Waterways Museum, Gloucester floating exhibits

[pete harrison]

My wife and I took a pleasant walk around Gloucester Quays this afternoon, which incorporates Gloucester Docks.

 

I was pleased to see BLETCHLEY and ARGUS tied in the Barge Arm, looking well kept but very plain (and of course for sale). I was however astounded to see the deplorable condition of the floating narrow boats exhibited outside the Waterways Museum, especially the 'Severner' OAK which has rotten and shredded cloths and so much rot in its cabin that gaping holes are allowing the weather to do its worst. I recall OAK being restored at great expense in the late 1980's and to see it now seems verging on the criminal !!!! The 'Blue Top' butty WYE is not much better with its fibre glass covers covered in green algae and its cabin looking generally unkempt (and locked up). I could not see the former F.M.C. Ltd. horse boat NORTHWICH clearly and did not want to as I suspect it is no better.

 

I am sure these boats would fare much better in private ownership.

 

edit for spelling

Edited April 16, 2013 by pete harrison

[the grinch]

both this and the ellesmere port museums seem to like rotting / sinking vessels surrounding them !! very sad to see and yes i'm sure they would be better off in private ownership!

[Admiral]

I did hear that the staff at the museum were the first in line to get these vessels but I don't think that's quite true. But the state of the boats were grim when I was there a couple of years ago so I cant imagine what they are like now.

Very sad.

[Timleech]

both this and the ellesmere port museums seem to like rotting / sinking vessels surrounding them !! very sad to see and yes i'm sure they would be better off in private ownership!

 

I can't comment on Gloucester, haven't been there for many years, but think it;'s unfair (now) to direct that comment at Ellesmere Port. They have been making real efforts in recent years, though they do have massive problems with the bigger wooden boats.

 

Tim

[IanM]

Northwich has a fibreglass back cabin so that should be fairly well watertight. Oak has always looked very ropey to me which is a shame.

[Laurence Hogg]

They (the boats) should all be put up for auction with a covenant that they reside at one of the museums when not in use. CRT/BW are not responsible owners and the boats are in constant danger whilst under their "care".

[Speedwheel]

Well I'd love to buy Birchills (though looking at the pics from easter - I'm not sure much of it is left)

 

Is Renton still at Gloucester?

[FadeToScarlet]

This is the reason why I want to put the engine room and back cabin back into Willow as it would have been, as Oak is in no fit state to show the public.

[Rick-n-Jo]

Well I'd love to buy Birchills (though looking at the pics from easter - I'm not sure much of it is left)

 

Is Renton still at Gloucester?

 

Now in the care (and livery) of the H&G Canal Trust at Over Basin, along with "Alder"

 

[alan_fincher]

Now in the care (and livery) of the H&G Canal Trust at Over Basin, along with "Alder"

 

Well at least it looks very well cared for, unlike those boats that are the responsibility of the museum.

 

I realise that it retains its modern cabin, so is some way from the historic vessel I remember, but personally think I might have chosen a slightly different scheme, but at least it is distinctive, and it looks well loved.

 

It is the smartest it has looked in many years though, I'll admit.

[DaisyJ]

Renton, along with Alder and Bosley have been in the care of HGCT since I negotiated their transfer from BW and in the case of Alder and Renton collected them.

On collection by lorry from Devizes, Alder was put on the bank at Over and welded up by my husband before going back in the water. Renton my family and I motored to Gloucester from Marsworth, it was in a not too bad condition with a leaking cabin but we got it to Gloucester where the musuem allowed is to moor it until we could get it into the basin at Over.

The paint job is Trust colours and is all done by our volunteer boat team who have made the boats watertight and safe and will this year be refurbishing the cabins.

[RLWP]

That's great work DaisyJ. Don't worry about Alan and his opinions on boat paint, he's got old boaters disease where history stopped in 1935. Those boats are now wearing what will become a historic livery in the future

 

I think the look very smart, and I'm now off to check your website to see what progress the HGCT are making

 

Richard

[alan_fincher]

I thought I had actually made fairly positive comments about the boat and it's condition Richard.

 

And you are wrong of. course as neither this boat or my own existed in 1935!

 

I have a huge affection for Renton, whose history closely parallels that of Sickle. Both are believed to have been converted to ice breakers at a similar time in 1942, and both surviving as maintenance tugs used almost interchangeably on the same length.

 

If I were 1930s obsessed, I wouldn't be so pleased that ours replicates 1960s appearance.

 

I'm pleased Renton survives and is getting TLC. It's a another boat I would loved to have owned.

[RLWP]

Just a gently push back about boat paint Alan, and I'm sure you are not one of the most vociferous

 

I have just been reading 'Colours of the Cut', and I was amused by how often some boats changed hands, and therefore companies and liveries. Seeing those boats in the HGCT livery is a continuation of that practice - I love it

 

I am still looking for a barrel to paint silver and scrawl 'Sickle' on the ends of

 

Richard

[Heartland]

I think Gloucester has seen many reverses in recent times and wonder about the future of the Museum. Whilst the archives have moved to Ellesmere Port, it might be a useful exercise to check who has the responsibiity for maintaining the craft at Gloucester.

 

Ray Shill

[DaisyJ]

Thank you Richard, Alan if you look at the H&G website they should have the whole history of Renton as researched by myself using original documents in the Waterways Archive as I was then archivist there!

Renton was a town class, converted to an icebreaker by Ministry of War Transport and kept by BW as a maintenance vessel until we took it over, now we use it as a maintenance vessel!

I would imagine the person responsible for maintaining the boats at Gloucester will be the overall museums bod, sorry don't know her name, and she's probably based at Ellesmere Port. When I left in December 2011 I was also acting curator at Gloucester and neither of my roles, ie archivist or acting curator has to my knowledge been replaced!

Before I left I did put costings together for the upgrade of all the boats to a decent standard, this was I understand for a future lottery bid, possibly the one they've just got. If the current bid is to include the musuem looking at more local stuff then it will include the Severner 'Oak'.