Carp

Ian Riley had recovered Carp from Northwich Middle Flash where BWB abandoned her; then it was acquired by Steve Wakefield. It was later sold to a group of young musicians and abandoned, sunk, at Croxley Green, Rickmansworth from whence Graham Holland raised it.

Graham adds: "It never sank whilst in my possession; although that was darned hard work as it had some serious rot around the counter and the stem. It was badly hogged until I risked weighting the ke'lson with water barrels. This resulted in a period of nearly a year during which time, she was very inclined to suddenly leak like a sieve; but she came pretty-well straight in the end. It was a nightmare, but a delight. That was the finest motor I ever steered."

"Owned by myself and used as a tug, towing Stewart and Lloyds' BCN day boat 116, carrying general cargos until it was given to Brentford Bridge Boatyard in 1983, who were in a better financial position to restore it (I was just a boatman). They removed the fine national Diesel and abandoned it and let it sink in Brentford Tide Lock cutting on the down-river side, against the bank, where I saw her remains only a few of years ago, when passing through by car. I could not resist visiting her grave. Even then there was enough to manage a restoration. All ironwork including the knees and wooden ribs round the front end and the stem post.were there; as was the Counter Block. She is exposed at each low tide and can be approached from the rear of the Heidelberg building."

The last engine in the boat, a National, is now in the tug Algol.