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alan_fincher

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3 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

 

I was thinking this as well!

 

I know you are a fan of those Admiral's Pete, but if I were allowed a full length unconverted boat it wouldn't be Effingham I was going after.

But then Birmingham has been a strong favourite of mine since I knew it in the 1970s - I just love that boat.
 

the thing I like about the holds on Admirals is the blue tops as there easyer than cloths and no one knows if it's converted but if needed you can lift up by a foot and still get a good look if needed.

48 minutes ago, Little One said:

 

We are looking for another historic boat however, BIRMINGHAM is not the one for us, no matter how lovely she is :)

you can have towy then i can get another boat. (yes i love towy but i love another more but couldn't buy it when I was boatless now I have one a dream has come up)

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3 hours ago, billybobbooth said:

the thing I like about the holds on Admirals is the blue tops as there easyer than cloths and no one knows if it's converted but if needed you can lift up by a foot and still get a good look if needed.

Except that 'Admirals' did not have blue tops. Both ANSON and COLLINGWOOD were fitted with blue tops once under the ownership of Birmingham and Midland Canal Carrying Company Ltd. :captain:

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I said that about thaxted in 1984. Im not buying it unless we can load it, and someone needs to lend me £1000 , and we need a mooring in london.

Within   2 hours my then girlfriend had sold a little tupperware we had , ( we were at the national rally) she got them to annouce a cheap boat for sale over the tannoy, and someone wandered up with a cheque . Then Blaggers asked me to take a load from Atherstone to Stoke. 

When Jim Mcdonald offered a stinkhole mooring at a price in scotch , I had to shut up and buy the boat.

2 days later we boated her to braunston.

We lived on  porridge and beans for the next six months,  boy was it worth it.

 

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4 hours ago, mark99 said:

I'd love to know why....... I mean compared to others!

The northern 'Admirals' represent the final incarnation of commercial narrow boat design, along with the 'River Class' buttys of the south east. Their harsh design may not be to everybody's taste but they are quite clever and particularly suited to working in shallow water, just like nowadays. Their comparatively lightweight construction made them much more commercially viable than the alternative 'Joshers', meaning they could carry more tonnage for a similar draft - and they are fast (which matters quite a lot to me). 'Admirals' are built from welded steel and with steel cabins, so period type repairs are easy and moderately inexpensive compared to a riveted hull with a wooden cabin - and they were built narrow compared to more traditional narrow boats making them well suited to crumbling narrow locks. The motors were fitted with air cooled engines when new and these are fairly easy to find and are not too expensive, but a Lister H Series is a good substitute. Many working boats spend most of their time tied up now and the large rectangular cabin is more spacious compared to other narrow boats, and personal space and comfort is important to me.

 

My preference is the earlier 'Admirals' built by Isaac Pimblott, Northwich and although I attempted to buy MOUNTBATTEN last year I think I would not have kept it for long, especially now EFFINGHAM is available again.

 

I am very happy with my current boat although I have spent only four days on board since buying it earlier this year. My absolute preference is always going to be a large Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd. motor, but there really is not much in it :captain: 

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4 minutes ago, roland elsdon said:

We lived on  porridge and beans for the next six months,  boy was it worth it.

I am working 72 hours a week for my boat (increased slightly to 94 hours this week), and I am living off sticks and dust - but as you say it is worth it (well it will be once the renovations are complete) :captain:

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11 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

I am working 72 hours a week for my boat (increased slightly to 94 hours this week), and I am living off sticks and dust - but as you say it is worth it (well it will be once the renovations are complete) :captain:

Sticks and dust! We used to dream of sticks and dust....

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12 hours ago, pete harrison said:

Except that 'Admirals' did not have blue tops. Both ANSON and COLLINGWOOD were fitted with blue tops once under the ownership of Birmingham and Midland Canal Carrying Company Ltd. :captain:

As Pete says "Dustbins" original metal hoops & cloths at least while " working in the NW  having had limited use of both brands I preferred the North wich

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11 hours ago, pete harrison said:

I am working 72 hours a week for my boat (increased slightly to 94 hours this week), and I am living off sticks and dust - but as you say it is worth it (well it will be once the renovations are complete) :captain:

Surely its your slightly flash mota that causes sticks and dust. Flogged ours for a zero tax rated 73 mpg box and left it in garage - zero cost this month. Boats a bit battered though big lumps on this trip

8 minutes ago, RLWP said:

Bed!??!??!

You must be working hard boat was weeping unloved tears when we passed yesterday

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18 minutes ago, roland elsdon said:

You must be working hard boat was weeping unloved tears when we passed yesterday

She's about to get quite a lot of attention, which is why she's moored where she is

 

Richard

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2 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

Surely its your slightly flash mota that causes sticks and dust. Flogged ours for a zero tax rated 73 mpg box and left it in garage - zero cost this month. 

The 'slightly flash mota' was sold shortly before taking possession of my boat. I now drive a Ford Focus :captain:

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1 minute ago, pete harrison said:

The 'slightly flash mota' was sold shortly before taking possession of my boat. I now drive a Ford Focus :captain:

How did you find the 5 litre beast?

One great thing about Admirals. No matter how hard you stove in the bow against obstructions you cannot ruin the lines. ;)

 

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Just now, mark99 said:

How did you find the 5 litre beast?

Being one of the last produced it had a good spec with most of the engineered faults 'ironed out'. Being a Jaguar it still had a few build quality issues but none of these took away the pleasure of owning / driving it. It was certainly an easier car to live with than the X100 and the E63 before that, and being a modern alloy bodied car did not cost too much to run. If I had not bought the boat I would definitely still have it, and I do regret selling it a bit as I had elevated it from a slightly below average showroom car to a pretty good show car that drew a lot of attention. If I were to get back into the silly car market I would hunt this car down, or at least a very similar XK Dynamic R - and that colour (Italian Racing Red) is stunning on that shape XK as the gold metallic flecks make it appear to glow in the sunlight.

 

My only criticism is that it did not feel special inside, even with its diamond stitched ivory leather sport seats. I think this was down to the aluminium veneer facia panels which I would have preferred in burr walnut, but this was not an option on the XK Dynamic R. I would have eventually changed the facia panels if I had kept the car :captain:

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13 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

 

 

Diamond stitched ivory leather sport seats. I think this was down to the aluminium veneer facia panels which I would have preferred in burr walnut, :captain:

"Cor " on a town class,? Diamond studded top cloths??

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7 minutes ago, Liam said:

As discussed on 09 October 2018, but thanks for bringing this thread back on track :captain:

1 minute ago, X Alan W said:

"Nah "gold chain/rope knitted fenders ? we diddn't like "em" to flashy

Well that's Joshers for you :captain:

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3 hours ago, furnessvale said:

How true!  No point in putting too much bling on a big GU, silk purses and sows ears........know what I mean??

 

George

I suppose you are right, Grand Union boats are good enough as they are whereas an old fashioned Josher will always need a bit of tarting up :captain: 

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