Working Boat Gathering, Black Country Museum

[dave moore]

Hi all

 

Just wondered if anyone was thinking of going this weekend, other than the usual suspects...I'm planning on being there on Sunday, maybe some of Saturday too, depending on work.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[madcat]

I will be there , not bringing a boat this time.

 

Weather looks good .

[Jay4424]

planning on blisting up the 21 in the dark tonight to get there!

[Cloudinspector]

We're hoping to be there on Saturday and possibly Sunday depending on work. Unfortunately by car though not boat.

[junior]

planning on blisting up the 21 in the dark tonight to get there!

You better get a move on!

 

[junior]

planning on blisting up the 21 in the dark tonight to get there!

And keep the noise down this time!!! ;-)

[MtB]

planning on blisting up the 21 in the dark tonight to get there!

 

 

Brilliant. I LURVE locking up a flight in the dark....

Gibbous moon to do it by too, if you wait a bit...

[dave moore]

Hi all

 

I've just spent a good chunk of yesterday and today at the Museum with a variety of boating friends and acquaintances.....the fine weather brought crowds flocking, the pub and chippy did roaring trades and there was a feel good factor about the site. All those I spoke to were positive about the gathering and there were a fine collection of historic craft to enjoy....and the cheese and onion cobs in the Bottle and Glass pub were superb...there is just something about a pub cob.....mmmmm!

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[Keith M]

I do have to agree the Bottle and Glass do sell an outstanding Cob.

 

Keith

[madcat]

This was a really good weekend . Plenty of boats and enough big Grand Union boats to keep me happy . Some very smart Joshers too

Edited September 28, 2015 by madcat

[Ray T]

Some piccy's from A Waterways Heritage:

 

https://www.facebook.com/AWaterwaysHeritage

[J R ALSOP]

The high light for me was Dr Busker playing his accordion around the site, him playing the piano and singing in the pub (and after closing time) in the yard for the boaters when the public had gone. A big round of applause for "Blossom" who accompanied The 1812 with two dustbin lids. Even went to church, where he played the organ on Sunday morning.

A big thanks to everyone who organised the event especially the food on Sat. night.

[alan_fincher]

This was a really good weekend . Plenty of boats and enough big Grand Union boats to keep me happy . Some very smart Joshers too

 

I'm really liking the many evocative pictures of this event being posted elsewhere, and really feel we have missed something by not being able to attend.

 

One thing I noticed from the pictures was (unsurprisingly) most of the full length boats attending were unconverted, and I assumed that "cabined" boats are not allowed in the "inner sanctum"/

 

However a couple of converted boats seem to have made it in, so I wonder if anybody actually knows what the "rules" are, and who#s discetion?

 

"Sickle" of course qualifies, and has already featured at the BCLM. "Flamingo" I'm not so sure about?

[Liam]

I recall hearing that a few years ago Barnet was asked to stay outside the museum because the boat had some form of aerial on the cabin top.

 

The owner refused to take it down so had to stay outside. Whether this was true or not I don't know.

[springy]

Im pretty sure (havent actually looked at the list but..) that whilst there were a number of "cabined" conversions inside,

they all fall into "historic conversions" eg Enterprise, Coventry etc.

 

Yes they can be fussy about appearance - there have been many instances of valid loaded historic working boats

not being allowed "inside" - for example "blue tops", "bagged coal" etc

 

Great weekend.

 

springy

[MtB]

And a couple of years ago, Alan Fincher being asked not to sit on the bank on his aluminium-framed folding chair as it wasn't 'historic' enough!

[junior]

I wondered if they'd let me in with my Facebook and Instagram logos on the boat?

[Jay4424]

May be Junior, but not with the bagged coal, black fenders, gas bottles and toilet blue on display in the hold!

[MtB]

I wondered if they'd let me in with my Facebook and Instagram logos on the boat?

 

 

They would have no idea what those logo are so yes, they'd let you in...!

[madcat]

Sheet over the load . I don't think they're as faddy about boats that are outside only the ones let in through the lift bridge. Halsall has attended .

I'm hoping to take a boat to the next one ( 2017 ) .

 

Next year it's Parkhead

[alan_fincher]

I'm hoping to take a boat to the next one ( 2017 ) .

 

Next year it's Parkhead

 

Perhaps you can now also qualify for the "Tug" event, next one of which will I guess be Easter 2017?

[Starcoaster]

And a couple of years ago, Alan Fincher being asked not to sit on the bank on his aluminium-framed folding chair as it wasn't 'historic' enough!

And yet they didn't have the stones to say anything to me about my two-tone purple and blue hair whilst I was standing next to said chair!

[cuthound]

And yet they didn't have the stones to say anything to me about my two-tone purple and blue hair whilst I was standing next to said chair!

That's because the historic boating events are always in black & white, so your hair wouldn't have shown up

[MtB]

[David Mack]

They can be picky about conversions at Ellesmere Port too. I recall some years ago one unconverted boat was refused entry to the inner sanctum as it had a garden shed erected in the hold.