Recieved it in the post today

[kienik]

Some of the members on here may remember reading a topic waterways world (and a topic on here) from myself asking for info on old hire companies that have been gone and forgotten, the hire boats i was an still am interested in where English County Cruises at Wrenbury, Dartline (various locations) & Simolda, i guess i am interted as to where the boats actually went to whe the companes were sold/ wound up/ purchased.

 

I know that ECC was bought by ABC many years ago but i wondered what had happened to the fleet from ECC, i have found the previous ECC boat Gold Crest is up for sale in ABCs hire fleet, also that a few of the old simolda boats are now for sal in Harral as simolda/ Empress has sold the company to

[kienik]

Some of the members on here may remember reading a topic waterways world (and a topic on here) from myself asking for info on old hire companies that have been gone and forgotten, the hire boats i was an still am interested in where English County Cruises at Wrenbury, Dartline (various locations) & Simolda, i guess i am interted as to where the boats actually went to whe the companes were sold/ wound up/ purchased.

 

I know that ECC was bought by ABC many years ago but i wondered what had happened to the fleet from ECC, i have found the previous ECC boat Gold Crest is up for sale in ABCs hire fleet, also that a few of the old simolda boats are now for sal in Harral as simolda/ Empress has sold the company to Welsh Gateway cruises/Holidays.

 

after recieving an email this week from a previous hirer of ECC i had some communications and today i have some really old (1992) photos of ECC boats that the "photographer" had taken whilst on holiday, in addition to this i have an immaculate brochure from ECC boats back in 1992 complete with price list.

 

Their boats were known as the best on the waters and this brochure from 1992 proves this.

 

apologies for this (in some members minds) pointless thread but i am so excited to recieve this brochure from the past and cant wait for the evenings of reading it.

 

Nik

[journeyperson]

Yes the Empress boats at Nantwich have all got Harral for sale signs on them. They look a bit sorry for themselves but that might partly be the horrible brown and cream colour scheme.

[kienik]

Yes the Empress boats at Nantwich have all got Harral for sale signs on them. They look a bit sorry for themselves but that might partly be the horrible brown and cream colour scheme.

 

 

Agreed,

 

From closer inspection of some of the boats on offer it is apparent tht some of them are from the original Simolda hire fleet ( the tiller/rundder arangement confirms thius as do the windows and general lines of the boats), as a family (i was around 8 at the time) we hired Queen Deliglagh from them and it was a terrible but very cheap boat (sorry cant spell deliaglagh properly lol).

 

Any more info from ECC boats Simolda or Dartline is very much welcomed

 

Nik

[kienik]

MODS please merge topics

 

Thanks

 

 

Nik

[kienik]

with reference ot my previous topics commenting on ECC, Simolda and Dartline

 

i dont know what has happened but the topic seems to say Welsh gateway cruises/ holidays but it shouldnt have so please ignore this thread

 

Nik

[paulcatchpole]

This page intentionally left blank...

 

PC

[RLWP]

with reference ot my previous topics commenting on ECC, Simolda and Dartline

 

i dont know what has happened but the topic seems to say Welsh gateway cruises/ holidays but it shouldnt have so please ignore this thread

 

Nik

 

What you could do is report your own thread to a mod and ask them to change the title for you. Reporting is the quickest way as a message goes to all of them, and whoever is free sorts it out.

 

Richard

[Janet S]

Do you need a boat moving?

 

Janet

[DHutch]

MODS please merge topics

Done

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Some of the members on here may remember reading a topic waterways world (and a topic on here) from myself asking for info on old hire companies that have been gone and forgotten, the hire boats i was an still am interested in where English County Cruises at Wrenbury, Dartline (various locations) & Simolda, i guess i am interted as to where the boats actually went to whe the companes were sold/ wound up/ purchased.

 

I know that ECC was bought by ABC many years ago but i wondered what had happened to the fleet from ECC, i have found the previous ECC boat Gold Crest is up for sale in ABCs hire fleet, also that a few of the old simolda boats are now for sal in Harral as simolda/ Empress has sold the company to

 

Dartline sold out to Anglo Welsh. Boats (at the Bunbury base at least) were simply repainted and put into the Anglo Welsh hire fleet.

 

I had a share in a Dartline boat, Easdale for a number of years. It had been taken out of the hire fleet, refurbished, and made available as a shared ownership boat. I was rather surprised to see it a few years ago back in the Anglo Welsh hire fleet.

 

I am trying to remember the name of a boat that Dartline built specifically for shared ownership. I recall that it was exhibited at the NEC. It had a early diesil stove and macerator toiet. The stove would produce flames out of the chimney if moving. I will not describe the toilet in case anyone has been eating!

 

Regards

 

Allan

[Hairy-Neil]

From closer inspection of some of the boats on offer it is apparent tht some of them are from the original Simolda hire fleet ( the tiller/rundder arangement confirms thius as do the windows and general lines of the boats), as a family (i was around 8 at the time) we hired Queen Deliglagh from them and it was a terrible but very cheap boat (sorry cant spell deliaglagh properly lol).

 

Any more info from ECC boats Simolda or Dartline is very much welcomed

 

Nik

 

Can't be right, Simolda used the line, "The best for less" in their advertising....

[Mick_B]

A glass to many last night Nik?

[Keeping Up]

ECC at Wrenbury originally had a fleet of Anglo-Welsh "window-smashers". Around 1990 they had the entire fleet replaced, with hulls built by Stoke-on-Trent Boatbuilders and internal fitout by Barry Wren.

 

How do I know this? Because in 1991 we were seeking a builder for our new boat, as a replacement for our own ex Anglo-Welsh "window smasher" and SoTBB sent us over to Wrenbury to look at their handiwork. Were we impressed? Yes, because that is how the builder for "Keeping Up" was chosen, SoTBB built out Harborough replacement in the same style as the ECC fleet and 19 years later we're still happy with her.

 

So when a second-hand ex-ECC boat comes available - I've seen ABC selling them occasionally) look to see if it's a Harborough design or SoTBB.

[kienik]

Do you need a boat moving?

 

Janet

 

Oh Janet you are sooooooooooooooooooooooo naughty, but it was fun to read Elliotts "words of wisdom" in the previous topic that amazingly went to 12 pages

 

Done

 

Thanks Dan

A glass to many last night Nik?

 

Erm just a couple yeah i have had a really tough week, edinburgh tues and weds, london today, birmingham tomorrow, weekend away on the boat, what a hard life.

 

ECC at Wrenbury originally had a fleet of Anglo-Welsh "window-smashers". Around 1990 they had the entire fleet replaced, with hulls built by Stoke-on-Trent Boatbuilders and internal fitout by Barry Wren.

 

How do I know this? Because in 1991 we were seeking a builder for our new boat, as a replacement for our own ex Anglo-Welsh "window smasher" and SoTBB sent us over to Wrenbury to look at their handiwork. Were we impressed? Yes, because that is how the builder for "Keeping Up" was chosen, SoTBB built out Harborough replacement in the same style as the ECC fleet and 19 years later we're still happy with her.

 

So when a second-hand ex-ECC boat comes available - I've seen ABC selling them occasionally) look to see if it's a Harborough design or SoTBB.

 

Very interesting, i have a 1992 brochure in front of me and looking at the photos and specs of each of the boats in the fleet it seems as though they ended up (around 1992) with four boats from Sotbb, including Goldcrest 2 and Golden Linnet, believe ABC still have Goldcrest 2 in their fleet but it is for sale now (as far as a i know). really good info though thanks v much

 

Nik

[sociable_hermit]

Goldcrest 2 is indeed for sale, it's on Apollo Duck.

 

I really like it, but the price seems quite steep for a 20 year old hire boat.

[Radiomariner]

I am a bit confused as to who is asking what on this thread.

However, FYI My boat is an Ex ECC boat now "Peppers Paw" it was the "Golden Oriol" and is a 45ft Harborough Marine. Moors just North of Leighton Buzzard.

Edited June 18, 2010 by Radiomariner

[Rewilding]

I realise I am 5 years behind on this thread, but I was interested in any photos or information relating to ex-ECC hire fleet.

 

I liveaboard Golden Wren, which I believe to be a SoTBB hull built 1991, with an ECC instrument panel. Kienik mentioned having some photos from around this time and others have mentioned brochures - would it be possible to see any of these??

[Pete of Ebor]

Dartline sold out or were taken over by Anglowelsh some time between 1992 and 1997 - though probably nearer 1997. We hired a boat called "Gloucester" from Dartline at Tardebigge in 1992. We hired from Tardebigge again in 1997 and got the exact same boat in, still in Dartline livery but we hired it from Anglowelsh.

[kienik]

I realise I am 5 years behind on this thread, but I was interested in any photos or information relating to ex-ECC hire fleet.

 

I liveaboard Golden Wren, which I believe to be a SoTBB hull built 1991, with an ECC instrument panel. Kienik mentioned having some photos from around this time and others have mentioned brochures - would it be possible to see any of these??

Hi I've probably still got the pictures somewhere, having just recently moved house/pub they will no doubt be in a box somewhere! I'll dig them out this evening try and take photos of them, and get them up.oaded on here,

 

Nik

[David Schweizer]

I cannot remember what the original thread was about, but if it was asking about now defunct hire boat companies I can mention two :- Wessex Narrowbopats at Hilperton on the K&A sold out to ABC about eight years ago, and Braunston boats (Hire) Ltd ceased trading, and sold off their boats at the end of the season in 1997. I bought one of them and two were sold to the afore mentioned Wessex Narrowboats.

[kienik]

Evening All

 

I initially started the topic asking questions regarding old hire companies that are no longer around, particularly in the NW area. I'd been reminiscing about my childhood in the 80s,

 

Some. Kind sole responded to my request in WW magazine and sent a load of pictures from his various hiring experiences with ECC of Wrenbury.

 

I'm glad to say (or a bit sad to admit) that over the years I've acquired a good eye in spotting boats and being able to identify who they were built by! So yes I admit it.........

 

My name is Nik and I'm a boat spotter

[cuthound]

IML (Inland Marine Leisure) used to operate out of Anderson Marina on the T&M. Absorbed into ABC in the late 80's.

 

Concoform Marine on the GU stopped trading in the early 2000's following complaints from the owners of the new flats built opposite their long established boatyard. Their boats were sold privately.

 

Teddesley Boat Company on the S&W ceased trading after the owner Linda Millward decided to retire. Some boats transferred to Countryside Cruiser at Brewood on the SU and others sold privately in mid 2000's.

 

My name is Alan and I'm a canalcoholic.

 

ETA the last sentance!

Edited January 30, 2015 by cuthound

[Xanthus]

Nothing like dragging an old thread out of the bilges and giving it a good refresh ... especially as it's my first post here, so forgive the breach in etiquette.

Intrigued to know if Kienik is still chasing info on these old and long-forgotten hire companies?

I used to work for English County Cruises back in the seventies, and was skipper on Goldcrest, starting in the late spring of 1977. In the early days at ECC Goldcrest ran as a charter boat, with a permanent crew of one. For the first season (1976) Steve Wade, who effectively owned and ran ECC with his parents, skippered the boat, and I then took over. Prior to that I'd been a regular on hire boats (as a child, with a father who loved his boating, since about 1964!) but Goldcrest was my first professional steer. (I subsequently went on to do stints with several hotel boat companies before operating my own boat on the Oxford, name of Xanthus). At some stage, I think during the latter months of 1978, ECC gave up on chartering Goldcrest and started letting her out self-steer to “competent” hirers with previous experience. I suspect quite a few windows got broken!

I can't recall exactly how many weeks she ran that first season with me, in 1977, but I do remember that almost every single booking took me up to Llangollen and back. A small handful asked for the Cheshire Ring, but I ended up knowing every shallow and shoal along the Llangollen like the back of my hand, especially on the final stretch up beyond Trevor. Thankfully Goldcrest needed little water, but in subsequent years, taking converted working boats up to Llangollen (plus butty) with nearly twice the draft, it paid to know where those tricky bits were.

I certainly have some photos of ECC boats from that period, and probably even some original hire brochures, but forgive me if I admit I wouldn't know where to start looking!

[AllanD]

I hired Golden Eye out Wrenbury with ECC I'm the late 70's. In 1997 I received an invite from Alvechurch part of ABC to an open weekend. I think that Alvechurch still hire out of Wrenbury with some of their boats