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Spitfire


Speedwheel

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I have fond memories of both Spitfire and its owner in the 70s and remember a boat tug of war at the Congleton rally of 72. I think Spitfire won and I cannot remember the other boat but can see this this huge ammount of silt flying all over the place.It certainly stirred thing up.CKP

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I've always found the local planning people helpful on that score, they've been out to look at proposed work at the early stages and advised on what they would smile upon and what they wouldn't, though luckily haven't needed to trouble them for a while.

However a friend who bought a listed house in a neighbouring borough found the opposite, basically their attitude seemed to be along the lines of 'send in your plans & then we'll decide, we haven't got time for anything else', no question of any prior advice.

 

Tim

 

 

The above advice is sensible, in my experience planners would far rather be involved at an early stage to /advise on/steer/approve the direction of any project than have to pick up the pieces afterwards. It saves them loads of time and expense at a later juncture.

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  • 1 year later...

But its people like this who come along with more money than conscience and buy a perfectly serviceable historic boat for an inflated price and then proceed to ruin it with very little or no thought for the history they are destroying. If this boat hadnt been allowed to be altered in such a manner the price would have been at a level where someone with the interest in historic boats and the interest of the boat at heart. Its all well and good people rolling out this 'wheres the enthusiasts when a boats for sale' argument, again nothing personal more a generalisation of course, it tends to be that the enthusiasts know the value of a boat but someone who wants to pose on an historic boat but have no real feel for what they own come along and inflate the prices beyond what a boat is worth. I dont agree that a boat is worth what someone will pay for it in these instances, because the true worth of a boat like Spitfire isnt measured in pounds shilling and pence but in the significance it has in the history of the canals and boats in partic. This particular boat is one of a few, and maybe the last one left, built in this style by Harris Bros and to see it chopped about like this on a whim of some philistine who didnt like the way the boat rolled is a disgrace and anyone who cant see that is as bad as the person who has perpetrated this act. If a boat like this rolls too much then as others have said buy a different ****ing boat and leave our history alone.

 

I apologise if I have upset anyone with this post unless its the person who has performed this butchery in which case tough!

:lol:

Having enjoyed several years boating in company with Spitfire which used to swim beautifully it is sad to see the fine ice breaking hull desecrated.Fortunately I recorded it photographicly in Stourport dry dock.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Having enjoyed several years boating in company with Spitfire which used to swim beautifully it is sad to see the fine ice breaking hull desecrated.Fortunately I recorded it photographicly in Stourport dry dock.

 

I agree. I first came across 'Spitfire' when owned by the late Alf Bailey. He was so taken by my passenger boat 'Apollo'(M&CCCC 1929) that he converted 'Spitfire' into a passenger boat similarly - though how he got 40 passengers and through the inclining test with those rounded chines I don't know! His intention was to operate on the Chesterfield Canal (which he did) but initially he provided a second boat for me on the L&L and connecting waterways until my new boat was ready (late of course). This would be around 1974. We took both boats to the IWA Lincoln Rally in 1975(?) and took part in the tug of war. He was confident his 57hp Ford 4D (with several gears!) would easily pull 'Apollo' out of the basin, but in fact 'Apollo' eventually won with its new Lister HR2. The miners' strike eventually put paid to Alf's passenger boat operation, and 'Spitfire' went back to being fully converted (he used to remove the conversion for the passenger boat season).

Happy days.

 

David L

Apollo / Swallow

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  • 6 years later...

I've just re-read this thread with interest, after it was mentioned in a topic about boats on the Chesterfield Canal. An internet search has revealed that she is on the register of historic boats, and I found some photos of her undergoing her conversion in a dry dock in 2010. Since then, nothing at all.

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I recall that was on Stone dock having its characteristic round bilge cut out and replaced with a square one because the new owner's wife didn't like the way it rolled. 

I do hope he went on to buy a Showman's Steam Traction in order to convert to a Mondeo diesel to placate her too.

 

  • Greenie 1
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Just now, zenataomm said:

That reply couldn't have been fowler.

Great minds, Mr.Tomm -I had thought of that but I decided to give someone else a chance! Just fostering other people's participation, as you might say.

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  • 1 year later...

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