Walkers hire boats

[stort_mark]

I was told by one of my in-laws that some of the last boats that Walkers built were hire boats. They "went north" apparently.

Anyone know where they went and are they still afloat?

[carlt]

I was told by one of my in-laws that some of the last boats that Walkers built were hire boats. They "went north" apparently.

Anyone know where they went and are they still afloat?

When Walkers stopped building boats, and closed the wood yard business too, they kept the Walker bros business name going by having steel boats built and getting hire companies to maintain and manage them. They were built in 1989/90

 

The four boats were: Hilda, 50', 4 berth, Alice, 56', 6 Berth, Thistle, 66' 8 berth and Crane , 66', 12 berth.

 

Hilda and Alice were operated by Teddesley Boat Company, Penkridge.

 

Thistle went to Braunston Boats

 

Crane went to Willow Wren, Rugby.

 

Crane is still operating, with WW, but I'm not sure about the others.

 

The last work boats Walkers built were Bangor and Aberystwyth in 1952.

 

Between 1955 and 1959, however, they built 5 Fishing punts.

 

Edited to say: Hilda is still at Teddesley Boats but Alice isn't on their website.

Edited January 8, 2008 by carlt

[Keeping Up]

Thistle went to Braunston Boats

And was named after our own Thistle

[carlt]

And was named after our own Thistle

I did wonder. When I was googling to see if she was still about I kept getting hits about your ex-hire boat.

[stort_mark]

Hilda and Alice were operated by Teddesley Boat Company, Penkridge.

 

Thistle went to Braunston Boats

 

Crane went to Willow Wren, Rugby.

 

Crane is still operating, with WW, but I'm not sure about the others.

 

The last work boats Walkers built were Bangor and Aberystwyth in 1952.

 

Between 1955 and 1959, however, they built 5 Fishing punts.

 

Edited to say: Hilda is still at Teddesley Boats but Alice isn't on their website.

 

Thanks for that!

[David Schweizer]

When Walkers stopped building boats, and closed the wood yard business too, they kept the Walker bros business name going by having steel boats built and getting hire companies to maintain and manage them. They were built in 1989/90

 

The four boats were: Hilda, 50', 4 berth, Alice, 56', 6 Berth, Thistle, 66' 8 berth and Crane , 66', 12 berth.

 

Hilda and Alice were operated by Teddesley Boat Company, Penkridge.

 

Thistle went to Braunston Boats

 

Crane went to Willow Wren, Rugby.

 

Crane is still operating, with WW, but I'm not sure about the others.

 

The last work boats Walkers built were Bangor and Aberystwyth in 1952.

 

Between 1955 and 1959, however, they built 5 Fishing punts.

 

Edited to say: Hilda is still at Teddesley Boats but Alice isn't on their website.

 

Thistle was built in 1989 by Roger Faringdon for Braunston Canal Services acting for Walker Brothers who placed her into the hire fleet of B.C.S.'s Sister company Braunston Boats (Hire) Ltd. (Balliol Fowden) as a sponsered boat. When the hire company sold up in 1998 she was purchased by a chap from Yorkshire (can't remember his name), who already had two other sponsored boats. He placed her with Wessex Narrowboats based at Hilperton on the K&A. who were subsequently bought out by Alvechurch Boats. She was renamed by Wessex Narrowboats (but I cannot remember her new name) and has since been sold on to a private owner. As far as I know she is still on the K&A.

 

Crane was also Built by Roger Farringdon for Braunston Canal Services (again acting on behalf of Walker Borothers) and was placed into the hire fleet of B.C.S.'s other sister company Willow Wren based at Rugby. When the Company was sold up, the boat was retained in the fleet and is still operating in that fleet.

 

edited to correct failures of memory

Edited January 9, 2008 by David Schweizer

[stort_mark]

Again, thanks for all the information. Very useful!