Reality or Red Herring?

[Hairy-Neil]

I've heard about 'Enginegate' a difficult and horrible situation where everyone was right but possibly not for the same reasons and then people sadly move on to something else.

 

Far from it. The trust was set up to preserve historic boats. The Articles of Association clearly state, "To conserve and restore....."

 

Fitting a modern engine with a mickey mouse gearbox and drive is neither of those....

 

I was saddened to have to move on, having been one of the group that saved the trust from disbandment in 1994, and up to that point, (I resigned at the 2000 AGM) amongst the most active members.

[wonderdust]

I was going by when the models were introduced. The Mini continued in production for another 25 years. Everything there is an older model at the earlier date, you would think there would be at least one newish car kicking about. However, there is nothing pictured that was definitely made after the earlier date.

 

I think the white p6 is a series 2 by the black rear quarters indicating 1970 at the earliest.

[Derek R.]

I think the white p6 is a series 2 by the black rear quarters indicating 1970 at the earliest.

 

A wharf car park, an unlikely place to park brand new cars. Most would be a few or more years old like the VW Transporter.

Quite a nice Humber too. Most likely '73 on.

 

I must object - this is digression from serious toilet talk! Who's on the throne, must be someone important?

[Hairy-Neil]

When the only Yeti in captivity is kidnapped from the London Zoo, its keeper is naturally a major suspect, but the Yeti and his young friends bring the real culprit to book A group of children's game of cops-and-robbers on their barge becomes reality when an orange-coated Yeti known as Yen-Yen is kidnapped from the Zoo. The children succeed in rescuing Yen-Yen from his kidnappers.

 

Roger

 

Lots of links to it on google, all seem to say 73. Neil McCarthy who played Skipper in the film was the son of a local (Sleaford) dentist and resident eccentric....

[Roger t' Bodger]

Yup! My chronological guess work is sadly wrong here it must be 73 as I believe Alton was renovated on the basis of the fee for the film work so the colour pic must be around then as the Alton hasn't got the NBT signwriting on the cabin yet.

But who's the man with either one of those comb over style for receeding hairlines or a dodgy syrup? He doesn't appear in any other photo so he might have been just hanging around bringing the name of waterways into disrepute.

 

 

Neil - The original aims & objectives were a little disengenuous as there was a definate stance to appear to be preserving old boats as it attracted donations etc (the first minutes allude to this point) so along come individuals like yourself who have this aspect of working boats as a passion and find that the central aim is to carry cargoe and everything else is secondary to that aim. As far as I can ascertain, at the time, it was matter of having an engine in Nuneaton that could tow Brighton up the Thames in most conditions delivering coal. This is what I meant by everyone being right but for different reasons. We are currently reviewing the aims and objectives in a bid to simplify operations and for other matters like fundraising as most of the board are all fairly recent recruits of the Noughties. It would be interesting to know how many members the trust has had, over the years, as there are so many ex-members around. Personally I think that the Trust can serve to meet the needs of people at certain points in their lives like a stepping stone to something else.

 

Roger

 

Have you watched those NBT films yet on You Tube? Type in 'Narrow Boat Trust' in the search box.

[Hairy-Neil]

Neil - The original aims & objectives were a little disengenuous as there was a definate stance to appear to be preserving old boats as it attracted donations etc (the first minutes allude to this point) so along come individuals like yourself who have this aspect of working boats as a passion and find that the central aim is to carry cargoe and everything else is secondary to that aim. As far as I can ascertain, at the time, it was matter of having an engine in Nuneaton that could tow Brighton up the Thames in most conditions delivering coal. This is what I meant by everyone being right but for different reasons.

 

Roger

 

Have you watched those NBT films yet on You Tube? Type in 'Narrow Boat Trust' in the search box.

 

I wonder, do the Charities Commission know that you think your central aim is to carry cargo?

 

Perhaps that was the thoughts of the founders when the trust was set up in the early 1970s. However, the original aims are irrelevant. Things had changed over the 20+ years between the founding and me becoming a member in 1994, such as incorporation as a company limited by guarantee and registering as a charity.

 

You need to read the Articles of Association again as they are the 'rules' you are currently running under. They clearly state the primary function of the Narrow Boat Trust to be, "To conserve and restore boats". Everything else is secondary to that, and should not be to the detriment of the primary function.

 

That old chestnut of the boat needing a more powerful engine to operate on the Thames is BS. The modern Lister has no more torque than the old Petter. The PD2 was more than capable of propelling the pair up the Thames. I did it many times, loaded and empty in various conditions. Admittedly there were problems in times of strong flows, but you will find that at such times the lock keepers recommend you tie up and wait for better conditions on the river. To go at other times when the warning boards are up means you are probably voiding your insurance.

 

The other 'excuse' given at the time was that the Petter was unreliable and spares unavailable. Well, the Trust (or a prominent member of the board) already had in stock a new crankshaft, needed to replace the suspect one fitted, and within 6 weeks of resigning and without particularly trying I located 3 similar Petter industrial engines with low hours and a complete PD2 marine unit, including gearbox and reduction gear. All of this for less than half the price of the Lister and installation costs. The trust could have had a spare rebuilt engine ready to drop straight in at a moments notice and enough spares to last a generation.

 

You read me wrong as well. I was delighted to be able to handle loaded boats. I was involved with 3 or 4 summer coal runs from loading at Stoke Bruerne to unloading on the Thames, when few other members would tolerate working with that steerer. I also loaded Nuneaton & Brighton at least twice at Tarrys Nether Haywood yard and once at Blagrove's wharf at Stoke Bruerne.

 

Where was the last photo taken? IIRC that is an Avon license in the porthole, which I believe dates it to 2000.

[Roger t' Bodger]

Where as most people will be sensible and leave sleeping dog lie. I was curious due to trying to find out the history of the Trust, at the point when it was 36 years old, as there didn't seem to be any real account. I suppose that this is due a number of reasons like an inconsistent membership, boats, orders and big falling outs between strong personalities. I joined when the last falling out bruises were still felt by older members and I every time I enquired got vague nothings - I believe because it was too unpleasent to return too. The Trust is something that gets into the blood a place where you feel you can make a difference a place where challenges, personal and logistical, are there to test your mettle to great satifaction. So when there is a big disagreement on how things are done it is very hurtful to all and there isn't much that can be done except but wait for time to be the great healer. There is always more than one side of the story and you've told yours Neil and with other things that I know now from purusing old letters (emails - where will they be in a year's time!) that some members had other agendas using the Trust to build up skills and experience and squeezed out others in the quest to do this.

 

This is life - survival of the fittest, dog eat dog, etc etc and most organisations go through these shoals and good people get hurt and upset as a result. What about Tom Rolt and Mr Dodgy Syrup of the IWA then? That spat is still debated today.

 

The reason is that this is where we really live - this is what we dream of when we are trying to sleep - this is what we care a great deal for - not the dreadful reality of the 21st century! So when things get rough between folk - watch out!

 

I've read your trip reports from 1996 and wish I had crewed with you so there is no question of your ability to do the business - Heck no! Does your eloquent daughter still talk of her experiences?

 

Anyway I mean well and would awfully upset if I said or did the wrong thing to anyone who didn't deserve it.

 

Roger

 

The photo is dated 2000 by Chris Ruston with your name as steerer.

I leave you with personal discovery that I found at the local newspaper of a photo that I had known for years but was too badly printed to make out the name of the boats.

[Hairy-Neil]

We had some great trips, often as a family crew. My daughter and the ex made a great team. My parents were members too and came on several trips, they were good times.

 

I bear no malice now and am merely setting the record straight. I am still on friendly terms with the main proponents of the Lister. I resigned because I felt to stay was to condone the vandalising of an historic boat by the very organisation that was set up to protect it.

 

The photo must have been taken somewhere between Tewkesbury and Braunston. The boats had been to Saul Junction for the Cotswolds Canal festival and were heading to Braunston for the working boat gathering where we loaded the coal for the summer coal run.

 

The boats had delivered beer on the way down the Severn from the Cannon Royall Brewery near Droitwich and we were left with a 'spare' 9 gallon barrel to use as we wished. We managed to sup most of it before it got undrinkable.

Edited January 17, 2009 by Hairy-Neil