Hulls by Birmingham Boats

[andyb116]

Anybody have any experiance of hulls built by Birmingham boats. (good or bad)

Going to look @ one with a 20 mm base plate, with the view to living aboard.

Feel free to PM if you don't want your views public.

Cheers. Andy

[dave moore]

Hi Andy

 

I assume you mean Brummagem Boats,, builder's and hire fleet operators who occupied Sherborne St Wharf in the 80s/90s. I was their signwriter in those days and knew place and people well. Many of the boats were designed by director Alan Green who had an architectural background. I'd say that the general output was solid and well made by very competent fabricators, though the lines and balance unexceptional,a mid range product in my opinion. They built hire craft for themselves and individual boats for private customers. One such had a much thicker bottom plate than normal, I think ( but it's long ago now) that it was James Brindley for Mike Wilkinson. It operated for a while as a crewed hire boat, aiming at a wealthy overseas market. They built him 2 others of radical design. Happy to talk, 07831 243001 gets you to me.

Cheers

 

Dave

[pete harrison]

Hi Andy

 

One such had a much thicker bottom plate than normal, I think ( but it's long ago now) that it was James Brindley for Mike Wilkinson. It operated for a while as a crewed hire boat, aiming at a wealthy overseas market. They built him 2 others of radical design. Happy to talk, 07831 243001 gets you to me.

Cheers

 

Dave

I seem to remember Mr Wilkinson's boats being named SIR DANIEL GOOCH and ISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNEL. Mr Wilkinson did not like me very much as I used to tie BADSEY outside of the futuristic and very highly specified SIR DANIEL GOOCH, so blocking his view with a combination of rust, rivets and spiders.

[dave moore]

Hi Pete

 

Your memory is better than mine! Thanks for the correction. There was a third build, Sir William Stanier, which was also far from normal narrowboats in design and fit, though I had nothing to do with it. We were all a lot younger in those days!

 

Dave

[andyb116]

Thanks for the replies, but it's a 2007 70ft listed as hull by Birmingham boats? . Have done jim Shead, only 3 listed & 2 are the same boat. Going to see it on sat. (Have googled it to no avail).

Cheers

Andy.

 

For Mr Harrison I got intimate with the spiders & rust a few years ago when I changed the engine on Badsey.

Edited September 4, 2013 by andyb116

[Michael W]

Dave, Now I know what its like to be talked about behind my back! I came across a copy of "Interciry" the other day and there you were painting the name on Brunel. Remember that? Never forgotten your story about why you should never put your hands down a weed hatch!

Brummagem boats built Brunel and Gooch. Gooch had a 1/2" bottom plate. Alan Green;'s style of a "narrowyacht" was copied by Heritage Boatbuilders for "William Stanier" by the welders that had built Gooch. Both Gooch and Stanier had a base plate copied from Presidents drawings and resulted in a long swim either end. They are both deep draughted but were very lively and rolled a lot due to the long swims. Not involved with a boat at present but not far away from canals with this www.narrowboatcrew.co.uk - if ever you are stuck for crew.;

[Athy]

Welcome, Michael. Judging by your stated location, perhaps you are involved with small trains?

[RLWP]

Hi Michael, welcome to the forum.

 

Would you happen to know when and where Tawny Owl was built for the Alvechurch boat fleet?

 

Richard