andyg

The cream / white chalet type building was the office I seem to remember. I remember arriving to start a holiday with my mum dad and sisters one year back in the 70s and there was about 5 or 6 blue hulls on the grass by the office. They had just started building the Thames classes of boats. I seem to remember a white labrador was always sitting outside the office. Great memories of the old Aston Fleet.

My friend is a haulage subcontractor for schenkers gmb at there Laindon depot in Essex. He has 14 vehicles of different sizes working on both there groupage and domestic operations. Their international freight forwarding ops have ground to a virtual hault,with over 1000 import deliveries waiting to be despatched. Incorrect paperwork is the problem. Export collection to be sent over to Europe have been suspended due to no space at the freight centre. He has had 9 vehicles stood down for Monday,paperwork seems to be a problem on both sides of the chanel.

I would have to agree with that.

One thing Ive noticed since this pandemic started is how quite our A&E department has become at Basildon with general medical cases. Have people stopped falling over, cutting their limbs off etc. We as a nation really do need to start to understand what a very valuable resource the nhs is, government need to look into Dr and nurse shift patterns, the 12hour shifts need to go. A bit of live news from my wife's ward, they had an elderly gentleman from the travellers community admitted this afternoon, and now they are having to deal with dozens of irate travellers who just won't listen or leave, police are now on site, all in a days work I guess.

My wife is also nurse on a covid ward at Basildon hospital here in essex, they are currently losing on average 3 patients a day on her ward alone. She despairs at the general publics attitude towards wearing face coverings social distancing and the younger generations attitude towards this virus. She and her colleagues are on the verge of burning out. Sadly for her, she had friend of her father's admitted to her ward early Monday morning she held his hand has he past away that same afternoon so he wouldn't be alone. She was mentally broken Monday evening when she came home. She says she's seen enough of death to last her for the rest of her life. My wife is a very happy go lucky kind of person well known for her big heart, I can assure everyone she and her colleagues are not at this point in time. When we finally turn the corner with this virus and things settled down I believe we will see the true damage to nhs and its beleaguered staff. I'd also agree with comments made earlier, my wife and her colleagues believe they are just doing their job and don't seek gratification.

Surley not the same player who parked his lambo in someone's front garden destroying their front wall in the good old East end of London, COYI 😁

Looks fantastic, well done

Im a southend resident and we did indeed have large groups along the front new years eve. The boy racer thing has been going on since forever, nothing new. I'm surprised the French took the approach they did in shutting the rave down, they are normally a lot more heavy handed. Lack of numbers I'm guessing on the police side. Both my brother and sister in laws are southend police officers and they just haven't got the numbers to deal with large gathering on any night of the week. In a recent simular incident to the one at Ludham in leigh on Sea, they had to wait nearly an hour for back up to arrive from the met police at Ilford all local officers were allocated. The local press reported it as local police stood by and allowed it to happen. Just not the case the police were hugely out numbered.

Most enjoyable certainly brought back a few memories. Thanks for sharing

Last saw her sitting in the basin outside reception at Stalham. I think she was having a canopy fitted or worked on. She's must of been in the shed for a while. Be great to see her afloat and on the river again. BTW good luck with jomaric your team have done a good job by the looks of it. She look fantastic.

I was worried you was going to say that 😕 do you still have bv clive.

No sure which I like more, the boat or car 🤔 that's is a cracking looking boat clive, I'd be very nervous hiring that out tho.

Hired from them twice, Leeds Castle and Pevensey Castle. They were indeed very well looked after boats. Never really liked the base though but liked Brundall even less as a starting base if staying that side of the broads for the week. Shame the hull is now white I liked the colours back in the day,that said I still really like summercrafts colour scheme. Sounds like some good improvements clive, best of luck with the new venture.

Hired Pevensey Castle many moons ago, a really nice boat back then as was all castle crafts boats. Hoseasons describe her as being update, I'll be keen to see what's changed.

The companies history has been update on there website to reflect that. Stating paul and Laura now own richardson's group and horning and the Catfield site are no longer part of the group. So yes it seems to be big changes for richardson's. Hopefully Clive and his team will continue to design and develop new boats I believe he said there is a new one due next summer.

To be fair David far horizon has always let very well from its first season afloat,like the vast majority of richardson's platinum fleet. Wasn't swiftway the new sedan boat that was meant to launch from Stalham this year but was withdrawn due to covid. I know the moulds had been finished and just needed fitting out? Good luck with the new venture Clive, will we see any RC45 at horning I wonder?

Im not sure which one it was but one of this class was totally gutted a few years back and completely rebuilt internally , it looked very smart when finished. They do seem to do a very good job when building boats. The fleet is clearly very well looked after and presented in first class condition. I've seen some shocking looking boats out and about this season.

Clive Richardson might be able to help. I remember some time back he mentioned his collection of this kind of stuff.

Dreamtime was definitely an odd looking design. Great photos thanks for sharing, am I right in thinking the two yare sunsets ended up at summercraft?

Are they still there, what a waste shame to see it in such a state. Does Bill own them?

Strangely WRC have posted on their Facebook page today about hiring holiday cruisers from them in 2021 .......odd

Thanks for sharing Vaughan, never a dull day on the rivers, I actually like that version. For me langfords vision back then breeded new life into the hire boat industry for the broads and I guess the sheer amount of his boats/ designs that were produced are testament to that. Good to hear the boat lived on after the accident.

Suncharm was the same, you are correct they were having problems with the system so it was changed. We never suffered any problems and the instant hot water was a blessing on chilly mornings.

It is indeed, their older version has been sold and is back on the broads in private hands. Paul has high hopes the new boat will let well, I don't think he will have any problems there. Still an expensive way to build a hire boat I would assume,that said it looks a cracking boat.

Is that 77k for the finished boat .? The asking prices of the new small heritage branded re works of old design are eye watering. Just can't see how they justify or command such high prices. I very much doubt they sell too many