Bittell...

History of THE HISTORIC TUG "BITTELL No 5 " ( AND PACIFIC No 4) By Steve Bingham.

During 1933, Stewartss & Lloyds, Coombswood, Halsowen, Worcestershire. Commissiond W.J.Yarwoods & Sons of Northwich Cheshire for Two Tugs to be built as Ice Breakers to add to the ever increasing fleet of Boats at Stewart & Lloyds, Halsowen.

Both Hulls were built side by side & constructed out of rivoted wrought Iron.

By July 1934 both hulls were finished & deliverd to "Harris Boat Builders" at Bumble Hole, Netherton, Worcestershire. to have there Identical rivoted Iron cabins Fitted.

By September both Tugs were Finished & known as Tugs No 4 & No 5.

A total lengh of 40ft, 6ft 8" beam, with a draught of 2ft 8" the original engine was a 4cyl Fordson Tractor Engine running on T.V.O. driving a 24" dia Propeller

Both Tugs were put to work collecting coal from the Cannock Coal Fields towing up to 4 Joey boats, with around 10 Ton's of coal in each boat.

Then they would drop some full Joeys outside Stewarts & Lloyds Bilston, carring on down the 3 locks at "Factory", then through Netherton & Gosty Hill Tunnels

Before ariving at Stewarts & Lloyds Coombswood, Halsowen. After unloading Coal out of the Joeys & into the furnaces, the tugs picked up the empty boats then returned to Cannock to repeat the process. The two Tugs were also used as Ice Breakers.

In June 1958 British Waterways purchased "Tug No 5" asset No 80384. ( I suspect "Tug No 4" was purchased the same time, but I have no details of this transaction)

B.W. fitted new Engines in both Tugs, they both had H.A. 3 cyl Listers with a Blackstone gearbox, producing 33 hp @ 1,800 r.p.m.

In 1960 "Tug No 5" was sent onto the Worcester / Birmingham Canal to be used for Ice Breaking & was moored at Lower Bittell.

At the same time "Tug No 4" was sent to the Brownhills section of the Wyrley & Essington Canal, also used for Ice Breaking, & moored at Snyed Junction.

It was about this time the two Tugs were named, "BITTELL" ( tug No 5) and "PACIFIC" (tug No 4) so for the first time in 24 years the two Tugs were split up.

During the 1970's "Bittell" was used by "Chocolate Charlie Atkins jr" on behalf of British Waterways, doing maintenance job's around the B.C.N.

"Bittell" was often seen moored at the top of "Farmers bridge Locks" just outside "Charlie Atkins jr" home.

Sometime during the 1970's "Pacific" was Sold to "Alfred Matty & Son's" of "Coseley" and was used on Dredging contracts towing Mud Hoppers around.

During the late 1980's "Pacific" was Sold on in need of renovation to a private buyer, infact the Tug was passed through sevral private ownerships before

ending up at "Watford" in 2001 in the hands of John Pattle.

In 1990 "Bittell" was past on to DUDLEY CANAL TRUST still in its British Waterways Blue livery, you could tell that this tug has had a hard life

by the amount of battle scares, rust & rot around the cabin and hull areas.

Not wanting to go into serious renorvation, the Trust did minor repairs to the cabin area, also refitting the T&G woodwork back into the front cabin.

Bittell was then painted in the Red & Green Livery of Stewarts & Lloyds, soon after, the tug was put back into service. going to boat rally's around the B.C.N.

and Delivering the Trust Joey Boats( contracted out) around the B.C.N.

Sunday 21st Febuary 1999 was a bad day for Bittell, it was discovered on the bottom of the canal whilst moored at the Black Country Living Muesum.

After spending all morning pumping her out, a rotted pinhole was discoverd in the rear counter of the boat, doing a tempory repair we floated her under the

lift bridge & winched the tug part the way up the slips on the boat dock with thanks to the B.C.L.M. for there assistance.

One week later Bittell's engine was fired up ( after some service work) and taken to British Waterways, Bradley Workshops.

Bittell was then craned out & put on blocks in there yard, to assess how much work was needed ?

It revealed a very rotted rear counter which needed replacing along with new swim plates e.t.c.

On the 14th December 2000, "Bittell" was deliverd back to Dudley Canal Trust complete with a new rear counter & swim plates.

It's first job was to tow the two trip boats & work boat back from Tardibigge, this trip was a very cold day with up to 2" thick of ice & 5" of snow to deal with.

We were doing well until I notice a drop in oil presure just passed Kings norton, on Examination of the engine it was found that diesel fuel was getting into the

engine oil. it was a long hard day & one I would never forget in a hurry but after 14hrs we all got home safely.

In Febuary 2001 "Bittell" went back to B.W. workshops at Bradley to have it's engine worked on, whilst the tug was up there, close Examination of the bottom of the

cabin area revield some exssive corrosion.

So with much discution between British Waterways & Dudley Canal Trust It was decieded to compleatley replace the cabin, trying to save as much of the original

cabin as possible. After completley removing the cabin top, the only parts that could be saved was the Iron framework & the pigeon box.

The rest of the cabin sides & roof were renewed with new steel, but not one seam was welded, It was all HOT RIVIOTED which I bellive was the last job

for Joe Hollingshead before he retired. Whilst this work was going on it was decieded to move the bulkhead back towards the engine & to put an

all Important doorway so that crew could walk through the boat, rather than walk down the slippy gunwalls in the winter.

On the 16th May 2001 "Bittell" was deliverd back to D.C.T. with it's newly painted cabin in red and another shade of green.

During the D.C.T. open weekend Bittell was Signwritten by Dave Perk's in front of Intrested public. Throughout the year Dereck Gittings

fitted out the front cabin area with T.& G., two bunks & a dropdown table finished off with two coats of traditional tug cream paint.

During 2004 I had Discoverd an old B.W. photograph taken during the 1940's of "Bittell" & "Pacific" moored together in front of a scrap pile just outside

Stewarts & Lloyds Bilston. By close examination of the photo, I discoverd if you look very close on the cabin sides of the tug's you will notice the tall

Original Livery of STEWARTS & LlOYDS. So it was at this point that I realised that we have the wrong Livery on the tug !

And also the wrong shade of green paintwork on the cabin. ( as some of the ex.S.&L. employee's have pointed out to me)

So it was time for another change.

My main problem was finding the correct shade of green ? it took me many weeks reserching into this problam, until I found a 100 year old

rudder that came off a original S.&L. joey that was kept in the wood shed on the Boat Dock at the B.C.L.M. which still had it's original paintwork on it.

So Iv'e now found the original colours of Stewarts & Lloyds ( Bright Red, Grass Green, with Ivory lining & lettering )

So during April 2005 myself with help from others stripped all the paintwork off "Bittell" down to bare metal. with 2 coats of red oxied undercoat,

Using coach enamel supplied by Phill Speight we painted on 4 coates of bright red & grass green top coat with Ivory lining.

We then got Dave Perks to apply the Ivory lettering with black shading down the sides of the cabin.

May 14th / 15th 2005 saw "Bittell" at it's first Event since it's recent revamp, apearing at the Hawne Basin Open Weekend which also attracts some ex S.&L. employee's,

To my supprise they all approved the new paintwork & Livery.

On 14th december 2005 "Bittell" was Docked at Caggy's Boatyard to have a new Stern Tube fitted with a machined propshaft. Ralph also fitted a 2nd support bearing

to take some of the load off the Stern Tube. At the same time I went down to give the Hull a good Scrape off & paint Black, also the engine had a service,

the 3 Fuel Injectors were removed & reconditioned. Ready for the 2006 season.

Over the last 18 mts we have been aware of the amount of excesive engine smoke which has been getting worse during 2006 season.

So during January 2007 the engine will be stipped down, examined, fit the nesasery parts & rebuilt.

The Information that we have aquired on "Bittell" & "Pacific" have come from British Waterways Bradley & Gloucester, Dudley Archives, Pete Harrison, Cath Turpin,

Some Stewarts & Lloyds ex employees. to the best of our knowledge is correct. Anybody with anymore Information on the history of "BITTELL" or "PACFIC"

will be greatfully receved.

Dudley Canal Trust