Name Renfrew

RENFREW is a narrowboat, built for the Grand Union Canal Cargo Carrying Company Ltd. (GUCCCL) by W. J. Yarwood & Sons Ltd. at Northwich. She was launched in October 1936, with the British Waterways number 060962 and the GUCCCL number 165. Her hull is riveted and welded steel plate, with oak gunwales. The cabin was rebuilt in 1968 out of various woods and marine ply. She has a counter stern, a pointed bow and a plumb curved stem. The current engine is a Lister HB2, with two cylinders and twenty-four brake horsepower, made in 1968. RENFREW initially worked with the butty ROMSEY, principally on the Birmingham to London canal route. With the outbreak of the Second World War, the fleet became part of the government transport system. Following the war, in 1948, the fleet passed to the Docks & Inland Waterways Executive of the British Transport Commission, which subsequently became the British Waterways Board. In 1963 to 1965, RENFREW was on hire to Willow Wren Carriers. She was then laid up until 1986 when she was purchased by Blue Line Canal Carriers. The present owners discovered her in October 1970 and have maintained her as a working boat. All the timber has now been replaced and she has had a new bottom and other steelwork.