New Dawn, update June 16, 2007

Fresh Lincolnshire oak and boat-skin larc

Chesterfield Canal Trust’s project to construct a unique “Cuckoo” narrowboat took a major step forward on January 25th when members of the Trust took delivery of the bulk of the timber to build the boat. Seven and a half tons of fresh Lincolnshire oak and boat-skin larch was unloaded by hand at a private location in Chesterfield. The wood was carefully stacked in a ventilated pile: it will be stored for two years before construction can begin to give it time to season. Thanks to all the volunteers who came to help with the heavy work! The wood was purchased following an appeal in “Cuckoo”, which raised the £6,000 cost in just a few weeks.

Following the appeal for knees in the last edition of Cuckoo: I’m pleased to report that we have found some! John Baylis (IWA Region Chairman) spotted a complete set acting as ballast in a newly restored wooden narrowboat at Langley Mill. The owner Hugh Caldwell has agreed to swap them for scrap metal to the same weight. Fortunately the Erewash Canal Preservation and Development Association have dug up some old railway rails whilst restoring their part of the Cromford Canal, and are going to cut them into pieces as reparations. Terry Berridge and I collected them on April 10th and David Bownes is preparing to straighten then up in the forge.

Meanwhile, progress continues on gathering parts. Linings and floor boards keep arriving at our store, so far we have 200 of the 800 necessary. We have sponsors for caulking materials, tar and nuts and bolts.

So now we are on the scrounge for a stove. I have been told that the stove from the last “Cuckoo” to be broken up went to Clayworth. Ida was sunk at Worksop and was broken up to make way for the bi-centennial rally in 1977. The stove was allegedly stored for safety in the RWBC cellar. So does anyone know where it is now? Or if it went in a skip? Boatie Clark made a sketch of a stove as he remember it and Richard Allsopp measured the one on Ida: “It was coffin shaped approx 225mm at the top and bottom and 300mm at its widest with the length being approx 750mm.”

Construction should begin in 2008, fifty years after the last commercial wooden narrowboat Raymond was built and more than seventy years since the last Cuckoo. Further funding and donations of money or materials are still being sought: in particular, a further £500 is now being sought to purchase the remaining oak required to make the deck and fittings. If you can help, please contact John Lower.

John Lower