Historic working boat terms

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

This brought back many fond memories. David was a teacher of mine at school, and in the summer of 1987 he took a group of us for a memorable trip down to London Limehouse, along the Thames, down the Wey and back up to Stoke Bruerne -- with Hesperus and the butty Sunny Valley,. It whetted my interest and in the following two years I joined him on trips down to Gloucester and up to Manchester. Loved every minute of it, and having the chance to listen to David talk (and sing!) about canals was a real treat.

[@Andrewhicks-t4i]

I went on a week long canal trip from Stoke Bruerne to brummie and back in 1978, he was my history and form teacher at Roade school. A great teacher and great man.

[@JohnSmith-pd1fz]

What a thoroughly enjoyable video! No stupid music, no ohmygods, no self promotional twaddle, simply straight forward interesting and informative.

[@pascalcoole2725]

I realy enjoyed this video ! Lots of inside information presented in a clear way full of humor. Thanks David and Fabian.

[@Neil_Morris]

Absolutely brilliant film. Thanks very much for making and posting it.

[@dreamweaver4886]

What a thoroughly enjoyable video. Thank you very much.

[@paultrussy]

I work on fuelboat Alton on the upper Macclesfield and Peak Forest canals. We do a fortnightly run supplying 3 types of smokeless bagged coals, logs, kindling, diesel, toilet chemicals and pump-outs, gas and chandlery items. Alton is sister craft to NB Halsall which does the same as a continuous operation on the Four Counties Ring.

[@yellownev]

Really enjoyed this film, a great insight into how the working boaters handled a pair. Very well shot and produced. Thank you

[@zhorkon]

Some 40 years ago I had the experience of taking part in working a narrow gage freight train over a mountainous stretch of track in the American Rockies… and this film of working commercial boats through England’s lock and canal network seemed oddly familiar. For me, it imparts a real sense of the hard work done and the impressive skills needed by “ordinary” working people in not-so-distant times. Probably few appreciated these working people enough then, and fewer still from today’s coddled, push button society. Forebears to be proud of, for sure.

[@marclaw4511]

Great video explaining how working boats operated.Could have watched another hour of this.Great video learned alot.

[@leebolton6162]

The most enjoyable video and very inspiring fo learn all about the working narrowboats and the people working them.

[@inthenameofjustice8811]

Fantastic and highly informative film. Thank you.

[@robvannNS]

A few spare fingers might come in handy to replace those that get pinched off..This looks like dangerous work..Enjoyed the the video.. it gave a real sense of being there..

[@blackwaterhousecork5182]

Wonderful explanation for a double Narrowboat operation. Clearly demonstrates Years of Practical Experience.

[@crazyhorsetrading8655]

Thank you chaps for sharing this video. Looks like hard work , but a lot of fun too.

[@lancecluster]

Really neat to get an idea of how these locks were originally used and how the old commercial narrowboats operated. This would be a great trip to go on.

[@mykaskin]

The Narrowboat trust are always looking for volunteers to help with a great number of tasks. They are based near Tamworth but cover most of the midland and southern canals.

[@davidnaylor]

Love these videos of dudley and the canal's thank you for letting me share them.

[@jix177]

Excellent video, amazed by the amount of tips and tricks involved!

[@thewebtutorguy]

Extremely interesting, will have to watch it again. Thank you.

[@Quackalott]

Great stuff. Some real gems of information to. Thanks for posting B-)

[@navigator902]

Brilliant! Times... another born to late in time thing.

[@martinleigh6904]

Very interesting video would love to come and have a go at working these pair

[@AndyCutright]

Amazing what skills are necessary, and how tough this job must be.

[@NJPurling]

The baffles on the gate paddles were a knee-jerk reaction after a swamping that occurred at Stegneck Lock on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal on the 19th August 1998. I believe the bow of the boat got lodged under one of the cross-beams of the gate which held the boat down enough for it to flood.

[@BRM101]

Brilliant thanks for sharing 👍

[@tonybenneworth8343]

Brilliant video professionals make it look so easy and put us novices to shame but thanks again

[@EdFrankes]

Nice one, mate! Really enjoyed it! :D

[@supremeflagship8965]

Are there any widebeam working boats? Originally, British canals/locks were built for craft less than 7 ft wide, until some chap had a bright idea of building wider canals/locks, which could accommodate up to 14 ft wide vessels.

[@mykaskin]

The earliest canals actually had wide locks to accommodate barges - some upt 18 foot wide, it was only when the Trent and Mersey canal had some.very difficult terrain to accommodate that the narrow boat was created. The Grand Junction (Grand Union) canal was.made for two narrow boats to travel together, though the bottom London end was built to cope with lighters and barges from the Thames. Many wide.beam butties (10-12 foot wide) were made.to use this end of the waterway and sometimes reached Braunston. Wide boats also were used on the Nantwich Canal and east end of the Trent Mersey to Burton and Soar.to Leicester (and sometimes further).

[@supremeflagship8965]

@@mykaskin I learned something new today. Always thought that narrow canals (like Trent and Mersey Canal for example) were built first and then followed by wider canals (Grand Union Canal). I was wrong. Thanks for correcting me.

[@therevster9828]

Great stuff thnx.

[@davidsedlickas8222]

Superb filming and commentaries. I learned so much and there is so much to learn. To those pioneers who saved most of the canals give praise. We and those behind get to enjoy them. However there are dark clouds gathering. The CRT cannot deal with the whole of the network and when funding is pulled then the canals will become neglected and silt up and fall into disrepair. Not happy prospects. Still I am sure another white knight in shining armour will ride to the rescue.

[@dianebowker1531]

Brilliant can’t wait to travel Ashton to have a proper look 👍 NB Fiddlesticks

[@mjallenuk]

OK that's a lot harder than I imagined ... I do feel that it would be several weeks and then months before you mastered all thats required to handle the pair as a team.

[@mjallenuk]

More than worth another watch... Maybe I should give this a go?

[@shleep2000]

I loved this! Thanks Mike.

[@rigby3780]

excellent stuff.. silly question where does the name 'butty' come from?

[@mykaskin]

It's thought its a corruption of buddy.

[@servicarrider]

butty or butty boat An unpowered narrowboat, similar to the ones originally towed by horse, now towed by a motor. For efficient steerage it requires a much larger rudder than a motor. Traditional butty characterized by large, curving, often highly decorated tiller arm, a larger cargo hold and slightly longer boatman's cabin than a motor (due to absence of engine hole). butty with another boat, (to) To travel a considerable distance, perhaps for days, in company with another boat or pair, the leading boat normally half-raising a paddle when leaving each lock to reset it for his colleague coming up behind, allowing him to keep up and not fall back.

[@dockmasterted]

I might add......"you don't try to get on the boat, and then hesitate halfway!" you ether get on or get off ..... but NEVER CHANGE YOUR MIND and be half on and half off! .....the boat will move away and you will fall in between!....(learned from experience)

[@johnjones4340]

There are plenty of vintage boats selling coal to other boaters almost every narrowboat has wood coal burning stove they also sell gas not sure why he said its not happening and no money in it ?

[@maxwiz71]

The wholesale prices the working boats get doesn't leave much mark-up for them to make money. If your making 50p on a bag of coal you have to sell a lot of coal to make a living.

[@BillyCosmosis]

I think he was referring to bulk haulage A to B rather than the fuel boat idea.

[@ade9685]

Great stuff, I thought I knew the name David Blagrove googled the name to find I have some of his excellent books, but also that threw up that he passed away this summer RIP David a true gent and legend of Stoke Brue no doubt. www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=86486

[@davidmarkwood7314]

your buddy boat should be running in clean water not in the prop wash as it makes the engine work harder!! JUST SAYING

[@mykaskin]

When empty there is little control over the butty so you tow it on cross straps, also gives the butty steerer a chance to do house work as its only tight bends that you need any steering on it. When towing when loaded longer lines are used, a snatcher in heavy locked sections, and a snubber (a longer line) on long stretches, but times the butty steered would aim to keep the boat out of the wash from the motor.

[@ianburpitt5569]

Stoke Breune

[@MrCampbell633]

no sound no good