Working boats and carrying Companys on the Ashby cut

[charlie pig]

I am interested in finding the names of some of the working boats and there carrying comanys that used the Ashby from the thirtys to its demise in the sixtys. I have seen an old black and white photo from 1936 of a Boat with the name of Lion, this on the ACA web site. Unfortunatly its not possible to make out the company or owners name, any ideas ?

[Guest]

Sorry - can't resist -

 

http://www.aca.uk.com/

 

I don't think you will...

[NB Alnwick]

Sorry - can't resist -

 

http://www.aca.uk.com/

 

I don't think you will...

 

Please go straight to the NORTY STEP!

Do not pass GO and do not pick $200

[charlie pig]

Know a good pump out point?

[mykaskin]

that used the Ashby from the thirtys to its demise in the sixtys.

 

Better not talk to Trevor Maggs then, who was coal boating on the Ashby in the 70's!

 

I'm sure there will be an expert along in a minute, but there is also lots of interesting information in Narrow Boat Magazine.

 

Mike

[Chertsey]

Better not talk to Trevor Maggs then, who was coal boating on the Ashby in the 70's!

 

I'm sure there will be an expert along in a minute, but there is also lots of interesting information in Narrow Boat Magazine.

 

Mike

Though to be fair, was not much of the business in the seventies (and sixties) primarily in aid of keeping the canal open, and organised by the canal society? And with a constant struggle to find and keep customers? This is certainly the impression I got from Gerald Box's book (Clinging On? not sure if I've remembered the title right).

 

I know Chertsey had one of these contracts (i.e. one trip, Gopsall to Croxley in 1969/70) but the Ashby Canal Society have not been able to help at all in tracking it down; I was disappointed as I had hoped that they would have kept an archive of the contracts they let.

[jake_crew]

Narrow Boat magazine looks interesting for us nostalgia freaks. I might get someone to sign up me for it for Xmas.

 

Anyone got any of the back issues for sale ?

 

I looked on Ebby, but didn't find any.

[Chertsey]

Narrow Boat magazine looks interesting for us nostalgia freaks. I might get someone to sign up me for it for Xmas.

 

Anyone got any of the back issues for sale ?

 

I looked on Ebby, but didn't find any.

I think that if you subscribe you get access to the online archive of back issues.

[Richard Fairhurst]

You don't (yet) - but we've done that for WW and hope to do it for NB in the not too distant future.

[pete harrison]

I am interested in finding the names of some of the working boats and there carrying comanys that used the Ashby from the thirtys to its demise in the sixtys. I have seen an old black and white photo from 1936 of a Boat with the name of Lion, this on the ACA web site. Unfortunatly its not possible to make out the company or owners name, any ideas ?

 

I may not be "mykaskin"'s expert but I do have a few notes on canal boats.

 

The first part of your question is too vague as I could list well in excess of a hundred boats that operated on the Ashby Canal from the 1930's to the 1960's.

 

The motor boat in the photograph was built by W.H. Walker & Bros. Ltd., Rickmansworth as LION for British Portland Cement Co. Ltd., London, being health registered as Brentford 349 on 7 December 1915 and Grand Junction Canal gauged as 11896 on 04 September 1916. It was sold to Samuel Barlow (Tamworth) Ltd. on 24 December 1929 and subsequently health registered as Tamworth 80 on 08 February 1930. Samuel Barlow (Tamworth) Ltd. became Samuel Barlow Coal Co. Ltd. in June 1931 and it is this company's livery that can be seen in the photograph. When this photograph was taken LION was fitted with a 12hp Petter semi-diesel which had been fitted by 'Barlows' to replace an old National diesel. 'Barlows' records indicate that LION was scrapped by the end of June 1949.

[carlt]

You don't (yet) - but we've done that for WW and hope to do it for NB in the not too distant future.

I'll stop looking then.

[Derek R.]

Back issues available @ £4.95, Narrow Boat Magazine website, click on back issues. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

[charlie pig]

I may not be "mykaskin"'s expert but I do have a few notes on canal boats.

 

The first part of your question is too vague as I could list well in excess of a hundred boats that operated on the Ashby Canal from the 1930's to the 1960's.

 

The motor boat in the photograph was built by W.H. Walker & Bros. Ltd., Rickmansworth as LION for British Portland Cement Co. Ltd., London, being health registered as Brentford 349 on 7 December 1915 and Grand Junction Canal gauged as 11896 on 04 September 1916. It was sold to Samuel Barlow (Tamworth) Ltd. on 24 December 1929 and subsequently health registered as Tamworth 80 on 08 February 1930. Samuel Barlow (Tamworth) Ltd. became Samuel Barlow Coal Co. Ltd. in June 1931 and it is this company's livery that can be seen in the photograph. When this photograph was taken LION was fitted with a 12hp Petter semi-diesel which had been fitted by 'Barlows' to replace an old National diesel. 'Barlows' records indicate that LION was scrapped by the end of June 1949.

[charlie pig]

Pete thanks for the above information about NB Lion. A couple or three of the company and boat names in use on the Ashby around 1955/60 would also be useful, thanks again.

[Hairy-Neil]

and organised by the canal society?

 

 

I believe so, but run under the auspices Of Ashby Canal Transport Ltd. as the National Coal Board would only deal with an approved coal merchant.

[Tam & Di]

Though to be fair, was not much of the business in the seventies (and sixties) primarily in aid of keeping the canal open, and organised by the canal society? And with a constant struggle to find and keep customers? This is certainly the impression I got from Gerald Box's book (Clinging On? not sure if I've remembered the title right).

 

I know Chertsey had one of these contracts (i.e. one trip, Gopsall to Croxley in 1969/70) but the Ashby Canal Society have not been able to help at all in tracking it down; I was disappointed as I had hoped that they would have kept an archive of the contracts they let.

 

 

Ashby Canal Transport became registered coal dealers at that time to supply a number of boats which loaded at Gopsall in the 70s. For a while we loaded Towcester & Bude with about 40+ tons, plus also Stamford as a single motor, most usually DS ("dirty smoke") which we then had to weigh and bag up into 1cwt bags - usually old fertiliser sacks begged from farmers. For several years we did one load down the 30-12 and on down onto the Berkeley Ship Canal, stopping at various places to sell to local villagers who had long had coal off the boats. Cadbury's wharf at Frampton was an excellent stop, as we inevitably quickly sold everything we had, and also got to live on 'broken biscuits' from the factory. Then back to load again for the Lee and Stort, again more commonly to local residents than to house boats. We also loaded there for deliveries to all the lock keepers on the Thames - they paid a weekly sum to Thames Conservancy and we delivered their winter supplies in bulk. I've got hundreds of photos but unfortunately they were almost all of them colour slides and not immediately easy to do anything with. ACT were basically Nick Hill, Tom Henshaw, and Dave Warren. Certainly Nick and Dave are still active - Dave and his wife Penny have a barge over here in France/Belgium.

[Derek R.]

(snip) I've got hundreds of photos but unfortunately they were almost all of them colour slides and not immediately easy to do anything with. (snip)

For what it's worth: There are some good scanners available which can do slides and negatives. I have an Epson Perfection V300 PHOTO, through Amazon around £70. You get a special frame that takes multiple slides or negatives.

[Chertsey]

I believe so, but run under the auspices Of Ashby Canal Transport Ltd. as the National Coal Board would only deal with an approved coal merchant.

Yes, that's what I meant, sorry. I had hoped that ACS would have still have the transport company's records; does anyone know whether any records for the company still exist?

[Hairy-Neil]

Yes, that's what I meant, sorry. I had hoped that ACS would have still have the transport company's records; does anyone know whether any records for the company still exist?

 

The Narrow Boat Trust, as just about their only remaining customer, were offered Ashby Canal Transport Ltd for a token around 12 years ago. The NBT declined the offer due to the cost of administrating ACT, and instead, IIRC, set up their own trading arm.

[fanshaft]

Though to be fair, was not much of the business in the seventies (and sixties) primarily in aid of keeping the canal open, and organised by the canal society? And with a constant struggle to find and keep customers? This is certainly the impression I got from Gerald Box's book (Clinging On? not sure if I've remembered the title right).

 

I know Chertsey had one of these contracts (i.e. one trip, Gopsall to Croxley in 1969/70) but the Ashby Canal Society have not been able to help at all in tracking it down; I was disappointed as I had hoped that they would have kept an archive of the contracts they let.

 

AFAIK Nick Hill has all the loading records etc, as I remember him showing me them, not so long ago - at least the ones relating to Croxley. That's probably why the ACS can't help - and I think the Transport section was a bit 'arms length' from the main society. I can ask Nick this weekend (CBOA AGM).

 

regards

 

David L

[jeannette smith harrison]

Back issues available @ £4.95, Narrow Boat Magazine website, click on back issues. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

I ordered all my missing back orders over the phone paid with credit card & they arrived two days later was well pleased with service as i now have every issue.

jeannette