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Two interesting boats passed the mooring today.

 

The first was interesting for its name: "Potty Bucket". So, no euphemisms there!

 

The second could be heard a long time before it arrived. The magnificent replica of the Manchester Ship Canal steamer "Frodsham", powered by a magnificent Kelvin, locked through this afternoon. Here is a photo I took

 

3435093486_fd2b3aec44_o.jpg

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The owner said it was an authentic replica built in the 1930's. The original steam tugs were 8ft 6in beam and 4ft draught (he said) so this is a scale model at 7ft beam and 3ft draught.

 

Are you sure he meant this boat was built in the 1930's or that the original on which it was based was built in the 1930's as I thought it was a fairly modern build .

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Are you sure he meant this boat was built in the 1930's or that the original on which it was based was built in the 1930's as I thought it was a fairly modern build .

I may have misunderstood him. All the same, I wouldn't have thought the MSC would have been building steam tugs as late as the 1930's. Where are all the historians when you need one?

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I may have misunderstood him. All the same, I wouldn't have thought the MSC would have been building steam tugs as late as the 1930's. Where are all the historians when you need one?

 

 

All the steam MSC tugs in service were converted to diesel about 1930, Kelvins if I remember correctly.. Frodsham used to moor close to me at Furness Vale, then moved onto the Bridgewater in central Manchester.. As Allan has said the boat it is a 'narrow' replica probably about 20 years old now, I don't believe any of the originals survived.

 

I can recall seeing the original tugs in action near Worsley, they would comfortably tow three loaded coal barges.

Edited by John Orentas
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All the steam MSC tugs in service were converted to diesel about 1930, Kelvins if I remember correctly.. Frodsham used to moor close to me at Furness Vale, then moved onto the Bridgewater in central Manchester.. As Allan has said the boat it is a 'narrow' replica probably about 20 years old now, I don't believe any of the originals survived.

 

I can recall seeing the original tugs in action near Worsley, they would comfortably tow three loaded coal barges.

 

There are at least 3 of these narrow replicas around of which Turnotheworld is probably the best known as it was reviewed in Waterways World - it was the product of Roger Fuller/Stowe Hill.

 

I think Frodsham was built by John Rickaby a highly-skilled amateur builder about 20s ago.

 

One of the original tugs does still survive - or at least its hull does. It is the Manchester and lies at the Boat Musum having been rescued from one of the flashes on the Trent and Mersey. I've no idea what state it is in though.

 

I think the NCB were still operating the Broadheath into the early 1950s.

 

Paul H

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She was working up the Marsworth flight around noon today.

 

She lloked great - the first time I've seen her or similar steam boat except President.

 

Wasn't sure what to expect but was disappointed to only see a wisp of smoke from the chimney all the time and what certainly didn't look like a steam whistle.

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She was working up the Marsworth flight around noon today.

 

She lloked great - the first time I've seen her or similar steam boat except President.

 

Wasn't sure what to expect but was disappointed to only see a wisp of smoke from the chimney all the time and what certainly didn't look like a steam whistle.

That's because she's not steam powered - she has a Kelvin.

 

The owner is very much into steam - he has a steam traction engine at home, and considered buying a steam narrowboat but decided to get this one instead so he could spend time cruising instead of spending most of his time moored up removing clinker from the boiler (he had a few uncomplimentary comments to make about the quality of coal being imported from Poland at the moment, which clags up the boiler of his traction engine in less than 8 hours)

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Shows what I know :lol:

 

Can I show my ignorance even further and ask what a Kelvin is and why it needs that large stack at the front pf the boat.

 

P.S. I'm not technically minded.

 

Kelvin is a Scottish make of diesel (and petrol/paraffin) engines which were mainly aimed at the fishing boat market.

 

It 'needs' the large stack because it's based on a Bridgewater steam tug design, which had the stack as the boiler flue.

 

Tim

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Kelvin is a Scottish make of diesel (and petrol/paraffin) engines which were mainly aimed at the fishing boat market.

 

It 'needs' the large stack because it's based on a Bridgewater steam tug design, which had the stack as the boiler flue.

 

Tim

 

Thanks. Was what I saw emitting from the stack the exhaust from the Kelvin?

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  • 11 years later...

The chimney stack was made in two parts ( hinged). We went down the Cranfleet Cut with the stack up one day and all was well until we came back upriver. This had risen just enough for us to hit the bridge on the Cranfleet  with a resounding clang  -no damage sustained but choice words issued from the Captain ! The bottom section formed the header tank for the heating pipes, from the Tor Gem thru the engine room and back. We used to light an oily rag and put this in an old thick saucepan in the water filled bottom section, this produced variable amounts of rather smelly smoke but the novelty of this contraption soon wore off !! 

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