Oldest Boat still around

[mykaskin]

Hi Folks,

 

I was talking to someone today who asked a question I didn't even know where to start. So just what is the oldest (narrow) boat still around today, and in what state.

 

What about the oldest wooden boat, and then the oldest Iron boat? I guess some BCN day boats are pretty old.

 

I realise boats like Saturn (while actually not that old - even the original parts) have many new parts (old brush, several new handles and brushes), but I think they should be included even if with a proviso.

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

[Timleech]

Hi Folks,

 

I was talking to someone today who asked a question I didn't even know where to start. So just what is the oldest (narrow) boat still around today, and in what state.

 

What about the oldest wooden boat, and then the oldest Iron boat? I guess some BCN day boats are pretty old.

 

I realise boats like Saturn (while actually not that old - even the original parts) have many new parts (old brush, several new handles and brushes), but I think they should be included even if with a proviso.

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

 

Saturn was first built in 1906, there are quite a few iron boats (more qenuinely old percentage than Saturn) from the 1890s. I don't know much about 'older' wooden Narrow Boats, they're not likely to have much original timber though.

 

Tim

[Speedwheel]

Some of the old Ice boats date from the 1840s

[carlt]

Oldest Wooden Narrow boat is Maria, built 1854

 

Oldest metal boat is a toss up between Laplander or Antarctic, built 1830s

[alan_fincher]

Saturn was first built in 1906, there are quite a few iron boats (more qenuinely old percentage than Saturn) from the 1890s.

 

Yes a lot of iron boats seem to be quoted as 1890s, but I haven't heard of many older.

 

It just so happens I posted a picture of our boat from years ago in another thread.

 

We were told it was 1898, but never had any futher information that supported that.

 

It was sold off from Stewarts and Lloyds tubeworks around 1960, and shortened to 40 feet and given a back end for motorising by Harris brother at the Bumblehole branch.

 

It's still listed on Jim Shead's site under the name "Kerbau".

 

Obviously not the oldest by a long chalk, but to give an idea of a boat claimed to be 19th century.

 

[Roger t' Bodger]

 

In 2005 the Narrow Boat Trust pair had moored at Stockton right next to Laplander and during a work party the owner of Laplander came up and show me around the mechanical interior of this old old icebreaker that had some sort of hybred steam engine (hardly room for a cat to be cuddled - let alone swung by the tail!). He was a lecturer at Birmingham Uni and was quite in love with the iron riveted hull and all its additions down the decades - he reckoned it was built in 1830's - but don't quote me on that as the braincells have already had a dose of sleeping juice!

 

I saw it 2 years back somewhere on the north Oxford slipped and high on the bank having the hull sorted.

 

snore

[carlt]

I saw it 2 years back somewhere on the north Oxford slipped and high on the bank having the hull sorted.

That would be at Terry yates' yard, laplander spends a lot of time at Newbold.

[tony collins]

Oldest Wooden Narrow boat is Maria, built 1854

 

Oldest metal boat is a toss up between Laplander or Antarctic, built 1830s

 

Laplander would have been my nomination.

 

But I don't know really.

 

Tony.

[Speedwheel]

The Iceboat ownered by Malcolm Burge would be my bet (is it Antarctic? can't remember).

 

Malcolm Braine has an old BCN boat, he is currently converting into a spoon dredger, which he has managed to trace back as far as the 1860s

[Chris-B]

The Iceboat ownered by Malcolm Burge would be my bet (is it Antarctic? can't remember).

 

Malcolm Braine has an old BCN boat, he is currently converting into a spoon dredger, which he has managed to trace back as far as the 1860s

 

Yes Malcolm has Antartic as part of the fleet..She was owned by Glenn and Kate Knight for many years before their emigration to NZ,

 

 

As with most of malc's boats "It wont take much to get it moving"

 

Glenn and Kate are over in the Uk this year for those who know them

Chris

[sociable_hermit]

We were lucky enough to see Laplander out and about, I think it was June 2007 and somewhere around Napton. A lovely boat, full of character - it has stories to tell and that's part of its appeal, like the 'patina' on racing cars. The crew were very friendly and answered all of our questions, even though they've probably been asked them hundreds of times before. I knew it was something special but hadn't realised it was possibly one of the oldest narrow boats around.

[MartinClark]

"Elland" is believed to have been built around 1840.

Not quite as old as Laplander, though.

[Hairy-Neil]

Malcolm Braine has an old BCN boat, he is currently converting into a spoon dredger, which he has managed to trace back as far as the 1860s

 

I understand it was previously used as a spoon dredger and it is being restored to same for display at the Black Country Museum.

 

See here:- Clicky

 

The relevant bit....

 

Once at Titford the history of the boat was researched by the society and other interested parties from the Black Country Musuem and found to be a very interesting vessel. She has a history of being a spoon dredger, with many of the fittings for such a boat still in the hull. No examples of such a boat can be found on the BCN or at the musuem. Discussions are know in progress to restore her to full working order in this role, possibly basing her at the musuem, with attendances at rallies etc..(See rallies section for boat being used in 2005) Ownership and approval will remain with Ian, but once again by us trying to get an old day boat to preserve and collect rubbish, with the aid of Ian and others, we are falling over some interesting boats. This is leading to them being preserved and finding them new roles, so although our search has not been completed, to date the result has been the preservation of two boats for future generations, which is really what we are all about really.

 

Post script: April 2005: Ian & Malcolm Braine are to once again hoping to work thier magic and have decided that the boat should be restored as a spoon dredger. It is hoped that once done by either themselves or our friends at the Black Country Musuem that the boat will be based at the Black Country Musuem, which is where she is at present.

[bargeeboy]

Yes Malcolm has Antartic as part of the fleet..She was owned by Glenn and Kate Knight for many years before their emigration to NZ,

 

 

As with most of malc's boats "It wont take much to get it moving"

 

Glenn and Kate are over in the Uk this year for those who know them

Chris

 

 

Firing up today !!!

 

The general agreement is that Antartic was build a little before Laplander and is the oldest narrow vessel on the cut.

 

I am planning its future and as it is original with the counter just 'stuck' on by Les Allen on the 1970's I am planning to remove the top and counter and then decide what to do with it.

 

Poland beware !

Edited March 12, 2009 by bargeeboy

[Rick-n-Jo]

Yes a lot of iron boats seem to be quoted as 1890s, but I haven't heard of many older.

 

I get the impression that BW craft licensing and some others like HNBOC will list C.19th boats, those without definitely known build dates, as 1890's, based on their earliest known guaging. Many gauging tables from before then seem to have been lost.

Since they feel the need to put something in the "build date" box, then the first known record will do, perhaps it would be better to say built not after 1898 or whenever.

 

We certainly can't claim to be the oldest, but our Bantock iron boat "Bride" has

 

First known gauging: 24/06/1893 as BCN 13558. This is obviously a re-registration, but the preceding sheet is missing. It is presumed registered to Pickfords at this time.

 

Boats of this style, so called Mk.1 Bantocks, I gather were built from around the 1850's.

 

 

What puzzles me is, if this was the Pickfords, well known canal carriers, and not A.N.Other Pickfords, then they had sold their boat fleet by the 1850s and transferred their business to the railways. Did they perhaps buy some new iron boats for the railway interchange business? We know that "Bride" was used for this purpose up till the early 1950s, latterly being an LMS boat.

 

Unlike some boats that were frequently photographed, I've not found a single picture of "Bride" in her working days, or much else about her. Just one of hundreds of unsung short haul workaday vessels.

[fretman]

I get the impression that BW craft licensing and some others like HNBOC will list C.19th boats, those without definitely known build dates, as 1890's, based on their earliest known guaging. Many gauging tables from before then seem to have been lost.

Since they feel the need to put something in the "build date" box, then the first known record will do, perhaps it would be better to say built not after 1898 or whenever.

 

We certainly can't claim to be the oldest, but our Bantock iron boat "Bride" has

 

First known gauging: 24/06/1893 as BCN 13558. This is obviously a re-registration, but the preceding sheet is missing. It is presumed registered to Pickfords at this time.

 

Boats of this style, so called Mk.1 Bantocks, I gather were built from around the 1850's.

 

 

What puzzles me is, if this was the Pickfords, well known canal carriers, and not A.N.Other Pickfords, then they had sold their boat fleet by the 1850s and transferred their business to the railways. Did they perhaps buy some new iron boats for the railway interchange business? We know that "Bride" was used for this purpose up till the early 1950s, latterly being an LMS boat.

 

Unlike some boats that were frequently photographed, I've not found a single picture of "Bride" in her working days, or much else about her. Just one of hundreds of unsung short haul workaday vessels.

that looks like a R.W.davis boat

[Rick-n-Jo]

that looks like a R.W.davis boat

 

Yep, Plato, who was kind enough to give me a tow from Stockton to Saul.

[Speedwheel]

Ye I think he has found some evidence that it was used as a spoon dredger in the past. I have been over the last two weekends cleaning and painting to get it ready to take it down to the Musuem with Cactus for the President Centenery. (it isn't, and never was, owned by Ian BTW. It is purely Malcolms project)

 

Elland is a nice boat. Was recently up for sale for £25k. Would like to have bought it but other things pressing at the moment.

[Lizzy J]

Our boat Glenfield is half of what was or had been a spoon dredger when she was raised from the Wyrley and Essington Canal in the early 1960's and towed to the Bumblehole yard for conversion/restoration.

 

We believe she is an 1880's Bantock Mk1 and she has a rivited iron hull but nolonger has the elm bottom she had when recovered.

 

I have been unable to trace any history revious to the 1960's although I keep trying. I don't have a name or any identifying BCN number unfortunately.

[Jrtm]

In my opinion the tital should go to ross icebreaker

Reason is the oldest original narrowboat. Never been changed from a horse /tractor icebreaker.

This to me makes it the oldest. As yes there maybe an older boat out there but they have been changed.

[carlt]

In my opinion the tital should go to ross icebreaker

Reason is the oldest original narrowboat. Never been changed from a horse /tractor icebreaker.

This to me makes it the oldest. As yes there maybe an older boat out there but they have been changed.

I believe Antarctic is easily "deconvertable" in fact, scrolling up I see I read that information on this very thread almost exactly 5 years ago...

 

 

Firing up today !!!

 

The general agreement is that Antartic was build a little before Laplander and is the oldest narrow vessel on the cut.

 

I am planning its future and as it is original with the counter just 'stuck' on by Les Allen on the 1970's I am planning to remove the top and counter and then decide what to do with it.

 

Poland beware !

[matty40s]

 

well this one is 1860's

 

and this one(cannot remember the name, but penguin rings a bell) is 1870's..

 

[billh]

 

well this one is 1860's

 

and this one(cannot remember the name, but penguin rings a bell) is 1870's..

 

That icebreaker looks like one of the seven built by the MS&L Railway at Gorton loco works, Stationed on the Peak Forest, Macclesfield or Ashton Canals.

Do we know which one it is? They didn't have names as such just where they were kept: eg Whaley Bridge, Bosley, Marple etc.

Built & maintained by boilermakers not boatbuilders

[matty40s]

I am not sure, I will inquire. It was used as a hire boat for a while in the 60's 70's. - now known as Fir Cone.

[Speedwheel]

That icebreaker looks like one of the seven built by the MS&L Railway at Gorton loco works, Stationed on the Peak Forest, Macclesfield or Ashton Canals.

Do we know which one it is? They didn't have names as such just where they were kept: eg Whaley Bridge, Bosley, Marple etc.

Built & maintained by boilermakers not boatbuilders

 

It's Bosley. Owned by Paul Hunter who is on here.

Never been changed from a horse /tractor icebreaker.