In the late 50s a pair of big grand union boats (Town class) is said to have loaded 66 tons id coal for Croxley, They needed assistance in a number of bridge-holes and history does not record how many tons were unloaded at the mills and how much surreptitiously shovelled out behind the piling to ease their passage
In the (Highly recommended) new edition of "The George and the Mary" Alan Faulkner records that when Harvey-Taylors were trying out George and Mary when they were new they loaded 60m tons of wheat on the pair from Brentford to Aylesbury and 66 tons of sand from Leighton Buzzard. This year by contrast John and Sue Yates had considerable difficulty with only 16 tons on (Big GU) Buckden In Wolverhampton Locks and on the BCN Main Line to the Black Country museum. Laurence Hogg had great tribulations with (Large GU) Barnet with 23 tons on from BCLM to Gas Street thence to Stourbridge, BW made him take 3 or 4 tons off after the 25th call for help (I may exaggerate) A point though - If BW accepted that well maintained cruiseways are those where a boat loaded to design depth for the waterway can get about without too much trouble then the rest of us would have NO trouble. Ever. It's long been my view that all BW middle and senior managers should be forced to spend a week dragging a loaded boat around their patch - Not into the paint, just a small GU boat or josher down to the top guard.. Ray Butler [Owl]
