Ballinger at Bingley

Max Sinclair writes: 

Ballinger is the boat I built in the 1970's.  [The photo] was sent to me by Colin and Dorothy Adie who are now the proud owners at Castleford. 

I named it in honour of Charlie Ballinger who was the last No 1 taking chocolate up the Severn to Bourneville.

I have put my boat-building exploit here on WorcesterVista.com  to amuse the natives. I had never welded anything before I started this two year once -in-a-lifetime project.

The exploit Max refers to is a great story which turns out to be a restoration of what's possibly a Bantock rather than a 'newbuild replica'.  Recommended reading for all who love restoring old boats.   

More generally, WorcesterVista is a blog packed full of interesting stories and memories.  I hesitate to add it to Granny's list partly because although it has quite a few canal and river tales, it's more about the city and environs as a whole, and its articles are longer ones, worth digesting and dwelling on rather than dipping in to.  Consider it to be a very useful reference work, rather than something to browse for a couple of minutes while the kettle boils.

(Thanks to Max and Colin & Dorothy Adie)

Comments

[Peter & Christine Ballinger]

We would be very interested in the history of these two boats as well. We are trying to track down the Ballinger Canal Carrying Company or anything related to it.

[Max Sinclair]

Very interesting. The iron rubbing strakes were made at Hingleys Ironworks Netherton, Dudley.

[Rick Muir]

The comments on the WorcesterVista blog being closed, I'll put mine here if I may. The boat from which Ballinger and Glenfield were made was definitely a Thomas Bantock "Mk 1". For the last few months I have had a similar boat,"Bride", at Stockton Drydock being rebottomed/rebuilt. At Beale Park this weekend I spoke with Francis Stapleton and Pete Harrison, both noted experts on narrowboat histories, who each said that these boats probably date from the 1850's and are now of course very rare. "Bride" was built for Pickfords and Co. (although possibly a different Pickfords to the well known canal carrier and later rail and road hauliers) and then passed to the Shropshire Union Co. and via several railway companies became part of the L.M.S. "station boat" fleet. I would be interested in any more info on "Ballinger/Glenfield" to help piece together the history of these historic craft.