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The
Boats - 'Nuneaton''
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Specification:
FLEET
No: 156. NAME: Nuneaton. GAUGE No.
AND DATE: 12563-26/08/1936.
HEALTH REGISTRATION AND DATE: Rickmansworth
155-15/06/1937.
BUILT BY: W. J. Yarwood No.555. TYPE:
'F' Town Class. CONSTRUCTION: All steel.
KNOWN AS: Large Northwich. ENGINE: National
2DM-18hp No.46641 - G'BOX No. E/7874/10.
DELIVERED: 08/08/1936. INTENDED BUTTY:
320 Nunhead.
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History:
built in the mid-1930's as part of the massive
expansion programme of the Grand Union Canal Carrying
Company (G.U.C.C.Co.) -
186 pairs were built, designed to carry 72 tons
of cargo per pair on a draught of 4ft 3ins at
a speed of 6 miles per hour.
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But
the canals were never able to take boats with that
load, typically 50-55 tons were carried.
Once
commissioned Nuneaton was fully employed
carrying many different loads mainly between London
Ports and the Midlands, with backloads of coal from
the Coventry coalfields.
In 1948 a large part of the canal system came under
government control - the British Transport Commission
(Docks & Inland Waterways Executive). Nuneaton
now became part of the nationalised narrowboat fleet
operated by the B.T.C.(D.& I.W.E.), though the
daily routine of boating remained the same. It passed
to British Waterways (B.T.C. (B.T.W) in October
1953, and continued to carry goods much as it had
done with G.U.C.C.Co. Ltd.
During this period Nuneaton had its
original steel cabin removed, and replaced with
a wooden cabin similar to those on the Harland
& Wolff boats; this was done to several
of the boats due to heating and condensation problems.
In about 1960 Nuneaton's National engine
was removed and replaced with a Petter PD2
air cooled engine. |
Shortly
after the formation of British Waterways Board
in 1963 the nationalised carrying fleet was disbanded.
Many boats' carrying careers ended, but Nuneaton
was hired along with about 67 other narrowboats
to the newly formed Willow Wren Canal Transport
Services Ltd. Due to the good maintenance routine
and hull renovation carried out by B.T.W. some of
these boats were able to continue working until
1970.
Nuneaton was returned to B.W.B. in
1970 after 34 years of continuous work, being one
of the last narrowboats employed in long distance
canal carrying. But as B.W.B. had no work available
for Nuneaton she was stored, along with several
other boats returned at the same time, on the Wendover
Arm of the Grand Union Canal. They remained
here for about 18 months during which time 'enthusiasts'
scavenged anything of interest, and engine parts
were stolen to keep other boats running.
Sold to the Narrow Boat Trust, restoration of the
boat was put in hand, using mostly volunteer labour.
Thirty years later Nuneaton is still working, and
maintenance, as with all other working boats, is
ongoing. |
George
Wain at the helm of Nuneaton, Willow Wren days,
Grand Union Canal 1966. |
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In
the winter 2000/1 the temporary wooden cabin was
replaced with a steel one in the style of the
original, and a number of other repairs were made
to the hull and fittings.
The Petter engine was replaced with a Lister
HRW2 in 2001, although The Trust still
has an aspiration to return at some stage to a
National-type engine, similar to that originally
fitted.
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Right:
Nuneaton & Alperton, steered by
George Wain, Braunston Locks, 22nd
May 1966
(with the kind permission of Mike Webb)
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to Top of the Page.
The
Narrow Boat Trust is a company limited by guarantee,
registered in Cardiff under number 1724536
The
Registered Office of the Narrow Boat Trust is at:
23 Redway Drive, Twickenham, Middlesex TW2 7NT
The
Narrow Boat Trust is a charity registered in England
under number: 288243
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