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Pointy Icebreaker

David Mack

By David Mack
in General Boating

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magnetman Veteran II

magnetman

Posted
Posted

Horrible imo

The boat and the amber nectar - I found 9 cans of Fosters in the cut about a month ago. It was a struggle but as I am a fan of free 'beer' I was able to complete the consumption. Seemed a bit rude to throw them back in

 

Sorry off topic :)

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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I seem to remember this boat on the Oxford, and I thought it was Hector. Notice the 'tee' stud that is shaped like the top of a Greek helmet.

 

I also thought it had a tug deck

 

Richard

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted (edited)

I seem to remember this boat on the Oxford, and I thought it was Hector. Notice the 'tee' stud that is shaped like the top of a Greek helmet.

 

I also thought it had a tug deck

 

Richard

 

Are you confusing with this hire boat that used to be based at the same place, (and may still be?).....

 

Hector-new-exterior.jpg

 

One is a genuine piece of history - the other a genuine piece of I'm not quite sure what.......

Edited by alan_fincher
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David Schweizer Veteran II

David Schweizer

Posted
Posted (edited)

Someone's clamped that in a vice surely?

 

(Tycho's fender is impressive, would it have had one originally?)

 

Alan Fincher will be along shortly to give chapter and verse, but as I understand it the Middle Northwich motors Tycho, Theophilus, and Sickle were shortened and had huge rams rivetted onto them in the early 1940's converting them into tug ice breakers. Tycho is the only one which still carries the ram, but the original rivetted plates are still visible on Sickle.

 

Edited to add:- Well he came along, but offered no information on Tycho, alghough i know he knows pretty well all the history of these three tugs.

Edited by David Schweizer
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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

Posted
Posted

 

Are you confusing with this hire boat that used to be based at the same place, (and may still be?).....

 

Hector-new-exterior.jpg

 

One is a genuine piece of history - the other a genuine piece of I'm not quite sure what.......

 

Oh yeah - practically identical. Have you missed your Specsavers appointment Alan?

 

Richard

 

 

didnt want to go and say the usual sewer tube wink.png

 

Yeah, I thought so. Gratuitous and pointless insult

 

Richard

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magpie patrick Veteran II

magpie patrickDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

I seem to remember this boat on the Oxford, and I thought it was Hector. Notice the 'tee' stud that is shaped like the top of a Greek helmet.

 

I also thought it had a tug deck

 

Richard

 

Also notice that Tycho has a mooring stud on the tip of the ice beak, precarious to use I should think

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted

 

Alan Fincher will be along shortly to give chapter and verse, but as I understand it the Middle Northwich motors Tycho, Theophilus, and Sickle were shortened and had huge rams rivetted onto them in the early 1940's converting them into tug ice breakers. Tycho is the only one which still carries the ram, but the original rivetted plates are still visible on Sickle.

 

Edited to add:- Well he came along, but offered no information on Tycho, alghough i know he knows pretty well all the history of these three tugs.

 

I do know a fair amount, but took it that the main post was about this other boat on "the Duck", and didn't really think anybody was seeking info on the Middle Northwichs converted to ice-boats.

 

Actually 4 out of the 8 in total Middle Northwich boats were so converted by the Ministry of War Transport, the usual date quoted being "December 1942".

 

The 4 boats involved are.....

 

"Sextans", which has been extended from 40' to 50' using part of the matching butty "Thea", and is converted - date ice ram removed unknown.

"Sickle", now in 1960s guise, and currently in dock for steelwork - ice ram removed some time before 1957.

"Theophilus", currently under restoration after many years as a hire boat then house boat - date ice ram removed unknown.

"Tycho", the most "original" despite the "blue tops", with ram still present.

 

All the other 4 Middle Nortwich motors survive full length, being "Radiant", "Taygeta", "Tucana" and "Zodiac", but identity swaps are likely, with no guarantee that those carrying certain names are carrying those they started life with. What has in recent years carried the name "Taygeta" was for some years instead called "Severn Dolphin", and I understand that is what it is now known as - at least it avoids the issue it may not be "Taygeta"! This boat is a massive restoration project, and some pictures have recently been posted on Facebook showing just how massive!

 

Here endeth the lesson!

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