Old Boat - World War 1!

[TimRatRace]

We are looking at a 1914 Bantock Narrowboat (the afore mentioned 7 foot and half an inch) - the hull has been blasted and epoxied - It's ideal for character inside and needs little work to get it to where we want it to be - what do members think about it as a viabl;e long term option - should we be concerned about the epoxying on the bottom?

[carlt]

Is it epoxy over a wooden bottom?

 

Edited to say: is it a bantock cut down to about 50' with a cabin conversion, living on the Stockton flight?

Edited April 26, 2007 by carlt

[Rick-n-Jo]

The Thomas Bantock boats were of riveted iron construction. The early boats had elm bottoms (very early ones, known as MK 1's, had an oak lower plank as well). A 1914 boat will probably be iron bottomed, although it could have been re-bottomed in steel by now. So I would guess that "epoxied" means that it has been shot blasted and blacked with a two part epoxy coating rather than coal tar or bitumen based paints. In which case certainly not a cause for concern, rather a good thing.

 

As to long term viability, well it's lasted this long! Rolled iron is much more durable than even the best steel. But of course she'll have a long history. She'd have had a hard life if she was originally a "Joey" or day boat on the BCN, and will probably be well battered. However Thos. Bantock & Sons also built and operated railway interchange or "station" boats for the GWR, and light cargo boats for the Shropshire Union Co. and others; these probably had an easier working life.

Boats of that age will have been repaired many times and passed through many owners, the only way to be sure of the quality of the work is to have a survey done.

 

I think that all Bantocks were built as horse boats/butties, many have been motorised.

Original dimensions:

 

Length 70'9"

Beam 6'9" across baseplates rising to 7'1" across the guards at gunnel level.

Depth of hull 3'9"

Built from half inch iron plate throughout.

 

Rick

[carlt]

We are looking at a 1914 Bantock Narrowboat (the afore mentioned 7 foot and half an inch) - the hull has been blasted and epoxied - It's ideal for character inside and needs little work to get it to where we want it to be - what do members think about it as a viabl;e long term option - should we be concerned about the epoxying on the bottom?

If it's the boat I mentioned in my previous post then I can tell you it will not pass Napton flight.

[charles123]

Anyone know anything about this Bantock for sale, its the kind of boat I will be going for in a couple of years but not now. £22k

 

cutdown rare ex-GWR station boat with BW cab

# 52ft overall

# central engine room

# Lister HR2 (new starter motor)

# Blackstone gearbox with 2:1 reduct.

# decked hold under vinyl-backed tarred canvas

# boatman's cabin

# partially fitted shower room

# approx 1 tonne water tank

# BSC to 2010

# Licensed til end of December

# copy of original 1923 BCN registration cert.

# copies of lading bills etc

# 2005 ultrasound hull survey

# extensive re-plating and structural work

during rebuild by KBI

# new propshaft, sterngear & prop

 

 

http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/display.phtml?aid=56208

[Yamanx]

Theres one of these moored directly opposite me at Norbury. It has a smashing hull and I'd love to have a go at restoring her. 192? with a full length wooden top which needs ripping off, all the windows are covered with the steel sheets used to make washing mashines, looks a right mess. Painted grey primer all over. Worst of all it has a Peugeot deisel car engine fitted. Not marinised, complete with radiator and gearbox. Not kidding it has five reverse gears and one forward, because of the prop rotation.

 

Interestingly it has a large steel ring on the bow deck and I've always wondered why?

[SteveE]

We are looking at a 1914 Bantock Narrowboat (the afore mentioned 7 foot and half an inch) - the hull has been blasted and epoxied - It's ideal for character inside and needs little work to get it to where we want it to be - what do members think about it as a viabl;e long term option - should we be concerned about the epoxying on the bottom?

 

 

We're also going for a converted and motorised Bantock butty - survey news today hopefully. Does anyone know what Thomas Bantock's boats' livery was?

 

SteveE

[TimRatRace]

Thanks in particular to Rick n Joe - sooooooooo helpful. So much information out there! Boat has come very much top of our small short list at present. Awaiting return of wollix from boat surveying travels......last seen heading from Whilton Marina to Oxford in search of boat number 8 for the day!

 

He mentioned the phrase "Boat Drunk"!!!!!! when I spoke to him at 5 this evening.........

[Rick-n-Jo]

Does anyone know what Thomas Bantock's boats' livery was?

 

SteveE

 

Don't know that Bantocks had a livery of their own. The boats they operated for the GWR were probably in colours like Francis Stapletons boat at the Black Country Museum.

 

 

 

 

 

For Shropshire Union colours, LMS, Pickfords etc. try Google. Or "Colours of the Cut" by Edward Paget Thomlinson. The definitive work; if anyone wants to buy it for me for Christmas.....

 

Rick

[SteveE]

Don't know that Bantocks had a livery of their own. The boats they operated for the GWR were probably in colours like Francis Stapletons boat at the Black Country Museum.

 

 

 

For Shropshire Union colours, LMS, Pickfords etc. try Google. Or "Colours of the Cut" by Edward Paget Thomlinson. The definitive work; if anyone wants to buy it for me for Christmas.....

 

Rick

 

Thanks Rick. I'm not sure we can go with a pink boat and may have to get 'Colours of the cut' for ideas.

Regards

Steve

[carlt]

Regarding the epoxied bottoms (I'm assuming it's not the one at Stocton).

 

If it does present a problem (fibre glass as an emergency fix can trap moisture, accellerating rot) a composite boat's bottoms are the easiest to replace. Rip the old ones out, bolt the new ones in. I don't understand why people replace them with steel.

 

Edited to say: Or epoxy them for that matter.

 

Thanks Rick. I'm not sure we can go with a pink boat and may have to get 'Colours of the cut' for ideas.

Regards

Steve

For a 'kinder on the eye' railway livery try page 107 of COTC.

Edited April 28, 2007 by carlt