The way we were 1970's & 80's

[Laurence Hogg]

Had the good chance today to find an album of long lost negatives and it contains some gems, take a look at these just a mere 30 - 40 years ago on a canal system that was still not sure about surviving.

 

This is Alan Stevens (Caggy) sorting out the boats on Elements old wharfage in Oldbury in 1978, note the "Comet" one of the last two Day boats ever built in wood.

 

Back then the Dudley No1 was an abandoned waterway, no licence required so quite a few of us over wintered in Tipton, where the scrap yard was is now a care home on the approach to the Black Country Museum.

 

To the left Don Paynes joey boat "Sally", on the wharf a Stewarts and Lloyds wooden joey, in front of that Keays tug "Judith Anne" with a bolinder oversheeted in the fore end, and outside of that one of Harris Bros short joeys ex the Forgings & Pressing trade on the B'ham & Fazeley, again 1978.

 

 

Birchills 1981, Ernie Thomas last boats have been fetched from Holly Bank basin and elsewhere by Freddie Moore, Ray Thomas has decided to end the site as such at Birchills and is filling in the arm burying the boats, he let me have the BCN plates of those that still had them.

 

 

Walsall Town arm, the last delivery came by the boat in the foreground and it was left to rot, the original warehouse still stands and the basin at this time was a stub end, the scene today could never have been imagined back then, sadly though there normally less boats than is visible in this 1978 scene.

 

[Derek R.]

1983 was the first time we encountered the BCN, and were fascinated and captivated. Quite why may be hard to understand when most relish the soft green water pathways teeming with wildlife, but the grime, pollution and industrial decay presented us with images of pure energy that once thrived. It seemed thick with ghosts and stories untold.

 

Nice shot of JUDITH ANNE. I took some of SALLY in the later eighties on the way to the BCLM.

 

 

[Pluto]

I have this photo down as 1971.

[carlt]

Oh those lovely vans!

[Laurence Hogg]

Maintenance was still done back in 1978, here is a Bantam tug with joey heading off to the tip after clearing part of the Walsall, it is seen alongside Rubery Owen works in Willenhall, a nother "giant" of British Industry now lost. Today a parcel distribution centre occupies the site at Owen rd.:

 

 

"Holiday time" at the IWA national at Northwich, a younger David Blagrove stands on "Neptune's" gunwale whilst ex BCN tug driver and Shropshire Union steerer Len Wilson drives the boat. To the right is ex FMC "Monarch" then owned by the late Andy millward.

 

[Laurence Hogg]

Here in 1977 the last two Joey boats of the Wulfruna coal company were still salvagable, however nothing was done and they are still there today. The yard hasnt changed much and is quite a time warp.

 

 

and a fore end close up:

 

[pearley]

In 1982 we hired 'Gamecock' from Alvechurch and spent 2 weeks around the BCN. Went up the Walsall Arm then. Had to moor on the coal wharf shown on the right in order to get off the boat. No pictures unfortunately as I forgot to reset the wind on lever on the camera so took about 20 shots on top of each other.

 

Regards

Pete

[David Mack]

Here in 1977 the last two Joey boats of the Wulfruna coal company were still salvagable, however nothing was done and they are still there today. The yard hasnt changed much and is quite a time warp.

 

 

and a fore end close up:

 

 

I remember those. A mate of mine wanted to raise one, but I don't thing he ever got any further than just thinking about it.

 

I also recall a tale from around that time of a couple of lads who raised a sunken joey from somewhere on the Wolverhampton Level, only to find when they got to the top of the 21 that it was an 'ampton boat!

 

David

[Laurence Hogg]

Sadly David that tale is true. the boat was E W Reid's BCN 2369, a Yates built "Hampton" boat and probably the last one to trade, approx 80ft x 7ft 6" it sat at their wharf with its "ellum" in the water alongside. It dissapeared only to end up being broken up in Wolverhampton by BW after being abandoned. I have its BCN plate at home. also a large scale model of it that Jim Yates commisioned for his office.

 

Here it is around 1972 lying at the wharf, note the ellum in the water, it was in near perfect condition at this time.

 

[MtB]

Nice shot of JUDITH ANNE.

 

Yes, and now owned and restored by forum member HughC, IIRC.

 

I had the privileged of a tour of JUDITH ANNE a couple of years ago when I bought a prop for ALDEBARAN from his son. Bewitching, enchanting boat. I want her!

 

Mike

[Laurence Hogg]

Now heres something a lot of people have asked about. this is the Harris built tug "Atlantic" moored at ernie Thomas's yard at Birchills in 1971. In the background can be seen the crane used to lift tugs and other boats out of the water run them over to the hard and drop them onto trucks to be rolled inside the workshop. What an efficent operation, but it was needed to keep tugs going when the power station traffic was in full flood. Ray, Ernie's son dismantled not only the crane but also filled in the drydock within a couple of years, no foresight at all!

 

Now for pundits of BW colour schemes, "Atlantic" shows a typical Bradley yard makeover, almost midnight blue with deep gold lining, the signwriting is done by stencil, this was their way of finishing the boats in this period. Yet to see a boat restored to this style!

 

Edited October 25, 2012 by Laurence Hogg

[AMModels]

I didnt realise Ray still had the crane area back then, I presumed it was owned by the woodworking firm that was in the main building that had the big sawdust hopper round the back of the crane. Was it around 82-83 it came down? The drydock had been infilled for a number of years prior to the crane going hadnt it?

 

I remember one of the Moores boats sinking when it was tied nose up to the old drydock and a whos who of BCN boatmen turning up to help him float her again, Freddie rings a bell but that could be cos I heard his name so often. Laurence did you ever see Bloxwich Queen, pleasure boat owned by an oldish chap who wore a captains hat some of the time... or it could have been another boat he owned but there was a Bloxwich Queen around in the early 80's at Birchills.

[Laurence Hogg]

I didnt realise Ray still had the crane area back then, I presumed it was owned by the woodworking firm that was in the main building that had the big sawdust hopper round the back of the crane. Was it around 82-83 it came down? The drydock had been infilled for a number of years prior to the crane going hadnt it?

 

I remember one of the Moores boats sinking when it was tied nose up to the old drydock and a whos who of BCN boatmen turning up to help him float her again, Freddie rings a bell but that could be cos I heard his name so often. Laurence did you ever see Bloxwich Queen, pleasure boat owned by an oldish chap who wore a captains hat some of the time... or it could have been another boat he owned but there was a Bloxwich Queen around in the early 80's at Birchills.

 

It tells you in the post if you read it, around 1972/3 it came down, maybe a year later but its not in any photos post that one. You would have been about 2 or 3 so I wouldnt expect you to remember. Drydock went early too, stupid man Ray.

Bloxwich Queen was around, didnt strike me as special, there were moorings in Little Bloxwich then, think I saw it there. Freddie Moore was around but went to Hatherton doing the trippers.

 

Before anyone asks where the "Enterprise"? look behind the Bantam, you can just see the roof and shaft rests.

Edited October 25, 2012 by Laurence Hogg

[stagedamager]

Yes, and now owned and restored by forum member HughC, IIRC.

 

I had the privileged of a tour of JUDITH ANNE a couple of years ago when I bought a prop for ALDEBARAN from his son. Bewitching, enchanting boat. I want her!

 

Mike

 

 

Keep your hands off!!!

She's coming along, we've just finished panelling and are looking at internal fitout.

The Kelvin F2 is running and BCN1645 is slowly being restored to have something to tow!

Regards,

Dan

( the chippy son, not the mechanical engineer son!!!!)

[AMModels]

It tells you in the post if you read it, around 1972/3 it came down, maybe a year later but its not in any photos post that one. You would have been about 2 or 3 so I wouldnt expect you to remember. Drydock went early too, stupid man Ray.

Bloxwich Queen was around, didnt strike me as special, there were moorings in Little Bloxwich then, think I saw it there. Freddie Moore was around but went to Hatherton doing the trippers.

 

Before anyone asks where the "Enterprise"? look behind the Bantam, you can just see the roof and shaft rests.

 

Youre wrong Laurence the crane didnt come down that early at all, it was definitely around still in 80/81 and I was at least 10 or 11 so I do remember it perfectly, I suggest your subsequent photos date from a decade later than you imagined. I know the dry dock was earlier as it had a an engineering company in it by the time I remember it and the brick facings onto the canal were ageing already; there was nothing special about Bloxwich Queen other than it was interesting for being based in Birchills at a time when very few boats would come past or even venture on to the Walsall canal.

 

The woodworking factory, which at the time I know the crane was still there, were into both units seen in your pic and there was a hopper about 30 ft high which was part of the extraction unit and a lorry would come every week or so to empty it, the guys working there told me if it didnt come the dust could spontaneously combust from the inside. At the yard there was a 15-20ft punt owned by an old guy who was down every weekend with his grandson and they were fitting it out with the intention of holidaying on it, I dont know if they ever finished it.

 

Keep your hands off!!!

She's coming along, we've just finished panelling and are looking at internal fitout.

The Kelvin F2 is running and BCN1645 is slowly being restored to have something to tow!

Regards,

Dan

( the chippy son, not the mechanical engineer son!!!!)

 

Chippy as in on the shoulder or carpenter?

 

I'll get me coat....

 

[stagedamager]

A little from column A, a little from column B!!

[Derek R.]

(snipped)

 

Now for pundits of BW colour schemes, "Atlantic" shows a typical Bradley yard makeover, almost midnight blue with deep gold lining, the signwriting is done by stencil, this was their way of finishing the boats in this period. Yet to see a boat restored to this style!

 

 

And purple trees and water?

[carlt]

And purple trees and water?

The BCN was still very polluted back then.

[Laurence Hogg]

And purple trees and water?

Derek,

the photo is old and doesnt represent the true colours, plus whatever your pc screen is set to will make a difference. Bradley used a deeper than normal blue and a real deep golden yellow paint, I have looads of other pictures showing the scheme that may not have purple trees and water but do show stencil lettering and the scheme. It is the scheme which is important as it was their style unique to the yard (in the way Gorton perpetuated the LNER scheme adopted to BW colours), it may be the BCN style continued, as of yet no one can verify the BCN paint scheme for boats other than maroon was used.

[oldironsides]

Derek,

the photo is old and doesnt represent the true colours, plus whatever your pc screen is set to will make a difference. Bradley used a deeper than normal blue and a real deep golden yellow paint, I have looads of other pictures showing the scheme that may not have purple trees and water but do show stencil lettering and the scheme. It is the scheme which is important as it was their style unique to the yard (in the way Gorton perpetuated the LNER scheme adopted to BW colours), it may be the BCN style continued, as of yet no one can verify the BCN paint scheme for boats other than maroon was used.

 

As many here will realise, scanning in old photos can give all sorts of problems with colour balance, quality and so on, let alone the original quality and the deterioration of the negative or print. I hope Laurence will not mind that I offer a correction of his images below which are a better rendition, with the white balance corrected a bit. I don't claim that they are perfect and others may get a better result. It also helps to have a calibrated monitor but that can start to get complicated.

 

 

 

[Laurence Hogg]

Birchills again in 1971 with tug "Caggy" in the ownership then of the short lived "Stevens & Keay", George Bodley next to Gill Hogg (my ex). Not the roof is off the dry /wet dock which is in the process of being removed. Date 1971.

 

 

A year later (1972) and the dock is gone, so is the small crane and "Enterprise is up for sale, we were offered it but needed the £1000 for a house deposit! At this time Ray was clearing all the boat building, repairing and associated equipment out of the yard, some went to Calf Heath.

 

 

the madness of removing this facility was unbelievable particulary as just round the corner Keays were gaining pleasure work and the docks at Norton Canes were busy with the same.

 

Tugs being built and repaired in the 1950's:

 

 

A flash back to happier times at Birchills, from Max Sinclairs collection, the tugs before trade ceased:

 

[alan_fincher]

Now for pundits of BW colour schemes, "Atlantic" shows a typical Bradley yard makeover, almost midnight blue with deep gold lining, the signwriting is done by stencil, this was their way of finishing the boats in this period. Yet to see a boat restored to this style!

 

Curiously archive pictures of our "Sickle", (firmly a Southern boat), show it carrying an "exhibition" livery around 1957, and looking very smart.

 

It's hard to see all the detail on the pictures I have, and of course Sickle didn't / doesn't have recessed panelled sides, but the effect (particularly on engine room front bulkhda), is remarkably similar to what you show here.

 

I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong, but I have seldom seen pictures of any Southern maintenance boats with anything so elaborate.

 

If I could get better detail of the whole thing, I would certainly consider putting Sickle in that more ornate style on a future repaint, just to be a bit different, for a while.

[Laurence Hogg]

Curiously archive pictures of our "Sickle", (firmly a Southern boat), show it carrying an "exhibition" livery around 1957, and looking very smart.

 

It's hard to see all the detail on the pictures I have, and of course Sickle didn't / doesn't have recessed panelled sides, but the effect (particularly on engine room front bulkhda), is remarkably similar to what you show here.

 

I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong, but I have seldom seen pictures of any Southern maintenance boats with anything so elaborate.

 

If I could get better detail of the whole thing, I would certainly consider putting Sickle in that more ornate style on a future repaint, just to be a bit different, for a while.

 

Was it at this exhibition of BW maintenance craft at Little Venice?

 

[alan_fincher]

Was it at this exhibition of BW maintenance craft at Little Venice?

 

Yes, firmly believed to be Sickle at the back there, with A-frames and rocker bar still on, but ice-ram removed.

 

From available evidence, it looks like the yellow band ran up sides of cabin and along top, but not on the lower cabin edge.

 

Another Sickle picture, (published in Narrow Boat magazine, this month- albeit quite small), seems to show a round decorative funnel, presumably where the engine exhaust is, although large diameter than a normal pipe. This also seems to be blue, with a yellow band on.

 

Oh I wished people had photographed maintenance craft more - particularly the "Middle Northwich" icebreaker conversions!

[Derek R.]

Well, colour resolutions etc. aside, some cracking good images. Certainly looks like a darker blue on ATLANTIC than is currently in vogue. Just goes to show there were no hard and fast rules when the tin was opened.

 

Lovely shot of CAGGY and crew. That would be framed and on the wall if my family.

And if pockets were full, I'd be drifting around instead of writing trivia.