T & D. Murrell's boats

[johnthebridge]

Tam, That is excellent. Thank you for sharing that with us. I keep my boat in by the Gauging Locks in Brentford and I live just downstream from Beckets Wharf so I am fascinated by this real living history that is so recent and yet so forgotten.

 

As an observer who did not live through any of it, it seems to me that the final chapter of British industry was a sorry tale of militant working classes destroying their own livelihoods in an orgy of short-term self-interest. Your two fingered dockers will have laughed all the way to the dole office when they had finally destroyed their own industry. Just to balance that, it also seems to me that this rotten situation occurred through appallingly poor management. Again, sticking my neck out, this dreadful management came from the British class system where incompetent fools found themselves as captains of industry through an accident of birth. They blundered their way through expensive 'public' school, amassed no meaningful life skills, possessed no real aptitude for business and had no culture of working hard, yet they found themselves in the board rooms of British industry.

 

 

The British aircraft industry is a fine example. The VC10 and Concorde for example were technically brilliant aircraft, but nobody wanted them. While the engineers were world class, their leaders were absolute buffoons who had no idea how to move a business forward. The disease still exists even today. George Edwards, the head of the British Aircraft Corporation during the VC10/Concorde era, is still hailed as a brilliant man. He led the company to total destruction by making things that nobody wanted. Where is the heroics in that? He should be remember as the fool who led an industry to it's death but yet popular British culture still reveres him as a genius.

 

'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark' - perhaps this economic crisis will finally transform Britain into a meritocracy.

The blunders are legion.

It's a peculiarly British disease isn't it? The motor cycle industry? The mines? The docks? Motor cars, esp. British Leyland? Now there's a sorry tale, of class divide, lack of investment, piss-poor management, union intransigence etc etc. How come we're a nation with a wonderful and far-reaching inventiveness, and yet we're where we are today?

Rolls Royce-owned by BMW.......

[WJM]

I dont think it is important who 'owns' Rolls-Royce, just that it is alive and well and building very British cars in Britain. The truth is that without German management it would be dead. While the British have shown themselves to be brilliant engineers they have also shown themselves to be appalling businessmen, so let us import the management expertise, German or Japanese, and allow the engineers to flourish.

 

I think this inability to manage stems from the second world war. In the long term, winning the war was the worst thing that ever happened to this country. While the losers had to reassess themselves and start a whole new culture that strengthened them, Britain came out of the war with an unhealthy arrogance and a damaging conservativeness. Britain clings to things that do not work because there is no culture of change.

 

Off with their heads I say!

 

 

You mentioned the British motorcycle industry - take a visit to the British Motorcycle Museum in Solihull - absolutely astonishing how a country can go from world leader to nothing in a generation. It was the 'defeated' Japanese that won that war!

Edited December 12, 2008 by WJM

[carlt]

In the long term, winning the war was the worst thing that ever happened to this country.

 

Maybe, but, I suspect, losing it would have been worse.

[Hairy-Neil]

and yet we're where we are today?

Rolls Royce-owned by BMW.......

 

Has it changed recently? BMW bought Bentley, but got with it the old RR works,

 

VW own the marque Rolls Royce, where it relates to cars, but started with a clean sheet of paper.

[RLWP]

Has it changed recently? BMW bought Bentley, but got with it the old RR works,

 

VW own the marque Rolls Royce, where it relates to cars, but started with a clean sheet of paper.

 

I think you have this mixed up. The Rolls-Royce car factory in Crewe and the Bentley name were sold to VW. But.. the Rolls-Royce name was sold to BMW who now make cars at a brand new factory at Goodwood.

 

Richard

 

BMW already had a link to the RR name through a collaboration with RR aero engines.

[Tim Lewis]

I think you have this mixed up. The Rolls-Royce car factory in Crewe and the Bentley name were sold to VW. But.. the Rolls-Royce name was sold to BMW who now make cars at a brand new factory at Goodwood.

 

Richard

 

BMW already had a link to the RR name through a collaboration with RR aero engines.

 

Explanation here

 

Tim

[David Schweizer]

This is going way but I met W.O.Bentley in 1970, when the Bentley Owners Club held a fifty years aniversary rally at the old factory in Cricklewood. The Factory was next to where I worked at the time and there was a Fire acess gateway into the old factory Yard. The old Bentley Factory was owned by Smith's Industries by then, having previously been the works of Jaeger Instruments.

[Derek R.]

(snip)

" We sent De Hoop back into the docks and got a two-finger salute from the dockers who said "So what! You're still blacked".

(snip)

 

I can relate to that, and wasn't even carrying.

 

We had a big Tjalk and had been headed for Maldon from up-river to take a mud berth as residential - unconverted, so looked like a trader. Attempted to moor on the Esplanade pier at Gravesend only to be sworn at by a bloke waving his arms and saluting in the aforementioned manner. With the aid of the Harbourmaster over the VHF we moored against BG1, and old 'Oiler' on the tiers, and left her tied there for a day. There was no charge.

 

Came back and all was well, set off down river. Had cause to anchor off Southend due to deteriorating weather and had a rough night. With the flood lifting us harshly, the anchor chain just gave - snapped clean as a whistle. Shackled the spare a bit quick, but we'd got steerage way by then so made deeper water, and back up with the flood.

 

Back on the 'Oiler', left the Avon tied at the pier (with permission), came back next day. Avon upside down, outboard submerged, thwart and oars gone, fresh anti-fouling all over the Avon. No one knew a thing; the mate had to bribe the guard to let him on the pier with a can of fresh petrol; and I still maintain to this day someone had a go at our chain.

 

------------

 

The other half of the grain contract to Coxes, a few shots I took while on duty as an idler.

 

 

 

 

 

[carlt]

but, if anyone wants to know, why I think this is the best waterways forum, I'll refer them to this thread and the many like it.

[Hairy-Neil]

Explanation here

 

Tim

 

Thanks for that. I could have sworn it was the other way round......

[Dan Gereaux]

Tam & Di - your recent posts have been fantastic - ever thought about writing a book? probably no money in it, as it would probably only appeal to us working boat 'enthusiasts', but a fantastic piece of late UK waterways carrying history.

I hope you sort that DVD of the limejuice run out too - I'll even pre-order a copy!

keep it coming,

all the best,

Dave

[Paul H]

Tam & Di - your recent posts have been fantastic - ever thought about writing a book? probably no money in it, as it would probably only appeal to us working boat 'enthusiasts', but a fantastic piece of late UK waterways carrying history.

I hope you sort that DVD of the limejuice run out too - I'll even pre-order a copy!

keep it coming,

all the best,

Dave

 

My thoughts as well. I remember the early days seeing you moored outside the Bell Punch at Uxbridge when you had just taken over your 2nd pair - Stamford and Bude but only had the vaguest idea how your business later developed.

 

Was there ever a more diverse and adventurous carrying company? Adelaide Dock must be a story in itself.

 

So come on Tam get writing!

 

Paul H

(ex-owner Ovaltine wooden motor "William" at Uxbridge)

[Tam & Di]

I've just been looking at some old topics and came across some discussion of the ex-GUCCC wideboat Progress. When we first moved from the river onto the canal it was with a lifeboat conversion at Cowley Peachey. We then discovered the 74' x 12'6" wideboat Progress lying sunk on the Cowley dredging tip at the Slough cut end. We bought it in 1961 and converted it for living, and in the 8-10 years we had it we cruised a couple of times to Birmingham (I have a photo of us pretending to come out of the narrow lock at Camp Hill), more frequently to Braunston, to Slough, on the Lee and the Stort to Hertford and Bishops Stortford, and well up the Thames. The main reason it was not successful for carrying was not simply the tunnels, where traffic coming the other way had to wait for Progress to come through, but all bridge holes as well. One maintenance nightmare now must be the bottom boards, given the difficulty getting elm. They are about 3' wide, and although the boat has a slightly rounded chine they are still about 10'6" long. We never had to replace any, though we did replank most of the waterline. We sold her in 1971 to fund the purchase of our first narrow boat Towcester and as we immediately started getting carrying work we shortly also bought the butty Bingley.

 

I've appended a couple of photos. They're rubbishy, but perhaps of interest. Unfortunately photography was not my forte - also the great majority of stuff I took was on colour slide, which I've never got around to converting to digital images (assuming it is possible)

 

 

[alan_fincher]

Fascinating stuff Tam - keep them coming.

 

I remember Progress well as it was fairly often on the move in the 1970s, but didn't realise you had owned her.

 

If you are not obsessed about quality, a lot of normal flatbed computer scanners can scan either transparencies of negative film, but they do need to be the type with a light in the lid.

 

Using a dedicated film or slide scanner, (now not that expensive either, I believe), will doubtless give better results, but I use an Epson flatbed scanner about 5 years old for stuff I post on here.

 

Alan

[WJM]

These pictures are absolutely fascinating Tam & Di - thank you very much for sharing them.

 

The sequence of Anny which ends at Coxes Mill; where are the other shots taken. I usually recognise locations but cant quite get these. I am thinking the rail bridge might be the one just below Coxes Mill lock but it bears an uncanny resemblance to the bridge above Brentford Gauging locks. The top one is taken just below Shepperton Lock as you turn left heading for the Wey.

Edited December 22, 2008 by WJM

[Derek R.]

These pictures are absolutely fascinating Tam & Di - thank you very much for sharing them.

 

The sequence of Anny which ends at Coxes Mill; where are the other shots taken. I usually recognise locations but cant quite get these. I am thinking the rail bridge might be the one just below Coxes Mill lock but it bears an uncanny resemblance to the bridge above Brentford Gauging locks. The top one is taken just below Shepperton Lock as you turn left heading for the Wey.

 

The Anny sequence are mine. You recognise that below Shepperton correctly, and the others are indeed just before Coxes Mill. The little Dutch bunker boat Gerarda Elizabeth is tied offside. This went on to become a service boat on the tidal Thames taking rubbish from the piers.

 

Derek

 

PS Shots taken 1981/2

Edited December 23, 2008 by Derek R.

[WJM]

Thanks for that Derek - It is amazing how, because a history is recent, we devalue it. Brilliant pictures.

[Derek R.]

Thanks for that Derek - It is amazing how, because a history is recent, we devalue it. Brilliant pictures.

 

Yes! If only as a child and into my youth I had taken the lens to everyday events and familiar places, what a treasure trove that would now be. Thank heaven there are the Laurence Hoggs and John Huntleys of this world who have made and sought to collect such data. It's always the same - regular exposure to the commonplace breeds complacency and contempt, then along comes redevelopment, replacement of the 'obsolete' and suddenly no-one can remember exactly what was where or how things were. Some will say 'Who cares', but I think most people do. It happens every day.

[Tam & Di]

I see Towcester made today's copy of the Times

[Derek R.]

I see Towcester made today's copy of the Times

 

Plenty about the race course. Got a link?

[Tam & Di]

Plenty about the race course. Got a link?

 

I was out all day yesterday, and it is a bit late now. It was a picture in the Times arts/style section page 6 under "Send us your views" and was titled "The Narrow Boat Towcester on the canal at Blisworth", submitted by Jim Payler.

 

I assume it is still available on the Times website, but I've never looked at that, and would not know how to make a link to it here anyway.

[Speedwheel]

Here are a some pics of a couple of boats you might recognise!

 

28th May 1978

 

Edited March 21, 2009 by Satellite

[Speedwheel]

Some more. I have got a couple of really nice sequences going in and out of a lock. Scanning is taking time!!

 

 

[Tam & Di]

 

 

I'm embarrassed - the boats were obviously long overdue for a make-over at that point. Interesting stove pipe hat I seem to be wearing though. And I still like my bulk cratch.

Edited March 21, 2009 by Tam & Di

[Tam & Di]

I'm embarrassed - the boats were obviously long overdue for a make-over at that point.

 

WHOOOOOPS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

And now I'm even more embarrassed! Marbles have been lost (or maybe just mislaid).

 

Contributer Barry Adams has just mailed me (privately - thanks for that Barry, but I do have to own up to stupidity). He points out that the motor with the bulk cratch formerly referred to as Towcester is in fact Stamford, with its Petter PD2 rather than Towcester's JP2!

 

Mind you, we did sell Stamford to Barry, so he did have cause to recognise it. I allowed the pairing to mislead me - I have no recollection of fitting a bulk cratch to Stamford, nor ever running Stamford with Bude on barrels. There we are then!

 

I guess Di must have been in Jon's Stores when the photo was taken, as I would not ordinarily be on the boats in the lock. It was a handy place to throw a bit more D.S. on the Goodwife while she was shopping.

Edited March 24, 2009 by Tam & Di