Name White Heather

Vessel: WHITE HEATHER                   VREF: 1657                            Type:   TUG

What is the vessel’s ability to demonstrate history in her physical fabric?

White Heather is a single-decked, riveted steel canal tug, built in 1932 by J.S. Watson of Gainsborough at Beckenham on the Trent for the London Borough of St Marylebone as a refuse tug. She is a copy of a tug built in 1908 originally called Birmingham and then renamed Tyburn, also owned by Marylebone Council. Design features including a raised and covered deck along with a high central cabin were common to canal tugs of the period. 

White Heather’s fabric has been subject to some reconstruction or adaptation in response to her changing uses. Her hull of steel construction is largely as constructed, with some plating work undertaken, although some underwater plates were welded rather than rivetted. In 1972 she was converted for residential and cruising purposes. Her accommodation spaces have been updated over time. Modern coatings and specialized preparations have been used to minimize deterioration. 

She was originally fitted with a single 2-cylinder semi-diesel Robey Lincoln engine giving 44hp at 400 rpm. In 1958 this was replaced with a Lister Freedon Engine which developed 32hp at 1500 rpm. She has subsequently been fitted with a 4 litre 6-cylinder Toyota 2H diesel engine 104HP obtained from a Landcruiser. She is now on her fourth engine.

What are the vessel’s associational links for which there is no physical evidence?

White Heather originally worked on Section 5 in the Paddington area towing refuse barges for the London Borough of St Marylebone. In 1939 she was taken over by Thomas Clayton & Co. and worked extensively on refuse disposal to their pits at Hayes, Yeading and West Drayton. She passed into British Waterways ownership on nationalisation. In 1972, she was acquired by T & D Murrells of Adelaide Dock, during which time she cruised extensively around many of the country's canals.

White Heather is the only remaining narrow beam tug built for the Regent's Canal and is one of only four round bilge canal tugs still in existence. She was recorded on the National Register of Historic Vessels in 2000 and is a member of the National Historic Fleet.

How does the vessel’s shape or form combine and contribute to her function?

White Heather was designed and built specifically to serve as a refuse tug operating in the Regent Canal. This necessitated her being of narrow beam and being sufficiently powered to tow a number of refuse barges simultaneously. The original fitting of a single 2-cylinder semi-diesel Robey Lincoln engine giving 44hp at 400 rpm, along with her raised superstructure and cabin, meant that she was entirely fitted to her intended purpose. 

Aesthetically, White Heather is representative of her time, being based on a pattern that was used for many canal tugs in the 1920s and 30s. The vessel was built for practicality rather than aesthetic appearance, but her black hull, brown painted superstructure, and raised cabin give her a distinctive appearance, making her readily recognisable when present at canal boat events. She is an important survivor and reminder of Britain’s important canal-based heritage. 

White Heather was bought by her current owner in 2021 and is used both as a houseboat and for cruising.

Sources: 

National Historic Ships UK Files.

Historic Narrow Boat Club, https://hnbc.org.uk/boats/white-heather.

Canal World Discussion Forum, https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/66781-tugs-white-heather-and-tyburn-where-are-they-now/