Large Northwich 'Stamford'

[Mike C]

I hate to admit it but as a teenager I had a poster on my bedroom wall of 'Murrells' TOWCESTER and BINGLEY in this livery and tied outside Bulbourne Workshops. I think I may also have this image somewhere as a postcard.

I also had one for a while - if I remember correctly it was one of a series produced by BWB............and I think that the motor was against the bank – or is my memory being a bit fuzzy?

[pete harrison]

I also had one for a while - if I remember correctly it was one of a series produced by BWB............and I think that the motor was against the bank – or is my memory being a bit fuzzy?

Yes, that's the one

[Tam & Di]

It was a lettering style I devised myself, though obviously based on similar letter forms. I used it on all the narrowboats, though I changed the colours in 1977 to red and blue with cream lining as noted earlier. I think I've put this shot of Bicester at Stocker's on before, in an interim colour scheme, coming back down from the dry dock at Bulbourne.

 

 

(I can't work out how to make the image larger!)

Edited September 13, 2012 by Tam & Di

[pete harrison]

I think I've put this shot of Bicester at Stocker's on before, in an interim colour scheme, coming back down from the dry dock at Bulbourne.

 

 

(I can't work out how to make the image larger!)

Although I have a date when you disposed of BICESTER I Do not have a date for your acquisition. Can you help me with this as it leaves a gap in the history of this boat ? Also do you recall who you acquired BICESTER from ?

[Tam & Di]

Although I have a date when you disposed of BICESTER I Do not have a date for your acquisition. Can you help me with this as it leaves a gap in the history of this boat ? Also do you recall who you acquired BICESTER from ?

 

 

I'm not together with any of my records at the moment, and haven't a clue about dates. We bought it from Lady Grey (of Earl Grey teas) at Ricky. We loaded it a couple of times at Gopsall (Louis as steerer) and then went into dock at Bulbourne for Cad (Paul Castle, who I've just heard died recently of cancer) to do some welding to the bottom. He used a flame thrower nozzle to remove the scale, and we were left with a bottom that looked like a skeletal leaf. That must have been 1977-78 as the photo here is on my way back from the docking, where I'd also repainted it.

Edited September 14, 2012 by Tam & Di

[jeannette smith harrison]

Yes, Stamford was one of ours. Tom and Ellen Humphries worked her with Bude on the barrels for BW, and we got both of them when BW put them up for tender. Here she is working with middle Northwich Leonids - our favouritest butty, and Andy Farqueson is gettimg 'em on. What was that thread about the way to work locks?

 

Thanks for the photos Carl - I'd love to see any others you come across. The doors seem to be work in progeress!

 

Tam & Di

Ellen Humphries was another of my Grandads sisters

[antarmike]

copyright Mike Fincher.

 

End of an Era, When Collier Brothers folded the coal business at Leighton, brother Pete bought Lyra. If my chronology is correct Bilster was stuck the wrong side of a tunnel collapse, so I could not fetch Lyra back to the Cowroast so Jason, with Stamford, towed Lyra to Cowroast instead and I steered the butty. On the Towpath at Linslade is Tim Collier's Moggy, we used to deliver coal with, the other two shots are going up Maffas and around the Railway crossing below Ivinghoe...Sorry they are lousy photo's. Probably a working day so Pete was Lock keeping or on the length.....Lyra was the last of the Collier - Leighton based coal boats to leave.

Edited September 14, 2012 by antarmike

[jeannette smith harrison]

copyright Mike Fincher.

 

End of an Era, When Collier Brothers folded the coal business at Leighton, brother Pete bought Lyra. If my chronology is correct Bilster was stuck the wrong side of a tunnel collapse, so I could not fetch Lyra back to the Cowroast so Jason, with Stamford, towed Lyra to Cowroast instead and I steered the butty. On the Towpath at Linslade is Tim Collier's Moggy, we used to deliver coal with, the other two shots are going up Maffas and around the Railway crossing below Ivinghoe...Sorry they are lousy photo's. Probably a working day so Pete was Lock keeping or on the length.....Lyra was the last of the Collier - Leighton based coal boats to leave.

Hello Mike

Do you know if this is the same Lyra that was in Leighton Buzzard early 1950 & had steerer Robert Joseph Harrison

better known as Jo Harrison? He later worked for Wyvern Shipping.

Jeannette

[pete harrison]

Hello Mike

Do you know if this is the same Lyra that was in Leighton Buzzard early 1950 & had steerer Robert Joseph Harrison

better known as Jo Harrison? He later worked for Wyvern Shipping.

Jeannette

As far as my records indicate there were only two commercial boats named LYRA in the recent past, one was a wide boat for Canal Transport Ltd., Liverpool (1932) and the other was a narrow butty for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Co. Ltd. (1935). This confirms that the boat at Leighton Buzzard in early 1950 must be the same as those in Mr Fincher's photographs (I knew it was but thought I would produce some evidence to keep the 'enthusiasts' happy). This LYRA is currently for sale at Saul, near Gloucester

 

edit - dates added - and then spelling !!!.

Edited September 15, 2012 by pete harrison

[jeannette smith harrison]

As far as my records indicate there were only two commercial boats named LYRA in the recent past, one was a wide boat for Canal Transport Ltd., Liverpool (1932) and the other was a narrow butty for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Co. Ltd. (1935). This confirms that the boat at Leighton Buzzard in early 1950 must be the same as those in Mr Fincher's photographs (I knew it was but though I would produce some evidence to keep the 'enthusiasts' happy). This LYRA is currently for sale at Saul, near Gloucester

 

edit - dates added.

Many thanks for this info Pete

a member of the family was born on Lyra.

let me know if you want exact date ect.

Jeannette

[mark99]

Thanks!

 

I was struggling!

 

 

I think there used to be a General Stores on the offside called Jons Stores which I used to use a lot? now long gone.

 

Mark

Edited September 15, 2012 by mark99

[pete harrison]

I think there used to be a General Stores on the offside called Jons Stores which I used to use a lot? now long gone.

 

Mark

see post number 22

[mark99]

see post number 22

 

ok missed that.

[alan_fincher]

copyright Mike Fincher.

 

.......and around the Railway crossing below Ivinghoe...

Actually just north of Pitstone Wharf, and I would say very close to where the (now) BW managed pontoon moorings at Cook's Wharf have since been built.

 

My eyesight is struggling, (having literally just been battling with Sickle's exhaust through Blisworth tunnel!), but I think the sign is DDBC - i.e, Dunstable and District Boat Club, (which is still with us, albeit with less pennants and white gloves these days!.....)

Edited September 15, 2012 by alan_fincher

[Timleech]

Actually just north of Pitstone Wharf, and I would say very close to where the (now) BW managed pontoon moorings at Cook's Wharf have since been built.

 

My eyesight is struggling, (having literally just been battling with Sickle's exhaust through Blisworth tunnel!), but I think the sign is DDBC - i.e, Dunstable and District Boat Club, (which is still with us, albeit with less pennants and white gloves these days!.....)

 

How many people are there in the front of that Springer?

 

Tim

[antarmike]

How many people are there in the front of that Springer?

 

Tim

Quite a lot, it is one of the "Kingfisher" / " Grebe" day trip boats....

 

Actually just north of Pitstone Wharf, and I would say very close to where the (now) BW managed pontoon moorings at Cook's Wharf have since been built.

 

My eyesight is struggling, (having literally just been battling with Sickle's exhaust through Blisworth tunnel!), but I think the sign is DDBC - i.e, Dunstable and District Boat Club, (which is still with us, albeit with less pennants and white gloves these days!.....)

It is just south of Cooks Wharf. (which doesn't have an apostrophe) ...the other side of the "Duke of Wellington" road bridge, just after the railway crossing....which is what "around" means, i.e. in the area of.....

 

Presumably Pitstone Wharf was named as such in the seventies, but to be honest, I have never heard of it, no one ever used it, no faclities where there, and no one ever referred to it as such. DDBC was further down from where this shot was taken and from my, probably defective,memory the slow down sign was some distance before the moorings started....I was naming the location in terms of names and facilities in use at the time...

certainly as you can see Pistone wharf is very near the Railway crossing

Edited September 16, 2012 by antarmike

[alan_fincher]

Quite a lot, it is one of the "Kingfisher" / " Grebe" day trip boats....

I think it is probably the original Grebe - the one I had my first wedding reception on. IIRC carrying at maybe 50 on a trip narrow boat wasn't embargoed back then!

 

It is just south of Cooks Wharf. (which doesn't have an apostrophe) ...the other side of the "Duke of Wellington" road bridge, just after the railway crossing....which is what "around" means, i.e. in the area of.....

 

Presumably Pitstone Wharf was named as such in the seventies, but to be honest, I have never heard of it, no one ever used it, no faclities where there, and no one ever referred to it as such. DDBC was further down from where this shot was taken and from my, probably defective,memory the slow down sign was some distance before the moorings started....I was naming the location in terms of names and facilities in use at the time...

certainly as you can see Pistone wharf is very near the Railway crossing

Fair enough, on Cooks wharf spelling - the other version is regularly used, but I accept quite probably wrong!

 

I have never quite understood why Ivinghoe in canal terms means further North, but in my head it does, I'm afraid,

 

The Ivinghoe locks are obviously well to the North of that picture, as you have all three Seabrook locks, and a fair length of cut before you hit the Ivinghoe ones.

 

So whilst it could be argued that both Cooks Wharf and the West Coast Main Line railway bridge aren't actually that far from Ivinghoe village, I would say that in canal terms if you say Ivinghoe, most people will think of a stretch further North.

 

That;s how I read it, anyway - I'm sure we both know where that shot was taken, but most people nowadays would probably not recognise that in connection with Ivinghoe.

 

And "below" can be interpreted as "North of", if you actually think of Ivinghoe locks, the only canal feature I feel really adopts that name ! {)

[Tam & Di]

I think it is probably the original Grebe - the one I had my first wedding reception on. IIRC carrying at maybe 50 on a trip narrow boat wasn't embargoed back then!

 

 

Fair enough, on Cooks wharf spelling - the other version is regularly used, but I accept quite probably wrong!

 

You are not the first to ask!

 

Previous thread

 

Overnight stop at Cook's wharf

 

I followed your link on "For Sale: Historic converted tug 71'ft (sic) Woolwich", and got to this. Spelling of Cook's by bro' Antarmike from his post 6/12/09

 

(sorry Mike )

Edited September 16, 2012 by Tam & Di

[antarmike]

Overnight stop at Cook's wharf

 

I followed your link on "For Sale: Historic converted tug 71'ft (sic) Woolwich", and got to this. Spelling of Cook's by bro' Antarmike from his post 6/12/09

 

(sorry Mike )

Touche should have been a grocer.....

Edited September 16, 2012 by antarmike

[Kez]

Might do . Let me see.

 

Ta daa. Best I've got.

 

 

 

It was a lettering style I devised myself, though obviously based on similar letter forms. I used it on all the narrowboats, though I changed the colours in 1977 to red and blue with cream lining as noted earlier. I think I've put this shot of Bicester at Stocker's on before, in an interim colour scheme, coming back down from the dry dock at Bulbourne.

 

 

(I can't work out how to make the image larger!)

 

 

Excellent stuff chaps, I may be pinching that style for some bits on my gang

[Mike C]

Thanks everyone these pictures are great.

 

I have been thinking and has any one seen any pictures of her working for GUCC? - there must be one somewhere

 

Reuben C

[Ruston]

copyright Mike Fincher.

 

End of an Era, When Collier Brothers folded the coal business at Leighton, brother Pete bought Lyra. If my chronology is correct Bilster was stuck the wrong side of a tunnel collapse, so I could not fetch Lyra back to the Cowroast so Jason, with Stamford, towed Lyra to Cowroast instead and I steered the butty. On the Towpath at Linslade is Tim Collier's Moggy, we used to deliver coal with, the other two shots are going up Maffas and around the Railway crossing below Ivinghoe...Sorry they are lousy photo's. Probably a working day so Pete was Lock keeping or on the length.....Lyra was the last of the Collier - Leighton based coal boats to leave.

 

Many thanks for the photos - the first time I have seen these.

 

I grew up on Lyra with my sister Charity.

 

My parents bought Freedom No4 from Terry Walden at Tring around 1988, downsizing from a large victorian house in Wolverton. I was 7yrs then and first thing I learnt was painting at one of the festivals (with Ron Hough?), before doing the pans and scumbling the back-cabin where I lived. Freedom had a Ruston engine from a crane, with a huge radiator. We travelled around a lot in those first years - the canals were still quiet and in some places shallow!

 

We commuted to school for the last couple of weeks of term, before settling in Buzzard for a year where we first met 'Poacher' - Andrew was the same age as me. Charity went to ballet at Woollards at Old Wolverton, and fairly sure the husband of the elderly teacher ran the boatyard there. This was around the same time the card factory was pulled down and Tesco built in its place. After travelling around and my dad getting work in Northants, we moved to Buckby Top Lock next to Shirley Ginger. We went to junior school in Long Buckby and then 45min bus ride to secondary school in Guilsborough (even though Daventry was closer - they didn't offer transport). Needing space to do homework, and my parents wanting some privacy, they bought Lyra for us from Warwickshire Fly where she had recently been rebottomed.

 

Charity was 10yrs and me 11yrs old then. Once again I had the back cabin, there was a kitchen / curtained bathroom / cast iron bath (totally inpractical) and my sister lived under the boarded covers. So it was strip washes and toilet in a bucket. We moved round the corner onto the newly dredged and piled Leicester Arm, next to the Toll Cottage my mum looked after. It had been converted from Mr Fielding's Salvation Army to a holiday cottage (now privately owned). 'Minnow' the little boat was reconditioned, but then disappeared. Jo and Nigel moored behind us soon after on their working boats. Understand they're now in Cropedy.

 

Every Sunday morning I would get up early and accompany Tony Donnelly (lockkeeper) down the flight, checking the backpumps and then helping the holiday boaters through the sticky locks. I quickly became accustomed to the talk, different boats and engine sounds. My first job was at Thrupp Grounds on the farm, gardening and odd jobs, before a couple of summers at New Inn in the kitchen. I also cleaned the boats at Welton each Friday evening. Through 6th form onward I worked at Althorp House for Earl Spencer, and Charity joining me a year later. The manager had seen my application a year before, and seemed interested in our upbringing. I was pulled back for functions and events until a couple of years ago.

 

Was always into running and well known for popping up miles away. My Sunday run from around 14yr old was over to Braunston, Daventry (past resevoir), Norton, Whilton and back up the locks. I then extended this by going out to Welton Hythe, across the fields / roads to Braunston. Also had some good loops across to Buckby. I just had to remember the towpaths, particularly the stretch to Braunston when it was getting dark after school!

 

I loved my time on the boats despite being remote. It seems everybody knew us as the boat family, but I rarely noticed. It was only when we changed schools that it was assumed we were uneducated and placed in bottom classes. Otherwise being sporty, fit and strong probably helped mix in. Charity was very quiet. I was the first person in the family to go to University - Loughborough and then Coventry - that was luxury having running hot water! Oddly in 2nd and 3rd years I shared a room with a top GB athlete (now Olympian), among a flat of internationals. On the way to a World Cross Country all of my mates called into the boats to see where I grew up! From 2005 I have worked in athletics and this year coached my first Paralympian.

 

My dad moved out and left my mum with the boats for a year or two. Charity had gone to University at this point too. So in 2002 we had to sell-up as it was difficult for my mum to keep the boats in order whilst working nights. Our neighbours were a great help and I forget how strong my mum was changing the gas bottles and moving around coal. Charity and I were supposed to have a boat each after Uni, but that didn't happen...

 

I hope somebody helps Lyra back to her old self.

[Tam & Di]

Many thanks for the photos - the first time I have seen these.

 

I grew up on Lyra with my sister Charity.

 

 

 

 

One day Reuben C will be telling similar tales no doubt, from the perspective of a third generation boat dweller.

[David Schweizer]

It is really bugging me where this one is.....

 

 

It has to be above a lock, surely, and those railings look SO familiar.....

 

But where ?

Coming out of Batchworth Lock, Rickmansworth heading north.

 

Going back a bit, but I knew Batchworth very well in the 1960's but I cannot recall the modern building on the off side, or was that built later? I also seem to recall the stretch above Batchworth being straight for much further, no doubt someone will correct me.

 

If it is above Batchworth, the boat moored beyond the pair is almost certainly John Sherrat's converted wooden Joey "Trojan"

Edited October 4, 2012 by David Schweizer

[Tam & Di]

Going back a bit, but I knew Batchworth very well in the 1960's but I cannot recall the modern building on the off side, or was that built later? I also seem to recall the stretch above Batchworth being straight for much further, no doubt someone will correct me.

 

If it is above Batchworth, the boat moored beyond the pair is almost certainly John Sherrat's converted wooden Joey "Trojan"

 

Definitely Ricky - it follows from the one in the lock with me on the boats and Jason talking to someone on the lockside. There is a canvas "boatshed" in the distance built by Harrison Chaplin, on the turn where the Colne runs off to the right in the picture. Jason caught it gently with the stern of Stamford once when the Colne was running hard and took him a bit by surprise