Jasons Trip

[Laurence Hogg]

I believe the current "Jason" is "Holland" (originally unpowered but converted at Yarwoods in 1937) which previously worked as a trip boat a Tewksbury, built Saltley 1905 with a fore cabin. The original Jason was purchased from Barlow's and was a ex Chas Nelson motor, around 1978 the ex GUCCCo butty "Serpens" joined with the original and around that time Holland came on the scene. They also had a ex GU tug for a short period, sorry name escapes me.

[carlt]

Consensus seems to be that she is Portugal, built at Saltley in 1906 as a horseboat. So not the oldest working boat then, not by a long way!

there can't be that many, older, still working, surely?

[alan_fincher]

I believe the current "Jason" is "Holland" (originally unpowered but converted at Yarwoods in 1937) which previously worked as a trip boat a Tewksbury, built Saltley 1905 with a fore cabin.

So if the boat currently operating as "Jason" were FMC "Holland", what would you say the other boat in Jason style livery is, in the short arm at (we think) Colne Valley sewage works. I'm 95% certain that has the name "Holland" painted on it, so why would they switch identities ?

 

I'm confused ?

[AMModels]

the boat in the stink ole is Holland, its the other boat Im asking about. Holland traded under the Jason company name but not the boat name previously but has been sold out of use I believe.

[alan_fincher]

the boat in the stink ole is Holland, its the other boat Im asking about. Holland traded under the Jason company name but not the boat name previously but has been sold out of use I believe.

Yes, to be claer, that's what I think too.

 

I was curious why Laurence thinks the boat trading as "Jason" is "Holland". It seems far more likely to me that the sold off one near Ricky is "Holland", as I'm 95% certain that's the name that's on it.

 

Alan

[Steve King]

I believe the current "Jason" is "Holland" (originally unpowered but converted at Yarwoods in 1937) which previously worked as a trip boat a Tewksbury, built Saltley 1905 with a fore cabin. The original Jason was purchased from Barlow's and was a ex Chas Nelson motor, around 1978 the ex GUCCCo butty "Serpens" joined with the original and around that time Holland came on the scene. They also had a ex GU tug for a short period, sorry name escapes me.

I'm sorry Laurence, but some of this is completely incorrect.

 

Jason is NOT ex-FMC Holland.

 

The original Jason was, as you say, a wooden ex Chas Nelson motor and served as a passenger boat from 1951 until 1960 when it was, I believe, dumped in the flash at Harefield. The replacement was one of the 12 motors converted to buttys in 1937-8, all of which can be accounted for except (France and) Portugal.

 

Serpens joined the fleet in 1968 not 1978.

 

Holland was purchased in a derelict state by Malcolm Braine and restored and converted by him in 1975 for the Lea Valley Narrowboat Company who then operated trips on the River Lea at Ware. When they bought a widebeam boat (Jonas Fosbrooke perhaps?) Holland went to Jason's Trip and joined Jason there. This was in the late 1980s, possibly early 1990s.

 

The tug John James had for a while was the Hasty, perhaps a former Blisworth Tunnel tug, and after tripping service she became a houseboat for the Bijl family not far from Jason's Trip base.

 

 

Steve

[Hairy-Neil]

Serpens joined the fleet in 1968 not 1978

 

Confirmed by the photos of it in Jason livery on the cover of the book, London's Canals, published 1969.....

[johnthebridge]

That depends which page of the Jason website you read it on. On another page she is only 100 years old.....Clicky

Not sure what you're referring to, and I was unaware of the site you mention. I've got my own references.

On Steve King's point, there are several photographs of Joshers fitted with anser pins, including the publicity shots Fellows' did of the steamers on the Grand Junction in the early 1900s.

Edited December 29, 2008 by johnthebridge

[Laurence Hogg]

Checking the online index there are a number of references to Jason's trip in Waterways World, Jan 1973, Nov 1978, Nov 91 and May 01, one refers to Holland coming from Tewksbury.

 

 

I'm sorry Laurence, but some of this is completely incorrect.

 

Jason is NOT ex-FMC Holland.

 

The original Jason was, as you say, a wooden ex Chas Nelson motor and served as a passenger boat from 1951 until 1960 when it was, I believe, dumped in the flash at Harefield. The replacement was one of the 12 motors converted to buttys in 1937-8, all of which can be accounted for except (France and) Portugal.

 

Serpens joined the fleet in 1968 not 1978.

 

Holland was purchased in a derelict state by Malcolm Braine and restored and converted by him in 1975 for the Lea Valley Narrowboat Company who then operated trips on the River Lea at Ware. When they bought a widebeam boat (Jonas Fosbrooke perhaps?) Holland went to Jason's Trip and joined Jason there. This was in the late 1980s, possibly early 1990s.

 

The tug John James had for a while was the Hasty, perhaps a former Blisworth Tunnel tug, and after tripping service she became a houseboat for the Bijl family not far from Jason's Trip base.

 

 

Steve

[Hairy-Neil]

Not sure what you're referring to, and I was unaware of the site you mention. I've got my own references.

 

The Jason's Trip company website of course.....

 

This page says Jason is 100 years old.....

 

http://www.jasons.co.uk/trips.html

 

And this page says its 101......

 

http://www.jasons.co.uk/index.html

[Steve King]

On Steve King's point, there are several photographs of Joshers fitted with anser pins, including the publicity shots Fellows' did of the steamers on the Grand Junction in the early 1900s.

Thanks for that John, and I'm pleased to stand corrected. You know, it was something that someone said years ago, 'of course Joshers don't have anser pins' and I just took it for granted that it was true. A quick look through Alan H Faulkner's FMC shows just how wrong this is, with many steamers and motor boats being so equipped - I wish now I'd checked before. The steamers often have a strapping rope attached here it seems, also some motors, but apparently not a short rope with a loop for use with a butty. Perhaps the original use of the anser pin was for strapping into locks and it was only later that someone realised that a short rope here could be used to control a butty?

 

I'm beginning to think that the anser pin in the 1951 photo of Adder is not of any importance after all ....

 

 

Steve

[Paul Dyson]

I used to crew for John James from 1968 until '71. John always said that the Jason in service from the mid 50s (replacing the original wooden boat)was a Clayton gas tar tanker and originally had no name, just a number. We operated the pair of boats on most afternoon and weekend trips, the awnings cantilevered, and we only deployed them if it rained. At the end of the 68 or 69 season we took Jason to Braunston (Malcolm Braine's yard?) for refit and paint, stopping at Jack James's cottage at Stoke Bruerne overnight. Serpens had its first year in '68 I think and John was unhappy about some of the fit and finish.

 

PD

 

 

The "Jason" I remember from the early 1970s was, I thought, an iron boat. I may have some pictures - I'll go hunting later.

 

I don't believe it still operates with a butty - or at least I saw no sign of one our last two layovers in Little Venice.

 

As it has awnings that project maybe a foot beside the outline of the boat, it would be imppossible to breast it up with something else, anyway.

 

There is another boat in "Jason" livery moored in one of the short arms south of Ricky. I can't recall which, but it's the one where a large steel footbridge takes you high over the entrance, (a cyclists challenge!). It's not the the Troy Cut, I think, but possibly at the sewage works between Springwell & Copper Mill.

 

I can't remember if it's motor or butty, (or even if it's old), but it also has the distinctive overhanging canopies. I've a feeling it's name begins with an "H". It's certainly not Serpens. (Could it be "Holland" ???).

 

Sorry, I've probably raised more questions than I've answered!.

 

Alan

 

EDIT:

 

I do have an early 1970s picture of Jason, but it only shows the bows - definitely a metal boat then.