Braidbar Boats

Mr & Mrs Braidbar alongside NB Badger, Lord Vernon's Wharf, October 13th 2007.

Every good canal boat builder seems to have his own little fiefdom, where all the new-looking boats in the nearest ten miles seems to be their own handiwork.  Steve Hudson has Tamworth.   Barry Hawkins has Atherstone.   Stowe Hill has Weedon. David Piper has Red Bull. 

North of Macclesfield the canal 'belongs' to Iain & Luisa Bryceland's Braidbar Boats.  Their narrowboats are a familiar sight in this part of the world.

I wanted 'library shots' of boatbuilders - I mean the people, not the businesses - and I'm lucky that the Brycelands are a very open, friendly couple, happy to smile for the camera.  When I met them they were finishing off a busy Saturday by going for a cycle along the towpath, past their own boat Badger, and I thought this was a far more interesting pose than the usual old posed cheesy grin.  It was 5pm on a dull afternoon and the photo's a bit blurry and dark (sorry) but it'll do.

They celebrated their hundredth boat recently by building it just for themselves, and calling it (what else?) Braidbar.  It was the boat featured on the cover when Canal Boat relaunched earlier this year, and you can read the review (pdf) here.

I'm curious to know where the name 'Braidbar' came from.  It seems to be a Glasgow placename, and close by is another Glasgow suburb called Giffnock.  Giffnock is another Braidbar boat (a trad with a gorgeous Gardner 3LW engine - they used to hire it out to experienced customers).  So I'll put two and two together and say that one or both of them are Scottish, went to Braidbar School and lived in Giffnock (although neither of them sounds Scottish to my ears).  Probably all rubbish, but I can't help myself!

At least two other canal blogs are from Braidbar boats: Sanity and Nuggler.  They recorded meeting each other on July 10th this year on their respective blogs.

Iain has three times shown me aboard his boats when I've passed that way - in various stages of construction - and I don't suppose he ever remembered seeing me before.  Yet he was always cheerful and very friendly.   I'd feel confident having him as a builder.  I first notice Braidbar at the 1998 Braunston show when I spoke to the new owner of Trisuli and it made a huge impression on me.  I think that was the first boat that made me want to live afloat.

Comments

[Liz Siviter]

Hello Andrew,
I'm sure you will have had other replies now about the word "Braidbar". As far as I can remember it was the street in which Iain lived in when in Scotland. Which is why a lot of their previous boats all had scottish names. When they were building no. 100, we suggested that it should have a spanish influence as Luisa is part spanish, but they eventually decided on the Braidbar name having traded under that name for the last 25 years.
When we had our boat built earlier this year, no 101 nb "Just Siviting" we found them a very friendly but business like team, and we are exceptionally pleased with our finished product. (A case of spending the kid's inheritance!!!)
Liz & Austin Siviter.

[Mike Fisher]

Havn't seen you around recently Andrew! Good comments about Braidbar though. But about Alan Glass's comment above, all ?Braidbar's painting is done by Andy Russell who should really have the credit. We still get favourable comments from passers-by 5 years on.

[alan Glass]

Hi Andrew, nice comments about Braidbar, Being part of an Ownerships group we had our narrowboat 'Ursula' repainted at Braidbar a few years ago and still looks great. Many other owners we have shared locks with for example have comented on the excellent paint job and often recognise who did the work without promting. A credit to their high standards.