Chester

On there way to Ellesmere Port's National Waterways Museum. A flotilla of working narrow boats made an overnight stop at Chester's Canal Basin, near Telford's Wharehouse. The prelude to a talk organised by the Chester Canal Heritage Trust. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Chester man Tom Rolt, an engineer and writer who was one of the pioneers of leisure cruising on Britains inland waterways in the 1930's.

On April 2nd the boats made their way up to Ellesmere Port for Easter Weekend events.

Saturn

The horse drawn  "fly boat" Saturn seen in some of these photographs was featured in BBC televisions Victorian Farm series. Originally built in 1906 here on Chester's Tower Wharf. She spent most of her early commercial life carrying cheese from Cheshire and Shrophire to Manchester and beyond. Before being moved to the Midlands under the ownership of the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company (LMS). In the 1950's she was motorised and spent time from the 60's onwards as a hotel boat before being restored to her former commercial glory in 2002-2005 by The Shropshire Union Fly-Boat Restoration Society.

The photographs of Saturn here were taken as she had just arrived in the wharf having picked up a cargo of beer from the Spitting Feathers Brewery in Waverton.

Click on any picture or thumbnail for a slide show of photographs.

Saturn is seen here nearest the bank in the Canal basin:

Links:

• Chester Canal Heritage Trust
• The Shropshire Union Fly-Boat Project
• National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port
• Spitting Feathers Brewery