In passing...

Sort of on the (roundabout) way to Kings Bromley, we dropped off at Thorne to have a look at this. It really is rather nice....

Mystery location

I received two canal-themed cards for my birthday last month. One was a charming painting of Cropredy (which I would not have recognised if it hadn't been written on the back, to be honest, but that might just be me), and the other one was presented simply as a generic boaty scene. But where is it? It certainly looks as if it could be Little Venice, but I am intrigued by the fact that there are loads of small boats gathered there, as if for a rally or festival. But on the other hand they don't look exactly trailable so that rules out an unconnected waterway. Answers on the proverbial postcard....

Under water

Does this look like a submarine to you? Does it really? Beautiful as it is, it must be maddening to be the owners of Sharpness, a 1908 (Blisworth?) tunnel tug. We were tied up behind it for less than a week, and I lost count of the number of people asking, mainly facetiously but some in all seriousness, 'is that a submarine?' (my mind wandering now, I'm thinking it's not an underwater boat, but an underground boat, but not a tube boat which is something else entirely...)

Thursday afternoon it was under a fair bit of water though. There can be few better places from which to watch a downpour than from a narrow boat's cabin (provided the wind's blowing the other way of course). Though I did feel a bit sheepish on Friday, once we were underway again, and everyone we met at locks was saying, wasn't the rain dreadful yesterday, and I had to admit we hadn't actually left until after it had stopped.

Up the wall

Today I finally got around to putting up my boat and boat-related pictures to brighten up a rather plain white wall. Clearly I'm not going to be invited to join any hanging committees any time soon - I was aiming for a sort of random effect but I'm still not sure whether it's too random or not random enough.

As I acquire more frames (these were all less than a pound each from local charity shops), I'll add to the collection - I can always find the pictures. So far these include a horse drawn barge on the Regents Canal, the interior of Tarporley's back cabin, Tarporley on the Regents Canal in the 70s, me steering Chiswick, Chertsey in 1937, Dipper (Bristol) and butty frozen in at Brentford, and the biggest one, a turn of the century photo of Amsterdam, one of a dozen won by my father for correctly identifying all the cities featured.

Why do I find this depressing?

It's good news surely that a large Woolwich motor boat that had been on the market for some time should not only have found new owners, but has been made available for the public to experience and enjoy... Yes, Hawkesbury. When I spotted it last year it had just been bought by Birmingham & Midland and the steerer told me that they were planning to use it for training and private charters. It's a good idea; the 'skipper' can live in slendid isolation in the back cabin and so not pollute the guests with his presence, and up to four people get to live in the 'tasteful' conversion. During their day or week long trip they can do as much or as little as they like (as we say on Tarporley, meaning within reason, of course). Prices range from £1130 to £1400 for four people for a week - not cheap, but not unreasonable compared to a hotel boat or hiring.

After seeing them last year, I didn't give it much more thought until last week, when I picked up a leaflet in the Swan at Fradley. Parts of it I admit did make me shriek - for example: Unlike modern, lightweight narrowboats, Hawkesbury does not have the benefit of responsive handling.... Either that's a foul slur, or they should get the steering sorted out.

But what really depressed me was when I looked at the website and saw it advertised thus: Bespoke Executive Solutions Ltd are expanding their narrowboating portfolio....

On the gravel

I have decided to delay posting my photos until tomorrow because this is much more important, and the photos are much better.

While at Braunston I heard tell that Archimedes and Ara, and Victoria (because Mike wanted to see it loaded), were going to go on to load some gravel. It turns out that a total of seven boats were involved in this, the others being GU motors Themis and Callisto, and the more recently built gravel boat Arundel buttied with former Joey Joe.

According to the never-reliable Narrowboat World website (seven star class boats indeed!) the gravel was used to shore up the bank during building work in Paddington Basin, and they've painted themselves into a corner, leaving no way to remove it other than by water (hooray!). It's being taken to Atherstone.

Sadly, I have so far not been able to witness this but others have and the photos are breathtaking. See Alan Fincher's here, and here, and follow reports of their progress on the CWF thread here.

And two for the album

I managed to add a grand total of two previously unspotted 'Town Class' boats to my album at Braunston: Fenny and Stratford. I didn't find anything out about Fenny, but I gather that Stratford represents the beginnings of a new coal business, and the photo is of it being loaded from Archimedes and Ara before departing for Warwickshire. I am also kicking myself for not taking a photo of Aldgate (again); I've seen it so many times I never remember I haven't got a picture yet!

Moving pictures

The thing is, my Braunston photos this year are a bit rubbish. Most of the time I was on Chertsey, or talking to people, and I hardly got the chance to go round snapping as is my usual wont.

Matt Parrott has uploaded some fantastic pictures to his website though, and there are a couple of videos featuring Chertsey: this one, taken by Andrew and Andrea on Dove, of me steering in the parade on Saturday, and this one (in which we all come out a bit tall and thin) shot by Halfie on the Sunday, with Keith doing the honours (well, I didn't want to push my luck). There are also some pictures in this CWF thread.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing Mike's photos, and Liam's videos... And thanks to all those other individuals who have taken and sent me photos.

The end of a perfect week

Give or take the odd bump and grounding, this week has been absolutely sublime, culmimating not only in the Braunston experience, but actually being part of it this year. The weather has been wonderful, unbelievable, both for the festival itself and the journey to it. Starting to feel part of the old working boat 'community'; having things in common to talk about. The brilliant - as always - atmosphere. As I strolled around very early this morning as mist from the canal wreathed the boats in the basin, I wondered if life could possible get any better. And when Tom and James left with their coal boats, Archimedes and Ara, immaculately turned out, I understood how those people felt who ran away to join the boats.

Life went on however, as boats either left or were locked up and themselves left, and we set off in search of some half inch stern gland packing, the box at the Braunston chandlery turning out to have been empty. Eventually we secured a length of rather grubby stuff from Tony Redshaw, which Jim has fitted (stuffed in? Whatever the technical term is). We set off from Braunston at half past one, and have averaged a very steady two miles an hour, for six and a half hours, bringing us to Hungerfield where we have caught up with Bath.

And Hampstead at last

One more addition to the sticker album - long overdue because I never had quite the right photo. Possibly the very first big Woolwich I ever saw, certainly the first I had a good look at, and so quite possibly the root of this expensive addiction....

Bright as new paint (and wet too)

We had a lovely day yesterday in Little Venice, at the Cavalcade. Among other delights we saw three boats - two of them former working boats - in their magnificent new paint schemes, and how many photos did I take? A grand total of one. Pathetic isn't it, so overwhelmed was I by the sight of Baldock resplendent in Willow Wren livery, and Victoria - finished only last week - absolutely glorious in Associated Canal Carriers colours that I just stood and gawped rather than getting the camera out. Sorry. But here's the one:

Aside from that failing on my part, and a rather unpleasant lunch (of which more later) it was a splendid day out, up to and including the final downpour that accompanied us on our way back to Paddington.

We were delighted to meet and spend much of the day with Carrie (Blackbird), Simon (Tortoise) and Neil and Kath (Herbie), fellow bloggers and all lovely people. We found the beer tent (and somehow seemed to have trouble shaking it off...) and sat for a long while watching the world go by, including waving to Mike as he steered Prince Regent past us.

Then I went off to collect Chertsey's new (indeed, only) stove chimney, very handsome and handmade, which I proceeded to carry around like a (rather shiny and cylindrical) baby for the rest of the afternoon. We went back for a tour of Tortoise, then back down to the visitor moorings to see Herbie's fantastic new paintwork and have a cup of tea, and then, as we were on the verge of leaving, were persuaded to return to Tortoise for a curry cooked by Simon, which was really lovely.

Now, Simon and Carrie are both vegans, as I used (briefly) to be and know in my heart that I really should be. Having been moved from being (lacto-)vegetarian to being vegan, and then having lapsed from that, I never really went back to being veggie; as far as I'm concerned there's no real moral or practical difference between using animals for meat, milk or eggs - in the latter cases the exploitation and environmental damage is probably actually more protracted. A work friend of mine has a friend who rears organic pigs; she says, 'the way I look at it, they have one bad day in their entire lives' - whereas for an intensively reared chicken or an industrialised dairy cow, every day is pretty miserable. So while I mainly ate a veggie diet, I didn't define myself by it, and didn't feel too bad about consuming the odd bit of meat. It was, however, always something of a disappointment (except for the very expensive organic dry cured bacon, mmmm). So it was pretty bad luck, or bad judgement, on my part that they should find me in the queue for the 'hog roast', having briefly quelled my conscience and an even stronger sense of self-preservation. However, the £5 bap filled with a few bits of stringy meat and a large quantity of very soggy flavourless 'stuffing' was punishment enough, and it wasn't held against me. I am however inspired to get back on the vegan path again (after all, it does make not having a fridge so much less of a pain) and make a bit more of an effort. Especially if Carrie will give me the recipe for that absolutely lovely banana cake.....

Two more for the album

Whilst out with Tarporley last Saturday I managed to snap two more boats for the album: Bognor, in Battlebridge Basin, and Bilster, in Little Venice.

Unidentified Floating Objects

No, nothing nasty.

When I went through all my photos looking for ones to put in the album, I found a few likely candidates that I couldn't put a name to. One was only from last summer - I suspect it didn't have its name on or I would have remembered, but I've just zoomed in on its BW index number, looked it up on Jim Shead, and assuming his entry is accurate, identified it as Ascot. So woo, another one I didn't know I had!

But this one, badly photographed in 2006 still has me guessing... Ideas anyone?

Two more (pun resisted)

I've finally tracked down photos of Dover and, ahem, Tarporley and added them to the album. Not many left to find down the back of the sofa now; I shall have to go out and spot some more.
The one of Tarporley shows the first time I encountered it, when we had Warrior in London in 2008. Sort of 'here I am with a famous person' kind of photo.

Last night was the monthly Tarporley committee meeting. The facilities on the boat are gradually being upgraded, and, in order to make the next difficult decision, I have selflessly volunteered my services as a member of the Toilet Subcommittee. The subcommittee is packed with dump-through supporters so I don't envision too much internecine warfare - until the subcommittee's decision comes back to the full committee for approval, of course. Politics - don't you just love it.

Someone else's pictures

Been saving this up for a night like this when I've not prepared a post and too tired to start thinking about it. A while ago Andrew of Dove posted this link on CWF - it's someone else again's wonderful old boat photos. I don't know who he is myself, but if he's posted them on the web then presumably he wants as many people as possible to look at them. To be honest, they are so wonderful I found it all rather overwhelming - an embarassment of riches - and haven't had a really good look yet myself.

The experts and anoraks at CWF have however given the matter their fullest attention and have issued a number of corrections to the captions and reminiscences, and a long thread has ensued.

Enjoy.

Found some more!

I made a quick raid on the laptop last night and tracked down photos of Aynho, Badsey, Bainton, Otley and Towcester, which I have added to the album, along with a lovely picture of Fulbourne at St Ives. There are still at least two missing - ironically two of the three I've steered - of which I have lots of snapshots but no real portrait.

And it's catching on - Adam of Debdale draws my attention to his collection (and reminds me that I must have Dover and Nuneaton somewhere too) and Jim of Starcross has posted some lovely seventies photos, including Bexhill, which has so far eluded me. It's a shame my self-imposed rules don't let me do swaps!

I wonder if anyone whose interests lie in those directions will start a collection of Stars, or Joshers (or subdivisions thereof), or boats by builder? Maybe it's not quite the done thing for the very purists, but you've got to admit it's fun.

Visiting

Last night I finally went to visit Kezia on her boat Demetrius, moored on Lisson Wide. When Kezia first started, and we were all in the same department, I was her mentor - chosen by the head of department on the basis that Kezia lived on a boat. Since then we have all been reorganised, and scattered to the four corners of Bloomsbury, and there are lots of nice people I no longer get to see as much as I'd like. So when I found myself sat next to Kezia at the Recruitment Working Party last week I lost no time in inviting myself over.

I love seeing other boats, especially when they're lived on. It's paradoxical, but although I can't help being very tidy (I blame my mother) I envy and love visiting people who, along with their boat/house, are more relaxed and laid back, whose places aren't all neatly aligned and sharp edges. Not that Demetrius was untidy, far from it, but it was lovely, warm and lived in, alive with books and velvets and rugs and a rather marvellous chaise longue.

Kezia cooked a lovely meal and the evening flew by so fast that suddenly I realised that I had to dash to get the last train home. We'd arrived via a rather long walk and a bus ride, so I was a bit worried, but in fact it turned out I was only ten minutes from Marylebone tube station and I got to Victoria with twenty minutes to spare. Kezia lent me a book I hadn't come across before - although it won the Booker prize in 1979: Offshore, by Penelope Fitzgerald, which appears to be about people living on houseboats on the tidal Thames. In return I have promised to lend her John Seymour's Voyage into England. Being an environmental geographer Kezia was already aware of his work on self sufficiency and sustainability, but not that he'd written a book about boating.

And, being the perfect well mannered boater that I am, I got through the whole evening without using the toilet.

New stickers

I've found and scanned a couple of prints and stuck them in: Fulbourne, and Barrow (which I didn't even know I had) from Braunston 2008.

I have also gone through the entire list and put square brackets round the names of the boats I haven't added yet, so you can see at a glance which are there and which aren't. So far I appear to have only about (it's surprisingly hard to count) 27 out of 86, although I know there are more I have photos of that I just haven't found yet, including Dover, Towcester, Hampstead, Tarporley, Thaxted, Badsey and Nuneaton. That still leaves over fifty still to spot though!

There's more than one thing you can do with an old boat

You can collect it, you can restore it, you can live on it, you can play with it, you can pose about with it.... Or of course you can use it for what it was built for, and you can work it.

I am rather ashamed to admit that when compiling the 'Old Boat' blogroll I focussed very much on the former categories and completely overlooked at least one blog about a working coal boat - Alton, operating on the Peak Forest Canal. In an strange coincidence, I stumbled across their blog yesterday afternoon, doing a sort of random flit down Granny's blogroll, as I sometimes do, and then came home to find that Brian of Alton (and Shirley) had left a comment here ... and only then did the penny drop.

So the omission has been recitifed, and I'm off to see whether any of the other coal boats have their own blogs or websites.

As a postscript to this, when Jim read Brian's comments on Sunday's post, he recognised him as Curly Wyrley who made Warrior's side fenders back in 2005 - which I must say have done sterling service. We've lost a couple I think; one for certain in Doncaster last year - but as we had six to start with and only ever use two at a time (and only after tying up of course), they should last a while longer yet.

Boat spotting

I think that for someone lacking a y-chromosome, I have quite a male brain. This manifests itself not only in a greater ability to process rusty rivets than fluffy kittens, but also an insatiable need to categorise, catalogue and collect. I understand train spotters.

When we were kids, my sister used to go in for those sticker albums - she had one based on the Disney film The Rescuers. I was quite fascinated by this, although of course being three and a half years older I was above such childish things. I had never got into those things where you have to buy stuff, mainly because of a terror I had - dreadful in one so young - of being ripped off (which I lay entirely at the door of Richard Stilgoe), and also because just being able to go out and buy the things - even though you also had to swap them of course - seemed somehow like cheating. So I just carried on cataloguing my mug collection and setting up a prototype ID database for my dolls and teddies.

The concept however has never left me and I have now found an outlet. For years now I have been watching old boats and now I consciously register when I see one I've not seen before. It won't be long before I have to start making special trips to track down those boats that I know to exist but which have so far eluded me. I have become a boat spotter.

To keep the task manageable and within the limits of my fiercest obsession, I shall in the first instance limit myself to spotting large Grand Union motor boats. If we take this to mean the 'Town Class' of large Woolwiches and Northwiches, a quite cope-able with 86 were built, most if not all of which are still in existence in some form.

So, I have set up a separate blog on which to catalogue my spottings and stick my stickers. I have created a post for each boat, and I will stick in a picture of each as I collect it. The unbreakable rule is that it must have been seen and photographed by me. I already have quite a collection, of course, scattered around in various envelopes and hard drives and CDs - it will be interesting to discover, as I trawl methodically through them (!) just how many I've already spotted. When I spot a new one or post a new batch I'll post about it here too.

So far I've trawled through all the photos on this computer - that is those taken since April last year. So there is already something there to look at. Then I shall work my way through the CDs of photos from 2007 and 2008, then the prints from earlier that will need scanning...