Old 1970s Negatives - Part 2

[alan_fincher]

More pictures shot in the early 1970s

 

I make no apologies that these were bad enough when first taken that I didn't even bother printing them.

 

But we have two members on here who own former GUCCCo boats that were cut down to circa 40 feet, and converted to icebreakers, so they may well be interested despite the lousy negatives.

 

Firstly Sickle, a Middle Northwich, and now lovingly restored.

 

Here she is with a large mud-hopper in tow, as she successfully passes the breasted camping boat pair Bexhill and Brighton, on the Grand Union between Berkhamsted and Boxmoor.

 

 

 

 

Again it shows Sickle fairly well loaded or ballasted, a look it's current owner has since recreated, I think.

 

The next lone picture may be of more interest, as I'm told pictures of boats with the icebreaker fronts are rare. This is Renton, a large Northwich, which has far less on the front than Tycho currently has. I'm unclear whether it at one stage sported the full ram, and it was cut back, or whether Renton always had this different arrangement.

 

I thought I had heard that Renton had been donated to one of these groups that is supposed to be becoming guardians of "heritage" boats, but at the moment she is still moored with other BW boats at Marsworth yard, at the head of the Aylesbury arm. The icebreaker nose has long since been removed. Also there is Aynho, (big Woolwich), sadly hacked down from 70 feet to around 40, long after these pictures were taken.

 

Edited March 8, 2009 by alan_fincher

[NB Alton]

Excellent photos Alan, thanks for posting them. It's always good to see "new" old photos like this

 

Cheers, Brian

[Working Boats]

Excellent photos Alan, nice seeing Sickle doing some work.

 

Below are a couple of photos of Sickle when partly loaded with timber during 2008

 

 

Kind Regards

Matt

[Derek R.]

Super shots! That's Bottomside lock they've come out of, No 57. Side pond rails seen there. Might be Mr Sibley steering, Ian will know.

Ian reckons Renton's blade is in the hold still, as ballast.

[Speedwheel]

Ye Ian has said to me that the blade of Renton is in the hold as ballast. (He is usually right about such things)

 

Couple more nice pictures there for you Matt.

[Caroline J]

Regarding Renton, yes it has been passed to a heritage group, The Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust. As project manager for the boat and the others we have I can state that the main reasons it has not yet been moved are that I have a full time job and family and Trust commitments over a hundred miles from the boat and that we were informed that BW were going to be using the boat over the winter and were quite happy to keep it where it is.

We are about to start preparations for moving the boat, just need to organise time off work, school and uni for the family!

Regarding the fab picture of Renton with the iceblade insitu, Alan can we use that image on the Canal Trust's soon to be reborn website on the pages about the boats? Also does anyone have a picture of Renton full length before conversion in 1943? We have pictures of our other boats (Alder and Tow) before conversion but not Renton. Thanks

 

Caroline Jones

[alan_fincher]

Regarding the fab picture of Renton with the iceblade insitu, Alan can we use that image on the Canal Trust's soon to be reborn website on the pages about the boats? Also does anyone have a picture of Renton full length before conversion in 1943? We have pictures of our other boats (Alder and Tow) before conversion but not Renton. Thanks

 

Caroline Jones

Caroline,

 

Thanks for the clarification about Renton - the information I had picked up about her future was obviously correct.

 

I'm very happy to have the photo published on a web-site, and ask only that I'm credited with it. That may sound conceited, for such an average photo, but others have just lifted my pictures and used them without asking, which rather annoys me. Having my name there sometimes means I'm contacted by people with extra information, which is nice.

 

If you want to PM me an e-mail address, (I'd recommend you don't post one), I'll send you a couple of .jpg files with different resolutions, and you can see which works best.

 

I think it's the only Renton picture I have - I was surprised to find the Sickle ones, but nothing else of Renton, I believe.

 

Do you know when it was shortened, or when it either got, or lost, the nose. A great shame about current cabin arrangements......

[Caroline J]

Alan,

 

thanks for that, you can send any pics to me at work, caroline.jones@thewaterwaystrust.org.uk, I work in the archive at Gloucester. I will of course credit you as required and no I don't think it's at all conceited but then as an archivist I wouldn't would I? We like to be credited for everythjing in our collection.

As far as I know Renton was shortened in 1943 by the Ministry of War Transport who did Tycho at the same time, DIWE bought the shortened boat back in 1948 and it's worked in the south east ever since. I'm hoping to get over there sometime next week for a pre-move reccy and will have a look for the blade, re-fitting it could be something we'll think about as we get it back to good working order!

I look forward to getting the pics and as soon as the new website is ready I'll let you know.

 

Caroline