Wooden boat at Deepcut on the Basingstoke

[Guest User]

A walk along the Deepcut flight this weekend revealed how beautiful this stretch of canal is (if only it had some water) .... and a butty, does anyone know it's identity ?

 

 

 

[Chris Pink]

I believe Laurence Hogg published an old picture of this a while back. Certainly looks like a town class Ricky to me.

 

Nice pictures.

 

...and reminds me what a shame it is that BW so assiduously clean up all wrecks.

[Derek R.]

That's perfect, leave exactly as it is. Whilst Nature does the 're-cycling', there's enough left to tell the story of what the water is there for and what it was used for. What a great focus for a school educational trip. Back to class, and research Narrow Boat carrying, along with the botanical and wildlife aspects.

 

Drek

[Richard Fairhurst]

Probably one of the Big Rickys brought to the Basingstoke in the 1960s by Floating Homes Ltd. (Our project boat Hagley was another one.)

[alan_fincher]

Probably one of the Big Rickys brought to the Basingstoke in the 1960s by Floating Homes Ltd. (Our project boat Hagley was another one.)

This has been linked to, before, of course, but well worth a look if you have not seen it.....

 

Link to British Pathe News film about basingstoke boats.

[NB Alnwick]

This has been linked to, before, of course, but well worth a look if you have not seen it.....

 

Link to British Pathe News film about basingstoke boats.

 

Presumably, that hulk was not one of the boats converted into a 'Floating Home'. Please can anyone say how many were converted and if any still exist? I have to say that the standard of the accommodation is rather better than any of the hire boats I recall of that era.

[alan_fincher]

Presumably, that hulk was not one of the boats converted into a 'Floating Home'.

Although I know very little of these boats, having only learnt of them through the forum, I can't see any reason why it might not be.

 

Clearly "Bid Ricky's" were used, that looks to probably be one, and there has to be a reason why it ended up on the Basingstoke.

 

But I'm only guessing, and perhaps someone else knows for certain ?

[carlt]

Presumably, that hulk was not one of the boats converted into a 'Floating Home'. Please can anyone say how many were converted and if any still exist? I have to say that the standard of the accommodation is rather better than any of the hire boats I recall of that era.

It probably was. Most of them have either been deconverted, tanked or degenerated to that condition.

 

Are there any left (other than Jester) that have retained their original hull, and houseboat topsides?

[Laurence Hogg]

I believe Laurence Hogg published an old picture of this a while back. Certainly looks like a town class Ricky to me.

 

Nice pictures.

 

...and reminds me what a shame it is that BW so assiduously clean up all wrecks.

 

Yes its in my album, certainly a large Ricky ex floating homes. Notice how the "common blue" paint has survived!! Good those old paints!

[Ads]

There are still some up there towards the bottom of the canal but most are in abit of mess with pond liners wrappred round there hulls.

On the same stretch is another sunken boat simalar to the above picture.

 

Ads

[pete harrison]

A walk along the Deepcut flight this weekend revealed how beautiful this stretch of canal is (if only it had some water) .... and a butty, does anyone know it's identity ?

 

 

 

This Large Ricky butty was one of several converted to house boats by Floating Homes Ltd. during the early 1960's. By 1962 it was occupied at Arthurs Bridge, Woking where it remained for the next 30 years or so, named JOHN P. It has been sunk at Deepcut for several years. Although I have a comprehensive list of Floating Homes Ltd. acquisitions most boats were renamed and there original identity lost. Considerable effort has been made to formally identify the Large Ricky hulk at Deepcut (as well as others over the years) but it appears to have lost its gauge plates.

 

The boats converted by Floating Homes Ltd. were quite an assortment made up of B.C.N. day boats (both iron and wood) and redundant family type boats from both 'British Waterways' and 'Barlows'. There are a few still remaining at Scotland Bridge, New Haw but you have to know what you are looking for as they are generally tanked in new steel hulls (one Large Ricky now named SAMANTHA and a sunken Large Ricky hulk are obvious).