Jump to content

Berkhampstead to Guildford by Narrowboat in 1965


GUMPY

Featured Posts

Thank you. Our old stomping ground in the early 80s. Haven’t gone back since 88. Don’t want to ruin memories.

Remember installing our Rayburn off the bridge at common moor, running trips up to blackjacks, and of course Brian Nichol and the boat who then ran trips from Jim McDonald’s wharf at Cassio. He had Sirius as well.

We had a mooring in the Stinkhole for a time. Cost us a bottle of whisky a year. Never ever used it. Uninhabitable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for that.

Even better for me was the link to the last steam Woolwich ferries. Many a happy trip on these with my grandad, who worked in the docks. That smell of hot oil, steam and churned Thames water came flooding back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

Thank you. Our old stomping ground in the early 80s. Haven’t gone back since 88. Don’t want to ruin memories.

Remember installing our Rayburn off the bridge at common moor, running trips up to blackjacks, and of course Brian Nichol and the boat who then ran trips from Jim McDonald’s wharf at Cassio. He had Sirius as well.

We had a mooring in the Stinkhole for a time. Cost us a bottle of whisky a year. Never ever used it. Uninhabitable.

Just to correct a couple of points here the correct spelling is Nicoll

Arcturus never ran trips from Jim McDonalds Wharf at Cassio, in fact the Public trips were run from Cassioberry park and the private charter trips from Cassio Bridge.

My father Bryan Nicoll never owned Sirius, as I brought Sirius in 1978 and then had the stern end completely rebuilt by John Wooley who had rebuilt the stern end of Arcturus. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 25/11/2020 at 08:49, Derek R. said:

Much of our regular patch from Berko to Watford (Aylesbury too). Lots of memories. I don't remember Croxley Mills still standing, just huge piles of rubble in the early eighties.

Thanks for posting - nice to see the towpath tractors working.

I remember the Mills working. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That was my local area mid 00s. GU south and Thames . 

 

I installed a Rayburn and also an engine in a boat using the disused railway bridge below Lot Mead. Ebury Way. 

 

Not boated around past Ricky for over ten years. 

 

Noticed the widewater / black jack's error plus the Walton Bridge 1999 error. The new Walton Bridge was opened in 2013.. 

 

 

Only boat I could positively identify apart from Arcturus was the barge "Woodery" which I think was a warship supply vessel. At 30:20 in the video . 

Moored near Walton Bridge for years it went up to Oxford but I didn't see it this year on my trip up river so not sure what happened to it. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by magnetman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 24/11/2020 at 22:16, Mike Nicoll said:

Just to correct a couple of points here the correct spelling is Nicoll

Arcturus never ran trips from Jim McDonalds Wharf at Cassio, in fact the Public trips were run from Cassioberry park and the private charter trips from Cassio Bridge.

My father Bryan Nicoll never owned Sirius, as I brought Sirius in 1978 and then had the stern end completely rebuilt by John Wooley who had rebuilt the stern end of Arcturus. 

I always believed that I had sold Sirius to Bryan through the good offices of John Wooley. I am pleased to hear that it had further work undertaken by John though when I had it the hull was still in a reasonable condition. But obviously not as good as I thought it was. 

So where are Arcturus and  Sirius now?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, astalweeks said:

I always believed that I had sold Sirius to Bryan through the good offices of John Wooley. I am pleased to hear that it had further work undertaken by John though when I had it the hull was still in a reasonable condition. But obviously not as good as I thought it was. 

So where are Arcturus and  Sirius now?

I was 18 when I brought Sirius so my dad was involved in the purchase and soon after Sirius was Taken to Brentford for the stern end rebuild, then in 1989-90 I took Sirius to Uxbridge where the rest of the bottom boards and bottom strake were replaced, and a fit out under canvas was done.

Arcturus and Sirius went to Puttenham in 2010, but by then Arcturus needed new bottoms and bottom strakes all round.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fascinating

 

I'm no expert, but it was very well filmed, given that the boat was moving all the time and so nothing could be staged. A lot of interesting detail; very glad to see that it has been recorded. 

 

Just wondering who is/was Alan, who recorded much of the film? I assume that it is Mr Nicoll at the tiller, but who are the others with him? And who is the commentator? 

 

Happy New Year 

 

J

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Joseph said:

Fascinating

 

I'm no expert, but it was very well filmed, given that the boat was moving all the time and so nothing could be staged. A lot of interesting detail; very glad to see that it has been recorded. 

 

Just wondering who is/was Alan, who recorded much of the film? I assume that it is Mr Nicoll at the tiller, but who are the others with him? And who is the commentator? 

 

Happy New Year 

 

J

The filming was done by Alan Snowdon and the commentary was done by his wife, sorry I cannot think of her name at the moment,

The crew was David Pusell  though this may not be the correct spelling.

As you say very well filmed and Thanks for Patron for sharing this on this site. 

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.