Loddon 1968 Ish

[JanetAnne]

I have just acquired this postcard (well I just had to have it seeings as I own the boat in the middle!) 

It's Loddon Staithe in 1968 or maybe 1969 but I just can't quite get my bearings. I think I am looking across at what is now the Princess Cruisers basin but it is listed as the Staithe.  Was the Staithe moved up later on? 

 

[JanetAnne]

Oops, it's not reproduced that well. ..

The building/chalet on the right of the two in the background says 'Aston Boats Ltd' across the top

[NorfolkNog]

The church should be a key pointer - I'm just trying to orientate too! Hired from Astons a while back - they were in what is now Princess. 

[Regulo]

It would have been taken from the end of the Public moorings at the time.

[AdnamsGirl]

I did a 'Then & Now' of this postcard for Broadland Memories a few years ago ..

 

[Regulo]

Ah, yes, taken from the other side of the river! My mistake.

[webntweb]

The single storey building has a signboard with Aston Boats on it in your 68/69 postcard.

Here's a pic I took in 66 with Princess Cruisers on the signboard - as AdnamsGirl says. 

[grendel]

you can almost get to the exact viewpoint in google maps, streetview, the church tower is just visibl;e amongst the trees

[JanetAnne]

52 minutes ago, webntweb said:

The single storey building has a signboard with Aston Boats on it in your 68/69 postcard.

Here's a pic I took in 66 with Princess Cruisers on the signboard - as AdnamsGirl says. 

Perfect. Now I can see the two sheds it all makes sense. Nice one!

[grendel]

Google streetview

[RS2021]

I like the extra wide Hampton Safari! Anyone know where I can get one...

[MaceSwinger]

2 hours ago, grendel said:

Google streetview

Crikey, looks quiet for August! (2011)

[JennyMorgan]

41 minutes ago, RS2021 said:

I like the extra wide Hampton Safari! Anyone know where I can get one...

Boats are like women, some men prefer wide transoms and broad beams!

[NeilB]

1 hour ago, RS2021 said:

I like the extra wide Hampton Safari! Anyone know where I can get one...

I thought I was seeing double, I've not even had a drink... yet !

[MaceSwinger]

6 hours ago, JanetAnne said:

Was the Staithe moved up later on? 

Looking at Google Maps, the point where that picture was taken is marked as Loddon Quay. Now I wonder if the staithe the post card refers to is actually the slipway and surrounding area, rather than the basin opposite?

[Broads01]

Fascinating thread and photos. On my second ever visit to the Broads as a twelve year old in 1983 we hired from Aston's in London. At that time the basin was fully occupied by their boats and they had the Beccles operation also. I always think of that holiday when I pass the basin now.

After Aston's moved out of Loddon, the Princess Cruisers name returned briefly at the same location. They hired two boats as I recall, Mercury Princess (ex Aston Mercury?) and an aft cockpit 2 berth (Sabre Princess?). I assume the owners were unrelated to the previous Princess Cruisers.

[MaceSwinger]

3 hours ago, Broads01 said:

Fascinating thread and photos. On my second ever visit to the Broads as a twelve year old in 1983 we hired from Aston's in London. At that time the basin was fully occupied by their boats and they had the Beccles operation also. I always think of that holiday when I pass the basin now.

After Aston's moved out of Loddon, the Princess Cruisers name returned briefly at the same location. They hired two boats as I recall, Mercury Princess (ex Aston Mercury?) and an aft cockpit 2 berth (Sabre Princess?). I assume the owners were unrelated to the previous Princess Cruisers.

 

3 hours ago, Broads01 said:

They hired two boats as I recall, Mercury Princess (ex Aston Mercury?) and an aft cockpit 2 berth (Sabre Princess?). I assume the owners were unrelated to the previous Princess Cruisers.

Judging by Craig's database Mercury Princess was ex-Aston Mercury, and the other was indeed Sabre Princess, a Seamaster Zonda 813 that was formerly Aston Sabre.

[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. 

[LizG]

In 1966 we had no radio on WR. So on the day after the World Cup we moored in the basin, went in the shop and I assume picked up a newspaper....... because that's where I found out England won

[trambo]

Aston Boats moved to the Princess basin in 1968 when the Princess fleet was either bought or merged with Astons. The original Aston yard is today the site of Bill Maxted's yard (Broadland Riverine). The card is photographed from S. B. Brooks and Mistralcrafts boatyards on the Chedgrave bank both who used R. B.Bradbeer as their letting agent. The boat on the right of the postcard is Mistralcraft's Whispering Reed and on the left Whispering Gypsy.

Fred

[JanetAnne]

1 hour ago, trambo said:

Aston Boats moved to the Princess basin in 1968 when the Princess fleet was either bought or merged with Astons. The original Aston yard is today the site of Bill Maxted's yard (Broadland Riverine). The card is photographed from S. B. Brooks and Mistralcrafts boatyards on the Chedgrave bank both who used R. B.Bradbeer as their letting agent. The boat on the right of the postcard is Mistralcraft's Whispering Reed and on the left Whispering Gypsy.

Fred

Well done sir! 

We just couldn't put a name to the one on the left. 

[Broads01]

4 hours ago, trambo said:

Aston Boats moved to the Princess basin in 1968 when the Princess fleet was either bought or merged with Astons. The original Aston yard is today the site of Bill Maxted's yard (Broadland Riverine). The card is photographed from S. B. Brooks and Mistralcrafts boatyards on the Chedgrave bank both who used R. B.Bradbeer as their letting agent. The boat on the right of the postcard is Mistralcraft's Whispering Reed and on the left Whispering Gypsy.

Fred

Thanks, Fred, I had no idea Astons hadn't always been in the basin.

I have happy memories of Mistral Craft, holidaying with them in 1986, their final year.

[andyg]

Does anyone know why Aston boats closed its doors. It was such a distinctive fleet that seemed so popular, always seemed to add new boats was splitting the fleet over two bases its down full. 

[Happy]

48 minutes ago, andyg said:

Does anyone know why Aston boats closed its doors. It was such a distinctive fleet that seemed so popular, always seemed to add new boats was splitting the fleet over two bases its down full. 

Ask Steve at Derby's Quay Beccles.  He will know.  He worked for them for many years.

[Regulo]

I bought Aston Sunbird from them in 1998. At the time, the workers were perplexed as to why Astons were selling off boats that were solid earners, i.e. the ones that were booked solid every season. I suspect over-stretched finances might have had something to do with it. Their expansion had been quite rapid for a smaller outfit over the previous decade or so.