tHE LAST WORKING BOATS - IMAGES FROM THE EARLY 1970'S & 80'S

[Ray T]

Not a comment, but a question: what is a "box boat", please? An early form of container carrier would be my guess.

 

Yes, I have some pictures somewhere..... for coal carrying I believe.

 

ETA picture courtesy of Mr E Paget-Tomlinson, The illustrated History of Canal & River Navigations.

 

Edited April 27, 2015 by Ray T

[Athy]

Thanks, Rob and Ray.

[Tim Carter]

 

The two sold to Charles Ballinger became Bridget (not Bridgette) & Olive - I think these were originally Fir & Beech respectively.

 

They were ultimately shortened to a claimed 54 feet, (though reports of that length vary somewhat), and converted to hire boats. They worked in the Wyvern Shipping fleet, but reports differ as to whether it was Wyvern that actually shortened and converted them. Both were still on that fleet when I had a Saturday job there in 1971, and I think spent a few more years as hire boats before being sold to private buyers.

 

I can't remember where they are reported as now being, but think probably both are somewhere like the K&A?

 

Olive in 1969 [Photo: Phil Quick]

 

Thanks for that, love the stem fenders! Is that child about to pole vault off the back?

Bridget when worked by Charles Ballinger, from http://collections.canalrivertrust.org.uk/bw200.1.109.25. It's now on the K&A. I'm in touch with the owner, he is an HNBC member.

Lovely picture, do you know where it is?

I am not aware of any full length 'Severner' being wheel steered in the 1980's or 1990's. The only thing I can think of is back then PINE usually tied in the canal basin in Chester, or more specifically between the locks leading down to the River Dee. My recollections are that PINE was either unconverted or part converted at that time. Another boat also tied at the same location was the 'blue top' butty YEO, which was part converted (part steel cabin and part 'blue tops') and had something like a wheelhouse at its stern - an arrangement that was certainly in place when I photographed it at Chester on 18 October 1992. Are you remembering a combination of these two boats at the same location ?

Ah yes it could have been a River Class butty, 1991 I was running in and out of Chester quite a lot with M&F, certainly remember Pine being around.

[alan_fincher]

 

Thanks for that, love the stem fenders! Is that child about to pole vault off the back?

"That child", I think is now my brother-in-law!

Edited April 27, 2015 by alan_fincher

[pete harrison]

Lovely picture, do you know where it is?

Stoke Prior on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.

[ChrisJBrady]

Just as an aside - why are the images duplicated throughout the thread?

[Leo No2]

Just as an aside - why are the images duplicated throughout the thread?

 

Because the post has been quoted - you can edit them out if you wish.

[alan_fincher]

Just as an aside - why are the images duplicated throughout the thread?

 

Any reason why they should not be?

 

Any normal browser will download them just the once, and cache them, so it is not increasing the bandwidth you use when looking at the thread.