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Brummagem Brumtugs


Esox

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Hello All

Trying to locate the 14 or so Brumtugs built by Brummagem Boats back in the 1980,s there was a lot of posts here regarding them around 2011/14

At the time I owned the Brumtug Nuthatch formally Beaver and I now own the first Tug built Trelease but now named Esox

A small group of us have formed a facebook group specifically aimed at research and finding these great little boats and who knows maybe get a few of them together at some point in the future

Any help much appreciated

 

Alan

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51 minutes ago, Esox said:

Hello All

Trying to locate the 14 or so Brumtugs built by Brummagem Boats back in the 1980,s there was a lot of posts here regarding them around 2011/14

At the time I owned the Brumtug Nuthatch formally Beaver and I now own the first Tug built Trelease but now named Esox

A small group of us have formed a facebook group specifically aimed at research and finding these great little boats and who knows maybe get a few of them together at some point in the future

Any help much appreciated

 

Alan

It would be good to know where Ibis is now, it was the first narrow boat me and my then wife used extensively in the 80s and 90s

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9 minutes ago, Athy said:

Welcome to the forum, and good luck in your quest.

As Brummagem Boats is a fairly well known name, I am surprised to learn that they built so few boats.

The Brumtug was a specific class of short boats built by BB

 

 

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55 minutes ago, Esox said:

Hello All

Trying to locate the 14 or so Brumtugs built by Brummagem Boats back in the 1980,s there was a lot of posts here regarding them around 2011/14

At the time I owned the Brumtug Nuthatch formally Beaver and I now own the first Tug built Trelease but now named Esox

A small group of us have formed a facebook group specifically aimed at research and finding these great little boats and who knows maybe get a few of them together at some point in the future

Any help much appreciated

 

Alan

Hi Alan

 

Have a look in the search box at the top of the page. I remember that there have been a number of postings over the years about Brummagem Boats and Brumtugs including copies of their brochure. You may be able to find what you are looking for.

 

Cheers

 

Howard

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1 minute ago, Stilllearning said:

It would be good to know where Ibis is now, it was the first narrow boat me and my then wife used extensively in the 80s and 90s

As it happens I can tell you almost exactly where Ibis is now!  She is on Apollo Duck currently for sale, having recently been extensively restored, refitted and repainted.  Location shows only as "Oxfordshire". Along with Esox above, I am the founder of the new Facebook "BrumTug" group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/2333300103642367). 2 days ago I posted a copy of the sale advert to the group but the owner/seller asked me to remove it (no idea why), which I have now done.  I will just post the advert photo here. If anyone is interested and can't find the advert on Apollo Duck (try a search for "Brummagen" with an "N") let me know and I'll direct you.

IBIS cds.jpg

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3 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:
3 minutes ago, rovingrom said:

As it happens I can tell you almost exactly where Ibis is now!  She is on Apollo Duck currently for sale, having recently been extensively restored, refitted and repainted.  Location shows only as "Oxfordshire". Along with Esox above, I am the founder of the new Facebook "BrumTug" group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/2333300103642367). 2 days ago I posted a copy of the sale advert to the group but the owner/seller asked me to remove it (no idea why), which I have now done.  I will just post the advert photo here. If anyone is interested and can't find the advert on Apollo Duck (try a search for "Brummagen" with an "N") let me know and I'll direct you.

IBIS cds.jpg

So the company was BrummageN, not BrummageM? Or is that "gen" as in "information"?

 

 

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3 minutes ago, howardang said:

Hi Alan

 

Have a look in the search box at the top of the page. I remember that there have been a number of postings over the years about Brummagem Boats and Brumtugs including copies of their brochure. You may be able to find what you are looking for.

 

Cheers

 

Howard

Thanks Howard!  As Alan said, there were a number of posts here around 2011/2014, including a number by Alan himself when he was owner of BrumTug BEAVER. We have been through all those posts and archived the details found there, including the original sales brochure.  However we are hoping to find the current whereabouts of as many of this small fleet as possible, with a view to producing a detailed fleet list.  Being that they were built in the 1980's many have been lengthened, refitted, and/or renamed, so that their originally distinctive BrumTug features are now more difficult to identify.  

There were only ever 13 (or maybe 14....  and then some people say 15!) genuine BrumTugs built and we have located 7 of them.  We're hoping that other members on this Forum will know of a few more.

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3 minutes ago, Athy said:

 

No, the company was Brummagem, as in the colloquial name for "Brimingham".  However for some reason many owners of their boats seem to be unable to spell......  In addition the listings at CanalPlan give a range of spellings: Brummagen, Brumagen, Brumagem, Brumajem, etc.  In our research we learnt quickly to check as many variations as we could imagine possible!  The Apollo Duck listing for IBIS is under "Brummagen" (N) as stated above!!

The photos below prove the correct spelling of the name.  I worked a season with Brummagem in 1976 or 77 (before the BrumTugs era) and I can confirm the owners of the company knew how to spell!

04.jpg

93378144_541454730108366_1415884098529918976_n.jpg

BrumTug Brochure 1cds.jpg

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3 minutes ago, rovingrom said:

No, the company was Brummagem, as in the colloquial name for "Brimingham".  However for some reason many owners of their boats seem to be unable to spell......  In addition the listings at CanalPlan give a range of spellings: Brummagen, Brumagen, Brumagem, Brumajem, etc.  In our research we learnt quickly to check as many variations as we could imagine possible!  The Apollo Duck listing for IBIS is under "Brummagen" (N) as stated above!!

The photos below prove the correct spelling of the name.  I worked a season with Brummagem in 1976 or 77 (before the BrumTugs era) and I can confirm the owners of the company knew how to spell!

 

 

BrumTug Brochure 1cds.jpg

 

Definitely Brummagem, We had many holidays from Brummagem Boats in the early 1980's, The BCN was an 'interesting' place to boat in those days with rules on which bridge arch to use and arriving at locks  expecting the pound above the next lock to be empty ?

 

 

111 BCN Walsall Canal Ryders Green  Locks 5th Nov 1985 .jpg

Edited by Tim Lewis
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18 minutes ago, Athy said:

Yes, so I gather. Did they build other boats as well?

Not many we think, although it gets confusing because they went into partnership with the Alvechurch Boat Centre who had an extensive hire fleet.  I suspect that very few hulls/shells were built by Brummagem themselves but it looks like a lot of the fitting out of their hire fleet boats, as well as a number of private orders, were done by Brummagem at their Sherborne Street wharf base.

There are reported to have been just 13 BrumTugs, although there is confusion because #14 appears twice - it has been suggested they didn't want to produce a #13 - and we also know of a boat claimed to be BrumTug15 !!

 

1 minute ago, Tim Lewis said:

 

Definitely Brummagem, We had many holidays from Brummagem Boats in the early 1980's, The BCN was an 'interesting' place to boat in those days with rules on which bridge arch to use and arriving at locks  expecting the pound above the next lock to be empty ?

 

 

111 BCN Walsall Canal Ryders Green  Locks 5th Nov 1985 .jpg

Nice photo on the Ryders Green 8 locks!  Do you recall which boat that was Tim?

 

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1 hour ago, rovingrom said:

Not many we think, although it gets confusing because they went into partnership with the Alvechurch Boat Centre who had an extensive hire fleet.  I suspect that very few hulls/shells were built by Brummagem themselves but it looks like a lot of the fitting out of their hire fleet boats, as well as a number of private orders, were done by Brummagem at their Sherborne Street wharf base.

There are reported to have been just 13 BrumTugs, although there is confusion because #14 appears twice - it has been suggested they didn't want to produce a #13 - and we also know of a boat claimed to be BrumTug15 !!

 

Nice photo on the Ryders Green 8 locks!  Do you recall which boat that was Tim?

 

It was Beauty, we also had a second boast, Beau, for the undesirable crew ?

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3 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

It was Beauty, we also had a second boast, Beau, for the undesirable crew ?

Undesirable crew??  Not sure what that might infer but clearly they were without the "TY" (or tea?)!!

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21 minutes ago, rovingrom said:

Undesirable crew??  Not sure what that might infer but clearly they were without the "TY" (or tea?)!!

Beau (Brummel) and Beauty at the top of Ryders Green, November 1985. As it was light I assume that it was for a lunchtime stop at the now defunct Eight Locks pub

 

111a BCN Walsall Canal Ryders Green Top Lock 5th Nov 1985 .jpg

Edited by Tim Lewis
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7 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

Beau (Brummel) and Beauty at the top of Ryders Green, November 1985. As it was light I assume that it was a lunchtime pub stop at the now defunct Eight Locks pub

Nice!  I was there with my boat in April last year and certainly the pub was gone.  I agree that the BCN is fascinating and deserves to be explored much more widely! (Both photos - Ryders Green Locks).

DSCN0021 med Ryders Green Bottom.jpg

20190414_140832 Ryders Green.jpg

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3 hours ago, Athy said:

Welcome to the forum, and good luck in your quest.

As Brummagem Boats is a fairly well known name, I am surprised to learn that they built so few boats.

Thanks for the welcome

Brummagem built a good quantity of boats but only 14 or so tugs

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12 minutes ago, rovingrom said:

Nice!  I was there with my boat in April last year and certainly the pub was gone.  I agree that the BCN is fascinating and deserves to be explored much more widely! (Both photos - Ryders Green Locks).

 

 

The pub building (and sign) are still extant so there is hope yet ?  From 2019

 

438 BCN Walsall Canal Ryders Green Locks Ryders Green Junc To Great Bridge 12th April 2019.JPG

Edited by Tim Lewis
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23 minutes ago, rustynewbery said:

I see to recall there was one named Querqus?

There was - a lovely little thing when in her heyday;  she was our first foray onto the BCN.  Fond memories.  Desperate Dan's cow pie, anyone? ;)

 

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3 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

There was - a lovely little thing when in her heyday;  she was our first foray onto the BCN.  Fond memories.  Desperate Dan's cow pie, anyone? ;)

 

 

4 hours ago, rustynewbery said:

I see to recall there was one named Querqus?

Well now - interesting that you should both mention Quercus (or Querqus).  Esox, who started this thread, and I, have been researching BrumTugs for a few weeks (only) and have Quercus down on our list with several question marks.  Another authority on Brummagem Boats and BrumTugs didn't know about Quercus. 

So rustynewbery and Sea Dog - can you tell us any more?  Do you know the boat or it's present location, or do you have other connections with it?  Do you know if it has/had a traditional back cabin?  Sea Dog - did you hire Quercus or own it?  What are those fond memories??

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9 hours ago, rovingrom said:

 

Well now - interesting that you should both mention Quercus (or Querqus).  Esox, who started this thread, and I, have been researching BrumTugs for a few weeks (only) and have Quercus down on our list with several question marks.  Another authority on Brummagem Boats and BrumTugs didn't know about Quercus. 

So rustynewbery and Sea Dog - can you tell us any more?  Do you know the boat or it's present location, or do you have other connections with it?  Do you know if it has/had a traditional back cabin?  Sea Dog - did you hire Quercus or own it?  What are those fond memories??

A bit of a long shot, I assume this is a different QUERCUS to that owned by Pat Barton, who sadly died last year. I have fond memories of meeting her (and her boat) as part of the Jubilee Pageant in 2012, I am sure I can find a photo, and there was an article about the boat in one of the waterway magazines not too long ago.  https://www.waterways.org.uk/lichfield/news/2019_news

Edited by Scholar Gypsy
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