Jump to content

Three Fellows on the river Soar


Featured Posts

1 hour ago, R G Bargee said:

A difficult one, as a) it was 45 years ago, and b) the area has changed so much! 

 

Looking on GE, I estimate it to be where Watermead swings round. 

 

If you project Watermead east, there is a track on the East bank which I'm sure used to cross a brick built bridge, and the unloading point was on the East bank, just North of this bridge. An old Nicholsons or similar would pinpoint the bridge more accurately. 

 

The unloading point was just a low piled wharf, and a 360 was used with a grab. 

 

Initially, we used to wind about 2-300 yards before the bridge and reverse down, through the bridge, but it was a complete PITA, and the 360 was utilised to dig out a winding hole just North of the wharf. GE shows no trace of this now, but it is incidentally where the 2 "oversized" boats were. They must have been there when I was, but I can't honestly say for certain. I know they were there in 1973 when I took "Chertsey" up there on a holiday trip. 

 

Next time I take a tacho break in the area, I will try and nip down for a look! 

Screenshot_20201114_115934_com.google.android.apps.maps.jpg

So just north of what is Wanlip road? There is a bridge there but iirc its concrete. The next brick one is Meadow lane going north, by Old junction boatyard, but that would be too far north i think, just before the wreake.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did a camping boat trip with Ralph mentioned in post #35. We used to work with three fellows when they had a big group and they did the same for us. He was on a single motor and we left Stenson (our base) for a weeks trip. When we got into Sawley lock he said “when we got out of the canal the old motor shakes your hand”. Never heard that before but sums up well the pleasure of being on deep water.

  • Happy 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Ally said:

So just north of what is Wanlip road? There is a bridge there but iirc its concrete. The next brick one is Meadow lane going north, by Old junction boatyard, but that would be too far north i think, just before the wreake.

No. Not Wanlip Road, that looks to be too far North. 

I suspect the bridhe in question has been demolished. 

It would have been where Watermead swings North to run parallel to the cut I'm almost certain. 

A wider map enclosed. The track would have been where the stream is now shown I think. 

Screenshot_20201114_134605_com.google.android.apps.maps.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Dav and Pen said:

I did a camping boat trip with Ralph mentioned in post #35. We used to work with three fellows when they had a big group and they did the same for us. He was on a single motor and we left Stenson (our base) for a weeks trip. When we got into Sawley lock he said “when we got out of the canal the old motor shakes your hand”. Never heard that before but sums up well the pleasure of being on deep water.

Dave, would this be the same Ralph mentioned in Dry Land Sailor by Fred Hobbs?
His surname is never mentioned in the book, would that be McDowall?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Ray T said:

Dave, would this be the same Ralph mentioned in Dry Land Sailor by Fred Hobbs?
His surname is never mentioned in the book, would that be McDowall?

Ray. No Ralphs surname was Mould I think. McDowell who worked for three fellows was known as Eric and his nickname was electric Eric.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, R G Bargee said:

No. Not Wanlip Road, that looks to be too far North. 

I suspect the bridhe in question has been demolished. 

It would have been where Watermead swings North to run parallel to the cut I'm almost certain. 

A wider map enclosed. The track would have been where the stream is now shown I think. 

Screenshot_20201114_134605_com.google.android.apps.maps.jpg

Just had a browse on GE, and got a better idea... Orange line is where i THINK the track/bridge was. Circle is showimg a wider area, maybe winding hole. 

Thinking back again, the bridge in question might not have been a brick built structure, but maybe a Bailey type temporary one, to allow the gravel trucks to cross. 

Screenshot_20201114_135631.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Dav and Pen said:

Ray. No Ralphs surname was Mould I think. McDowell who worked for three fellows was known as Eric and his nickname was electric Eric.

Definitely Mould. Myself and my partner at the time spent hours with him and his lovely Wife. Just sitting on the bank of the backwater and discussing literallty, life, the Universe and everything! 

 

Great times 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, R G Bargee said:

Just had a browse on GE, and got a better idea... Orange line is where i THINK the track/bridge was. Circle is showimg a wider area, maybe winding hole. 

Thinking back again, the bridge in question might not have been a brick built structure, but maybe a Bailey type temporary one, to allow the gravel trucks to cross. 

Screenshot_20201114_135631.jpg

Ah right, got it. There are walls either side of the canal, which can be seen in winter, around there. I was told today at the old junction boatyard they remembered the gravel bridge down there. Apparently some would treck down to the junction to turn at times. There is a wider section there, presumably where the winding hole was. The boatyard has been running since the 60s, but was in the family before, from the 40s, when it was colloquially known as Dickies duck farm.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, R G Bargee said:

Just had a browse on GE, and 

Thinking back again, the bridge in question might not have been a brick built structure, but maybe a Bailey type temporary one, to allow the gravel trucks to cross. 

 

There has been a temporary steel bridge structure in fields either side of the canal for years a bit further north.....now very overgrown.

Screenshot_20201114-155843_Maps.jpg

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Dav and Pen said:

Ray. No Ralphs surname was Mould I think. McDowell who worked for three fellows was known as Eric and his nickname was electric Eric.

'Electric Eric' McDowell was husband of Beryl mentioned at post 45

 

Tam

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Ally said:

Thanks. The 1905 came from the caption on the original picture. I think it was the photo was 1905, not the build?

The Braithwaite boats were built in 1914 (composite, iron sides wood bottom), which is why it could not have been one of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, Derek R. said:

The Braithwaite boats were built in 1914 (composite, iron sides wood bottom), which is why it could not have been one of them.

Its frustrated me for years trying to figure the name. I shall just have to go back to the pub and look at it afresh, but i remember I was struggling to make it out before...maybe I need to look before beer! ??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, David Mack said:

Fulbourne's wooden back cabin, built by Warwickshire Fly in about 1987, has an aluminium flashing over the joint of cabin roof and side, which covers the edge of the cabin top ply sheet. The cant rail is then fixed on top of this.

Sounds complicated, has it lasted without needing attention? I just used ply with tight tolerances. 

FB_IMG_1535793055500.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/05/2020 at 18:00, Dav and Pen said:

They did use these 2 short boats which they brought in. As Pete says most of the damage was done by the unloading grab but presumably it paid well.

52065ECD-A82A-4938-BC4D-414589345B45.jpeg

Just for the record. 

Boat on the left if "Shirley" of 3 Fellows carrying, steered by Ralph Mould, who lived in a houseboat by Thurmaston Lock. 

Boat on right is June, steered by Joe Walker, who was ex-Willow Wren, and who had previously been on the Liverpool--BOCM Manchester grain traffic with WYE and BURSCOUGH 2.

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 13/11/2020 at 20:38, Ally said:

Thanks to those of you being very informative on this thread. I'm finding it fascinating.  I moor at syston, I'm just wondering where the load was taken off at syston? Would it have been close to the wanlip gravel works that are there now?

Whilst we are in the history of the Soar, does anyone know which boat this was? Its in Barrow deep lock, 1905. Sorry for the poor picture, I cant make out the name, perhaps someone know it?

IMAG1538-01.jpeg

I have checked this out against the Grand Junction Canal boat registrations.
 

There was a boat called Kingston registered at Braunston in March 1906, but that doesn’t mean that the boat was new at that time. The visible letters do appear to be “KINGS...”. I don’t think we could ever come to an absolutely conclusive answer, however I can’t come up with anything more likely.

 

That particular boat was owned by Emmanuel Smith of Brentford and the master was W Barratt.

Edited by Captain Pegg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

I have checked this out against the Grand Junction Canal boat registrations.
 

There was a boat called Kingston registered at Braunston in March 1906, but that doesn’t mean that the boat was new at that time. The visible letters do appear to be “KINGS...”. I don’t think we could ever come to an absolutely conclusive answer, however I can’t come up with anything more likely.

 

That particular boat was owned by Emmanuel Smith of Brentford and the master was W Barratt.

Many thanks. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, R G Bargee said:

As promised

 

"WYE", loaded, in Thurmaston Lock, 1975.

 

Yours truly on the tiller!!! 

 

A watercolour painting done for me by John West. 

Screenshot_20201115_203834_com.android.gallery3d.jpg

 

No geese shit!!....artists licence I suppose.

 

Lovely representation.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, matty40s said:

 

No geese shit!!....artists licence I suppose.

 

Lovely representation.

I honestly don't remember there being geese there then! I've seen them when I've returned there since. 

 

I DID once lassoo a Nun who was inconveniently sat on a bollard though!! 

  • Love 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Good morning, I am new to this site but I have travelled the inland waterways since 1955. Until I stopped, due to age, last year.

I remember passing through the Thurmaston site in September 1977. I made a note at the time of the vessels working there and this included

Canal Haulage's 'Everton'. I cannot recall mention of this former Canal Transport Ltd barge being involved in that gravel trade. The other vessels I noted appear on the list out in Pete Harrison's post. 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 21/04/2023 at 08:34, davidwheeler said:

Good morning, I am new to this site but I have travelled the inland waterways since 1955. Until I stopped, due to age, last year.

I remember passing through the Thurmaston site in September 1977. I made a note at the time of the vessels working there and this included

Canal Haulage's 'Everton'. I cannot recall mention of this former Canal Transport Ltd barge being involved in that gravel trade. The other vessels I noted appear on the list out in Pete Harrison's post. 

⁷Everton,  owned by the two Richards - Pearson and Barnett - was there for re-bottoming if I remember correctly. I don't recall it on this job.   Nice painting and photo my boat Wye! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everton was re-bottomed at Worsley Dry Dock July / August 1976, I remember they were hoping to attend Peterborough national rally following the docking but lack of time and low water levels that summer intervened.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, it seems a bit of a mystery.

I have always had a liking for barges, and in September 1977 when passing along Thurmaston I came across a group. So I made a note of them as we passed. I wrote down this: ' Threefellows 1170 Runcorn 'Jane' shortboat; Threefellows 'Buxton' narrowboat; Canal Haulage 'Everton' shortboat; ?? 'Wye' shortboat; Threefellows 'Halsall' + 'Banbury'  narrowboats; Threefellows motor + 'Aboyne'  narrowboats; ?? Hull 'Tess';  ?? Hull 'Soar' river barges.' Although my writing, seen now, looks like 'Jane', it could well be 'June'. Otherwise the names I set out were names of the vessels in that group. 

So during that month 'Everton' was among those barges and boats. Odd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.