Jump to content

Barney Boats


Woodontop

Featured Posts

On 26/11/2017 at 20:22, John Brightley said:

I bought Elsie from Stourport on Severn 3 winters ago and spent a good few months funurkling our way up through Birmingham and down through Oxford, Rugby, (right past her birthplace in Braunston), all through ice so thick I could walk on the canal. Then down a very fast and technically closed Thames at amazing speed to await the opening of the Kennet and Avon and up and down the K&A from Reading to Honey Street over the next few years... 

I still live on her and am ever so unhurriedly restoring her whilst keeping her original and steadfastly refusing to steptoe and son her coachroof so as not to interfere with her beautiful lines... Not even a solar panel! 

I bought her without a boat safety certificate but she sailed through, just had her craned at Aldermaston for blacking and actually saw how magnificent her hull design is! Boaty people have been making quite the fuss about her the whole time, which is not uncommon I've noticed for Elsie :)

She's the quickest and most nimble narrowboat in the K&A and always draws a smile and friendly comments from all ages and people from all walks of life... Hopefully the reunion will be held when possible, and Elsie and myself will definitely make the trip to Braunston... Does anyone know what the prize is for the fastest boat ☺️

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
  • 4 weeks later...
On 15/01/2017 at 11:26, CockneyRebel said:

Hi all, wonder if you can help clarify something. My engine is currently taking a good minute/two minutes to start - is this normal? Its not making bad noises, or running badly, just taking a while to get going.

Rachel

A few squirts of engine oil into the top of the cylinder to up the compression to get the first kick going , these stunning engines weren't designed to have heater plugs or even electric starter motors .. decompression lever open , 3-5 pumps of oil into the receptacle with the spring loaded lid on the head , just a turn on two on the handle and bomp :)

Every time even in minus 13 °c 🏴‍☠️🖤

On 26/05/2015 at 01:03, Woodontop said:

It's just fun spotting them out and about and seeing what changes have been made.

In Braunston alone I remember seeing,
Melanie Anne, which has a metal roof.
Melanie Jane, which has a metal roof.
Barnaby, which due to a fire has a new cabin top
Natwester, which I think has a new name. Also a metal roof.
Rachel was around for a while, has a port hole in the hull if I remember correctly.

The 3 UCC Barney Boats.

Met someone in the Gongoozler's Rest that had saved a Barney from scrap. Somewhere up near Clifton at the time, gave it portholes.

Cockney Rebel near crick. Still has a wooden roof.
Saw Thyme at the bottom of Foxton.


I had heard that there was some kind of Barney Boat register, I guess for all the owners to contact each other. But never seen it.

 

IMG20231207031426.jpg

On 26/05/2015 at 01:03, Woodontop said:

It's just fun spotting them out and about and seeing what changes have been made.

In Braunston alone I remember seeing,
Melanie Anne, which has a metal roof.
Melanie Jane, which has a metal roof.
Barnaby, which due to a fire has a new cabin top
Natwester, which I think has a new name. Also a metal roof.
Rachel was around for a while, has a port hole in the hull if I remember correctly.

The 3 UCC Barney Boats.

Met someone in the Gongoozler's Rest that had saved a Barney from scrap. Somewhere up near Clifton at the time, gave it portholes.

Cockney Rebel near crick. Still has a wooden roof.
Saw Thyme at the bottom of Foxton.


I had heard that there was some kind of Barney Boat register, I guess for all the owners to contact each other. But never seen it.

IMG20231207031452.thumb.jpg.6a2ba2bf7d09f46455fd75e55f5bb2b3.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Boats 55, 56 and 59 were initially part of Chris's own Braunston Boats hire fleet. No. 59 Badger was sold to Concoform at Weeden in 1976 when Chris finnished, being one of two Barney Boat hire boats with the Concoform fleet, both retaining their Sabb single cylinder engines. No. 59 was renamed Chickweed in the Concoform fleet. Sold out of fleet in 1998 to me and renamed Hanna. I sold her in 2000 and last known to be on the River Medway.

Knotweed was Concoforms other Barney boat which was sold out of fleet in 1997 and renamed Cockney Rebel.

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.