Liam Posted April 11, 2007 Report Share Posted April 11, 2007 For the past 8 years or so, there's been 2 unconverted boats (motor and butty) moored up on the offside near Acton Bridge on the Trent & Mersey. The motor has not been converted, nor does it have a boatmans cabin, and from what it looks like, no engine, or tiller either. The boat is covered with a green tarp and the last time I went past, which was last Monday, there was smoke coming from the chimney at the front under the cloths but nobody was about. The butty looks slightly more worse for wear. I think it has a back cabin and the hold is covered but the hull looks as though it's been recently tarred/blacked but I've never seen any of them move. Both of the boats are wood. Does anybody know anything about them, names, etc? Cheers Liam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlt Posted April 11, 2007 Report Share Posted April 11, 2007 Photos please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted April 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2007 Hi Carl, I checked to see whether I'd taken any pics of the boats before I posted but I'm afraid not I'll try my best to remember next time I'm out that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlt Posted April 11, 2007 Report Share Posted April 11, 2007 Cheers, sounds intriguing. I ought to know them but then again I haven't been up that way for years so it may be worth a nose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charles123 Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 I have seen these many times, they are both wooden hulled and have a farmers field mooring, there is often signs of activity round them but I have never seen anyone. The rudder from the butty is detached and can be seen on the bank. One of them has a nice looking josher styled bow. The tarps look to have been renewed on the nearest one to the canal recently I think, again no photos or names alas Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy-Neil Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 ....... no names alas Charles What, names displayed on old wooden working boats? Now that would be a novelty..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charles123 Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 What, names displayed on old wooden working boats? Now that would be a novelty..... No names in the sense I dont know the names, the original poster asked if anyone knew thier names. Just to add the owner now has a solar panel, presumably to power pumps Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlt Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 What, names displayed on old wooden working boats? Now that would be a novelty..... Anyone who doesn't know the name of my boats is welcome to ask. The names will go on when the cabins are ready for painting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Anyone who doesn't know the name of my boats is welcome to ask. The names will go on when the cabins are ready for painting. I don't know the Acton Bridge area at all but they might be boats owned by Ian Riley in which case the motor is probably the knobstick boat Spain and the butty could be ex-FMC Hettie. Just a guess - could be completely wrong but I know he is in the Northwich area somewhere. Any thoughts Carl? Paul H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlt Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 I don't know the Acton Bridge area at all but they might be boats owned by Ian Riley in which case the motor is probably the knobstick boat Spain and the butty could be ex-FMC Hettie. Just a guess - could be completely wrong but I know he is in the Northwich area somewhere. Any thoughts Carl? Paul H Well the last time I saw Spain was years ago and she still was a completely bare (though mint) hull. She'd been put back in the water a couple of years before at Runcorn after Ian had rebuilt her. I've not seen it since, though it's quite possible Ian hasn't got round to the cosmetics yet. I believe he's working on Heather Belle at the moment (good luck to all concerned). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Well, finally, here are the pics... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timleech Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Well, finally, here are the pics... They are Ian Riley's boats, I'm ashamed to say I can't remember the names. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Hi Tim, I noticed that the motor was out at the dry dock at Dutton and it looks lots better for it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Hi Tim, I noticed that the motor was out at the dry dock at Dutton and it looks lots better for it too. As I said earlier in the thread, I think they are the knobstick motor Spain and the josher butty Hettie but having seen the pic it doesn't look very josherish. Paul H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timleech Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 As I said earlier in the thread, I think they are the knobstick motor Spain and the josher butty Hettie but having seen the pic it doesn't look very josherish. Paul H No, fairly sure it's a Ricky butty Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHutch Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Photos, cracking. - We pasted them the weekend just gone and i was at the helm without my camera and was very annoyed not to have taken a photo. - As you say the motor now looks very much better now, quite nice to see it coming togther into a solid looking boat!! Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Yeah, always good to see some photos but I think mine has come to the point now where it's seen better days. You'll probably notice that most of the pictures I post on here are rather blurry I think I'll treat myself to a new one, and possible before Xmas too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlt Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 (edited) The ricky is Adelaide, possibly the last wooden Royalty class butty. Nice to see one wooden boat in safe hands at last. Edited to say: Sorry, changed my mind, the front end doesn't look right Edited (again) to say: mind you, if Ian Riley's got her now, there could well have been some bow work done (of the highest standard too). Edited October 29, 2007 by carlt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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