A round up of work done on boats in the collection since
January 2008:
(click on Work done to see pictorial records of work done in the boatyard)
Aleida I - Iron motor tug used by the Great Ouse Catchment Board - built to tow sugar beet barges on the Lincolnshire fens. Latterly it worked for the Anglian Water Authority, on Great Ouse Catchment Area, based at Southrey in Lincolnshire.
Work done - painted outside. It is fitted with a 2 cylinder air start Widdop engine, which is being restored. The engine renovation is being sponsored by BW deputy Chairman, John Bridgeman.
Bacup - Leeds and Liverpool short boat - at 62 ft long, it could navigate the whole of the canal. After carrying a variety of cargoes, it became a maintenance boat for British Waterways.
Work done - a new floor has been laid in the hold and the forecabin looks as good as new again. It had a total repaint and is a credit to everyone involved in the project.
Bigmere - Dumb barge, ‘Mere’ Class, known locally as a ‘Duker’.
Work done - painted inside, minor repairs to leak on hull, external paintwork tidied up.
Bantam II- Bridgewater Canal tug - built by E.C.Jones of Brentford and bought by the Manchester Ship Canal Company. It towed boats like Bigmere, loaded with grain, to the Kellogs factory at Stretford on the Bridgewater Canal.
Work done - repainted and fitted with new windows and portholes. The engine was refurbished to full working order (work done during TLC project).
Box boat 337- Open narrowboat (with no cabin) that carried her cargo in boxes that fitted into the hold.
Work done - cleaned off and wood ordered for repair, photographed and existing condition recorded for archives. One of the boxes has been reconditioned. Wood has now been delivered for the next phase of work.
Chalk barge - A wide wooden barge used on the River Arun, in Sussex, for carrying chalk to Littlehampton.
Work done - re-caulked to halt leaking but
unfortunately it is leaking again.
Ferret- A motor, composite (iron sides with a timber bottom) narrow boat
Work done - quick repaint of cabin, new gunnels and counter painted. Sponsored by London Canal Museum
GD101 - A welded steel, motor grab dredger built for the Manchester Ship Canal Company for use on the Bridgewater Canal.
Work done - full external repaint; work inside engine room complete; front cabin painted inside.
Ilkeston - A composite (iron sides and elm bottoms), horse-drawn, narrow boat
Work done Sponsored by London Canal Museum
Marbury- a wooden horsedrawn ice-breaker.
Work done - fully repainted.
Marlyn - Mersey harbour launch or ‘gig boat’ - operated in Birkenhead and Liverpool docks.
Work done
Mendip - A composite (steel sides and wooden bottom) motor narrow boat, famous as home to ‘Chocolate Charlie’ for many years.
Work done
Pelican - A large, motorised, single screw steel tug/maintenance boat, fitted with a crane.
Work done - a full repaint is in progress.
Shad - A motor narrow boat of composite construction (steel sides and an elm bottom).
Work done - hull inspection and blacking. Minor repairs to remove some rotten pieces of the gunnels. Oak used to replace the battens that keep
the side cloths attached.
Worcester - built in 1912 for use as a tunnel tug on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. She is currently fitted with a 30 hp semi diesel Bolinder engine.
Work done - survey, minor welding repairs to hull, bottom blacked, exterior paintwork refurbished, engine serviced and new compressor fitted. Back in the water.
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