Archimedes & Ara photos

[pete harrison]

Judging by the watermark on the stern of ARA it looks as though there has been a build up of standing water in the hull, which is never a good thing with a butty as it results in a flooded cabin.

I have never been a great fan of ARA's raised cabin height, completed for Barney and Jane Richardson to improve internal headroom - not because it is historically incorrect but because it looks out of proportion (more like a motor cabin height) 

edit = it would be nice to see this pair returned to the canal where they can be enjoyed by their owner and enthusiasts alike.

Edited March 8, 2018 by pete harrison

[X Alan W]

On 3/5/2018 at 12:25, Athy said:

Good sleuthing, BWN. I do not think that an incident from four years ago, which did not take place on the boat, should prejudice a potential buyer.

Even if this horrible act had taken place on the boat the boat cannot be blamed it"s an inanimate object but I guess some folk are a bit sensitive to things like that shame as they will go downhill to the point of not worth taking on

[X Alan W]

On 3/5/2018 at 12:57, David Schweizer said:

That's interesting. She told us that he was the result of drinking too much coffee.

My wife got the goose grease /brown paper (keep warm in the winter tip) & IIRc she complained about Billy ( Idle bugger goes to bed with his boots on not to bad unless he's walked in dog s**t) & her explanation to us was the coffee drinking caused the colour of the lads skin possibly a couple of shades darker due to not much contact with water as in washing the garden growing on the motors rear fenders was impressive until they took on the grass skirt look  They seemed happy & to my knowledge did no one harm or caused problems so good luck to them in their chosen way of life.

[BWM]

1 hour ago, X Alan W said:

Even if this horrible act had taken place on the boat the boat cannot be blamed it"s an inanimate object but I guess some folk are a bit sensitive to things like that shame as they will go downhill to the point of not worth taking on

Totally agree, but the lynch mob mentality is very easily set in motion- the daily mail would have no readers otherwise!

[pete harrison]

2 hours ago, X Alan W said:

Even if this horrible act had taken place on the boat the boat cannot be blamed it"s an inanimate object but I guess some folk are a bit sensitive to things like that shame as they will go downhill to the point of not worth taking on

I agree.

I have been around 'historic' boats for about 45 years and I have met some really good people and I have met some really nasty people, just as I have in all other areas of my life. Most 'historic' boats have a story to tell, but whether the owners want to hear and reflect on the negative aspects is another thing - most nowadays preferring to fill their heads with romantic nonsense. I am sure ARCHIMEDES and ARA will return to the canals in the passing of time, and I hope they are returned to carrying condition. Sitting on the bank at Gallions Point Marina is just a small part of the story of these two boats, as is their connection with the incident at Braunston a few years ago.

If I were still in the market for a boat neither of these aspects of their recent history would bother me in the slightest as I live in the real world where I am only interested in price verses condition 

 

[mark99]

Sort of reminds me of those two boats on Thames at Kingston. Well ok Surbiton then.

Edited March 8, 2018 by mark99

[Ray T]

34 minutes ago, mark99 said:

Sort of reminds me of those two boats on Thames at Kingston. Well ok Surbiton then.

Pegasus & ?  Photo courtesy of Leo No 2

Plus Balham & Edgeware on the GU

Also Greenock & Bordesley also on the GU

Edited March 8, 2018 by Ray T

[ditchcrawler]

But are the boats actually looking for a new owner of is the keeping them. I don't think being convicted of a crime prevents you owning a boat

[Ray T]

 

[pete harrison]

11 minutes ago, Ray T said:

Pegasus & ?  Photo courtesy of Leo No 2

Plus Balham & Edgeware on the GU

Also Greenock & Bordesley also on the GU

The butty with PEGASUS is a modern boat named BULLFINCH, and was the original base of Tradline Rope and Fenders, Braunston.

I would not put GREENOCK and BORDESLEY in the same conversation as PEGASUS, EDGWARE and BALHAM as they are the subject of fairly recent renovations at Brinklow Boat Services. I would however add BAINTON and BERKHAMPSTEAD (sic) which have been laid up for about the same length of time as EDGWARE and BALHAM, although they have moved from just south of Braunston Tunnel to Weedon in recent times.

I think the list of ropey / laid up boats is getting shorter, and there are equally few that have old conversions that will be due for removal anytime soon.

Is BEN still laid up on the Caldon Canal 

14 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

But are the boats actually looking for a new owner of is the keeping them. I don't think being convicted of a crime prevents you owning a boat

The owner did not commit the crime discussed on this thread, it was one of his friends / crew.

[Ray T]

Just now, pete harrison said:

The butty with PEGASUS is a modern boat named BULLFINCH, and was the original base of Tradline Rope and Fenders, Braunston.

I would not put GREENOCK and BORDESLEY in the same conversation as PEGASUS, EDGWARE and BALHAM as they are the subject of fairly recent renovations at Brinklow Boat Services. I would however add BAINTON and BERKHAMPSTEAD (sic) which have been laid up for about the same length of time as EDGWARE and BALHAM, although they have moved from just south of Braunston Tunnel to Weedon in recent times.

I think the list of ropey / laid up boats is getting shorter, and there are equally few that have old conversions that will be due for removal anytime soon.

Is BEN still laid up on the Caldon Canal 

I was not aware of the renovation of Greenock & Bordesley, thank you Pete.

[pete harrison]

19 minutes ago, Ray T said:

I was not aware of the renovation of Greenock & Bordesley, thank you Pete.

GREENOCK was resplendent at Braunston in 2011, along with BORDESLEY:

 Both images copywrite John and Peta Millard

[BWM]

1 hour ago, Ray T said:

Pegasus & ?  Photo courtesy of Leo No 2

Plus Balham & Edgeware on the GU

Also Greenock & Bordesley also on the GU

Whatever happened to the pair that used to be at Foxton, on hard standing near the road?

[stagedamager]

2 minutes ago, BWM said:

Whatever happened to the pair that used to be at Foxton, on hard standing near the road?

They are in good hands undergoing restoration. 

[David Mack]

9 minutes ago, BWM said:

Whatever happened to the pair that used to be at Foxton, on hard standing near the road?

Coleshill & Virginis?

[Tim Lewis]

Ara at Whilton 1944

 

 

[X Alan W]

12 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

But are the boats actually looking for a new owner of is the keeping them. I don't think being convicted of a crime prevents you owning a boat

I understood the guy convicted only worked the pair he didn't actually own them   Stand corrected if I got it wrong

[alan_fincher]

15 hours ago, Ray T said:

Pegasus & ?  Photo courtesy of Leo No 2

Plus Balham & Edgeware on the GU

Also Greenock & Bordesley also on the GU

 

I actually suspect you are confusing Greenock and Bordesley (based near Blisworth) with Bainton and "Berkhamsted" (based near Weedon).

Greenock and Bordesley get expensively docked quite regularly, as I understand it, but simply suffer from not being used between these dockings.  Admittedly a few years back they were looking a bit more tired than they currently do, but frankly not a lot more tired than one of ours does until getting it repainted manages to make it up the "to do" list.  A the moment both are fairly immaculate, at least one having received another load of work at Brinklow, even since those 2011 pictures at Braunston

It is Bainton and the butty lettered as "Berkhamsted" that are the other virtually derelict pair on that stretch of canal, along with Edgeware & Balham.  That said all these boats are kept fully afloat, I've never see any of them on the bottom.

As you clearly like the old working boats, a trip South of Stoke Bruerne is well worth doing.  There are now large numbers berthed at various places in the short stretch between Dodford (just north of Weedon), and Nether Heyford (just South of it), including both of ours.  The number varies due to those in active use, (e.g. fuel boats Southern Cross and Cedar), and you do need to look on the bank as well as in the water, (George), but there are always in excess of a dozen or more "historics" on that stretch, most of them "Grand Unions", of some kind or another.  If I want a fix of working boats, but can't go boating, I only have to walk a few miles Northwards from our boats!

EDIT (to add picture)

Greenock receiving attenuation at Brinklow Boat Services October 2015.  (Bordesley as also there on that date).
 

 

Edited March 9, 2018 by alan_fincher

[mark99]

Interesting Edgware  spelling. (Was born there).

[Athy]

6 minutes ago, mark99 said:

Interesting Edgware  spelling. (Was born there).

A couple of the town class boats (to which guess you're referring) had, let's say, eye-catching spellings. The prize must go to Bilster. What's odd about that, you may wonder? Well, there isn't a place called Bilster. Anywhere in the world. The theory I have read is that the signwriter had just finished work on Bicester and was siupposed to do Bilston next, but gotc onfused.

[alan_fincher]

17 minutes ago, Athy said:

A couple of the town class boats (to which guess you're referring) had, let's say, eye-catching spellings. The prize must go to Bilster. What's odd about that, you may wonder? Well, there isn't a place called Bilster. Anywhere in the world. The theory I have read is that the signwriter had just finished work on Bicester and was siupposed to do Bilston next, but gotc onfused.

I don't think the issue was the sign-writer.

I believe the evidence is that the original GUCCCo prepared name lists had spelling errors, and the sign-writer put on the boats what was written on the list.

I can't recall without doing some checking whether Edgeware is one that had a non logical spelling from the outset, or whether the error has crept in at some later stage in its history, but certainly what is currently on it has that extra "E".

Certainly the spelling on some ex GUCCCo boats has changed over time - currently there is a butty sign written as"Berkhamsted", but in the 1970s the boat which it purports to be carried  "Berkhampstead".  From memory the original spelling was different again.

[David Mack]

Large Woolwich Fulbourne is (presumably) named after the Cambridgeshire village of Fulbourn.

 

[carlt]

 

Large Woolwich Fulbourne is (presumably) named after the Cambridgeshire village of Fulbourn.

 

The Cambridgeshire railway station was also misspelled "Fulbourne"  

[Ray T]

From Tales of the old inland waterways: " We didn't go many trips with that pair of boats before we had a brand new pair, GRUS & GLAXY - wooden boats they were. [ The Star class butty GLAXY had obviously even confused the boatyard signwriter or a clerk in the owners' office who failed to spell "Galaxy" correctly - one of two craft in the fleet with mis- spelt names.])

[Athy]

 

From Tales of the old inland waterways: " We didn't go many trips with that pair of boats before we had a brand new pair, GRUS & GLAXY - wooden boats they were. The Star class butty GLAXY had obviously even confused the boatyard signwriter or a clerk in the owners' office who failed to spell "Galaxy" correctly.

It still happens today. A few times I've seen an old boat proclaimed as 'Antartic' and I suspect that the signwriter was distracted while lettering it.