Adamant and Britain by Steam

[Andrew Denny]

I see there's a new 4-part series on Channel 5, Britain by Steam, featuring John Sergeant and Peter Davison among others. 

Steam tug Adamant features in it. Who runs Adamant and can I contact them? Was hoping to get a picture & a story of what it was like.  

Thanks 

[Tracy D'arth]

I think the program named the builder who was at the tiller, and the owner as well.

[Rob-M]

May help contacting the owner, http://www.steamershistorical.co.uk/steamers_adamant.htm.

 

I can't remember his name, I steered Adamant around the Braunston parade a few year's ago.

[David Schweizer]

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

May help contacting the owner, http://www.steamershistorical.co.uk/steamers_adamant.htm.

 

I can't remember his name, I steered Adamant around the Braunston parade a few year's ago.

 

I have just looked at that website, and interestingly it states that the hull of Adamant was built from the stern ends of two Birmingham Joey boats. I always thought that both ends of Joey boats were the same allowing the rudder to be hung on either end therefore eliminating the need to turn round. Certainly the former T&S Elements wooden Joey which a friend of mine owned had two back ends. Adamant's hull is iron so was it only Wooden Joeys that had two back ends?

[roland elsdon]

Author of link may be clue.

 

[Jo_]

Philip Martino, Andrew. He's on Facebook

[fanshaft]

The programme stated that Adamant was 6ft 10 wide and was entering a lock (Watford) only 7 ft wide. But if Adamant is two joeys it's unlikely to be 6ft 10 and if the Watford locks are only 7ft it's amazing how all the historic boats get through as most are a tad over 7ft wide. Even more surprising was the assertion that the Nene Valley Railway terminates adjacent to the Grand Union! 

[roland elsdon]

None of the locks on the leicester line has ever been tight. Even at its worst our old butty flew up there, and she blocked marston doles back in the day, got stuck in the northern stratfordand generally was 7’2” around the mast.

 

Adam ant had a huge build back in the day and would have been pulled in at the time.

She is a lovely unique boat.

[Ronaldo47]

No mention of the Foxton staircase, but I suppose they have to keep the pace going, and the programme is about steam power, not canals.

[Stroudwater1]

22 hours ago, Ronaldo47 said:

No mention of the Foxton staircase, but I suppose they have to keep the pace going, and the programme is about steam power, not canals.

 

Im doubtful they did the whole journey to Leicester as the programme suggested , Foxton was a real miss wasn’t it given the former steam powered incline and I’m not sure  there’s any footage after Crick tunnel though plenty before. They wouldn’t have slept on Adamant as I don’t believe it would accommodate them all comfortably? 
Lovely to see her sailing though.

 

It seems a decent series overall bringing steam power more to the fore as it disserves.