Missing boat - Holly - NOW FOUND!

[Purple Fairie]

Haha! I think you'll find that is just the reflection of the trees on the bank!

[Chris J W]

If it was me, I'd say nothing and walk on, and phone the cops or Middlewich, like we've been told to do!

 

Correct. But you forgot about the bit about waiting for Mr Craig's agent to confirm he'll be playing me in the movie

[Sam]

Correct. But you forgot about the bit about waiting for Mr Craig's agent to confirm he'll be playing me in the movie

 

well i wear hoodies so i will be okey... haha

 

Fair enough about the trees..

[davef]

Will the film be called: LOCK, SHOCK, and TWO MONTHS OF EMAILS?!!!!

[Liam]

What is this in the picture of blue holly.. to me it looks like it is half painted!!

i don't think they are a different colour. But i'm not sure.

 

I actually saw that in the PDF document. I was wondering what that was, so saved the image to my Desktop so I could zoom in... once I'd done that, it looked as though somebody had taken it into Microsoft Paint and had tried to cover the boat with the colour blue. This made me a bit suspicious, so I opened up another image, took a closer look, and I don't think it's the trees which are the problem, I think it's just a crappy BMP image.

[Moley]

The original jpeg from post#254, page 13. Looks clear enough to me.

 

[Liam]

Yah the jpeg is fine

 

You can see the shiny cabin side very clearly in the JPEG image, but I think someone along the line has converted it to BMP and it's gone a bit screwey..

 

[mayalld]

Ah! Maybe I should clarify ... what is the difference in license colour? I've seen loads of blue and gold ones, so is there another colour for commercial/hire?

 

No.

 

The colour of the bar just shows what year the licence is for (blue for 2007)

 

The type of licence is in text below the bar.

[Sam]

No.

 

The colour of the bar just shows what year the licence is for (blue for 2007)

 

The type of licence is in text below the bar.

 

also if you look at the blue pic it shows a blue license. (so it is an up to date one!)

[Jo]

I have sat and read all the up to date posts about this boat being blue.

I would think that this would of been a quick paint job, so no chance to rub her down totally.

In which case green paint will show through if she gets scratched as all boats do, and the name Holly and Middlewich Narrowboats will show through. Because unless he has ground her back to bare metal there will be an inprint of the letter still to see under the Blue paint.

I know this because our boat was repainted before we bought her and you can still see the original owners name on the boat if you stand in a certain light. So if you see this Blue boat it maybe worth checking this out also.

 

There is nothing to say he has not already changed the colour again since that photograph was taken.

 

Did the gentleman just contact Middlewich Narrowboats, or did he contact the police as well at the same time?

If it had been me I would of contacted the police straight away, also BW and Middlewich Narrowboats. Then the boat would not of got far before being stopped.

 

If she is spotted I would ring the police and BW, if they come out and it is a false alarm, I am sure they won't mind. Far better to do that than let him get away any further.

Edited April 18, 2007 by Jo

[Tullz]

So where did you see her? If it was at Braunston on 2/3 April that would fit in with her rate of progress from Hatton etc.

 

Unfortunately, I can't remember where abouts it was. I've spoken to Trisha and given her as much as I can remember. I was on holiday and only looking out for the original coloured Holly.

 

We were going upstream (if that's the correct term going towards Foxton from hillmorton) and she was facing downstream.

 

I can't be any clearer I'm afraid.

[bramley]

well this was on three countys radio this moorning, saying somebody stole a narrowboat and the presenter asked how it could happen, needless to say i rang up and was explained...

 

i said this is a big topic on the forum and pluged canalworld.net twice. and just explained what had been going on, as soon as i put the phone down, i wondered if i shouldnt of metioned canalworld.net as if he was listening (very unlikly) he would know where to look.....

 

but did anybody hear me lol

 

Ross

Edited April 18, 2007 by bramley

[Sam]

well this was on three countys radio this moorning, saying somebody stole a narrowboat and the presenter asked how it could happen, needless to say i rang up and was explained...

 

i said this is a big topic on the forum and pluged canalworld.net twice. and just explained what had been going on, as soon as i put the phone down, i wondered if i shouldnt of metioned canalworld.net as if he was listening (very unlikly) he would know where to look.....

 

but did anybody hear me lol

 

Ross

 

if he has a pc .. and internet!

 

I suppose another way of checking would be to get an interior shot of Holly.. then if no one ios about.. have a peer in! and see if it is the same layout.

Edited April 18, 2007 by Sam

[davef]

Is anyone able to show a map of the network with places where Holly has been spotted and the Middlewich hire base etc similar to the "our routes" one on the Middlewich website?

 

Might give a clearer picture of possible places to look.

[Sam]

Is anyone able to show a map of the network with places where Holly has been spotted and the Middlewich hire base etc similar to the "our routes" one on the Middlewich website?

 

Might give a clearer picture of possible places to look.

 

yeh...

 

also we should probs have a summary so far.. because info is being lost in posts etc and it would save people trawling back through..

[Ron]

I too am very suprised about the lack of interest, why? A man and a boat is missing, very worrying why are not members involved/looking etc.

Julie

 

Happy now?

[cheshire~rose]

I have sat and read all the up to date posts about this boat being blue.

I would think that this would of been a quick paint job, so no chance to rub her down totally.

In which case green paint will show through if she gets scratched as all boats do, and the name Holly and Middlewich Narrowboats will show through. Because unless he has ground her back to bare metal there will be an inprint of the letter still to see under the Blue paint.

I know this because our boat was repainted before we bought her and you can still see the original owners name on the boat if you stand in a certain light. So if you see this Blue boat it maybe worth checking this out also.

 

The guy is a painter and decorator by trade. with access to the correct materials it really would not take THAT long to rub Holly down to a reasonable standard especially in the places that are 'prone' to get bumped and scratched.

 

We know it had PVC lettering which can usually be removed cleanly with the use of a hot air gun and only a light rub down afterwards would remove any trace of them having been there.

 

The guy knows his trade so I suspect he would know which bits he could scrimp on and which bits to pay attention to

 

Let hope there is more positive news soon

[malc1110]

Regarding Jo's point about did I ring Middlewich NBs or the police first, I rang Middlewich as I felt they would be able to 100% identify their own boat, despite it being blue. I did not want to waste police time when Middlewich engineers and staff could give a positive identification very quickly, which they did (all conspiracy theory sceptics please see Trish's posts). Also, because we were travelling and visiting relatives, there was nearly 3 weeks from when we saw Blue Holly to when I saw the Email from this site so instant police action was clearly not necessary. Naturally I gave them permission to pass all the details on to the police, which they did. The police have since contacted me and we have supplied them with a great deal more information than we have put on any website.

 

A couple of posts mentioned the River Nene, that was our route and we spent several days on that river, including 3 moored on the bankl at Oundle Cruising Club (Seriously nice people, great club and somewhere that I have just got to go back to), if Holly had come though there we would almost certainly have seen her. We then did the whole of the Nene all the Middle Levels and all the way down the Great Ouse to the Old Western. We never saw Holly again so we think it highly unlikely, though not 100% impossible, that he went that way.

[Adam]

This might work

 

Here is a link for the layout of holly so like somebody said before this have a look in

 

most boats might be fitted out like this but it could help

 

http://www.middlewichboats.co.uk/trads.htm#holly

[Paul & Andrea]

Could the layout has been somewhat changed as well? On comparing the photos, I've noticed that the chimney was missing at the back where the boatman cabin's supposed to be....

[Moley]

Could the layout has been somewhat changed as well? On comparing the photos, I've noticed that the chimney was missing at the back where the boatman cabin's supposed to be....

 

Now that would be a bloody shame, if he messed up the cabin.

 

I thought the chimney and tiller were just painted white now.

[carlt]

Now that would be a bloody shame, if he messed up the cabin.

 

I thought the chimney and tiller were just painted white now.

The 'chimney' is actually one of hatton's lovely hydraulic winding gear posts.

[Jon]

I would have thought that it is entirely possible the interior has changed, afterall he has had 3 weeks or so in which to do it.

 

On a PDF, pictures do tend to lose resolution, however the orginal jpg should be clear enough. There was another boat in the picture which has been removed.

 

So far, the only sightings that are being treated as confirmed are:

 

-20th March (ish), seen nr to Wolverhampton heading towards Birmingham. This is believed to be very likely

-The above sighting at Hatton Locks, nr Warwick on the 28th March.

 

The sightings reported on the GUC Leciester line are belived to be inaccurate because a) they were based on a green boat, not a blue boat, and there is atleast 1 other Holly with a similar (green) livery in the area.

 

Middlewich Narrowboats are still very keen to hear from anyone who has seen the boat since the 28th March 2007. Please call them on 01606 832460.

 

Jon

[Liam]

I wonder how many bookings Middlewich Narrowboats had taken for Holly since it should have been back? I'm guessing there'll be a few and they'll be pretty p*ssed off I imagine.

 

I really can't beleive it's gone this long without being found yet

[Sam]

This might work

 

Here is a link for the layout of holly so like somebody said before this have a look in

 

most boats might be fitted out like this but it could help

 

http://www.middlewichboats.co.uk/trads.htm#holly

 

 

yes, that was me.

 

Ok so it may have changed.

but 1) it may not have so worth trying..

2) he may not want to blitz the inside if he is planning to live on it.. as one would have thought it would have cost a wack.

 

With regards to the chimney.. surely he could have just taken it off? I would have though that moving a stove is quite a big job..

 

Also.. I say this again... is it worth emailing all the boatyards in the area and ask them about selling paints / if they have seen the boat / if they ahve any contact with the boat or anything. You would have thought that he is getting pump outs( and filling up with water... )

Edited April 18, 2007 by Sam