Anyone know this boat?

[CHUGALONG HIRE COMPANY]

Hi all,

Had this call from a lady last week, can we help her find out more? not sure all of the information she has is correct either.

 

I have recently purchased a 45' long narrowboat that had been in a field near Liverpool / Wigan for 6 years. I am restoring it so it looks like a traditional (but small) workboat which I will use as a small passenger boat and London's only floating chandlery / gift shop.

 

I am very interested in finding out as much as I can about my boats history and original livery. I have been told that it could be a Willow Wren boat from the 1960's, it looks like a Small Woolwich. All the information I have is the name is Lapwing index no is 62988 and at the base of the tiller arm is written 'Hopwood or FT LTD Boat Builders' I have attached photographs and I intend to have it up and running during March / April this year.

 

 

 

Yesterday, during cleaning 6 years worth of mud, I found this number written in welds on the base plate, under the swim, near the prop shaft 'NB 4531'. This is all of the information I have.

 

http://www.facebook.com/Middlewichboats#!/photo.php?fbid=500447369994616&set=a.414580801914607.89630.287925101246845&type=1&theater

 

Thanks.

[alan_fincher]

It is not a historic boat of any sort, (well other tha it is a few yeras old!), and certainly not something that carried, I think.

 

Are you sure the bit round the tiller doesn't say something like "Hopwood Craft Limited"?, which I believe is a name that John Pinder traded under before starting to actually build boats as "Pinders".

 

If so this might establish connection to the Willow Wren name, but I siggest iif so that it perhaps started life as a Hopwood Craft built Willow Wren hire boat.

 

See this previous thread.

 

You'll see that thread also relates to Middlewich Narrowboats!.....

[pete harrison]

B.W.B. index 62988 was issued in 1980/81 to a boat named LAPWING. By 1983 LAPWING appears to have a standard pleasure boat licence rather than a hire boat licence so perhaps it had been sold by Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd. by then. The name LAPWING suggests that it operated from Rugby as the boats hired from Middlewich by Willow Wren Kearns Ltd. were named after trees. I do have amongst my collection an old Willow Wren brochure that dates back to about 1978. This brochure lists LAPWING as 50' with power provided by a Lister SR3 (as they all were). This brochure also has a cabin plan.

 

I can confirm that this LAPWING has no historic significance as far as being a former carrying boat is concerned. Back in the 1970's Willow Wren steel hulls were built by either John Pinder, Burton on Trent, Hopwood and Earlswood (trading as Hopwood Craft Ltd.) or Hancock and Lane Ltd., Daventry. Back in the early 1980's I operated a pair of boats built by Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd., Rugby where the motor was a Hancock and Lane hull and the butty a Hopwood Craft hull. The photograph on Facebook certainly has much more the appearance of a Hancock and Lane fore end to my eye as the fore end top bends tapers toward the stempost, whereas the Hopwood Craft fore end was almost parallel.

[CHUGALONG HIRE COMPANY]

Brilliant guys,

I always learn so much when I talk to you folkes.

Is it possible to get a copy of the brochure for this lady?

In terms of the colours, it should be easy to work out what they're likely to have been.

 

I agree the boat never looked hostoric in the narrowboating scence but I think vintage like a car is fair enough. As good an excuse to pay homage to it's past as any don't you agree?

thanks a million

Chuggy

Edited February 2, 2013 by CHUGALONG HIRE COMPANY