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Something different - Barge with Caravan

Chris J W

By Chris J W
in General Boating

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Pluto Veteran

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Posted
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It looks very much like a Lancaster Canal boat. If so, it is almost unique, the only other surviving one having, by all reports, had some very poor hull restoration. Almost all Lancaster boats were horse drawn, were made of iron, and often had a raised cabin on the stern deck, the tiller passing over the cabin and the boat steered from the space between the cabin and hold.

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O'Mali Community Regular

O'Mali

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Looks alright does that so long as the mooring is available.

 

I wonder if the BSC inspector only checks out the "boat" and classes the caravan and portacabin thingy as "cargo".?

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twocvbloke Rising Star

twocvbloke

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But have you seen the internal pictures....what a couch ...and with a view.

 

Missus always wanted one of these but I told her they dont fit on boats...Back to the drawing board....I'll just keep muttering, "The next boat will be perfect, the nex...."

 

Cheers

Chas

 

Nothing is ever perfect when it comes to women, some little thing is always wrong and you have to change everything because of it... :lol:

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John Orentas Veteran II

John Orentas

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'Manchester Coal Barge' means nothing but I tend to go along with Pluto a Lancaster Canal boat is the most likely.. That elegant transom makes it not so unlike the original Rochdale Canal Barges but sadly as far as is known there is not a single survivor, if it is one then it would be 'quite a find'.

 

During the 1960's and 70's there was a similar 'concept' but a Leeds & Liverpool short-boat based around the Burnley area, a caravan installed in a similar manner but that bloke cruised regularly, saw him pass through Worsley several times.

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Pluto Veteran

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Bumped this because they have posted more hull pictures.

 

Clicky

Looking at the new pics, the bow is perhaps a little full for a Lancaster boat, and stem post should be more vertical. The toe rails around the bow are unusual for a north west canal boat, and Lancaster boats had wooden decks. AFAIK, the only iron/steel boats on the Rochdale were steamers with rounded sterns; Bridgewater carrying boats were always wood until the Kellog's boats were built, as were those on the MB&BC. The L&LC did have some iron horse boats, but I have never seen a photo of one and they seem not to have lasted that long.

 

Square transoms in the NW also tend to continue down to the keel, whilst this one seems to finish above that level, something which suggests a southern English origin. However, it is difficult to be definite over the boat's origin as there has been so little research into early iron/steel wide canal boats. Prior to the development of iron/steel boat building in Northwich, most NW iron/steel canal boats were built in Liverpool or on the Ribble. Some research has been done into the yards, but mainly related to the sea-going ships they built.

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  • 13 years later...
Roger Greenwood Gongoozler

Roger Greenwood

Posted
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On 15/05/2009 at 12:02, John Orentas said:

During the 1960's and 70's there was a similar 'concept' but a Leeds & Liverpool short-boat based around the Burnley area, a caravan installed in a similar manner but that bloke cruised regularly, saw him pass through Worsley several times.

I came across this post from many years ago while searching for information on such a beast. We went on a family holiday in the early 70s on one. Took our caravan, loaded it on the boat and away we went. I seem to remember it was a bit of a prototype. Cabin at the front, caravan in the middle, engine at the rear. I would love to have a picture if anyone has one, my mother remembers it well but everyone else thinks I am bonkers! Hired from Skipton I think, or around that area. 

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magpie patrick Veteran II

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3 hours ago, Roger Greenwood said:

I came across this post from many years ago while searching for information on such a beast. We went on a family holiday in the early 70s on one. Took our caravan, loaded it on the boat and away we went. I seem to remember it was a bit of a prototype. Cabin at the front, caravan in the middle, engine at the rear. I would love to have a picture if anyone has one, my mother remembers it well but everyone else thinks I am bonkers! Hired from Skipton I think, or around that area. 

 

I recall seeing them when we went on family holidays on the L&L in 1972 and 1973 - I think John Gagg referred to seeing them too so you are not imagining them. 

 

As for pictures, if anyone has one please post - I'm having a guess there will be one in my late father's slide collection but I haven't begun sorting that yet and there are approx 50,000 to go through so I could be some time.... 

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Pluto Veteran

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One photo collection I was given had this, at Apperley Bridge in 1970. It is a bit indistinct, and I seem to recall the boats went by the name 'Trailer-Sailor'. I came across one near Rodley around 1973 being blown around in circles by the wind. They did not handle very well.

L&LC 070 Apperley Bridge.jpg

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Roger Greenwood Gongoozler

Roger Greenwood

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Thanks Pluto, that could well be it, or something very similar. I didn't pay much attention to the finer points at the time, this was our first holiday on a canal boat so everything was new. One reason I want to get a photo is that my mum can't remember much anymore, unless it was a long time ago. That holiday was memorable for me because my dad got ill as soon as we got going and so I did all the driving with my mum doing the locks. I was about 10 with 3 younger siblings trying to drown themselves at every opportunity. I do remember it was pretty easy to manage as long as you remember the rudder is at the back, even though you were sat at the front (since then I note that this concept seems very foreign to anyone new to boats). Anyway thanks again, hope someone else finds a picture.

Thanks Barneyp, definitely not that one we had.

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Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Roger Greenwood said:

Thanks Pluto, that could well be it, or something very similar. I didn't pay much attention to the finer points at the time, this was our first holiday on a canal boat so everything was new. One reason I want to get a photo is that my mum can't remember much anymore, unless it was a long time ago. That holiday was memorable for me because my dad got ill as soon as we got going and so I did all the driving with my mum doing the locks. I was about 10 with 3 younger siblings trying to drown themselves at every opportunity. I do remember it was pretty easy to manage as long as you remember the rudder is at the back, even though you were sat at the front (since then I note that this concept seems very foreign to anyone new to boats). Anyway thanks again, hope someone else finds a picture.

Thanks Barneyp, definitely not that one we had.

 

I remember them from adverts for boating holidays in my parents 'Motor Boat and Yachting' magazines in the 70's.

 

Maybe contact the publisher, they may have something in their archives?

 

The ones I remember were similar to this.

 

Link only as its copyright.

 

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-a-caravan-is-loaded-onto-a-special-catamaran-for-skipper-camping-inraben-56188904.html

Edited by M_JG
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