Mark Sunderland’s diary of a weeks holiday cruising one of our most popular waterways – the magnificent Llangollen Canal

This is an example of the type of canal cruising holiday feature you will be able to find regularly in Canals & Rivers magazine's CANAL HOLIDAY SECTION

Saturday
Here we are on the Llangollen canal; first-timers in a narrow boat. Well, almost first-timers. Keith, my husband, had a narrowboat holiday in his twenties, one of a party of six single young men. I rather think this holiday will be a little different! 

Our boatyard at Chirk Marina

Sunday
We sleep in a bit, rising to realise that it's already 9:30 am. We are beginning to adjust to the slower pace of travel. We all like walking, and this way we can enjoy the spring flower-filled banks, the growing ducklings and the occasional kingfisher, together with the comfort of sitting down quite a lot, and making tea when we feel like it.

Despite spotting it on the map, we manage to overshoot the water supply at Frankton and pass through the bridge. Although only a hundred yards away, we decide that reversing a 58 footer is not to be advised, especially backwards through a bridge. As there's no winding-hole (see, we are learning the jargon!) for ages, we decide to press on, resisting the blandishments of the Jack Mylton (a canalside pub which we’ll save for the return trip.) We have been instructed to fill the boat everyday with water, to keep the front of the boat down in the water; and we do this assiduously. We have dreams about waking to find ourselves tipping backwards or coming unmoored!  I read the chapter in the British Waterways handbook on knots and quickly learn how to tie a locking hitch so I can sleep soundly knowing we shall not drift away in the night.

Ellesmere

After a morning's shop in Ellesmere, where we visit Vermeulen's deli to stock up on yummy things for lunch, we drift into the afternoon towards Whitchurch. I am privileged by the ultramarine flash of the kingfisher across the bow as I sit writing.

We pass under bridge 54 - a narrow entry into a bend. Overhead are a group of walkers who watch as we go under. "Perfect" I tell the crew from the bow. "Perfect", agrees the man on the bridge. So far, we have found both boaters and towpath people to be friendly and welcoming.

Monday
We press on towards Whitchurch, stopping at The Barn - Mrs G's "Shop in the Garden". The gardens are indeed a glory, with swathes of lilac, cream, and purple delphiniums, each bed colour themed. It’s delightful, well worth the visit and there is Mrs. G’s little shop with all that you need, including fresh baked bread, homemade preserves and afternoon tea and scones served by Mrs. G herself, to us ensconced under an umbrella in a rose and clematis covered pergola. We bump into a TV star - a guide dog puppy-in-training called Zane, who's just been on Blue Peter - and spend a few moments fussing and patting.
On to Whitchurch, where the sign saying 10 minutes walk to the town is a trifle optimistic - it takes 20 minutes, but the walk is worth it. The town has some attractive streets, half-timbered buildings, a fine sandstone church and a great place to eat - Elzio's - which we would definitely recommend.

Tuesday
Today we get used to lift bridges - forming a team, one to lift the bridge, one to hop out and guide the boat through. Some 'thoughtful' people see us coming and leave a bridge up for us, not realising that this means we cannot cross the canal!

New Marton Bottom Lock

Turning round in the winding hole just before Grindley Brook, we discover the lock side shop and café is well equipped at 29 - internet access, cappuccinos, supplies - even the flannel I forgot to bring. We enjoy a morning coffee and watch a few people navigate the staircase lock. On the way back towards Ellesmere, we are plagued by 'kind' people ahead of us who keep leaving the lift-bridges up - not realising that we then have to leap out on the non-towpath side into all sorts of nettle patches etc. There are reasons for those signs that say 'Please leave the lift-bridge closed' and we wish those well-meaning people would obey the signs!  It seems there are plenty of novices on the canal, not just us.

As we chug along there is plenty of time to reflect on the countryside around us - a submerged log covered with tiers of toadstools – it looks like a spa for watery insects!  The sadder sights of some neglected boats, rotting by the waterside. Then a narrow section where contractors seem to be building another bridge. It’s a bit like being on the motorway, we have passed these earthworks twice now, and the backhoe is still on its mound of earth - no sign of any work being done. Yet our way is unimpeded and today we can smile about it, a measure of how relaxed we are beginning to feel.

There are more beautiful canalside sights -purple creeping vetch, beautiful spires of yellow iris and something that looks like a waterside snapdragon. Finally we see "Ratty", the increasingly rare water vole - there is a study being undertaken in Whitchurch to check up on their well-being, and Mark is overjoyed to have seen one.

I notice I'm becoming obsessed by tying knots, and have already bought a tea-towel with knots, and now a little handbook called Knots and Splices! I'm determined our moorings will be good and tight and begin to bore the men with my explanations of how to tie a good knot.

Wednesday
Last night we moored at Ellesmere, where a lovely house overlooks the junction. The arm into the town is sadly dilapidated and there are hopes for its redevelopment. We have morning coffee at Co-co's, and again patronise Vermeulen’s (a fantastic patisserie), the Spar and the paper shop, and on the way back to the boat discuss how we would develop the 'marina' area, given a free rein and a bottomless purse. The canal side shops have accurately assessed the boaters' needs - we boaters obviously eat a lot of jam and marmalade! Today we can see our shadows at last and after a brief burst of rain as we are manoeuvring our way round the Ellesmere basin, We take our waterproofs off and prepare to break out the sun cream. Wimbledon on the telly, strawberries and cream in the fridge, the finest Shropshire countryside in view, and Chirk and Pontcysyllte aqueducts to look forward to - what more could we want in a holiday? I spend quite a bit of time just admiring the view. The towpaths are kept mown, but the fringes are a beautiful profusion of wild flowers - even such everyday things as docks when in flower, look beautiful alongside grasses, vetch, meadowsweet, clover, buttercups, convolvulus, wild roses, brambles, thistles and nettles.

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Determined to make it back to Chirk, we are glad to have enjoyed the best of today's weather afloat. Only two locks at Marton, where we queued for an hour at the first. We've done four locks now and are beginning to get the idea.

Thursday
An earlier start this morning to catch the morning sun (at last!) on the Pontcysyllte aqueduct. As the guidebook says, an engineering achievement equal to the Ribblehead viaduct - but little heard of outside boating circles. I wonder why - my theory is the mystery of the pronunciation. No-one talks about it because having seen it written down they feel intimidated - so it becomes that Pont-thingy aqueduct (apologies to the Welsh who of course know exactly how to say it!). Difficulties of pronunciation aside, the view is stunning and the experience truly unforgettable. The sheer 170-foot drop from the cockpit to the ground with nothing else in between demands respect, but also appreciation of its grandeur. We plan to return to photograph it from the ground. Across the top we can see our small selves and boat in shadow, moving across the bridge, dwarfed by the scenery.

Llangollen Canal lift bridge

Afternoon and evening in Llangollen. Mooring overnight costs £5 for 24 hours – there’s a helpful boatman at the Portakabin. The railway trip to Carrog is worth the time – the restored stations take you back to the fifties and are beautiful and today, sunlit. £8 adult fare - 20-minute turn around - time for an ice cream and chance to watch the engineer couple up the engine. We enjoy our journey in 50s style First Class, closing the windows for the Berwyn Tunnel to keep out the steam and soot. The magic of memories!

There are some attractive shops in Llangollen, where they're getting ready for the world-famous Eisteddfod next week - good butchers and deli and the tourist info is in the old chapel - a beautiful airy building with a library and art gallery under the same roof.

One of the great things about cruising the canals is choosing somewhere to eat next – today we opt for morning lattes at Fonzi's and enjoy them so much we stay on for lunch - very good goat's cheese and avocado salad. Our evening meal at Caesars proves to be very good – our table overlooks the Dee just by the ancient bridge dating from 1345. During a break between courses we watch the evening preening and singing of a yellow wagtail hopping on the flat rocks in the Dee. A restful close to another day on the canal.

Friday
Bacon butties for breakfast. Morning coffee in Llangollen, a few photographs and some simple shopping - deli, Spar, butchers, cottage Tea Rooms for a cappuccino - and posting a couple of cards. The town has a festive feel with the Eisteddfod bunting and the posters advertising the arrival of Bryn Terfel and Katharine Jenkins.

Back to the boat for the turn around at Llangollen basin and heading back for another look at Pontcysyllte aqueduct. It’s very important to remember to send someone ahead for the two narrow sections of the canal here – I volunteer to walk on ahead to check there is no-one in the channel coming the other way and bump into a very experienced boater who tells me the horror story of some people who thought they could just plough on ahead, and succeeded in grid locking the system for two hours. And we thought we came afloat to get away from traffic queues! Fortunately there are no such problems today and after a short wait we are underway again.

Back at Pontcysyllte, Mark is photographing the aqueduct - waiting for the light – this is what he does for a living and as he says, landscape photography is 95% boredom and 5% blind panic. He wishes for the sun to come out, some more interesting cloud formations behind the aqueduct and some boats to come across. After over an hour of patient waiting in the increasing heat, the sun burns the cloud off and eventually his wishes are granted and he gets some shots from various viewpoints. We finish our walk from the canal back through Froncysyllte and call in at the Aqueduct Inn, where over a cool pint of Pedigree and a J20 we can look down upon our boat’s mooring, and the lift bridge we are about to open. This time it's my turn to hoist the bridge - I think the men have given me this one because they discovered how much hard work it was when we went the other way!

Peaceful scenery near Trevor

Tony Brown has had his newly built boat for a year now, so how has he got on with it?

This is an example of the type of boats and boatbuilding feature you will be able to find regularly in Canals & Rivers magazine's BOATBUILDING SECTION

Regular readers will recall the previous articles in Canals & Rivers on the construction and delivery of my 41ft aluminium Sea Otter narrow boat, Cantabile, leading to the arrival of our new boat in October, 2006.

Our Sea Otter, Cantabile

Small fixes
The condition of the boat on delivery was very good with all finishes fully up to the high standard that we had come to expect from Sea Otter. Just three areas gave us cause for concern and all were dealt with efficiently by the manufacturer. Although the Webasto hot water and central heating system appeared to work on delivery, within a day or two it refused to fire up and a prompt visit by Sea Otter quickly established that rubber debris from a flexible fuel pipe, pushed onto a sharp edged metal

Extra storage under berths

Stiff steering sorted
The second problem occurred when the beautifully moulded, glass fibre shower tray detached itself from the shower wall at one point, allowing a small amount of water to leak under the bathroom carpet. Again, a prompt visit from the manufacturer corrected the defect, which fortunately has not recurred.  Finally, during this summer’s warmer weather and our first full cruise, it became clear that the tiller was too stiff for comfort and steering precision. Ray, Sea Otter’s Managing Director and technical expert, suggested some adjustment to the plastic rudder bearings to reduce the effort required on the tiller and this proved to be a dramatic cure.

Our modifications
I am a great believer in modifying any standard boat or caravan to provide optimum individual convenience and maximise storage capacity so we went to work shortly after delivery, on this track. Sometimes a very simple and minor adjustment makes such a difference. A small bent wire hook attached to the back of the water filler cap, made to engage with the refill hose nozzle enables the tank to be filled at full pressure without the need for the hose to be held in place to prevent snaking.

Modified cupboard storage for tins etc

Reorganising storage
Whilst Sea Otter had done their best to accommodate my individual needs with regard to storage of my two Brompton folding bikes in the base of the wardrobe, situated just inside the rear doors, and further storage for folding chairs and table under the 7ft pull-out rear settee/bed, some modifications were needed for maximum convenience. The wardrobe was reorganised to provide more shelf than hanging space – not too many dinner dances these days – and access to my floor-level bicycle storage space was improved by increasing the size of the opening onto the passage and by rebuilding the rear steps to allow

Smoke alarm and hooks...

Deck gear stowage
I do think that dedicated internal plank and pole storage is important, but how often is this seen? Safety and comfort are not improved by planks and poles rolling around the floor in the corridor, a situation which is seen so commonly. Now access to the under bed storage area has been improved, plank and pole (in two interlocking sections) are stored here and the boathook is neatly and almost invisibly retained in two bent aluminium strip hooks, quickly accessible under the side deck near the rear doors. After being awoken in the middle of the night by a smoke alarm, doing its job in a previous caravan, I take fire precautions very seriously. The local Fire Brigade kindly attended at the marina to advise us on the most effective location for the two smoke alarms which they supplied and which we fitted, one at each end.

Hooks from tie-backs
It goes without saying that coat hooks have been added in strategic places as living aboard has dictated over the months. I have used curtain tie-back hooks as these are much flatter than coat hooks which is welcome in a confined space. In fact I prefer to choose my own location for hooks so the absence of hooks provided by the manufacturer is, for me, an asset. The main problem which arises with customer added hardware or in fact, in modifications to cabinet work is to ensure that all materials and fittings are compatible and that the standard of work at least reaches that of the original construction. This does indeed create difficulties when modifying a Sea Otter in that the owner, Ray, imposes his own, very high standards of construction and finish on his cabinet and lining work and it is a real challenge to match this, as one must, when modifying the original woodwork. Fortunately, the factory has been most helpful in supplying matching oak sections and oak-faced plywood for my changes.

Mattress mods
The pull-out settee/bed is necessarily made up of 3 long mattresses, consisting of 2 backrests and one seat cushion which together make up the width of the double bed. Inevitably, as the free edge is adjacent to the passage and not retained by wall or woodwork, there is a tendency for the individual mattresses to separate in use. This problem has been easily solved by two lengths of seat belt sized webbing with substantial Velcro strips at the ends. These are left in place under the seat cushion during the day and tensioned and closed round the three mattresses at night before bedding is added. During the planning stage, I had identified a location for a large food storage cupboard opening into the corridor and stealing a few inches from the very generous 1170mm long shower compartment behind. This did not appeal to the manufacturer so it was left for me to

Stowage below cupboards

Central heating boosted
Winter boating draws attention to additional problems, not affecting the fair weather boater. As we were visiting fairly frequently over the cold weather and even snow, it became rather a chore to drain and refill the hot and cold domestic water system every time, so I took up the suggestion of Lee, from Walton Marine, the selling agents, to add 12in oil-filled, mains tubular heaters to prevent freezing in winter. One has been installed next to the water pump under the bow water storage tank and two positioned next to the calorifier in the engine compartment. These are connected through adjacent froststats and are all permanently wired to a single central switch for convenience. It was a considerable challenge to find a route behind the lining panelling and to draw through, not only the mains supply flexes but also protective trunking to prevent damaging contact between PVC flex insulation and the expanded polystyrene wall insulation. At the same time, wiring was provided to power a permanently installed, remotely switched, small, oil-filled radiator in the bathroom to keep it cosy when it is not quite cold enough to keep the central heating on overnight. Existing storage space in the dinette-double front bedding lockers is good but has been made more useful by dividing each locker into three sections which enables different areas to be dedicated to bedding, spare parts, ropes, electrical accessories etc.

Dinette table expanded
The dinette table provided proved rather small for my larger than standard, dinette-double, is a little low for the thick seat cushions and is incredibly solid and therefore, heavy. A new 400mm longer table top was constructed by laminating two thin matching oak-faced plywood sheets, the underside layer perforated to remove all unnecessary timber away from the edges and leg attachment points.  After oak edge trim and a few coats of satin varnish, the top was ready for its new legs. The legs of a spare, matching folding leg unit were cut with a hacksaw and the old unit cannibalised to provide an extra 50mm of table height, at the same time removing much of the steel framing which added much weight but little strength. The end result is a larger, lighter and more manageable table which is stored in the same place under the side deck as before, but now horizontally rather than vertically, with its retainer reshaped and repositioned to keep it in place.

Exterior changes
Some exterior changes have also been made. A stainless steel handle bolted to the rear door slide has made it more user friendly and bow mooring line fairleads added either side of the bow cleat. Eventually, a rear deck light will be wired in using

Bow locker lids

Summary
In conclusion, it is important to point out that thanks to care taken during its manufacture, this 41ft Sea Otter has proved a generally well-designed, well-constructed, well-finished and well liked-boat with my personal adaptations involving only a tiny part of its construction. I wonder how many narrow boat manufacturers can achieve this level of customer satisfaction?!

What will it cost to make your dream of living aboard come true - is it a cheap ‘housing’ option? Jane Hendy-Jones looks back on her experiences and gives a rough tally of what you might expect.

This is an example of the type of general enjoyment, life & style feature you will be able to find regularly in Canals & Rivers magazine's LIFE & STYLE SECTION

‘Lucky old you - no nasty household bills. It’s a cheap way of life, isn’t it?’

All liveaboards will have heard this. We even say it to each other, a reassuring mantra – but what’s the truth? What’s the real cost?

Costs clock up from the moment you get over-excited at the thought of living on and owning a boat and realise you can just about afford it, since boats can be found for virtually any price you care to pay. You could get a second-hand one of a sort for a couple of thousand but check that they have useful things such as engines, or indeed any fittings or guarantees at all. (By the way, ‘pre-owned’ boats tend to cost more than ‘second-hand’, since it’s a trendy phrase!). You would probably need to be slightly insane to consider one of these rock-bottom bargains to live on.

As a rule of thumb, to live aboard, allow at least 45ft of boat and less than 70ft.  Don’t jump into a wide-beam boat or one of over 70ft unless you want to limit the waterways you can navigate. 10ft width into a 6ft 6in wide lock will not fit however hard you try (and please don’t).

Look at the adverts
Look at the ads in magazines and on line for pricing. A brief look at one web site found ready-to-go-boats such as £23,000 for a 1980 40ft cruiser; £39,000 for a historic 1928 boat (shortened and modernised in the sixties) through to £89,950 for a 45ft x 10ft ex-exhibition wide beam inclusive of delivery. Prices vary widely according to the style, condition and type of vessel, just as house prices do. Research, research and research again to narrow the search down to something you feel happy with.

In reality, you will rush to the nearest brokerage and see several craft well within your budget. You will then proceed to buy a totally different boat costing twice what you can sensibly afford and thereby commit yourself to slave labour for fifty years to pay off the debt.

Let’s pretend that you’ve gone for 60ft – it seems to be a popular choice. Its purchase price: £60,000. Cost so far: £60,000.

Surveys
Sound as a pound? Maybe not. Time to get a survey. You could just rely on the safety survey certificate (it has one, hasn’t it?) but that won’t tell you a huge deal. Like a house survey, a full survey will tell you stuff you may not give a damn about (peeling varnish on one window frame etc.) but it could reveal something of much more importance such as a severe thinning of metal on the underside. Survey costs will be in the region of £300 plus around £200 if you are lifting her out of the water. Cost so far £60,500.

Insurance
Before you disappear into the great blue yonder with your purchase, you need to get it insured, just in case (and in order to get a licence, you can’t get one without cover in place). Note that some insurance companies will insist on an out-of-water survey. Expect to pay about £175 or more for a 60ft for comprehensive cover and third party liability. Contents are a separate issue. Add on a possible £100 a year for them. (An odd aside: Saga will cover your boat or your contents but not both together...) Cost so far: £60,975.

Licences
If you intend to use the British Waterways extensive network, you will need one of their licences. Expect to pay about £600 for a 60ft boat (12-month licence). Other waterways and the rivers will have their own licence costs and you must pay for each that you intend to use – some do provide short-term usage licences. Cost so far: £61,575.

Moorings
Unless cruising continuously around the waterways, you will need a mooring. No, you cannot just leave it on the canal bank. There are strict regulations about how long you can stay anywhere. You may have a private arrangement with a philanthropic landowner who likes a boat to be at the end of his farm to look pretty – but you still have to pay BW if you are on their network. This will be around £20 a metre (BW have gone modern and obey the European directives). That’s about £6.10p a foot, £365.85pa for the 60ft of water you are displacing. (A pound a day in your piggy bank will save up for next year!).
Quite likely, you’ll opt for a marina mooring for a base. Roughly speaking, the closer you are to London, the higher the mooring fees (and the scarcer).

In the Midlands, look to pay about £30 a year per foot: for a 60 footer, that’s £1800. (Check you can live at the marina). Residential mooring is often defined as being on board more than four days a week on average. Cost so far (assuming a marina mooring): £63,375. You may have also to pay for parking a vehicle or an extra vehicle. This could cost about £20 a month, £240 a year. Cost so far: £64,775. We haven’t even floated your boat yet and it’s costing about £4500 above the basic cost of the vessel already. Still keen?

General running costs
Chugging on a bit, let’s take a notional look at a year’s running costs. You’ll need to repeat the licence, insurance, mooring and parking fees. Annual so far: £2,915. Out on the cut, you’ll need diesel. Aah! Big sigh of relief, it’s cheap diesel (no, you can’t put it in your car). Price varies, but will be around 54p a litre. To fill a narrow boat tank up will set you back £120 or more. Ouch – but it’ll seem to last for ever. Let’s say 6 months if you’re running your engine a lot. So twice that for a year: £240. Annual so far: £3,155.

For warmth in winter, gather logs for a woodburner (cost around £400 plus depending on size). Invest in a battery bank (cost £100 each for really good long-lasting ones) and inverter (look at £1000 to cope with most eventualities). You’ll probably fall back onto electricity if you are in a marina, if not for heat then for washing or drying. So let us say your electricity costs will be £10 per month for the hook-up and your usage about £10 a month. Annual so far: £3,395.

There should be little difference in your food bills. You may buy more fresh food or smaller packs if you have limited chill and freeze facilities. (Average size freezer about £500 for a boat). You could invest in a diesel cooker (£expensive). If, like many you use gas (rules on its use and storage are tightening up all the time), expect to pay about £15 a 13/15kg bottle. If you use bottled gas to create your hot water, you’ll probably get through a large cylinder every 2 weeks. Annual so far: £3,785.
However you cook your food, it’ll create two lots of waste. Bagged rubbish is straightforward and free to dispose of. Your personal waste may not be. For a pump-out, you’ll pay about £10 to £15 once every fortnight. – let’s say £350 a year. Annual so far: £4,135. Water at present is free – though that may not continue. And don’t lose your British Waterways key – you’ll need it to unlock the water points on your travels as well as BW pump out stations and so on.

Engine servicing
Another annual charge will be the servicing of your engine unless you’re a clever clogs who can do it themselves. Expect around £130 or so for this, plus any parts needed. Dry docking (£150 at least as you can’t get it all done in a day, and a pressure wash for about £40) and reblacking (do it yourself, about three large tins of head-swimming bitumen paint from £6 a pot) will need doing every two or three years. At that time, you may well need new sacrificial anodes. (Not a burnt offering to placate your marina boss, but protection for your hull). Your boat may need four at a cost of about £30 and with a £40 charge for fitting them. Average cost per year so far: £4,368.

Safety certificate
Every four years it’s safety certificate time. This is like an MOT for a car only more expensive and covering more items. (It does not cover mechanical fitness - your boat could be as safe as houses but break down the next day). The immensely variable cost of this certification could be about £75 or the rough equivalent of the national debt! A surveyor who can suggest safe acceptable alternatives to buying expensive safety solutions is worth his or her weight in gold – or should that be brass? Let’s say it will average out to £200. Average cost per year so far: £4,418. Diesel engines are not as awkward or as prone to breakdown as flighty petrol engines, but if they do, it can be costly. It could be cheaper to get a new engine for an old boat (unless you are attempting to preserve a classic engine). Pay around £5,000 for that and a new gearbox - we’ll just hope this one never happens to you. All told, it’s true that the bills don’t come through my door every month. They arrive at the Sorting Office instead! (Cost: £54.00 a year and my shoe leather). At a total cost of £4,472, or about £375 a month, just don’t forget the old adage- a boat is a hole in the water that you throw money at!

RESOURCES
· Browsing for boats; www.apolloduck.co.uk
· British Waterways information@ www.britishwaterways.co.uk
· Recreational information: www.waterscape.com
· Boat Safety information: www.boatsafetyscheme.com
· Insurance: Saga. Get a quote on: 0845 302 0210
· Engine: Thornycroft.: www.thornycroftengines.co.uk

West Country Barges and narrow boats

This is an example of the type of history & heritage feature you will be able to find regularly in Canals & Rivers magazine's HISTORY SECTION

Tony Ellis continue his occasional series on the sailing barges of England and Wales

Pic A

Living in Reading, my studies into these craft have, of necessity, a bias towards this part of the river. However, the experience of a riverside town such as Reading was probably typical of circumstances in other riverside towns such as Abingdon or Oxford.
The River Thames itself has been navigable from at least the 13th century and by the end of the 17th century there was considerable two-way trade by water between London and the Thames valley. Queenhithe Dock in the heart of the City of London developed a market for meal. This originated from grain grown in the rich lands of the upriver counties, ground by local water-powered mills and brought to London by barge.

In the 17th century, Reading was known to receive its malt, groceries, oils and tobacco by barge, as well as sending agricultural produce downriver to the metropolis. The West Country barges employed in this traffic have been depicted in the well-known series of Thames scenes painted by Havell in the early years of the 19th century or shown in Pyne’s microcosm of 1802/3.

Pic B

These early craft would carry a mast from which a towing line would be led ashore to a team of horses or a gang of men. When the wind was favourable, the mast would also be used for setting a small square sail - particularly helpful in the lower tidal reaches where bank towing was either difficult or impossible.

As the 19th century developed, so did the construction of the river barge. Handier craft with round bows and transom sterns began to appear - not dissimilar to the Wey barges which continued to operate commercially  between the river after which they are named and the London docks until 1969.

A painting by Thomas Shotter Boys (1803-1874) shows a variety of vessels clustered around wharves and warehouses on the Thames below St Pauls Cathedral, immediately above Southwark Bridge. In the foreground is (inside) a coastal sailing barge and alongside her is a West Country barge, both unloading flour onto Kennet Wharf - the very name hinting at a link between the City and Reading’s local river.

Navigation improvements
The River Kennet is recorded as being navigable from as early as 1673 and improvements to the navigation were approved by Act of Parliament in 1715. However, the vested interests of Reading and Abingdon - including barge owners, millers and wharfingers opposed the improvement of the river in view of the effect it might have on the position of the towns in trading and transshipment operations. The improvements were finally completed in 1723, with 11.5 miles of new canal cuts and 20 pound locks, 122 feet long and 15 feet wide, setting the standard for a new breed of barge launched from yards in Newbury and area.

Pic C

The Reading barge yard was located on the site now occupied by the Chestnut Walk below the walls of Reading Gaol, just upstream of Blakes Bridge. Barges built at Reading have been traced in the Directories at approximately one per year between 1807 and 1865, with six launched in 1864, five in 1865 and then one or two a year until 1878 then with gaps, one in each of the years 1882, 1899 and 1890. Builders included Thomas Ayres in 1809; Joseph Hill and William Allan 1811; Arthur Ford 1853 and William Hughes Junior in 1854. Rudimentary barges with open holds were also built for short haul work on the river. Other barge yards were in operation in the area, including one adjacent to Caversham Bridge on the downstream, Reading side (the existing Salters location).

Archives
Much can be gleaned from a study of the archives of local newspapers and my investigations of the Reading Mercury and Oxford Gazette are no exception. The following extracts provide a small taste of the waterside life of the period:

Pic D

“Monday 16 August 1802: To bargemasters and others - Auction by John Cumberland 16 August 1802 2pm at Bowl & Pin opposite Hambro Wharf, Upper Thames Street - A very capital barge - the ‘Fanny’, 45 tons burthen and skiff, with mast, rigging, tar paulings &c. - now at work on the Basingstoke. Inventory available etc.”

From the following extract, we are also able to judge the sartorial state of a bargemen of the period:
“Monday 11 July 1801: Escaped from gaol - New Windsor - John North, Bargeman imprisoned for felony/misdemeanour, wearing short smock, frock, trousers same, light coloured jacket with sleeves, round hat, dark worsted stockings, garters tied below knees, large metal buckles - believed gone towards Wallingford.”

Trespassing narrow boats

Pic E

The opening of the Great Western Railway from London to Maidenhead in 1838 and on to Bristol by 1841 had the typical impact on barge trade and traffic on the upper Thames and its tributaries. Trade in any serious way had largely disappeared by the opening years of the 20th century, although it is known that timber cargoes continued to be delivered to Reading by tug and lighter until soon after the Second Worked War.

Pic F

In my own boyhood and youth I spent much time on the river, and I can recall days when the solitude so dear to an angler... was rarely broken by the passage of a boat. Two or three pleasure boats, as many fishing punts, and perhaps twice a many barges, would be all that would pass between sunrise and sunset...

It is hardly necessary to say how much all of this has changed. The barges are scarcely more frequent than they were; in some sections of the river, I fancy, less so.

PICTURE CAPTIONS

(A) This painting by Thomas Shotter Boys (1803-1874) shows a variety of vessels clustered around wharves and warehouses on the Thames below St Pauls Cathedral, immediately above Southwark Bridge. In the foreground alongside Kennet Wharf is a coastal sailing barge and moored outside her is a West country barge, both apparently unloading flour. Moored stern-on upstream of these craft is what appears to be a Yorkshire Billyboy.

(B) Spritsail rigged barge on the Thames at Sonning around the turn of the 19th/20th century.

(C) ‘West Country’ barge loading at Streatley Mill, circa 1890. Note the foredeck ‘well’ created by the decorated forward rails and the raised forward headledge of the single hold. The nicely shaped transom stern is well decorated with the name of the barge and her owner (though these can’t be deciphered in this shot).

(D) The Wey Barge Diligent in 1969. These craft are the last representatives of the ‘West Country’ genre and many of her features mirror those seen on the craft at Streatley Mill (C).

(E) A pair of narrow boats approaching Sunbury Lock under tow from the bank, supplemented by a small square sail.

(F) An even clearer view of narrow boats and a sailing barge on the upper tideway can be seen in this etching by E W Cooke from his Shipping & Craft published in the early 19th century. Cooke was well known for the accuracy of his work and this view shows one of the narrow boats using a special mast from which to set the sail, rather further back from the usual towing mast position. The sailing barge is ‘stumpie’ rigged (no topmast/topsail) and, apart from her substantial sailing gear, is not dissimilar to the West Country barge type (compare with Diligent, illustration D).