80 today

Sculptor's banner to celebrate 80 - Photo: Lynda Payton

It was on 28-November-1935 that Sculptor was delivered, in her Blue/Blue livery, to the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd from WJ Yarwood's yard at Northwich.  There is to be a bit of a celebration today in Stoke Bruerne to mark the occasion. Happy birthday old girl and here's to another 80 years.











Sculptor's banner says:

• Don't I look good for my age?
• I was conceived on 29-December -1934 (the date she was ordered)
• I was delivered on 28-November-1935
• I am owned by the Canal & River Trust and looked after by volunteers from The Friends of The Canal Museum
• I used to carry cargo for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Co and was a Fire Boat during World War 2
• I helped maintain the Shropshire Union Canal for many years and came to Stoke Bruerne in 1986 as an example of a Small Northwich working boat

Our thanks to Sarah Brown of CRT for facilitating the production of the banner.

Click here for some images of Sculptor's 80th taken by John Bannister.

Another day's work for Sculptor

The Wildlife Reserve sign

A beautiful trip up the
winding hole and back

Friday was another day's work for Sculptor moving some of the Interpretation Project 'furniture' down to Lock 15 and to the Wildlife Reserve - there was no other possible way of getting it there.  Another wonderful autumn day with the now almost expected 'Indian Summer'. 

We had to wait a while at the A508 whilst some 'postcrete' was purchased and took advantage of the wonderful weather and gave the hold a second coat of paint in the area Mike and John and put the first coat on last week.

There's a link to all the images here.

Sculptor Delivering for the Stoke Bruerne Interpretation Project

CRT staff and IWA Northampton volunteers
working together

Sculptor waiting in the glorious autumn
sunshine at the southern portal

Sculptor was used on 8-October (and will be again on 9-October) to deliver the structures for the Stoke bruerne Interpretation Project.  We had a great day out with Sculptor on Thursday travelling to the tunnel portal and down to the river Tove and return.  It was good to see Sculptor back in her role she held for a number of years as a maintenance boat.

Northampton Festival of Water

Sculptor heading down the 200-year-old
Northampton Arm on the way to Northampton

The Northampton Festival of Water was this year's IWA event (next year's will be at Wolverhampton) and on our doorstep. It was therefore our pleasure (after gaining permission from CRT to take Sculptor to Northampton) to assist the IWA Northampton branch in taking 'stuff' from Stoke Bruerne to Northampton and back again whilst enjoying the opportunity to use Sculptor on the river.

Sculptor alongside at Northampton

Five intrepid souls set off from Stoke Bruerne on the Wednesday before the event - David Blagrove, Rob Westlake, John Bannister, Mike Gardner and John Wetherell.  It is a relatively short trip to Gayton Junction and then down the Northampton Arm (200 years old this year) and on to the river.

Rob was invited to take part in a boat handling competition (no prizes though) with William, Southern Cross and Bletchley which by all accounts he enjoyed.

The return trip was on Wednesday 2-September and by 16:30 Sculptor was happily back on her moorings in Stoke Bruerne to await Village at War after being expertly reversed from the winding hole (not an easy task) by Rob.

Reballasting and painting the hold

Sculptor bobbing like a cork on an ocean

It was decided that we needed to reballast the boat - in essence getting the two IBC containers out, cleaning out behind and underneath them and then painting the hold sides and the back end bulkhead.

On Friday we pumped the water out of the two IBCs thanks to Ryan Dimmock on Southern Cross who leant us his 12v pump; then we tipped over five of the seven barrels (only five because we think there is old diesel in the other two), and pumped out that water by way of the bilge pump.  Sculptor then bobbed around like a cork on an ocean.

The hold sides look good - a second coat
for the back end bulkhead perhaps

On Saturday we took the two IBCs out of the hold together with the shutts and cleaned up the hold sides,  We then painted them.  That took most of the day.  We think the back end bulkhead may need another coat but we are pleased with the hold sides.

Tomorrow (Sunday) the IBCs go back in on a temporary basis as CRT are arranging alternative ballast for Sculptor soon.

We were surprised how good the iron work was and we noted that the knees were fabricated by Harts Hill Iron Works.  There's more information on Harts Hill Iron Works here from the Black Country Bugle.

Sunday update.

The bulkhead was given a second coat early on and a decision made to give the hold sides a second coat as so much equipment had been removed to gain access and the second coat would only take an hour or so to apply.

That done dunnage was made (from the redundant picnic tables from the Museum Green - a good bit of recycling) to lift the IBCs half an inch or so for two reasons:

• To allow air to circulate underneath
• To allow the drain valves to be easily accessed

The IBCs were refitted, Sculptor moved to the water point on ropes (too risky to move her under her own power with such little ballast) and the 2 IBCs were filled as were two 200L drums which were placed under the catch.  Sculptor was then moved, under her own power, back to her usual mooring.

Volunteer hours 34 (total 962 to date)

Braunston Historic Weekend

The Barge Arm at Braunston just
before the wonderful chaos starts

Another great weekend put on by Braunston Marina.  We took Sculptor up to Braunston on Friday 26-June leaving Stoke Bruerne at 07:00 - just as well we did as there was a wide beam waiting to come south as we left the tunnel at about 07:35 - they said had we been 20 mins later in leaving Stoke Bruerne we would have been asked to wait until the wide beam was through which would have delayed us until 08:30.

We arrived at Braunston at about 16:15 and were asked to moor outside Roger.  The first Roger we saw was about 30' long so we looked for another Roger which we found but it was inside four other boats. We were then directed to moor in the barge arm which was slightly odd as it was an FMC year but we were happy to spend our time there.

Sculptor and FMC Owl breasted up
entering Buckby top lock

Saturday was a glorious day; we participated in the morning and afternoon 'parades' meeting old and new friends.  Sunday was not quite so pleasant with blustery showers in the morning leading on to a more pleasant afternoon.  Again we took part in both the morning and afternoon parades.

It was a special year in memory of Sonia Rolt to whom a plaque was unveiled and also one in memory of the Braunston strike.

Tim Coghlan very kindly presented the Sculptor team, who were present, with a cheque for £1,000.

On the Monday Sculptor was returned to Stoke Bruerne in the company of FMC Owl, whom we breasted with up Braunston and down Buckby. A long but very enjoyable day's boating.

Volunteer hours 88 (total 928 to date)

Stern end, counter repaint

No fenders whilst the paint dries

We've repainted both the counter and the stern end recently as part of the ongoing 'opportunity' (when the weather permits) times to keep Sculptor looking good and in fine fettle for Braunston Historic gathering.