Life in a British Canal Boat, 1960

[mark99]

 

[mykaskin]

This is a better version:

 

[Ian Mac]

Just exactly what is DS coal and where did it come from? 
Is it really "Depleted-Sintering" coal 

[BEngo]

Double Screened coal has a defined  maximum size and a defined  minimum size.  Say, between  4 and  6 inches.   It is passed through screens that first remove any slack or undersized lumps then through larger screens that only retain any oversized lumps.

 

Result-DS Nuts.  ( Not to be confused with BSF nuts).

[fanshaft]

If there were only around 7 pairs left running - to Croxley and Southall - then this is later than 1960 as the BW fleet was still in operation in 1960. Is this maybe 1969? 

[mykaskin]

I think it was filmed over the winter of 1969/1970 - but unsure as to exact filming dates. Film completed in 1970.

 

Cheers, and happy new year David!

 

[Ronaldo47]

Interesting that it shows something that was recently mentioned in another thread, namely that loaded buttys were normally towed, whereas when unladen, they could be breasted up with the motor (as seen in the final shots). 

[David Schweizer]

21 hours ago, fanshaft said:

If there were only around 7 pairs left running - to Croxley and Southall - then this is later than 1960 as the BW fleet was still in operation in 1960. Is this maybe 1969? 

 

The film can be no earlier than 1969, which is when the songs on the sound track were written and recorded by David Blagrove for the BBC album "Narrow Boats" Furthermore, Renfrew replaced Ian in either late 1968 or early 1969.

[Mike Todd]

Can anyone give a grid reference of Jam Ole - I am trying to tie it in with the current land use.

[David Mack]

22 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

Can anyone give a grid reference of Jam Ole - I am trying to tie it in with the current land use.

Here I believe. Rubastic Road. No trace remaining today.

And in 1928:

https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EPW021900

Edited January 3 by David Mack

[Mike Todd]

Thanks - I'd looked at similar but understood from various places that there was an unloading basin off the main canal) The basin at the top on your first picture is just after the railway and seems to have been more associated with the gas works (Ticklers Dock?).  There was another very short arm (Mitre Dock? ) under what is now Trident Way (and pre-dates the factory by quite a bit).

 

Where exactly did the Jam Ole boats unload? is the question I was asking myself. The Kearley and Tongue factory was on Brent Road, immediately south of the railway. The Rubastic Works is between the dock and the jam factory but I can see on one map that by 1925 there was  a tramway between the two. It certainly is not an obvious link for unloading supplies.

[Ray T]

Photo from Waterways World, Jam 'ole 1963.

[mykaskin]

Mitre Dock - known as the Jam Ole by the boaters as Ticklers used the coal to make Jam - can be seen on this map. On the ground these days you can see the piling where it was blocked up and some brickwork in the Towpath unless that’s now been removed. 
 

Various videos of mine from different years show its location fairly well (search jam ole mykaskin). 
 

 

[Derek R.]

Someone painted this image showing the Jam 'ole as seen from beneath the towpath bridge (long gone):

 

 

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, Derek R. said:

Someone painted this image showing the Jam 'ole as seen from beneath the towpath bridge (long gone):

 

 

Now over the entrance to Cowroast Marina, according to this post:

 

 

[Derek R.]

That's what I've heard too.

 

The original site was only about two full length boats in depth (entrance to end) and maybe less than five boats in width.

 

Mike's video with the 'celebration' at the Jam 'ole' site after the 2006 run:

(There is precious little indication of where the dock was, and only a slight change in the piling where the entrance was).