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Early Chesterfield Canal Trip Boat


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Canal restoration societies have to start somewhere and amongst the most creditable success stories is that of the Chesterfield Canal whose progress continues and this is reflected by all the hard work done by those involved in the restoration. An early phase of this restoration employed a rather interesting craft, the NORWOOD PACKET. Is this boat still around?- This February 1982 image was taken by Kevin Gardiner (RCHS collection)

 

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  • 2 months later...

The boat is now called Elsa, it recently changed hands. It has been in the ownership of th  Barnsley, Dearne & Dove Canal Trust but they have given it to The The North Walsham & Dilham Canal Trust. Here is a photo of the boat from the late 1990's:

 

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Ivan Cane of the canal trust who now own the boat are looking for information about it and have recently contacted Chesterfield Canal Trust regarding it's history. 

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Elsa, as she is now called, arrived safely at Spa Common on the North Walsham & Dilham canal on 10th September 2017. Today we did the first clean through and removed much of the accumulated rainwater, although some had emptied through a hole in her bottom. We are thrilled to have been given her by the BD&DCT, and the winter job will be to give her some big tlc, so that she may resume her trip work.

 

Please any information about when built, past history etc would be very welcome. We did notice today, when crawlingb underneath, that she was once driven by an inboard engine. More pics also welcome.

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Another, and earlier, trip boat on the Chesterfield Canal was the BCN ice breaker tug 'Spitfire' which was owned and operated by the late Alf Bailey. It was converted in early 1973 to carry 40 passengers (quite an achievement for a boat of its size)  after the style of my boat 'Apollo',  and in fact was initially chartered by me for use on the L&L because of late delivery of a new build - going back to the Chesterfield late summer where it was operated successfully thereafter, though occasionally venturing further afield e.g. to Lincoln.  Unfortunately the miners' strike decimated business and Alf converted it back for living and cruising, probably in 1985.  Interesting that so much of the business was dependent on one section of the community,  whereas passenger boats elsewhere in the area managed to survive.

Regards David L 

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I have more information about The Norwood Packet from John Lower:

 

Quote

I think it was gifted to CCS in 1979 (See John Marsden’s photos – before my time), converted by Ken Clark, John Marsden, Ian Tupling and others and launched on the Summit Pound (1981?) near Pudding Dyke Weir. It would just fit through the narrows and could not get as far as Albert’s Dock (as it is now known) as the water was too shallow.

 

It operated for a few years until the aluminium roof was stolen. Getting it out was a major problem: due to overheads wires a crane was out of the question so it was eventually winched up onto the Wireworks site in a rather spectacular fashion.

 

It was again refurbed and transferred to Clayworth, running regular public trips at Drakeholes, plus charters. Barbara took the bookings (our phone number is on the side in my photo at Drakeholes). It was Hiab lorried up to the IWA Worksop Festival in 1988. I think the new narrowbeam Springer Norwood Packet was acquired from the Thames in 1989.

 

The boat then wnt to Elsecar Basin on the Dearne & Dove and I have some photos of her there when I took Schandelle to a rally. In the background in your picture can also be seen the Bobbin Robin Reliant conversion ex Chesterfield Canal.

 

It’s great to know the old girl is still going!

 

John also supplied these photos:

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This one is of Ken Clarke

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7 hours ago, fanshaft said:

Another, and earlier, trip boat on the Chesterfield Canal was the BCN ice breaker tug 'Spitfire' which was owned and operated by the late Alf Bailey. It was converted in early 1973 to carry 40 passengers (quite an achievement for a boat of its size)  after the style of my boat 'Apollo',  and in fact was initially chartered by me for use on the L&L because of late delivery of a new build - going back to the Chesterfield late summer where it was operated successfully thereafter, though occasionally venturing further afield e.g. to Lincoln.  Unfortunately the miners' strike decimated business and Alf converted it back for living and cruising, probably in 1985.  Interesting that so much of the business was dependent on one section of the community,  whereas passenger boats elsewhere in the area managed to survive.

Regards David L 

That is fascinating David. Do you have any photos of Spitfire? 

I astounds me that these boats have so many people crammed in! 

Chesterfield Canal Trust now have a fleet of 6 boats they operate, 5 of them owned by CCT:

 John Varley is the newest addition and operates from Tapton Lock on the unconnected end in Chesterfield. This is the boat which was built with a grant from the proceeds of crime. 

Madeline is owned by Eckington School and was fitted out by the students and staff. They use the boat for school work but when they are not using it they allow CCT to use it for public trips which means we can help the school pay for the upkeep of the boat.

Dawn Rose is the wooden unpowered "Chesterfield Boat" hand build by the volunteers. That will be heading to the festival on The Erewash next spring. We will be using Python, the trust's 87 year old Josher to tow Dawn Rose to that event. 

Hugh Henshall operates trips in the Worksop area with her hybrid engine it can offer a wonderful peaceful cruise experience 

Finally Seth Ellis operates from The Hope Pole in Retford 

That is a lot of volunteer crew!

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54 minutes ago, Derek R. said:

I'm told the Spitfire on The Chesterfield was an ice breaker. 

I have asked our in house experts for more information.

Watch this space

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I remember myself and SWMBO crewing her in the 1980s at Drakeholes.  It was our first experience of an outboard motor.  Trips every 30 minutes were through the tunnel, turn on the wider bit on a bend and back to Drakeholes Wharf.

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On 26/09/2017 at 16:36, noddyboater said:

Anyone know the location of the 1982 black & white photo of the 'Norwood Packet'?  I don't recognise the old buildings in the background. 

The photo was taken on the Summit Pound. As you walk from the top lock (and the winding hole that is not a winding hole) towards Kiveton Park there is a track offside that runs uphill. There is often a boat moored there (although I have not seen it recently) This is before you get to Alberts Dock.  I think some of the buildings may still be there but the trees have grown up to make the area look completely different to how it appears in that photo.

I also have an apology to offer, when I published the stuff John Lower sent me he did not realise I was going to publish it and says if he had of done he would have taken longer to try and check the dates as everythng he wrote was out of his memory and he hates things to be inaccurate.

Folks should take note that the info I quoted from him may not be 100% accurate, I think he plans to check the details and do an article about it for Chesterfield Canal Trust's Cuckoo magazine. This has set him thinking about all the old boats that have been part of Chesterfield Canal Trust's fleet over the years. If anyone has any information about any of them or photos of them he would love to see them

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On 9/26/2017 at 06:42, cheshire~rose said:

That is fascinating David. Do you have any photos of Spitfire? 

I astounds me that these boats have so many people crammed in! 

 

Yes!  But none on the Chesterfield I'm afraid.  This pone shows 'Spitfire' with Alf Bailey at the tiller, leaving Stockbridge on the Leeds & Liverpool for a special bi-centenary event in Skipton on 7th April 1973. 

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Edited by fanshaft
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That is a really lovely photo!

It is a shame to hear what has happened to that boat. I really feel there is no excuse for hacking features that have heritage value off a boat, it may have been acceptable in the past when these boats were 10 a penny and nobody wanted them but times have changed. 

 

Of course over recent years I have lost count of how many people have said to my face that what was done to Python in the 80's is an abortion and she should not be called a historic boat because she does not have a pretty cabin and is missing a chunk in the middle but, now we are using her for maintenance again it has become very obvious to us exactly why BW decided to convert he back in the 80's - she is the perfect tool for the job!

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I'm (just) old enough to remember Spitfire being moored in West Stockwith. I recognised her from an article in a magazine about Harris tugs written by Bob May who owned Governer at the time. He kept her immaculate and I was lucky enough to have a ride down the Sheffield canal after helping Bob down the locks. With the Gardner 3LW it was certainly the quickest narrowboat I've been on!

P.S. can you please keep doing maintenance on the Clarborough to Retford stretch, with Pythons draught it's the only thing that helps keep the channel clear. 

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On ‎04‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 16:32, fanshaft said:

Yes!  But none on the Chesterfield I'm afraid.  This pone shows 'Spitfire' with Alf Bailey at the tiller, leaving Stockbridge on the Leeds & Liverpool for a special bi-centenary event in Skipton on 7th April 1973. 

 

Wiki says ....... 

pone is a flatbread!

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13 minutes ago, noddyboater said:

I'm (just) old enough to remember Spitfire being moored in West Stockwith. I recognised her from an article in a magazine about Harris tugs written by Bob May who owned Governer at the time. He kept her immaculate and I was lucky enough to have a ride down the Sheffield canal after helping Bob down the locks. With the Gardner 3LW it was certainly the quickest narrowboat I've been on!

P.S. can you please keep doing maintenance on the Clarborough to Retford stretch, with Pythons draught it's the only thing that helps keep the channel clear. 

I would imagine you would have almost managed get that up on the plane on The Trent! 

Python has just come through there last week. We will be back that way later in the month but with the stoppages this winter we will tuck her up at Shireoaks for the duration and get on with trying to get the fit out finished. We are already looking at a litter pick in Worksop then Retford in March followed by accompanying Dawn Rose on the Boat Pull from Shireoaks to West Stockwith in April - she is back!  and we will move her up and down as often as we can, we just need an excuse to move her and the volunteers to do it with. I have had a number of owners of deeper vessels tell me how much she was missed in the two years she was off the canal. Thanks to the great job done by those who supplied the funding (IWA, National Historic Ships and CRT) and Paul Barber her bottom should last a couple of decades or more of keeping that channel open and, if we can keep finding work that she can do and volunteers to do it then she will once again be a regular sight passing through. 

Retford Mariners Boat Club have been very supportive with offering offside mooring overnight to keep her safe for us in Retford during the schedule this autumn. That made a huge difference to what we have been able to achieve. 

Boaters who are familiar with heading upsteam through Bridge 62 (the Gate Public House) and finding their bows in the weeping willow tree on the bend then trying to get back into the channel while avoiding the boats on the visitor moorings with the overgrown hawthorn offside may notice a big difference since Wednesday. Volunteers shifted 10 bulk bags of vegetation from there on Wednesday. A very short section of perhaps 100 yards and we spent the entire day on it. I still have the perforations from the hawthorn to prove it! 

What was especially lovely is that two of the volunteers are not boaters but walkers but joined in to have a day with us, we have a number of people joining in who are walkers or just local residents who want to "put something back" some have never been on a boat before but go away feeling they are really made a difference. I sincerely hope the boaters notice the difference when they pass that way next time 

 

 

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Wandering off topic here but... The length from the Gate Inn to Bonemill Bridge really is the worst on the canal. It's a shame that money was spent dredging the summit pound when a lot of visitors have given up and turned at Retford. A few years back contractors were dredging the Gate winding hole and had to half empty their mud pan because it wouldn't go up the canal to unload at whitsunday lock!  

I have pointed the lack of depth/channel out to CRT bods on a few occasions but it seems to fall on deaf ears. Maybe if they actually had a trip on a boat rather than walking the towpath.. 

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Yes sorry, I am guilty of taking this thread off topic too :( 

I agree that section is very shallow. I know CRT have plans to dredge different sections of the canal over the next 3 years. Up until this years dredging at Ranby we found the section immediately below Bridge 51 to be almost impassable without getting Python stuck or at least scraping along the bottom but repeatedly reporting the problem each time we passed through helped to bring it to the top of the priority list so it has not been done. We tested the "line" through there last month and found two spots to have not been properly dredged and fed back very specific data about where these points are so they might be able to spot dredge them. 

I know there are often times when people ponder on why decisions have been made in the past. I can't comment on this as I am a relative newcomer to the canal but what I do know is that the best way of getting things done is to send a formal notification of the problem to CRT. I don't know which CRT "bods" it is you have mentioned it to but unless you mention it to the correct ones the message may not be reaching them. 

What we do is use the email address for the local team enquiries.eastmidlands (at) canalrivertrust.org.uk   (I have replaced the @ in that address so the bots don't find it but if you use it insert an @ in place of the bit in brackets).  A lovely lady called Cheryl sends a reply. Maybe not straight away but I always get a reply from her. I always try to include a full description of the problem and explain exactly where it is, I attach photos if I feel it helps describe the situation or place. I send so many notifications I often feel guilty that I am bombarding them with stuff but all their team assures me that are very grateful for the input because our eyes and ears as people who have a good understanding of the canal is really helping them to target their resources to where there biggest problems are.  Of course there is an element of priority but, if they get 10 notifications of a single problem then they are likely to prioritise that just to stop people bombarding them with more notifications of the same problem. 

You are clearly a local boater, forgive me if I have asked this before and forgotten it but where are you based? We probably pass each other regularly! 

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The couple of chaps I've mentioned the state of that length to were both doing "bank examinations", one was actually walking alongside me while I boated and commented why I was going so slowly!  The other I met on a  day when the canal was gin clear so I could literally point out the problem. 

Yes, we've met a few times.. I've been a moorer on the Chesterfield for years and am now lucky enough to be living by it. Let's just say I had a good view of Python on Wednesday morning! 

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4 minutes ago, noddyboater said:

The couple of chaps I've mentioned the state of that length to were both doing "bank examinations", one was actually walking alongside me while I boated and commented why I was going so slowly!  The other I met on a  day when the canal was gin clear so I could literally point out the problem. 

Yes, we've met a few times.. I've been a moorer on the Chesterfield for years and am now lucky enough to be living by it. Let's just say I had a good view of Python on Wednesday morning! 

Ah! Right, yes you are clearly very faithful to The Chessie, some may even say stalwart! ;)

it was a bit of a pig with the wind coming off the offside field that day, sorry if we disturbed the peace and we will get the other sapling in the winding hole on the way back (when we can get the nose in from the opposite direction) 

I am reliably informed that Fountains have already been awarded the contract for clearing offside veg between Bridge 62 and 66 (The Gate and The Boat PH's) so we chugged past and fingers crossed that is the last time CRT will need to contract out the offside veg on this canal - if we can keep doing what we are doing. I can't help but thinking that boaters will be wondering why we are not touching it. It is a very overgrown section and was a priority for us until I realised we would not be saving them any money if we did it. 

Sean McGinley and Lee Taylor both came to help with the summit pound clearance last month

You may be interested to know there are plans to get a couple of their new recruits to join us in the next couple of weeks, on the back of that day last month they feel that getting the new lads to understand what we are doing will help them with their work. 

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Keep up the good work. We all like to see pretty overhanging trees but the amount of leaf fall every year must be adding to the gloop.

Totally unrelated and even more off topic.. If you're working down misterton way have a good look at the old Walkeringham brickyard as you pass. I've got a feeling that some important local history will soon be lost forever there. I've mentioned what's happening to various people but nobody seems very interested. Shame, because when it's gone it's gone.

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Again I wonder which "various people" it is that this has been mentioned to and which bits of local history you feel are about to be lost forever. 

 

I know this has been discussed at trustee level with Chesterfield Canal Trust.  I feel that there is a lack of information available and if you have some that you feel might be useful then perhaps you need to make me aware of it? By PM if necessary. Not too sure what can be done if anything but you are not alone in your concerns 

 

 

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My main concern would be that the new owner of the site is very much a "do first, ask questions later" person. He's already drained and cleared the old pond which was obviously full of flora and fauna, this was nearly touching the canal bank which is a SSSI. The cottages on site came next when half the roof and back walls were knocked out by a JCB. This has left them in a dangerous state so of course they'll now have to be demolished. I'm sure the brickworks chimney has some kind of preservation order on it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it blew down one dark night..

It's a shame that some historical records weren't made of the site before he cleared the old sheds and outbuildings,( these were admittedly in a very poor state) it is after all the last user of commercial boats on the canal. 

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