Short Boat Kennet

[Chertsey]

Work on Kennet continued on Saturday, with most of the hull now being painted. A day or so's more welding is needed on the hull and engine room cabin, but the work which we hoped to undertake looks like being completed before Sunday 21st, when Kennet comes off dock. She will then return to Bedford Basin, Leigh, where around eight tons of ballast will be laid prior to the hold floor being replaced.

More photos on the Kennet Flickr site, see above for the address.

And a guaging weight?

[Pluto]

And a guaging weight?

Hopefully, if Severn is back at Bedford Basin!

[Derek R.]

Very satisfying seeing work get done, as I'm sure it is getting it done. Thanks for the pictures.

[Mike C]

Hopefully, if Severn is back at Bedford Basin!

 

Ah - Severn is still at Yarwoods Basin on the Weaver. www.yarwoodsbasin.co.uk

[Pluto]

Work continues on Worsley drydock, where the outside of the hull has now been given two coats of bitumastic. All welding has been completed, and the engine room cabin now looks like this.

More photos on the Kennet Flickr site. There will be a final work party on Saturday, when the inside of the hull will be waxoyled, ready for ballast to be laid. Kennet will leave dock on Sunday for Bedford Basin, Leigh, where the ballast will be loaded, prior to returning to Greenberfield.

[Pluto]

Kennet came off dock at Worsley today, 21 August, and is now at Bedford Basin where ballast will be loaded. This view shows her leaving Worsley.

[Pluto]

Kennet was moved from Greenberfield to Skipton yesterday as part of the on-going HLF funded improvement programme. In Skipton a new generator, hold cover, steps and facilities will be added, followed by a repaint in Canal Transport Ltd livery. Volunteers still wanted, even though some work is being done professionally. Have a look at the Kennet pages at the L&LC Society pages.

Kennet at Bank Newton on 29th October. The part of the floor and the stove in the cabin have been removed so the lifebelt won't melt!

[Pluto]

hi all

i live on narrow boat morse in holland and i have just recorded a 45 min docu about

the leeds and liverpool canal witch was mainly about alen and his beautiful boat anna .

it was shown on arte hd in germany.

cheers

rien

 

hi all

i live on narrow boat morse in holland and i have just recorded a 45 min docu about

the leeds and liverpool canal witch was mainly about alen and his beautiful boat anna .

it was shown on arte hd in germany.

cheers

rien

The documentary is being shown, courtesy of the L&LC Society, tomorrow, 12 November, at Barnoldswick Library. All welcome from 1pm, the meeting ending when the library closes at 4pm. I will be showing other canal videos as well - not sure which as it will depend on who turns up.

[Pluto]

To keep people up-to-date with Kennet, she is currently in Skipton, and there will be work parties this Thursday-Sunday (17-20 November) to relay the floor in the hold, and the section removed in the bow cabin. Around ten tons of ballast has been laid in the space which will be under the floor. The new generator has been ordered, and the design of the toilet and storage facilities decided upon - I won't say whether it's pump-out or cassette as it has caused enough discussion already! The design of the new entry steps is currently being decided upon, and new displays are also in the pipeline. All of the inside of the hold and engine room have been repainted.

 

The completion date is expected to be mid-June, with a 're-launch' over the weekend (23-24 June) at the Burscough Heritage Week, 18-24 June. I am sure they organisers of the Heritage Week would be delighted for other historic boats to attend.

 

We do have a dedicated band of volunteers to look after Kennet,but are always looking for new recruits. Contact details can be found on the L&LC Society website.

[Pluto]

Over the three days 17-19 November, the floor in the hold was relaid, apart from the boards next to the side of the boat. New boards are needed here, and they will require a little fitting. This was the scene towards the end of Saturday afternoon when most of the boards had been laid.

 

 

The floor to the bow cabin was also relaid - it had been partially removed to allow the inside of the hull to be descaled and painted. The lining in one of the bed holes which had been removed when welding was undertaken on dock was also replaced, and the stove refitted and lit.

[Pluto]

Volunteers are continuing work on the hold, 16 December, 2011, which has now been relaid and prepared for sealing. The new diesel generator has arrived, ready for installation by Pennine Cruisers, who are also undertaking construction of the toilet and other facilities. In the New Year, Kennet will move to Snaygill Boats for the new hold covering frame to be erected and a full repaint.

 

The hold as it was this morning.

[Derek R.]

I wonder if KENNET ever had this on the stove?

 

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/16294681/1621022605/name/Bargee%27s%20Pail.pdf

[Pluto]

I wonder if KENNET ever had this on the stove?

 

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/16294681/1621022605/name/Bargee%27s%20Pail.pdf

For a start, boatmen on the L&LC would regard being called a bargee as an insult. The method of cooking would certainly suit the type of cast iron stove used on the L&LC. They were open fronted and did not usually have an oven, so boiling or frying were the usual methods of cooking. That said, I just cannot see any boatmen liking tea that was stewed in this way. The recipe may have a grain of truth, but as published here is unlikely to be correct.

 

I am not sure what type of stove was originally used on Kennet as it has a typical small stove with oven today. I do have plans for making patterns for a more traditional L&LC type of stove so than new ones can be cast.

[Guest leeparkinson]

mike do you have any advice on trying get lottery grants for ambush and viktoria

[Pluto]

Kennet is currently being signwritten after painting at Snaygill, Skipton. The photo was taken today, 11th May. Kennet should be off dock in about a week and then, after the finishing touches at Greenberfield, heading down to the Heritage Weekend 23/24 June at Burscough. Besides the work paid for by the HLF, over 2500 hours of volunteer time has been given to the project already. Visits to the Riversway Festival at Preston (July), and the Canal Festival at Burnley (September) are also fixed for this year.

 

[Chertsey]

Please can we have a photo of the gauging weight once it's in place!

 

(Background info - Chertsey came with two gauging weights as part of its ballast - a Grand Junction one which I've kept, and a Leeds and Liverpool one which I donated to Kennet. It was removed from Chertsey's hold by some strong young men and loaded onto Severn, another L&L boat, at Ellesmere Port at Easter 2011, and delivered via the Mersey to Liverpool to be transferred to Kennet.)

[bargemast]

Kennet is looking like a soldier on parade.

 

Peter.

[twbm]

A little off topic but whilst travelling on the Docklands Light railway this week I caught sight of L&L shortboat Clitheroe being used as a work platform on the river inside the Olympic Park. Looking very rusty, battered and sad, couldn't have been a greater contrast to Kennet.

[bowten]

That's Alan Holden, who worked for Canal Transport right at the end of commercial carrying over the main line of the L&LC, and who then went to work for the Bridgewater Department on the Kelloggs traffic, amongst others. His current boat is quite well-known up north, being a seven-feet-wide version of a L&LC short boat. As usual, he's chatting about canals.....

Yep know him well,real nice chap.

[Chertsey]

A little off topic but whilst travelling on the Docklands Light railway this week I caught sight of L&L shortboat Clitheroe being used as a work platform on the river inside the Olympic Park. Looking very rusty, battered and sad, couldn't have been a greater contrast to Kennet.

Yep, saw it yesterday.

 

Interesting question, which is better - rusty and battered, but still being used (or I suppose you might say misused), or pristine museum specimen. Discuss.

[Pluto]

Yep, saw it yesterday.

 

Interesting question, which is better - rusty and battered, but still being used (or I suppose you might say misused), or pristine museum specimen. Discuss.

Depends upon what you are trying to achieve. However, a pristine museum exhibit might change perceptions of canal carrying, which could result in money being available for new commercial boats to replace the 'rusty and battered' ones.

[Pluto]

Kennet left Snaygill today after repainting. The decoration either side of the name isn't quite right, but otherwise the painters/sign writers have done really well. Now the steps have to be loaded and the displays sorted out prior to 23/24 June at Burscough.

 

 

[bargemast]

KENNET looks almost like a brand new Leeds & Liverpool Shortboat, the whole team have done a great job, it's a pleasure to see her like this.

 

Peter.

[Derek R.]

It may only be paint - but what a difference it makes. Well done all.

 

My wife's still promising to finish (or re-start) that L & L Gansey!

[bargemast]

It may only be paint - but what a difference it makes. Well done all.

 

My wife's still promising to finish (or re-start) that L & L Gansey!

 

 

You are right Derek, it's only the paint that makes the visible difference, but it needed a lot more then that, with all the steel-work for the repairs to the hull, I'm sure they used a lot more (invisible) elbow-grease than paint on this well done job.

 

Peter.