Jump to content

Jam 'Ole Run


Stephen Sugg

Featured Posts

7 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

We try to get to the Braunston Rally every year, and whilst there are a lot of new faces. I usually meet quite a few people I remember from the working boat days in the 1960's.

That's good. We were seldom ones for socialising. The getting to, and leaving from rallies and events were the highlight for us - working with folk who had done it for years and picking up good practices, so having been away for so long the changes seem greater. We enjoyed most the Easter and Christmas get togethers, and the impromptu music sessions in the back room of the Lock & Quay (as it was) at Bulbourne, The Shovel, David's songs in various locations, it still goes on of course but distance stretches the thread. Our issue was with being a bit insular. But the memories are golden. Probably why I blather nonsense so much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Derek R. said:

That's good. We were seldom ones for socialising. The getting to, and leaving from rallies and events were the highlight for us - working with folk who had done it for years and picking up good practices, so having been away for so long the changes seem greater. We enjoyed most the Easter and Christmas get togethers, and the impromptu music sessions in the back room of the Lock & Quay (as it was) at Bulbourne, The Shovel, David's songs in various locations, it still goes on of course but distance stretches the thread. Our issue was with being a bit insular. But the memories are golden. Probably why I blather nonsense so much.

Is that the Shovel at Cowley Lock?  That was one of our regular watering holes with a resident Pianist at weekends.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"We used to live in shoe box in middle of t'road"...........

 

Whilst I have some sympathy with much of the above, can anybody really pretend that they expect some authority to run and maintain the canal network at a cost to tens of millions a year, but then reserve it for exclusive use by the few hundred of us that happen to have narrow boats built before 1960?

 

Of course things are going to change over time, and if it is to be even halfway properly funded and maintained it has to have moved to a situation where it is opened up to a much wider audience.

 

Yes, if you limit your travels to the GU South of Tring summit you will have to pass a great number of online mooers, (though fortunately not many of them move that far, or very often).  Yes, if you do the Oxford or the Four Counties ring in mid Summer it will be busy, you will queue for quite a few locks, and you may not be able to moor outside your favourite pub.

 

But get yourself onto the BCN, on any other part than the main lines you may be able to boat sall day, and hardly see anoither boat moving.  You will have to slow down for almost nobody.  The northern canals like the L&L, C&H, Rochdale can hardly be claimed to be over-crowded.

 

So this year, in a few months time, we hope to take one of our "historics" up to Hebden Bridge for the Historic Narrow Boat Gathering Club gathering there.  This will definitely still be a very challenging bit of boating, if everything I am hearing about taking 72 foot 3 foot draughted boats over the Rochdale summit is true.

 

No, we won't have 20 tons of coal on, be long-lining a butty, gate lining GU gates or forcing them open with a motor, nor indeed doing 12 or 14 hour days, but I'm sure we will still enjoy it immensely.

 

We will meet some idiots - one always has, even in the 1960s and 1970s.  Are most people (private boaters or hirers) idiots?  No they are not - you only get idiot behaviour from quite a small minority.

 

What problems do we face?  Not really other boaters, I'm afraid.  CRT and the general issues with lack of maintenane and repair present a far greater threat to a trip like this. We already now know that the works at Marple locks will still be going on, closing our planned route to Hebden Bridge.  Now we will have to hope we can go the longer trip via the Bridgewater.  This really shouldn't have happened, and more and more examples of CRT's failure to get things done, (Hurleston locks anybody) do more to spoil modern day canal boating than other fellow boat owners do.

 

(Here endeth the rant!).

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Derek R. said:

That's good. We were seldom ones for socialising. The getting to, and leaving from rallies and events were the highlight for us - working with folk who had done it for years and picking up good practices, so having been away for so long the changes seem greater. We enjoyed most the Easter and Christmas get togethers, and the impromptu music sessions in the back room of the Lock & Quay (as it was) at Bulbourne, The Shovel, David's songs in various locations, it still goes on of course but distance stretches the thread. Our issue was with being a bit insular. But the memories are golden. Probably why I blather nonsense so much.

You certainly DON'T blather nonsense From your recollections memories you entered into the canals spirit during your boating time ,as said I have no axe to grind with present day boaters other than if they try to order me to do /not do things that were proven & right in there day & still hold good to be told that I have no idea what I'm doing & a F***** idiot & shouldn't be afloat by a stemmed up boater with all of a months experience & not even getting a thank you for pulling him off which if he had bothered to ask would have received info on how to extract himself  I deep down am glad to be awy from it all as I'm sure the cons would outdo the pros now

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was ordered “get out of my way I’m on holiday once” by a shiny, it was a while ago, actually during the halcyon 80s.

she was even less impressed by being informed  that  we were  on holiday too, we just happened to have twice the fun with a pair of boats. I think we were having a long and meaningfull interaction with the second lock below  lapworth which was slightly narrower than the butty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

This really shouldn't have happened, and more and more examples of CRT's failure to get things done, (Hurleston locks anybody) do more to spoil modern day canal boating than other fellow boat owners do.

When we did our 'holiday' cruise up north on the 'Earl', we twice had to alter our planned route do to BWB works.  So we enjoyed some parts of the system we would otherwise have missed.   The old line through Brum, instead of the new line which was closed for the new 'tunnel' to be built.  The Peak Forest because Harecastle was closed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

Is that the Shovel at Cowley Lock?  That was one of our regular watering holes with a resident Pianist at weekends.

Yes David - The Malt Shovel to give its full name.

 

One Christmas 'do' there:

136894472_CowleyGen026(Medium).jpg.3ba0fa58aeb6a9b00b91624b374d643f.jpg

 

Glenn Knight on the left, he had ANTARCTIC, first boat on the left. the young lady is Jane, she had a diminutive little boat called MAYFLOWER. Louise in the brown jacket, I'm standing on the roof of YARMOUTH taking the shot. Graham Holland had his steam device further back, just visible with the propane bottle at an angle clearer in the next image. Pete Thompson's COLONEL is in there too.

 

1754141011_CowleyGen027(Medium).jpg.093615a3e261cbcf0b1340a621f1fac0.jpg

 

ELDER & OLYMPIAN, Malcolm and Mike boated together back then, there's BREAM with its stepped gunnel, Barry in hat by the fore end.

 

1853769961_CowleyGen030(Medium).jpg.e1197316767e5d594321ec3b9f9672ac.jpg

 

SOUSANT & PENSAX amongst others. UMEA would be alongside the towpath further on. Might be the late Gordon Cooper's JAPONICA on the outside, not sure.

 

Early 1980's.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good photos Derek, but a bit after my time, I left London for Birmingham in 1971.  Pisces, the boat I was associated with, was moored the other side of the bridge for a number of years  but I am not sure whether it was there in the early 1980's.

 

You may well know it as the "Malt Shovel", but it was just "The Shovel" in the 60's. In fact your first photo still shows the original signage on the side of the pub that I remember, the word "Malt" was added to the pubs name much later. Below is a Photo taken in 1955, not too many years before my first patronage!

 

image.png.e03094a0965de169788420fcd7abfc67.png

 

Edited by David Schweizer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, Derek R. said:

Yes David - The Malt Shovel to give its full name.

 

One Christmas 'do' there:

136894472_CowleyGen026(Medium).jpg.3ba0fa58aeb6a9b00b91624b374d643f.jpg

 

Glenn Knight on the left, he had ANTARCTIC, first boat on the left. the young lady is Jane, she had a diminutive little boat called MAYFLOWER. Louise in the brown jacket, I'm standing on the roof of YARMOUTH taking the shot. Graham Holland had his steam device further back, just visible with the propane bottle at an angle clearer in the next image. Pete Thompson's COLONEL is in there too.

 

1754141011_CowleyGen027(Medium).jpg.093615a3e261cbcf0b1340a621f1fac0.jpg

 

ELDER & OLYMPIAN, Malcolm and Mike boated together back then, there's BREAM with its stepped gunnel, Barry in hat by the fore end.

 

1853769961_CowleyGen030(Medium).jpg.e1197316767e5d594321ec3b9f9672ac.jpg

 

SOUSANT & PENSAX amongst others. UMEA would be alongside the towpath further on. Might be the late Gordon Cooper's JAPONICA on the outside, not sure.

 

Early 1980's.

 

 

If that was present day you'd possibly get shouted/sworn at for blocking the cut some present day boaters require at least 25 ft of clear cut to squeeze a 7ft boat through one more rant why is it that ex working craft & owners are derided by some modern boat owners with a get that "crap" off the cut attitude be interesting to see how many modern built boats are still going at the time span of the early 20th century builds the othe problem the greater the  #of boats sods law dictates a greater #of Richard Craniums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ernie Kendal told me once that they could go from Braunston to the jam ole without using reverse gear. We decided to try this with the loaded Jaguar but in “Henry’s”lock on the Buckby flight Nicks rotten stern rope snapped and the bottom gates were truly duffed. Good job Henry wasn’t about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Dav and Pen said:

Ernie Kendal told me once that they could go from Braunston to the jam ole without using reverse gear. We decided to try this with the loaded Jaguar but in “Henry’s”lock on the Buckby flight Nicks rotten stern rope snapped and the bottom gates were truly duffed. Good job Henry wasn’t about.

After I had left Jaguar to Andy, I met him at Lapworth. He went to get the next lock ready and I got on Jaguar, entered the lock, pulled her into reverse - bugger all - thump.  He hadn't adjusted the gearbox.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/02/2019 at 17:43, matty40s said:

............not get all those boats moored there as the silt is so bad between the lock and the bridge that only the central channel and lock landing are deep enough. 

 

It was plenty deep enough in 2011 for fully loaded boats on the offside, probably better now that the gravel barges aren't pushing it all up the side.

 

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 13/02/2019 at 00:46, Derek R. said:

Yes David - The Malt Shovel to give its full name.

 

One Christmas 'do' there:

136894472_CowleyGen026(Medium).jpg.3ba0fa58aeb6a9b00b91624b374d643f.jpg

 

Glenn Knight on the left, he had ANTARCTIC, first boat on the left. the young lady is Jane, she had a diminutive little boat called MAYFLOWER. Louise in the brown jacket, I'm standing on the roof of YARMOUTH taking the shot. Graham Holland had his steam device further back, just visible with the propane bottle at an angle clearer in the next image. Pete Thompson's COLONEL is in there too.

 

1754141011_CowleyGen027(Medium).jpg.093615a3e261cbcf0b1340a621f1fac0.jpg

 

ELDER & OLYMPIAN, Malcolm and Mike boated together back then, there's BREAM with its stepped gunnel, Barry in hat by the fore end.

 

1853769961_CowleyGen030(Medium).jpg.e1197316767e5d594321ec3b9f9672ac.jpg

 

SOUSANT & PENSAX amongst others. UMEA would be alongside the towpath further on. Might be the late Gordon Cooper's JAPONICA on the outside, not sure.

 

Early 1980's.

 

 

The sheeted up converted butty is our beloved atalanta. Behind i think renown .

the motor alongside atalanta is not thaxted making the date 1983 i think .

on the inside of greyham holland is i think a springer ( alice?)

i think the ricky butty inside atalanta is probably Dudley.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
On 12/02/2019 at 14:46, Derek R. said:

Looks much nicer - and doubtless a proper pub back then. Still 'The Shovel' in the eighties.

Indeed it was, we used to have regular music sessions there with Pete Thompson (COLONEL) on tuba, we also used the Swan in Denham -- you can see Pete here in the back corner, I'm at the back next to a certain Andy Cutting years before he became a folkie superstar ?

swan_session.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 20/02/2019 at 06:48, roland elsdon said:

The sheeted up converted butty is our beloved atalanta. Behind i think renown .

the motor alongside atalanta is not thaxted making the date 1983 i think .

on the inside of greyham holland is i think a springer ( alice?)

i think the ricky butty inside atalanta is probably Dudley.

The motor  I think is thaxted in winter boating trim top planks deck board down and headlight in low height mode,  Realised I did not sheet her until later in ownership. Did not see in low def picture on phone, but at that time green and brown.

 

with regard to above pic I think the violin player is Peter, not a boat owner. I’m probably behind on the flute or fife, I had to hide in the corner having several times had me teeth banged as people walked into the instrument.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, roland elsdon said:

The motor  I think is thaxted in winter boating trim top planks deck board down and headlight in low height mode,  Realised I did not sheet her until later in ownership. Did not see in low def picture on phone, but at that time green and brown.

 

with regard to above pic I think the violin player is Peter, not a boat owner. I’m probably behind on the flute or fife, I had to hide in the corner having several times had me teeth banged as people walked into the instrument.

The fiddle player is Roger Rowe, box player at the front is Lester Bailey, Simon Trapp on bodhran...

 

On a related subject, if you ever want a musical challenge try playing along to an idling Bolinder ?

Edited by IanD
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think this has been shown before. Hot bulb, but no Bolinder!

 

Spent some times at the Shovel, Lock & Quay (as it was for a while), and a couple of times at Denham. Pete Thompson had the Tuba behind him, but was on the accordian (button) in that shot. Good times.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Derek R. said:

I think this has been shown before. Hot bulb, but no Bolinder!

 

Spent some times at the Shovel, Lock & Quay (as it was for a while), and a couple of times at Denham. Pete Thompson had the Tuba behind him, but was on the accordian (button) in that shot. Good times.

 

 

As you say Pete's playing melodeon in that photo -- and I think that's his sousaphone in the corner, not his tuba. He usually used the tuba because it was much easier to prop up when he wasn't playing it, the sousaphone had a habit of falling over. Like some of the musicians after too much beer...

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.