HAYHURST YARD NORTWICH MEMORIES

[Laurence Hogg]

Who today would have thought virtually all the boats in these pictures would be restored to their former glory, in 1972 I took ny wife to see this exciting splendour of lost boats and to see them back in service I said there seemed little hope!

 

nearest the dock "President" (or what may be it), "Franklyn", unidentified Station boat, "Shad" and the Severner is "Oak"

The fourth picture is the BTW built by Walkers "Aberystwyth" only 20 years old!

 

 

 

 

 

Anyone know what the LMS station boat is?

Edited November 27, 2011 by Laurence Hogg

[pete harrison]

Who today would have thought virtually all the boats in these pictures would be restored to their former glory, in 1972 I took ny wife to see this exciting splendour of lost boats and to see them back in service I said there seemed little hope!

 

nearest the dock "President" (or what may be it), "Franklyn", unidentified Station boat, "Shad" and the Severner is "Oak"

The fourth picture is the BTW built by Walkers "Aberystwyth" only 20 years old!

 

 

I had only just come to the canals in 1972 and did not travel outside the B.C.N. until about 1976. I do however have access to a private collection from August 1972 which lists these boats as PRESIDENT, HOLLAND, DITTON and WILLOW, with the wooden butty alongside the layby named as BANGOR.

 

This private collection indicates that SHAD was layed up at Preston Brook at this time.

[Timleech]

I had only just come to the canals in 1972 and did not travel outside the B.C.N. until about 1976. I do however have access to a private collection from August 1972 which lists these boats as PRESIDENT, HOLLAND, DITTON and WILLOW, with the wooden butty alongside the layby named as BANGOR.

This private collection indicates that SHAD was layed up at Preston Brook at this time.

 

... and would have been in ACCCo colours.

 

Tim

[Laurence Hogg]

Looking at Pete list and knowing the source raises some questions. The wooden butty boat was unidentifiable when we saw it, we knew it was either Aberystwyth or Bangor and plumped for the former. Obviously we missed something and mr "B" was able to identify.

 

"Oak" too is a mistake as I photographed that shortly afterwards om maintenance. most of these are slides with scribbled notes on them.

 

However I do have a problem with "Holland". In the picture there is a BCN plate atill extant on the boat. When we left it left with us having fallen off when being inspected

It is BCN 1905 "Shad" !!!! Theres no question it was on that boat, at the time we believed the name of this boat to be "Franklyn". According to mr "B" there was no plate on this boat when he saw it, I can believe this!

 

We were either told or read the name "Franklyn" on this boat, can anyone throw light on this? I know Vanguard was renamed same in Barlows days but that isnt this boat.

 

 

On the same weekend we went to Preston Brook, amongst the pictures taken was this:

 

 

So the boat at Hayhurst is NOT Shad but had its plate fixed to it, any care to explain this cos its doing my head in!

 

Also not recorded by mr "B" on thet day or later is the boat in this picture, another mystery, wooden with an extant forecabin:

 

 

Any takers for that?

Edited November 27, 2011 by Laurence Hogg

[TimYoung]

All,

 

Our boat Rudd would probably have been there in the scrap line somewhere. John Jinks told us he pumped it out a few times to stop it from disappearing.

 

He was attached to it as it had been his boat for a while.

 

Might the severner be Apple as I recall it was 'hidden' with Rudd and others in the wide at Nantwich prior to the Northwich national.

 

Tim

[pete harrison]

 

Might the severner be Apple as I recall it was 'hidden' with Rudd and others in the wide at Nantwich prior to the Northwich national.

 

Tim

 

There was never a 'Severner' named APPLE, and the boat in the photograph is certainly one of the Charles Hill built 'Severners'. There was however an F.M.C. Ltd. motor named APPLE (as I am sure you know), and although not in Mr Hogg's photographs it was also at Hayhurst throughout August and September 1972.

 

I have no record of RUDD being at Hayhurst at this time (but I know it was there somewhere - or at least nearby), although I do have photographs of numerous un-named derelict 'Josher' motors at this location between 1972 and 1979.

Edited November 28, 2011 by pete harrison

[Carl Ryan]

Sorry about the poor quality of the photo, this picture was taken at the slipway at Hayhurst yard in the mid to late seventies. Later than the previous photos. Does anyone know which boat it is. I think it needs a bit of work.

[Carl Ryan]

I have added a few more photo's of the Hayhurst yard in the 1970's. Apologies for the poor quality. I obviously took them on different occasions as the boats are in different places. Shad is obviously easily identified but I do not know what the other boats are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[pete harrison]

Carl Ryan,

 

Thank you for sharing your photographs with us, they are most interesting. I can date them to being between 1976 and 1979

[Derek R.]

Fuzzy but nice to see them all the same. We often don't think such items are of much importance when taken, as they may simply reflect what is commonplace at the time. It's not until much later on that they become a fascinating insight to things as they were, and as they will never be again - sometimes for the better, but even so, they do kindle memories.

[Timleech]

I have added a few more photo's of the Hayhurst yard in the 1970's. Apologies for the poor quality. I obviously took them on different occasions as the boats are in different places. Shad is obviously easily identified but I do not know what the other boats are.

 

 

 

 

Could that be the Ariel on the slip? Not many motor boats were built with three guards on the lower counter, mostly Cowburn & Cowpar and Erewash boats I think, but from what I remember Ariel was another.

 

The motor boat in the water I'll hazard a guess at Trout or possibly Tench?

 

Tim

[Derek R.]

I understood all the 'Northwich' motors had three four (can't count) guards. That one looks to be a 'small' Northwich. The distance between the middle two is less than the bottom two. The 'large' were almost equal distance apart on the lower band.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Derek R.

[pete harrison]

Could that be the Ariel on the slip?

 

Tim

 

I am sure these photographs can be dated between 1976 and 1979. The stern of ARIEL had become a cabinless bluff bowed work boat prior to this. I think the boat in the photograph is either a Small Northwich (SAGITTA, SCORPIO or SCULPTOR) or exW.H. Cowburn & Cowpar Ltd. SWIFT / APOLLO.

[Laurence Hogg]

The small Northwich on the dock is "Sculptor", the name is readable with the image expanded to a higher resoltion.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Laurence Hogg

[Carl Ryan]

Any ideas on the wooden boat chainsawed into bits on the slipway. I was hoping someone would have identified it.

[Laurence Hogg]

Any ideas on the wooden boat chainsawed into bits on the slipway. I was hoping someone would have identified it.

Carl,

From the bow profile and tall t stud I would say it stands a chance of being a Uxbridge built Josher, its definatly not a "knobstick" which were common up there.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Laurence Hogg

[Mike C]

 

 

 

Any takers for that?

 

I think that this picture is back to front. It is actually looking up river but is shown as looking downriver.

[the grinch]

can't agree there, im sure its Chester Way bridge looking towards hayhurst yard which would be other side of bridge on right (sure its not town bridge as the river bank is wrong)

[Timleech]

can't agree there, im sure its Chester Way bridge looking towards hayhurst yard which would be other side of bridge on right (sure its not town bridge as the river bank is wrong)

 

I'm sure Mike is right, apart from anything else Hayhurst bridge is quita a lot higher above the water than Town bridge. The buildings seen through the bridge will be the BW Repair Yard offices.

I think the little concrete pier still exists, in the middle of the 'marina'.

 

Tim

[the grinch]

explain the wooden fence then as hayhurst bridge today still has a wooden fence on the same side and the other (hayhurst yard side) doesn't its a chain link fence, obviously i can't compare the buildings as they don't exist in the modern google street view as there are flats there now.

 

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1093&bih=513&gl=uk&tbm=isch&tbnid=i8fzKA2031SrDM:&imgrefurl=http://www.movablebridges.org.uk/BridgePage.asp%3FBridgeNumber%3D53&docid=sGzs-KzL0ooj1M&itg=1&imgurl=http://www.movablebridges.org.uk/Photos/Weav/53-Hayhurst%252520swing%252520bridge%252520in%2525202002.jpg&w=600&h=359&ei=OEmsT7n_Ko2Y1AWx0_2qBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=763&vpy=110&dur=2773&hovh=174&hovw=290&tx=167&ty=128&sig=116100938360619360427&page=5&tbnh=144&tbnw=219&start=46&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:46,i:208

 

appears to be exactly the same view!

Edited May 10, 2012 by hamsterfan

[Laurence Hogg]

explain the wooden fence then as hayhurst bridge today still has a wooden fence on the same side and the other (hayhurst yard side) doesn't its a chain link fence, obviously i can't compare the buildings as they don't exist in the modern google street view as there are flats there now.

 

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1093&bih=513&gl=uk&tbm=isch&tbnid=i8fzKA2031SrDM:&imgrefurl=http://www.movablebridges.org.uk/BridgePage.asp%3FBridgeNumber%3D53&docid=sGzs-KzL0ooj1M&itg=1&imgurl=http://www.movablebridges.org.uk/Photos/Weav/53-Hayhurst%252520swing%252520bridge%252520in%2525202002.jpg&w=600&h=359&ei=OEmsT7n_Ko2Y1AWx0_2qBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=763&vpy=110&dur=2773&hovh=174&hovw=290&tx=167&ty=128&sig=116100938360619360427&page=5&tbnh=144&tbnw=219&start=46&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:46,i:208

 

appears to be exactly the same view!

 

I think Mike is right too, the bow cabin chimney collar is on the right hand side where normally it is on the left. I will have to check the neg but I do think its reversed.

[Timleech]

I think Mike is right too, the bow cabin chimney collar is on the right hand side where normally it is on the left. I will have to check the neg but I do think its reversed.

 

I hope you don't mind, Laurence, I've taken the liberty...

 

 

 

 

Tim

Edited May 11, 2012 by Timleech

[the grinch]

actually i now agree having seen the reversed picture

compare the 3rd picture of the original post with the reversed picture and all the offside buildings fit

 

so yes i am now sure that mike is right (I'm unlike some, big enough to say I'm wrong if I am!)

[Jonah68]

Hi , These pictures are great I live in Northwich and they take me back a few years , would anyone mind me sharing them I would be happy to put your names on them , many Thanks.

[black cap]

Fred Gibbs had Shad, with Aberystwith for a while until she started to leak, Fred a good old Wednesfield lad who worked for Roland Wood before going cabin boating, sad old pictures, memories of days gone, look at it now and what we have got........................... even sadder