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Steam narrow boat President

Mysterious Cover Picture on 195 - Edition 41

Many have imagined boating with ‘President’ on a hard winters day – the trees and hedges frosted like lace, the fields covered with snow – and all agleam in bright sunshine. The delicious odours of mulled wine and a plum pudding cooking wafting up through the cabin door.

Alas, such winters seem but a dream now and in any case, ‘President’ is laid up through the winter. So to get an idea of what it would be like we called upon our electronic artist, Dave Speer, to do a bit of 'seasonal enhancement'. ( Normally the editorial office would frown upon such goings on. )

The first thing that strikes one is what an incredibly hardy lot the boat crew are. Shirt sleeves rolled up in mid-winter. Then someone pointed out that the deciduous trees were in leaf. Well it is possible. Railway modellers will tell you there is a prototype for everything.
And, if you look at page 18 of Alan Faulkner's book “FMC”, there is a picture in which a boat man – in rolled up shirt sleeves – can be seen in very icy conditions. He is attending to his stove chimney. No doubt, having done so, unlike our cover heroes, he quickly descended back into his cosy cabin. In future all pictures will be absolutely genuine – honest!. Keith Rogers