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News
- 2006
9th
December: the boats are at: Long
Buckby, having been taken from Stoke
Bruerne last Saturday, 2nd December by Nick
Wolfe and new members, Vicki & Tim Morgan
and Laura Hayes. Nick Wolfe had mended
the faulty gear linkage, which is now welded &
pinned and with a new ball-joint.
Workparties have already
started, with Nick Wolfe & Andy Belton
down at Long Buckby today, stripping
the paint & rust from Nuneaton's
roof. Members are encouraged to come and help in any
way they can, even if it's making tea and telling
jokes!
While news of Trust activities, such as boat movements,
crewing opportunities, working parties, events, etc.
will always be posted on this site, details, discussions,
planning and last minute news for volunteers will
be based on a members-only email group and website.
The group goes by the name of NBT-members
and is hosted by Yahoogroups.
I would encourage all members with an email address
to join this group. In particular, if you are involved
as a volunteer in Trust activities such as those mentioned
above, I would strongly urge you to join the group.
For reasons of security and privacy, membership of
the Narrow Boat Trust will be verified
before your group registration is confirmed.
Click
HERE
to join!
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26th
November: Despite
appalling weather, a succesful demo and blockade
at Stoke Bruerne on Saturday, part
of the National Waterways in Crisis
campaign.
Members attending were David Blagrove,
new NBT Chairman Graham Scothern, Nick Wolfe,
Andy Belton, Roger Hutchinson & Dave Davies.
(left: working boats blockade the G.U. at Stoke
Bruene, Saturday 25th November. photo: Dave Davies)
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| 20th
November: the boats will be taking part in
the Blockade at Stoke
Bruerne this Saturday in protest against the
vast cuts to the BW budget. Members are more than welcome
and there will be other working boats taking part. |
20th
November: We
now have The NBT September Newsletter
available for download - double-click HERE
if you dont have Adobe
PDF reader click image:
 .
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| 18th
November: We have a new Chairman and several
new Council members following the AGM - see
The
Trust for more details. |
| THE
NARROW BOAT TRUST AGM WILL BE HELD AT THE BISTRO, THE
BOAT INN, STOKE BRUERNE, AT 4PM ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER
11TH. |
| 31st
October: the boats are at:
Stoke Bruerne, after completing the
Jam'Ole Run. David Blagrove has provided
a Trip Report HERE |
Wednesday
25th October: Another
update thanks to Simon Robinson of Bristol
& Argo: (this was from Tuesday morning)
"The advance party, Ron & Brenda Withy
on Duke with Tim and Co.
on a Union Canal Carriers boat arrived about 4:30pm.
Nuneaton and Brighton arrived
5:30pm with a steady stream of arrivals behind them
as it got dark, Corona, Nutfield, Lilly,
Swallow, and a modern boat somewhere in
between.
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Apparently
Drew Burge was playing catchup passing Bulbourne
about 3pm with Clover, but
hadn't got to Ricki by the time I
left for work.
This morning (Wed 25th) Trevor Mags was first
off at 7am which spurred everyone into life to go
and queue up at Stockers...
Thanks
to Simon for this report & photos! |
| Tuesday
24th October: Simon Robinson of Bristol
& Argo, emailed me today with this
news: "Tim Coglan was waking up Bulbourne
at 7am this morning, followed by Nuneaton &
Brighton, Nutfield, Corona, Lilly, Swallow
and some boats with mod con's. They didn't know about
the emergency stoppage at lock 45, and BW didn't know
about them coming, but the stoppage was delayed slightly
to let them through. If it's still light when I get
back to Rikki I will try and sent you an update with
photo tomorrow." |
22nd
October: Firstly, sorry for lack of updates,
there have been problems with our web server - should
be sorted now!
The boats are : On the Jam 'Ole Run,
captained by David Blagrove, with crew "Lawrence
Williams and Martin O'Callaghan - both new members
recruited by me, but young, tough and very experienced".
They should be around Leighton, after setting off
from Weedon this morning. The planned schedule can
be found HERER
The pair should be at Southall (the
original destination for the 150 tons of coal per
week from Atherstone, delivered until
late 1970) by Wednesday. and back at Stoke
Bruerne by Saturday morning.
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| 18th
October: the boats are at: as kindly
reported by Simon Robinson. who owns Bristol
& Argo, "N &
B were northbound on the GU at Cassiobury Park
Lock, 7am Tuesday morning 17th October." |
7th
October: URGENT!!!
Due to a totally unexpected crewing
problem, helpers are desperately needed this
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, between Reading and
Weybridge. Even if you can only turn up for
a couple of hours to unload coal it would really help
- a day or two would be even better!
Contact Pat on 01923
245407 Now! |
2nd
October: Received
an email from Pete Harrison to tell us that
"Nuneaton & Brighton are now tied
300 yards south of Shipton Bridge (number
220), Shipton on Cherwell, near Thrupp
on the southern Oxford Canal.
They have been in use for the last six days (25th-30th
September) on "a dedicated training trip"
The steerer/instructor was Pete Harrison and
the crew/ trainees were Peter and Gill Clutterbuck
and Tim Stevens.
It is hoped the boats will be up the Grand Union
in time for the "last" Jam
'Ole Run - See EVENTS. |
| 9th
September: Just received an email from
David Vickers to inform us that the boats are
at: Thrupp Wharf; They arrived
there Tuesday evening ( Sept. 5th) having had a two
day trip from Reading with David Vickers and
crew Shaun Vickers and Caroline Judge. |
Liz
Knight in boatwoman's costume. Beale Park,
Sunday 27th August. |
2nd
September: the boats are at: Reading,
John Fevyer & John Bull having unloaded
4 tons at the Thames & Kennet Marina. They
are due to be taken on to Oxford starting Monday by
David Vickers & Crew. Loading for the Autumn
Coal Run takes place on 7th October, transhipping
from John Jackson at Thrupp.
Keith Norfolk & Mike Young will take the
boats down river delivering on Thames and Wey during
the following few days. Crew will include the purchasers
of the trip in the
Childrens' Hospice auction. Then back up to Stoke
Bruerne.... |
23rd
August: A Vote of thanks goes
out to Andy Belton, who has designed, built,
and installed a rather stylish, H&S-friendly
staircase for visitors to Brighton.
He fitted it with help from Mark
Burt & Fabian Hiscock last Saturday at
Beale Park, in good time
for this weekend's IWA National. Here's his Report:
Saturday 19 August: Working party to fit
stairs for public access to Brighton
in time for the National Waterways Festival.
We loaded the stairs on to Keith Norfolk's
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1925 Dutch Barge, Petra, on
the Thames between Pangbourne
and Beale Park and transpoted
them by river to N & B's
mooring close to the Festival site. Mark Burt
stopped by to drop off a set of steel fixings he had
made for attaching the stairs to the bulkhead lockers
on Brighton. Fabian Hiscock
turned up while I was off buying drill bits at Homebase.
By the time I got back he had moved the coal that was
at the back end of Brighton's
hold onto Nuneaton, so that
the stairs could be installed.
After fitting a steel bracket to the stairs and starting
to fit the a corresponding piece to the Battery locker,
it started to rain heavily which prevented further use
of power tools.
Sunday 20th August
Finished fitting the steelwork to the lockers.Some work
remains to be done but the stairs may now be used.
The stairs can be easily attached to either locker,
depending on which side the bank is. During shows, a
hand rail may be attached to either side.When the stairs
are not in use, they may be taken down and stored in
the hold. If necessary, they may be dismantled and stored
flat or removed from the boat and stored elsewhere.
Cheers, Andy.
NBT members visiting Beale
Park this weekend can expect a warm welcome
from the likes of Nick Wolfe, Andy Belton, Dave
Davies & Teri Wyncoll, Rob, Mandy, Liz & Chris
Knight, John Fevyer and more. |
| 6th
August: the boats are at: Beale
Park, having been taken from Grove
Lock, Linslade, by Nick Wolfe & Dave
Davies - Much appreciated help came from Richard
(?) lockwhheeling on Friday from Linslade
to Berko, 7.30am - 4pm, John Bull,
Colin Morgan and David Junkinson lockwheeling on
Saturday from Boxmoor to Uxbridge.
|
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Roll
of Honour for unloading around 20 tons of
coal at Ash Island goes to John
Bull, John Fevyer, Graham Scothern, Colin Morgan,
David Junkinson, Jeff (?), Harry (?), Nick
Wolfe & Dave Davies. The boats unloaded odds
& sods to house boats and islands along the
Thames, 8 tons at The Flowerpot,
Aston on Thursday and were at Beale
Park by Friday luchtime. More details
to follow........ |
24th
July: A message from Fabian: Ian
Douglas, Graham Scothern and his cousin Mick, and
Fabian Hiscock loaded N&B this
morning at Grove. Cracking stuff
– well done to them. 1363 bags stowed
- 34 tonnes.
We’d hoped to move them up a pound on completion,
but there isn’t enough water, so we’ve
agreed with BW that they can stay
at the wharf until Friday, which is excellent. Dave
Davies will join Nick Wolfe in taking
them on to the Coal Run, and John Bull has
collected a team (small but perfectly formed) to help
out at various points next week. More help will be
much appreciated by Nick, though, and a message
via e-mail will get to him by Thursday, I’m
sure. Contact Nick Wolfe:
HERE.
On
the subject of communicaton: could
all members please update their contact details (address,
phone, mobile, email) and either post or email our
Membership Secetary, Anne Perry: email:
anne@annegale.plus.com
; Address: Anne
Perry, Rivington Lodge, 11 Millness Hill Park, Crooklands,
Milnthorpe, Cumbria LA7 7NU
We also need to know your availabity/interest
in the following:
1:
Crewing
2: Maintaining the boats (mostly
winter workparties)
3: Preparing the boats for Events:
4: Exhibiting the boats at Events
5: Day/part day assistance -
ie: lockwheeling'loading/unloading - anything at all,
really!
This info is essential
for the Trust to achieve even it's basic functions,
let alone new and exciting initiatives.
|
23rd
July: the
boats are at: Grove
Lock, near Linslade,
being loaded with 33 tons of coal for the Summer Coal
Run. Nick Wolfe, Steve Corbett, Teri Wyncoll and
Dave Davies moved them from Long
Buckby on Friday and Saturday.
Nick & Dave, with assorted helpers are
moving them on Friday down to Brentford
by Sunday and to Ash Island by Monday
morning, planning to leave the boats at Beale
Park by Saturday 5th August. |
| URGENT!!!
We
need help loading the boats at Grove Lock,
near Linslade this Monday 24th July
from 9am Also unloading boats at Ash Island
on The Thames on Monday 31st July.
Please contact:
Fabian
and John Fevyer on: 02088 944 148.
The more people we get, the more fun & easier it
is! |
20th
July: We have trip reports of Saul
to Alvechurch and Alvechurch to
Buckby, with photos, HERE.
The
2006 Photo Gallery will
be updated when I get back from Linslade, sometime
next week. Nick
Wolfe, Steve Corbett, Dave Davies & Teri Wyncoll
are moving the boats from Buckby
to Grove Lock, just past Linslade
for loading on Monday 24th - see above.
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|
. |
July
16th: the boats are at: Buckby,
arriving at 11.30pm on Saturday night.
They left Alvechurch on Thursday lunchtime
with Roger Hutchinson & Dave Davies getting
them to the top of Lapworth by 10pm.
On Friday they were joined at 7am by Steve Morgan
& Nick Wolfe, who got the pair to the bottom
of Hatton by 6pm. Roger & Steve
had to leave, but on Saturday Vicky & Tim,
friends of Nick arrived to crew. Leaving Hatton
at 8.30, with a stop for an hour and a pint with fellow
member Mark Collins at the Nelson,
we spent over an an hour trying to close a lock gate
on Braunston top Lock, going through
the tunnel at 10pm and we finally got to Buckby
at 11.30pm. Trip report HERE |
| July
6th: the
boats are at: Alvechurch, having
left the Saul Festival on Monday morning.
Extreme heat and humidity plagued Mark Collins &
Dave Davies, who were forced to quit after a 20
hour day & the Tardebigge Flight two-handed
left them with heat exhaustion, severe sweat rashes,
bad backs, blistered hands etc etc etc. Trip report
and photos in the next couple of days. |
| June
30th: We
have a trip report on the Napton to Saul trip
from Pete Harrison, complete with pertinant
comments and tips on tradiional boating techniques
HERE. |
June
18th: the
boats are at Saul Junction, having
being taken from Napton by Pete
Harrison & family. His impressive scedule
was this:
Tuesday
13th June - started from Napton Bridge
14:30 & tied top of Cape Locks
19:30.
Wednesday 14th June - started 05:00 &
tied above Tardebigge Top Lock 19:00.
Thursday 15th June - started 07:30 &
tied at Tibberton 18:30.
Friday 16th June - started 06:30 & tied
at the Commandary, Worcester 11:30.
Saturday 17th June - started 07:30 &
tied at Gloucester Docks 15:00.
Sunday 18th June - started 08:30 & tied
at Saul 10:30.
Pete
has also rehung Nuneaton's
stern fenders, refitted her rudder into the skeg and
cleaned the blackened pigeon box and exhaust outlet.
Good work Pete!
Website Updates: we have a Trip Report
of the Bsingstoke Campaign Rally and trip up to Thrupp
from Mandy Knight HERE
with photos to follow this week.
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| June
11th: the boats are probably at Marston
Doles on the S. Oxford Canal,
with Roger Morgan & Crew, having left Thrupp
on Friday and Cropredy this morning. They are due at
Napton Junction on Monday to be taken on to Saul by
Pete Harrison & crew. More news as soon
as I can get any! |
| June
4th: the
boats are at: Thrupp, on the S.
Oxford Canal, after being brought from the
Basingstoke Canal Rally and up The Thames
by The Knight family. |
May
28th: A report just in from John Fevyer:
After Nick Wolfe's difficult trip up the
Basingstoke canal, the Knight
family took over and showed the ONLY
working pair of boats at the Brookwood
Campaign Rally on the Basingstoke
Canal. They have had a lot of interest from
the gereral public plus the Mayor of Woking and other
dignitaries who came on board. The boats are leaving
on Monday 29th May 2006 for Oxford with Mandy
and Rob Knight in charge again, ably assisted
by John Bull and his lock wheeling team for
the return trip to the Thames.
|
Congratulations
to Rob Knight who has just received the Chairman's
Award for
outstanding work over 20 years for the Surrey
and Hants Canal Society, also
in the same week young Christopher Knight received
an award from his fishing
club. Their sideboard will be groaning with trophies!
Well done Knight Family and a big Thankyou! |
|
| May
27th: the
boats are at: Brookwood, on the
Basingstoke Canal for this weekends
IWA Campaign Rally. The pair wete brought down from
Rickmansworth by Nick Wolfe, Richard
?, John Bull and Colin Morgan. |
May
24th: I've
not received much info recently, but Pat Hiscock
informs me that: "As you know Fabian and
I weren’t involved with the NBT
over the Ricky w/e, the weather was pretty terrible
but the feed back from the boaters and Batchworth
lock where we were promoting the ‘Learning
at the Lock’ schools educational programme,
has been very good indeed. Over the Ricky
weekend the boats were manfully attended by John
Fevyer on both days - he was alone on Saturday
and because the pair hadn’t a towpath side pitch,
the poor chap couldn’t even show Brighton
off. The Knight family joined him on for a
very wet and miserable Sunday, and with a bit of juggling
had Brighton on the bank,
and when I saw them, Chris was in full flow
showing folks around!
We were clearing up around Batchworth after the festival
when Nick Wolfe arrived to take over the boats,
heading south, probably on Monday!" |
|
May 22nd: photos of the recent trips to the
Canal Cavalcade at Little Venice are now on the 2006
photo gallery- click HERE
to see them. |
| May
20th: the
boats are at Rickmansworth for
the Waterside Festival - more info as soon as I get
any! |
May
6th: the boats are at Uxbridge,
taken from Little Venice today
by John Fevyer & Andy Belton.
We now have Trip Reports for the Croxley
to the Little Venice Canal Cavalcade
HERE. |
|
April
30th: the
boats are at Little Venice, taken
by John Bull, Dave Davies, Roger Hutchinson
& Andy Belton.
They got to Uxbridge on Thursday
and had to wait untill late Saturday morning to
get through the stoppage at Cowley,
arriving at Little Venice at 5.30pm.
The boats will be shown over Sunday & Monday
by Andy Belton & the Clutterbucks.
(left:
Little Venice, Saturday evening.)
|
April
26th: the
boats are due to move tomorrow (Thursday 27th)
on their way down to the Canal Cavalcade at
Little Venice, taken by John Bull,
Dave Davies, Roger Hutchinson & Andy Belton.
Complications are that there was a breach at Cowley
during dedging by BW subcontractors Land
& Water on Wednesday. Here's what Waterscape.com
had to say: Stoppage:
Breach on Grand Union Canal at Cowley
Emergency restrictions are in place on the Grand Union
Canal next to Benbow Lane Bridge 189. Passage is currently
only possible for narrowboats until 4pm today (Tuesday
25th April 2006). Wednesday 26 April the canal will
be closed between Cowley Lock 89 and Packet Boat Lane
Bridge 190 until further notice. For further information,
especially regarding updates on passage to the Cavalcade,
please call our London office on 020 79857200.
I'm off tomorrow (Thursday) to attempt to get the boats
to Canal Cavalcade, so there will be no more news
until Sunday 30th April. |
April
24th: the
boats are at: Croxley, after
being moved from Marsworth by Rob & Chris
Knight, John Bull, Andy Belton & Graham Scothern
over the weekend. No engine problems and some
fine weather on Saturday made for what Andy Belton
described as "an excellent trip!"
Trip Report HERE.
(Right: Veteran member John Bull with Junior member
Chris Knight, Grand Union Canal, Saturday 22nd April.)
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|
April
21st: the Boats are at:Marsworth
and due to be moved down to Croxley
over the weekend by Rob & Chris
Knight, John Bull, Andy Belton & Graham Scothern.
Edd Boden inspected the engine on Thursday, and
says: "it needs at least a full
top-end strip down to check & change both head
gaskets and the gasket at the bottom of the barrels.
There is a chance that the heat exchanger has failed
and water can transfer to the raw water system....."
Uhrrrmmm.....?"
We should be OK with care, and have the chance to
sort it properly on the way up to the Rickmansworth
Waterside Festival. |
April
10th: the boats are at: Marsworth,
having been moved from the top of Soulbury
Three by Jason McCabe and his 'regular crew'.
Apparantly there were problems with Nuneaton's
engine overheating, and Jason has arranged for Edd
Boden for to look at the engine.
The Boats are due at Little Venice
for the Canal Cavalcade on Friday 26th
April. See EVENTS
for more details.
Members are requested to book their crewing
NOW to meet our 2006 commitments! |
|
April
2nd: The
boats are: above the Soulbury Three,
taken from Stoke Bruerne by
Fabian Hiscock, John Fevyer, Rich & Dave
Davies, on a traditionally sunny but wet &
windy April Ist day.
See a Trip Report HERE.
(Left:
somehere over the rainbow........)
|
| March
31st: We
have the first pics up of the 2006 photo gallery HERE. |
| March
26th: the boats are moving from Stoke
Bruerne this Saturday 1st April. Brighton's
cabin and roof paintwork has been extensively retouched
by Roger Hutchinson, Dave Davies, Andy Belton and Nick
Wolfe over the last few weeks, although rain on Saturday
prevented the job being finished. Jeff Anderson has
done a lovely job on repainting Nuneaton's
pigeon box. (see pic right) |
 |
 |
February
25th: David
Blagrove has sent in a report on last weekend's 'experience
days' click HERE
for more.
(Left:
Roger Davies, David Blagrove & Nick Wolfe taking
Nuneaton backwards up the Top Lock of the Northampton
Arm flight.) |
| February
22nd: There will be a Workparty this Saturday
25th Feb at Stoke Bruerne - everybody welcome! Our first
weekend of working pair 'experience days'
were a great success - more on this soon! |
February
7th: TRAINING
NEWS AT LAST!! Blossom has put together
an article to answer all queries on our comprehensive
training modules - it will be on the website soon!
In the meantime, we've advertised our working pair
'Experience Days' initiative
through Waterways World, the NBT Newsletter and now
the website. This is it:
"Why not come along and experience
a day handling a pair of traditional narrow boats!"
If you are not one of the Trust’s accomplished
veterans then this is for you. It is a
unique experience, not to be missed
- spend a day boating motor Nuneaton
& butty Brighton
with David Blagrove.
Stating
at Stoke Bruerne at 9am, with an introduction
to the boats; after which the rest of the day is spent
moving the boats and experiencing some of the techniques
and skills in handling a working pair.
The
dates available are: Sat 18th/Sun 19th
February and Sat 18th/Sun 19th March. Cost
is a £25 donation per day for members, £45
non-members. (this includes membership fee for one
year)
THERE
ARE NO MORE EXPERIENCE DAYS AVAILABLE THIS YEAR!
Anyone interested can still provisionally book in
for the next available days, probably in early 2007
-WATCH THIS SPACE!
Contact David Vickers: david@david-vickers.co.uk
|
| February
5th: The Events
page has been updated and there's a lot more detail. |
February
3rd: An
excellent turn out at last Saturday's workparty -
watch this space for details of future weekends. (There
will be a workparty most Saturdays, except training
weekends)
(right:
just some of the many members who turned out on sunny
but freezing Saturday) |
|
| January
13th: Just
a reminder that the first workparty of the year is on
Saturday 28th January from 9am onwards - evertyone is
welcome. whatever their abilties or inclinations - from
tea-making and chat to wood work, painting and engine
work etc! |
January
9th: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!!
This is a new NEWS page for 2006 - latest
is the proposed EVENT calender for 2006 - Click
HERE for more. |
The
Narrow Boat Trust is a company limited by guarantee,
registered in Cardiff under number 1724536
The
Registered Office of the Narrow Boat Trust is at:
23 Redway Drive, TWICKENHAM TW2 7NT
The
Narrow Boat Trust is a charity registered in England under
number: 288243
email:
webmaster@narrowboattrust.org
|
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