The last commercial traffic at Anderton

[Heartland]

The decline in salt and potteries related traffic, at the Anderton Lift, went into a final stage during the 1960's. But when were the last commercial boats? 

 

British Waterways are said to have discontinued that trade in 1964, with Willow Wren taking over for a period of 3 years or so. So that would leave a few private operators after that before the lift was left to the boaters and those who used traditional narrow boats to supply coal and fuel oil.

 

 With the closure by act of parliament, in 1966, of the Runcorn locks, the only route available by navigation of pottery material was the Weaver. Yet with the M6 & M5  under construction, the road hauliers gained an important edge with the supply of raw material to the remaining pottery firms. In fact they gained both the residual canal and railway traffic. 

[pete harrison]

Anderton Canal Carrying Company was established on 01 December 1967 to carry on where Willow Wren Canal Transport Services Ltd. northern fleet left off, taking over several of the boats as well as contracts. How much use they made of Anderton Lift or the salt / pottery trades I would not like to say, but they were active as a carrier until about 1970 with some boats not being returned to British Waterways Board until 1976. The last working boat ever to be health registered was Anderton Canal Carrying Company's butty ARGO, as late as 26 September 1969 

[ChimneyChain]

Pete did Bicester ever get taken up to Northwich by the Anderton Ccc ? Please 
 

Darren 

[pete harrison]

5 minutes ago, ChimneyChain said:

Pete did Bicester ever get taken up to Northwich by the Anderton Ccc ? Please 
 

Darren 

I do have enthusiast observations of some boats being towed up to Northwich but nothing for BICESTER. I have seen some photographs of large Grand Union motors ex-Wendover at Anderton but I can not find them at the moment.

 

Back then British Waterways Board preferred to sell their redundant boats to preferred buyers, usually businesses rather than individuals. I am far from convinced that Anderton Canal Carrying Company bought the boats that they did from the 1968 Wendover Arm sales with the intention of re-commissioning them into their fleet, instead acquiring them speculatively for resale or on behalf of individuals 

[ChimneyChain]

Thanks Pete 

[Heartland]

The tarboat website

ipernity.com.doc

 

Mentions the Anderton boats laid up in 1972 until repossession by BW . The image shows MOUNTBATTEN & KEPPEL

 

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by Heartland

[pete harrison]

1 hour ago, Heartland said:

The tarboat website

ipernity.com.doc

 

Mentions the Anderton boats laid up in 1972 until repossession by BW . The image shows MOUNTBATTEN & KEPPEL

I try not to rely on these websites, and fortunately I have my own records to draw from.

 

MOUNTBATTEN remained the home of Jack Tolley until the mid 1980's when it was sold into the retail coal business, but KEPPEL was returned to British Waterways Board and later leased to Union Canal Carriers Ltd., Braunston for use as a camping boat - usually paired with LINDSAY 

[ditchcrawler]

12 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

I try not to rely on these websites, and fortunately I have my own records to draw from.

 

MOUNTBATTEN remained the home of Jack Tolley until the mid 1980's when it was sold into the retail coal business, but KEPPEL was returned to British Waterways Board and later leased to Union Canal Carriers Ltd., Braunston for use as a camping boat - usually paired with LINDSAY 

Would that have been when Ivor Bachelor took it on

[pete harrison]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

Would that have been when Ivor Bachelor took it on

No. MOUNTBATTEN went into the retail coal business with Peter Robertson who serviced customers in the north west and north midlands  

[bizzard]

I took on fuel from Ivor Bachelor on Mountbatten in August 2005 at Little Venice London.

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, bizzard said:

I took on fuel from Ivor Bachelor on Mountbatten in August 2005 at Little Venice London.

Before that he use to live and had his boat at Braunston, He was there when we were on Waterwich which was in the 1990s

[fanshaft]

3 hours ago, pete harrison said:

I

 

MOUNTBATTEN remained the home of Jack Tolley until the mid 1980's when it was sold into the retail coal business, but KEPPEL was returned to British Waterways Board and later leased to Union Canal Carriers Ltd., Braunston for use as a camping boat - usually paired with LINDSAY 

I remember Jack Tolley living on Mountbatten and working at Anderton Depot during the time I was delivering loads up the Weaver to Anderton depot which was between 1979 and 1982. The enthusiastic and energetic BW depot manager was Ken Moody (who was very helpful in securing the Nelstrops grain traffic (which continues to this day, albeit to Runcorn) and I seem to remember him saying that the deal with Jack was that he had to be willing to load and operate Mountbatten should the need arise. Every now and then Ken would tease or threaten Jack with a potential load though I don't think one was ever carried.  I seem to remember Charlie Atkins on 'Mendip' but retired from BW and steering 'Lapwing' but Pluto can confirm that - maybe that was earlier.  Off the top of my head I think the last loads carried by and for the Anderton Canal Carrying Co were salt,  and piles for BW,  and I seem to recall this was in 1972. Does anyone know what happened to Alan Galley and his company?  I believe he had been manager of the BW NW Division (southern) fleet for British Waterways, then Willow Wren,  before setting up his company. 

Edited May 28, 2020 by fanshaft

[fanshaft]

At some point during the period 1979-81 Ken told me he had a ship coming with lime juice for Boxmoor (usually it went via London Docks and Brentford).  I think that was one of the occasions when it was suggested Jack Tolley could take some of it.  I was asked to find enough narrow boats to take the rest and approached  Ashby Canal Transport as they seemed to know all the boats and operators.  No-one was willing to do it as there was some anxiety about whether you could actually get a loaded boat all the way from Anderton to Boxmoor.  I don't think we would hesitate now. 

David L

[Pluto]

14 hours ago, fanshaft said:

 I seem to remember Charlie Atkins on 'Mendip' but retired from BW and steering 'Lapwing' but Pluto can confirm that - maybe that was earlier.  Off the top of my head I think the last loads carried by and for the Anderton Canal Carrying Co were salt,  and piles for BW,  and I seem to recall this was in 1972.

1972 was the last year Charlie worked Lapwing on a regular basis, and I looked after the bar for most of that year. Several of the Anderton boats were still lived on by boat families at the time, not just Jack Tolley.