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The
Boats - 'Brighton''
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Specification:
FLEET
No: 242. NAME: Brighton. GAUGE No.
AND DATE: 12656-11/02/1937.
HEALTH REGISTRATION AND DATE: Brentford 618-09/12/1936.
BUILT BY: HARLAND & WOLFF. TYPE:
'F' - Town Class. CONSTRUCTION: All Steel.
KNOWN AS: Large Woolwich. DELIVERED:
27/11/36
INTENDED MOTOR: 123 BRISTOL
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History:
After delivery in 1936 Brighton's
path followed much the same one as Nuneaton's.
1948 saw Brighton nationalised into
the British Transport Commission (D. & I.W.E.)
fleet, and active carrying service through B.T.C.
(B.T.W.) and into the ownership of B.W.B. in 1963.
Willow Wren C.T.S. Ltd. hired Brighton
from B.W.B. until 1967, when along with 35 other
boats she was repossessed and shortly after disposed
of.
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Brighton
(right) in Willow Wren trim, Sutton's Stop,
early 1960's.(pic: Dusty Miller)
(pic
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Brighton's
new owners, Union Canal Carriers Ltd.
of Braunston, operated a number of carrying narrowboats
as camping boats where youth parties would holiday
in the hold of the boats underneath the cloths.
Brighton, usually paired with the
motor Bexhill, introduced thousands of
youngsters to canals over the next few years.
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Threefellows
pair working
the River Soar gravel run in the 80's. Notice
the buckled holds.....
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1983
saw the next ownership change, when both Bexhill
and Brighton were sold to the actor
James Warrior. Both boats continued to be operated
as camping boats at Rickmansworth, though with limited
success, as later the same year both were sold to
Threefellows Carrying and based on
the River Soar at Thurmaston. Both boats were put
back to work carrying deep loads of gravel along
a short stretch of the river. Brighton
developed a reputation at this time for sinking
rather than loading. Threefellows carried
out the first steps in her restoration (but only
what was essential), and continued to work the boat
hard.
Threefellows sold Brighton
in 1990, so passing it into private ownership for
the first time. |
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Nigel
Heath continued the slow restoration process
with structural work being done to the hull
as well as replacing the wooden cabin with a
slightly extended steel one, by Roger Farrington
(Ivy Bridge Marine) of Braunston. Brighton
still did a small amount of carrying, though
more recreationally than commercially.
The
Narrow Boat Trust Ltd acquired Brighton
in 1995, immediately replacing many of the knees
(to hold the sides and bottom of the boat together).
The restoration of Brighton is
ongoing, although the fitting out of the cabin
was completed and painted in traditional style
in 2003.
Like Nuneaton, Brighton's
carrying future has been secured, but a great
deal of work remains necessary to maintain the
boats in a proper state.
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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, Middlesex TW2 7NT
The
Narrow Boat Trust is a charity registered in England
under number: 288243
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