Cabin built by
Malcolm Braine was camper 72 - 80 80-96 in private ownership Extensive partial restoration was carried out by Martin Cox, boatbuilder, during this time which accounts largely for Almighty's (GRUS / CECIL) survival and relatively good condition.

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STORK carried chemicals in carboys until 1951, but is now preserved with her hold clothed up and is used as an exhibit and for pleasure. The chemical company, COWBURN and COWPER Ltd. was based in Manchester and used narrow boats to transport liquids, such as hydrogen disulphide. Originally, carboys were used to contain the liquids, but in later years, tanks were fitted in the boats.

Between 1933 and 1936, eight new motor boats were built by Yarwoods, all named after birds with the first letter being 'S'. The first two were of composite construction, but the rest were all of steel with an unusual rounded bilge. The fore end was similar to that of the boats built by the same company for Fellows, Morton & Clayton Ltd., but another unusual feature was the pointed shape of the counter. All eight boats still survive today, and one of them, SWAN, was featured in John Liley�s book; 'Journeys of the Swan'.

Over the last fifteen years, STORK has undergone considerable restoration. A complete re-fit was carried out after she was sold in 1982 and this included building a new boatman's cabin. The existing steel engine room bulkheads were retained. Further work is planned on the interior, as is the renewal of steel plating to the round bilges.

Her current engine is the original single cylinder, two stroke, hot bulb diesel, which is started by a blowlamp and a brass reacting pin in the flywheel. It gives 12.6 brake horsepower at 475rpm through a Ferry gearbox and is controlled either in the engine room or from the steering position. She has a hundred gallon diesel tank with a ten gallon feed tank mounted over the top. It is believed that only three of these engines have survived on British waterways and these are installed in STORK, SWAN and SKYLARK.

STORK

SWIFT

SKYLARK

She was commissioned by W. H. COWBURN & COWPER Ltd. of Manchester as their eighth and last narrow boat and built to a unique design for carrying carbon disulphide in tanks from Trafford Park, Manchester, to Courtaulds at Coventry. The tanks were never fitted.

In 1951, she was sold to William Pritchard, trading as Meteor Mineral Mill, Etruria Vale, Stoke-on-Trent, and began work carrying limestone to the potteries. Three years later, she was bought by Joe Prescott of Butts Basin, Leigh, who used her as a 'trip' boat in the summer, carrying cargo to Runcorn and Altringham in the winter.

In 1961, STARLING was purchased by Sam Morral who cut the boat in two and shortened her to forty feet Mid section used in boat known as LOUISE JANE. She was then used as one of the first hire boats on the waterways in 1962. In 1981, she was sold to D. King who modified her into a narrow boat tug with a Seffies semi-diesel engine of historic interest.

She was found by the present owner in 1995 and brought by canal and lorry to Stafford. She underwent restoration to return her to her original length and was re-launched on 26 October 1997.

STARLING

Starling

SWALLOW  Swallow

GUCCC photos

SWEDEN