new barges for old (1961)

[Bee]

Can't get any sense out of computer this morning to provide link but if you enter 'new barges for old' into you tube there is a great bit of film of converting joey boats.

[Leo No2]

In the middle of the Woodham Flight (Locks 1 to 2 and 2 to 3) on the Basingstoke. Some are still there to this day. I know them well.

 

Edited January 7, 2015 by Leo No2

[ChimneyChain]

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Edited January 7, 2015 by ChimneyChain

[MtB]

Lovely fillum!

 

Note these conversions were all carried out 'sans power', all work done with hand tools only. Wheel braces to drill pilot hoes for screws and Stanley "Yankee" screwdrivers to drive the screws home shown in the film.

 

Also interesting to note the narrator stating these redundant wooden butties were 25 years old when converted...

 

Virtually none left there now when you walk along that stretch of canal. Plenty of residential boats but mostly steel pontoons/hulls, many actually constructed around the old butty conversions to keep them afloat.

 

I remember back in the 1970's when I was considering buying one of these and chatting to a boater who was highly scathing, saying they never go anywhere, are not populated by 'proper boaters', are rotting heaps, and most are not floating at all but sitting on the bottom. Attitudes never seem to change!

 

MtB

[Mike Tee]

I love the comment 'Too long for easy maneuverability'.

[GUMPY]

Many years ago one, cant remember its name, moved to between Fisheries and Winkwell on the GU.

Its now in 2 parts at the boatyard at Winkwell

[pete harrison]

Many years ago one, cant remember its name, moved to between Fisheries and Winkwell on the GU.

Its now in 2 parts at the boatyard at Winkwell

JESTER, original name unknown to me but it was based upon a large Rickmansworth butty.

 

edit - I do have records of all of the former commercial narrow boats that ended up as Floating Homes Ltd. house boat conversions.

 

edit 2- change boat name from THE JESTER to JESTER.

Edited January 7, 2015 by pete harrison

[alan_fincher]

Many years ago one, cant remember its name, moved to between Fisheries and Winkwell on the GU.

Its now in 2 parts at the boatyard at Winkwell

Not that many years ago, at all, I would have thought it was finally taken away from the Fishery area, (3 or 4 possibly, though I'm hopeless on time spans).

 

The initial story was, I thought, that just the front and back end were being stored at Winkwell, but when I saw it there a year or so back, I would have thought the two bits added up to the length of the whole boat.

 

It appeared that it had been lined with wire netting of some sort, and then concreted over for much of the insides of the hull.

[matty40s]

Many years ago one, cant remember its name, moved to between Fisheries and Winkwell on the GU.

Its now in 2 parts at the boatyard at Winkwell

It was 3 bits last time I came past.

[GUMPY]

 

It was 3 bits last time I came past.

that's what I first typed but then doubted my memory!

Its been there for about 4 years first on the water and then in pieces.

I can't remember when it arrived above fisheries but as a guess over 30years ago.