Horse boating

[alan_fincher]

On 09/03/2019 at 14:52, David Schweizer said:

There was a horse drawn wide boat called Tuba on the GU in the 1960's which I believe operated as a trip boat, around Berkhamstead there are people on this forum who remember it better than me. No doubt they will be on at some time to confirm details in the meantime here are a couple of photos.

 

 

choose files... Click to choose files

 

 

There was another wide boat called Fleet, and I have a coiple of photos of that as well, but they are not my copyright. However, I am suere the owner will be on in a moment.

 

 

Interesting that it shows the former (and very much more attractive!) road bridge at Fishery.

I genuinely have no idea about the date at which that was replaced, but suspect it can't  have been many years after this photo.

Does anybody know please........


And welcome to Mike Baldey - my brothers Mike and Pete both helped work Ben Klibrech for your parents.  Sadly Pete died many years ago now.

[David Schweizer]

9 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Interesting that it shows the former (and very much more attractive!) road bridge at Fishery.

I genuinely have no idea about the date at which that was replaced, but suspect it can't  have been many years after this photo.

Does anybody know please........


And welcome to Mike Baldey - my brothers Mike and Pete both helped work Ben Klibrech for your parents.  Sadly Pete died many years ago now.

My files indicate that the photos were taken in 1969

[Dav and Pen]

I remember seeing Baldeys wide boat at Gosgrove where the horse had real difficulty as there was hardly a walkable towpath in those days. 

Must have a photo somewhere but no chance of finding it quickly.

[Ray T]

@ElaineWalker

 

Sight Seen Partnerships produce a series of videos "Capturing waterway skills on film."

 

One of them: " A tanner a Night"

With the aid of horses, harness and a beautifully restored narrow boat, the daily work of one of the few complete surviving canal stables was recreated for this recording. This humble but essential building in Wheelock, Cheshire was brought alive for two days for a new generation of canal boaters to enjoy.

 

info@sightseen.co.uk

 

 

[ElaineWalker]

Thanks Mike - I'll look forward to hearing from you.

 

I'm not sure about the copyright situation, I'm afraid.

 

 

Thanks Ray, too - I do know that film and 'Towpath Encounter' but I didn't know they did others - I'll do a bit of research. 

Edited April 16, 2019 by ElaineWalker

[alan_fincher]

On 16/04/2019 at 10:42, Dav and Pen said:

I remember seeing Baldeys wide boat at Gosgrove where the horse had real difficulty as there was hardly a walkable towpath in those days. 

Must have a photo somewhere but no chance of finding it quickly.

I recall a story that when they were trying to do the hotel boating with fleet and Tuba that one of the horses involved was terrified or crossing the trunk aqueduct, and I think had to be taken round by amother (presumably long?) route.

 

Whether it is an accurate story I can't say though.

[jeannette smith harrison]

On 16/04/2019 at 13:19, Ray T said:

@ElaineWalker

 

Sight Seen Partnerships produce a series of videos "Capturing waterway skills on film."

 

One of them: " A tanner a Night"

With the aid of horses, harness and a beautifully restored narrow boat, the daily work of one of the few complete surviving canal stables was recreated for this recording. This humble but essential building in Wheelock, Cheshire was brought alive for two days for a new generation of canal boaters to enjoy.

 

info@sightseen.co.uk

 

 

 

[alan_fincher]

9 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

I recall a story that when they were trying to do the hotel boating with fleet and Tuba that one of the horses involved was terrified or crossing the trunk aqueduct, and I think had to be taken round by another (presumably long?) route.

 

Whether it is an accurate story I can't say though.

I've since come across these (original photographer unkown) which certainly seem to indicate the above story is probably correct.  It looks like one of the two horses used on this trip with Tuba and Fleet would cross the trunk aqueduct, but that the other probably would not.

 

 

[billh]

Here's a link to some proper aerial horse boating,  Sonny horse, boat Maria ,year 1984:

 

Picture courtesy  Steve B, one of the crew

[Mike Baldey]

On 16/04/2019 at 09:36, alan_fincher said:

Interesting that it shows the former (and very much more attractive!) road bridge at Fishery.

I genuinely have no idea about the date at which that was replaced, but suspect it can't  have been many years after this photo.

Does anybody know please........


And welcome to Mike Baldey - my brothers Mike and Pete both helped work Ben Klibrech for your parents.  Sadly Pete died many years ago now.

Hello Alan, I do remember your brothers, sorry to hear about Pete. I guessed you were related to them a while ago as I have stumbled upon some of the wonderful photos you have posted here in the past.

My dad died a couple of years ago and I have inherited a large number of his books which is how I stumbed on Elaines post (was researching the Hostelcraft brochure).

You may remember me as Stuart, I used my real name, Mike, here to jog memories. My younger brother, Roger, was born on Tuba in 1971 (he died 18 months ago).

I believe Tuba and Fleet were impounded by British Waterways Board for non-payment of licences, towed to Bulls Bridge, craned out and burnt. My dad was refusing to pay due to houseboat fees tripling to try and get rid of them to make way for noddy boats... that's what I was told anyway!

I wonder what happened to Ben Klibrech. Mike and Lindy Foster also had a Ben barge for a while, Ben Hope?

The only boat I have is this model that I believe was made by someone on a working boat (I remember coal coming up the cut) and my dad painted it. My mums name was Eva and he had a fleet of hire cruisers called Red Rose Cruisers, it even has our old Berko phone number on it 6383. My mum found it years ago (she died 1990) in the art gallery near the lock in Lower Kings Road and paid £500 to get it back in to the family. I think the butty was owned by the Fosters at some point, I would love to see it.

 

[alan_fincher]

42 minutes ago, Mike Baldey said:

Hello Alan, I do remember your brothers, sorry to hear about Pete. I guessed you were related to them a while ago as I have stumbled upon some of the wonderful photos you have posted here in the past.

My dad died a couple of years ago and I have inherited a large number of his books which is how I stumbed on Elaines post (was researching the Hostelcraft brochure).

You may remember me as Stuart, I used my real name, Mike, here to jog memories. My younger brother, Roger, was born on Tuba in 1971 (he died 18 months ago).

I believe Tuba and Fleet were impounded by British Waterways Board for non-payment of licences, towed to Bulls Bridge, craned out and burnt. My dad was refusing to pay due to houseboat fees tripling to try and get rid of them to make way for noddy boats... that's what I was told anyway!

I wonder what happened to Ben Klibrech. Mike and Lindy Foster also had a Ben barge for a while, Ben Hope?

The only boat I have is this model that I believe was made by someone on a working boat (I remember coal coming up the cut) and my dad painted it. My mums name was Eva and he had a fleet of hire cruisers called Red Rose Cruisers, it even has our old Berko phone number on it 6383. My mum found it years ago (she died 1990) in the art gallery near the lock in Lower Kings Road and paid £500 to get it back in to the family. I think the butty was owned by the Fosters at some point, I would love to see it.

 

 

Hi again.......

I had always assumed that Ben Klibrech was scrapped by BW.   I saw it being towed South by BW in the mid-ish 1970s.  In fact it was being very violently towed by BW employee Sam Horne, who was been the lock keeper at Ravens Lane, and I know had had many run in's with your dad- I think often connected to the disturbance of what would now be called "booze cruises" late into the night!

However Tam Murrell, who operated working boats at that time later made this post that suggests the boat may have survived, at least for a while......

 

Quote

 

A rather old thread and I have a recollection of posting this on a thread about Ben barges, but we towed Ben Kilbrech to Cowley Peachey for a guy who converted it for living. It subsequently fetched up with us when we had moorings at the Toll House at Bulls Bridge, still as a houseboat and renamed Menhir. We ourselves had Ben Cruachan and Ben McDhuie plus Cam, all working on maintenance.

 

Tam

 

It seems an odd suggestion, as so much of the boat had been cut away in the passenger boat conversion, that there must have been far more complete bats around that could have been converted to house boats.  There is no appropriate boat now in the boat listing called either "Ben Klibrech" or "Menhir", but that doesn't by any means guarantee it no longer exists - it could have had a further name change for example.

I recall Red Rose Cruisers very well - my family's first ever boat hire was from them.  A bit of a disaster really as we spent more time breaking own than making real progress.  It's quite surprising that I chose to stick with the canals after that induction!

I had heard that your dad had passed on, but I'm sorry to hear you have lost a brother as well.  I recall posting in another thread that I met a lady at a neighbour's who was your mother's sister, and was told your mother came from a very large family.  However I think we worked out that the sister concerned was called Carol or Carole.

I have here two scale models of working oats that were made by my late brother Pete in his teenage years.  They had survived at my mum's house, and I rescued them when she died some years ago.  In view of their provenance I will try to continue to find a home for them, but haven't really got anywhere to display them - the larger one being about 3 feet long.

[alan_fincher]

Reopening this old thread and it's relation to the "Horseboat Hotels" operation run by Mike and Eva Baldey from Berkhamsted in the late 1960s and in the1970s.

A shame that Mike Baldey (Junior) never seems to have posted the photos he talked about.

 

However I have just been sent the following photos by Bill Rayner, who is brother to my sister-in-law, the widow of my late brother Pete.  Both Pete and Ann were heavily involved with the "Horsebarge Hotel" for a while.

 

The pictures are of the trip boat that was operated in the Berkhamsted area, the Ben Klibrech, the boat David Schweizer posted pictures of earlier in the thread.  It is unusual to me, becauseI don't recall ever seeing the boat operatedwith 2 horses - something presumably only being done for show, as a single Shire is more than capable of towing a largely empty Thames barge!

The Berkhamsted locations are mostly very recognisable, but it is remarkable to see no boats moored in what is now the "Waitrose pound", and usually pretty full of boats these days.

These are from 1972

 

Above Broadwater Lock

 

 

Approaching Bank Mill Lane Bridge

 

 

Possibly Bottomside Lock ?

 

 

Below Topside lock

 

 

 

And finally two of my late brother Pete (in the cap), along with Bill Rayner (in the top hat) who has been kind enough to send these photos after all theseyeras, and allow me to post them here.  Thank you Bill.

Thse are from 1975, and I was given this description of the engine. "Eaton Bray steam rally on 28th, August 1975. The engine in the background is the one I used to help with. Bill Colebrook's Fowler AA6 18nhp ploughing engine No.13880, Reg.No. No 371."

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by alan_fincher

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

And finally two of my late brother Pete (in the cap), along with Bill Rayner (in the top hat)

 

That doesn't really help since they seem to have swapped hats between the two photos.

[alan_fincher]

8 minutes ago, David Mack said:

 

That doesn't really help since they seem to have swapped hats between the two photos.

Ah - I only looked at one of them.

Pete in Jacket, no beard - Bill in overalls with beard!

[Balliol]

That all brings back some memories. Together with Pete and Mike Fincher, Ann and Ginny, I think we formed a major part of Mike & Eva’s crew during 1969, 1970 and 1971. Also I recall Richard Hope, very well known in railway circles, but sadly I read his obituary some time late last year. I was the child labour employed when Fleet was converted to form the accommodation unit for Horsebarge Hotels,and Tuba was “upgraded,” and at the same time helped turn round the Red Rose hire cruisers, all whenever I could escape homework!

 

I recently found some old slides from that era and am hoping to find time to get them digitised, so might post some eventually. Sam Horne’s beef with Mike Baldey was not just the booze cruisers but the fact that the horses rather enjoyed Sam’s blooms.

 

Balliol.

[David Schweizer]

3 hours ago, Balliol said:

That all brings back some memories. Together with Pete and Mike Fincher, Ann and Ginny, I think we formed a major part of Mike & Eva’s crew during 1969, 1970 and 1971. Also I recall Richard Hope, very well known in railway circles, but sadly I read his obituary some time late last year. I was the child labour employed when Fleet was converted to form the accommodation unit for Horsebarge Hotels,and Tuba was “upgraded,” and at the same time helped turn round the Red Rose hire cruisers, all whenever I could escape homework!

 

I recently found some old slides from that era and am hoping to find time to get them digitised, so might post some eventually. Sam Horne’s beef with Mike Baldey was not just the booze cruisers but the fact that the horses rather enjoyed Sam’s blooms.

 

Balliol.

Good to see that you still read the forum Balliol, and finally posting after twelve years. Are you going to identify yorself in my photo of Tuba?

[Balliol]

Hi David, hope that you are keeping well.

 

I think that I was the lad lounging on the offside top gate balance beam rail in the photo of Tuba’s bow coming out of Fishery. Just a bit greyer now!

 

incidentally, the photos of two horses, “Patience” and “Selby” I think, drawing Tuba are a new one on me. I have no recollection of this happening (although I wasn’t there all the time of course). So far as I was involved we only ever used one, or me or Pete or......... !     I suspect therefore that this was indeed a special event, a clue to that being that Mike Baldey was wearing a tie.

 

Best regards,

 

Balliol.

[alan_fincher]

14 hours ago, Balliol said:

That all brings back some memories. Together with Pete and Mike Fincher, Ann and Ginny, I think we formed a major part of Mike & Eva’s crew during 1969, 1970 and 1971. Also I recall Richard Hope, very well known in railway circles, but sadly I read his obituary some time late last year. I was the child labour employed when Fleet was converted to form the accommodation unit for Horsebarge Hotels,and Tuba was “upgraded,” and at the same time helped turn round the Red Rose hire cruisers, all whenever I could escape homework!

 

I recently found some old slides from that era and am hoping to find time to get them digitised, so might post some eventually. Sam Horne’s beef with Mike Baldey was not just the booze cruisers but the fact that the horses rather enjoyed Sam’s blooms.

 

Balliol.

Hello Balliol,

Welcome.

You didn't mention that little life boat conversion of yours - I have fond memories of joining you on a trip down the Wendover Arm in the days when very few boats ventured down the Wendover arm - think we had to remove a boom blocking entrance at the junction.

You are of course correct about Sam Horne.  At the time he was trying to win awards for his well kept lock and gardens, so Shire horses eating his roses was not too popular with him.  When Ben Klibrech was finally towed away from Berkhamsted Sam Horne got the job, and he brought it through Apsley where I was working at the time, in a manner where he seemed determined it would sink before reaching it's planned destination!

I don't suppose you still have any materials about the Red Rose operation do you?  It is something now largely erased from the public record it seems, so some old photos or brochures would bring back memories.  Our first hire boat holiday was on the then new Springer "Jenny Rose", powered very unreliably by two 6HP Johnson or Evinrude motors, (the type changed during the week, as the owner drove out with equally unreliable replacements!).

[Balliol]

Hi Alan, good to talk after all these years. 

 

Yes, the good ship “Judy,” I remember it well, the only boat I paid 3 times too much for. Tendered BW £3 for the wreck when I could have got it for £1. The boat is long gone of course , but the overspend still rankles!

 

I wonder whether Sam might also have demolished that little double arch bridge at Apsley with Ben Klibrech? When we brought that barge up from Brentford the bridge was too low for the coamings at the fore end of the barge’s hold. I have a dim recollection that Mike persuaded the football teams playing on the adjacent field to come and eat their oranges on board at half time whilst we nipped the barge under the bridge. Something like that anyway; the barge was certainly too high (or the bridge too low) and I suspect neither had changed.

 

it is just possible that I still have an old brochure for Red Rose Cruisers but if so it would mean a journey to the depths of the attics. One day perhaps.

 

I recall the Springers well. I might even have shown your family out. When doing the customer demos, if asked what the fuel consumption was, I would say 4 mpg per engine, hoping people would read that as 8. A very misguided design but the company under Mike, and then Tony Hickson, was too preoccupied with 6hp outboards. Amazingly at least some of those boats are still around, the tell tale being the blanked off holes and bracketry on the transoms. I think they fitted out about 6 or 8 of these disasters down at Maidenhead Court Boathouse.

 

Of course I learnt how to operate hire boats properly when I moved on to Wyvern Shipping in 1972, after you gave up your Saturday job there (or don’t you admit to that?)

 

Best regards,

 

Balliol.

[alan_fincher]

3 minutes ago, Balliol said:

Of course I learnt how to operate hire boats properly when I moved on to Wyvern Shipping in 1972, after you gave up your Saturday job there (or don’t you admit to that?)

I admit to that, but only ever did one summer at it.

 

It gave me a chance to steer various ex working boats for the first time(!)

 

Sickle is not the first, (or even the second), Middle Northwich tug I have been at the tiller of!

[Tim Lewis]

Have come across these photos from a 1959 IWA Bulletin of Horse Duke hauling the annual inspection trip on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation