Gailey Canal Cruising

[The Pipe]

Gailey Canal Cruising from the late 60's. Many of us started about this time. I shall have to do it in 2 posts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hugh]

Ah, I remember the Lark well. Along with other Peak Forest Canal Society members we spent many a happy week exploring distant and murky parts of the BCN and Erewash

 

Hugh

[The Pipe]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah, I remember the Lark well. Along with other Peak Forest Canal Society members we spent many a happy week exploring distant and murky parts of the BCN and Erewash

 

Hugh

Lark was the boat we usually had as we were a family of 5.

[J R ALSOP]

I hope CarT read this and note vegetation, this was the views that got me boating in the 50's,slash and burn is the only way to bring our heritage back.

[The Pipe]

I hope CarT read this and note vegetation, this was the views that got me boating in the 50's,slash and burn is the only way to bring our heritage back.

In the 60's there was allot less trees along the canal I cannot remember having problems with overhanging trees anywhere like you have now. It stands out in any old photo's compared to today.

[The Pipe]

The wooden jibbed crane at Gailey seen in the background on many of the photo's is still certified and in use today.

Is the woman in the blue skirt in the second page photo Mrs. Thomas?

Edited December 10, 2013 by Jim Evans

[Joseph]

Gosh...

 

Absolutely fascinating - my first canal holiday was on Kingfisher. But - these must be before 1965 rather than the late 1960s, as Ernest Thomas moved from Gailey to Calf Heath in 1965 - I think.

 

Jim, many thanks for posting this. Where did you get the booklet?

 

Joseph

[Derek R.]

Fantastic. Thanks for posting Jim. I was fettling motorbikes back then and totally unaware of the cut other than the Regent's through the Zoo. Eyes wide closed.

[alan_fincher]

I don't think too many hirers today would settle for just 5 foot of galley down one side of the boat, balanced by a toilet compartment on the other. (presumably housing a real bucket and chuck it - probably not that good a mix with meal preparation on a hot day! ).

 

One also assumes nothing like fridges and showers - how things have changed!

 

Where an engine is mentioned it always seems to be a Fowler, and it looks like an 11HP unit used irrelevant of boat size. It seems very rare to find a Fowler in a narrow boat now. and I really had no idea entire hire fleets were so equipped.

 

Magic - thanks for posting.

[debbifiggy]

Gosh...

 

Absolutely fascinating - my first canal holiday was on Kingfisher. But - these must be before 1965 rather than the late 1960s, as Ernest Thomas moved from Gailey to Calf Heath in 1965 - I think.

 

Jim, many thanks for posting this. Where did you get the booklet?

 

Joseph

Really interesting to see this. Thanks so much for sharing. Through work I got to know Robin, Raven and Eagle, sadly in not looking their best, the first two having sunk after quite a few years neglect. As far as I know neither Raven or Robin exist any more but Eagle was sold for restoration to a private owner.

Debbi

[Barry]

Some of those boats have beautiful lines, particularly Kingfisher.

 

Are they all wood?

 

Wren looks like a slim broads cruiser.

 

Heron has an enormous aft deck with what look like wicker settles forming something like a modern semi-trad stern. But is that a binnacle of some sort in front of the tiller? I wonder if that is where the engine controls and instruments were mounted. Or do I have that wrong and it's something on the edge of the wharf?

 

I noticed the coastal boating terminology too; Gailey yacht station, all boats labelled as motor vessels.

Edited December 11, 2013 by Bazza2

[The Pipe]

Gosh...

 

Absolutely fascinating - my first canal holiday was on Kingfisher. But - these must be before 1965 rather than the late 1960s, as Ernest Thomas moved from Gailey to Calf Heath in 1965 - I think.

 

Jim, many thanks for posting this. Where did you get the booklet?

 

Joseph

The brochure is owned by my brother inlaw D.Connell and been in the family from new. I assumed it was from the late 60's but if ET moved in 65 it then has to be from before then.

I shall be scanning a later ET brouchure from after the move to Hatherton also of interest.

I have BWB blue hire brochure when I can find it even earlier they even had small plastic 2 bearth outboard powered boats then.

I don't think too many hirers today would settle for just 5 foot of galley down one side of the boat, balanced by a toilet compartment on the other. (presumably housing a real bucket and chuck it - probably not that good a mix with meal preparation on a hot day! ).

 

One also assumes nothing like fridges and showers - how things have changed!

 

Where an engine is mentioned it always seems to be a Fowler, and it looks like an 11HP unit used irrelevant of boat size. It seems very rare to find a Fowler in a narrow boat now. and I really had no idea entire hire fleets were so equipped.

 

Magic - thanks for posting.

No Alan. They had real toilets pump it over the side, they were a high class fleet in there day so non of the crude dig a hole and bury it.

They all had 11hp Fowlers, went well enougth, I have one sat in my shed waiting to be rebuilt at some time, the rocker box cover even has "ET" cast into it. All the plates and cuttlery were special for ET.

[alan_fincher]

I have BWB blue hire brochure when I can find it even earlier they even had small plastic 2 bearth outboard powered boats then.

The Water Baby boats.

 

First canal boat our family owned over 40 years ago!

 

Amazingly I think actually marketed as 2/4 Berth, as you could theoretically sleep another 2 under the low rain cover that went over the open cockpit at the back, (headroom less than 4 feet certainly!)

[The Pipe]

Some of those boats have beautiful lines, particularly Kingfisher.

 

Are they all wood?

 

Wren looks like a slim broads cruiser.

 

Heron has an enormous aft deck with what look like wicker settles forming something like a modern semi-trad stern. But is that a binnacle of some sort in front of the tiller? I wonder if that is where the engine controls and instruments were mounted. Or do I have that wrong and it's something on the edge of the wharf?

 

I noticed the coastal boating terminology too; Gailey yacht station, all boats labelled as motor vessels.

All wood, cabins were wide boards of Mahogany. Heron was how you describe it with a binnacle and 2 seats. She was actually the Thomas's own boat which they used if they went boating even more upmarket than the rest.

The Water Baby boats.

 

First canal boat our family owned over 40 years ago!

 

Amazingly I think actually marketed as 2/4 Berth, as you could theoretically sleep another 2 under the low rain cover that went over the open cockpit at the back, (headroom less than 4 feet certainly!)

That's them, Not many like that on the canals now. I miss the old converted WD pontoons they were one of the first sources of a hull for many early canal boaters.

Edited December 11, 2013 by Jim Evans

[alan_fincher]

That's them, Not many like that on the canals now. I miss the old converted WD pontoons they were one of the first sources of a hull for many early canal boaters.

I have found no evidence that any of the plywood built BW "Water Baby" hire cruisers have survived. My understanding was there were abour30 originally.

 

There was a larger type, the "Water Miss", I think, of which I think far fewer were built. (maybe about 10?). I was surprised to find that one of these does just about still exist at Ellesmere Port museum, albeit in a totally derelict state. Whether it will ever be loved again looked highly questionable.

[The Pipe]

I have found no evidence that any of the plywood built BW "Water Baby" hire cruisers have survived. My understanding was there were abour30 originally.

 

There was a larger type, the "Water Miss", I think, of which I think far fewer were built. (maybe about 10?). I was surprised to find that one of these does just about still exist at Ellesmere Port museum, albeit in a totally derelict state. Whether it will ever be loved again looked highly questionable.

I never realised they were ply built, but thinking about it they are a bit early to be glass fibre.

[The Pipe]

On the inside front cover and on the page for "Robin" there is a centre cockpit cruiser, can anybody remember it being in the fleet?

[The Pipe]

Gosh...

 

Absolutely fascinating - my first canal holiday was on Kingfisher. But - these must be before 1965 rather than the late 1960s, as Ernest Thomas moved from Gailey to Calf Heath in 1965 - I think.

 

Jim, many thanks for posting this. Where did you get the booklet?

 

Joseph

You must be right. The back page map does not have the M6 or the M1 which must put in pre 1962.

[David Mack]

One also assumes nothing like fridges and showers - how things have changed!

 

Some of the boats have KepKold Food Storage. Presumably one of these:

 

 

Described here as a "2 foot high, metal frame, lined with porous stone kept topped up with water which evaporated keeping contents cool."

 

My parents first boat had an Osokool 'fridge' which worked on the same principle. You had to keep the depression in the top filled with water, which soaked into the plaster(?) surround and evaporated. Being constantly wet, the depression got rather green and slimy after a while!

 

[The Pipe]

When my parents hired for 2 weeks (no showers of cause or BW ones for that matter) we had a load of 5 gallon jerry cans full of diesel stashed around the engine. I can immagine the reaction now of HSE and BSS.

We stopped once in Stoke on Tent so we could go and have a bath at my Aunt and Uncles house.

I cannot remember having any thing like a fridge or anything to keep stuff cool, you have to remember most people did not even have a fridge at home then.

[AMModels]

Wow Jim thanks for posting these images, its fantastic that a brochure still exists, love the fact our old boat is on the cover albeit in her ET disguise.

 

Is there any chance I could use the images on my site? I am constructing a page specifically for ET and copies of these images would be brilliant on there.

[The Pipe]

Wow Jim thanks for posting these images, its fantastic that a brochure still exists, love the fact our old boat is on the cover albeit in her ET disguise.

 

Is there any chance I could use the images on my site? I am constructing a page specifically for ET and copies of these images would be brilliant on there.

The brochures belong to my brother inlaw D Connell we have no problems with you using them. If you send me your email I will send both sets via a mail which will be better than dragging them of this site.

Which is yours? I know there is one in Brum but I cannot remember where.

I'm now thinking the brochure is early 60's as the M6 and M1 are not on the location map.

[Joseph]

Great to see all this.

 

I think the lack of any M6 at all indicates that the brochures were prepared pre-1962, when the Stafford by-pass opened. Ernest Thomas started operations in 1957 or 1958 at Gailey, so clearly some time after that.

 

I wonder if there are any other clues?

 

Thanks again

 

Joseph

[The Pipe]

Great to see all this.

 

I think the lack of any M6 at all indicates that the brochures were prepared pre-1962, when the Stafford by-pass opened. Ernest Thomas started operations in 1957 or 1958 at Gailey, so clearly some time after that.

 

I wonder if there are any other clues?

 

Thanks again

 

Joseph

The only other clue is possibly on the page for "Raven" is what type of car is in the background?

[AMModels]

The brochures belong to my brother inlaw D Connell we have no problems with you using them. If you send me your email I will send both sets via a mail which will be better than dragging them of this site.

Which is yours? I know there is one in Brum but I cannot remember where.

I'm now thinking the brochure is early 60's as the M6 and M1 are not on the location map.

We owned Ernest Thomas aka Vulcan the boat shown on the cover, recognisable even allowing for artistic licence. (the name helped lol)