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Jam Ole Run 1995 - the first one!


mykaskin

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I am surprised that there are no posts on this thread, I haven't watched it all yet, but so far it has proved very very interesting, quite a few people who I know, including some who are no longer with us. Very interesting to watch Ron's steering technique, most of us would have hit something using his methods, but he always managed to avoid that, sometimes by only a couple of inches, a true expert. I will watch the rest wioth great interest, particularly as the GU was my home territory for many years.

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7 hours ago, mykaskin said:

Hi Folks,

I've had the chance to edit together some video recorded from the 1995 Jam Ole run. It's proper Bolinder porn as Captain Ron Whithey gives it plenty of beans, and of course Trevor Maggs can be seen with Corona.

 

It's two hours long, but worth watching through as you can really see how the canal has changed over the last years.

Watch here: YouTube Link

Cheers,

Mike

Thanks Mike, that passed the evening.

Interesting to see the gate being used to slow the boat entering the single lock, that must put some wear on the gate edge.

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48 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

I am surprised that there are no posts on this thread.................

 

We are on the boats, and I don't have enough mobile capacity to watch 2 hours of video.

 

Will certainly do so once home though!

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49 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

Very interesting to watch Ron's steering technique, most of us would have hit something using his methods, but he always managed to avoid that, sometimes by only a couple of inches, a true expert.

Well when he goes round the parade at Braunston this isn't exactly still strictly true!  In fact I've never seen anyone hit anything as hard as he once did there, (and that includes my own failure to get Flamingo round one of the Cassiobury Park bends!).

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2 hours ago, archie57 said:

That's an accepted way to slow the boat, easier to climb the steps than climb out of the lock.

While we're boating on the southern GU, if you haven't seen this look out for the Pisces, and Jim Collins at 1.36 -

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-summer-outing-1966-1966-online

 

Yes a good shot of Pisces, not long after it was aquired by Hillingdon Youth Services. Moored immediately below Uxbridge lock and demonstrating how scruffy it was, and with no sign written back panel. The hole in the cabin side is where we removed a rotton panel to replace. After the signwriting was done, we set about replacing the canvas roll down sides and  got the paint brushes out to re livery. it in green red and yellow. Below are a few shots of how that work progressed in the following eigteen months.

(second Photo courtesy of X Alan  W)

 

 

1597192296_C1Pisces-BeforeLeicester-Summer1967.jpg.d0ad0a366e15a298e270b0f43bcd90ef.jpg

 

1274275644_Leicester196702.jpg.acc06e7e6138cffafd702b4af02a1ce1.jpg

 

C85.jpg.5846505095dc6538b3d1996b238b2672.jpgimg099.jpg.becabceb2173417413580d99e72b0d77.jpg

Edited by David Schweizer
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9 hours ago, archie57 said:

That's an accepted way to slow the boat, easier to climb the steps than climb out of the lock.

While we're boating on the southern GU, if you haven't seen this look out for the Pisces, and Jim Collins at 1.36 -

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-summer-outing-1966-1966-online

Love it - interesting to compare the changes between 1966 (when I started) to 96 and then 96 to now across the two videos - the rate of change is frightening for the next 20!

 

Many thanks I do love nostalgia☺️

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Great video one thing that surprised me was the fact that Mr Withey  didn' t appear to load the 2 "joshers down by the head an inch or two I think as late as 95 it would have helped with the ease or other wise of the steering ,no doubt about his boater heritage max revs & oil rod wide open= misfiring exhaust bark & plenty of smoke Had an ex boater who wanted to show me how to get around Suttons  in one Same Mo full throttle oil rod open wide bags of revs /clouds of smoke & he rammed the wall on the Coventry side & then blamed the boat can't remember the problem  with less revs & a more cautious approach I more often than not made it in ne if there were no bats tied outside the "Greyhound"

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2 minutes ago, X Alan W said:

Great video one thing that surprised me was the fact that Mr Withey  didn' t appear to load the 2 "joshers down by the head an inch or two I think as late as 95 it would have helped with the ease or other wise of the steering ,no doubt about his boater heritage max revs & oil rod wide open= misfiring exhaust bark & plenty of smoke Had an ex boater who wanted to show me how to get around Suttons  in one Same Mo full throttle oil rod open wide bags of revs /clouds of smoke & he rammed the wall on the Coventry side & then blamed the boat can't remember the problem  with less revs & a more cautious approach I more often than not made it in ne if there were no bats tied outside the "Greyhound"

Unless I'm mistaken the motor appears to have been trimmed early on in the trip so that it is more level - certainly down at the stern at the start!

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11 hours ago, Halsey said:

Watched some just now and will definitely watch more - it is sad to see/reflect how much the canal has changed IMHO not for the better

In general have they really changed that much in 23 years? Since the 1960s I'd say definitely but I think the canal scene is fairly similar now to how it was in the mid 90s, except for more marinas and slightly more rules and health and safety stuff (but not much more).

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29 minutes ago, archie57 said:

Unless I'm mistaken the motor appears to have been trimmed early on in the trip so that it is more level - certainly down at the stern at the start!

T he motor before loading appeared to be ballasted for forward/reverse "fan hold" it was after the loading I was surprised he didn't have 1 to 2 inches less dry side at the bow Could have been the fact it was bagged /pelleted coal? & the required weight couldn't be fitted to achieve the end result  I would guess the  engine holding down bolts wanted snugging down at journeys end & standing on the counter would have been like an extended session on a trampoline loose tooth filling comes to mind  One other point where did that # of crew bed down for the night?

Edited by X Alan W
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9 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

 

Yes a good shot of Pisces, not long after it was aquired by Hillingdon Youth Services. Moored immediately below Uxbridge lock and demonstrating how scruffy it was, and with no sign written back panel. The hole in the cabin side is where we removed a rotton panel to replace. After the signwriting was done, we set about replacing the canvas roll down sides and  got the paint brushes out to re livery. it in green red and yellow. Below are a few shots of how that work progressed in the following eigteen months.

(second Photo courtesy of X Alan  W)

 

 

1597192296_C1Pisces-BeforeLeicester-Summer1967.jpg.d0ad0a366e15a298e270b0f43bcd90ef.jpg

 

1274275644_Leicester196702.jpg.acc06e7e6138cffafd702b4af02a1ce1.jpg

 

C85.jpg.5846505095dc6538b3d1996b238b2672.jpgimg099.jpg.becabceb2173417413580d99e72b0d77.jpg

David had Dennis been testing the "Famous Grouse" Is he still with us or passed ? Derek Turner's of Wheaton Aston boat "Fox" on the outside Been a drop of water passed down the cut since then .

Edited by X Alan W
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6 minutes ago, Philip said:

In general have they really changed that much in 23 years? Since the 1960s I'd say definitely but I think the canal scene is fairly similar now to how it was in the mid 90s, except for more marinas and slightly more rules and health and safety stuff (but not much more).

IMHO they have changed massively in the last 25 years no towpath space south of Berko, reduced sense of community, too many static floaters, fat boats, overstaying, reduced facilities, cyclists, bureaucracy - I could go on...……………………..I do accept that a lot of this is society in general not just on the canal system...……………….and its my age

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10 minutes ago, Halsey said:

IMHO they have changed massively in the last 25 years no towpath space south of Berko, reduced sense of community, too many static floaters, fat boats, overstaying, reduced facilities, cyclists, bureaucracy - I could go on...……………………..I do accept that a lot of this is society in general not just on the canal system...……………….and its my age

Well that saved me writing a post! Totally agree....I can only imagine the howls of outrage now from the CM’ers if Rocket Ron boated through now.....in fact I’d love it if he did!  

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15 minutes ago, Halsey said:

IMHO they have changed massively in the last 25 years no towpath space south of Berko, reduced sense of community, too many static floaters, fat boats, overstaying, reduced facilities, cyclists, bureaucracy - I could go on...……………………..I do accept that a lot of this is society in general not just on the canal system...……………….and its my age

I can't really comment on present times as I was last on the cut 2012 & before that 1999 but the changes I came across between selling my pair in72 & the two later trips was to me mind boggling the attitude of some  boaters & general Me Me Me way of carrying on I found i'd had enough after 3 or so weeks I guess it reflects the general thought process of some members  in all present day walks of life,the post by "Frangar I found that in 2012 delivering a mates  ex working boat sworn at for going to fast although I was out of gear rushing about with fenders & boat hook although there was never any danger of contact the woman on a boat on the lock landing at Tyrley top lock  & the amount of abuse I got for hovering mid cut waiting for the boat coming up to clear the lock when I asked if she was going through the lock She replied no I asked why was she tied in the way  The repy summed it all up ,I've been boating for 3 years & I know what I'm allowed to do I guess for my piece of mind I'm better away from the cut

Edited by X Alan W
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37 minutes ago, Halsey said:

IMHO they have changed massively in the last 25 years no towpath space south of Berko, reduced sense of community, too many static floaters, fat boats, overstaying, reduced facilities, cyclists, bureaucracy - I could go on...……………………..I do accept that a lot of this is society in general not just on the canal system...……………….and its my age

Ah right, well to be fair I only knew the Shroppie, Llangollen, northern Trent and Mersey and Bridgewater Canals in the mid 90s and these haven't changed much, except for more marinas etc (and grey replacing black for Shroppie lock gate balance beams!).

Edited by Philip
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7 minutes ago, Philip said:

Ah right, well to be fair I only knew the Shroppie, Llangollen, northern Trent and Mersey and Bridgewater Canals in the mid 90s and these haven't changed much, except for more marinas etc (and grey replacing black for Shroppie lock gate balance beams!).

That explains it - I did wonder whether you were on the Mon and Brec?

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1 hour ago, Halsey said:

IMHO they have changed massively in the last 25 years no towpath space south of Berko, reduced sense of community, too many static floaters, fat boats, overstaying, reduced facilities, cyclists, bureaucracy - I could go on...……………………..I do accept that a lot of this is society in general not just on the canal system...……………….and its my age

 

Whist I understand to some degree where you are coming from, the highlighted bit is simply not true.

Admittedly our last two trips down have only been as far as Ricky, but we have absolutely no problems finding moorings for a full length deep draughted boat anywhere down to at least that far.  No plank is involved in any tie up we use going down that way.

In many places on the Southern GU the mooring situation is actually much improved since the 1970s.  Look at photos at Braunston, for example, and empty working boats couldn't get their tail end 6 feet from the bank in places you can now get right against it.

IMO the biggest problem with the vastly increased number of moored boats over all is that many of them are simply not tied up properly.  We spent far too much time on our last Ricky trip with someone having to re-moor drifting boats before we could go past them, (yes we could have nudged or shafted some out the way, but we do try to tie them up, provided they have the relevant bit of string with an inadequate and bent stake still hanging from the end of it) .

Edited by alan_fincher
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13 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

Well when he goes round the parade at Braunston this isn't exactly still strictly true!  In fact I've never seen anyone hit anything as hard as he once did there, (and that includes my own failure to get Flamingo round one of the Cassiobury Park bends!).

I've had problems there too, mostly because of the strategically positioned widebeams and other fragile looking hulks moored there.

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2 minutes ago, BWM said:

I've had problems there too, mostly because of the strategically positioned widebeams and other fragile looking hulks moored there.

Surely a wide beam moored on a bend just means there’s more cushioning before you hit the bank.....

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2 hours ago, X Alan W said:

David had Dennis been testing the "Famous Grouse" Is he still with us or passed ? Derek Turner's of Wheaton Aston boat "Fox" on the outside Been a drop of water passed down the cut since then .

Sadly Dennis passed away quite a few years ago, but I do have contact details for one of his sons, and have been meaning to contact him for a while.

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