Waddingtons Boatyard, Swinton.

[carlt]

I spent a pleasant afternoon wandering round Waddingtons, on the S&SYN, on Saturday.

 

 

Victory, a Sheffield size keel, built by Harker's of Knottingley and currently being restored.

 

 

This one is "Heritage".

This one is interesting because the front end was built to replace the badly damaged bows of another, rivetted, keel but, by the time it was finished, the original boat had been plated up to a satisfactory condition, so Waddingtons built the back end (welded) to graft onto the bows. She's the only keel to be built, at Waddingtons.

 

 

Sadly the future looks bleak for the dumb keel, Turog, and she is likely to be cut up. Her Backcabin is completely intact, though (only had my phone so the pictures are pretty bad).

 

 

Another Harker's Keel, a bit further on the restoration road, with wheelbox (I've forgotten the name):

 

 

I'm very tempted by the Humber Keel (Selby Martin), in the background. She's 97' long and would make a lovely home:

 

Until recently the arm was filled with keels, lined up, for disposal but there are very few left now, having, mainly, been sold for restoration, around the coast but some have gone abroad.

[Lee J]

I wish I'd have known you were there Carl. I could have met you for a pint. My boats only a couple of miles away at Tully's in Rotherham.

 

If you pass again...

 

Lee

[Naughty Cal]

I used to live just down the road in Mexborough for many years. Spent many a sunny afternoon down there looking at the boats.

 

When did you go down, we were in Parkgate doing some late shopping the other day. Maybe we drove past you.

[Lee J]

My wife works in one of the shoe shops at Parkgate. My boat is the first one visible beyond the winding hole as you go over the bridge back towards Rotherham. Small world. Lee

[Naughty Cal]

My wife works in one of the shoe shops at Parkgate. My boat is the first one visible beyond the winding hole as you go over the bridge back towards Rotherham. Small world. Lee

 

Its not very often we go down there since moving to Sheffield but we didnt fancy Meadowhall the other day so Parkgate was the next best thing.

 

Will keep an eye out for you when we bring Cal up there at some point.

[carlt]

When did you go down, we were in Parkgate doing some late shopping the other day. Maybe we drove past you.

Mid-afternoon, en-route to parents for the annual present swap. You wouldn't have missed the camper van!

 

As a kid I used to hitch rides on the keels and pusher tugs and in college holidays, I worked, at Croda Hydrocarbons, at Kilnhurst, testing the contents of the tanks, before demolition.

 

 

 

 

If you pass again...

I'll make an announcement!

[Naughty Cal]

Mid-afternoon, en-route to parents for the annual present swap. You wouldn't have missed the camper van!

 

As a kid I used to hitch rides on the keels and pusher tugs and in college holidays, I worked, at Croda Hydrocarbons, at Kilnhurst, testing the contents of the tanks, before demolition.

 

We used to have great fun watching the barges on the go.

 

I lived near the Ferry Boat pub in Mexborough a stones throw from the canal. Then moved to Denaby on the Don flood plain, (not a good idea) and then to Conisbrough and have since moved to Sheffield with the other half.

 

Didnt see the van but i cant say i was looking for it.

[NB Willawaw]

Ah Phylis, you remind me so much of Minerva !!

[Naughty Cal]

Ah Phylis, you remind me so much of Minerva !!

 

Ive been told to be good so i am

[wonderdust]

Long may this harmony between all continue!

 

Happy Holidays

[Timleech]

I spent a pleasant afternoon wandering round Waddingtons, on the S&SYN, on Saturday.

 

Another Harker's Keel, a bit further on the restoration road, with wheelbox (I've forgotten the name):

 

What's the little tug?

 

Is the small covered dry-dock still in use?

We had the Beecliffe on there for a couple of weeks prior to taking her across the North Sea in 1975.

 

Tim

[carlt]

What's the little tug?

 

Is the small covered dry-dock still in use?

She's called Jumpsey. Apparently her owner recently passed away.

 

 

The boat "Progress" is in the covered dock, at the moment.

[fuzzyduck]

I have to say it was the tug that caught my eye, although the keels are pretty in their own way too

[carlt]

Well you can either leave a suitably respectful time, before making enquiries, or get on the phone first thing!

[fuzzyduck]

I think, not only could I not afford to restore it, but Nicky would probably cut off my testicles.

 

Besides I'm aspiring to something a bit more Watson like

[carlt]

 

It's a Watson, it's free and it's just round the corner from mine, so I can drag it round and help restore it!

[Timleech]

She's called Jumpsey. Apparently her owner recently passed away.

 

 

The boat "Progress" is in the covered dock, at the moment.

 

 

Isn't 'Progress' one which Waddingtons lengthened in the (IIRC) late 1970s/early 80's?

If that's the case, they must also have lengthened the covered dock, as it was just Sheffield size when we were in there.

 

Tim

[carlt]

That's Progress, behind the keel.

 

[Derek R.]

I spent a pleasant afternoon wandering round Waddingtons, on the S&SYN, on Saturday.

 

 

This one is "Heritage".

This one is interesting because the front end was built to replace the badly damaged bows of another, rivetted, keel but, by the time it was finished, the original boat had been plated up to a satisfactory condition, so Waddingtons built the back end (welded) to graft onto the bows. She's the only keel to be built, at Waddingtons.

 

 

 

Sadly the future looks bleak for the dumb keel, Turog, and she is likely to be cut up. Her Backcabin is completely intact, though (only had my phone so the pictures are pretty bad).

 

Pedant alert, as Mr Fincher might say. Which is the Keel and which is the Sloop?

 

I know they're mostly called Keels once the sailing gear has been removed, and the difference is more than sail rig.

http://www.humberships.org.uk/index.html

 

Oh! - and love the CA dormobile! Wonderful colours.

Edited December 23, 2008 by Derek R.

[andywatson]

Besides I'm aspiring to something a bit more Watson like

 

Don't .

My (ex) wife made that mistake.

[carlt]

Pedant alert, as Mr Fincher might say. Which is the Keel and which is the Sloop?

 

Oh! - and love the CA dormobile! Wonderful colours.

I don't know. I always assumed Sheffield size boats were Keels.

[Timleech]

Pedant alert, as Mr Fincher might say. Which is the Keel and which is the Sloop?

 

I don't know. I always assumed Sheffield size boats were Keels.

 

Bit of a grey area. We tended to refer to the 'Beecliffe' as a Keel, as not many outside the area would know what a 'Sheffield Barge' was.

To the best of our knowledge she never sailed, but was built (in 1925) with all the necessary hull fittings such as chain plates.

So far as I can gather, that wasn't uncommon at that time.

Chances are that few if any of the boats in Carls pics ever carried a sail. Some might say that that makes them simply 'barges' or 'boats', others would be quite happy to refer to them as 'keels'.

I believe there were plenty of instances of boats which carried both Sloop and Keel rigs at different times in their lives.

 

Regarding the dry-dock, it's obviously been completely changed as it was a self-contained Sheffield-sized dry-dock when we were there, probably very 'original'.

 

Tim

Edited December 23, 2008 by Timleech

[fuzzyduck]

It would be great fun to sail one of those monsters

[Timleech]

It would be great fun to sail one of those monsters

 

If you get a chance and a choice, choose the Keel. Lots to do, the sloop can be rather uneventful.

 

Tim

[Gary Peacock]

It's quite a shame we don't have a wooden West Country Boat (Keel) left the nearest example being the steel keel Integrity that we converted to a houseboat a few years back.

 

http://nationalhistoricships.org.uk/index....vref/1613/pic/1