Shortboat "Shirley"

[Pluto]

You may like this photo of Cicely, one of Appleby's wooden boats that were displaced by the steel boats. Cicely went to Harrison's at Tarleton and was renamed Wren.

 

[royg]

I believe 'Leopard' also went to Suttons of Tarleton. Did they all end up as 'bank protection' on the River Douglas?

[Pluto]

The boats I have names for which were sunk below Tarleton as bank protection are:

 

1918 Orion, Thomas, Rider, Sphinx, Egret, Stag

1919 Onyx, Swift, Ibex, Ruff, House boat No.4, Echo

1920 House boat No.6, Edgar, Kathleen

1923 Lupin, Teal, Victoria, Alert, Kestrel, Concrete boat no.3, Heron, Plover, 30.

 

Subsequent correspondence does suggest that more boats were sunk there after.

[royg]

More B I Transport Boats

 

New boat A 40 photo early May 1933 just arrived at home moorings

at Ring o' Bells Lathom getting ready for first trip light to

Birkenhead Docks.

Pictured left to right, Unknown, Luke Pye on engine house entrance,

Teddy Robinson witn his cycle and Peter Gibbons Captain.

 

Second photo A 37 also at Lathom loaded en route to Blackburn with

50 tons of North American Grain. Two of the crew should be William Gibbons

and John Gibbons.

Edited April 15, 2016 by royg

[bargemast]

More B I Transport Boats

 

New boat A 40 photo early May 1933 just arrived at home moorings

at Ring o' Bells Lathom getting ready for first trip light to

Birkenhead Docks.

Pictured left to right, Unknown, Luke Pye on engine house entrance,

Teddy Robinson witn his cycle and Peter Gibbons Captain.

 

Second photo A 37 also at Lathom loaded en route to Blackburn with

50 tons of North American Grain. Two of the crew should be William Gibbons

and John Gibbons.

PhotoScan (1).JPG

 

How nice to see these photos of "The good old days" Roy.

 

Thanks for posting them.

 

Peter.

[kris88]

Yes thanks again Roy for the wonderful pictures.

 

Regards kris

[royg]

Kris & Peter

 

I don't know whether my Dad would have called them the good old days up or down Wigan locks at least three times a week. Uncle Bill once called the Rank's job slave labour, but they all survived it for 17 years and left me with some rum tales as they would call it.

Edited April 16, 2016 by royg

[bargemast]

Kris & Peter

 

I don't know whether my Dad would have called them the good old days up or down Wigan locks at least three times a week. Uncle Bill once called the Rank's job slave labour, but they all survived it for 17 years and left me with some rum tales as they would call it.

 

My dad and mum are gone since more than 40 years, they had a hard life often working 25 hours per day and the weeks in their days had 8 days, they wouldn't have believed that people nowadays are moaning they have no time to themselfs or for their families while working (be present) at their jobs only 35 hours (or less) per week.

 

But they were happy that apart from the 2 wars which took several members of our families, the times were hard but healthier, no artificial furtiliser, no hormone diets for animals, and people in general were more likely to help each other if there was help needed, less selfish behavior.

 

Also the barges that were built in these days often without drawings (in Holland anyway) were (and still are) beautiful pieces of workmanship, and I love to see these old boats and barges, of which I've had quite a few myself over the years, they all had a real character, which the L & L boats have too, in my eyes.

 

I do regret that I have lost all the photographs of my past, sadly enough in the past you didn't make back ups (which I still only rarely make).

 

Peter.

[royg]

 

 

Another picture of A 40 crossing the River Mersey during the Second World

War. Note the loaded chimney stack in place, so it would'nt blow off the deck while crossing.

If conditions were ideal (i.e. slack water) they often did this

although frowned upon by the owners, who had a contract with Rea's Tugs.

By the time of this photo, all the B. I's had been given new uprated engines

from the Widdop 18h.p. to 21h.p. If they had to lye on the wall on the Birkenhead

side, the old coal fired Isle of Man boats would bounce them against the wall as

they did their turn to berth at the Liverpool Landing Stage. Dock gate men referred to the

B. I's as Yo-Yo's as they crossed the Mersey that often.

P.s. I have one more photo to show you how long should I keep you waiting.

Edited April 17, 2016 by royg

[royg]

Edited April 17, 2016 by royg

[bargemast]

I found a few photos that I took some years ago in Sheffield of their old tripboat A 39, but they are to big to post and with my bad wifi signal I don't manage to make them small enough to post.

 

There's one that I found on the net when the boat was for sale, and I was thinking about buying her, she had a Gardner 2LW, an engine that I love.

 

Of course a recent photo like this, hasn't got the same charm as one of Roy's photos, of unspoild, original boats.

 

http://www.pix-host.com/allimages/18963311.JPG

 

Peter.

Edited April 17, 2016 by bargemast

[kris88]

PhotoScan (4).jpgAnother picture of A 40 crossing the River Mersey during the Second WorldWar. Note the loaded chimney stack in place, so it would'nt blow off the deck while crossing.If conditions were ideal (i.e. slack water) they often did thisalthough frowned upon by the owners, who had a contract with Rea's Tugs.By the time of this photo, all the B. I's had been given new uprated enginesfrom the Widdop 18h.p. to 21h.p. If they had to lye on the wall on the Birkenheadside, the old coal fired Isle of Man boats would bounce them against the wall asthey did their turn to berth at the Liverpool Landing Stage. Dock gate men referred to theB. I's as Yo-Yo's as they crossed the Mersey that often.P.s. I have one more photo to show you how long should I keep you waiting.PhotoScan (4).jpg

Thanks for all the photos and stories Roy, please don't keep us waiting too long for your next photo.

 

Regards kris

 

As regards A39 I thought it had been sold? Although I have no idea where it went, does anybody know where it is?

[royg]

Lovely picture Peter and in colour, can't help but admire how well she sits in the water.

The last time I saw A 39 in the flesh was some 25 years ago at Hall Lane Swing Bridge, Maghull, where the then owner was busy installing the framework over the hold.

Also, I was sent a copy of the A 40's visit to Sheffield Basin 7/8 years ago, where he tied up alongside A 39 and both had quite similar paint work across the bows. A nostalgic sight.

Going back to the original thread of this discussion, nobody has replied to the whereabouts of A38?

Edited April 20, 2016 by wrigglefingers
On request of poster

[bargemast]

Thanks for all the photos and stories Roy, please don't keep us waiting too long for your next photo.

 

Regards kris

 

As regards A39 I thought it had been sold? Although I have no idea where it went, does anybody know where it is?

 

Yes, Kris, she has been sold, my own photos date from 2010, and the one I posted was in the "for sale" ad at the time.

 

She needed a lot of work but was cheap the price came down quite a lot in the end, too bad I didn't get her.

 

Peter.

[kris88]

Yes, Kris, she has been sold, my own photos date from 2010, and the one I posted was in the "for sale" ad at the time.

 

She needed a lot of work but was cheap the price came down quite a lot in the end, too bad I didn't get her.

 

Peter.

Wye is still for sale ( as far as I know) if you still want to buy a short boat Peter. Sorry Roy I have no idea where where A38 is.

 

 

Regards kris

[bargemast]

Wye is still for sale ( as far as I know) if you still want to buy a short boat Peter. Sorry Roy I have no idea where where A38 is.

 

 

Regards kris

 

Thanks a lot for this information Kris, I don't know in what sort of condition Wye is, if she requires a lot of expensive repairs.

 

For the time being I can't do much as I receive only peanuts as retirement income and my money is tied up in a few boats that I would have to sell first.

 

Then there's another problem which is that I'm having health issues, but in my dreams I can still do a lot, and tend to forget about reality.

 

Next time I come to the U.K. (don't know when yet) I would love to have a look at Wye if she hasn't been sold between now and then.

 

Peter.

[kris88]

I understand what your saying Peter, in my dreams I'd bye Wye as well. I'm just trying to encourage someone to take the boat on to love and cherish. It needs a new owner to ensure future survival.

 

Regards kris

[royg]

It would be great if someone had the courage to try and restore one of the B I boats to something like its original. When I look for history on Rank's site only brief mention of the B I subsidiary. However I did notice there was a Rank Foundation who gave out to charitable status.

[kris88]

Why do you say courage Roy ?

 

Regards kris

[royg]

It would be a long term and costly process so definitely a massive commitment.

Regards

Roy

[kris88]

It would be a long term and costly process so definitely a massive commitment.

Regards

Roy

A bit like having any big old boat then? The reason I got A41 is because no one else was mad enough to take her on. I've managed to turn her around and she is on the up, but still got along way to go. Eventually I would like to put wide side decks back on and a top more similar to the original hatch boards. But we'll see

Regards kris

[royg]

 

Edited April 22, 2016 by royg

[royg]

 

Two unidentified B. I Transport boats December 1947 at Feniscowles south west of Blackburn.

This was a regular mooring for the crews to return to South West Lancs during week-ends etc.

I would like to think these boats were the A 42 rear and A 36 front, as this was the time of the

drowning tragedy as mentioned earlier in these posts. Reason being my Dad told me the last two

B. I's A 41 and A 42 had slightly narrower side decks than the other five. Looking closely at the

picture it seems to bear this out. A 41 had been de registered in 1946. A 36 was involved

in the tragedy and there seems no other reason why this photo needed to be taken.

[kris88]

It's interesting what you say about the side decks Roy. Where they the same width as the river class boats then?

 

Regards kris

Edited April 22, 2016 by kris88

[royg]

Yes your boat was originally to be 'LUNE' for Canal Transport, so Rank's B I Transport must have inserted pressure on Yarwood's to push forward their order, but the decks were still wider than Canal Transport.

 

My computer will not increase the size of this photo?

 

Best Wishes

 

Roy

Edited April 22, 2016 by royg