“Stolen” mud hopper found

Jeff relaxing before bow hauling up Farmers BridgeHereford and Gloucester canal society’s hopper “Tow” – an ex River class butty converted in to a mud skip, had rested for a few years on Icknield Port Loop.  They had an offer to lift it out of the water at Alvechurch – but when they went to collect it, it wasn’t there!

Jeff Carter ducks while Paul Smith looks on.It was found at the top of Camp Hill locks – it had probably been assumed by CRT contractors that it was one of their hoppers.  The problem was to get it down to Alvechurch.  A team from H&G, supplemented by BCN society stalwarts bow hauled it down Camp Hill, and up Digbeth and Farmers Bridge flight, with the assistance of Muskrat.  (Muskrat is well known to Marathon Challenge afficionados – owned by John Hammond of H&G)

 

 

 

Brought to Farmers Bridge, then towed down to Alvechurch.  Mudhopper Tow about to be craned out

Well done all for retrieving Tow.