Skip navigation links

Name: Alperton

Certificate number: 1436

Status:

Registered

Function:

Cargo Vessel

Sub Functional Area:

Barge

Type:

Narrow Boat

Location:

Gas Street Basin, Birmingham, England

Current use:

Private: operating

  • Length Overall:

    21.79 metres (71.44 feet)

  • Tonnage Not Known:

    0.00

  • Draught:

    0.38 metres (1.25 feet)

  • Maximum Breadth:

    2.13 metres (6.98 feet)
Alperton - ALPERTON (foreground) - with motor DARLEY. Stern cabin and tiller from starboard side.

Web address

Builder

History

ALPERTON is a narrow boat butty built by Harland & Wolf Ltd. at Woolwich and delivered to the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd. in August 1936. Her hull is made of riveted steel with a wooden cabin and she has a pointed bow with a plumb curved stem and a pointed stern. She was registered at Coventry as number 544 and was fleet number 207 and gauging number 12573. She was named after Alperton near London.

ALPERTON was one of twenty-four similar vessels known as the Town or Woolwich class. One of these has now been completely scrapped and at least two others have had a counter stern and engines fitted. Some have been converted to houseboats.

ALPERTON, with her motor the DARLEY, carried cargoes from Birmingham to London until 1948 when British Waterways took over. By the 1950s, she lay disused in the Wendover arm of the canal until the Union Canal Company bought her for carrying and use on camping holidays.

The wooden cabin was restored in 1972. The present owner purchased the vessel in 1980.

These brief histories are compiled from details supplied by vessel owners and enthusiasts and from various reference works. National Historic Ships would be grateful for any corrections of facts or additional information for inclusion. Please contact ron.ellis@nationalhistoricships.org.uk

Subsequent developments

None notified, please let us know if you have any additional information.

Previous names

Bibliography