Mway bridge at Banbury). She did have a good counter stern conversion.

 

There's one on the GU between weedon and whilton in a very nice Barlows livery (? :smiley_offtopic: ?). Nicer than BW colours, I guess..

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