The Team

narrowboatworld

THE purpose of narrowboatworld is to promote the waterways, and at the same time to keep you informed and up-to-date of the happenings of the boating world, in what we believe is the waterways' easiest navigable website.

It is a purely non-commercial site, with everyone connected with it, and particularly those listed on this page, giving their time and effort completely free, purely to keep you both entertained and informed.

It is accepted as the most frequently updated and the most visited waterways site on the web, visited perhaps as Brian Holmes once related because it is written by boaters, for boaters, about boating.

It is usually updated five days a week, Mondays, Wednesday Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday, and has the highest number of visitors of any waterways publication.

It is open for anyone to submit anything, whether an email, a longer observation, news or information. But under no circumstances do we allow personal attacks or ridiculous statements, and such persistent emailers will have their emails automatically deleted upon receipt.

No emails address is ever given to a third party or published only on the express wishes of the writer.

The accompanying list is of the people who have helped make narrowboatworld what is today, and for this, to all of them we offer our most grateful thanks.

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The editor—Tom Crossley

THOUGH it is not usual for the name of the editor of a newspaper to be published, and narrowboatworld being the web equivalent of a newspaper, in the past the name has been absent, which seems to upset some people, believing there was something to hide! So the editor's name is now included in the 'team'. He was an actual newspaper editor for 28 years, hence the format of the site.

He also has a grounding as a press photographer, which stands in good stead for narrowboatworld.

Boating experience is like that of many others, first hiring narrowboats, on canals from the Kennet & Avon to the Leeds & Liverpool, until 1996 when he built his own narrowboat from a window and doorless shell, which took a year to complete, then used extensively for cruising when finally finished.

In 2001 a sailaway was built by Simon Piper, which was fitted-out, and which, also named Bounty like the former boat, is used for two main cruises a year, in May and September and the occasional days out, and is shared by She Who Must Be Obeyed!

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The designer—Jason Crossley

JASON first designed narrowboatworld—and chose its name—way back in 2000, with the whole remit to create a site, where content was king, and ease of navigation was all important.

This format was prompted by the accepted guru of web design, Dr. Jakob Nielson, author of Designing Web Usability.

He assessed the cost of bad web content, and perceived ways to make it better at Sun Microsystems, where he was responsible for web usability.

"Forget animation and fancy design, web users want words." says Doctor Nielson.

"The design is there to allow people access to the content. You have users leaving sites without making purchases, registering their details or even thinking about where to go next," adds Doctor Nielson. "Because confusing designs and layout obscure the content they need."

"In a book or newspaper the reader might persevere, not so on the web. Good web content in called `sticky` because it holds the users attention and stops them leaving the site.

"You have to be snappier when writing online," he advises. "The use of short paragraphs, sub headings and bulleted lists help to break up content, and hold the reader's attention. The design is there to allow people access to the content. Too much activity, too many colours and too many type faces all help to confuse."

It is perhaps no coincidence that Jason was himself at Sun Microsystems for a time, and puts the teaching of the great man into good effect.

But at the end of 2005, Jason decided that narrowboatworld was getting rather dated with too much colour and too cramped text, and as new methods of design and authoring were now available, he said it had to be redesigned. Which meant we had to comply, being dragged into the modern Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) of web design, and totally away from Microsoft to the use of the new open source Amaya as the web authoring tool.

After weeks of struggle on our part, it was all finally mastered, with the old pages brought into the new format, which we admit, is now far easier for us, makes the content easier to read for you and with much less code, quicker to download.

With it all sorted, our most grateful thanks to Jason, not only for his work on the new design but for the endless help—way into many nights—that was needed to get it all up and running!

And keeping it running!

Then he decided we should leave Microsoft and Windows completely for the open source Linux operating system.

This multitasking, multiuser operating system based on Unix, that drives mainframes supercomputers and the like, offers a security that Microsoft will never achieve, and guarantees a virus free download.

Constantly updated Linux is regarded as the 'cutting edge' with facilities that had us quickly converted.

And so narrowboatworld is completely Linux based, and though once again more learning curves, we believe it to be technically the most advanced waterways website in existence.

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The proof reader—Ted Sedman

TED first started with narrowboatworld in 2004, advising us of typographical mistakes, and perhaps was surprised that instead of taking umbrage, we actually thanked him for his effort. Since which time he realised that his help was appreciated, and so took it on himself to become our official proof reader, spending time most days going through the new items and pointing out any mistakes that get through.

"My introduction to canals was in 1966 when my brother-in-law-to-be hired a Maid Line cruiser from Reading on the Thames to Brinklow on the North Oxford. Seven young men in a hire boat should not have been allowed, but we had a wonderful time going from pub to pub." Tells Ted.

"After I was married we hired boats several times and in 1974 we bought our first narrowboat which we moored near Reading on the short length of the Kennet and Avon that was then navigable. In the 80's our second boat was kept on the Thames at Pangbourne, and in this we came South to Godalming, and later went North as far as Ripon, or at least as close as we could get with the Ripon Canal only partly restored.

"In the 90's our boating decreased as a result of my acquisition of a Penny-Farthing bicycle. So the boat was sold, but it was always the intention to get another when I retired, and recently we have been fitting out a steam narrowboat. After several setbacks the boat is moving under its own steam, and we are looking forward to bringing it onto the Basingstoke Canal, near to which we now live."

The picture is Ted winning the 'Fu Manchu' class at the World Beard and Moustache Championships!

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Jan—She Who Must Be Obeyed

JAN'S efforts appear from time to time, usually as features depicting an element of a cruise. As an highly qualified freelance riding instructor she is very used to giving orders, which has earned her the title of She Who Must Be Obeyed!

She shows this when she meets such as Canaltime crews who are obviously in need of instruction, then she always asks if they would like some help, and if so, certainly gives it, brooking no objections!

Her boating is as the other half of the crew of Bounty, and previous to this as a hirer. She is a competent helmsman, and insists upon turn and turn alike with steering the boat and working the locks.

In the picture Jan is on Bounty in Birmingham, just up from Gas Street Basin, demanding that she be taken to the local Chinese restaurant to have a crispy duck!

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The columnists

Victor Swift

WITH us since day one, and in fact way back from the old newspaper days, Victor is one of the old style journalists, yet brings a breath of fresh air to the writing of the waterways, really telling it like it is, to the consternation of many, which is now being copied—though obviously not so well—by others!

His boating? Certainly not the blue one with 'Victor's New Home' on its side, which caused such a furore when it was discovered. Not a boater for so long as most of the other columnists, but from the early nineties, after an impromptu three days on a hire boat from Grebe Canal Cruises on the Grand Union, and being hooked. He has now cruised most of the system.

The picture shows Victor on his Bermudian mode of transport riding down Front Street in Hamilton.

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Pam Pickett—First Mate columnist and journalist

IN THE waterways world of male columnists, we just had to have the womans' point of view of male oriented boating, so Pam, who had previously submitted a few pieces to narrowboatworld, was invited to join the team in early 2005.

From time to time she has the somewhat unenviable distinction of upsetting British Waterways and causing quite a grinding of teeth at Watford!

Of her boating, Pam explains:

"Brought up close to both river and canal our waterways have always been particularly special to me, though I never thought to see the day I’d be cruising on them, or writing about them and enjoying both experiences, as I do.

"As both a boater and a writer I seek to protect our heritage. Whilst accepting some change I will continue to speak out, without fear or favour where I see that change to be detrimental, either to we boaters, or to our heritage. "I think you’ll agree few areas in our lives are stress-free. It is important to me that our waterways continue to provide 'time out', an area in which all can truly relax."

The picture is of Pam on the overgrown derelict Grantham Canal.

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Richard Swan

RICHARD has had a wealth of experience in writing for and organising canal society publications, as well as official positions.

Of his boating experiences, Richard tells us:

"1976 was the year that my 'hands on' boating experience started when, in a weak moment, I took my eldest two sons for a week on a hire boat. We hired from Gordon’s Cruisers at Napton and cruised from Napton down the Grand Union to somewhere south of Blisworth. This had us hooked and from then on we took annual hire cruises on various canals, the most memorable being a very wet Easter on the Macclesfield. In 1991.

"We went to look at a house by the locks at Whilton. We arrived to view on a May Bank Holiday and found that the garden was invaded by customers of the next door pub so, having made an abbreviated inspection, we looked around for something else to occupy the rest of the day. By chance it was Braunston Boat Show weekend which we visited and came away with an order for a Colecraft which we bought instead of the house! This was completed early in 1992 and we operated out of Braunston until the summer of 1997 when I retired and we moved to Staffordshire to live beside the Shroppie."

The picture is of Richard ascending the rather leaking Anderton Boat Lift.

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And the others

WITH such a wealth of information, in narrowboatworld, is can only be expected that there are many others who support us by supplying us with material, or who perhaps even object! So our grateful thanks to:

Gillian Bolt, George Boyle, 'Sooty' Black, Paul Bulmer, Alan Burnett, Richard Bustens, Martin Cox, Colin Gregory, Mike Griffin, Tony Brooks, Tony Collins, Jim Hutchinson, Jimmy Lockwood, Geoff Low, David Lowe, Kevin McNiff, Roger Olver, Gary Peacock, Graham Phillips, Ian Reid, Graham Lambden, Kevin McNiff, David Owen-Roberts, Simon Robbins, John Stevens, Stuart Sampson, and those people at British Waterways, Waterways Trust and the Environment Agency, together with all the other organisations.

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Reporters and contributors

Principal reporter—Alan Tilbury

ALAN has been interested in canals for over 60 years. As a child he spent many hours watching working boats negotiate the Three Locks at Soulbury having been evacuated to his uncles farm there during the war. It wasn't until 1980 that he first took a holiday on a canal boat although he never missed a chance to visit a canal during the preceding years.

Since that first holiday Alan has travelled most of the canal system mainly on hire boats. Living in East Kent he couldn't be much further from the main canal system so owning a boat was never a viable option.

Alan started submitting snippets of news soon after narrowboatworld went on line, he initially became known as the body man as he frequently seemed to find news of people meeting an unpleasant end in canals. Since retiring and having more free time to research canal associated news from various sources he is now our main contributor and principal reporter.

He enjoys walking canal towpaths with his camera and has submitted several articles that we put under the heading of 'A Walk on the Wild Side. He also takes to the water at any opportunity that a boat is available.

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Journalist—Steve Davis

STEVE'S contributions, particularly of Gloucester, where he winters in his boat, have been featured in narrowboatworld for some while, with the added interest of him being a photographer. Not only is he our journalist, but our political journalist too.

He is rather outspoken, particularly of the shortcomings of British Waterways, but underlying he has the interests of the waterways at heart.

Steve and his wife Jennifer have lived on board their 60ft narrowboat since 1999. The boating idea came about by accident.

Steve worked as an IT Manager/Consultant and had always hoped to retire prior to 'Year 2000'. Retirement planning started in the 80’s and the objective was to travel around the country. Caravans were briefly (very briefly!) considered and then the idea of a boat came up. Neither of us can remember quite how this happened although we suspect alcohol was involved.

We took our first boating holiday in 1989 and this became an annual event. In March 1996 we did a three week ‘make or break cruise’; if we were still speaking to each other after three weeks we would buy a boat. We hoped for bad weather and were not disappointed; freezing rain, snow and gales featured. We duly survived and started looking for a boat.

After seeing lots of second-hand boats and attending several boat shows we decided to have a boat built. We sold our house in Hampshire and moved onto the boat in June 1999. Since then we have covered most of the network and had a lot of fun. Favourite waterways are Leeds and Liverpool, South Yorkshire Navigations and the rivers Nene and Ouse.

The boat has proved to be warm, comfortable and well suited to living aboard. We have no plans to move ashore, although family commitments mean that we now return to the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal each winter.

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Photographer and columnist—Ralph Freeman

FOR quite a while Ralph has been submitting rather good pictures for publication as well as a supply to Pam's First Mate.

Around six years ago, I retired, commissioned a 50ft narrowboat and have lived on the Cut ever since. I have a berth in Barton Marina, but suffer badly from 'Marina Fever'. A fine cruising day is enough to bring it on and so I tend to use my permanent mooring for short duration 'pit -stops' only. I now regard the Cut as my home.

I cruise the system all year, but winter cruising is my favourite when the system is quiet and the lighting varied. I use two relatively cheap cameras (less than £200) but both have been carefully selected for their image quality. One is a simple point and shoot camera, the other a larger and more sophisticated 'super zoom' type.

I run my boat, Grey Nomad, single handed and taking pictures whilst on the tiller means the point and shoot camera does most of the work. There are not enough free hands to do much else! Whilst not claiming to be a good photographer, I am well versed in the art of post-processing pictures on a PC (bodging to some!). This is the major difference between the old film cameras, where everything had to be spot on when the shutter was pressed and digital cameras, whose output can be post processed to good effect. Using digital cameras also means I can use the 'monkeys and typewriters' approach to photography at no extra cost!

Whilst there are a number of word-smiths contributing to narrowboatworld, so I hope to provide pictorial input instead. Living on the Cut means I'm in a better position to do this than most.

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Contributor—Roger Fox

ROGER is another contributor whose pieces have been seen for some considerable while, another with a long experience of the waterways, and relates:

I started boating in 1980. I was introduced to the canals by a friend. who was a boating partner of the late Mike Stevens. So my first trip was on Felis Catus on the Paddington Arm. Incidentally I had first met Mike when we were in the University of London Union Morris Dancers in 1963.

We bought a 45ft shell from Davidson Bros at Trent Lock, brought it down to London in May 1980 and fitted it out at Bull’s Bridge under the watchful eye of Di Murrell. Mike and his crew were boaters who week-ended all over the system, so that is what we did, and still do. It was easy then. Mooring restrictions have made life a lot more difficult for the long distance traveller. We travelled over much of the system on Autolycus (Named after the Shakespearean character in The Winter’s Tale—he is described as a rogue and a vagabond and a picker up of unconsidered trifles. Propellers do much the same thing!)

Ten years down the line we decided that we would like a change of boat and spent a lot of time looking at possible builders. We didn’t fancy any of them and some of their work behind the panelling didn’t bear thinking about. A chance meeting brought us to Tim Higton and The Warwickshire Flyboat Company. Here we had a meeting of minds at last. About 18 months later at Christmas 1989 we had our first outing on Arden No 2. Arden has a restored Bantock hull, reduced in length to 57ft with a Grand Union back end. She draws 2ft 9ins to 3ft, and is powered by a Russell Newbery DM2, among the last to be made at Dagenham.

We moor in London and, in a normal year, are away from the mooring for six months or so. We continue to expand our tally of canals visited. Last year we spent about a month on the North Western canals including the Macclesfield, Upper Peak Forest and an attempt on the Huddersfield Narrow—something which we abandoned after Scout Tunnel. There’s only so much ploughing of the bottom that one can do.

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Columnist—David Hymers

DAVID'S contributions are very much of the waterways, and entertains us about his many and varied experiences, and tells us:

I first became interested in the canals as a result of a summer job in 1970, when I was supervising a user survey being done for British Waterways in the Braunston/Buckby/Napton area. I lived in a caravan at Buckby Top for a couple of months, and learnt how to work locks acting as unofficial lock keeper at Watford.

Once I started teaching I organised twice yearly school trips, which usually had ridiculous schedules that these days I would not contemplate—the Avon Ring in a week for example. But it kept the kids busy, which was the main point—some of them are still boating. We usually organised an adult trip over Christmas/New Year, back when you could find hire boats at that time of year. These usually involved a lot of night cruising, getting iced up (once for three months—the boat, not us) and so on. It was on one of these that we went through Dudley Tunnel, just getting under the low bit and then getting stuck in the exit.

I first bought a share in a boat (with some friends) in 1988—it was one of Gordon’s hire boats from Napton. We replaced that in 1997 with a second-hand Mike Heywood boat and sold that in 2005. We then ordered a new boat fitted out by Napton Narrowboats on a Colecraft hull to our own design, which largely replicated the successful layout of the previous boat. So far we have been very pleased with it.

It is my slightly arrogant boast that I have cruised every part of the connected system, except the Lancaster (not connected for long enough), the Basingstoke (always shut for low water whenever we get there), the Leeds and Liverpool beyond Aintree (never got round to it and now waiting for the extension) and the Yorkshire Ouse (frustrated by 2007 floods).

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Columnist—Brian Holmes, In the Pink

BRIAN'S narrowboat, Thursday's Child, must be the best known boat on the waterways, not only because of its colour, but because during the entire season Brain and his boat can be seen cruising the canals and rivers of the system.

Named by Victor as 'Inspector of the Waterways', Brian is forever reporting on the failing of British Waterways in keeping its house in order, yet is only too willing to give praise, and often does.

Of his boating Brian relates:

"I enjoyed bits of boating in the 50's but hired for the first time in 1964 and had a full week on the Leeds and Liverpool from Apperley Bridge near Bradford to Blackburn and back.

"When the boys grew up enough to be a useful crew we hired from North Kilworth and went to Aylesbury, Banbury and Warwick in the late 70's. For five years in the 80's I looked after a friend's boat at Elland on the Calder & Hebble. During the summer we based the boat at Skipton or Sawley to enjoy different waters. We found Shilling in 1991 and I went boating every possible week-end from Gayton, Cholmondeston or Sawley just to wind down and turn off from work.

"I retired in 1996 and Thursdays Child was launched in 1998. Since then I spend as much time as possible boating around here there and everywhere for about 1,000 hours a year, fishing, helping with canalside enhancements, fishing, joining in rallies, fishing and generally 'getting away from it all'. I have to return home for weddings, funerals and Christmas."

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Columnist—Tony Haynes

I BLAME Aunty Ada for my fascination with canals. When I was about eight, my parents used to leave me with Aunty Ada and Uncle Bob in their cottage at Croxley Green during Summer School Holidays whilst they went off and did what parents do when their inquisitive child is not around their feet.

I was determined to be a working boatman when I grew up. Unfortunately, when I was old enough to leave school, the working boats had almost ceased, so I joined the navy instead as a boy at HMS Ganges. Eventually I became an Aircraft Artificer First Class, keeping Sea Vixens, Buccaneers, and Wessex helicopters flying off naval air stations and aircraft carriers. I was one of the few 'waffoos' to have a coxswain's qualification, thanks to Ganges days.

(In the photograph Tony is signalling to Neil Arlidge that he had won his bet that he could get Dreamcatcher through Froghall Tunnel without removing the cratch board!)

Uncle Bob was a fireman at Dickinsons Mill, Croxley. Every day Aunty Ada would tell me not to go near the canal. I had to find out why. So, every day it was off through the woods to Lot Mead Lock on the Grand Union to 'help' the boats working pulp, coal and timber twixt Batchworth and Watford. I even managed to cadge a lift on the counter a couple of times when the boatmen began to recognise me.

I left the navy in the late 1960s, and almost immediately got into heavy haulage, delivering earth moving plant and machinery around the country on low loaders. Loved it! This was handy when I became involved with the Basingstoke Canal restoration in the 70s and 80s. Apart from helping Frank Jones to tear Lock 25 apart with bare hands to find out how it worked, I was able to collect and deliver rail and trucks for the towpath narrow gauge railway. On one Easter weekend, with a bunch of wild friends, including drunken lorry drivers and off duty morris dancers, we blitzed Lock One at Woodham using a brand new 360 degree excavator borrowed from a building site, putting the work well ahead of schedule.

At this time I owned a cruiser at Rickmansworth, but had little time to use it. It was not until the late 1990s that I could purchase Dreamcatcher. For the next few years, living aboard, we operated hire and trip boats on the very canal that I had helped to restore. I became a Boatmaster Instructor. I took on Vice Chairmanship of the National Association of Boat Owners for a couple of years, with special interest in safety, until health and mobility began to fail. I am now cruising, photographing and writing as much as I can, while I still can, with the help of my many friends, to whom I am extremely grateful.