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Birmingham & Midland Canal Carrying Company - Bespoke Executive Solutions Ltd The Birmingham & Midland Canal Carrying Company Limited, 'BM3CO'. One of the last commercial canal carriers, is now the trading name for the inland waterways services of Bespoke Executive Solutions Ltd. For over Fifty years or so, 'The Birmingham & Midland Canal Carrying Company Ltd' of Gas Street Basin, Birmingham, carried goods and operated trip boats and the Camping Fleet. 'Bespoke Executive Solutions Ltd', in an attempt to keep some living history in it's rightful place have now registered the original company name, 'The Birmingham & Midland Canal Carrying Company Limited' with Companies House and the original livery of the fleet will reappear on the canal system on their boats, working in conjunction with the original team in the heart of Birmingham. The Birmingham & Midland Canal Carrying Company; BM3CO, specialises in historic working boats and offers a range of narrowboat services. Our services. BM3CO have a wide range of services available on the Midland's canals, including; Charters, Trips, Team Building, Adventures & Holidays. BM3CO can provide a range of narrowboat experiences, in different formats, that will ensure all guests enjoy their time afloat. Whilst the emphasis will be on fun, safety is a prime concern. BM3CO will manage the narrowboat trip, leaving you and your guests to enjoy their cruise. Historic Narrowboat Day Charter in the Countryside. BM3CO offer rural trips for smaller groups, based aboard historic narrowboat 'Hawkesbury'. 'Hawkesbury' was built in 1937 to carry goods on the Grand Union Canal and, following her conversion, she is an ideal vessel for a Family or Corporate Cruise. Carrying up to 10 people, we travel through scenic Staffordshire, between the City of Lichfield and Great Haywood. We can host celebrations, team building, business meetings and reward days. Travel, food and drinks can be arranged for your party and we have a handy canal side café where we can stop for refreshments and a choice of Public Houses to eat at, either at lunchtime or in the evening after your charter. Hawkesbury. 'Hawkesbury' has residential options as well; She has a '2+2' accommodation option and can be booked, in advance, for either the night before or the night after your charter. We also offer self catering, Skippered, holiday hire. (Pet friendly). Options include; - Refreshments. - Catering. - 230v electricity for presentations. - laptops. - Crew member on hand. - Opportunities to steer and work locks etc. Skippered holiday charters aboard Narrowboat 'Hawkesbury'. 'So you like the idea of a holiday afloat but don't fancy doing all the work? Perhaps a 'Hotel' boat doesn't give you the exclusive use of the boat or the 'hands on' aspect you were looking for? Either way, 'Hawkesbury' could be the solution. BM3CO offer 'Luxury Skippered Charters'. Yes, you get a highly qualified Helmsman who manages the boat for you and is independent from the main cabin accommodation. Short breaks and weekly charters are available around a multitude of cruising routes. You get to steer if you wish and operate the locks and bridges, even gain a recognised qualification if you are up for it! What you don't get are the stresses and strains of operating one of the largest, heaviest narrowboats on the entire system - leave that to the Skipper! Hawkesbury was built in 1937, known as a 'Big Woolwich'; she is a former cargo-carrying vessel and was the last of the batch, made by Harland and Wolff (No.148) for the 'Grand Union Canal Carrying Company'. Hawkesbury is a tastefully converted and offers an exterior saloon and a very comfortable interior fit out. She operates all around the Midlands area, in particular between the City of Lichfield and Shugborough Hall, Great Haywood. Hawkesbury Accommodation includes: Master Cabin with large fixed double bed. Bath / shower room. Beautifully appointed interior saloon with solid fuel stove, large leather sofa bed for guests. Light, airy, spacious galley. An enormous exterior saloon under the removable 'Cloths' in the bows. With the option of leaving the boat to visit a Stately Home or other places of interest, then returning to the boat further along the route, you are not 'tied' to the boat for the duration of the holiday. A vehicle service can be arranged. Ask for details. We have transport available for bringing in supplies every couple of days, to help with your self catering, unlike a 'Hotel' boat. We tie up early evening, within easy strolling distance of a canal side Pub, if that appeals to you. We aim to exceed your expectations aboard our historic, 1937, narrow boat 'Hawkesbury'. Party Boats. Narrowboat 'Anson' is a converted 1950's former working boat that has a 42-passenger capacity. We can offer 3-hour evening trips, day charters, corporate entertainment; family trips or even a very private business meeting afloat. Anson. 'Anson' is based in Birmingham's Gas Street Basin, just off Broad Street in the heart of the City Centre. The Basin is next to Brindley Place, the International Convention Centre, the Hyatt hotel and the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. 'Anson' has a Licensed bar, with a wide range of drinks for sale at normal bar prices, There is a small dance floor onboard and we have several catering options and a DJ is also available. We also host regular live music events afloat, such as 'Jazz on the Water' on Sundays. Camping and Adventure Boats for Youth Groups. With a capacity of 36 berths, between the three historic vessels, the 'Camping Boats' are early 20th Century, full sized working boats; 'Motors' 'Collingwood', 'Yeoford' and the 'Butty', 'Ash'. (A 'Butty' is an unpowered vessel which is pulled along by a 'Motor'). These boats have been set up to provide a camping experience on the canals for youth groups, or indeed, any groups in multiples of up to 12, who fancy getting back to basics on residential canal trips around the Midlands region. Our main users are Scout and Guide Groups, and we have the correct paperwork in place, which the Scout Movement requires. In recent years, a vast amount of new requirements have become law, regarding Health and Safety, Child Protection Procedures etc, for companies working with anyone aged less than eighteen years old, or considered 'At risk'. In order to bring the 'Camping boats' firmly and legally into the Twenty First Century, 'Bespoke Executive Solutions Ltd' have used their experience as an Accredited Training Centre for the 'National Community Boats Association', to bear and the Camping Boats are now capable of offering residential canal experiences to perhaps the next two generations of youngsters. Team building afloat. Should your business or organisation be looking for an out of the ordinary team building exercise, which will really show the 'leaders from the followers' then we could have the solution for you! How about a ten-hour lock marathon? Travelling from the city to the countryside or visa versa. We have three full sized 'Motors' available giving us a maximum capacity of thirty-four clients. Three flights, totalling 34 locks, at least three miles on foot, two tunnels, lots of grounding on the bottom and an excellent juxtaposition of rural and urban environments. A trip not to be taken lightly on a full sized working boat. With a beam of seven feet and over three feet of boat under water, working boats can be really difficult to negotiate through the shallow sections. The 250-year-old locks have been repaired to accommodate modern boats of 6' 10 beam - quite a squeeze! A group of ten would be split into two teams, an advance team and a boat team. Two-way radios keep the group connected whilst the advance team get the locks ready for the boat team who wrestle her through. The teams can swap duties half way or at the 'Team Leaders' direction. We would recommend Marston Farm Hotel, Bodymoor Heath, Sutton Coldfield as your starting / finishing point and recommend that you have consecutive bookings, one each way for this trip. We have access to upmarket vehicles for group transfers. We would be pleased to go through the planning with you. Boat Handling Courses - Leisure, Specialist & Commercial. Birmingham & Midland Narrowboat Training. Over the last three years BM3CO has been working towards setting up a narrowboat training centre, with a difference. Our aim has been to provide a full range of training for the various users groups that cruise the canal system. Our Instruction team are qualified as Instructors / Assessors, by both the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and the National Community Boats Association (NCBA). We run a wide range of NCBA qualifications, but at present have decided not to run the RYA Inland Helmsman's course, a leisure qualification, but to offer more specialist courses instead. We are happy to travel to you within the Midlands and run a course on your own boat. We can join you for the first day of your narrowboat holiday, to show you the ropes, or you can come to us for a one-day or residential course aboard a full sized working boat. Boat handling courses on offer; Single Handed Boating Techniques - You ought to be confident on your own; AND SAFE. We'll show you how to lock through on your own and different ways of making the trip easier if you are by yourself. Scout Leader Courses - If you intend boating with your Scout Group we can sign you off once trained. We can offer a one or two day course, depending upon your prior experience. Crew Training Courses - An introduction for Novices - Be confident and know the ropes. Learn how to be an asset to the Skipper and get more out of your trip. Ladies Courses - Do you feel like you would benefit from calm & patient instruction? Theory, basics, steering to start with, then as advanced as we can get in the timescale allowed. Historic Boat Handling Courses - Fancy the helm of a full sized, pre -war working boat? We can offer taster days or residential options aboard and give you the chance to take the helm with original controls. Not for the faint hearted! BoatMasters MCA BML T2 - We can sign off Work Record books, Task Books and offer two day boat handling sessions to practise for the Tier 2 examination. Youth Training Courses - Complete Crew Courses (NCBA) are a great way to get into boating. We are happy to work with keen youngsters who'd either like to boat for fun or perhaps gain qualifications in order to find employment within the industry. BoatMaster Services. Maritime & Coastguard Agency BoatMasters. We can provide Skippers for your Class 5 Passenger Vessels / Trip boat if you are Midlands based and need someone to stand in to cover staff holidays or longer periods. (Category 'A' Waters). Commercial operators who require Workboat Skipper's cover please feel free to contact us about Workboat & Towing / Pushing Operations. We can also supply crew. Historic Narrowboat owners who need help, from either Skipper or crew, can rest assured that we'll be glad to assist and we would treat your vessel as we'd treat our own. We can move / deliver Tugs, Motor's & Butties (behind one of our Motor's if required) Please call us for a chat about your needs? Boat Deliveries. Whether you've bought a 'Sail away' and would like it taking to your moorings, or your boat is just not where you want it, we can deliver your narrowboat for you, safe in the knowledge that you have a professional at the helm and competent crew. We are covered by £2,000,000.00 Public liability insurance. As long as your boat is 'Canal Worthy' and legal we would be glad to assist. Call us for a quote. The deliveries of historic vessels are a speciality. Safety Boats & Rescue Craft. Although not as yet a Rescue / Safety boat provider we can supply Skippers for your event. We have RYA Power Boat Level 2 Skippers, covered for commercial operations on Category 'A' Waters. In 2012 we plan to have our own RIB and our Skippers are training towards RYA Advanced (Offshore) and Rescue Boat (Offshore) qualifications. Television & Film work. We have experience working with television companies and supplied the BBC with working boats for a series of programmes by 'Charles Hazelworth' entitled; 'The Birth of British Music.' The above information is the abbrieviated text off the website; www.bm3co.co.uk For more detailed information and a booking enquiries please visit the site and then get in touch! Provides Charter Or Hire;Commercial;Holidays;Lessons;Narrowboat;Public Trips;Restaurant/Bar;Wildlife Watching Location Birmingham, Coventry, Walsall & Stafford Address Stafford, Birmingham, Walsall & Coventry Telephone 07527 727169 01543 481868 Website Availability        Information on this page has been supplied by &/or confirmed with the respective business. However, to ensure you have the most up-to-date information, always confirm with the business directly. This listing should not be taken as any kind of endorsement or validation by BoatDistrict of this business. |