Chris-B Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Great shame about Themis - hopefully it can be fixed quickly ? I thoroughly enjoyed watching this boat tow Callisto yesterday. The authentic engines are icing on the cake for me. Victoria paired with Ara ? - unless they are more agile than me, they'll need a step stool when crossing between the two breasted! LOL James has a trampoline ! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n.b.Goldie Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 (edited) They passed Lionhearts Cruising Club at Great Linford Milton Keynes at about 11:00. will upload piccies if I get time. Ditchdabbler Edited to add pictures (not very good as they were taken on my mobile phone) Edited July 9, 2010 by ditchdabbler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris-B Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Ara being towed by Victoria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Ara being towed by Victoria Water over the side...... Water over the side....... (We want!) water over the side!........... Actually as the butty's gunwales look little higher than the aqueduct sides, perhaps that's not such a clever idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris-B Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 it's been done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 HACK...And why do I hear 'Coals to Newcastle' being echoed about the place? see below SLASH... Have fun but is there an environmental advantage in all this inert gravel movement? Probably not. Don't think that is the point. No different to dragging a pile of smokeless fuel round the country. . SNIP... A great chain of mostly very deep quarries exploiting Precambrian and Palaeozoic shales, quartzites and volcanic rocks exists within the Atherstone Ridge between Baddesley Ensor and Nuneaton. It includes quarries such as Purley, Oldbury, Boons (also known as Man Abel’s), Jees Woodlands, Midland and Judkins. Griff Quarry and Dosthill Brickpit Harthsill lies on the ‘Nuneaton Inlier’ – a unique formation of rock layers, formed during the Ice Ages. The lower layers of quartzite were quarried from as far back as the early 16th century, although quarrying developed into a more prominent industry in the 1800 and 1900s with quartzite, diorite and granite being extracted. Coal and manganese have also been mined in the area. Local records state that quarrying at Hartshill dates back to as early as 1581 and there are archaeological findings to show that Prehistoric men used the local stone for building. • Since the early 19th century there have been numerous quarries along the canal that have changed names and ownership frequently – the area was once known for having five quarries within a 5-mile radius. The two quarries with direct links to the canal are Hartshill Quarry (still locally known as Jee’s or more recently as Tarmac Roadstone), Judkins Quarry. • Hartshill quartzite stone was originally used for building – examples can be seen in Hartshill, particularly in the parish church which was built with stone from Jee’s Quarry in 1843). However, the primary use of the stone was for road building and railway ballast, although it has also been used in airstrip construction, in sewage works (as filter media), as stone ‘setts’ for road-making and paving, and concrete. • The quarries that produced stone for setts often dressed it (carved it into blocks) on site. • Stone was extracted during the 1800s by men who were lowered down the rockface on rope or chain-held cradles to chip at the quartzite. These chipped pieces fell to the quarry floor and were broken-up into more manageable sizes by quarry boys, who then loaded them into wagons drawn by horses. • Transporting the stone via the canal was reliable and reasonably efficient. Narrowboats could operate in all weathers – indeed, ice-breakers operated from Hartshill Yard ensuring that the canal was never completely frozen over and impassable. • By 1847 railway links were opened and were able to transport quarried stone much more quickly to Birmingham and Coventry, and even as far as London. • Rail transport was more expensive than canal narrowboat but was usually more cost-effective because it was quicker. However, in bad weather the trains couldn’t run and during the wars the lines were bombed, so quarry owners usually kept their options open. • The railways carried some of the quarried stone to sites for their own ballasts. • There were many adjustments to local infrastructure during the lifetime of the quarries. Narrow lanes were widened and routes altered as necessary; bridges were constructed as and where required and, in the 20th century when lorries replaced horses and locos, local road surfaces had to be made wider and stronger. • The settlements of Hartshill and Camp Hill were old roman settlements, which developed mainly around agriculture. In the 1800s the settlements grew further because of quarrying. • At the start of the 19th century there were two main land-owners at Hartshill: the Alkins family and the Jee family, who both operated quarries named after them on their land. The Jee’s family records date back to 1699 and they were known locally as ‘squire’. • Judkins quarry was established in 1845 as a plot of 1 acre that was leased to Mr Judkins and Mr Cropper to hand-dig stone (Hartshill Quartzite). This expanded and was eventually sold to Tarmac Roadstone (ARC) in 1973. In 1996 stone production under ARC ceased. • In the 1800s and 1900s quarrying became one of the main employers in the area, alongside coal mining, ribbon weaving and also canal maintenance. The Old Hat Factory at Atherstone (owned by A B Wilson) was another key employer. The hat factory backed onto the Coventry Canal and used the canal as its main transportation method. Source - QuarrymansReport-sm.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 I'd forgotten how good that was.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nbtafelberg Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 LIVE UPDATE FROM THE TEAM Latest update from Lil chris Stoke Bruene Bruan oh you know what I mean Bruerne? He can't read the sign. Joe and Arundel are ahead they are going to a pub "The Navigation" Themish prop shaft broke half way on Milton Keynes pound and was towed by Archemedes ... within half hour of being at cosgrove lock prop shaft was repaired and on the way again. "Are you on track, or are you well behind?" "We're about 10 locks behind to be honest" 14 hours from there to rugby 12 hours from there to atherstone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedwheel Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 How have I never seen that before - quality, you have made my evening! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy-Neil Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 What time will they set off in the morning? I'm hoping to meet them at Whilton.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Oh my God! - How embarrassing! It looks like I may be being referred to in the latest NarrowBoatWorld article on the "Gravel Boats" A lot of help has been given at the locks, and one enthusiastic supporter has been lock-wheeling for them on his bicycle and setting-up the locks ahead. I rather fear that may have been me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedwheel Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Apparently Arundel is towing a butty called 'Joe and Chris Gray'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stagedamager Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 They passed Lionhearts Cruising Club at Great Linford Milton Keynes at about 11:00. will upload piccies if I get time. Ditchdabbler snipped!!! I had a chat with the steerer of Joe, as they passed under bridge 79 by lionheart's, about mid day, a nice guy, who, unlike most, took the time to talk back, rather than just smiling and nodding!!!! it was a great sight to see, I unfortunately missed the others, due to being in bed as i didn't get home from work until about 4 AM. Wishing all involved a happy onward journey from the waters of MK!!! Regards, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bargemast Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 OK, A few formatting problems with our blog at the moment that I shall have to get the blog expert to sort out, (along with my spelling and grammar), but to avoid delaying publishing some pictures any longer, here is today's activity at Marsworth and Pitstone...... Thursday Gravel Boat Link To keep my efforts in one post, here is a reminder of yesterday..... Wednesday Gravel Boat Link Thanks to the crews - great fun. Special thanks to Steve (I hope I have remembered right!) and Mark on Themis and Callisto for feeding me biscuits and a much appreciated cuppa! What a great series of photographs Alan, thank you very much. Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivergate Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 Hi Can anyone share where they will be today around midday/or the best place to see them come through this afternoon please..? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty40s Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 Oh my God! - How embarrassing!It looks like I may be being referred to in the latest NarrowBoatWorld article on the "Gravel Boats" I rather fear that may have been me! well, I know it's me clinging to the side of Victoria Alan !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 SNIP...I had a chat with the steerer of Joe, a nice guy, who, unlike most, took the time to talk back, rather than just smiling and nodding!!!! HACK... On the butty rather than the motor was he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stagedamager Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 On the butty rather than the motor was he? he was indeed on the butty. He was a youngish lad, maybe early 20's, sorry don't know his name!! Regards Dan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Tawny Owl Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 Could explain why he was the only one to talk back to you, probably the only one who could hear you!! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty40s Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 Did he tell you how ill he was..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris-B Posted July 11, 2010 Report Share Posted July 11, 2010 They started about an hour and a half ago on the last day loaded.. I think Chris might have a elapse of his "ilness" before he gets back to work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FadeToScarlet Posted July 11, 2010 Report Share Posted July 11, 2010 he was indeed on the butty. He was a youngish lad, maybe early 20's, sorry don't know his name!!Regards Dan! I think the point John's making is that if you're on a motor, it's a lot harder to hear what's being said from the bank- hence the smiling and nodding, rather than replying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nbtafelberg Posted July 11, 2010 Report Share Posted July 11, 2010 he was indeed on the butty. He was a youngish lad, maybe early 20's, sorry don't know his name!!Regards Dan! His name is Chris he has a boat called Hayley and lives next door to me just above Uxbridge lock. You couldn't meet a nicer guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twbm Posted July 11, 2010 Report Share Posted July 11, 2010 (edited) Not sure where / if they will cross over, but Nuneaton and Brighton are leaving Alvecote at 0700 tomorrow, laden with about 35 to 40 tons between them, to go via Atherstone then on to the Oxford, so there's some fine photo opportunities possibly coming up. Edited July 11, 2010 by twbm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bargemast Posted July 11, 2010 Report Share Posted July 11, 2010 Thank you very much to this link with the photographs of your beautiful boats, and have a good trip with this heavy load. I'm looking forward to see the pictures of your trip from Alvecote to Oxford. Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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