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Dartagnan

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When I was out a little while ago a gentleman on the towpath remarked to me that the colour of my NB reminded him of an old canal carrying company.  I am sure he mentioned a name similar to Lee but I may have misheard him and a search with Google hasn’t revealed any answers.  I thought his remark was unusual as the cabin sides are a light grey with a raddle red roof or cabin top if you prefer ?

As Google has not been my friend on this occasion I was wondering if anyone has any ideas.  I have always associated the working boats of old with with bright vibrant and contrasting colours not grey.

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Leonard Leigh, perhaps? One of their tugs is preserved, and it (James Loader) is indeed grey with a raddle-red roof and decks.

EDIT: make that two: their Christopher James is also preserved, and also grey.

Edited by Athy
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9 minutes ago, Athy said:

They were a BCN-based company, I think they were in the Black Country but I'm not sure where. Somebody on here will know.

Just been on Google and You are quite right.  The James Loader tug looks very nice.  I can see where the gentleman got his idea from though I don’t have the black paint surround.  

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Leigh’s are still around in the West Midlands, now operating under the Leigh Environmental banner. When they ran boats, much of the trade was coal from the Cannock coalfields to various factories and power stations in Birmingham and the Black Country. A friend of mine bought James Loader from them in the mid 60s when they discontinued canal haulage. He put it in to a green, maroon and yellow livery at the time, a very smart looking tug. The working livery was grey with white framing, I think.

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1 hour ago, Athy said:

Leonard Leigh, perhaps? One of their tugs is preserved, and it (James Loader) is indeed grey with a raddle-red roof and decks.

EDIT: make that two: their Christopher James is also preserved, and also grey.

Or Lee & Atkins at Polesworth they were primarily boat builders but IIRC they had a small # of boats carrying Early pat of 20th century

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3 minutes ago, X Alan W said:

Or Lee & Atkins at Polesworth they were primarily boat builders but IIRC they had a small # of boats carrying Early pat of 20th century

A good suggestion. I've noticed the plaque marking the site of their former dock. But what colour were their boats?

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5 minutes ago, Athy said:

A good suggestion. I've noticed the plaque marking the site of their former dock. But what colour were their boats?

Depends on the colour of the OP's boat as it's likely the boat bearing a resemblance was being built for a perhaps a  #1 or being repaired/repainted Again IIRC Joe Skinners "Friendship" was a L&A product

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48 minutes ago, dave moore said:

Leigh’s are still around in the West Midlands, now operating under the Leigh Environmental banner. When they ran boats, much of the trade was coal from the Cannock coalfields to various factories and power stations in Birmingham and the Black Country. A friend of mine bought James Loader from them in the mid 60s when they discontinued canal haulage. He put it in to a green, maroon and yellow livery at the time, a very smart looking tug. The working livery was grey with white framing, I think.

I would guess that would have been Peter Freakley always looked smart under his ownership he did spend a bob or two at Dennis Coopers on sorting the fore end though

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Hi Alan

It was indeed Peter, I recall going with him from Gas St to Hatton and back one weekend in the late 60s to collect another Leigh tug from the BW yard and dropping it off at Allen’s yard for repair. That was Christopher James, I think. He’s still around and pops in to Cooper’s regularly. Yes the fore end wasn’t a cheap job! Although Matthew runs things now, Denis is there almost every day, even on the tools at times. Here are a pair of tillers he made for Tom Chaplin’s new boat

 

 

FE802F46-5598-4935-87E1-E6E0E68655A0.jpeg

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33 minutes ago, Ray T said:

From Colours of the Cut, Edward Paget-Tomlinson. Both BCN tugs.

Joan II.jpg

Hingley.jpg

That bottom livery was worn, most dramatically, by the modern-built 'Zulu' which I think a forum member has just bought.

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5 minutes ago, Derek R. said:

It appears on the water can . . at least the - ??LU can be seen.

I think ULU can be seen, so it's even more likely that the identification is correct. 

 

What an interesting thread and a fine looking boat in an industrial sort of way, which I rather like. Sadly, the long-haired admiral is less partial so a compromise was required for our vessel! :D

 

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1 hour ago, Athy said:

I think that's Zulu, though where, if anywhere, she carried the name I'm not sure.

Nice practical handrails, just like Trojan's!

Yep it's Zulu - though it seems that until around 2005 it was probably Molly Maquire.

 

Quote

 

Zulu Built by Tony Francis - Length : 18.29 metres ( 60 feet ) - Beam : 2.08 metres ( 6 feet 10 inches ) - Draft : 0.56 metres ( 1 foot 10 inches ). Metal hull N/A power of 27 HP. Registered with Canal & River Trust number 503407 as a Powered Motor Boat.  ( Last updated on Wednesday 22nd May 2013 )

Other boat names on this licence plate (Historical Data)

    Molly Maguire Built by Unknown - Length : 15.24 metres ( 50 feet ) - Beam : 1.98 metres ( 6 feet 6 inches ). Metal hull N/A power of 27 HP. Registered with Canal & River Trust number 503407 as a Powered Motor Boat.  ( Last updated on Tuesday 19th April 2005 )

 

 

However I don't recall it carrying the Noah Hingley livery in recent times.  Instead it has been lettered with initials, which I think were those of the owners.

577376_1.jpg?1534310227

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4 hours ago, Athy said:

That bottom livery was worn, most dramatically, by the modern-built 'Zulu' which I think a forum member has just bought.

That would be me then!

Hi Dartagnan - FYI Persia (currently on sale with ABNB) was modelled on James Loader

I like the images - we intend to restore Zulu to her original Hingley livery as soon as funds permit

4 hours ago, Ray T said:

When in that livery if I recall correctly the name was sported on the front cabin.

Correct

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Yes. The same boat.

Molly was built by Tony Francis for the late Kevin Scragg.

He did a some sort of exchange (£+/-)with Roger Murrey for FMC MONARCH when she was still in steam.

I am told Roger Murrey had Roger Fuller extend her tug deck by building a complete new fore end thus replacing the original and Roger Murrey renamed her Zulu.

The internal painting is Kevin Scragg's and I suspect Kevin (Hazardous) Worthington who in his later narrow boat days worked as painter for Steve Hudson. 

I remember Molly in BWB colours before being repainted in Hingley's livery which was originally, I think, on their tug CROWN.

There is even more to the tale of CROWN but for another day perhaps ....

Edited by JamesWoolcock
Obvious Errors
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7 hours ago, JamesWoolcock said:

Yes. The same boat.

Molly was built by Tony Francis for the late Kevin Scragg.

He did a some sort of exchange (£+/-)with Roger Murrey for FMC MONARCH when she was still in steam.

I am told Roger Murrey had Roger Fuller extend her tug deck by building a complete new fore end thus replacing the original and Roger Murrey renamed her Zulu.

The internal painting is Kevin Scragg's and I suspect Kevin (Hazardous) Worthington who in his later narrow boat days worked as painter for Steve Hudson. 

I remember Molly in BWB colours before being repainted in Hingley's livery which was originally, I think, on their tug CROWN.

There is even more to the tale of CROWN but for another day perhaps ....

The internal painting was done by "Jim" Mc???

NB France is another Leonard Leigh I think 

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9 hours ago, Halsey said:

Hi Dartagnan - FYI Persia (currently on sale with ABNB) was modelled on James Loader

I am struggling to see what aspects of JAMES LOADER were used to model PERSIA.

 

As a teenager I spent quite a lot of time on JAMES LOADER's sister tug CHRISTOPHER JAMES, using it to clear out the redundant day boats at Stewarts and Lloyds Ltd, Coombeswood - amongst other things. JAMES LOADER and CHRISTOPHER JAMES were built by different yards but had a lot in common whereas PERSIA just looks like a modern pleasure boat with the profile of a B.C.N. tug and an engine suitable for a motor that tows a single butty. If I needed to do some serious towing I would always choose a purpose built tug to a purpose built pleasure boat, regardless of any claims of modelling (whatever that means) :captain:

51 minutes ago, Halsey said:

NB France is another Leonard Leigh I think 

FRANCE is a Fellows, Morton and Clayton Ltd. horse boat / motor conversion that several owners later ended up with Leonard Leigh Ltd, :captain:

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30 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

I am struggling to see what aspects of JAMES LOADER were used to model PERSIA.

 

As a teenager I spent quite a lot of time on JAMES LOADER's sister tug CHRISTOPHER JAMES, using it to clear out the redundant day boats at Stewarts and Lloyds Ltd, Coombeswood - amongst other things. JAMES LOADER and CHRISTOPHER JAMES were built by different yards but had a lot in common whereas PERSIA just looks like a modern pleasure boat with the profile of a B.C.N. tug and an engine suitable for a motor that tows a single butty. If I needed to do some serious towing I would always choose a purpose built tug to a purpose built pleasure boat, regardless of any claims of modelling (whatever that means) :captain:

FRANCE is a Fellows, Morton and Clayton Ltd. horse boat / motor conversion that several owners later ended up with Leonard Leigh Ltd, :captain:

Wow - apologies to the purisits (other boaters do exist)- James Loader was used to inform Persia's colour scheme - nothing else!

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