Sunday 8 May 2011

Old boats at Alvecote


At Alvecote on the Coventry Canal were plenty of former working boats at the Narrowcraft boatyard when we passed on 5th April 2011.


We didn't stop, so I can positively identify only the boats in my photos: Nuneaton, Brighton, Australia and Stafford.


As far as I can make out from the legend on Stafford the boat was originally built by FMC (Fellows, Morton and Clayton) in 1898; rebuilt by Yarwoods in 19xx; renovated and converted by Narrowcraft in 2008.


I've just looked up Stafford on the Historic Narrow Boat Owners' Club website, which gives the following information: 1898 built as butty number 236 at FMC's Saltley Dock; 1938 converted to motor number 342 at Yarwood's; 1949 became part of north western division, Docks and Inland Waterways Executive; 2008 current conversion added.

Further browsing reveals that Stafford is/was for sale at £150,000 on the Apollo Duck website, which indicates that its status is "Sale Agreed".

I wonder if there's anything left of the original boat.

1 comment:

Vallypee said...

Interesting! Stafford's original bits are the same age as my barge, which I am proud to say is nearly all original...a very old lady now.

These old narrowboats are beautiful, aren't they? The shape of the hulls is lovely.