Berkhampstead to Guildford by Narrowboat in 1965

[Loddon 1920]

Not sure if this has been posted before.

 

 

Edited November 24, 2020 by Loddon

[noone 116]

Brilliant!..Not seen that before...Well worth 31.54 of my life!!..Thanks for posting.👍

[roland elsdon 980]

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.

[Jen-in-Wellies 1590]

Stiff paddles, leaking gates and dilapidated shed boats. Some things haven't changed! That was a fascinating watch.

Jen

Edited November 24, 2020 by Jen-in-Wellies

[Neil TNC 27]

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.

[Mike Nicoll 2]

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. 

[Derek R. 213]

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.

[mark99 2015]

Great. Minor error noted. Bus over Black Jacks Lock?

 

No that will be Widewater Lock.

[mark99 2015]

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. 

[magnetman 464]

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 December 2, 2020 by magnetman

[jeannette smith harrison 153]

WOW never seen this one before = Hanwell thicket recognised some family members  Calif Lane,  Tommy Osborne Arthur Holt ,Billy Brown,Tom Harrison Thank You

[Cheese 67]

At 30:58, some of the buildings may be long gone, but I think the one behind the hand-operated crane, and the crane itself, are still there.

[jake_crew 71]

Wickham towpath tractor at 15:20 and at 19:00, as Derek says.

 

Thats a lovely film and the colours have lasted so well.

Edited December 4, 2020 by jake_crew

[magnetman 464]

I bet the part around 31:00 where people all step off the boat onto a muddy towpath and carry on with their day would be banned under modern elfin safety legislation. 

 

 

[Derek R. 213]

Like most people from previous generations, they took responsibility for their actions themselves, they decided what was healthy and safe - enough.

As I still do today.

[mark99 2015]

Dapdune Wharf still looks the same.  The Debenhams at Guildford next to Wey mentioned in the video will be converted to housing. Just sold for £20M.

[astalweeks 3]

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?

[BEngo 382]

Bates Boatyard last time we passed.

 

N

[Mike Nicoll 2]

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.

[mark99 2015]

Cassiobury.

[Mike Nicoll 2]

2 minutes ago, mark99 said:

Cassiobury.

Yes, I realised that I had spelt this wrong after I had sent it, but it has taken over a month for anyone to pick up on this!

[mark99 2015]

I recall your father taking his boat many, many times through Croxley. Pretty sure he smoked a pipe then. 1970s.

Edited December 31, 2020 by mark99

[Mike Nicoll 2]

11 minutes ago, mark99 said:

I recall your father taking his boat many, many times through Croxley. Pretty sure he smoked a pipe then. 1970s.

Yes he did, but after a health scare he stopped and has not smoked since, not sure when he gave up I think maybe early 80s

[Joseph 4]

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

[Mike Nicoll 2]

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.