Gloucester Waterways Museum
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3.7  Concrete Narrow Boat

     The Museum's concrete narrow boat was one of two Birmingham Canal day boats built in 1917-18 by A.H. Guest of Stourbridge, who's normal job was building houses. The use of concrete was intended as a means of overcoming the wartime shortages of steel and fabrication skills needed for conventional canal boats. However, with traditional steel bar reinforcement, the concrete had to be almost three inches thick, and the consequence was that the boats weighed almost twice as much as an iron boat. This meant that they could only carry 24 tons, compared to over 31 tons for an iron boat of the same external dimensions.

     The two boats did carry some trial loads of light cargoes, but it was found that the concrete was easily damaged in service and that patching up with cement was not always effective. By 1919, it was acknowledged that the experiment was not a success, and it is believed that both boats were laid up for several years. Then, in the mid 1930s, they were incorporated into bank protection works beside the Stuart Crystal glassworks on the Stourbridge Canal, not far from where they were built. This role continued until the summer of 1988, when British Waterways planned to provide a new wharf and moorings for visitors to the glassworks, and they dug out one of the boats, the other having to remain as it was beneath part of a building. The rescued boat was slightly damaged, but it was basically sound and was brought down the River Severn to be displayed at Gloucester.

     This note is based on the article by Robert Hamilton in Waterways World January 2000. 

For Index to Museum Notes, see www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk/museumnotes