Working photos of FMC Rudd

[alan_fincher]

Alan,

I have a number of pictures from the trip which was quite extensive but know of no other users of the boat for this purpose, included in the trip are shots of the BW show in Gas St with various boats (inc Ling) on show. I also have slides of the pair at Marsworth in plain blue livery.

Are you confident of the 1963 date ?

 

I guess the boat must have been used for this purpose between when the Horne's used it for normal carrying, and when they had it on the piling.

 

However as they didn't come on land until several years later, this would imply that for a while at least, they had a motor that wasn't Aynho. Their memoirs certainly fail to reflect that.

 

Incidentally Sam Horne is still with us, but he looks a very frail old man these days, I'm afraid, and I'm not sure it would be fair to tap him for his recollections now.

[Québec]

Well for a so called "amateur" you are spot on in my books, well transposed.

 

No so spot on in my books, I'm afraid.

 

There are two forms of light at play here: direct e.g. sunlit, and reflected e.g. sky or water.

 

It's clear that the direct light is coming almost straight down casting strong shadows e.g. the shadows underneath the top line of the side panels, the shadows on the doors, the shadows underneath the peaked cap, etc.

 

It's also clear that there's a lot of reflected light from various directions also causing slightly weaker shadows. There's sufficient reflected light coming from the right of the photo for the doors to cast shadows. You can see the darker grey shadow of the top of the door on the pale area (presumably yellow) above the dark mouse ear on both boats.

 

There's also quite a bit of reflected light coming from the left of the photo, hence the reflection of whatever it is - probably sky - on the chimneys, causing the shadows on the right hand side of the chimneys.

 

The 'small triangle of a dark shade where the paintwork is in shadow' is far more likely to be the reflection of the darker Rudd in the paintwork, as it's highly unlikely, given the sources of light, that that section would be in shadow.

[Laurence Hogg]

Are you confident of the 1963 date ?

 

I guess the boat must have been used for this purpose between when the Horne's used it for normal carrying, and when they had it on the piling.

 

However as they didn't come on land until several years later, this would imply that for a while at least, they had a motor that wasn't Aynho. Their memoirs certainly fail to reflect that.

 

Incidentally Sam Horne is still with us, but he looks a very frail old man these days, I'm afraid, and I'm not sure it would be fair to tap him for his recollections now.

Alan,

Thats the date Graham gave me, it is fitted out for camping, I have pictures of it in Bulls Bridge, Gas St, Autherley, Cropredy from memory, looks fresh off the dock in all. BW certainly had a show in the early 60's in Gst St, I have a photo of Sam Lomas with a white hulled waterbus (just right for the BCN!!) taken during the trip as far as I know that show was 1963 showing off their new hire boats etc.

[David Schweizer]

Alan,

Thats the date Graham gave me, it is fitted out for camping, I have pictures of it in Bulls Bridge, Gas St, Autherley, Cropredy from memory, looks fresh off the dock in all. BW certainly had a show in the early 60's in Gst St, I have a photo of Sam Lomas with a white hulled waterbus (just right for the BCN!!) taken during the trip as far as I know that show was 1963 showing off their new hire boats etc.

I am veering a bit off topic here Lawrence, but is there any chance that you have any photos of Pisces when she was a waterbus renamed Water Sprite (I believe), or any of her when she was a fire boat during the war.

Edited September 2, 2012 by David Schweizer

[Laurence Hogg]

I am veering a bit off topic here Lawrence, but is there any chance that you have any photos of Pisces when she was a waterbus renamed Water Sprite (I believe), or any of her when she was a fire boat during the war.

David, did she get into the lighter blue livery? and do you know her LFS number?

[ricyoung]

All. Thanks for all of your comments. I think I found a darker colour because I was hoping to find something out of the ordinary). I guess we will have to stick with the colours she's in now, unless we go back to Red and Green, but that sounds like far too much effort! Thanks again. Ric

[David Schweizer]

David, did she get into the lighter blue livery? and do you know her LFS number?

I have only the basic information about Pisces, I do not have her LFB number, although Pete Harrison may have it. As far as I know Pisces was layed up before being converted into a waterbus, when I assume she was painted in the standard white and light blue, she was certainly in those colours when she was sold (hired?) to Hillingdon Youth service in 1965, here:-

 

[RLWP]

No so spot on in my books, I'm afraid.

 

There are two forms of light at play here: direct e.g. sunlit, and reflected e.g. sky or water.

 

It's clear that the direct light is coming almost straight down casting strong shadows e.g. the shadows underneath the top line of the side panels, the shadows on the doors, the shadows underneath the peaked cap, etc.

 

It's also clear that there's a lot of reflected light from various directions also causing slightly weaker shadows. There's sufficient reflected light coming from the right of the photo for the doors to cast shadows. You can see the darker grey shadow of the top of the door on the pale area (presumably yellow) above the dark mouse ear on both boats.

 

There's also quite a bit of reflected light coming from the left of the photo, hence the reflection of whatever it is - probably sky - on the chimneys, causing the shadows on the right hand side of the chimneys.

 

The 'small triangle of a dark shade where the paintwork is in shadow' is far more likely to be the reflection of the darker Rudd in the paintwork, as it's highly unlikely, given the sources of light, that that section would be in shadow.

 

Something else I have noticed about that photograph is that it has been developed/printed/processed/digitally-enhanced (pick whatever you want) with a very high degree of contrast in it. The blacks are very black and the light colours very light. I suspect this is also contributing to the confusion

 

Richard

[Laurence Hogg]

Something else I have noticed about that photograph is that it has been developed/printed/processed/digitally-enhanced (pick whatever you want) with a very high degree of contrast in it. The blacks are very black and the light colours very light. I suspect this is also contributing to the confusion

 

Richard

Its a photograph of a photograph, taken hand held on a window cill, not the best conditions for archiving but the only one available to record it at the time. This adds to the problems of contrast etc.

[bizzard]

Probably taken with Ilford film which for many years was the most popular B/W film, FP3 or a bit later FP4, quite contrasty film. HP was faster and more subtle.

[BuckbyLocks]

I have only the basic information about Pisces, I do not have her LFB number, although Pete Harrison may have it. As far as I know Pisces was layed up before being converted into a waterbus, when I assume she was painted in the standard white and light blue, she was certainly in those colours when she was sold (hired?) to Hillingdon Youth service in 1965, here:-

 

Faulkner certainly names Pisces as being one of the Fire Boats, confirmed by Cath Turpin, but unfortunately there is no mention of Pisces on the two lists of LFS boats that Cath has passed on to me. Cath is certainly the expert on these vessels hired from the GU fleet so if you can contact her she may be able to help with an LFS number.