Devon Honey and Serendipity

Devon Honey and Serendipity

19th May 2010

Its funny how sometimes you don't have cause to think about something for months, and then you see reminders everywhere.

I was in Woking on businesss the other day and my journey home took me near Runneymede, which put me in mind of my trip down the Thames on nb Honey in the summer of 2005. I have already posted an entry about this trip, which was full of incident, but no sooner had I thought about Mr Primrose's leaky Springer than I saw a photo of her in the June edition of Canal Boat. Actually, that isn't strictly true because I saw two completely unrelated photos of her in the same publication.

Anna Devon For Sale at Whilton Marina

The first was within the regular Whilton Marina page advertising her for sale  under the misspelt name Anni Devon (£14,950) which had me heading for their web page to get a better look. The insides have all been renewed but the outside is still the British Racing Green I painted on her five years ago - but freshly recoated for sale. The on line ad suggests she has a flat bottom but, unless she has been rebottomed in the last few years, that's wrong as, like most Springers, its a wobbly V.

Sorry about the quality - it was a tiny thumbnail!

But then there is the second photo, this time in one of the the small thumbnails in Derek Pratt's "The Secret side of London" feature, with Honey / Anna Devon powering over the North Circular Aqueduct. I didn't spot her at first glance but closer inspection revealed the dodgey cratch I fabricated out of some recycled ply, and the light I added to the right hand side of the unusual circular window - 10/10 for function and 2/10 for beauty. If that isn't enough proof, there is a bow fender chain dangling down in both Derek's photo and the one advertising it in Whilton's pages.

I have very fond memories of Honey / Anna Devon so hopefully someone will fall in love with this 30 year old classic and keep it moving round the system for a few more years.