My 5th visit to Gladys the Narrowboat at Aintree Boats, June 2024
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- Wednesday 19th June 2024:
Once again I made the train ride from Hereford to Liverpool today, to visit Gladys the Narrowboat, where she's being built by Aintree Boats.
Since my last visit in April, they have certainly made more progress, although I was disappointed that I couldn't admire the fabulous sign writing that Robin Wagg did, because Gladys is now sandwiched between two other boats - Bonnie, a 40 foot Beetle like Gladys, and Foxglove, which is a 25 foot long Beetle.
I had a good chat with Mark and Jamie, and they were both confident that Gladys and Bonnie are now only weeks away from completion. Several other boats, including Foxglove, are due for delivery in the next week or so and Jamie went as far as suggesting a delivery date for Gladys, which is now in the diary!
I'm pleased to say it is before September! But I'm not broadcasting the date yet as it feels too much like tempting fate - after all the delays we've had in the last 12 months. Also, I am yet to decide which marina I will have her delivered to - but, as with the delivery date, I will let you know nearer the time. 😁
Hope you enjoy watching the video!
Cheers,
Jeff
By the way, if you do enjoy the video, then please consider subscribing - it really helps me to grow the channel!
You can see more of my videos, including my journeys along the canals, and of my Brompton bike at:
/ @gladysthenarrowboat
![[TH] FS vs BME - VCT Ascension Pacific - Lower Bracket Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wnygqsR2Fig/mqdefault.jpg)
How exciting Jeff. Your dream of having a home on the canals is finally becoming a reality. She looks beautiful. Hopefully it won't be long now until completion.
Thanks Jan 😁.
Yes, she looks stunning. I heard from Aintree Boats this week, and all is looking good for the launch date they promised me. I'm not giving away the date yet, (but its before September 😁)
Gladys is looking amazing Jeff. Glad you've got a date now. Really looking forward to meeting her.
Thanks Gerald! Yes, it feels like we are almost there! 😁
🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
Great news and heartening too!
Just got to remember, that the bow is at the other end to the stern, the stern is at the other end to the bow and the cabin is somewhere in between.
Thanks DC! 👍
Yes, more positive this time - but keep those fingers firmly crossed please! 😁
Just discovered your wonderful channel and subscribed. Love it❤
Hello Adrian and Mags!
Thank you for the lovely comment and thanks so much for subscribing 👍
I just saw your video... what a coincidence, as we were on Happy Wren in April 2023, from Blackwater to Llangollen and back - lovely boat and we had a great time. The two aqueducts are simply awesome - but watch out for traffic jams at Trefor Basin! Its worth braving the Narrows to go right into Llangollen. Check out my 3 videos of the trip if you have time.
And... enjoy your holiday! 😁
PS - I have subscribed to you too and look forward to seeing your adventures 👍
Hi Jeff Gladys is looking good and nearer to finishing 😊
Great news and the paint job looks great and I noticed that the tiller looks strong.
I bet you can't wait to get on board and get underway cruising the Canal networks.
As always take care and stay safe out there 😊
Hi John! Thanks, yes, we're getting much closer now - and you're right, it is an excellent paint job - just a shame that she was so dusty, which hid the shine quite a bit!
It's been a long and frustrating wait - I'm just tempering my enthusiasm a little in case of any last minute hitches - so keep those fingers crossed please!
Cheers! Jeff😁
Fingers crossed 😊Always 😊
Thanks John - good lad! 👍
Love the Beetle concept. Affordable way to buy new. Like it but by crikey delays and time taken seem for eternity. Let’s hope they keep to the date for launch. Best wishes. 🎉
Thanks Trevor! yes, very good value, and to be fair to Aintree Boats, the price was fixed at time of contract - so even though the boat is now about a year late, and the list prices have risen noticeably, they are not asking for any additional money - unlike what I have heard some other boat-builders have been doing. Cheers! 😊
@@Gladysthenarrowboat that’s good. Let’s hope you can enjoy Gladys very soon. Look forward to watching as this is something I so want to do.
Thanks Trevor! yes, I think the finishing line is coming into view at last! 🤞 Thanks for watching the channel so far 😁
That's a rediculous amount of time for building the boat Jeff I think Aintree boats can't handle the workload. The time people are waiting for boats to be built is nuts. I hope you'll be pleased with her once on the water.
Yes, there have been a lot of disappointed people... but things seem to be moving faster these past few weeks and I'm pretty confident of being on the water by September. Most Aintree Beetle owners do seem happy with them, from what I've read - so hopefully I will be too! Cheers.
Hi Jeff, good to see Gladys is coming on, albeit still a bit slowly. Really like the finishing around the inside of the windows, she'll be worth waiting for and will be beautiful on the water 👍
Thanks Iain! Yes, I had hoped to see more progress inside the boat but I think they've been concentrating on completing the boats which are due to go out this coming week... so hopefully they can now throw everything at Gladys and Bonnie. The guys who work on the boats are highly skilled - everything is made onsite - and often within the boat itself 👍
Yes, she looked very dusty which made a huge difference... but out on the water, I think that she (and also Bonnie and Foxglove), will be real head-turners!
That is a more confident sounding result, you look happier.
Hi Barry! yes, definitely feeling happier now - still keeping those fingers crossed though... I'll only really believe it when Gladys is actually sat on a canal somewhere! 👍
Just discovered your channel, have watched Lorna for a few years are Aintree boats really slow?, good vlog will keep on watching with interest. 😊
Hi Robert! Thanks for the comment and for continuing to watch 👍
Are they slow? Well, I have no personal experience of other boat builders, but it is true that I was originally expecting Gladys to be completed last summer. Since then, the main cause of delay was that Aintree was having difficulty obtaining supply of the engines that they install, and so a backlog of boats built up, and mine was behind a number of others.
I guess another issue is that maybe Aintree Boats took on too many orders and we all ended up paying the price for that. Having said that - in their defence - its not in Aintree's interest to delay finishing the boats... because unlike some builders, they agree the price at the outset and this remains fixed, no matter how long the delay, and despite the fact that a 40 foot Beetle, if ordered today, would cost a lot more. So myself, Lorna and others, haven't been asked for any additional funds incurred because of the delays. And I only pay the final instalment when the boat is finished - so again, its in their interest to move the boats out so they can get on with the next boat on the list.
As with life in general, its very easy to judge others but there are always two sides to the story...
I also watch Lorna's channel and have actually seen Foxglove up close where it's presently right next to Gladys - they appear to have done a lovely job on the boat - I hope Lorna will be happy once she finally gets afloat and starts making videos of her adventures again. 🙂
Hi Jeff, Gladys is looking really nice and we are so pleased for you that progress is good and a possible launch date confirmed. You must be getting a little excited now. The interior is looking great and I cant wait to see the oak flooring. Thanks for the update Jeff and hopefully you'll be on the water soon and maybe even passing through Birmingham at some time. See you in the next video, take care Jeff. 👍
Hi Dave! Yes she is looking good! The oak floor should add a touch of class and, like you, I am keen to see how it all looks... I'll need to look after her and keep everything clean... but not easy when you're traipsing in and out after dirty locks and towpaths ☹️
I am definitely hoping to go through Birmingham - maybe you'll jump on for a cuppa! 👍
I know very little about canal boats but quite excited for your delivery. Hopefully you can get it for the autumn leaves.
Thanks Madison! yes, I am starting to believe it's really happening now - but even so, with not wanting to tempt fate... but that said, it certainly looks promising for some nice Autumn canal-videos 👍😁
Hi again Jeff had to take another look at Gladys and just to say that the size 44ft is an ideal choice 👌 just big enough for you and maybe another Narrowboat enthusiast who would like to travel with you.
Good luck with the completion date hope it's sooner rather than later later.
Bye for now 😊
Take care.
Hi John - that's great! - yes, actually, she's 40 feet long, not 44, so, nice and compact (though they do make boats much smaller of course). Much of the time I'll be alone, but my partner Janet will be staying on board now and then too. Its ideal for two people, even though the space will obviously be limited!
Yeah, as Ive said many times on here - keep everything crossed that the completion is on time!🤞
Gladys is looking like good progress is being made and am looking forward to the delivery date in the next few months! 😅
Yes indeed, thanks Angela! All being well, I will be on the water before September - I'll publicize the date nearer the time 😁
Gladys is very nearly ready, I'm like you about tempting fate as from experience if I ever tell anyone something is going to happen it doesn't! Plenty of time to let us know when it actually occurs & Gladys is on the water.
Love the train shots, I love travelling that way as there's always a feeling of excitement connected with trains somehow.
Have a good weekend Jeff & don't overheat!
Thanks Annie! Lovely morning here - same with you I hope.
Yeah, as I keep saying - don't uncross those fingers until she's actually chugging along on the water... but at the moment, it looks promising that I can spend the Autumn on the canals.👍
Trains are a big part of my life, I love them... if I hadn't gone for buying a narrowboat I'd probably have started a train-travel channel. Glad you liked the train footage!
I've an hour's work on my latest holzhausen this morning (before it gets too hot and the bees in nearby beehive mither me too much), but lots of other stuff lined up - I'll try to keep cool. You have a great weekend too Annie! 😁