Harland and Wolff - Shipbuilding and Engineering Works



Darley
  GUCC Fleet No. 135
  Class Town
  Original Type: Motor
  Known As Large Woolwich
  Date Built 15.6.37
  Hull Construction Steel
  Registered RICK 160
  Intended Paring 267
 
History
   
  Her hull is made of riveted steel and although she would have originally had a wooden cabin, this has been replaced with a steel structure. Her current engine is a 1957 Petter PD2, with two cylinders and 20 horsepower. She was commissioned by the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd. and named after DARLEY Dale and was initially intended for pairing with the butty, DENTON. She carried loads from Birmingham to London until the advent of nationalisation in 1948 when British Waterways took over and kept her until 1962. She was sold to Alfred Matty near Tipton for use as a dredger and approximately 15 feet was cut from her bow. The present owner purchased the two halves in 1982 and restored her to her original condition with work on the bottom, footings and cabin. She featured in a film called 'There go the Boats'. This showed her being loaded with twenty-five tons of wheat, towing the butty AYR with thirty tons of wheat. The man steering the DARLEY was Mr. Alf Best and his wife was filmed on the tiller of the AYR with a baby on the roof. The wheat was going to Whitworth Mills on the River Nene at Hopehampton. At this time, DARLEY had a National two cylinder diesel engine. s.c. 10/99DARLEY  

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