|Home|photo gallery|Links| Progress up to Nov 2009| Progress up to Dec 2010| Progress up to Dec 2011|

NB LUCY

What's new - May 1st 2012:
  • Kelson arrives from Hull
LUCY is a wooden butty built at Braunston for the carrying fleet of John Knill, entering the fleet in 1953. She was built by Frank Nurser at the Samuel Barlow Coal Co.'s boat dock at Braunston in 1951 and 1952, and was first registered at Daventry as number 548 on 24th February 1953.

She was re-registererd by Barlows Ltd. in January 1955, and worked by them until 1962. Finally she was re-registered by Blue Line Cruisers Ltd. on 12th April 1962. Steered by the Whitlocks, and paired with motors RENFREW and IAN, she finished carrying on the long distance Jam 'Ole Run in October 1970, and retired to Braunston with the Whitlocks in 1971. Rose Whitlock lived on her outside the Marina until 1977.

Since 1977, she had been a private residential boat, and latterly sank at Braunston Puddle Banks. In 2008, she was acquired by Pete Boyce as the start of a reconstruction project. In May 2009, she was raised from the mud and placed on a purpose built cradle in the Tess yard at Braunston Turn.

Restoration has begun with new parts being made and new timber delivered in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

LUCY is listed on the National Historic Ships Register, number 2017.
Click here for entry. 		Kelson pieces
Kelson arrives by road - 30th April 2012 - photo © Pete Boyce



The Restoration Project in 2012

Kelson collected by road
The plan was to deliver the timber for the kelson to the waterways museum at Goole, and load it onto a Humber Keel. It was to be brought to Newark-upon-Trent to meet RENFREW for transhipment. RENFREW was positioned strategically at Newark-on-Trent after visiting Droitwich at Easter, but unfortunately has been marooned by the rising waters of the River Trent. First the Humber Keel from Goole was unable to meet us at Newark, and the collection was re-arranged to happen at Keadby. Secondly, the floods have prevented us taking RENFREW to Keadby. So on 30th April I drove the van and long boat trailer to the sawmill near Hull and brought about a ton of oak back by road. The timber comprises three 26 foot by 10 inch by 4 inch pieces for the kelson, and two 2 inch thick slabs for planking, plus some smaller stuff for 1 inch boards.

More Elm collected
Three logs of Elm were sliced to 3" thick at Helmdon Sawmill in February, and collected at the end of the month. This with the stuff delivered by RENFREW should be enough to rebottom LUCY and repair the CLENT, now in the front yard.


Elm in yard

RENFREW unloaded
On 22nd January we removed larch planks and 42 pieces of 3" thick English Elm from RENFREW. The motor had collected them from Norbury in Shropshire last year. See "Progress up to Dec 2011" I had built a strong bridge to slide them along, and a four wheel trolley to move them around the yard, in advance.


unloading RENFREW

Contact Details
The NB LUCY project address - The NB LUCY Project, Tess Buildings, London Road, Braunston, Northants, NN11 7HB. you can email the project at LUCY@phobox.com. Telephone Pete Boyce on 07729 139765.
Let me know if you can help, supply tools, or parts, or just would like to be informed. View tools and parts list

Download the Newsletters:

Photographs are organised in a photo gallery.

launched LUCY with motor LUCY's hatches 2008 The lift out 2009 Plank survey 2009 Timber 2010 Drawings New parts

You may find some historic photographs and other information by following the links below.

Links and references

Home

Supported by
NHS logo Phobox logo Canal Arts logo Tilly Hire logo BCBM logo
© Pete Boyce 2012 ----- Last updated: 1.5.2012