The fit-out at Sandhills Narrowboats Limited to Launch [10 May 2006 - 11 December 2006]

Click on any of the thumbnails for a higher resolution image.

All pictures Copyright © 2005 - 2006 C J Wells

BELLE is launched 11 December 2006

A few pictures of the launch at Barton Turns Marina - as we left today, the lads (Mark to the left and Gary to the right) had set about making some slight adjustments to the ballast so that BELLE sits properly in the water. Thereafter they will lay the final flooring, attend to a few other minor jobs on board and then she is ours.

Thanks to Grey Nomad for the pictures of BELLE on the crane.

More pictures to come soon – including some of the interior after handover next weekend.

Some general shots of the Day Room / Saloon / Galley 18 November 2006

From left to right ● view from galley into day room showing side door steps and bathroom door ● view into saloon showing new flat screen TV ● view into galley from saloon ● closer shot of the high-level cupboards in the galley (glass panelled doors) ● TV mounted to the ceiling in the bedroom

More to come soon.

More work completed in the Bathroom / Utility Room and Day Room 28 October 2006

A few selected photographs showing – left to right ● vanity unit taking shape in the bathroom (just needs a door) ● electrical equipment cupboard / control arrangement taking shape in the utility room / stern (needs a shelf and doors – instrument panel being fitted now) ● high-level cupboard nearly finished in the day room (just needs handles).

More to come soon.

Some more general shots of the Saloon / Galley / Bedroom / Bathroom 14 October 2006

A few selected photographs showing – starting from top left and going clockwise ● view into the galley from the day room ● view into the galley from the saloon ● view into the bathroom from the day room ● another view into the galley from day room ● view of one of the two sliding portions at the foot of the cross-over bed (together they both support the lower ‘third’ of the mattress) ● two views of one of the two deep drawers at the foot of the cross-over bed ● view into the saloon from the bow doors

More to come soon.

Miscellaneous features 05 October 2006

A few selected photographs showing – starting from top left and going clockwise ● one of the galley work units, now nearly finished (just needs taps and handles for the cupboards / drawers) ● mushroom vent liners (now installed in all of the rooms) ● typical chrome finish ceiling light (now installed in all of the rooms) ● TravelPower control unit (just needs wiring in) ● Mastervolt inverter / charger unit (just needs wiring in) ● examples of the black laminate fixed to some of the walls in the toilet and bathroom areas ● chromed towel rail in the bathroom area ● toilet now installed along with the heating vent – the heat source for this is a fin-rad mounted on the opposite side of the toilet wall under the desk and boxed in).

More to come soon.

Portholes fitted 26 September 2006

All of the portholes have been fitted – this makes a lot of difference to the external appearance of BELLE, we think that you will agree. We are very pleased indeed with the results. The cabin wall panelling / beading has been started and circular ‘liners’ will be fitted to the portholes from the inside of the cabin when this panelling / beading is complete. All of these liners have already been made. Most of the ceiling lights have been fitted as have most of the boxes for the 240 v. ac sockets. The sockets themselves will be fitted soon, along with the light switches. All of the ceiling lights, sockets and switches have a polished chrome finish. The navigation lights have also been fitted and there has been a small light positioned above the bow doors to illuminate the well deck and cratch areas.

Conventional panel type radiators have been fixed in the saloon, under the desk in the day room, and in the utility room – there will be a chrome finish towel radiator in the bathroom (delivered but not fitted yet). There are Fin-Rads fitted in the bedroom and in the toilet. The shower base has been laid in the bathroom – the shower frame will be built around this soon. We will be having toughened / frosted glass panels mounted into this frame. We have decided upon the shower mixer taps / shower head to be used and the taps for the wash basin, but not the wash basin design itself yet. The gloss black laminate has arrived – this will find its way into the bathroom during this coming week. Most of the saloon TV/CD cupboard has been built ‘on the bench’ and this too will be fixed into the saloon during this coming week.