Twenty eight BW narrowboats...

[davidwheeler]

In Waterways World, November 2000, pp 70-74,  Mr John Thorpe recalls his first canal holiday, in September 1956, on 'Bredon Hill' of Canal Pleasurecraft Limited of Stourport. His interesting article is profusely illustrated with photos of his family and 'Bredon Hill', but in case you do not have the article by you, I may add a couple of my own. Of 'Bredon Hill'. So that you can see what I am writing about.

What is the point of this, after all this time? It is that my family, in  late July 1956, hired the same boat from the same yard and travelled the same route as Master Thorpe, then aged 13. And further, besides. And there cannot be that many of us left who can say that we have done that.

I won't rehearse what Mr Thorpe wrote. He was two years older than I, and already a committed, knowledgeable and observant canal enthusiast which I was not. And anyway you can read his article if you want to.

What I am going to do, while I can remember, is to set out three things which were there then, and which it would be hard to see now, on the Shropshire Union. I limit it to three things, to keep it short. Because I do not know if it will be of interest.

1. The Boulton Paul factory and aerodrome. This you could clearly see from the canal, 'Boulton Paul' painted in white across the gable of one of the hangars.  What was so special was that Boulton Paul of Wolverhampton built, among others, the Balliol. One of my favourites. Many are the times I sat in front of the fire engine at my local airport as a CAACU Balliol, its Merlin engine growling, rumbled past me in a blast of hot engine. Beats a Bolinder, every time. And we had Mosquitoes and the odd Spitfire Mark 16. I was deeply disappointed, as we passed, that there were no aircraft on the aerodrome at Wolverhampton.

2. Mr Sam Lomas, at Cut End. I cannot remember, now, whether I was at the controls at the time but we made a right hash of the junction. In my little red log book I noted ' we got in a frightful mess'. I think it must have been the wind. Or a combination of things. Mr Lomas was watching us. He said that the problem we had was that the bows were too high and had no grip, and that he had just the thing to help us. He went off somewhere and came back carrying a heavy concrete block, which he then placed right up in the bows of the boat. That, he said, should sort it. Just this gesture helped restore our confidence and the enjoyment of the whole experience. The whole holiday.

3. Narrowboats working for their living. I made a list of the names of boats we passed or which passed us. Between Stourport and Llangollen, for two weeks in July 1956. Mr Thorpe, in his article, mentions that he saw no commercial traffic on the Staffs & Worcs, but quite a lot on the Shropshire Union, to Market Drayton, where they had to turn. In my red book I noted these as British Waterways narrowboats: " Eagle, Perch, Cirius, David, Sculpture, Venice, Naples, Badger, Norwich, Saxon, Lark,Maesbury, Dove, Adder, Birdswood, Ling, Cormorant, Foxglove, Bream, Saltaire, Ara, Clent, Nebula, Ferret, Minnow, Trout, Australia" and no doubt others where I noted the names but not what the boats were. The spelling may not be correct, but I noted also, 'Lots of British Waterways barges (sic)'. 

One more thing and then I am finished. I attach a photo of a stoppage. It was taken by one of us on that trip in 1956, somewhere between Stourport and Llangollen. I ought to recognise it but I don't. Nor can I remember what the workmen were doing, but it makes a contrast, doesn't it, with all the sophistication and expertise we are seeing on the Welsh Cut at present.

That is it. That is my lot. Have a pleasant day, everyone.

[magpie patrick]

Good stuff - these memories need collecting while this generation is still here to tell of them, as they contain information not recorded in any other way. Thanks @davidwheeler

[mark99]

Image 1 = Chirk Aquaduct.

Edited January 18 by mark99

[GilesMorris]

Thank you! I had forgotten that I remember Bredon Hill. It came through Penkridge a few times and I occasionally was lucky enough to ride aboard. It was quite a stretch to step up onto, and might be tough now. The world was a lot bigger then and I only got as far as Autherley to meet Sam Lomas a couple of times. A school friend's brother was a draughtsman at Boulton Paul. Love the picture of BH and the steam train at Chirk - it might even have been on BH that I exchanged greetings with a steam train as we both passed through Baswich salt works in Stafford.

[Stroudwater1]

13 minutes ago, mark99 said:

Image 2 = Chirk Aquaduct.

Aha but what locomotive? It’s a lovely story and brilliant picture of a steam engine and family waving to it. Time was when even diesels hooted at us waving but they don’t seem to nowadays. 
 

Those were the days when most lift bridges needed a spare rope from the boat chucked over then heave downwards to open. Finally sit on the bridge beam and hope the thing doesn’t drop down on your boat as it passes underneath. 

[David Mack]

2 hours ago, mark99 said:

Image 2 = Chirk Aquaduct.

And is that Wrenbury Church lift bridge?

[magnetman]

2 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Aha but what locomotive? It’s a lovely story and brilliant picture of a steam engine and family waving to it. Time was when even diesels hooted at us waving but they don’t seem to nowadays. 
 

Those were the days when most lift bridges needed a spare rope from the boat chucked over then heave downwards to open. Finally sit on the bridge beam and hope the thing doesn’t drop down on your boat as it passes underneath. 

At Radley station near Oxford to drivers wave. Always a few train spotters (adults) about and getting excited. It's nice that the drivers wave.

 

But sure about waving to people on Boats. 

 

It's a lovely photo. 

 

[John Brightley]

Thank you David for sharing your memories. 

Wolverhampton aerodrome was still there (immediately to the north of the Shropshire Union Canal at Autherley) when I first passed that way in 1978. It was shortly afterwards that the area started to be built upon for housing.

You will be pleased to know that many of the working boats that you list are still around on the canal system.

 

[Angela B Clark]

Thanks for posting this David. I am Angela Clark, my father built his boats at Canal Pleasurecraft at Stourport, including Bredon Hill of course. I see you have also sent me a message re the CPL brochure, but I don't seem to be able to access it

Would love to see it if you could resend it in this thread?