Butty Lyra

[nebulae]

Passed the new owners of this butty at Stewpony this week.The boat is of ex composite construction,now a steel bottom. Puchased from Saul,it is to stay in its origional form and trading appearance.It will be a workshop for its new owners and will not be motorised .I believe the boats name at the moment is Lyra.Dont know if this is its origional name. The boat appears to be in good condition.Sorry I dont have a photo.

[zenataomm]

Click here then scroll down for Lyra

[pete harrison]

LYRA, which is its original name, has been discussed on this Forum at length.

 

I have known LYRA since about 1982, and towed it across the Midlands for its new owners in 1983. Most of the wooden bottom was replaced in 1984 at Tipton, and the cabin was fitted out shortly afterwards by Graham Wigley in Birmingham. LYRA has changed hands at least six times since then, but it is good to hear it is not to be converted to a motor by its new owner.

[archie57]

I've been up the M40 with this Lyra! (- it was on the back of the lorry)

[alan_fincher]

An old post by my brother Mike, who describes some of Lyra's short ownership by my other brother Pete, (long since deceased), and includes pictures of him moving it cabin-less to the people who bought it after them.

[Laurence Hogg]

"Lyra" was one of Barry Lycett's boats purchased from the Wendover sales. He also had "Lynx".

[alan_fincher]

"Lyra" was one of Barry Lycett's boats purchased from the Wendover sales. He also had "Lynx".

 

He also had "Bilster" and "Angel", so all three boats my brothers ended up owning passed through him.

[jeannette smith harrison]

Joe Harrison had Lyra in its working days his daughter was born on her

[Laurence Hogg]

Here is "Lyra" with "Encaladus" in Regents canal dock when new:

 

 

A few years later in 1968 here it is on its way to Norton Canes with a leaking bottom patched with cement being towed by Barry Lycett on "Hampstead" to get the bottom sorted, the boats had come out of the Wendover arm and the big BW disposal sale.

 

Edited September 18, 2015 by Laurence Hogg

[Tam & Di]

It would be an uncomfortable night's sleep with a list like that

 

Tam

[AMModels]

It seemed to develop the list in the 30's photo and liked it so much it kept it til 68.

[Jay4424]

I recon a brilliant nights sleep.. head up! ... I've had a few nights with head down resulting in some very weird dreams!!

 

 

edit to add: Lyra is currently 7' 3/4" and didn't get up number 6 lock on the Brum and Worester canal :-/ .. lucky that lock is gettign some attention in this years stoppage list!

Edited September 18, 2015 by Jay4424

[David Mack]

I recon a brilliant nights sleep.. head up! ... I've had a few nights with head down resulting in some very weird dreams!!

 

 

edit to add: Lyra is currently 7' 3/4" and didn't get up number 6 lock on the Brum and Worester canal :-/ .. lucky that lock is gettign some attention in this years stoppage list!

 

Well that's not much middle aged spread, given that the drawings show the original width as 7' 1/2".

 

I wish I could say the same about my waistline!

[Rufford]

Chains to pull in waist lines... that's an idea ☺

[junior]

Chains to pull in waist lines... that's an idea ☺

I need one of them, can you get them off eBay?

[pete harrison]

 

Well that's not much middle aged spread, given that the drawings show the original width as 7' 1/2".

LYRA was 7'0¼'' when gauged by the Grand Union Canal Company in 1935.

[pete harrison]

"Lyra" was one of Barry Lycett's boats purchased from the Wendover sales. He also had "Lynx".

I do not know whether LYRA and LYNX were on the same disposal list as the boats in the Wendover Arm but neither were stored there at any time. Mr Lycett's BILSTER is recorded as passing through Dudswell in July 1968 towing LYRA, LYNX and BYFIELD, having taken acquisition of the latter three from Cowley and Bulls Bridge.

 

edit =

Edited September 18, 2015 by pete harrison

[Laurence Hogg]

I do not know whether LYRA and LYNX were on the same disposal list as the boats in the Wendover Arm but neither were stored there at any time. Mr Lycett's BILSTER is recorded as passing through Dudswell in July 1968 towing LYRA, LYNX and BYFIELD, having taken acquisition of the latter three from Cowley and Bulls Bridge.

 

edit =

Hi Pete, Yes I can confirm that is true, he had "Byfield" for a while. He also had "Elstree" for a short while and "Hampstead" & "Angel", also Mersey Weaver motor "Avon" although as far as I know that never carried.

 

Edited to add this picture took at Can Lane wharf, Broad St, Wolverhampton in the 1960's.

 

Edited September 19, 2015 by Laurence Hogg

[pete harrison]

Hi Pete, Yes I can confirm that is true, he had "Byfield" for a while. He also had "Elstree" for a short while and "Hampstead" & "Angel", also Mersey Weaver motor "Avon" although as far as I know that never carried.

I can confirm that both ELSTREE and HAMPSTEAD did come out of the Wendover Arm, both being included in the 1968 tender and disposal.

[Tony Dunkley]

Hi Pete, Yes I can confirm that is true, he had "Byfield" for a while. He also had "Elstree" for a short while and "Hampstead" & "Angel", also Mersey Weaver motor "Avon" although as far as I know that never carried.

 

 

If I remember right, Barry didn't keep 'Byfield' for all that long, selling it to my old chum Dave Houlston in about 1970, I think. By the time he bought 'Byfield' he had got rid of 'Parrot' and had 'Jupiter', a very early GUCCCo wooden motor. 'Parrot' was an FMC motor that had been renamed by British Waterways for some reason. I'm not 100% sure , but I think it may have originally been called 'Plover'.

[dave moore]

Parrot went on to be owned by Jay Price on the late 60s. I helped him put a motor in it at Braunston in 71 and he kindly lent it to me for

my honeymoon in that year! I lost track of her for s while and when we next met she was Plover again.

Cheers

Dave

Parrot went on to be owned by Jay Price on the late 60s. I helped him put a motor in it at Braunston in 71 and he kindly lent it to me for

my honeymoon in that year! I lost track of her for s while and when we next met she was Plover again.

Cheers

Dave

[Cleyley Bob]

Lyra and Towcester returning back down the Thames at Newbridge - September 1976

[Derek R.]

That's a picture worth a good frame.

[Pluto]

Of course, this was the real LYRA, seen here at Crabtree Lane, Burscough.