Willow Wren Original Hire Boats

[johnthebridge]

Just a clarification or two-Colin Payne and Geoff. Ellson (both ex-Blue Line at Braunston) started Rugby Boat Builders at Hillmorton in about 1969/70 ( from where an existing CWF member now operates his brokerage business), although the original site did not contain the small marina. From memory,that came in about 1975/6. Blue Haven was later started by one of their apprentices (Robin ------?)

Their hulls were mainly a mixture of Colecraft and later, Broughton Fabrications from Rugby. Early boats were ballasted with gravel, and the tops were a composite sandwich of GRP, timber, and a foam insulation. They were pretty well thought of at the time.

I'm less familiar with Willow Wren's hire history, but I thought Ray Kearns started the Middlewich location, later selling it to Chris Cliffe?

[Timleech]

I'm less familiar with Willow Wren's hire history, but I thought Ray Kearns started the Middlewich location, later selling it to Chris Cliffe?

 

I believe it was Ray's father Dennis who started the Middlewich operation, unless he bought it from someone else. He was there when I first became aware of them.

 

Tim

[johnthebridge]

I believe it was Ray's father Dennis who started the Middlewich operation, unless he bought it from someone else. He was there when I first became aware of them.

 

Tim

Which was when Tim?

[Timleech]

Which was when Tim?

 

Late 'sixties or 1970-ish I suppose. Not absolutely sure, there might have been someone else at the Middlewich yard before them.

 

Tim

[Jo E]

On 04/09/2007 at 23:26, AMModels said:

 

If I can get some help compiling the list I dont mind hosting it along with the working boat lists on my site, I have every copy of waterways world so could go through them at some point for information. I agree that the early hire boats played an important part in the canal survival and regenerating to what we know today.

Hi

I've just come across this post and wondered whether you did compile a list? I have a 40ft woodentop built by Pinder in 1978 which (after reading this thread), I think was possibly a Willow Wren (Rugby) hire boat. This is  just a guess and I may be wrong but she has a birds name, Sheldrake, and an old Lister SR3 which I was told may well be older than the boat. I would be interested in finding out more about her history. 

[pete harrison]

It is worth bearing in mind that Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd., Rugby built Pinder / Hancock & Lane steel hulls with their trademark wooden cabins for the private market as well as their own hire fleet. I used to operate a pair of such boats between 1979 and 1985, with the motor built in 1976 (70' Hancock & Lane hull) and the butty in 1972 (50' Pinder hull but lengthened to 70' in 1976).

During my time with these boats I used to regularly pass by Bittell Reservoirs to the south of Birmingham, and on the moorings was a shortish Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd. built boat named SHELDRAKE. Now this may have previously been a Willow Wren hire cruiser but I do not think it was, and it does not feature in the late 1970's Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd. brochure that I still have 

edit - Lister SR2 and Lister SR3 were the standard engine fitment for Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd., for both private and their own boats, and if you can find the serial number plate on the engine then publish the number on here this may give us a clue.

Edited February 5, 2018 by pete harrison

[X Alan W]

On 12/27/2008 at 16:12, Timleech said:

 

I believe it was Ray's father Dennis who started the Middlewich operation, unless he bought it from someone else. He was there when I first became aware of them.

 

Tim

I have no knowledge of if he was the founder or not but i carried a load of assorted timber from near the Boulton & Paul works  ut end (Shroppie) to Middlewich the guy I dealt with was Dennis Kearns  that would have been 64/5 when I sold my motor (Josher Lily) in 72 it was bought by the Kearns family

[Dav and Pen]

I brought the josher Crane from willow Wren when they finished with it as a camping boat. Dennis Clarke was running it then. It was in a poor condition and had a sr3 air cooled lister. We built a new cabin and had the counter repaired as you could see daylight through it. It had also been refooted by overplating which was done at Brentford in the 50’s. We used it for skippered camping and coal carrying in the winter, nice boat. When it was in the carrying fleet Ray White was its skipper some of the time.

i had always known the Willow Wren hire base as the Brownsover Arm but I see it is being referred to as the Rugby arm. 

[Admiral]

On 12/26/2008 at 04:22, barry adams said:

I was part of a group that hired Bittern in 1972. ( ex F.M.C. Lion ? some say she was Lion others say otherwise but it is the only name I have for her). Last time seen by me was in the late 70s early 80s in the Aylesbury boat club basin being rebuilt by I think an Australian gent.

No bridge bars fitted then

Barry

Bittern was indeed ex FMC Lion. It caught fire when still working as a hire/camper for Willow Wren and then was sold to Alan (New Zealander) who took it to Aylesbury after purchasing it from Willow Wren.

[pete harrison]

27 minutes ago, Dav and Pen said:

I brought the josher Crane from willow Wren when they finished with it as a camping boat.................... When it was in the carrying fleet Ray White was its skipper some of the time.

Ray White had CRANE for about three years and gave it up for STRATFORD in September 1963 

Edited February 6, 2018 by pete harrison

[Jo E]

18 hours ago, pete harrison said:

It is worth bearing in mind that Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd., Rugby built Pinder / Hancock & Lane steel hulls with their trademark wooden cabins for the private market as well as their own hire fleet. I used to operate a pair of such boats between 1979 and 1985, with the motor built in 1976 (70' Hancock & Lane hull) and the butty in 1972 (50' Pinder hull but lengthened to 70' in 1976).

During my time with these boats I used to regularly pass by Bittell Reservoirs to the south of Birmingham, and on the moorings was a shortish Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd. built boat named SHELDRAKE. Now this may have previously been a Willow Wren hire cruiser but I do not think it was, and it does not feature in the late 1970's Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd. brochure that I still have 

edit - Lister SR2 and Lister SR3 were the standard engine fitment for Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd., for both private and their own boats, and if you can find the serial number plate on the engine then publish the number on here this may give us a clue.

Thank you so much for the information-it sounds like it must have been the same Sheldrake. I will look for the engine plate and publish it here. 

[Ray T]

From "The Canals Book 1974."

Edited February 6, 2018 by Ray T

[X Alan W]

16 hours ago, Dav and Pen said:

I brought the josher Crane from willow Wren when they finished with it as a camping boat. Dennis Clarke was running it then. It was in a poor condition and had a sr3 air cooled lister. We built a new cabin and had the counter repaired as you could see daylight through it. It had also been refooted by overplating which was done at Brentford in the 50’s. We used it for skippered camping and coal carrying in the winter, nice boat. When it was in the carrying fleet Ray White was its skipper some of the time.

i had always known the Willow Wren hire base as the Brownsover Arm but I see it is being referred to as the Rugby arm. 

I also knew it as the Brownsover Arm & George who skippered the WW trip boat always referred to as such

[carlt]

8 hours ago, X Alan W said:

I also knew it as the Brownsover Arm & George who skippered the WW trip boat always referred to as such

The Brownsover Arm and Rugby Arm are two different arms.

The one on the right (next to the Harvester pub) is the Brownsover Arm which leads to Cosford and the one on the far left (opposite "Technoset" on the map) is the Rugby Arm which leads to the Willow Wren yard.

[Dav and Pen]

23 hours ago, carlt said:

The Brownsover Arm and Rugby Arm are two different arms.

The one on the right (next to the Harvester pub) is the Brownsover Arm which leads to Cosford and the one on the far left (opposite "Technoset" on the map) is the Rugby Arm which leads to the Willow Wren yard.

You are quite right the feeder by the Harvester was the abandoned brownsover arm according to EDWARDS. It brings water from the R. Swift. EDWARDS calls it  the Rugby wharf arm where Willow Wren are and I’m afraid I always called it the Brownsover arm silly really as it’s nearer Newbold