RENFREW steel big Northwich motor 1935

RENFREW

RENFREW is a big Northwich motor, built for the Grand Union Carrying Company Ltd. in 1936 by Yarwoods in Northwich.
Registration number 1621 in the National Historic Ships Register

RENFREW in 2012

RENFREW in company in Droitwich Basin © Pete Boyce 2012

RENFREW attended the Historic Narrow Boat Club's Easter gathering in Droitwich, navigating the whole of the Droitwich Canal by proceeding up the River Severn a week later. We took the boat through to Newark-upon-Trent to await delivery of the kelson timbers for LUCY. These were to be brought by Humber Keel from Goole, but that arrangement fell through. The boat is now marooned by the flooding River Trent, and the timber has been collected by road (See LUCY site here).

RENFREW in Bratch Locks © Pete Boyce 2012

RENFREW in 2011

In November 2010 RENFREW changed hands after 40 years, practically on the anniversary of her last Jam 'Ole commercial coal run. She is now owned by Pete Boyce and Nick Hill. Over the winter she was on dock and afloat being descaled, repaired and painted.

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On the River Mersey heading for Liverpool © Nick Grundy 2011

After a trip to Ellesmere Port at Easter, a Mersey crossing, Liverpool Boat Show and The Link in May, then Anderton Lift, Northwich and to the Yarwoods Basin, where she was built in 1936. Then back to Braunston show and Burton-on-Trent.

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En route to Burton on the Coventry Canal © Pete Boyce 2011

She towed BETELGEUSE to Burton, and then the pair went to Shackerstone Festival on the Ashby. In October we took her to Stoke Bruerne for the Village at War event, and had great fun playing 78rpm records on a wind-up gramophone, and dancing to the Big Band. Since returning to Braunston, work has started on repainting the living cabin interior.

Light effects near Daventry © Pete Boyce 2011

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Magic sunlight effect on the Grand Union summit near Daventry © Pete Boyce 2011

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We loaded 42 slabs of 3" thick elm at Norbury for the LUCY restoration on April 19th.

RENFREW - history

RENFREW was built for the Grand Union Canal Cargo Carrying Company Ltd. (GUCCCL) by W. J. Yarwood & Sons Ltd. at Northwich. She was launched in October 1936, with the British Waterways number 060962 and the GUCCCL number 165.

Her hull is riveted and welded steel plate, with oak gunwales. The cabin was rebuilt in 1968 out of various woods and marine ply. The current engine is a Lister HB2, with two cylinders and twenty-four brake horsepower, made in 1968.

RENFREW initially worked with the butty ROMSEY, principally on the Birmingham to London canal route. With the outbreak of the Second World War, the fleet became part of the government transport system. Following the war, in 1948, the fleet passed to the Docks & Inland Waterways Executive of the British Transport Commission, which subsequently became the British Waterways Board.

In 1963 to 1965, RENFREW was on hire to Willow Wren Carriers. She was then laid up until 1968 when she was purchased by Blue Line Canal Carriers. She towed the wooden butty LUCY for Blue Line and undertook their last commercial coal delivery with LUCY in October 1970.

Since then up to the 40th anniversary of the run, she had been in one ownership, preserved as a working boat and fitted with camping equipment under her cloths. Now she is being repaired and repainted to continue carrying for Phobox Ltd., to assist in the LUCY restoration, and eventually will be reunited with her restored butty.

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RENFREW - historic photo gallery

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