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Tonic required. Send in your photos of what is nice on the waterways now.


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51 minutes ago, Athy said:

The lock cottage was bought some eight or ten years ago I'd guess, by the couple who live on 'Scyeffe' moored just North of Cropredy near The Slipway. It had been occupied by an elderly lady, and bits of the garden which she tended are still visible. Local rumour has it that they thought a new connecting lane or track was going to be built adjacent to the house, as part of a flood defence scheme for Banbury. However it wasn't, and so the site remains entirely without road access. It hasn't even got its well on the other side of the canal any more as CART filled that in. They have done some work on the house, but progress appears to have been gradual. I don't know if they still own it.

   The sign in picture 2 is on the Cropredy long-term moorings, and appeared some three years ago, the handiwork, one assumes, of a disgruntled boater who found that bit too shallow to moor on. Even during the Festival there's usually a bit of as gap there!

As I understand it, it also has problems in the winter with the water from the flood defence behind the wall

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8 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

And that photo reminds me of the late Irene Paine, who was the previous resident for many years and I recall always welcomed passing boats - especially if we turrned the engine off.

She sorted me out as a new share boat sheeter, "Get your bloody fender against the gate and keep it there." I of course was going backwards and forwards in and out of gear, engine revs up and down. I was also told she use to communicate with Mr Finch while he was resting up at our expense 

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10 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

And that photo reminds me of the late Irene Paine, who was the previous resident for many years and I recall always welcomed passing boats - especially if we turrned the engine off.

You obviously bknow far more than me about the cottage and its history. I guess that would be the lady to whom I referred. We saw her only once, in the distance, but did have a conversation with her young female carer - who had crossed the lock to draw water from the well. This was some years ago, but I seem to recall the young lady telling us that Mrs. Paine was the widow of a former BW employee, and was allowed to live in the cottage because of this.

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On this day 2018 - River Thames central London. We had a company day out which included a river trip complete with bar and canapes.

 

IMG_7418.JPG.a96125454c5ea40c50667132983013d0.JPG

 

The coaster Willeke which is a 1500tonne coaster with a rising wheel hous. HMS Belfast in the background.

 

IMG_7424.JPG.211555a13c006b3ffa3e9ac78279dc10.JPG

 

Tower bridge

 

IMG_7426.JPG.41bdc44b969263d62ca21e732fe2c70b.JPG

 

Clipper on the move

 

IMG_7440.JPG.0b8e6cf9ad1996ccbe98f75a343d502c.JPG

 

The wobbly bridge

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Tadworth at Lower  Bourton lock when Mrs Paine lived there. She was a good customer who always had time for a chat. The coal was carried through the side door and it was pitch black after coming in from outside and I once went arse over after skidding on some split paraffin which she used for her lights.

59C70C66-A2C1-4A96-8B34-8C856758625B.jpeg

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1 hour ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

And that photo reminds me of the late Irene Paine, who was the previous resident for many years and I recall always welcomed passing boats - especially if we turrned the engine off.

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

As I understand it, it also has problems in the winter with the water from the flood defence behind the wall ... She sorted me out as a new share boat sheeter, "Get your bloody fender against the gate and keep it there." I of course was going backwards and forwards in and out of gear, engine revs up and down. I was also told she use to communicate with Mr Finch while he was resting up at our expense 

Yes, I never knew her name. She talked about the days of carrying on the canal and was unenthusiastic at revving engines in her lock. In going up a narrow lock, out of preference, I like to keep the tipcat riding up the middle of the bottom gates: it saves worrying too much what the front is doing. That needs reverse at some points, and the lady-at-the-lock said that the water in Oxford C locks always pushed the boat forward, and it was much better to slide up the front gate, as soon as the bow fender is over the cill. And that does seem to work on the Oxford, for any length of boat.

 

The lock cottage in 2005 when it was still maintained for living in: I think the "Little" on the BW sign was not an enthusiasm of the residents.

L1141_20050920_0222.JPG.4ca5c620e3857436022caebec29c5f21.JPG

 

2 hours ago, Athy said:

The lock cottage was bought some eight or ten years ago I'd guess, by the couple who live on 'Scyeffe' moored just North of Cropredy near The Slipway. It had been occupied by [Mrs. Paine], and bits of the garden which she tended are still visible. Local rumour has it that they thought a new connecting lane or track was going to be built adjacent to the house, as part of a flood defence scheme for Banbury. However it wasn't, and so the site remains entirely without road access. It hasn't even got its well on the other side of the canal any more as CART filled that in. They have done some work on the house, but progress appears to have been gradual. I don't know if they still own it. ... We saw [Mrs. Paine] only once, in the distance, but did have a conversation with her young female carer - who had crossed the lock to draw water from the well. This was some years ago, but I seem to recall the young lady telling us that Mrs. Paine was the widow of a former BW employee, and was allowed to live in the cottage because of this.

The water-supply arrangements. ...

L1092_20050103_0050.JPG.a48871e449e28eaeb5644103a5b721de.JPG

 

 

and the planning application from 2004L1092_20050103_0052.JPG.9f29078ce102331bcf98a4fc3b3117e1.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

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Re the staircase locks at Le Guetin and aqueduct across the Allier, I have enduring memories of the place, having had to wait two days there on our first ever boating experience in France. The system then was for downhill travellers to pass through in the mornings, uphills in the afternoon.

 

To add to the complication the upper chamber could not be filled if there was a vessel on the aqueduct, as they got pulled by the flow. Since it was a tight fit, loaded craft to an age to get through and the whole palava seemed to have no end..

 

To add further to all this, horse or mule-drawn craft had to use an ancient tractor to get across, while the animals went round by means of the local road. The main picture shows under way the last berrichon, of 90 tonnes capacity, loaded with cement, while a bigger animal drawn craft waits her turn in the queue. The larger vessels, carrying up to 200 tonnes, represented hard and horrible work for the two beasts involved, and the practice came to an end in 1970 - as represented by an earlier picture in this thread.

Guetin 3.jpg

Le G tractor.jpeg

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On 20/05/2020 at 09:24, Dav and Pen said:

5533556D-6AAF-4CA2-BFEF-45C2B62781A2.jpeg

 

 

 

... Spotted in Boston harbour but didn’t fancy going on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L1549_20090621_0314.JPG.21e19e75b736cc9ff35b434072dcd115.JPGOn this day in 2009.

 

Liverpool Docks.

 

I thought that a trip would be quite fun, but it never quite fitted in to a short visit. Caution with these DUKW craft turned out to be  wholly justified: four years later ...

 

They sank. Video here

 

MCA report here

Edited by PeterScott
mca
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On this day in 1974

L00403s.jpg.67af42b1ff4ddc76e2bf1474661af293.jpgGrand Union Braunston to Birmingham. Somewhere On the Offside.

 

An entertaining ceremony associated with elsans in days-long-gone. The hire company kindly provided a spade, but it was a Good Plan to bring a pickaxe as well. Carefully remove the grass with the spade. Then dig an 'ole. Here we have a six-sodder from counting the grass sqaures behind Howard-with-pickaxe. Then pour/bury said contents and replace sods. Tread down flat and continue with the journey, content with meeting the hire conditions which stipulate that hirers should return with an empty or almost-empty elsan.

 

Not this location, but when we pass a popular picnic-spot close to Rugby we chorus "We emptied our elsan just wher that picnic table is". As You Do.

 

L00403t_print-w09a.jpg.7cfa3a9382ae9a8b86ea8b290d4fcc6d.jpg

 

Edited by PeterScott
unmerge a merge
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20 hours ago, John Liley said:

 

 

 The main picture shows under way the last berrichon, of 90 tonnes capacity, loaded with cement, while a bigger animal drawn craft waits her turn in the queue. The larger vessels, carrying up to 200 tonnes, represented hard and horrible work for the two beasts involved, and the practice came to an end in 1970 - as represented by an earlier picture in this thread.

Guetin 3.jpg

Le G tractor.jpeg

As I've visited the Canal du Berry (and even been for a cruise along it on a Springer) the berrichon photos are of great interest. What date would this be? Circa 1969?

 

   I've been told that berrichons had a tent rather than a cabin for the crew. Another account says that the tent was a shelter for the animals. It's not quite clear from the photos. Is either of these true?

 

The tractor, with its narrow track, looks as if it may have started its working life in a vineyard. A Lanz, perhaps?

EDIT: one whom knows more than I do says it's a Latil, and I think he's right. Last made in 1955, so it would have been fairly elderly by the time this photo was taken.

Edited by Athy
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12 hours ago, PeterScott said:

On this day in 1974

L00403s.jpg.67af42b1ff4ddc76e2bf1474661af293.jpgGrand Union Braunston to Birmingham. Somewhere On the Offside.

 

An entertaining ceremony associated with elsans in days-long-gone. The hire company kindly provided a spade, but it was a Good Plan to bring a pickaxe as well. Carefully remove the grass with the spade. Then dig an 'ole. Here we have a six-sodder from counting the grass sqaures behind Howard-with-pickaxe. Then pour/bury said contents and replace sods. Tread down flat and continue with the journey, content with meeting the hire conditions which stipulate that hirers should return with an empty or almost-empty elsan.

 

Not this location, but when we pass a popular picnic-spot close to Rugby we chorus "We emptied our elsan just wher that picnic table is". As You Do.

 

L00403t_print-w09a.jpg.7cfa3a9382ae9a8b86ea8b290d4fcc6d.jpg

 

I remember the practice well . . . 

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