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Flower of Gloster - to be released on DVD in Sept. 2015


ChrisJBrady

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It isn't - nor even a Small Northwich or a Large Northwich!

 

Out of curiosity does anyone know what that butty is?. I like it it's a nice looking boat.

 

The old Flower of Gloster just sitting there as well?. I reckon that I could probably buy the thing these days if it was still around. Lol ha ha ha...

Edited by Flower of Gloster
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Out of curiosity does anyone know what that butty is?. I like it it's a nice looking boat.

 

The old Flower of Gloster just sitting there as well I reckon that I could probably buy the thing these days if it was still around cos I've got enough money to!!. Lol ha ha ha...

 

Have you read Pete Harrison's post about what the butty is.

 

If Pete says something is something, it is usually correct.

 

Edited: To acknowledge you actually quoted Pete's post, where he identified the butty! :wacko: So you had your answer, surely?

Edited by alan_fincher
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Have you read Pete Harrison's post about what the butty is.

 

If Pete says something is something, it is usually correct.

 

Edited: To acknowledge you actually quoted Pete's post, where he identified the butty! wacko.png So you had your answer, surely?

 

 

Yeah it's a ex-Willow Wren boat although I what I really meant but didn't phrase my question properly was what type of Butty was it or from what boat yard was the boat originally from it anyone knows?.

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Yeah it's a ex-Willow Wren boat although I what I really meant but didn't phrase my question properly was what type of Butty was it or from what boat yard was the boat originally from it anyone knows?.

If the butty is Willow Wren's "Kestrel", then it started life as GUCCCo W J Yarwoods built "Middle Northwich" "Triagulum"

 

For a while it was also Wyvern Shipping Company's "Elizabeth" until acquisition by Willow Wren.

 

AFAIK it is still "Kestrel" and owned by a very well known CWDF member who has had many forum identities over the years, and who, indeed I suspect may back with us again now(!)

 

Look at this post, which shows Triagulum/Elizabeth/Kestrel as "Elizabeth".

 

 

 

 

http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/2334/kestrel

 

Originally called TRIAGULUM. A 'Middle' Northwich boat built by Yarwood & Sons.

 

From what I know of the history, do we believe this bit to be correct?

 

she was sold with 7 other unpowered narrow boats to Birmingham City Corporation and spent many years as an unmarked rubbish boat until bought by Willow Wren in 1958.

 

I can't see how it can be?

Edited by alan_fincher
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If the butty is Willow Wren's "Kestrel", then it started life as GUCCCo W J Yarwoods built "Middle Northwich" "Triagulum"

 

From what I know of the history, do we believe this bit to be correct?

This is unquestionable, although there have been a few 'curved balls' published in the waterways press over the years - most likely based upon this boat having the incorrect gauge number painted on the cabin when it returned to trade.

 

As far as 7 of these boats being sold to Birmingham Corporation for use as rubbish boats - absolute drivel. 7 of these boats were sold to the Grand Union Canal Company for use as canal maintenance boats of one sort or another captain.gif

Edited by pete harrison
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I believe I can recognise a British Waterways 'River' class narrowboat though they looked a bit rough & ready lol ha ha ha...

The 'River Class' were more revolutionary than 'rough and ready' and represent the very last stage of commercial narrow boat development, along with the 'Admiral Class' narrow boats in the north west. The design of these boats may not appeal to the majority of todays enthusiasts but they were carefully designed and well built, and were not as unpopular as some may claim captain.gif

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The 'River Class' were more revolutionary than 'rough and ready' and represent the very last stage of commercial narrow boat development, along with the 'Admiral Class' narrow boats in the north west. The design of these boats may not appeal to the majority of todays enthusiasts but they were carefully designed and well built, and were not as unpopular as some may claim captain.gif

To be honest pete I actually like those 'River' class narrowboats there front ends look a bit 'blunt' looking but that's ok. Back in 1980 I happen to be walking along the towpath of the Regents canal one day below st Pancras lock and a River class narrowboat came passed me with the 'blue tops' covering the hold and I remember the boats name was called 'AXE' and I am quite sure the boat was painted in blue & yellow British Waterways colours.

 

I assume some people on here will know of this narrowboat and I am guessing it's still possibly around somewhere today?.

 

 

***Sorry to stray off the topic of the Flower of Gloster television series***

Edited by Flower of Gloster
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To be honest pete I actually like those 'River' class narrowboats there front ends look a bit 'blunt' looking but that's ok. Back in 1980 I happen to be walking along the towpath of the Regents canal one day below st Pancras lock and a River class narrowboat came passed me with the 'blue tops' covering the hold and I remember the boats name was called 'AXE' and I am quite sure the boat was painted in blue & yellow British Waterways colours I believe?.

 

I assume some people on here will know of this narrowboat and I am guessing it's still possibly around somewhere today?.

Back in 1980 AXE was not unusual in still being a butty complete with bluetops, but it is a very different situation now as so few of these boats remain as buttys and even fewer retain bluetops (possibly only URE and WYE).

 

I last photographed AXE on 21 May 1991 when it was tied on the off side at Stone, still sporting a tidy blue and yellow livery and a full set of bluetops. A couple of years later AXE was converted to a counter sterned motor, and for a few years operated as a floating restaurant at Aynho. My understanding is that AXE is now used as a house boat on the River Nene (or one of its tributary's) captain.gif

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Just received my copy of these DVDS.

 

£12 direct from networkonair.com, (inclusive no P&P).

 

Its £20 on Amazon Prime - an unusually large difference for an Amazon supplied item.

 

I ordered my copy yesterday evening, and received an emali this morning advising that it had been shipped.

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Back in 1980 AXE was not unusual in still being a butty complete with bluetops, but it is a very different situation now as so few of these boats remain as buttys and even fewer retain bluetops (possibly only URE and WYE).

 

I last photographed AXE on 21 May 1991 when it was tied on the off side at Stone, still sporting a tidy blue and yellow livery and a full set of bluetops. A couple of years later AXE was converted to a counter sterned motor, and for a few years operated as a floating restaurant at Aynho. My understanding is that AXE is now used as a house boat on the River Nene (or one of its tributary's) captain.gif

Thanks for the info on narrowboat AXE 37 years on Pete that is interesting.

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I ordered my copy yesterday evening, and received an emali this morning advising that it had been shipped.

Your in for a good old time watching the dvd David enjoy it.

 

After re-watching the Flower of Gloster again on dvd last Saturday for the first time after 50 years since I originally saw it on the telly I can honestly say I can die happy now, not that I'm planning on leaving in the immediate future!!. Lol ha ha ha...

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Just received my copy of these DVDS.

 

£12 direct from networkonair.com, (inclusive no P&P).

 

Its £20 on Amazon Prime - an unusually large difference for an Amazon supplied item.

 

Yes; when I ordered it last week, I could swear there was some reference to £12 being a pre-order price and only valid till 7th January (or something), which is partly why I thought I'd get my order in pronto in case the price went up suddenly. I can't find any reference now to it being a promotional price, but that would fit with Amazon charging full RRP.

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I ordered my copy yesterday evening, and received an emali this morning advising that it had been shipped.

 

If that is from Networkonair, be aware that the shipping date they show is not actually the date it is genuinely shipped, but the date they instruct someone to ship it on their behalf, I think. My email notification shipped on Friday 27th, but was still not with me this morning. When I rang them today to enquire, they said no, it was actually only sent out by Royal Mail on Monday 30th......

 

Surprise, surprise - it fell through my letter box about 30 minutes later!

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Yeah I paid £20 from Amazon the week before last.

 

With regards to the Flower of Gloster television series just LISTEN to the theme music it's magical and believe it not I actually could hum that piece of music note for note (and did) for the last 50 years I never forgot it.

 

If the Flower of Gloster narrowboat was still around I would make a offer of £100.000.00p so would that be a reasonable offer??.

Edited by Flower of Gloster
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I loved this series when it was first broadcast and I've really enjoyed watching it again 50 years later.

 

Having watched it I'm struck by how odd it is. Was it made on a budget ot about 50 bob (old money)? I've read somewhere that the dialogue was improvised but it really shows that they were making it up as they went along. Take the scene where 'Dick' is holding the kid upside down and threatening to drop him in the cut. They're both killing themselves laughing!

 

Add to that the only actors credited are those playing the four principal characters. There has already been discussion as to the canal people featured but who was the 'industrial archaeologist' and is that really the duchess they bump into at Woburn Abbey?

Talfryn Thomas plays old man Evans, the 'baddie'. He was a professional character actor but doesn't get a credit.

And does the person playing his son have the worst Welsh accent this side of Dick Van Dyke trying to be a cockerknee?

 

The whole thing is just wonderful, all filmed on location. Priceless street scenes of Market Drayton and the markets and Bull Ring in Brum.

 

Now that more forumites have watched it we can play 'spot the location'!

 

OK. Here's your starter for 10...............

 

Whereabouts are they when they are supposed to be in Wolverhampton and Spon Lane? (Disc Two, first episode 'Lost')

It took me the best part of an afternoon to work that one out!

(Remember the continuity is all over the place)

 

And a final thought. Was Bill Grundy, the producer, a canal enthusiast? The whole thing appears to be a vehicle to show off the canals.

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Have just skimmed through the first disk.

 

It's rather quaint the way that the boatmen like Charlie Atkins & Ken Nixon play themselves.

 

Why they were apparently supposed to be (and were) working up the Audlem flight we kept being treated to pictures of a Grand Union staircase will, I guess, remain a mystery.

 

Also why they are shown fitting a LIster to the boat, but thereafter (so far!) it looks like a Petter, to my untrained eyes.

The intermingled footage of the genuine working boats is much appreciated though, as are the dozens of pontoon conversions, and other more esoteric leisure craft of the 1960s.

A shame they managed to retrieve the banjo from the cut, though, (I slipped that one in just for David!).

Disk 2 tomorrow, I guess!

EDITED TO ADD:

 

Presumably the same Bill Grundy who's career subsequently never recovered from his errors of judgment when taunting the Sex Pistols in "interview"?

Or not?

Edited by alan_fincher
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I loved this series when it was first broadcast and I've really enjoyed watching it again 50 years later.

 

Having watched it I'm struck by how odd it is. Was it made on a budget ot about 50 bob (old money)? ...........<Snip

 

Whether they were on a tight budget, or just plain tight, I do not know, but I do know that they failed to pay us the fee they promised for using our boat and crew for half a day. From what I remember it only amounted to enough to buy us a couple of rounds in the pub.

Edited by David Schweizer
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A shame they managed to retrieve the banjo from the cut, though, (I slipped that one in just for David!).

 

NIce of you to think of me Alan, One day I will play a duel with you on your Melodeon, that will drive everyone away!!

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Whether they were on a tight budget, or just plain tight, I do not know, but I do know that they failed to pay us the fee they promised for using our boat and crew for half a day. From what I remember it only amounted to enough to buy us a couple of rounds in the pub.

It won't have been as cheap as a BBC production, it was filmed in colour and would have been a full union production. Very surprised the fee promised to you was not paid. But the budget might have been very tight by their standards.

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