Sunken wooden butty top of Stourton flight.

[MoominPapa]

What is the story of the wooden butty  sunk next to the towpath just past the winding hole at the top of the Stourton four-locks flight on the Stourbridge canal? It looks in a pretty bad way, with nothing much salvagable apart from  the ironwork. As far as I can remember it was there the first time I went past, which must be ten years ago now, and nothing much has happened to it in the intervening time apart from more decay. What boat is it, how did it get there, and how has it managed to stay there undisturbed for a decade or more?

 

MP

[dave moore]

I walked past it a couple of weeks ago, wondering similarly. I’ll call Martin Brookes who runs the Prestwood yard, he may well know. Back soon....

Dave

[nbfiresprite]

15 minutes ago, MoominPapa said:

What is the story of the wooden butty  sunk next to the towpath just past the winding hole at the top of the Stourton four-locks flight on the Stourbridge canal? It looks in a pretty bad way, with nothing much salvagable apart from  the ironwork. As far as I can remember it was there the first time I went past, which must be ten years ago now, and nothing much has happened to it in the intervening time apart from more decay. What boat is it, how did it get there, and how has it managed to stay there undisturbed for a decade or more?

 

MP

It's been there at least 17 years, I passed it going up the flight in 2003

[magnetman]

I really like seeing old wrecks like that. 

 

It's so much more satisfactory than them being hauled out and broken never to be seen again. 

 

As long as they are not an obstruction and preferably with reeds growing out of them to anchor them in place they are a real asset to the canal. Part of history, gradually returning to nature where people can see them. 

 

Perfect. 

 

ETA preferably offside not on the towapth side/obstruction. 

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by magnetman

[dave moore]

Here we go... The noted Pete Harrison tells me that the boat is Adelaide, used as an under cloth conversion for many years. I’ve just been speaking to Martin Brookes who runs the Prestwood yard mid way between the top of Stourton and the bottom of the 16. He confirms the boat name and also confirms that the boat was also at Kinver from time to time, where I have memories of seeing it. The owner was a hippy type young woman, at some time she gave the boat away and someone took the boat towards Tardebigge with restoration intentions in mind. Sinkings en route caused the boat to be returned to its present site above Stourton top, where it has languished since. CRT have been in touch with Martin with a view to towing it to Prestwood for craneage, an offer he’s refused with the possibility of it sinking en route. Meanwhile, an historic group has identified it as the last of its class by an unknown builder so the stalemate continues.  Martin thinks that the only salvageable parts are the iron works. She was a handsome boat in her day.

[zenataomm]

I have a vague notion there was Royalty Class wooden butty called Adelaide.

Would it be the same one?

[David Mack]

This one?

https://hnbc.org.uk/boats/adelaide

Which apparently may be Anne.

[MoominPapa]

28 minutes ago, David Mack said:

This one?

https://hnbc.org.uk/boats/adelaide

Which apparently may be Anne.

The pictures are of the same boat, though since 2015 the cabin has disappeared entirely.

 

MP.

[PeterScott]

From 2017

 

 

[Bacchus]

You could pop that on eBay - "easy summer project" (c:

[Boppgp]

I grew up on this boat, my mom is the young hippie lady. Heart aches to see my childhood home at the bottom of the cut. Many fond memories of our Adelaide. Mom had her for 20 years, it’s just a lot having two young children and a wooden boat built before the WWII 😂 happy to answer questions 

[Derek R.]

My sympathies to you.

As it rests, it is a haven for wildlife. It should be left there.

[jake_crew]

Welcome to the forum Boppgp.

 

have you any photos of the boat back in your time on her ?

[Boppgp]

Thank you for the kind words Derek. I hope the fish enjoy her as much as we did! 
 

I will have a look around for some photos as there are definitely some knocking around, did lose a lot of our childhood pictures from Polaroid in a previous sinking. Seemed our Adelaide was always a fan of sinking when we went on holiday. It became a sad necessity to keep all thing’s important in the tarps above the water line.

but yes I’ll have a look around for some pictures from back in the day!

 

me and my partner are thinking about moving on to the canal again, we are in the middle of looking for boats. I never imagined I’d come back but the cut still calls for me! 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

This is it a week or so ago

 

[spud]

22 hours ago, Boppgp said:

I grew up on this boat, my mom is the young hippie lady. Heart aches to see my childhood home at the bottom of the cut. Many fond memories of our Adelaide. Mom had her for 20 years, it’s just a lot having two young children and a wooden boat built before the WWII 😂 happy to answer questions 

more important  how is your mum, I not seen her to talk to since 1999    and you were playing on the bank in the mud

[Boppgp]

Moms good thanks, she’s just south of Brum on her new boat! Crikey I’d have been 2 or 3!