Historic Boats for sale online

[alan_fincher]

18 hours ago, archie57 said:

This was only  rebuilt in the 1980s, pretty well unaltered until then, sold off fairly soon afterwards. Notable for having had the last Petter PD2 in Waterways ownership. 

 

I'm sure my brother has put these on here before, but probably no longer visible due to Photobucket no longer being allowed to host them for diplay on another ite.

Cambourne at work in the mid-1970s. (Photos copyright Mike Fincher)
 

[magnetman]

Is there a particular reason why BW chopped the back end off these boats and put a new one on? Was it simply because it was cheaper than rebuilding the original or some other reason. 

 

As it happens they usually seem to be quite pleasing and not bodged but I do wonder why it happened in the first place. 

 

This must have been discussed before but as Cambourne has come up it got me wondering. 

 

Draught reduction?

Edited December 1, 2018 by magnetman
Edit

[alan_fincher]

11 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Is there a particular reason why BW chopped the back end off these boats and put a new one on? Was it simply because it was cheaper than rebuilding the original or some other reason. 

 

As it happens they usually seem to be quite pleasing and not bodged but I do wonder why it happened in the first place. 

 

This must have been discussed before but as Cambourne has come up it got me wondering. 

 

Draught reduction?

I don't think anything has been done to reduce the draught, has it?
 

Not a very clear photo, but everything under the counter looks pretty normal for a Large Woolwich to me.

 

 

The counter sides are the originals back virtually as far as the back of the cabin, and the counter beyond that doesn't appear that unusual to me, other than it lacks cants.

 

Are you convinced anything other than the outer steel of the round of counter has been chopped off or overplated?  I'm not convinced it is more severe than that.

If that was required, by this stage it would certainly have been done by welding, not in rivet work.  When my brother acquired Bilster the counter was shot, (you could see through it, I think).  Probably the result of continuous ramming by buttys in tow.  A normal repair back in the 1970s, even for an enthusiast, and certainly for the BW maintenance fleet, would be done welded.

 

45 Years on Bilster has not been changed.

[alan_fincher]

21 hours ago, Derek R. said:

 

The term is 'Space Invader', so called due to the wide gunnels invading the space in the cabin.

An interesting idea, though I have never heard that name used.

It can't have come from the Space Invader video game surely, because whilst boats like Cambourne undoubtedly got the treatment after that game was first launched, some boats had surely received similar cabins significantly before that was the case?

[David Mack]

14 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

I don't think anything has been done to reduce the draught, has it?
 

Not a very clear photo, but everything under the counter looks pretty normal for a Large Woolwich to me.

 

 

The counter sides are the originals back virtually as far as the back of the cabin, and the counter beyond that doesn't appear that unusual to me, other than it lacks cants.

 

Are you convinced anything other than the outer steel of the round of counter has been chopped off or overplated?  I'm not convinced it is more severe than that.

There's a few dents on that plating round the stern, suggesting it was replated/overplated during working boat days.

[magnetman]

I just wondered why the counter was replaced. Had not seen the out of water picture. 

 

I like to see the dents. I suppose as the boats were still in trade it was sensible to replace damaged and thin parts. 

 

Eta it seems to me that it was wholesale replating rather than cutting out the thin bits they cut the whole lot off (counter) and replaced it. Its not just the underwater bits. 

 

 

Looking at the photo it appears the boat has at some point been refooted (replated not over plated) but I fear that it has subsequently been overplated possibly due to silly insurance requirements. 

 

I hope not !! 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2018 by magnetman

[mark99]

Is Bilster used as a trip boat or educational etc or is it just fortunate to have that mooring?

[alan_fincher]

44 minutes ago, mark99 said:

Is Bilster used as a trip boat or educational etc or is it just fortunate to have that mooring?

The latter, I think.

But I don't know anything about who owns it currently.

(No doubt mrsmelly would say it is dead unlucky to have that mooring, given where it is!)

Edited December 1, 2018 by alan_fincher

[Derek R.]

5 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

An interesting idea, though I have never heard that name used.

It can't have come from the Space Invader video game surely, because whilst boats like Cambourne undoubtedly got the treatment after that game was first launched, some boats had surely received similar cabins significantly before that was the case?

Certainly wasn't anything to do with the Space Invader game. Ask Ian Tyler, it's all he ever called the narrow cabin'd BW maintenance craft with said cabins. An explanation of "Space Ship" would certainly be challenging!

[BWM]

On 01/12/2018 at 16:18, alan_fincher said:

I don't think anything has been done to reduce the draught, has it?
 

Not a very clear photo, but everything under the counter looks pretty normal for a Large Woolwich to me.

 

 

The counter sides are the originals back virtually as far as the back of the cabin, and the counter beyond that doesn't appear that unusual to me, other than it lacks cants.

 

Are you convinced anything other than the outer steel of the round of counter has been chopped off or overplated?  I'm not convinced it is more severe than that.

If that was required, by this stage it would certainly have been done by welding, not in rivet work.  When my brother acquired Bilster the counter was shot, (you could see through it, I think).  Probably the result of continuous ramming by buttys in tow.  A normal repair back in the 1970s, even for an enthusiast, and certainly for the BW maintenance fleet, would be done welded.

 

45 Years on Bilster has not been changed.

The underwater parts look untouched but the counter looks flatter than the original, the upsweep on town class boats being minimal to start with. I don't like it as it gives the illusion that the counter is sloping backwards, and coupled with the flat cabin profile really spoils the lines of this craft.

  From the pictures it looks like nearly all the knees will require attention in the future. 

 

[ChimneyChain]

FMC boats

Bison on apollo duck £98.000 

Malvern on braunston marine £50.000

[alan_fincher]

 

Bison

 

Malvern

Edited December 13, 2018 by alan_fincher

[magnetman]

 Malvern sounded interesting. If I were to get back into narrow boats it would be a converted FM&C boat. 

 

Shame about the counter, and the engine, and the interior and the windows. 

 

Nice bows though !

Edited December 13, 2018 by magnetman

[matty40s]

42 minutes ago, magnetman said:

 Malvern sounded interesting. If I were to get back into narrow boats it would be a converted FM&C boat. 

 

Shame about the counter, and the engine, and the interior and the windows. 

 

Nice bows though !

Shame Braunston didn't bother to take a photo of the complete front end though. 

[alan_fincher]

12 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Shame Braunston didn't bother to take a photo of the complete front end though. 

Like this ???

 

 

Best not to take too many of the superstructure though, or they might show how flat it isn't!

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2018 by alan_fincher

[magnetman]

Original thickness 9-6-4 built by Fellows Morton & Clayton. 

 

 

that's an interesting way of putting it !

 

I would have expected imperial measurements in 1928. 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2018 by magnetman

[matty40s]

32 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Like this ???
 

 

 

 

 

Ah, I'm on mobile android platform and the front doesn't show on that.

[magnetman]

I couldn't see it on my phone either. 

 

That cabin distortion is quite severe ! Almost looks like it had a serious localised interior fire event at some point. Unusual to see that level of distortion in a normal steel cabin. 

Edited December 13, 2018 by magnetman

[David Mack]

2 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

 

Bison

 

 

Do folk think it is acceptable to put the batteries under the floor of the accommodation (back cabin in this case), without any specific ventilation provision?

 

And what batteries are these - 6 of them providing 24V?

[mark99]

Are not the clear tubes <attempting> to vent gas remotely?

 

What's wrong with AS2? (spares?).

[X Alan W]

On 01/12/2018 at 16:51, magnetman said:

Is there a particular reason why BW chopped the back end off these boats and put a new one on? Was it simply because it was cheaper than rebuilding the original or some other reason. 

 

As it happens they usually seem to be quite pleasing and not bodged but I do wonder why it happened in the first place. 

 

This must have been discussed before but as Cambourne has come up it got me wondering. 

 

Draught reduction?

ISTR that the requirements for maintenance crew cabs required more space to accommodate the sink cooker etc the cabin hadn't the space & it would have meant building extra cabin & splitting the crew set up .It was found if the power uint was positioned as far back as poss part of the cabin could along with engine "ole"give the required space for crew fittings I guess costed out it was cheaper/better  than cabin  alteration /modification some one probably came up with drawings/specs of the "Severners "

[magnetman]

1 hour ago, mark99 said:

Are not the clear tubes <attempting> to vent gas remotely?

 

What's wrong with AS2? (spares?).

Too noisy for my liking I prefer water cooled personally. 

[Billy Boy]

On 25 February 2013 at 17:59, alan_fincher said:

An unusually large number of historic boats on the open market at the moment.

 

Often they don't get publicly advertised.

 

These are I think all fairly recent additions....

 

Butty "Taurus" (Price includes "Free" Roger Fuller motor "Snipe"! - Hotel boats)

 

"Andromeda"

 

"Lancing" (Trip Boat)

 

"Sharpness"

 

 

These have all been around a while, I think - try an offer!

 

"Cambourne"

 

"Hawkesbury"

 

"Bletchley" & "Argus"

 

Butty "Lyra"

 

"Seaford"

 

"Mountbatten" & "Jellicoe"

Another just gone come up for sale. Sun reg no: 49723 here roydon Marina motorised butty. 

[alan_fincher]

15 minutes ago, Billy Boy said:

Another just gone come up for sale. Sun reg no: 49723 here roydon Marina motorised butty. 

This one presumably?

 

Quote

Sun Built by Thomas Bantock - Length : 21.336 metres ( 70 feet ) - Beam : 2.04 metres ( 6 feet 8 inches ). Metal hull N/A . Registered with Canal & River Trust number 49723 as a Powered Motor Boat.  ( Last updated on Wednesday 22nd May 2013 )

Any more information, please ?

[magnetman]

Is it the SUN previously moored up between the white bear and tesco in Ricky on the backwater formed by the Colne flowing down from just below  lot mead lock and exiting the cut just before batchworth lock on the non towpath side.  Or is that the Gade, I guess its both technically. 

 

Edited December 16, 2018 by magnetman