George Ward evicted.

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Oh I thought he was a yank. 

 

I've just checked and no-one's moved it. Still in Queensland. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane

 

Funny looking canal there though.

 

 

[magnetman]

6 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I've just checked and no-one's moved it. Still in Queensland. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane

 

Funny looking canal there though.

 

 

Those look like the same boats the Thames Clippers run. 

 

I always thought it a bit strange that this wonderful country has to contract the job of making really cool fast catamaran commuter boats out to a company in Australasia! 

 

Why can't we do this ourselves??

[MtB]

11 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Those look like the same boats the Thames Clippers run. 

 

I always thought it a bit strange that this wonderful country has to contract the job of making really cool fast catamaran commuter boats out to a company in Australasia! 

 

Why can't we do this ourselves??

 

Maybe Brisbane bought them from us!

 

 

[magnetman]

Most of them were made in Australia (incat, FBM and NQEA) but the latest ones (3 units of Hunt class MK3 were in fact built in the UK. A Good Sign. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_Clippers

 

One of the English clippers just now 

 

Canary wharf.

Edited August 18, 2023 by magnetman

[IanD]

2 hours ago, magnetman said:

Those look like the same boats the Thames Clippers run. 

 

I always thought it a bit strange that this wonderful country has to contract the job of making really cool fast catamaran commuter boats out to a company in Australasia! 

 

Why can't we do this ourselves??

Not commuter boats, but I used to really enjoy crossing on the Condor fast catamaran ferries from Portsmouth to Cherbourg -- sitting outside at the stern watching the massive waterjet roostertails at 40kts was much more enjoyable than sitting inside... 😉

[magnetman]

Yes these latest ones have jets. The earlier ones run on props. I prefer the prop drive as it seems more tidy and slightly quieter. Also the prop drive Australian boats seem to have better acceleration. Watching these get away from Canary wharf pier inward bound is good. No speed restriction there so they put the hammers down and get the thing going. Brilliant to watch. 

 

Of course these are controlled by joystick so nothing much happening but the power transfer from diesel engine to water is wicked. 

 

 

[Pluto]

Fastest canal boat I have been on was on the Moscow Canal. On visiting the Northern River Port in 1995 we found that hydrofoils operated a 'bus service' from there to the summit reservoir. The photos show one tied up waiting, and the orther travelling along the canal on the plane, weaving amongst the canal traffic. They had not been discovered by tourists, and I only saw locals on board, where there was also a bar.

[Graham and Jo]

Just saw this. 

 

https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/23738908.canal-river-trust-second-boater-faces-eviction/

 

Graham 

[dmr]

Its a clone of George, both the boat and its owner.

[Paul C]

4 minutes ago, Graham and Jo said:

Just saw this. 

 

https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/23738908.canal-river-trust-second-boater-faces-eviction/

 

Graham 

 

Obvs not you, but I've quoted the link to the article. Its a bit sloppy - its not an eviction, its a boat removal. I think they already found out they can't "evict" people, only remove boats from their waters. I'd love to hear what the issues were with refusal to renew the licence - non-movement perhaps?

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, dmr said:

Its a clone of George, both the boat and its owner.

If I remember he was also in the 2013 video with George.

 

About time, they have given these dossers far too much 'rope' now is the time to hang 'em.

[dmr]

The newspaper says he can't move because he doesn't have an engine.

 

There is or was a big boat (70'?) on the K&A, a bit scruffy outside, work of art on the inside, that had just a tiny electric motor driven off a small portable genny, it was very very slow (and a pain to be behind) but it did move. There was also a bloke in a shed on a pontoon who pushed himself along with a pole. I don't think he did the full required distance but he made an effort and moved about a fair bit.

 

I suppose now that they have got George that have to get the others who are similarly static, otherwise it would be unfair 😀, and then there is London.

This will all be costly in the short term but I suppose it has to be done, especially if most boaters are going to have to pay more.

 

I do hope that CRT do all this fairly, don't go for the soft targets, and don't drive all of the slightly naughty but interesting characters off the cut.

[David Mack]

His boat, Aster, is a wooden josher, which during the 1950s was one of the Salvation Army's mission boats. I remember Aster being moored in Battlebridge Basin in the early 80s, and it was in reasonable condition then. Apparently major hull work was done in the 90s, and it still looked in reasonable shape in 2016. But by the time CBS have lifted it out and shipped it to Cheshire it will probably be beyond recovery, which would be a shame.

 

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

Edited August 23, 2023 by David Mack

[MtB]

Anyone know what happened to the Bolinder in it? 

 

 

And what a cracking looking boat it was when photographed for the HNBC site! 

 

 

 

 

Has Mr Selassie presided over its sad decline in to this state it's in today?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cuthound]

The comments make interesting reading. Far more people want the boat removed than want it to stay.

 

Considerable misunderstanding of the CC rules by many though.

[magnetman]

Interesting that the Aster has the Nursers snakes but it is a FM&C boat. 

[Ray T]

17 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Interesting that the Aster has the Nursers snakes but it is a FM&C boat. 

Aster & Salvo, don't have a place or date.

 

Second picture at Sutton Stop.

 

From HNBC magazine.

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by Ray T

[MtB]

12 minutes ago, cuthound said:

The comments make interesting reading. Far more people want the boat removed than want it to stay.

 

Considerable misunderstanding of the CC rules by many though.

 

Also, Mr Selassie seems not to be the owner of the boat according to one poster in the Comments section. 

 

Mr Selassie is the tenant of one Peter Curling, who it is alleged, owns the boat.

 

No wonder Mr Selassie doesn't look to bothered about the whole situation in his photo! 

 

Anyway, given it took CRT 12 years to get shot of George Ward's eyesores, we can probably look forward to this one being removed in year 2035.

 

 

[Tonka]

13 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Also, Mr Selassie seems not to be the owner of the boat according to one poster in the Comments section. 

 

Mr Selassie is the tenant of one Peter Curling, who it is alleged, owns the boat.

 

No wonder Mr Selassie doesn't look to bothered about the whole situation in his photo! 

 

Anyway, given it took CRT 12 years to get shot of George Ward's eyesores, we can probably look forward to this one being removed in year 2035.

 

 

Sell it to the owners of the Crooked Pub. Be burnt in a couple of days

[magnetman]

24 minutes ago, Ray T said:

Aster & Salvo, don't have a place or date.

 

Second picture at Sutton Stop.

 

From HNBC magazine.

 

May 2003 ! 

 

If its been there all that while thats quite impressive. 

 

Maybe it has been travelling around in the meantime. 

20 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

 

No wonder Mr Selassie doesn't look to bothered about the whole situation in his photo! 

 

 

Apparently the wife is not too happy about the situation.

 

I wonder if this is likely to do with the condition of the living spaces rather than the actions of the CRT. 

 

Hell hath no fury. 

 

 

[dmr]

Is this the boat that moored (officially) at Bathampton for many years? It was kept clean and tidy despite its owner slowly dying from a very rare cancer, if so its very sad that the new custodian has let it get so bad.

[magnetman]

3 minutes ago, dmr said:

Is this the boat that moored (officially) at Bathampton for many years? It was kept clean and tidy despite its owner slowly dying from a very rare cancer, if so its very sad that the new custodian has let it get so bad.

To be fair it is a wooden narrow boat and these are well known to require significant dedication. 

 

I would hazard a guess that the current 'custodian' merely sees it as a cheap place to live rather than being concerned with the overall condition and historic interest associated with the vessel. 

 

Those low grade tarps are very bad news. 

[MtB]

7 minutes ago, dmr said:

if so its very sad that the new custodian has let it get so bad.

 

But who IS the custodian? 

 

The landlord or the tenant? (Assuming the assertion in the comments about Mr Selassie renting it turns out to be true.)

 

 

 

[David Schweizer]

4 hours ago, dmr said:

Is this the boat that moored (officially) at Bathampton for many years? It was kept clean and tidy despite its owner slowly dying from a very rare cancer, if so its very sad that the new custodian has let it get so bad.

 

There certainy was a boat called Aster moored on the K&A something like twenty years ago, painted a pinkish red from memory. I always understood it was ex Salvation Army, but whether it is the same boat, I am not sure.

 

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by David Schweizer

[Heartland]

What has happened to George Ward or Mr Selassie ?

According to the Gazette & Herald  CRT were looking to reclaim money in December this year

George Ward - who was removed from the Kennet and Avon in Bradford on Avon this year - has been sent a letter from Grimsby law firm Wilkin Chapman LLP asking him to pay two Canal and River Trist invoices of £1,314.68 and £16,061.29.

In total, the law firm is actually demanding £17,381.97.

Mr Ward, 62, who is disabled and relies on state benefits, said: “The Canal & River Trust is doing everything it can to escalate the outstanding amount thus far demanded with the use of excessively priced subcontractors.

Re

Edited December 22, 2023 by Heartland