Ernie Thomas boats.

[nebulae]

Have just come off the dry dock at Hatherton Boatyard .For anyone not familiar with the area,the dock is the old lock number 2 of the Hatherton Branch. Above the lock are the hulks of four narrow boats,all believed to be ex Ernie Thomas.Very little to be seen of them now. Is the identity of these boats known? Cant see any evidence of cabins. Would they have been ex working boats,or possibly the remains of boats converted for his hire fleet .Insidentaly,the caracter of the Hatherton Junction is changing. Seven houses being built in the garden of the "Lock House"(Ray Thomas old house).Ideal for anyone looking for a house with canal interest .Also,the canalside bar is closed,permanently,I understand.

[Laurence Hogg]

Have just come off the dry dock at Hatherton Boatyard .For anyone not familiar with the area,the dock is the old lock number 2 of the Hatherton Branch. Above the lock are the hulks of four narrow boats,all believed to be ex Ernie Thomas.Very little to be seen of them now. Is the identity of these boats known? Cant see any evidence of cabins. Would they have been ex working boats,or possibly the remains of boats converted for his hire fleet .Insidentaly,the caracter of the Hatherton Junction is changing. Seven houses being built in the garden of the "Lock House"(Ray Thomas old house).Ideal for anyone looking for a house with canal interest .Also,the canalside bar is closed,permanently,I understand.

 

These hulls are standard 70ft wooden cabin "Joey" or "Day" boats. They were dumped there when the final boats came off the power station traffic and BW forced Ray Thomas to raise and clear his many sunken boats which lay all around Walsall and in Holly bank basin. Some were taken to Moxley tip, some dumped at Birchills yard and some went to Calf Heath where they may have been intended for conversion work. I do not know their identities as even many years ago the BCN plates were missing, but they all were standard ET style Joeys some still showing the single scallop in the "breast oak" which was the ET trademark. They are similar to "Birchills" which is a BCLM exhibit now, except the cabin on Birchills was larger than the power station boats.

 

Here is a ET joey loaded at Pratts bridge, in the background is a huge "Hampton" boat (approx. 80ft by 8ft).

 

 

Hope this helps.

[nebulae]

Laurence. Thanks for this information. I presume ,if the Hatherton branch is ever restored,the remains of these boats will be destroyed,as they will be in the way.

[Capt Ahab]

Laurence - thanks for this photo. I have been wondering what design to put on the bows of The Jam Butty and given our base location at Calf Heath using the ET design would be very fitting.

[Laurence Hogg]

Laurence. Thanks for this information. I presume ,if the Hatherton branch is ever restored,the remains of these boats will be destroyed,as they will be in the way.

 

Yellow at extreme left, then green, yellow edging white diamond on red background, on some the yellow was white,

Hope that completes the picture,

Cheers,

Laurence

[Capt Ahab]

Yellow at extreme left, then green, yellow edging white diamond on red background, on some the yellow was white,

Hope that completes the picture,

Cheers,

Laurence

Thanks - My panels are green to go with the overall colour scheme but a white diamond would still work.

[the barnacle]

I live just down the road from calf heath - might take a walk up to see what remains of the hulls.

[nebulae]

Dont think you will be able to see the remains unless you can access the boatyard,which is a very secure site .Also,the towpath is not accesable,as the first part of the Hatherton Branch is privately owned and towpath is blocked. You can see lock no.2 from the public road bridge(Kings Road)

[the barnacle]

thanks for the information - I often go and stand on the bridge, the water in that branch of the canal is crystal clear.

[Laurence Hogg]

I examined those boats in 1982 with Ray Thomas's permission. They were beyond saving then so little but the knees will remain now, also to reiterate, thay were just standard Thomas joeys like Birchills which is preserved at BCLM.