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Shad's Relaunch


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I also think that anyone who thinks that since we have turned a corner, all those boats in a bad way should be completed by now, has no idea just how much work, time and money goes into it.

I agree entirely and, especially in this economic climate, slow steady progress is the best we can hope for and the museum is certainly exceeding my expectations.

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I agree entirely and, especially in this economic climate, slow steady progress is the best we can hope for and the museum is certainly exceeding my expectations.

 

That means a lot Carl, thank you :)

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My only comment to Carlt's is it wasn't a brief encounter I was there for a while and it was my interpretation, if you wish to disagree that's your choice (after all it's a free country last time I checked) unlike this forum sometimes!

As I said.

 

You are free to criticise people and their boats but it is somewhat hypocritical if you have a go at folk who choose to criticise a museum.

 

Suggesting that those who took offence at your comments were bullying you is a bit rich when you then suggest that those whose comments you take offence at are bullies.

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Cant help but think you are either misadvised or not telling the whole truth there Laurence? From my understanding, all TWT Vice Presidents were invited to become Friends of CRT. Only Sonia Rolt turned this down as she was becoming too frail, but Timothy West, Miranda, John Craven, AND David Suchet all became founder members.

I am also quite surprised that he was asking you on updates on the museum baring in mind you have washed yours hands of it, have no dealings any more and are openly anti the museum, and of course when he is a founder member...

David called me about 4 weeks ago before he left for work in Israel where he will be until September. I have nothing to hide about what he said but what he told me I expect to be true.

I do not despise the museum as you say, I am not happy at the past few years and the management.

Its Roger Hanbury and former TWT that I have a lot of grief with. They have lost a large amount of loaned items belonging to me which were intended to be sold to fund restoration on my boats as they were not on display, they haven't made any recompensation or even offered an apology, Hanbury just created a long string of paperwork, wasted peoples time and achieved nothing in the process other than covering his own failings imho.

 

I am also not alone in having items missing, the previous "management" was incompetent and changed so often that no continuity evolved. Hence no records kept up to date etc etc.

 

Your boatyard work is really the best thing that's happened there for years except again look at the management, how many "restored" Joshers do you need when other more deserving boats rot away?

 

What you also don't know is that the BCN plate off Shad was offered to TWT in exchange for an item of mine which they purchased years ago they had but didn't display, once again Hanbury blocked the deal with "red tape", are you really surprised that I put it up for auction?

 

One last thing, I haven't the other plate and the person that had it is no longer around sadly but someone could make a resin cast of the one on the boat then you would have a pair, as in Anderton days.

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What's that all about then? Or is it my terrible eyesight? It's got a motor's counter and ramshead, but they're sitting with their feet in what looks like a butty's hatches.

I am not sure how many, but from what I gather, some of the later Northwich boats built for the north had this arrangement of lower deck. I know that Perch and Ling had this and if Dawn has a look under Shad's counter (if not changed to much see attached pic) it may be apparent of the angle iron that supported this lower deck. Was not favoured by the boatmen as was a water trap

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=249902105147090&set=a.103812316422737.4336.100003819061181&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ash2%2Ft1%2F524983_249902105147090_1084527723_n.jpg&size=640%2C480

Edited by FMC Ling 317
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I am not sure how many, but from what I gather, some of the later Northwich boats built for the north had this arrangement of lower deck. I know that Perch and Ling had this and if Dawn has a look under Shad's counter (if not changed to much see attached pic) it may be apparent of the angle iron that supported this lower deck. Was not favoured by the boatmen as was a water trap

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=249902105147090&set=a.103812316422737.4336.100003819061181&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ash2%2Ft1%2F524983_249902105147090_1084527723_n.jpg&size=640%2C480

Really quite interesting to read the comments on this picture. It was taken during the conversion of Dory to a butty, at first they tried to retain the motor steering but it wasn't a success and a full rebuild was done as with Dace. Both are still around Dace is now called Leopard and runs with the converted stern as the fore end, the original fore end being a transom stern but still retaining guard ends.

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Really quite interesting to read the comments on this picture. It was taken during the conversion of Dory to a butty, at first they tried to retain the motor steering but it wasn't a success and a full rebuild was done as with Dace. Both are still around Dace is now called Leopard and runs with the converted stern as the fore end, the original fore end being a transom stern but still retaining guard ends.

Yes really as I have seen a picture of Perch not long after being built with this arrangement.

What year do you have for the picture?

Edited by FMC Ling 317
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Tiggers, be proud of what you have achieved. Accept all comments as helpful, jealous or both.

 

If I were building a model of a working boat I would get more points in a competition by presenting it in a used condition.

Your Shad is not a model looking for competition points! The general public have heard about the brightly painted boats; Shad, lives up to modern perceptions of what that means.

 

Please keep posting!

 

BTW, I renamed my first nb boat 'Shad'. A mnemonic of family initials, 'Dash' seemed innapropriate, I knew of the herring species but I was unaware that the original nb Shad still existed.

 

Thank you, Alan (jealous).

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Took at the end of their traffic days, note the p/health registration is not on a black background and the red is not a bright shade:

 

gallery_5000_522_151334.jpg

When was Shad paired with this butty? On the carbide run in 1968 Fred & Rose had Aberystwyth;& if brain fade is not to severe I think they were still in BW colours ( although I could be wrong)

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Really quite interesting to read the comments on this picture. It was taken during the conversion of Dory to a butty, at first they tried to retain the motor steering but it wasn't a success and a full rebuild was done as with Dace. Both are still around Dace is now called Leopard and runs with the converted stern as the fore end, the original fore end being a transom stern but still retaining guard ends.

 

I don't actually think this is true. Perhaps if the only pictures in existence of a lowered stern deck were of Dace and Dory then this might be a possibility - but unlikely as the relationship of the counter to the waterline would suggest the engine was still in place. But there are pictures in existence that show other fish class Joshers - IIIRC Perch and Lamprey - with a similar arrangement.

 

The fish class boats were built to run as single motors (ie without a butty) to replace horsedrawn boats in the north west. It is much more likely that this new kind of boat, which had other revolutionary features such as shorter engine rooms, were designed with a rear cockpit ("hatches") and a "starn" cupboard for food to appease the conservative boatmen. While it is easy to envisage a box or folding step to facilitate steering it seems they were found unsatisfactory in use and rebuilt as conventional motor boats.

 

Paul

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When was Shad paired with this butty? On the carbide run in 1968 Fred & Rose had Aberystwyth;& if brain fade is not to severe I think they were still in BW colours ( although I could be wrong)

 

From what I remember, Argo came from the Wendover arm along with a couple of other boats (Stirling, Bargus spring to mind, may be wrong), I remember seeing the cabin being refurbished at the top of the lift.

 

Aberystwyth was certainly the butty at the time the pic I posted above was taken, but that was in Willow Wren time, about 1965. I think the cabin sides on the motor were green, but Jack Tolley's pair (they were long lining together on the Bridgewater) and I think also the Aberystwyth were still in BW colours.

 

Tim

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I seem to remember helping move Argo up Hatton on the way from Wendover circa 1970 with Birmingham & Midland, with me, Grahame Wrigley and (I think) Eddie Hambridge taking three boats. Eddie worked ahead with a motor and one boat, while Grahame and I bow hauled a pair behind.

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I seem to remember helping move Argo up Hatton on the way from Wendover circa 1970 with Birmingham & Midland, with me, Grahame Wrigley and (I think) Eddie Hambridge taking three boats. Eddie worked ahead with a motor and one boat, while Grahame and I bow hauled a pair behind.

Just a thought, are you confusing Argo with Argon which Birmingham and Midland certainly owned.

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Just a thought, are you confusing Argo with Argon which Birmingham and Midland certainly owned.

 

Too many GUCCCo "Arg**" butties ?!? (Argo, Argon, Argus).

 

I'm no expert but like you I would associate Argon with BMCCCo, but not Argo as far as I can recall.

 

From what I remember, Argo came from the Wendover arm along with a couple of other boats

 

Yes, Argo was in the first sale of Wendover boats, I believe.

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Wonderfull to see Shad looking so good .Also good to hear that the outlook for the collection is now more positive ..For all the problems that the museum has faced,I have to say that if the museum had not been formed when it was,then in my opinion,the whole site would have been razed to the ground and redeveloped for housing .Remember the Telford straddle warehouses.

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Well all I can say is thank you everyone for your support, I think I have said what I need to say, and pointed out what I needed to, Ill stop laying out the rope.

 

Oh, and the colours are right.

  • Greenie 2
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And for those wondering what is coming up next, we now have funding for a complete restore of Ferret, and work is underway.

 

We are also fund raising for Merak with the hope to start on her soon, and potentially have gathered enough timber to do her sides.

 

Now Mossdale is out, the second part of the funding is under way for a complete restoration of George.

 

A number of other bits are being done on various boats, including works on Aleida's engine, Worcester is about to be repainted and is also having works done on her engine, we are quickly moving forward with getting the place back in steam, both Ilkeston and Mendip will be repainted and have works done on their cabins in the coming months. Gifford will be having a repaint before Easter, there is talk about the Bantam coming out for hull works, and has also had work on her engine. The trip boat has just had a fair amount of its interior replaced. The huge amount of work on the various buildings is still underway, with the Toll House now complete.

 

There are also plans for taking the boats around the system this year, and we will certainly have a strong presence at the IWA Chester festival.

 

So we are moving on, volunteers are being taught how to properly look after the boats and why we do what we do so our restorations arent done in vein. So all in all, I think were doing pretty good.

 

Be sure to check out the Museums Facebook page which is updated regularly on whats happening.

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Just a thought, are you confusing Argo with Argon which Birmingham and Midland certainly owned.

They were moving some boats on contract, not just those they had acquired. I may still be mistaken, though, but don't tell anyone as it would ruin my reputation.

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I seem to remember helping move Argo up Hatton on the way from Wendover circa 1970 with Birmingham & Midland, with me, Grahame Wrigley and (I think) Eddie Hambridge taking three boats. Eddie worked ahead with a motor and one boat, while Grahame and I bow hauled a pair behind.

According to my notes BARGUS and ARGO were removed from the Wendover Arm in April 1968, both being towed away by TROUT and passing through Braunston on 16th April.

 

edit - exactly 1 month later George Page was back at the Wendover Arm with TROUT where he recovered both BOGNOR and STIRLING.

Edited by pete harrison
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Yes really as I have seen a picture of Perch not long after being built with this arrangement.

What year do you have for the picture?

Its early 1950's as the boats were slow to get repainted it is still in FMC colours, picture is taken at Fazeley st, it is from John Jinks collection.

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When Shad was first painted in her current colour scheme it was by Tony Lewery. The boat was varnished - or at least the signwritten panels were and would certainly have been shiny. The registration was on a black panel, admittedly not as wide as the it is now - but there nevertheless. The colours were Tekaloid Mid-Blue and Bright Red- They still are. Stick around Tiggers , we`ve more to do yet !

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When Shad was first painted in her current colour scheme it was by Tony Lewery. The boat was varnished - or at least the signwritten panels were and would certainly have been shiny. The registration was on a black panel, admittedly not as wide as the it is now - but there nevertheless. The colours were Tekaloid Mid-Blue and Bright Red- They still are. Stick around Tiggers , we`ve more to do yet !

If I remember correctly back in the 1980's and early 1990's we used Tekaloid Mid-Blue as the base colour for 'British Waterways' liveries, with the lining and lettering in Tekaloid Yellow Chrome. I am sure many enthusiasts would baulk at these selections nowadays - especially the even darker blue used on the 'fluer de lys' 'British Waterways' liveries of ASCOT, BARROW, HALSALL and BEVERLEY back then.

 

Out of interest what are the paints and colours now used for these liveries ?

 

When I painted BADSEY in 1989 I used International Paints, simply because they were readily accessible. The shades I chose for the 'austere' G.U.C.C.Co. Ltd. wartime livery were Red Coral (on top of Red undercoat), Mauritius Blue (on top of Dark Blue undercoat) and Sand (off white - on top of White undercoat) - not because I believed them to be historically correct but because I thought that they looked right. I used Dulux Black for the Health Registration panel and shading of the lettering. BADSEY may not have been historically correct but was certainly a very good representation of this livery.

Edited by pete harrison
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