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Boats built for the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company, by W.J.Yarwoods of Northwich between 1928 and 1938, and other LMS owned boats.

 

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BOLD lettering indicates the original boat name; new names in plain text.

The London Midland & Scottish Railway on formation in 1923 inherited a considerable canal network from the earlier pre-grouping railway owned canals. In addition to the canals, boats also owned by those companies came under LMS ownership. Thus boats from the North Staffs, the Midland, London & North Western (who owned the Shropshire Union fleet) all came into the company. Many of these boats were wooden, but in 1928 W.J .Yarwoods of Northwich were commissioned to build a fleet of mostly open, rivetted iron day boats, for use on the 22 railway interchange basins of the Birmingham Canal Navigations. The hulls were all iron construction, including the bottom, and measured 70ft in length by 7ft beam, with a hull side of 3ft 6in. They are recognised by the unique fore-deck, which has a typical Yarwoods stem bar; the deck having little rise, and being longer than Joshers and GUCC boats.

70ft station boat MECCA In 1948, all the boats passed into the ownership of British Railways, the stern bends being lettered B.R.(L.M.R.); standing for British Railways London Midland Region. BR continued the interchange traffic until 1st April 1954, when they ceased operations with canal boats, and thus 67 boats became available for transfer. The GWR owned boats as well, and some boats owned by the LMS had come from the Midland Rly, and London & North Western Railway. The fleet was taken over by British Waterways, but with trade gradually diminishing. One of the best examples of a railway interchange basin exists at Monmore Green near Wolverhampton; virtually unchanged.

..............L.M.S. station boat MECCA No 50 in 1989.

Monmore Green interchange basin. MECCA fore-end.

..................Monmore Green interchange basin 1999....................MECCA after conversion to a 60ft motorboat.

All the boats owned by British Rail were collected together at Bloomfield for the sale; the iron boats fetching £50 each, and the wooden boats £10. After being taken over by British Waterways, 12 of the Yarwoods boats were converted to long distance carrying craft, to fill a shortage of butty boats in the BW North West fleet. All the conversion work was done on the dry docks at Stone, between 1955 and 1957; BW then re-naming the 12 boats after stations. All the station names are familiar apart from BIRDSWOOD, which doesn't seem to have a station to be named after. The most likely railway source for the name is Bird'swood flyover; the name for the railway flyover close to Dutton where the line from Runcorn crosses over the West Coast Main line to Scotland. Adjacent to the railway is Bird's wood, close by the South end of Preston Brook Tunnel. JESMOND is close to Newcastle on Tyne, and FORD could be either in Devon or Lancashire.

IDENTIFICATION, the good news.

All of the fleet were well covered in identification plates, there being one or two BCN wrought iron registration plates; one LMS registration plate, and an oval W.J.Yarwoods builder's plate. The BCN plates were fixed to the right hand side of the front bulkhead, and also in a position behind the range if the boat had a back cabin. The LMS plate was on the left hand side of the front bulkhead, and the Yarwoods builder's plate above the door, in the bulkhead, which was positioned centrally. The LMS owners plate was almost identical to the BCN registration plate, but with LMS followed by the number below. The fore-deck had no deck lid, and to the rear of the fore-deck centrally was a hole to insert a hand pump. When BIRDSWOOD was re-bottomed and re-footed, it was noted that the bottom became deeper about 10ft from the stem bar, by about 2.5in in order to make a sump for the pump. It is thought that some of the fleet had the BCN number stamped into the hull, in addition to the BCN plate.

IDENTIFICATION, the bad news.

As the boats dispersed throughout BW, they were later used for maintenance work, and also as mud hoppers. Being left unattended in all sorts of places, many of the identification plates were removed by collectors. Thus, some ,of the fleet are still not clearly identified, details only being known by those who had a direct involvement with a particular boat. However, the list is known, and information still being added on a daily basis.

L.M.S. owned Yarwoods built STATION BOATS.

YEAR
NAME
FLEET NUMBER
BCN GAUGE.NO.
1928 F.J.HANKINSON 11 1425
1928 CRETE 16 1430
1928 HOUND 35 1432
1928 HARE 36 1431
1928 MULL 48 1434
1928 MECCA 50 1435
1928 MANCHURIA 51 1442
1928 MAY 53 1443
1928 OCEAN 57 1450
1928 PERU 58 1449
1928 RAT 65 1460
1928 RILL 69 1461
1929 RIVAL 72 1465
1929 SPECK 86 1466
1929 TED 91 1483
1929 TOM 92 1493
1929 AJAX 9 1501
1929 BECK 17 1515
1929 TEBAY 37 1525
1929 FINCH 44 1529
1929 LISBON 49 1550
1930 NAPLES 56 1556
1930 SAXON 73 1557
1930 VENICE 7 1558
1930 SEVILLE 18 1597
1930 DELHI 41 1606
1929 CALEB 61 1541
1929 GILBERT 68 1544
1930 HORACE 81 1562
1930 DORA 43 1567
1930 OLIVE 74 1609
1930 NORAH 76 1691
1930 BRIDE 12 1827
1930 CYCLOPS 20 1989
1930 CZAR 21 1742
1930 GAINSBOROUGH No details available. No details available.
1930 SARDINE 90 1697
1930 No details available. No details available No details available
1937 CLYDE 1 1996
1937 DART 14 1998
1938 RHINE 22 2002
1938 ROLLO 4 2046
1938 ROSS 5 2050
1938 RAYE 23 2055

NAME CHANGES.

The 12 boats converted at Stone were re-named as follows;

ROLLO - ALSAGER; ROSS- BIRDSWOOD; RAYE - CREWE; RHINE - DITTON; DART? - EXETER; CLYDE - FORD; SEVILLE - GRANTHAM; ? - HEREFORD; RIVAL - IRLAM; SAXON - JESMOND; NAPLES - KIDSGROVE; VENICE - LINCOLN.

L.M.S. Yarwood built STATION BOATS......today.

Many of the station boats have been cut; generally around 20ft from the stern to make motorboats. The fore-end remains the same, but there are now a number of stern ends that have been made into fore-ends. Identification of these will only be possible if the BCN plate to the stern, port side, is in place, or the owners know the history. In addition, there are a few that have new names, because the original was not known; AMSTERDAM is one such boat, (60 ft motor).

AJAX; No 9, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1501, 10/7/1929. At WFB Co for conversion/ renovation July 1985.Converted to a motor boat by Warwickshire Fly Boat Co, and fitted with RN DM2.

BECK; No 17, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1515, 31/7/1929. Length 70ft 0". Offered for sale Sept 1981 by M.E.Braine.Converted to motorboat by M.E.Braine, in 1983. Full length steel cabin, with Lister JP2 and now up the Brinklow arm, Northern Oxford.

BRIDE; No 12, cabined iron boat, BCN gauging No 1827, 28/9/1934.Length 70ft 6 ".

CALEB; No 61, cabined iron boat, BCN gauging No 1541, 17/12/1929. Length 70ft 3".Became Willow Wren HERON. For sale May 1981. Currently a houseboat in Oxford.

CLYDE; No 1, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1996. Steel cabin built at Ellesmere Port early 1990's. Re-named FORD; converted; was paired with DRAGON at Ellesmere Port; privately owned. Now at Huxley on the Chester section SUC.

CRETE; No 16, open iron boat, BCN gauging 1430, 27/9/1928. Length 69ft 11". Converted to a motor boat 1974/75.

CZAR; No 21, cabined iron boat, BCN gauging No 1742, 28/9/1932. Length 71ft 2".

CYCLOPS; No 20, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1989.

DART; No 14, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1998, thought to be the EXETER.

DELHI; No 41, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1606, 29/5/1930. Length 69ft 11".

DORA; No 43, cabined iron boat, BCN gauging No 1567, 12/3/1930. Length 70ft 4".

FINCH; No 44, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1529, 8/11/1929. Length 70ft 1". At WFB Co July 1985 for renovation /conversion. Shortened to 48ft motor boat, engine 12hp Petter Semi diesel.

F. J. HANKINSON; No 11 , Open iron day boat, BCN gauging 1425, 20/9/1928. Length 69ft 11".

GAINSBOROUGH; No information currently on the Yarwoods GAINSBOROUGH. LMS No 32 is listed in the BCN register as an open wooden boat, named GAINSBOROUGH, late 21220, both plates missing. Gauged on 14/7/1937. Length 68ft 10". BCN gauging No 1970.

GILBERT; No 68, cabined iron boat, BCN gauging No 1544, length 70ft 2". Extant 2000.

HARE, No 36, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1431, 9/10/1928. Length 70ft 1".

HORACE; No 81, cabined iron boat, BCN gauging No 1562, length 70ft 2".

HOUND; No 35, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1432, 9/10/1928. Length 70ft 1".

LISBON; No 49, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1550, 16/1/1930. Length 70ft 1". Now the ELLESMERE working as a hotel boat for Rushbrooke Narrowboats, Warwick.

MANCHURIA; No 51, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1442, 14/11/1928. Length 70ft 2". Replaced an earlier boat of the same name.Towed with MECCA from Marple to Lapworth mid 1970's. Used as a mud hopper on the Peak Forest restoration. Offered for sale as an open hull by WFB Co Jan 1995. Currently (Sept 2000) for sale as a 70ft motorboat at Warwickshire Fly Boat Co.

MAY; No 53, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1443, 14/11/1928. Length 70ft 0". Was or still is in the weighing machine at Stoke Bruerne.

MECCA; No 50, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1435, 16/10/1928. Length 69ft 11". Towed from Marple locks to the Nat Trust yard at Lapworth in the mid 1970's. Used on the S on A Canal as a workboat by WRG East Anglia, and was loaded with sheet piles.At that time the LMS owners plate was kicking around in the bilges! The plate was saved, and is now re-united with the boat after being on a window sill for 20 years.Sold by BW from the Stratford canal in 1990; converted to a 60ft motorboat by Five Towns Boatbuilding. Lengthened to 70ft in 1996. Engine Lister HB3. At Middlewich rally in June 2k.

MULL; No 48, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1434, 16/10/1928. Length 69ft 11".

NAPLES; No 56, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1556, 19/1/1930. Length 70ft 0". Now the KIDSGROVE, was at Caggy's basin, Tipton in May '99. Sold recently.

NORAH; No 76, cabined iron boat, BCN gauging No 1691, 2/9/1931. Length 70ft0".

OCEAN; No 57, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1450, 5/12/1928. Length 70ft 0". Extant 1999, 60ft converted boat, at Springwell on the GU.

OLIVE; No 74, cabined iron boat, BCN gauging No 1609, 12/6/1930. Length 70ft 4".

PERU; No 58, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1449, 5/12/1928. Length 70ft 2".

RAT; No 65, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1460, 4/1/1929. Length 70ft 2". Extant 1999 as 50ft motorboat.

RAYE; No 23, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 2055. Now the CREWE. For sale as CREWE in 1975, part converted. Counter stern motorised, privately owned on the BCN at Sneyd.

RHINE; No 22, open iron boat, BCN gauging 2002. Now the DITTON, unconverted butty,privately owned and paired with Thos Clayton motor DANE. Based Langley Mill. Converted at the Anderton Co, Stoke on Trent.

RILL; No 69, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1461, 4/1/1929. Length 70ft 0". Extant 1999. In July 1979 the RILL was found in undergrowth at Pike Bridge, Eastington on the Stroudwater Navigation. Owned by enthusiast in the Banbury area.

RIVAL; No 72, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1465, 4/2/1929. Length 70ft 0". Replaced an earlier boat of the same name. The information on this boat remains uncertain, but this is what we have. Re-named the IRLAM, and was at Middlewich around 1978 in kit form.The fore-end could be seen stacked high above the buildings opposite Willow Wren Kearns.It was rebuilt as a 60ft motor on the offside between the locks at Middlewich, re-named PARAGON, as the owner came from Hull. I personally can remember the boat being launched in 1979. See WW Feb 1996 for more information. PARAGON is currently moored outside the pump house at Sutton stop. An advert in WW Nov 1989 lists RIVAL currently in two halves for sale, (this boat we are assured is the RIVAL, so the above may not be the RIVAL after all.). The two halves came about by BW requiring a working platform for bridge work, so 2 x 35 ft boats were made from one. BW sold the boat halves to Pochin's, (contractors) who used them for some time, and then craned them out into their yard at Middlewich. They then moved on to the Colliery Narrowboat Co, and later still to Mr R Lorenz of Manchester where the halves were advertised in WW. They were purchased by enthusiasts and moved to David Jones's yard at Chester, where the fore-end still remains. The stern has since moved on.

ROLLO; No 4, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 2046. Re-named ALSAGER. This boat was on BW maintenance Fradley section mid 1970's; now privately owned.Offered for sale 1981 in working trim. Moored at Bulls Bridge 1980's/90's. 1997, sold locally to Bulls Bridge, and is now paired with another Josher stern end plus station boat fore-end;(see unidentified below).

ROSS; No 5, open iron boat, BCN gauging 2050. Now the BIRDSWOOD working as a trip boat from Froghall Wharf on the Caldon canal. Re-bottomed and re-footed 1995, also hydraulic engine installation installed in the rudder.

SARDINE; No 90, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1697, 21/9/1931. Length 69ft 8".

SAXON; No 73, open iron boat, BCN gauging 1557. Length 70ft 0". Extant 2000, now the JESMOND as a 70ft motor boat,( Lister SR2, wooden cabin in 1983).

SEVILLE; No 18, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1597, 9/5/1930. Length 70ft 0". Extant 1999.

SPECK; No 86, open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 1466, 4/2/1929. Length 70ft 3". Offered for sale Dec 81. Back cabin new 1979, with 3ft extn.Was paired with HYPERION late 1970's, and based at Middlewich.

TEBAY; No 37, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1525, 8/10/1929. Length 70ft 0". Converted to a motorboat and now privately owned, Shropshire.

TED; No 91, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1483, 30/4/1929. Length 70ft 0".

TOM; No 92, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1493, 4/8/1929. Length 70ft 0".

VENICE; No 7, open iron boat, BCN gauging No 1558, 4/2/1930. Length 70ft 0". Now the LINCOLN, recently for sale (July 2000), half converted, and at Greensforge S & W Canal. This boat was on BW maintenance on the Caldon Canal around 1980.

UNIDENTIFIED STATION BOATS & PARTS UNDER NEW NAMES.

AMSTERDAM; a 60ft motorboat, converted at Stone 1995, from an unknown named boat from Caggy's yard,BCN. Stern end sold on to Ashton Packet Boat Co, in 1996. Possibly the boat Caggy used in 1981 to deliver scaffolding to the Brm.Science Museum.

LITTLE ACORN; rear 20ft as fore-end of 50ft boat with 3 pot Ruston, currently in Gloucester docks, (Nov 2000).

DABCHICK; Willow Wren name, was DOG ROSE previously; currently unknown original name. DABCHICK is now de-converted at Great Haywood.

MECCA; 20ft stern end made into a 45/50ft boat at Braunston; now at cement works arm, Stockton.

Un-named 70ft unconverted station boat owned by BW North West; based at Red Bull, and to be paired with IBEX. This boat was transferred from BW Northern Oxford during 1998/99.

ETHEL; 70ft unconverted station boat in working trim paired with STARLING, and based at Knighton SUC. This boat was tied on the offside above town bridge in Audlem for many years.

Station boat on dry land at Chester; poor original condition.

Fore-end of FMC ENGLAND made from station boat fore-end; WFBCo.

Josher stern and station boat fore-end at Bulls Bridge. Currently called RUSSIA the boat came from Caggy Stevens, and is now a converted tug. The skeg and sternpost are cast, as in the Yarwoods Fish class motors. Question...which Josher is this, and which station boat?

OTHER LMS OWNED BOATS

ANTWERP; No 710, cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 767, 21/11/1923.

BRIGAND; cabined wooden day boat, BCN gauging No 584, 7/2/1923.

BRAMBLE; No 1, cabined wooden dayboat, BCN gauging No 1101, 7/10/1925.

COUNCILLOR; cabined wooden day boat, BCN gauging No 1076, 14/8/1925.

CORONATION; No 17, cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 860, 21/5/1924.

ETHELRED; No 67, cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 1105, 9/10/1925.

EVENTFUL; No 26, cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 1102, 8/10/1925.

HOGARTH; No 101, cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 1106, 9/10/1925.

IMPERATOR; No 40, cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 766, 21/11/1923.

MANCHURIA; No 51 cabined wooden day boat, BCN gauging No 823, 31/3/1924.

PRUESILS; No 709, cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 778, 19/12/1923.

REFUGEE; No 715, cabined wooden day boat, BCN gauging No 670, 4/6/1923.

RUPERT; No 451, LNWR wooden cabined boat, BCN gauging No 497, 29/11/1922.

RIVAL; open iron day boat, BCN gauging No 898, 28/7/1924.

SATURN; No 102, cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 1103, 9/10/1925.

SKYE; No 433, (former BCN No 13118), cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 756, 2/11/1923.

SMILE; No 79, cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 911, 8/9/1924.

SYMBOL; No 698, cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 771, 3/12/1923.

SIR H. SMITH DORRIEN; No 750, open day boat, BCN gauging No 773, 7/12/1923.

SYPHON; No 78, cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 870, 20/6/1924.

TED; No 550, oped wooden day boat, BCN gauging No 872, 25/6/1924.

PLEIADES; No 597, Cabined wooden horseboat, BCN gauging No 884,18/7/1924.

No 16; open day boat, wooden, BCN gauging 11012; re gauged No 1061, 23/6/1925.

No 59; open wooden day boat, BCN gauging No 1213, 18/10/1926.

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