Brookline Narrowboats

[Captain Pegg]

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

When we first moored at Alvechurch they were a small operation with the single location operating out of a small caravan and little more than a shed. In those days they only had a small number of hire boats but gradually expanded the operation and then started take over other locations until they became the nationwide ABC boats that are now in most locations and seem to feature in almost everything to do with canals.

Alvechurch have expanded by buying up other businesses whereas Black Prince seem to favour setting up new bases, often in marinas. Anglo-Welsh boats seemed common all over the Midlands even back in the 70s. I forgot Calcutt who are still going. They were there in the 70s too and the boats are still the same style, livery and names. They’re replacement boats though, probably... 

 

Back then Napton Narrowboats was Gordon’s Pleasure Cruisers and that was a portakabin operation. It’s years since they took on the Napton yard and they recently took on the Autherley base over a decade ago.

 

JP

 

 

 

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, Captain Pegg said:

Alvechurch have expanded by buying up other businesses whereas Black Prince seem to favour setting up new bases, often in marinas. Anglo-Welsh boats seemed common all over the Midlands even back in the 70s. I forgot Calcutt who are still going. They were there in the 70s too and the boats are still the same style, livery and names. They’re replacement boats though, probably... 

 

Back then Napton Narrowboats was Gordon’s Pleasure Cruisers and that was a portakabin operation. It’s years since they took on the Napton yard and they recently took on the Autherley base over a decade ago.

 

JP

 

 

 

 

Indeed, after my first few hires on Union Canal Carriers camping boats (Big Woolwich's with 12 bunk beds under the canvas and little esle in the way of modern fscilities) from Braunston, i hired from Inland Marine Leisure at Anderton, which ABC eventully bought out.

 

I also hired from Concoform Marine, Teddesley and Middlewich Narrowboats, as all had boats of character.

 

Sadly today's consumer values number of beds and Wi-Fi over character good looking boats.

[Mal in Somerset]

I understand the Brookline fleet has been acquired by Clifton Cruisers and is currently being moved to Rugby.

[Mrs Trackman]

1 hour ago, Mal in Somerset said:

I understand the Brookline fleet has been acquired by Clifton Cruisers and is currently being moved to Rugby.

So Captain Pegg was right speculating whereabouts the Brookline boats were heading. 

[Athy]

5 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Didn't you moor about 10 miles north of that for a bit, or was that another purple Trojan at Wheaton Aston 

Gosh, are there two? No, it wasn't us.

[Athy]

2 hours ago, cuthound said:

 

 

 

Sadly today's consumer values number of beds and Wi-Fi over character good looking boats.

Though fewer, rather than more, beds than hitherto, when six-berth 40-footers were more or less the norm.

Do hirers really want "wi-fi" on boats? Surely they go on canal holidays to escape from such home luxuries.                                                                                                                                                                             

[Rob-M]

7 hours ago, Athy said:

Gosh, are there two? No, it wasn't us.

6 listed on canal plan.

 

7 hours ago, Athy said:

Though fewer, rather than more, beds than hitherto, when six-berth 40-footers were more or less the norm.

Do hirers really want "wi-fi" on boats? Surely they go on canal holidays to escape from such home luxuries.                                                                                                                                                                             

Have you not seen a modern hire boat, most have everything you would have at home except the washing machine.

For a lot of kids they would probably refuse to go if there wasn't WiFi.

[Athy]

55 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

6 listed on canal plan.

 

 

...and we have met one of the others - but I was surprised that two of them were painted purple.

[Slim]

9 hours ago, Athy said:

Though fewer, rather than more, beds than hitherto, when six-berth 40-footers were more or less the norm.

Do hirers really want "wi-fi" on boats? Surely they go on canal holidays to escape from such home luxuries.                                                                                                                                                                             

Want WiFi ? Oh yes. A nephew and his family holiday in France every year. This year they went to the west coast of Ireland. 4 out of the 5 of them had a great time. The 5th a 14/15 yearold girl did nothing but moan. With no wi fi she was lost No Facebook, Twitter and several others I've never heard of. Social media reigns supreme.

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, Athy said:

...and we have met one of the others - but I was surprised that two of them were painted purple.

I said to Diana, look there is Athys boat, I wonder what its doing here

[Martin@75]

All the fleet have been purchased and when through Birmingham at the week end on the way to a new home in Rugby.

 

Never seen so many boats on the F Bridge flight in one day.

[Dharl]

16 hours ago, cuthound said:

my first few hires on Union Canal Carriers camping boats (Big Woolwich's with 12 bunk beds under the canvas and little esle in the way of modern fscilities) from Braunston

My first canal trip* was on those as my scout troop hired two of them many years ago for a fortnights trip.  Great fun.    Years later on our first trip On Honeystreet we went past a new estate built on the outskirts of Milton Keynes...on our scout trip I rember we had moored on the towpath opposite, pushed the boat accross and a few of us played cricket in the same field whilst being watched by the cows (non concrete).    The Scout leaders had taken the boat back accross the cut so they could open the beer and so I remeber we had to climb over a fence to find then cross a bridge bck to the tow path!  

 

 

*Actually i did go on a hire boat at the age of 6 months old through Brum.    Starngely cant remember any of it, but it must have struck a cord as cant escape either the water or canals now!

[cuthound]

47 minutes ago, Dharl said:

My first canal trip* was on those as my scout troop hired two of them many years ago for a fortnights trip.  Great fun.    Years later on our first trip On Honeystreet we went past a new estate built on the outskirts of Milton Keynes...on our scout trip I rember we had moored on the towpath opposite, pushed the boat accross and a few of us played cricket in the same field whilst being watched by the cows (non concrete).    The Scout leaders had taken the boat back accross the cut so they could open the beer and so I remeber we had to climb over a fence to find then cross a bridge bck to the tow path!  

 

 

*Actually i did go on a hire boat at the age of 6 months old through Brum.    Starngely cant remember any of it, but it must have struck a cord as cant escape either the water or canals now!

 

Our waterways introductions and history are very similar.

 

I went on a boating holiday with my grandparents aged 5 as my first trip. I can recall we hired a wooden cruiser from Bantams in Cambridge, and cruised the Rivers Cam and Great Ouse, however all other detail is lost in the mists of time.

 

Then in 1973 I fell in lust with a girl who belonged to a mixed Venture Scout group. I joined up to see more of her and at my first scout meeting they arranged a weeks canal boat hire on 2 UCC ex-working boats (1 for the boys & 1 for the girls) from Braunston.  We did the Warwickshire Ring. By the time of the holiday the romance was well and truly over, but I wasn't going to lose the money I had paid for the holiday, so I went any way.

 

Really enjoyed it despite the limitations imposed on drinking by the scout leaders. Booked again the next year from UCC, and repeated the trip without the scouts, but involving many more pubs.??

 

Few more years of hiring on the canals, then shared ownership from 1992-2013 (IIRC, you bought my share in Honeystreet) before retiring and moving into a canalside house and buying my own boat in 2014.

[Dharl]

5 minutes ago, cuthound said:

Then in 1973 I fell in lust with a girl who belonged to a mixed Venture Scout group. I joined up to see more of her and at my first scout meeting they arranged a weeks canal boat hire on 2 UCC ex-working boats (1 for the boys & 1 for the girls) from Braunston.  We did the Warwickshire Ring. By the time of the holiday the romance was well and truly over, but I wasn't going to lose the money I had paid for the holiday, so I went any way.

 Waaaay to simular!   I wasnt going to join the Venture Scouts until I found a very simular reason for joining!      Yes we have that shared membership (of different times) of Honeystreet and last summer we boated past your place (Dave M told us where to look out for) but didnt see anyone to wave at!

 

 

[cuthound]

22 minutes ago, Dharl said:

 Waaaay to simular!   I wasnt going to join the Venture Scouts until I found a very simular reason for joining!      Yes we have that shared membership (of different times) of Honeystreet and last summer we boated past your place (Dave M told us where to look out for) but didnt see anyone to wave at!

 

 

 

Next time, before boating past, drop me a PM and perhaps we can meet up for a drink?

[Alan de Enfield]

45 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

 

 

Then in 1973 I fell in lust with a girl who belonged to a mixed Venture Scout group. 

 

37 minutes ago, Dharl said:

Waaaay to simular!   I wasnt going to join the Venture Scouts until I found a very simular reason for joining!  

 

Late 70's I was an assistant Venture Scout Leader but we concentrated mainly on Go-Karting, Off Road Motorcycling, Camping/Hiking and Shooting.

Very little interest in getting onto the 'wet-stuff'.

[matty40s]

18 hours ago, Mal in Somerset said:

I understand the Brookline fleet has been acquired by Clifton Cruisers and is currently being moved to Rugby.

That means they will be moored 6 abreast over the Winter on a stretch wide enough for 4.

[cuthound]

3 minutes ago, matty40s said:

That means they will be moored 6 abreast over the Winter on a stretch wide enough for 4.

 

Perhaps they need the ex-Brookline boats to replace those rammed and sunk over last winter? ?

[John Brightley]

On 21/10/2019 at 22:14, Mrs Trackman said:

I always wondered if Brookline had anything to do with Brookline cars in Kenilworth, Warwickshire which was set up by a woman with the surname Brook. Another member of the family maybe?

No, there isn't any connection as far as I'm aware. Brookline Narrowboats was set up by the Quinlan family. 

[Mrs Trackman]

2 minutes ago, John Brightley said:

No, there isn't any connection as far as I'm aware. Brookline Narrowboats was set up by the Quinlan family. 

Thankyou for that information.