Backwards Boat Going Forwards, Indus Too

[FadeToScarlet]

If you're going to Alvecote, you may wish to learn this song:

 

If you fancy a bit of boatin’ now and then,

Take our tip, doe goo on the BCN,

’Cos it may be years before you are discovered we assure you,

And they doe tek pris’ners round by Windmill End.

 

Chorus:

We’ve got miles and miles of poly round the blades,

We’ve got miles and miles of poly round the blades,

We’ve got miles and miles of poly, a battered yellow brolly,

and a supermarket trolley round the blades.

 

Got a rusty old Lambretta round the blades,

Got a rusty old Lambretta round the blades,

Got a rusty old Lambretta and a purple mohair sweater,

And a six foot long French letter round the blades.

 

We’ve got an eight mil porno movie round the blades,

And we want to watch it quick in case it fades,

Down to Titford we will fly, in the middle we will tie,

Safe as houses from Constabulary raids.

 

There are bags and bins put out by Council men,

But the local folk prefer the BCN,

All the rubbish they have chucked in this great big linear dustbin,

But it could do with being emptied now and then.

 

We’ve got an orange vinyl armchair round the blades,

And to get it off we struggled round to Brades,

But the steering was affected, ’cos on the way there we collected:

12 yards of cable,

11 nylon stockings,

10 Castrol oil drums,

9 Dunlop tyres,

8 pairs of trousers,

7 push chair handles,

6 twin tub washers,

5 sleeping bags,

4 mattresses,

3 dead dogs,

2 washing lines

And another mile of poly round the blades

 

-Peter Dodds

 

 

[IanR]

I'm sure that boat was moored near Harefield for few years.

 

Mark, I've just had a look on Google Maps and you can see the boat on there! Just south west of Rickmansworth, under the west end of Stockers Lake near Springwell Lane. Identifiable by its number and unequal spacing of the strings. How cool is that?? (to me anyway!) Had a phone call today which made my day, secured a mooring at Roger Fullers yard at Stone, 3 miles from the house we are still trying to buy. So after Alvecote, Indus will be making its way into Staffordshire.

 

Ian.

[IanR]

Now it's up near home, work has been progressing, mainly in tidying and servicing, scraping, priming and painting, plus the essential lots of use! It now has an Epping in the back cabin which has made so much difference to the useability. The lamp is a Notek Fogmaster, the rim is well past its best but managed to pick up a complete lamp in great condition. I need to replace / alter some of the cloths, can anyone point me towards identifying the material? I've been looking into the paintwork at the fore end, and looking at Grand Union butty's the name was painted on the stern, sometimes painted with a full stop and sometimes without, any reason for with or without? I'm thinking of painting the name on the original stern as a nod to its origins, not sure though. Also related to the paintwork, anyone got any names or paint codes for the 'Austerity Livery' red, white and blue? Sorry about all the questions in one go, but it was all in my head when I uploaded the pictures, there will no doubt be loads more in due course!

 

Cheers Ian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AMModels]

Never apologise for asking questions Ian, looks like Indus has found the perfect home.

Re the paint on another thread Laurence Hogg said

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=31112&p=546380

 

I think the lamp is fantastic btw, nice amount of experience on show

[Derek R.]

TYCHO has that same fogmaster, good flat beam. I picked up a spare in excellent condition from a car boot - £5. Still got it. My practice was to have it shine up rather than down. Less reflection off the water for oncoming, and you lit up the bridges and shrubbery. Don't need high Wattages.

 

There's a thread on cloths somewhere, Regentex is a name that springs to mind.

Try this: http://hnbc.org.uk/cloths-and-tarpaulins

- and a 'How to' from Blossom: http://darley135.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/clothing-up-narrowboat.html

Edited April 26, 2016 by Derek R.

[David Mack]

We've just had new cloths made for Fulbourne, supplied by Tarpaulin Supply and Repair Co, following a recommendation from a forum member. Their premises are canalside almost under Spaghetti Junction, so you can collect by boat if you wish!

 

We asked for Regentex, but they offered what they called 'Lintex', which I can't find any reference to online, but looks to be the same stuff.

 

They don't always respond quickly to emails, so give Steve Gardiner a call 0121 327 2110.

[IanR]

Thanks for the replies folks, much appreciated. I'll look into those tarp suppliers.

 

Has anyone any experience with Witham Paints? I've used their products for years in my job but never their dedicated marine range. I'll be giving them a try.

 

http://www.withamgroup.co.uk/woco/marine-and-anti-fouling-paints/

 

Ian.

[IanR]

Its been a busy time fettling the boat and sorting a house this and last summers. House was first as it was needed for workshops and living more importantly than the boat to live on eventually! House didn't have any water, drains, garage and more importantly workshops so we lived amongst the missus' and I's workshop stuff 'til we built them. The boat was in dry dock the start of this school summer break, and latterly we've been sprucing up that cabin externals too.

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Edited August 29, 2017 by IanR

[IanR]

Not got the hang of this gallery bit yet obviously!! Now the boat.

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[mark99]

Nice work!. The house looks dead interesting. What was it/where is it (roughly). The mooring too looks nice.

Edited August 30, 2017 by mark99

[IanR]

Cheers Mark, certainly is a lovely house. Amazing that nobody wanted it though, mainly due to the lack of water, drains, proximity to the main line railway etc. It was built in 1846 by North Stafford Railway as a Halt for Barlaston Hall. Eventually it became a station house of a fashion, a platform was installed etc and it became an important link for the workers of Wedgwood Pottery, who owned the house from 1936 up until we bought it off them two years ago. The tiny ticket room is still in place, as is what was the waiting room. Hence the reason for the railway themed shed and gates etc. When the last crossing couple retired due to automation of the crossing gates, the manual gates were resited as the cottage access gates. These were long gone when we moved in but it seemed a great idea to remake some for garden access. (dog security more like) Roger and Martin Fuller gave us some ticket stubs from Stoke to Wedgwood that they found when Stoke station was revamped so we know you could buy tickets to Wedgwood but it's still uncertain whether you could actually buy tickets from the house or not.

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Edited August 30, 2017 by IanR

[IanR]

[Athy]

What a fascinating and historic house. I would think that for many chaps, a former railway station , lock cottage or pub will figure high on their list of fantasy dwellings. I hope you've got double glazing in the front windows, though.

[IanR]

On ‎30‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 09:36, Athy said:

What a fascinating and historic house. I would think that for many chaps, a former railway station , lock cottage or pub will figure high on their list of fantasy dwellings. I hope you've got double glazing in the front windows, though.

You'd certainly think so, canal is just tuther side of the railway too! The trains are no bother whatsoever, sooner have those than neighbours!! Double glazing is on the cards, we've remade some of the opening lights ready for double glazed panels. The only window in the house that isn't original is in the ticket / work room, presumably had a sliding hatch or something but now has a nasty upvc jobby (for now anyway). Can't find out too much about the house really which I've been surprised about.

Got a second topcoat on the cabin last night. Paint we are using is Dulux trade high gloss, Ruby Fountain 1 as per Tim Lewis with Fulbourne, the blue we've had mixed to match the recipe Tim supplied but the colour seems wrong to what is on Fulbourne, Sculptor et al. I guess we'll not know until we actually put it on, so it might end up being an undercoat for a better match at a later date!

We've painted it outside with the problems that brings, bugs and rain, but seemed to have picked the right times to do it generally without too many problems.

Ian.

[David Mack]

6 hours ago, IanR said:

Got a second topcoat on the cabin last night. Paint we are using is Dulux trade high gloss, Ruby Fountain 1 as per Tim Lewis with Fulbourne, the blue we've had mixed to match the recipe Tim supplied but the colour seems wrong to what is on Fulbourne, Sculptor et al. I guess we'll not know until we actually put it on, so it might end up being an undercoat for a better match at a later date!

Although Fulbourne uses a bespoke recipe for the dark blue, I think you will find the British Standard Midnight Blue is pretty close (and readily available).

[IanR]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

Although Fulbourne uses a bespoke recipe for the dark blue, I think you will find the British Standard Midnight Blue is pretty close (and readily available).

That is great news David as that is what we have gone with in the end. It looks a bit bright in certain lights but if you say its good enough then that is good enough for us!!!

 

Ian.

[pete harrison]

When I painted BADSEY in 1989 I used International Paints Red Coral, Mauritius Blue and Sand. Sand was more of a cream and was used instead of white, and the end result looked good to my eye 

 

[IanR]

Certainly does look good Pete, I hope we get something similar looking when we've finished! Did you do the signwriting yourself? Was / is there a set way of writing Registered at ..... , you see it as REG. AT, REGD AT, REGISTERED AT etc. Was there a set way or was it painter, area dependant? I'm looking forward to having a go at the lettering, the only similar type painting I've done before is on large scale scale flying aeroplanes.

[IanR]

Here's where we are at the moment with the paint. One coat of blue, two of red. Another red and the ghosty shape on the back of the cabin over the weekend hopefully.

[pete harrison]

1 hour ago, IanR said:

Certainly does look good Pete, I hope we get something similar looking when we've finished! Did you do the signwriting yourself? Was / is there a set way of writing Registered at ..... , you see it as REG. AT, REGD AT, REGISTERED AT etc. Was there a set way or was it painter, area dependant?

I have always had lettering and decoration ('roses and castles') painted professionally as they really do make a difference - and the lettering on BADSEY was done by Dave Moore who often posts on this Forum, but this was almost thirty years ago.

Period photographs show the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd. narrow boats were lettered as both REG AT and REGISTERED AT, but the wartime livery usually carried the former 

Edited August 31, 2017 by pete harrison

[IanR]

10 hours ago, pete harrison said:

I have always had lettering and decoration ('roses and castles') painted professionally as they really do make a difference - and the lettering on BADSEY was done by Dave Moore who often posts on this Forum, but this was almost thirty years ago.

Period photographs show the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd. narrow boats were lettered as both REG AT and REGISTERED AT, but the wartime livery usually carried the former 

Many thanks Pete. That's a bit less lettering to do then! I completely agree on the 'making the difference' and hope my lettering will not disappoint me (or more importantly the missus) but doubt I'd have the confidence to tackle any roses and castles just yet!! Battleship grey seems an easier solution!

Ian.

[mark99]

Bote <sic> used to be a sad-ish sight at Harefield but looks bright now!

[IanR]

Cheers, and getting brighter by the day!! Magnolia striping and cabin back done today. Generally very happy with the results, although the blue looks lovely in most lights, in others though it looks a bit too bright but I guess (hope) it'll dull down a bit soon enough.

    

[pete harrison]

Looking good, but I hate to say you missed a bit - the 'rams head' 

edit = and as for that fender !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this boat deserves better so get rid before it marks the new paint and replace it with three tipcats, and mount them six inches higher than the current one and pointing slightly upwards (see photograph of BADSEY earlier in this thread).

Edited September 1, 2017 by pete harrison

[IanR]

17 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

Looking good, but I hate to say you missed a bit - the 'rams head' 

edit = and as for that fender !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this boat deserves better so get rid before it marks the new paint and replace it with three tipcats, and mount them six inches higher than the current one and pointing slightly upwards (see photograph of BADSEY earlier in this thread).

Couldn't find the rams head, must have left it at the other end!! The fenders will get a fettling when funds allow, the long button does looks a bit pitiful admittedly!!!