Birchills

[fanshaft]

Retired boatman Joe Chatten told me recently that when he was a teenager he used to help Frank Dumbelow (skipper) and Billy Bourne take Ernie Thomas's 'Apollo' (ex Midland & Coast) and 'Birchills' up the locks to Birchley Rolling Mills with coal from Brownhills. This would be around 1949 and prior to 'Apollo' being shortened in 1951. Does anyone know if this 'Birchills' is the same boat that is currently the subject of a restoration appeal by the BCLM?

Joe Chatten is certain it is but Jo Moody at the museum says their 'Birchils' wasn't gauged until 1954. Can anyone help?

Regards

David L

Apollo / Swallow

Edited November 2, 2012 by fanshaft

[Laurence Hogg]

Retired boatman Joe Chatten told me recently that when he was a teenager he used to help Frank Dumbelow (skipper) and Billy Bourne take Ernie Thomas's 'Apollo' (ex Midland & Coast) and 'Birchills' up the locks to Birchley Rolling Mills with coal from Brownhills. This would be around 1949 and prior to 'Apollo' being shortened in 1951. Does anyone know if this 'Birchills' is the same boat that is currently the subject of a restoration appeal by the BCLM?

Joe Chatten is certain it is but Jo Moody at the museum says their 'Birchils' wasn't gauged until 1954. Can anyone help?

Regards

David L

Apollo / Swallow

This I beleive is true, Birchills certainly looks fresh in this picture taken in the 1950's no doubt other boats made the trip too, I have heard of this traffic from a number of sources. Below is a picture held in the BCLM collection of "Birchills" unloading apparently on the Portway arm alongside what was the rolling mills on the Titford branch:

 

 

The houses still stand but the canal is bow filled in. Unusual in this picture ids the brass ringed chimney on a day boat, also the water carrier.

Edited November 2, 2012 by Laurence Hogg

[fanshaft]

This I beleive is true, Birchills certainly looks fresh in this picture taken in the 1950's no doubt other boats made the trip too, I have heard of this traffic from a number of sources. Below is a picture held in the BCLM collection of "Birchills" unloading apparently on the Portway arm alongside what was the rolling mills on the Titford branch:

 

 

The houses still stand but the canal is bow filled in. Unusual in this picture ids the brass ringed chimney on a day boat, also the water carrier.

 

Malcolm Braine tells me that 'Birchills' was built in 1954 and so could not have been the boat which worked with 'Apollo' until 1951. It was, I think he said, the last wooden joey, or the last joey (?) to be built hence its historical importance. It seems that the joey / butty which was associated with 'Apollo' was almost certainly 'Birchley' and that makes sense as it was one of the Ernest Thomas fleet, and worked to Birchley rolling mills. I probably misunderstood what Joe Chatten was saying as the names are very similar.

 

Kind regards

 

David L

Apollo/Swallow

[Laurence Hogg]

Malcolm Braine tells me that 'Birchills' was built in 1954 and so could not have been the boat which worked with 'Apollo' until 1951. It was, I think he said, the last wooden joey, or the last joey (?) to be built hence its historical importance. It seems that the joey / butty which was associated with 'Apollo' was almost certainly 'Birchley' and that makes sense as it was one of the Ernest Thomas fleet, and worked to Birchley rolling mills. I probably misunderstood what Joe Chatten was saying as the names are very similar.

 

Kind regards

 

David L

Apollo/Swallow

T & S Elements "Sapphire" (1954) and "Comet" (1956) were later new boats. Both went to Caggy after Elements, "Sapphire" became derelict at Keays but was the subject of a rescue attempt for the Shardlow museum as was, this failed. Comet in near perfect condition was used by Caggy until sinking at Oldbury. A foolish lifting attempt using the wrong methods saw it break its back and that was the end for the boat. Birchills then became the youngest surviving fully intact Joey.

 

This is one of the work parties to raise and try to save "Sapphire", Gill Hogg, John & Jean Hodgkinsin in the hold at Keays yard 1979 ish:

 

 

This view at Bordersley shows Comet on the rubbish collection trade for Caggy in 1972, look at the fine clean lines, it was a beautiful boat.

 

[grey wolf]

Is it sunk somewhere or was it totally scraped after sinking ?

Edited November 7, 2012 by grey wolf

[Laurence Hogg]

Is it sunk somewhere or was it totally scraped after sinking ?

Comet was sunk in Oldbury, attempted recovery was done with the use of the wrong type of lifting gear, the boat broke its back as far as I know it was scrapped on site.

Sapphire made it from Keays to Horseley fields, indeed transporting yard gear. After that it was around the wharf but when Keelkast finished wasnt to be seen, I suspect it was broken up but I didnt see the body so as to speak. Someone may know a bit more.

[Heartland]

Laurence do you have the name of the factory at Bordesley, Comet was collecting rubbish from?

 

Ray Shill

[Laurence Hogg]

Laurence do you have the name of the factory at Bordesley, Comet was collecting rubbish from?

 

Ray Shill

Ray, I have forgotten but the wharf is still there just below bottom lock, may have been a wire works.

[BuckbyLocks]

Ray, I have forgotten but the wharf is still there just below bottom lock, may have been a wire works.

Caggy only ever called it the Wire Works, so I never heard the company name.

[Steve Priest]

Yes, it was a wire works. I worked for Caggy for part of one winter back in the mid seventies, he called it 'the united wire' but I don't know if that was the actual name at the time. I do remember that it had a very good canteen, we used to have breakfast there on a Wednesday morning ( we took an empty boat down every Wednesday).

 

At the time, he would take two boats of rubbish a week, one from the united wire and one from Raleigh bikes on the engine arm. We would change the one at the Raleigh on a Friday, take it back to Bromford and unload it into the united wire boat, and then take that boat to Moxley tip. Caggy would get to Ocker Hill on the Monday, then Ocker Hill to Moxley tip, unload, and back to the top of the thirteen with the empty boat on Tuesday, ready to take it down to the united wire on the Wednesday.

 

I remember the Comet, it was indeed a lovely boat and certainly seemed to be in very good condition at the time, I often wondered what became of it. The other boat that I remember using was a station boat that he called Brenda, there was a lot of paint scraped off the back bends on the Brenda revealing the letters 'NAP', I later understood that this was originally the Naples. Caggy always referred to this boat as a Stour lifter. Once whilst taking the Brenda down the thirteen empty we noticed a trickle of water coming from behind one of the knees, Caggy managed to stuff it full of wet newspaper and stop it leaking before we got to the wireworks, it was still afloat when we went back the following week.

 

Those were the days!

[David Mack]

I have a vague recollection of seeing Cygnus as a rubbish boat moored below Camp Hill in the mid 70s. It had lost its back cabin but the bow and stern still bore the remnants of the Willow Wren colours which I had previously seen on postcards of the Stratford reopening in '64.

[GSer]

I have a vague recollection of seeing Cygnus as a rubbish boat moored below Camp Hill in the mid 70s. It had lost its back cabin but the bow and stern still bore the remnants of the Willow Wren colours which I had previously seen on postcards of the Stratford reopening in '64.

 

 

I can confirm Cygnus is still full of rubbish!

 

Seriously though its great to hear about snippets of her past, once i get a few days spare i'd like to start searching a bit more into her past.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[stagedamager]

Paul,

I find the research as much fun as the using restoring!!!!!

Dan

[GSer]

Paul,

I find the research as much fun as the using restoring!!!!!

Dan

 

 

Where to start though?

 

Best get them finished first though

[pete harrison]

I have a vague recollection of seeing Cygnus as a rubbish boat moored below Camp Hill in the mid 70s. It had lost its back cabin but the bow and stern still bore the remnants of the Willow Wren colours which I had previously seen on postcards of the Stratford reopening in '64.

For all of the time that CYGNUS was operated by Stevens & Keay / Alan (Caggy) Stevens it retained its cabin, although latterly it was in a partially collapsed condition. This cabin, even in its poor state of repair still bore evidence of its Willow Wren Canal Transport Services Ltd. livery, especially the yellow and red paint on the cabin end. Stevens & Keay / Alan (Caggy) Stevens also operated three Large Woolwich buttys - BEDWORTH, BEVERLEY, BORDESLEY - all of which were latterly hulked (cabins removed and no running gear).