God Save Our Graceful Queen.

I was shocked recently when a someone who has never restored a boat told me, in an authoritative tone, that Queen was beyond repair.  Queen is probably our most important boat from a historical point of view, being the oldest surviving wooden motor narrow boat and a style of boat that died out in the first quarter of the last century.

Like most wooden narrow boats that survive today, she provides just a pattern, a set of ironwork, a history and a lot of work. Providing that the main structure survives, albeit full of fungus, nothing is beyond repair. There may be philosophical questions like, if you've replaced all the wood is it still the same boat? You could ask the same about 160 year old Talyllyn , still hauling trains on the Talyllyn railway. All her working parts were renewed in about 1960. 

A museum minded person may prefer to follow the preservation route. At Ellesmere Port they've put most of their wooden boats into dry storage in an industrial unit. That's fair enough, but no-one will ever see them in action on the canal again. 

When we restored Hazel we replaced every bit of wood in the hull. I have seen boats that have been restored that bear no resemblance to their original form. With Hazel  we carefully made accurate moulds to ensure that new planking would bend to the same shape as the original. For each plank we carefully made spiling boards to transfer the shape on to the new wood. At 12 inch stations we copied the bevels of the edges of each plank into a bevel book so that the edges of the new planks could be planed to fit each other, just like the old ones did.


Essentially, transforming boats like this is what the WCBS is set up to do. Hazel  has gone from a complete knacker to a boat that gives lots of people the opportunity to enjoy the canal, while still remaining faithful to the pattern set by boatbuilders in 1913.

Back in the 1970s I was chief boat pumper out and vandal chaser off at Ellesmere Port. I was well into replanking Lilith  and already contemplating the task of restoring Forget me Not. She became a bit of a problem to keep afloat and I doubt if there were many people who thought she'd ever become an active motor boat again.

This is her in 1979!

Being slipped for restoration in 1987.

And at the Braunston Boat Show 1995, loaded with 10 tons of stone setts for delivery to Braunston Marina.


It took a long time and everything was done on a shoestring, but we did it. For Hazel  we had much greater resources, but still much less than the cost of just taking her to a commercial boatyard and writing a big cheque.

To do this requires strategic thinking rather than tactical thinking. When we raised Queen from the bottom in Buckinghamshire we had no prospect of restoring her in the short term. To leave her where she was would guarantee her destruction. So began over 30 years of careful conservation.

When an opportunity came up to buy a water drip Bolinder engine, of the sort that powered her from 1924 until 1947, we bought it. They don't come up often, especially at affordable prices.

It was the same with Hazel. The stem and stern posts were a tree from someone's garden in Wythenshawe, years before we were able to start the restoration. The wood for the bottom was donated by someone in Aberdeen, delivered, then stored until we had the funds to start work. I'm constantly on the lookout for suitable trees being felled. Just going to B&Q doesn't work.

Now we're moving into a time when we need to do more tactical thinking, bringing together the funds, the materials and the skilled labour to get Queen up and running again. If you can help please leave a comment.


Queen as we found her 1994.


A Winter's Trip

We planned to take "Forget me Not" up the 7 locks to Stalybridge yesterday, but Storm Arwen put paid to that idea. This morning dawned clear and still and sunny. I met Aaron and Danny at Portland basin and we set off at about 10.15. The sky had already clouded over.

Someone had unhelpfully tied their boat abreast of the CRT boat, leaving only just enough deep water to get past.

After the Asda tunnel comes the Sea Cadet moorings, shortly before lock 1 of the Huddersfield (very) Narrow Canal.

Things went smoothly though the weather was getting grimmer and grimmer. The hills in the distance were already covered in snow.

Unusually the long pound between locks 3 and 4 was brimful and running over the weir. At Clarence St moorings I noticed that the battered fibreglass cruiser that had been sunk there for a year had gone. We found it on the towpath side further along, still looking disreputable but now afloat.

I had a brief conversation with its new owner as I walked ahead to set lock 4. He said he was coming down tomorrow to tidy up, and seemed to be under no illusions about the task that he had taken on.
As "Forget me Not" entered number 4 the snow began, light at first but getting steadily stronger. As we worked through 5 the sky darkened further and the surroundings started to take on a Christmas card look.



The previous day's storm had filled the canal with leaves and the boat struggled to make progress as its propeller tried to grip in the cold leafy stew. The engine strained at the extra work and threw out thick black smoke.


The final lock, number 7, is by the main Mottram Road. Above it the boat winded, then reversed the last 100 yards or so to the boatyard. Danny steered with the shaft.



All in a Days Work

Sorry there are no pictures with this. I was too busy all day to take any. We were booked for a "giving back" trip for which we have some funding. The idea is to take local young people for a trip and give them each a go at steering, working locks etc (under close supervision). The trip is from Portland Basin, up 3 locks to Staley Wharf, wind and return. This should take about 4 hours.

The level on the Ashton pound was well down so we stemmed alongside Cavendish Mill (possibly on microwaves thrown from the flat windows). I had a phone call from Christine, our shop manager to say that someone had 'phoned to complain that they were bringing a boat down and it would be difficult to get past sunken "Southam" at Knowl st. The words bus, through and get spring to mind!

Working up the 3 locks was straightforward and our guests were enjoying getting involved. Above lock 3 is a long pound (well, long for the HNC) and I was dismayed to find this the best part of a foot down. It's tricky to get through even when full.

We removed a log and a huge plastic pallet from the paddle recess.

I asked Tony to go ahead and "find some water". A difficult task as the only source is the short, though relatively deep, pounds through Stalybridge. I warned him that there was a boat coming down, so he would need to make sure he left enough water for them to get through.

Right outside the lock "Forget me Not" stopped in mid channel. She would go neither forwards nor backwards (nor sideways for that matter. Tony rang to say that he'd let as much water as he dare out of 4-5 pound. Of course, its effect on the long pound was minimal. A lot of thrashing about and pulling on lines achieved a few yards progress, then we stuck fast again. Tony rang again to say that he couldn't get any water from the next pound up as it was already completely empty. I noticed it was like that earlier in the week, though it was getting a feed from above. He would have to top it up from the Armentierres Square pound.

I started emptying the ballast tanks and our guests decided to consume the buffet lunch that we had provided. Tony rang again very angry to say that the downhill boat had arrived and the people were very rude to him and accused him of stealing their water, oblivious of the fact that he was filling a pound that they needed to fill anyway. I think perhaps they imagined that he had emptied the pound, which he had not.

With lunch eaten and the ballast tanks completely empty I decided to have another go. I attached a long line to the back end rail and got all the young lads out of "Hazel" to join Aaron and Kim in pulling on it. When we finally got a co-ordinated pull the boat moved, initially for a short distance, but another effort got her moving properly. (just here the bottom is strewn with boulders from a section of washwall that collapsed and was rebuilt, leaving the original material in the cut).

Aaron carried on pulling on the line, which was fine as I didn't know when I might need more assistance. As we approached the Tame aqueduct Aaron was having trouble with his line catching in vegetation. I became pre-occupied with a couple of our young (and generally well behaved) guests who had climbed on to "Hazel"s roof. This is not allowed anyway, but I was particularly keen to coax them down before the aqueduct as a fall into the river would be very serious (and my fault). What I didn't notice, until the engine stopped, was that Aaron had let go of his line and it was trailing in the water. It had got itself wound round the propeller. Aaron has often badgered me to let him jump in to get rubbish off the blade. This time I let him, as the only alternative was me getting in.

With the rope successfully untangled and Aaron in the engine 'ole drying out we carried on, only to stick fast in the narrows, a favourite place for dumping as it's close to a secluded dead end road. Our tug o war team was deployed again and we were soon moving well, though bouncing over submerged bikes and trolleys.

We winded at Staley Wharf with some difficulty and immediately headed back. We stuck again at the narrows and just above lock 3 but, with the routine now established, were soon moving again.

Our guests had to leave as their time had run out. Despite (or perhaps because of) the difficulties it seemed they had enjoyed the trip

When the two arrogant men with windlasses appeared, strangely from the nearby road, "Forget me Not" was down lock 2, which was refilling for "Hazel", just being bowhauled out of No3. They complained that we had held them up for 2 hours, though I'm not sure how. I think they had some exchange with Tony, who was fuming. He has a short fuse. They asked me to stop and let them past, even though their boat wasn't even in sight yet. They headed off up the cut to join their boat.

It's not unusual to be asked to pass by speedy pleasure boaters. Most people have no idea how difficult it is to pass a deep draughted boat, especially one towing a butty. I usually  try to help, sometimes at the cost of a stemming up, because I don't like being tailed by a floating sulk,  but this request was ridiculous even if I had been well disposed towards these particular gentlemen.

We were soon through Whitelands Tunnel and working through lock 1. One of the aggrieved men arrived as we were hauling the butty into the lock. He sat down and started using his 'phone. When the lock was nearly empty he came over to me and asked me to talk to CRT. He had clearly given his distorted tale of woe about us terrible boaters to the duty manager, who was now telling me, via the 'phone, to let them past. So, presumably, we were being expected to wait below the lock for this boat to work through after us then go speeding ahead. Grrrr.

As we were closing the gates after the butty the fabled boat appeared at the far end of the tunnel. Despite getting stemmed on a shopping trolley behind Asda and making a pigs ear of breasting up, it was another 5 minutes after we were tied up and the engine stopped before the other boat arrived. On board was a well known local sourpuss.

We all know that the Huddersfield Narrow is a difficult and shallow canal. We also know that it is maintained on a shoestring. Wouldn't it be nice if boaters co-operated to help each other through such difficulties, listened to each other even, rather than jumping to conclusions and telling tales to CRT. I once got the cane in school because of that sort of behaviour. I still haven't forgiven Mandy Hough for telling those lies.

Almost to Heaven

Someone said the Rochdale Canal was heaven one side and hell the other. I chose to charter "Hazel" for my boating holiday and invite some long unseen friends along. The original plan was to go up the Caldon but with various stoppages this became impossible, so I decided on the Rochdale instead. We had to go through the Hell bit to reach heaven. Unfortunately, the water shortages meant that we could only get to the edge of the celestial bit, just above Littleborough. We nearly got stranded there as CRT declared a stoppage at 07.30 (Having assured us that it would be fine to stay where we were for a few days) and immediately started locking up the locks. It took much whingeing on the 'phone from me to get them unlocked. It was great to see old friends Neesa, Dan, Eric, Stuart, Adeline and Eloise as well as some of our regular crew who came along to help work the many locks. Hard work but I enjoyed it. Thanks to Lesley and Mary for many of the pictures as I didn't take a lot.

Green scum on the Ashton Canal.

"Hazel" having her batteries charged.

At New Islington Marina.

A small amount of what we removed from the blade.

As far as we got. Lovely place to spend the weekend.

Neesa

Dan

Early morning at Durn (Lock 47)

Waiting for CRT to let us out.

Rochdale in the morning.

Mary

Eric

Early morning at the Boat & Horses, Chadderton.

Kevan

Lesley

Niall

Sarah