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2 minutes ago, Grawar said:

What you say, Pete, is quite feasible.  I was told about all it when it was handed to me, but  there is not a note on the actual print.  Maybe I will pencil something on the back.  Anyway, the image is now recorded.  Was this particular shot known to you?

No, I have not seen that image of UMBRIEL (?) before - but like many enthusiasts I do find them fascinating :captain:

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On ‎05‎/‎06‎/‎2018 at 14:51, Grawar said:

Hello Pete,

Thanks for your response.  I have looked through my old records and found the following dates for publication relating to Aries:

 

2 May 1975, boat purchased (vendor's name with-held).  Moved boat from London to Braunston. (An epic journey, severe leaks discovered).

Sadly, the hull and cabin and engine were found to be in very neglected condition, not suitable for the intended cruising.

Sept 1976, towed by Mr J Saxon (boatman) to Braine's yard at Norton Canes. (Sunk awaited restoration for 1 year).

Oct 1977 full restoration begins.  (Hull, cabin, engine, cloths etc.)  1000's of hours labour.

Aug 1980 (approx) restoration completed. Boat re-launched.

Approx. April 1982 keelson found to be leaking (affected by severe ice in Jan. winter).  Front end and bottoms replaced.

June 1982. Relaunched.

July 1982 we delivered the boat to the Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port as an exhibit on semi-permanent loan, where she has been ever since.

The cost of the restoration(s) ran to tens of thousands, a fortune.  It was worthwhile as Malcolm Braine wrote to the Museum Director "Without any question at all she is by far and away the best condition Grand Union wooden motor boat hull left in existence."

 

I hope these notes are of interest.  I have many photographs of the restorations and will try to post some as time permits.

It is sad to see the engine removed and the hull sunk, rotting once more.  This was never the intention when taking the decision to place her in the museum.  I should add that the museum formally purchased the boat sometime in 2004.

 

 

Hello Grawar

Interesting history not sure how qualified Malcolm Braine would be to suggest that Aries was the best Grand Union wooden motor boat hull left in existence,  as there must have been a large number of wooden Grand union motor boats still in good shape at that time.

Indeed Arcturus which was the first wooden motor built for the Grand union Canal Carrying company was at that time a Passenger boat licensed to carry 54 passengers, so would have had to be in pretty good shape for this!!

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9 hours ago, Mike Nicoll said:

Indeed Arcturus which was the first wooden motor built for the Grand union Canal Carrying company was at that time a Passenger boat licensed to carry 54 passengers, so would have had to be in pretty good shape for this!!

And you would know well, of course  ?

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14 hours ago, pete harrison said:

The boat name is hard to see but it looks like UMBRIEL to my eye, a boat that was sold to T. & S. Element, Birmingham in September 1941. I am thinking this photograph was taken shortly after UMBRIEL was commissioned in August 1935, and the location is Regents Canal Dock (now named Limehouse Basin) :captain:

I’m not entirely convinced it is Umbriel - the name looks a little long and the fleet number appears to have 3 digits.  Also the rams head looks to be a Harland & Wolff product and different to that shown on p104 of Walkers of Ricky.  But looking at these small grainy images is always a frustrating process and you may well be right!

Paul

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9 hours ago, Paul H said:

I’m not entirely convinced it is Umbriel - the name looks a little long and the fleet number appears to have 3 digits.  Also the rams head looks to be a Harland & Wolff product and different to that shown on p104 of Walkers of Ricky.  But looking at these small grainy images is always a frustrating process and you may well be right!

Paul

You know I am not very good with Grand Unions :captain: 

Edited by pete harrison
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On 05/06/2018 at 15:40, pete harrison said:

One more question, and this is a long shot - British Waterways Board issued index numbers in 1980 and these were displayed in the form of pressed aluminium number plates with a black background and raised white letters, as well as printed  on the paper licence. I do have extensive records of these numbers and I try to highlight those issued to 'historic' boats, but I am not able to pin down the number issued to ARIES (I have 4 numbers that it could be - and the Boat Museum have kept no record). I do have this ARIES and its index number plate on a slide somewhere but as I have in excess of 3000 slides of 'historic' narrow boats it is proving hard to find :captain:

Hello again Pete, and all.  I have found more old papers relating to Aries.  I have a BW invoice from 1982 which states the index number of Aries was 69595.  Presumably it still is, although when or whether we will see her afloat again seems very doubtful.  I will be posting further photos fairly soon.

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11 minutes ago, Grawar said:

Hello again Pete, and all.  I have found more old papers relating to Aries.  I have a BW invoice from 1982 which states the index number of Aries was 69595.  Presumably it still is, although when or whether we will see her afloat again seems very doubtful.  I will be posting further photos fairly soon.

Thanks Grawar, but I was not expecting that number. I have four boats named ARIES with unaccounted for index numbers for that period and had thought it would be one of those - but 69595 fits perfectly and I am more than happy to live and learn :captain:

Edited by pete harrison
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On 06/06/2018 at 22:07, Mike Nicoll said:

Hello Grawar

Interesting history not sure how qualified Malcolm Braine would be to suggest that Aries was the best Grand Union wooden motor boat hull left in existence,  as there must have been a large number of wooden Grand union motor boats still in good shape at that time.

Indeed Arcturus which was the first wooden motor built for the Grand union Canal Carrying company was at that time a Passenger boat licensed to carry 54 passengers, so would have had to be in pretty good shape for this!!

Photo is a little faded but it is from an article in I Spy annual 1980.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Spy-Annual-1980/dp/0850960932/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1529002830&sr=8-3&keywords=I+spy+annual+1980

 

51K-WU9ieFL._SY373_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

NB Arcturus.jpg

P

Edited by Ray T
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  • 1 month later...

Hello Grawar if you recall post 27 it was suggested that Aries was the best condition wooden Grand union Motor boat,

I just pointed out that there were other wooden motor boats in good condition, one being Arcturus.

Ray was good enough to enclose a picture that demonstrated the condition of Arcturus at that Time. 

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A while ago, I promised to post pictures of the rebuild of Aries at Malcolm Braine's yard.  Here is a picture from around 1976 showing Aries resting in shallow water awaiting much needed TLC.  Many more to follow when the grandchildren are here to help!

1976 Oct sunk at Braine's.jpg

At that time Malcolm wisely advised me to abandon her and buy a new boat.  Sound words of wisdom which I should have heeded.  However, I proceeded undaunted... to spend a fortune!

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1 hour ago, Grawar said:

A while ago, I promised to post pictures of the rebuild of Aries at Malcolm Braine's yard.  Here is a picture from around 1976 showing Aries resting in shallow water awaiting much needed TLC.  Many more to follow when the grandchildren are here to help!

 

At that time Malcolm wisely advised me to abandon her and buy a new boat.  Sound words of wisdom which I should have heeded.  However, I proceeded undaunted... to spend a fortune!

ARIES looks afloat to me in this image, unlike the boat alongside which I am pretty sure is exF.M.C. Ltd. CLENT - which itself was restored a couple of years later and is now the subject of restoration once again.

 

You are far from the last person to proceed undaunted and spend a fortune restoring a boat, but thankfully people do or many older boats would have met their end years ago :captain:

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Yes, Pete, Aries was indeed still just about floating, but had a bilge pump running more or less continually.  Malcolm put her into the shallows in case she succumbed.  That section of the Norton Canes dock was akin to a hospice for old craft.

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Here for the record are two more snapshots of Aries at Norton Canes Dock awaiting restoration.  It was a while coming.

 

1976 Oct.jpg

1976 Oct sunk at Braine's.jpg

Apologies for the accidental duplication.  This is the other picture.

1976 Oct MB yard.jpg

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During Spring and early Summer 1976 we made several trips out from our base at Braunston.  This picture was taken during one such journey south on the Grand Union.

1976 early summer GU..jpg

Summer 1976 waiting for the lock to fill.

1976 Early summer.jpg

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5 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

The brass chain securing the tiller pin is a rare sight nowadays, something I have always quite liked and has been a feature on my boat as the chain is still attached :captain:

One from the past and mine.

 

 

Tiller pin chain.jpg

DSCF4237.JPG

Edited by Ray T
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Outings on Aries in 1986 often proved difficult due to shallow water.  This photo was taken that year somewhere near Crick on our way along the Leicester arm of the GU, being towed over the gravel bottom.  The towing boat, I seem to recall was an immaculate cruiser named Escargot.

1976 nr Crick towed.jpg

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Another day, another tow in 1976.  This time Aries is underway in shallow water tugged by two boats.

1976 towed by 2 boats.jpg

The year I quoted in #48 should read 1976.  Typo.

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Taken during 1977, this image shows the interior of Aries' conversion shortly after it was stripped out.  We had hoped to retain the superstructure and simply refit a new interior layout, but the ply panels and supports were too far gone to save.  The hard decision was taken to scrap it and just retain the original hull.  I had to accept that I bought a rotting hulk! 

A new plan now evolved to return her to as near possible to the original GUCC Co. working boat construction and we would then use her as a camping boat.

1977 stripped interior.jpg

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