Braunston 2024

[Ray T]

Historic boat show celebrates 20th year in Northamptonshire - BBC News

[John Brightley]

I went today and enjoyed myself, had a chat to a few people, bought a few books. Pete Boyce's Tess Wharf was also open, which was interesting. 

Here's some photos:

[Ray T]

Thank you for the photo's, John.

For the first time in many years I was unable to attend this year.

 

Looking forward to Alvecote in August.

[alan_fincher]

6 minutes ago, Ray T said:

Thank you for the photo's, John.

For the first time in many years I was unable to attend this year.

 

Looking forward to Alvecote in August.

 

Well things didn't quite work out for us either, Ray.

 

Other things going on in our life meant we could't get both boats there, but until the middle of last week we had hoped to attend with just SICKLE. Alas it was not to be, so we ended up there just by car for the Sunday afternoon.

I don't know if it was just me, but it felt a poor imitation of Braunston shows of the past.  I admit it's not great to pay £20 for half a days parking in a very rough field, and the food we had from the "burger" van was overpriced and downright disgusting, so perhaps I was put into a poor frame of mind before we even got near the boats.

I know that by Sunday lunchtimes many "historics" have already departed, but even allowing for that, boat numbers seemed surprisingly low.

Please may Alvecote be (much) better - frankly that shouldn't be hard to achieve!

[Ray T]

I believe two of the organizing stalwarts from previous years were not involved this year.

These two did a brilliant job, perhaps their skills were missed?

 

Also both these gents were critical of the £20.00 parking fee levied by Mr. Coughlan, but their observations fell on deaf ears.

There were a few reasons I was unable to attend this year but the parking fee and the general decline of the event over the years the £20.00 parking fee has been charged was also a factor.

 

ETA. I also thought there was lack of advertising of this year's event in the media, certainly nothing I could find on the Braunston Marina web site.

CRT had an advert on their site.

 

Edited July 1 by Ray T
Additional information

[Rob-M]

It did have a feeling that there were quite a few less boats there this year and the parade yesterday morning took about 4 hours to get round with over an hour being held at the junction which nobody knew why.

 

[Stroudwater1]

I enjoyed it, but appreciate the cost is significant. However there is donations to various groups attending- think £1000 to Buckingham/ Cotswold and Hereford and Gloucester canal organisations plus friends of Raymond possibly others eg WRG and narrowboat trust last year? 

 

 

 

 

 

 Peter Boyce and Irene Belchers work was very interesting. The studio is open as part of the Warwickshire Open Studios, open 10-4 till next Sunday 6th. 
 

Edited June 30 by Stroudwater1

[John Brightley]

I've just watched this video and what is very noticeable is that there were a lot more historic boats at Braunston on Saturday than there were when I got there at 11am today. That's very disappointing. When I go next time I will make sure I go on the Saturday.

 

[David Schweizer]

The last year we visited the rally was 2022, and felt that it had lost direction, and reports of the two subsequent shows seem to mirror that impression. Admittedly our enthusiasm has waned somewhat, with us no longer having a boat, but along with the excessive car parking charge, it is unlikely that we shall attend in the future. Shame really because it used to be such a good rally.

[John Brightley]

18 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

The last year we visited the rally was 2022, and felt that it had lost direction, and reports of the two subsequent shows seem to mirror that impression. Admittedly our enthusiasm has waned somewhat, with us no longer having a boat, but along with the excessive car parking charge, it is unlikely that we shall attend in the future. Shame really because it used to be such a good rally.

Hi David. I really enjoyed myself today, so I would still encourage people to visit the event if they get the chance, but obviously it depends how far away you live as to whether you think it is worthwhile. There has been much debate on here in the past about the car parking fee, but personally I don't think it is excessive as a) if you have 4 people in a car it's only £5 each, b) Tim gives a lot of money away to canal charities and c) if you don't want to pay for the car park, it's still possible to park carefully and courteously in the village and walk down to the canal.

But if many boat owners are leaving after Saturday (which they clearly are), a) the organisers need to publicise it to the public as a one day event, not a two, or b) have more incentives to encourage boat owners to stay for the Sunday.

Edited June 30 by John Brightley

[David Mack]

I booked Belfast in on Thursday and was entry no 82. I was told about 65 boats attended, so presumably quite a few no shows from boats booked in. It certainly felt like fewer boats than previous years - the marina arm was half empty and the lengths between the marina entrance and ladder bridge which have been 4 and 5 boats abreast in the past were only up to 3.

Quite a few boats left this morning before the parade, and others paraded up to the Turn but then continued on north or west rather than returning to the marina area, so it did feel distinctly thin by early afternoon.

Edited June 30 by David Mack

[MtB]

Was the music in the beer tent still excruciatingly loud?

 

 

[Stroudwater1]

3 hours ago, MtB said:

Was the music in the beer tent still excruciatingly loud?

 

 

It didn’t seem too loud. Robbie Cumming played but unfortunately we missed him. 

[Rob-M]

3 hours ago, MtB said:

Was the music in the beer tent still excruciatingly loud?

 

 

We sat just outside the tent on Saturday afternoon and the music was not too loud, we were able to talk without having to shout at each other.

[Derek R.]

Smacks of greed and disenchantment.

I've never been a fan of 'big' gatherings, favouring the Christmas and Easter 'do's' that were regular in the days in the eighties. The fun was in getting there; some impromptu music in a pub; a good breakfast - then off. Perhaps the Braunston experience is wearing thin. £20 for parking? A fiver would be too much. Blists Hill Victorian village charges £5 still (my daughter works there). It's £26.50 to enter, but you have an entire small town to wander round, shops from which items can be bought, fish & chips, bread and rolls all baked on the premises, cafe and restaurant and guides and shop-keepers in period costumes explaining the activities of many trades that once were, and the entrance auditorium tells the story of Coalbrookdale in sound and fury. History on show, history explained.

 

For rallies, smaller is better. There is also the query that most of the attendees having never worked boats for a living (nor have I) are there as: 'would have beens', but having 'never been' were pretenders, often in almost clown like pseudo costume - dogs with neckerchieves. Those Braunston rallies I have been to, reminded me of how so many people were complete strangers to me, with barely a handful of faces I knew from forty years ago. And even then, I considered myself as a 'newby' - an imposter. Maybe I'm getting too cynical in my dotage. The working life experience has gone. The 'Circus' show is fading. The 'Big Top' is leaking. Such things were never 'traditions' amongst working boat people, it was graft, only broken by an evening in a pub, or a stoppage. Todays Brasso Brigade can only polish and paint. But still - I miss it.

[Ray T]

7 hours ago, Derek R. said:

Smacks of greed and disenchantment.

 

For rallies, smaller is better. There is also the query that most of the attendees having never worked boats for a living (nor have I) are there as: 'would have beens', but having 'never been' were pretenders, often in almost clown like pseudo costume - dogs with neckerchieves. Those Braunston rallies I have been to, reminded me of how so many people were complete strangers to me, with barely a handful of faces I knew from forty years ago. And even then, I considered myself as a 'newby' - an imposter. Maybe I'm getting too cynical in my dotage. The working life experience has gone. The 'Circus' show is fading. The 'Big Top' is leaking. Such things were never 'traditions' amongst working boat people, it was graft, only broken by an evening in a pub, or a stoppage. Todays Brasso Brigade can only polish and paint. But still - I miss it.

 

Due to Tempus Fugit many of the last of the "proper" working boaters are no longer with us.

In the past few years we have lost Ron and Brenda Withey, Joe Chattin, George Wain, Alice Lapworth, John Barret, John Saxon, Cecil Jackson, John Best and Mike Humphris to my knowledge.

 

I don't know if they attended this year but I heard Maurice Peaseland and Jim Hambridge are not in the best of health. 

Were Eddie Hambridge, Ron Higgins and Janet Barret in attendance this year?

 

When I took Mike, it was always wonderful to listen to the above relating their experience of working the boats, this I miss.

Mike opened the door to an almost secret world for me, this I cherish.

 

Braunston 2016

 

 

Edited July 1 by Ray T
add photo

[Lady M]

For me, this diminishing of the 'proper' working boaters and loss of personalities like David Blagrove have affected the atmosphere of the event.

[Derek R.]

@Ray T Yes, it comes to us all. It was the little things that I remember from speaking with ex-boat folk. Inconsequential things like the chap who looked in the engin'ole at suttons and saw we had a 'chip fryer', tall stories from Arthur Bray, and the helpful way Joe Safe got us in off the Thames with a nifty bit of rope work, and top of Hatton when I set the engine speed and left it alone which drew a comment from the lockie who said words to the effect: 'That's more like it. Not like these hire boaters who can decide one way or t'other.' David Blagrove on a bend when our boats barely touched: - "Two Joshers kissing on a corner!"

 

Good memories.

[Heartland]

Braunston is definitely worth a visit, but getting there by public transport is not practical. That is the problem with some of these events.

 

[jeannette smith harrison]

Yes sadly the number of old working boat folk was v low this year .i have lost 11 of mine since last year most are well into their 80's some of mine even 90's still managed a gathering at the beer tent not as many as other years but it makes me happy to meet up with family Harrison,Monk, Lane, Humphries, Dell amongst others  & i traveled up from Heathrow term 4/5 area .lots of close family & friends  & boats  missing for one reason or another lets hope for better a better order for the parade next year 

3 hours ago, Ray T said:

 

Due to Tempus Fugit many of the last of the "proper" working boaters are no longer with us.

In the past few years we have lost Ron and Brenda Withey, Joe Chattin, George Wain, Alice Lapworth, John Barret, John Saxon, Cecil Jackson, John Best and Mike Humphris to my knowledge.

 

I don't know if they attended this year but I heard Maurice Peaseland and Jim Hambridge are not in the best of health. 

Were Eddie Hambridge and Ron Higgins in attendance this year?

 

When I took Mike, it was always wonderful to listen to the above relating their experience of working the boats, this I miss.

Mike opened the door to an almost secret world for me, this I cherish.

 

Braunston 2016

 

 

So miss these guys  part of the history & heritage of the working bot folk 

[Ray T]

2 hours ago, Derek R. said:

@Ray T Yes, it comes to us all. It was the little things that I remember from speaking with ex-boat folk. Inconsequential things like the chap who looked in the engin'ole at suttons and saw we had a 'chip fryer', tall stories from Arthur Bray, and the helpful way Joe Safe got us in off the Thames with a nifty bit of rope work, and top of Hatton when I set the engine speed and left it alone which drew a comment from the lockie who said words to the effect: 'That's more like it. Not like these hire boaters who can decide one way or t'other.' David Blagrove on a bend when our boats barely touched: - "Two Joshers kissing on a corner!"

 

Good memories.

 

@Derek R. If it was the lock keeper at Sutton's it may have been Mike? His last job before retirement was lock keeper there.

 

The "chip frier" comment sounds like one of his, he always referred to Armstrong engines as "Battery chargers."

[David Mack]

2 hours ago, Heartland said:

Braunston is definitely worth a visit, but getting there by public transport is not practical. That is the problem with some of these events.

 

Unlike many rural villages, Braunston does have an hourly bus service to Rugby and Daventry on Mondays to Saturdays (but no evening, Sunday or Bank Holiday service).

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/routes/midlands/d1/rugby-daventry/xlcd001.o

 

[alan_fincher]

5 hours ago, Lady M said:

For me, this diminishing of the 'proper' working boaters and loss of personalities like David Blagrove have affected the atmosphere of the event.

 

I suppose there are different ways of defining 'proper' working boaters.

 

The last regular commercial long distance narrow boat traffic ceased in late 1970.

However there are people who since around about that date have provided constant service of delivering coal and other manufactured solid fuels initially often to canal-side housing, but eventually mostly to boaters.

The boating skills that some of these people have built up, in some cases over more than 50 years I would claim must regularly exceed those possessed by the pre 1970s working boaters.

A good example is Jules Cook of Jules Fuels fame - one of the best around who steers so precisely and makes it all look so effortless.

David Blagrove was indeed a much loved man, who did masses to benefit the canals.  He was never anything like as good a boater as Jules though!

[Ray T]

1 minute ago, alan_fincher said:

 

I suppose there are different ways of defining 'proper' working boaters.

 

David Blagrove was indeed a much loved man, who did masses to benefit the canals.  He was never anything like as good a boater as Jules though!

Mike always referred to him as "Basher Blagrove." 😁

[Sue68]

2 hours ago, Ray T said:

Mike always referred to him as "Basher Blagrove." 😁

He came through our kitchen window at Gayton saying "I'm glad it's you!".