Molly Traill Archive

The Heather Bell was chartered by the company [Severn Catchment Board] to carry stone and drop it at specified points, to stop bank erosion caused by the Severn Bore.

This project meant a considerable degree of danger for the boat. She had to be taken over the weir, into the river at Gloucester at the top of the bore level, to a tie-up made especially for her at Minsterworth, where she was based. As can be seen in the photographs below the tie-up consisted of two riding poles allowing for a 15ft rise as the bore came up and passed, and to drop the boat about twenty minutes later when a far gentler wave came down. We had riding chains and cables to the posts and poles, as well as fore and aft anchors. It was the first time a narrow boat had been known to come over the weir – on purpose.

The work had to be done in three weeks to allow for our return at the top of the next high bore. Anchor watch was kept during the highest phase and the return. You could hear it coming from half a mile away, and we stood by on the gang planks with shafts at the ready. Unfortunately we underestimated the length of the highest phase and one night I was awakened by the sound of the anchor chain dragging – I slept in the fore cabin. It was useless to waste time trying to wake Daphne, she was the heaviest sleeper I have ever known. The bore on its return had carried away the fore anchor and I spent the next twenty minutes hanging onto the opposite bank with a long shaft, holding the boat against the force of water, to prevent the stern anchor carrying away. If this had happened we would have been swept onto a shelf of rock only a few yards below. When the force had swept I awoke Daphne and in pitch darkness we got out the dinghy and I rowed the anchor back and dropped it in its original position upstream.

From account given by Molly Traill to E.V. Wakelin in January 1965. He was the owner of Heather Bell at the time. Incorporated as part of an article he wrote about Heather Bell, published in Hospital News, Vol.7 No.1, March 1965 – Northern Ireland Hospitals Authority. Only the third and fourth of these six photos were published in that article.

Website by Crispin Partridge – Grandson of Molly Traill.