From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

In message <BWfdrWETCkeoFwri@ku.gro.lloiff>, at 13:39:47 on Fri, 18 Jul
2025, Adrian <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> remarked:

In message <bJCdWdna1beoFAJd@perry.uk>, Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> >writes

I've got a photo of a caravan parked on a barge, which was an early
idea for a hire "boat", in this case on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Ooh, I remember that, hmm, 50 years ago (shudder).

My photo dates to 1973.

IIRC, the barge had a rising platform (sort of thing you'd find at a
garage) that the caravan could be parked on, then it was lowered into
the hold. Bring your own caravan, and all you could see out of the
windows as the inside of the hold.

And there was a sort of cabin at the back, from inside which you used to
drive the barge (yes, not a narrowboat, it was wider).
--
Roland Perry
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From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:

In message <BWfdrWETCkeoFwri@ku.gro.lloiff>, at 13:39:47 on Fri, 18 Jul 2025, Adrian <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> remarked:

In message <bJCdWdna1beoFAJd@perry.uk>, Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk>
writes

I've got a photo of a caravan parked on a barge, which was an early
idea for a hire "boat", in this case on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Ooh, I remember that, hmm, 50 years ago (shudder).

My photo dates to 1973.

IIRC, the barge had a rising platform (sort of thing you'd find at a
garage) that the caravan could be parked on, then it was lowered into
the hold. Bring your own caravan, and all you could see out of the
windows as the inside of the hold.

And there was a sort of cabin at the back, from inside which you used to drive the barge (yes, not a narrowboat, it was wider).

We came across in the 1970rCOs a canal boat towing a pontoon with a small
car on it.
Ponton was short and at suitable locations securely moored end in to the
bank and the car driven on or off. The boat was fairly short as well so it
and Pontoon fitted into a lock together.
Ahh found a picture, IrCOd forgotten the car was a Reliant.

<https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/31203-loading-a-car-onto-a-narrowboat/>


Also from the 1970rCOs the Caraboat, not many were made and looking for a
photo it seems there are few survivors probably because it was a lousy boat
and a lousy caravan.

<https://www.flickr.com/photos/janetstansfield/5789477856>


GH
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From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

In message <mdvhtkFmgj4U1@mid.individual.net>, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> writes

We came across in the 1970rCOs a canal boat towing a pontoon with a small >car on it.
Ponton was short and at suitable locations securely moored end in to the
bank and the car driven on or off. The boat was fairly short as well so it >and Pontoon fitted into a lock together.
Ahh found a picture, IrCOd forgotten the car was a Reliant.

<https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/31203-loading-a-car- >onto-a-narrowboat/>

I remember that from the mid 80s, when we were neighbours for a few
weeks. IIRC the two parts were connected by a pair of hinged bars (one
each side), with 50mm tow hitches on the narrow boat end. As mentioned
on Canalworld, it must have been "interesting" to handle.

Adrian
--
To Reply :
replace "bulleid" with "adrian" - all mail to bulleid is rejected
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Every time someone says "I don't believe in trolls", another one dies.
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From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

On 18 Jul 2025 18:25:57 GMT, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:

Also from the 1970As the Caraboat, not many were made and looking for a
photo it seems there are few survivors probably because it was a lousy boat >and a lousy caravan.

<https://www.flickr.com/photos/janetstansfield/5789477856>

Sounds a bit like Richard Hammond's "dampervan" on the Top Gear amphibious vehicle challenge.

Mark
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From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

On 18/07/2025 21:26, Mark Goodge wrote:

Sounds a bit like Richard Hammond's "dampervan" on the Top Gear amphibious vehicle challenge.

Don't forget Half-Safe!



http://cpmarchives.classiccmp.org/cpm/mirrors/members.iinet.net.au/~daveb/halfsafe/halfsafe.html





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From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

In message <mdvhtkFmgj4U1@mid.individual.net>, at 18:25:57 on Fri, 18
Jul 2025, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> remarked:

Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:

In message <BWfdrWETCkeoFwri@ku.gro.lloiff>, at 13:39:47 on Fri, 18 Jul
2025, Adrian <bulleid@ku.gro.lioff> remarked:

In message <bJCdWdna1beoFAJd@perry.uk>, Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk>
writes

I've got a photo of a caravan parked on a barge, which was an early
idea for a hire "boat", in this case on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Ooh, I remember that, hmm, 50 years ago (shudder).

My photo dates to 1973.

IIRC, the barge had a rising platform (sort of thing you'd find at a
garage) that the caravan could be parked on, then it was lowered into
the hold. Bring your own caravan, and all you could see out of the
windows as the inside of the hold.

And there was a sort of cabin at the back, from inside which you used to
drive the barge (yes, not a narrowboat, it was wider).

We came across in the 1970rCOs a canal boat towing a pontoon with a
small car on it. Ponton was short and at suitable locations securely
moored end in to the bank and the car driven on or off. The boat was
fairly short as well so it and Pontoon fitted into a lock together. Ahh >found a picture, IrCOd forgotten the car was a Reliant.

<https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/31203-loading-a-car- >onto-a-narrowboat/>

Also from the 1970rCOs the Caraboat, not many were made and looking for a >photo it seems there are few survivors probably because it was a lousy boat >and a lousy caravan.

<https://www.flickr.com/photos/janetstansfield/5789477856>

The one I saw was much more ad-hoc than that. The barge was similar to a [short] working-boat, and the caravan was an ordinary road-going one.
--
Roland Perry
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From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

In uk.transport.london Mark Goodge <usenet@listmail.good-stuff.co.uk> wrote:

On 18 Jul 2025 18:25:57 GMT, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:

Also from the 1970?s the Caraboat, not many were made and looking for a >photo it seems there are few survivors probably because it was a lousy boat >and a lousy caravan.

<https://www.flickr.com/photos/janetstansfield/5789477856>

Sounds a bit like Richard Hammond's "dampervan" on the Top Gear amphibious vehicle challenge.

Top Gear also made the SsangYacht: https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts/editorial-features/ssangyacht-top-gear-boat-worlds-ugliest-car

Not so much amphibious, but should be made so by immediately scuttling it in the harbour.

Theo
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