Union Canal Carriers Working Boat Fleet From the 1970s.

[alan_fincher]

Some of the ex working boats I remember best from years back were those formerly operated mainly as camping boats by Union Canal Carriers at Braunston.

 

I'm thinking early to mid 1970s, when boats were operated both as crewed pairs, but there were also some self-steer single motors. The crewed pairs regularly made it down to my home patch in Hertfordshire, and I'd often lock wheel them through. We seldom however saw any of the single boats, which is why I'm struggling to name them.

 

It's hard to remember them all, but would go for at least these….

 

Pairs

 

Bexhill & Brighton

Birmingham & Balham

Petrel & Moon

Kimberley & Puppis

(plus at least one I'm sure I've forgotten, possibly featuring an Admiral or a River ?).

 

Single

 

Bilster

(plus maybe 4 more I can't recall)

 

Butties (not sure what they were paired with)

 

Alperton

Bakewell (never saw this on in UCCCo colours, so far as I can recall).

 

So what were the others, and what became of them all ?

 

Borrowing slightly from lists, it seems most are uncut and unconverted, although Bakewell has acquired a full conversion.

 

Can anyone name boats from the UCCCo fleet that I've forgotten, or give better information about current status, please ?

 

Bexhill - Believed unconverted ?

Bilster - Short extension cabin - moors Little Venice, (owned by my brother for a while)

Birmingham - Still unconverted ?

 

Kimberley - Unconverted ?

Petrel - Unconverted ?

 

Alperton - Unconverted, paired with Darley ?

Bakewell - Fully converted - owned by marine engineer Ed Boden - based on GU, Herts/Bucks.

Balham - Unconverted, paired with Edgware ?

Brighton - Short extension cabin - Narrow Boat Trust.

Moon - Unconverted ?

Puppis - Unconverted ?

[Liam]

Union Canal Carriers and the trip boats are mentioned in the book "Windlass in my Belt" so when I get home I will check to see whether I can see any other names which aren't on your list.

 

Not sure about the boats and where they are, I'm not familiar with any but I do know that Petrel is still full length and unconverted... we passed it over the May bank holiday with Lacerta on the Bridgewater.

 

It had "Retford" on the side so I presume it's based on the Chesterfield.

[Paul H]

Some of the ex working boats I remember best from years back were those formerly operated mainly as camping boats by Union Canal Carriers at Braunston.

 

I'm thinking early to mid 1970s, when boats were operated both as crewed pairs, but there were also some self-steer single motors. The crewed pairs regularly made it down to my home patch in Hertfordshire, and I'd often lock wheel them through. We seldom however saw any of the single boats, which is why I'm struggling to name them.

 

It's hard to remember them all, but would go for at least these….

 

Pairs

 

Bexhill & Brighton

Birmingham & Balham

Petrel & Moon

Kimberley & Puppis

(plus at least one I'm sure I've forgotten, possibly featuring an Admiral or a River ?).

 

Single

 

Bilster

(plus maybe 4 more I can't recall)

 

Butties (not sure what they were paired with)

 

Alperton

Bakewell (never saw this on in UCCCo colours, so far as I can recall).

 

So what were the others, and what became of them all ?

 

Borrowing slightly from lists, it seems most are uncut and unconverted, although Bakewell has acquired a full conversion.

 

Can anyone name boats from the UCCCo fleet that I've forgotten, or give better information about current status, please ?

 

Bexhill - Believed unconverted ?

Bilster - Short extension cabin - moors Little Venice, (owned by my brother for a while)

Birmingham - Still unconverted ?

 

Kimberley - Unconverted ?

Petrel - Unconverted ?

 

Alperton - Unconverted, paired with Darley ?

Bakewell - Fully converted - owned by marine engineer Ed Boden - based on GU, Herts/Bucks.

Balham - Unconverted, paired with Edgware ?

Brighton - Short extension cabin - Narrow Boat Trust.

Moon - Unconverted ?

Puppis - Unconverted ?

 

The fleet fluctuated quite a bit as many of the boats were privately owned (often by their captains) and subcontracted to UCC.

 

Other boats in the fleet from time to time:

Ant and Axe (river class pair)

Lindsay and Keppel (admiral class pair) on hire from BW

Edgeware (M)

Bainton (M)

Thaxted (M)

Callisto and Ara (GU pair)

Northolt/Sunny Valley (not sure whether ever in fleet)

 

Tugs: Bream (back end of Josher)

Jackal (back end of Josher)

Speedwell (modern boat owned by Robert Wilson)

 

and of course Mole, Toad and the other pusher tug.

 

Bakewell I think was only ever used as a hulk for contacting.

 

Of the "where are they now" Bilster is at Brinklow,Moon is coverted, Puppis was going to be converted but haven't see it, I think Bexhill is converted, Kimberley has extension cabin.

 

Paul

[Tim Lewis]

Some of the ex working boats I remember best from years back were those formerly operated mainly as camping boats by Union Canal Carriers at Braunston.

 

I'm thinking early to mid 1970s, when boats were operated both as crewed pairs, but there were also some self-steer single motors. The crewed pairs regularly made it down to my home patch in Hertfordshire, and I'd often lock wheel them through. We seldom however saw any of the single boats, which is why I'm struggling to name them.

 

It's hard to remember them all, but would go for at least these….

 

Pairs

 

Bexhill & Brighton

Birmingham & Balham

Petrel & Moon

Kimberley & Puppis

(plus at least one I'm sure I've forgotten, possibly featuring an Admiral or a River ?).

 

Single

 

Bilster

(plus maybe 4 more I can't recall)

 

Butties (not sure what they were paired with)

 

Alperton

Bakewell (never saw this on in UCCCo colours, so far as I can recall).

 

So what were the others, and what became of them all ?

 

Borrowing slightly from lists, it seems most are uncut and unconverted, although Bakewell has acquired a full conversion.

 

Can anyone name boats from the UCCCo fleet that I've forgotten, or give better information about current status, please ?

 

Bexhill - Believed unconverted ?

Bilster - Short extension cabin - moors Little Venice, (owned by my brother for a while)

Birmingham - Still unconverted ?

 

Kimberley - Unconverted ?

Petrel - Unconverted ?

 

Alperton - Unconverted, paired with Darley ?

Bakewell - Fully converted - owned by marine engineer Ed Boden - based on GU, Herts/Bucks.

Balham - Unconverted, paired with Edgware ?

Brighton - Short extension cabin - Narrow Boat Trust.

Moon - Unconverted ?

Puppis - Unconverted ?

 

Puppis is conveted and is (Or was a couple of years ago) on the Arm at Leicester by the National Space Centre - will post picture when I get time.

 

Tim

[carlt]

Puppis is conveted and is (Or was a couple of years ago) on the Arm at Leicester by the National Space Centre - will post picture when I get time.

 

Tim

That's a shame. She was a lovely, unconverted butty when Andrea had her.

[Hairy-Neil]

Puppis is conveted ......

 

Tim

 

 

That's a shame. She was a lovely, unconverted butty when Andrea had her.

 

Was last paired with Oakley, which is currently also gaining a full length cabin....

[Liam]

Well, full length of the 60ft it was chopped down too

 

http://www.nboakley.blogspot.com/

[Hairy-Neil]

Well, full length of the 60ft it was chopped down too

 

Never really understand how they call this sort of work a restoration....

 

Still, nowt a little time with a stihl saw couldn't fix.....

[Timleech]

Widgeon was the motor with Alperton.

 

Tim

[Hairy-Neil]

Widgeon was the motor with Alperton.

 

Tim

 

Widgeon, AKA Thaxtead.....

[Tim Lewis]

Puppis is conveted and is (Or was a couple of years ago) on the Arm at Leicester by the National Space Centre - will post picture when I get time.

 

Tim

 

Found the time!

 

 

 

 

Tim

[alan_fincher]

Thanks for posting them Tim.

 

I don't know if it's just me, but the buttys always seem to look more ill at ease with a cabin on than the motors do.

 

What with that and the steel (?) "top cloths" this one isn't the prettiest conversion I've seen. (Nor anything like the worst though !).

[saltysplash]

We passed Balham and Edgware today on the stretch between whilton and bugbrooke.....both looking well but moored head to toe....also George and Mary but now in different locations

 

 

 

edited to add...I remember thinking......where's the canal conotation with Balham? I suppose the Croydon canal came nearest but the Grand Surrey Canal not even close....Have I missed a long since forgotten Surrey/Clapham and Balham link?

Edited June 21, 2008 by saltysplash

[Hairy-Neil]

edited to add...I remember thinking......where's the canal conotation with Balham?

 

There never was....

 

The GUCCCo's 'Town Class' boats are thought to be more accurately described as Railway Station Class....

 

Paddington, Ealing, Southall, Slough, Taplow, Reading.....

 

You really would struggle to call Taplow a town.

 

I've actually slept in 'Nuneaton' in Nuneaton, but never in 'Brighton' in Brighton....

Edited June 21, 2008 by Hairy-Neil

[alan_fincher]

I've actually slept in 'Nuneaton' in Nuneaton, but never in 'Brighton' in Brighton....

We passed Belfast on Tring summit just now.

 

I'd say sleeping on Belfast in Belfast might be more of a challenge, but since seeing Aldgate and Angel "touring" Scandenavia, I suppose sending a narrow boat to Northern Ireland is entirely possible. (And Harland and Wolfff being a Belfast company as well......)

 

Angel, (one of my brother's old boats), is another excellent example of a "town" that isn't, being The Angel, Islington, of course.

 

But it's more of a "town" than my other brother's former boat, "Bilster", though - try finding that on an AA road atlas...

[Steve King]

Angel, (one of my brother's old boats), is another excellent example of a "town" that isn't, being The Angel, Islington, of course.

But it's more of a "town" than my other brother's former boat, "Bilster", though - try finding that on an AA road atlas...

 

A couple of photos of them here Alan:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...si&img=2825

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...si&img=2826

 

 

Steve

[alan_fincher]

A couple of photos of them here Alan:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...si&img=2825

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...si&img=2826

 

 

Steve

 

I'm gob-smacked Steve.

 

Believe it or not, I have virtually no pictures of either boat when my brother's owned them, other than some black and white ones of Angel on a coal run, paired with the Andy Collier's motor, Elstree. So am staggered to see some pictures of both together turn up now.

 

In the second shot, from the rear, my brother Mike is steering Bilster, and my late brother Peter is on Angel with his wife Ann.

 

Bilster sports full British Waterways livery, something that cause a lot of friction with BW back then, although these days seems to be allowed on a restored boat.

 

I don't immediately recognise the venue, but am thinking it looks like Watford or Rickmansworth area, rather than Leighton Buzzard, their more usual base ?

 

Also I have no idea why Angel appears to be operating as a makeshift trip-boat !

 

I'm genuinely fascinated - what can you tell me about the pictures, and when they were taken please ?

 

Alan

 

BTW the rivet counters probably will not like the fact that Bilster has no rivets in it's, errm, counter I've seen it recently, and it still has the smooth welded counter that Mike had put on, the previous one being somewhat of a colander, and a definite liability with a full load on.

 

EDIT:

 

Feeling pretty stupid now I can see you have captioned the pictures in the gallery.

 

Boxmoor, 1977, although I can't immediately recognise that white house in the distance.

 

I also knew Dave and Gill (?) Humphries who had Badsey and Barnes, which I now see identified as the other pair, (an original GUCCCo pairing, which was pretty rare back then).

Edited June 21, 2008 by alan_fincher

[Chertsey]

There never was....

 

The GUCCCo's 'Town Class' boats are thought to be more accurately described as Railway Station Class....

 

Paddington, Ealing, Southall, Slough, Taplow, Reading.....

 

You really would struggle to call Taplow a town.

 

I've actually slept in 'Nuneaton' in Nuneaton, but never in 'Brighton' in Brighton....

 

Arguably, up to sixteen are named after tube stations:

 

Balham, Angel, Hampstead, Edg[e]ware, (High) Barnet, Ealing (Broadway/Common/South), Chiswick (Park), Kew (Gardens), Bayswater, Paddington, Aldgate, Pinner, Chalfont (and Latimer), Chesham, Ruislip, Stratford.

 

Some, but not all, also have mainline stations.

 

Poplar is a tube (well, DLR) station now but wasn't then although it did exist.

Edited June 21, 2008 by WarriorWoman

[Liam]

My Uncle owns Stirling, possibly the only City Class Motor

[Steve King]

 

I'm gob-smacked Steve.

Believe it or not, I have virtually no pictures of either boat when my brother's owned them.

I don't immediately recognise the venue,

Also I have no idea why Angel appears to be operating as a makeshift trip-boat !

I'm genuinely fascinated - what can you tell me about the pictures, and when they were taken please ?

 

Well Alan, I took the photos at the Boxmoor Rally on 10th September 1977. I had travelled to the site from Kensal Green with Ray Williams on Aster & Lucy and I stayed in Aster's cabin. We seem first to have moored at the spot where the photos were taken from, but must have gone on to wind and then moored below Fishery Lock (partly visible in the extreme right of the second photo). Why I was later allowed to stand on the roof of the immaculately turned out Barnes (Dave and Gill Humphreys) to take the photos I will never know!

 

Bilster is seen carrying the band at the Rally, although unfortunately they could be heard but not seen on account of the high sides of the Town class butty! At some point I spoke to Mike and was impressed that he had rebuilt Bilster's cabin in three weeks (he said). The boat was certainly much improved over its rather poor condition when it was lurking at the Swan & Bottle, Uxbridge, in late 1975. Angel looked smart too, she had recently been paired with Royalty Duke (John Ward) and although I wasn't to know it at the time I was soon (January 1978) to purchase Duke.

 

I still have the negatives of these photos and I could send you a scan if you'd like to give me your email address so that you can have a couple of proper colour prints made?

 

 

Steve

[alan_fincher]

Thanks, Steve.

 

For some reason it took me a while to work out exactly where at Boxmoor it is, until I identified the Fishery lock and pub.

 

It's actually obvious once I thought about it.

 

I should have known, not only did we live at an address little over 100 yards away, that was also the house where one of my sons was born.

 

I believe Mike did do a pretty rapid rebuild of that cabin, and was also pretty adept at the painting and signwriting.

 

The cratch on Angel, including the roses, was his work. It was painted in my parents back garden.

 

I'd love scans of the negatives, if that's OK

 

I'll PM you an email address.

 

Alan

[Hairy-Neil]

My Uncle owns Stirling, possibly the only City Class Motor

 

Or possibly not....

 

Bath, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Lichfield.....

[Hairy-Neil]

Arguably, up to sixteen are named after tube stations:

 

Ealing (Broadway/Common/South),

 

Ealing could also be West Ealing....

[Derek R.]

I cannot remember the location or the year exactly, but clearly Christmas, and possibly Cowley. Barnham and Angel with domestic coal during John and Sue Yates ownership. Josh might have been a baby then, or on the way. Maybe something to do with the 'night-hood' on the tiller. Early eighties.

 

 

Derek

[Tim Lewis]

There never was....

 

The GUCCCo's 'Town Class' boats are thought to be more accurately described as Railway Station Class....

 

Paddington, Ealing, Southall, Slough, Taplow, Reading.....

 

<Snip>

 

One of our owners looked into this a few years ago and not only agreed but noticed that spelling mistakes in the Bradshaw railway directory had been carried over to town class boat names - we think that this is why (the boat) Fulbourne is spelt with an E whereas the town (village!) is not.

 

BTW the main claim to fame for the town Fulbourn was its large lunatic asylum - no change here then!

 

Tim

Edited June 23, 2008 by Tim Lewis