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alan_fincher

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2 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

Ah, but the person you thought it might be answered the question already back in 2010!
 

 

Seems I cam't even keep my thoughts  a secret. The reason I thought it might have been Tam was the hat, I seem to remember him wearing something similar.

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7 hours ago, David Mack said:

 

Having seen pictures of Cygnus so well turned out at Stratford in 1964 I was shocked when I first encountered her in the flesh about 10 years later, moored on the offside below Camp Hill locks and part full of rubbish. The cabin, running gear and rudder had gone, but the Willow Wren paintwork on the stern and fore end was still recognisable.

I had a feeling at the time she had become one of Caggy Stevens' rubbish boats, left for weeks at a time at the back of a factory somewhere, but I can't recall now why I thought this. Can anyone confirm?

I clearly remember helping 'Caggy' Stevens work CYGNUS down Farmer Bridge Locks in 1978 and at that time part of the cabin was still intact along with bits of Willow Wren paintwork. By this time BEDWORTH, BEVERLEY and BORDESLEY were all hulked and like CYGNUS were used for general rubbish transport and contracting works (floating scaffold supports under bridges and the like) :captain:

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3 hours ago, archie57 said:

Beverley, Bordesley and Bedworth, on hire from BW - at least to begin with

CYGNUS, BEDWORTH, BEVERLEY and BORDESLEY were hired to Stevens and Keay on 01 March 1971, and were eventually sold to Alan 'Caggy' Stevens on 04 December 1979. These four boats were then sold on to private owners in or about 1982 :captain:

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1 hour ago, David Schweizer said:

Seems I cam't even keep my thoughts  a secret. The reason I thought it might have been Tam was the hat, I seem to remember him wearing something similar.

It wasn't unheard of!

 

 

File0684.jpg

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".... with a full set of covers included".

Will they have cut-outs for the chimbley collars and vents etc?

 

Personally I'd prefer to have the cloths and tippet.

Edited by zenataomm
Had to go to the door and laugh at someone canvassing
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On 13/11/2019 at 10:22, alan_fincher said:


I suspect, but don't know for certain, that the pair there was under the captaincy of Ray White, who I think was more or less the most senior Willow Wren boatman, and did keep the boats very smart.

Whilst I'd agree that many of the boatmen kept some of the Willow Wren boats as smart as they could right to the end, with the brasses well polished, and everything in its place, the reality is that not many of them were that smart at the very end, at least in terms of paintwork and general condition.

I don't think this picture of Flamingo shows a boat presented to anything like the "shiny Josher" syndrome found at ex working boat gatherings today.

Note just how much less well presented Cygnus has become in the period since the photo David has posted, and also the general deteriorating condition of the back end of Flamingo's cabin and its doors.   However Ron and Janet Withey have still kept the brasses as they should be.

(Oh, and if anybody says the mop handle should always be left resting on the cans....)

 

Narrow_Boats_At_Work_001.jpg

Droopy fenders too!

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On 13/11/2019 at 10:01, David Schweizer said:

I can confirm that’s it’s George and Helen,saw her in Waitrose this afternoon. They did 3 loads through Ashby Canal Transport. Robin Hewitt owned the boat at the time and he was very keen to be part of effort to keep some canal carrying.

Steerer of Petrel

 

 

Made a bit of a mess of that post, I tried to put the picture in the quote but failed.

Edited by Dav and Pen
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1 hour ago, Dav and Pen said:

 

Made a bit of a mess of that post, I tried to put the picture in the quote but failed.

 

I assume that you meant to post this picture and my text:-

 

 

And Another well turned out boat - Union Canal Carriers "Petrel" taken in 1971.  Note the shiny brass despite the inclement weather. I may be wrong, but I believe a forum member may recognise himself steering.

 

Petrel.jpg.3d5efa777ab9bcddb12cc289e99b5428.jpg

 

Followed by your post :- " I can confirm that’s it’s George and Helen,saw her in Waitrose this afternoon. They did 3 loads through Ashby Canal Transport. Robin Hewitt owned the boat at the time and he was very keen to be part of effort to keep some canal carrying.

Steerer of Petrel"

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
34 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

Recently advertised at £60K but now £30k - ELIZABETH :captain:

 

https://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/narrow-boats-traditional/625780

 

edit = to make link work properly

Wow that's a steal in my opp, if they would take towy as part ex I would happily but I dowt they would

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3 minutes ago, billybobbooth said:

Wow that's a steal in my opp, if they would take towy as part ex I would happily but I dowt they would

Unfortunately I think ELIZABETH might be subject to an acquired taste, although it undoubtedly has an interesting history. I can see it being bought as an asset stripping project :captain:

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44 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

Recently advertised at £60K but now £30k - ELIZABETH :captain:

 

https://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/narrow-boats-traditional/625780

 

edit = to make link work properly

Isn't that Jim McDionald's boat? I remember it visiting Braunston back in 1997, and mooring next to our boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by David Schweizer
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Just now, pete harrison said:

Unfortunately I think ELIZABETH might be subject to an acquired taste, although it undoubtedly has an interesting history. I can see it being bought as an asset stripping project :captain:

Why I like it it's so indervidual. Must be close to one of the first working boats to be converted for pleasure / holiday style, if not cant be far off

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2 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

Isn't that Jim McDionald's boat? I rember it mooring next to Helvetia at Braunston back in 1998.

Think so, I can see at that price it ending up as a live aboard, I did show it to my wife at easter dont think she was sold mostly as she knew I wouldn't give up towy easily

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4 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

Unfortunately I think ELIZABETH might be subject to an acquired taste, although it undoubtedly has an interesting history. I can see it being bought as an asset stripping project :captain:

I really hope it’s kept as it is. There’s a lot of history there. It deserves a new loving home that will care for it as Jim has done. 

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49 minutes ago, billybobbooth said:

Why I like it it's so indervidual. Must be close to one of the first working boats to be converted for pleasure / holiday style, if not cant be far off

Yes- Elizabeth is almost certainly the oldest surviving pleasure boat conversion (1936). Also one of the last boats to cruise the Grantham Canal before it was closed.

Seems to be a bargain at £30k.

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Unless you are reading by Braille, of course it's Jim's boat!! Where have you been David?? ?

 

Boated along with Jim several times, and supped mulled wine in that saloon (and some home made fruit wines - deadly delicious!) on cold winter evenings when rallying - and a little home made music as well.

ELIZABETH has to be stepped into to really appreciate the ambience. Pictures and descriptions from a boatyard cannot do justice to a legend - Man and boat together for half a Century. Certainly an idiosyncratic craft, a one-off, but a pure treasure, a sanctuary to another time. Sadly that may be something which prospective buyers can be put off by. Looking isn't enough, she needs visiting, with the stove lit. She is a boat full of memories of course, but only to those who have been familiar with Jim, and the boat. What tales could be told.

Edited by Derek R.
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I've seen Elizabeth a time or two and she is a most striking and distinctive craft. Perhaps the fact that she's "different" has deterred potential buyers - but at that price, if she is sound, she looks like a real Black Friday bargain for the right person.

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10 hours ago, pete harrison said:

Unfortunately I think ELIZABETH might be subject to an acquired taste, although it undoubtedly has an interesting history. I can see it being bought as an asset stripping project :captain:

Oh I hope not. Spent a few happy hours on her in the 80s to 2000s. Very individual  boat. Remember getting a message once from Jim saying he was  somewhere ludicrous I think Basel.

I remember the pride in putting in the engine. 

Piano and canal based water filtration system. 

  • Greenie 1
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