Braunston Historic Boat Gathering

[carlt]

Hazel is still in Runcorn. More info here:nationalhistoricships

[Hairy-Neil]

, but did hear Hazel was in very poor condition now.

 

I saw Hazel perhaps 10 - 12 years ago on the dry dock at Langley Mill, when in the ownership of forum member, HughC. Apart from a plank or two at the stern she was in pretty good nick. The front end had been extensively rebuilt in the 80's, apparently. The conversion was a mess, though I guess having been sunk and section 8'd didn't help.

 

I know that Hugh only bodged her up and sold her on, and that time can make a mess of old wooden boats. But give him his due, he possibly rescued her from destruction. I last saw her at Runcorn about 3 years ago and little work appeared to have been done to conserve or restore her.

[alan_fincher]

Ah, I remember now! - We have been here before.

 

The confusion being that there are two completely different Hazels at Runcorn, IIRC.

 

Is what was in that link Carl posted really true ?

 

one of only two Barlow's Butty boats still in existence

[carlt]

Ah, I remember now! - We have been here before.

 

The confusion being that there are two completely different Hazels at Runcorn, IIRC.

 

Is what was in that link Carl posted really true ?

It depends on what you mean by "still in existence".

 

If you don't count Raymond (I don't). Then it is true (I can't think of any, off the top of my head).

 

There are ex-Barlows owned butties but not many Barlows/Nurser built. There is Gifford, Nurser built but never owned by Barlows.

 

When Lucy goes, she may be unique.

Edited June 3, 2008 by carlt

[Hairy-Neil]

Is what was in that link Carl posted really true ?

 

Carl will know better than I but briefly it goes..... Ignore the Nurser buttys..... Barlows took over Nursers yard in the 1950's and built only a handful of 'new' boats in the final years of building.....So there weren't that many Barlows butty boats built in the first place..... Hazel was the second from last IIRC.

 

 

It depends on what you mean by "still in existence".

 

 

There are ex-Barlows owned butties but not many Barlows/Nurser built. There is Gifford, Nurser built but never owned by Barlows.

 

Gifford is a replica too in some eyes....

[carlt]

Gifford is a replica too in some eyes....

All wooden boats are doomed to be replicas, eventually. I suppose this applies to iron and steel too.

 

Some are good. Some are bad. Some are not worthy of the term "replica" and should be categorised as "new boat on old iron".

Edited June 3, 2008 by carlt

[Hairy-Neil]

All wooden boats are doomed to be replicas, eventually. I suppose this applies to iron and steel too.

 

NBT's 'Brighton' I know intimately, has little original steelwork surviving below waterline, just the (repaired) knees and stem/stern posts.....and absolutely none of the original woodwork/running gear etc.

[starman]

What happens at the Braunston event? Can you look inside any of the boats or is it just a stand on the towpath and admire from afar thing? (It's a long way to come to just point and stare).

[Liam]

Although it doesn't answer your question, there's no harm in linking to these videos..

 

 

 

Although I should think that many people on the boats will be pleased to show you around, I'm sure that others will definately not and of course it would be wrong to ask. Others will be able to tell you whether they have any boats that are going to be showed. I am of course, talking about private boats, but I'm sure President and Kildare which are always on show, aswell as other trusts such as the Narrowboat Trust's Nuneaton & Brighton.

[carlt]

NBT's 'Brighton' I know intimately, has little original steelwork surviving below waterline, just the (repaired) knees and stem/stern posts.....and absolutely none of the original woodwork/running gear etc.

It's interesting that many old iron and steel working boats need work to their knees but I've yet to see a wooden boat needing the same attention to their ironwork.

[Hairy-Neil]

It's interesting that many old iron and steel working boats need work to their knees but I've yet to see a wooden boat needing the same attention to their ironwork.

 

I believe the difference is in whether they are made of iron or steel. IIRC, Northwich GUs used iron and are usually ok, Woolwich's used steel and do deteriorate on the bend if they are neglected.

[Chertsey]

What happens at the Braunston event? Can you look inside any of the boats or is it just a stand on the towpath and admire from afar thing? (It's a long way to come to just point and stare).

Doesn't matter how far it it, it's still well worth it just to point and stare.

Edited June 4, 2008 by WarriorWoman

[Hairy-Neil]

.... but I'm sure President and Kildare which are always on show, aswell as other trusts such as the Narrowboat Trust's Nuneaton & Brighton.

 

Friends of Raymond and BW's Heritage Boats Project boats Scorpio & Mallas, Atlas & Leo etc. (is it still going?) and the Waterways Trust boats, Sculptor, Mendip? The trust that owns the Gifford (forget the name now... )will also welcome you aboard and all of these will do their best to sign you up as members.

[Stephen Sugg]

She was there last year:

 

 

Tim

Who's the chap on the counter, seems to pop up at everything that happens at Braunston?

[carlt]

Who's the chap on the counter, seems to pop up at everything that happens at Braunston?

Ron Withey, ex-working boater and generally lovely chap. Quite weird when I first met him because he is the double of my old Grandad.

[Liam]

That's Ron Withy.

[Stephen Sugg]

That's Ron Withy.

Being a bit ignorant, the first time I saw him was on Sculptor (i think) and I just assumed he was David Blagrove (I don't know why, I just did) then when DB started cropping up on TV I got very confused, and then, Mr With(e)y pops up on a different boat every year and now I'm so confused I don't know where I live or what my name is.

[carlt]

Being a bit ignorant, the first time I saw him was on Sculptor (i think) and I just assumed he was David Blagrove (I don't know why, I just did) then when DB started cropping up on TV I got very confused, and then, Mr With(e)y pops up on a different boat every year and now I'm so confused I don't know where I live or what my name is.

Ron lives on a boat, online, at Braunston.

He worked for Willow Wren and is a trusted helmsman so gets loads of rides on many different boats.

 

You're Stephen Sugg btw.

 

Edited to say: I think Liam's spelling is the correct one.

Edited June 4, 2008 by carlt

[Hairy-Neil]

Edited to say: I think Liam's spelling is the correct one.

 

It's certainly Withy in the 1961 lock keepers log for Braunston, when he was working for BW ....... though that's not always anything to go by. Ted Beckerton? is down variously as Beckerton, Beckaton, Beckington, even just Beck....

[alan_fincher]

Does he still look like you grandad here, Carl ?

 

 

In the book this comes from it's Withey, but as that series regularly can't spell boat names correctly, I don't think it counts for anything.

 

The motor is recorded as Flamingo, BTW.

 

Alan

Edited June 4, 2008 by alan_fincher

[carlt]

Does he still look like you grandad here, Carl ?

No but stick a porn star's moustache on and he'd look like my Uncle.

[AMModels]

Was he called Ron as well??

 

[Chris Pink]

Anbody know ? (Or does anybody on the forum actually own any of these boats ?.

 

Fir is down on the western Kennet and Avon with a rather nice looking tug-style conversion, there's a couple more Severn and Coast boats around too but i can't remember their names off the top of my head. Beech possibly...

[Hairy-Neil]

Fir is down on the western Kennet and Avon with a rather nice looking tug-style conversion, there's a couple more Severn and Coast boats around too but i can't remember their names off the top of my head. Beech possibly...

 

Think there's one at Gloucester waterways museum.

[alan_fincher]

Think there's one at Gloucester waterways museum.

Yes, that's Oak -presumably the only one left in anything like original condition.

 

I went to "view" one of these boats that Malcolm Braine had acquired in the 1970s, despite not having sufficient funds to turn it into anything useful, if I'd been honest with myself.

 

"View" was a bit of a misnomer, as it turned out, as most of the ex BW hulks Braine had were sunk, something he didn't bother to point out before I made the long journey up there. Only about 6 inches of gunwale and the cabin could be seen.

 

There were I believe only about 8 of these boats in total, including the two shortened as hire boats, but I can't for the life of me trmember which one it was up a Norton Canes. I've therefore no idea what happened to it, ultimately.

 

Not the prettiest of narrowvoats, if I'm honest!