British Waterways North West maintenance fleet numbers

[tarboat]

My collection of photographs of maintenance craft on the Ashton, Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals has a number of images showing boats in the late 1940s and 1950s with fleet numbers in various series. For example the motor Joel was CS9NW and President CS15NW, Medic RB16NW, Trojan RB46NW, Istrian or Tyrian was DH6NW, the little transom-sterned cruiser Monty was BM1NW, Weed Cutter Scythia was WC2NW. Does anyone know what the prefix letters meant for each series? I can surmise that RB might mean repair boat and that DH means Dredging Hopper as both Istrian and Tyrian were hand dredge boats and WC is weed cutter, but I can't think what CS means or even BM. It would be great if someone has found a BW accountants asset list for the period that lists these boats. I haven't noticed anything in the archives but it could be easily missed.

Cheers,

[billh]

I hope you are well!

Joel and its previous incarnation were always fleet number 9. Maria was  number 4. The CS9NW appeared on the cabin in  about 1955 when there was  a bit of a re-fit, earlier pictures show: " British Waterways, Joel No9" on the cabin side that dated from the 1948 build at Gorton. Also about '55, the BTW roundel was applied, and a more standard paint scheme. All this latter was still in evidence in 1970.Still no clue  to what CS is , but must relate to motors ?

Did Scotia get CS6NW ?

Bill

[tarboat]

On 10/25/2017 at 23:42, billh said:

Did Scotia get CS6NW ?

It would seem logical but I don't have any proof.