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British Waterways hire brouchure 1960

The Pipe

By The Pipe
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Timleech Veteran II

Timleech

Posted
Posted

Interesting that they hired out boats with Hotchkiss cones, I didn't know that.

 

I wonder what the Parsons 'Scampi' engine was? Probably a petrol engine.

The Goosander was. I think, an Armstrong single and the 20hp Parsons engine will be the Merganser, or Armstrong twin.

 

Tim

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The Pipe Rising Star

The Pipe

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Timleech, on 05 Dec 2014 - 6:35 PM, said:

Interesting that they hired out boats with Hotchkiss cones, I didn't know that.

 

I wonder what the Parsons 'Scampi' engine was? Probably a petrol engine.

The Goosander was. I think, an Armstrong single and the 20hp Parsons engine will be the Merganser, or Armstrong twin.

 

Tim

On a goole search I get this for one and it is petrol.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19710219&id=LJJAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1431,3765927

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zenataomm Veteran

zenataommDonate to Canal World

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Sympathy for the man in the last photo (at the wheel) it appears he has no bones in his arm, or perhaps an elephant's trunk grafted on.

 

I remember in the mid sixties the front end of a Josher with cabin, just like those, called Captain Hudson for sale at Blue Line Braunston. I wonder which one that was?

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magnetman Veteran II

magnetman

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Posted

There is a funny little boat called Buffalo (I think) near Southall, moored to a garden. Its got a Josher bow. its about 30ft. I wonder if this is another one? Might not still be there I haven't been for a couple of years but it was always there and I've been through there more or less every year since the mid 90's.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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Wonderful stuff.

 

My family's first ever boat was a "Water Baby", one of the 19 foot long very low slung cruisers featured. About as basic as boating got, really.

 

These pictures have been posted before, but here is our ex BW hire boat.

 

Water_Baby_Gnat_on_Wendover_Arm.jpg

 

In this case we travelled up in the small boat in the front to hire the somewhat larger one behind it!

 

Water_Baby_Gnat_on_Wendover_Arm.jpg

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pete harrison Veteran

pete harrison

Posted
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Sympathy for the man in the last photo (at the wheel) it appears he has no bones in his arm, or perhaps an elephant's trunk grafted on.

 

I remember in the mid sixties the front end of a Josher with cabin, just like those, called Captain Hudson for sale at Blue Line Braunston. I wonder which one that was?

 

There is a funny little boat called Buffalo (I think) near Southall, moored to a garden. Its got a Josher bow. its about 30ft. I wonder if this is another one? Might not still be there I haven't been for a couple of years but it was always there and I've been through there more or less every year since the mid 90's.

Well there is a coincidence - CAPTAIN HUDSON (my records give the name as CAPTAIN HOBSON) and the fore end of F.M.C. Ltd. BUFFALO are one of the same captain.gif

 

I will just add that BUFFALO was not a 'British Waterways' hire boat conversion.

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Keeping Up Veteran II

Keeping UpDonate to Canal World

Posted
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How I remember that condition that commercial vessels must be given right of way at all times. Not just because it was so annoying that every time I set a lock, a working pair would come round the corner and claim it, but also because I never had my camera handy at the time.

 

In the drought of 1976 when we were on our honeymoon cruise, a camping boat from Hillingdon tried to get ahead of a 3-day queue at Atherstone by citing this paragraph and claiming that they were a commercial vessel carrying a cargo of "young offenders". They were soundly rebuffed and advised that it would be useful to teach their cargo some manners!

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zenataomm Veteran

zenataommDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

 

Well there is a coincidence - CAPTAIN HUDSON (my records give the name as CAPTAIN HOBSON) and the fore end of F.M.C. Ltd. BUFFALO are one of the same captain.gif

 

I will just add that BUFFALO was not a 'British Waterways' hire boat conversion.

 

As usual you are right Pete ..... I remember now that my father said that if he were able to buy it he'd rename it Hobson's Choice.

What is personally amazing is that I was 12 at the time and didn't learn about Joshers and Grand Union boats etc. for another 15 years.

Yet 48 years later I can see it clearly in my mind (painted cream)....... couldn't tell you where I was yesterday though!

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted (edited)

Great stuff, thanks!

A couple of them have bows not unlike those of a josher (says he, treading very carefully); were some of them cut-down working boats?

Most of these boat were cut down from commercial boats hopefully Pete Harrison will be along and be able to tell us which where and when and where are they now.

 

The 'Water Bulrush' is lovely - looks like a cut Josher.

 

A Parsons Goosander. What a nice name for an engine smile.png

The following post by Hairy Neil (remember him?), is from 2007.

 

I have not validated it at all, but it lists a number of the "Water" boats, and what Neil says were the original names.

 

Water Arabis = Arabia

Water Bullrush = Hare

Water Crocus = ???

Water Daffodil = ???

Water Erica = ??? FMC (f)

Water Fern = ???

Water Gentian = ??? (FMC f)

Water Hyacinth = ??? LMS (f)

Water Iris = Auora (f)

Water Ivy = ??? LMS (s)

Water Lilac = Antony (f)

Watter Lilly = Ostrich (f)

Water Lupin = Gorse (f)

Water Reed = Indus (f)

Water Valiant = Enceladus (f)

Water Violet = Auora (s)

Water Viper = ???

Water Vixen = Antlea (f)

Water Vole = Kelso (f)

Water Willow + Indus (s)

 

 

Water ??? = Jackal (f)

 

Edited to add Water Valiant/Enceladus

Edited by alan_fincher
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Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

Posted
Posted

Wouldn't it be lovely to have one of those cut down Joshers as it was in those pictures, sadly they have probably all been "re generated" into lookalike of what people think they should be. Restoration sometimes is detrimental and destroys history wholesale. I wonder if any have survived? Some of the latter boats built by Pimblotts exist as near original btw.

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magnetman Veteran II

magnetman

Posted
Posted (edited)

Don't know about the Joshers but there was an ex BW hireboat called 'Kelso' for sale at Harefield a few years ago. It had rather a rudimentary square stern and a riveted bow but it wasn't a Josher I don't think

 

edit to add

 

large northwich apparently

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rpmarks/7160400868/


maybe it was Water Vole? (according to Hairy Neil's list)

Edited by magnetman
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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted (edited)

Don't know about the Joshers but there was an ex BW hireboat called 'Kelso' for sale at Harefield a few years ago. It had rather a rudimentary square stern and a riveted bow but it wasn't a Josher I don't think

 

edit to add

 

large northwich apparently

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rpmarks/7160400868/

 

maybe it was Water Vole? (according to Hairy Neil's list)

From Matt Parrott's photos, (already in a previous thred).

 

DSC02952.jpg

 

EDIT: I have just woken up to the fact that picture is taken from "Sickle"!

Edited by alan_fincher
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