Name Bramble

Working boat BRAMBLE was built for canal carrying company, Fellows Morton and Clayton Ltd (FMC) in 1934. Bramble was built at WJ Yarwood & Sons at their Northwich Yard as part of the 7th batch of motor boats for FMC, with a coppered-steel hull. She was completed at Northwich on 16th April 1934 and was subsequently fitted out at Uxbridge. 

BRAMBLE was first registered for the FMC fleet as number 307 at Uxbridge and entered service on 31st July 1934. By 1935 she was paired with butty boat BASCOTE and operated by captain Albert Russon and his wife Emma. The Russon family lived aboard the boats full time, living in the cramped conditions of a tiny cabin with no facilities and working long hours, always on the move between London and Birmingham. There is photographic evidence of BRAMBLE working on the Grand Union Canal between Brentford and the Midlands over many years, carrying coal, steel bars and other goods. 

In January 1949, she was one of 56 FMC motors taken over by the South Eastern Division of the Docks & Inland Waterways Executive, when the canals were nationalised. It was probably at this time that BRAMBLE’s original Bolinder engine was replaced by the Lister HR2, but this is unclear. She was then operated by the Inland Waterways carrying fleet and by the 1950s her captain was Charlie Powell, working alongside butty ARGUS. Later in the 1950s, she became a British Waterways Board maintenance boat and, in the 1960s, she was shortened to the length of a tug and continued to work on the Midlands canals.

In 2001, British Waterways began to dispose of many of their large fleet of old working boats and she was leased by R Brindley, who did a considerable amount of work on her at Ian Kemp’s yard at Stourbridge, re-lengthening her to 68ft.- not quite her original length, which was probably around 72ft. Sadly, R Brindley passed away and the boat was returned to British Waterways (now the Canal & River Trust) who sold her to Stourport Forward for £1 on condition that she is used for educational purposes. Stourport Forward, BRAMBLE's current owner, is a small company, limited by guarantee, that works for the benefit of Stourport-on-Severn – unique in itself, being the only town in Britain developed as a result of a canal being built.

Chair of Stourport Forward and the Civic Society, Pauline Annis, had a vision to restore BRAMBLE so that Stourport people would gain an understanding of the importance of this Georgian Canal Town through an involvement with a historic boat. Stourport Forward manager Liz Sheerin was tasked with starting the project.

In 2006, a local newspaper, the Shuttle launched an appeal to carry out further works to re-build a cabin and fit out the hold of the boat for use by schools and groups. Volunteers undertook the work, materials were donated and over £5,000 was raised to get the project underway. Jim Amos led the volunteer group works in an inspired project to make the boat useable.

Councillor Dave Little and Mike Freeman did much of the heavy work to re-install the Lister engine. Cabin work was done by Tim Lewis, the Village Carpenter and Tim Ellis of Stourport Forward, along with his enthusiastic friends. Eliza Botham joined the team in 2015, bringing experience of waterways heritage interpretation, the Heritage Lottery Funded British Waterways Working boats Project and education work. Exterior paintwork was done outdoors by Tim and the volunteer team in approximate Fellows Morton & Clayton colours. 

In March 2015, BRAMBLE was beautifully sign-written on the cabin sides and the interior of the cabin, by boat painter Dave Moore. She was ‘re-launched’ by Stourport Town’s Mayor, then Cliff Brewer and Maggie Smith, landlady of the Hollybush, a longterm supporter of the project. Richard Parry, chair of the Canal & River Trust, Marcus Hart, chair of Wyre Forest District Council and many of BRAMBLE’s advocates, supporters and followers were present.

BRAMBLE was used for school and group visits to promote Stourport’s heritage and bow hauled, or towed from her mooring to be displayed at events throughout the year. In October 2015, Martin Brookes, boatbuilder and Joe Hollingshead, retired boatman, began work to service and repair the Lister engine and BRAMBLE was moved under her own steam that autumn for the first time in many years. Martin re-fitted the stove and Eliza sourced artefacts to dress the cabin. In May 2016, Friends of Bramble held a Fundraising evening at the Rock Tavern in Wilden, Stourport, raising almost £700 for winter works to the boat and continued to fundraise for the  works: replacement cloths (tarpaulins); repair and replacement of boarding under the cloths; craning out and blacking the bottom of the boat; modifications to the cabin, led by heritage boat builder, Martin Brookes and engineer, Alan Botham. By 2019, more than 1,250 children visited the boat that year to find out about Stourport’s past and working waterways.

During the Covid Epidemic of 2020/21, BRAMBLE continued to be maintained by the volunteer group, funded through filming work and socially distanced guided walks. They were unable to host school or group visits during lock downs, but were able to work with Great Canal Journeys in Summer 2020, to make a socially distanced Stourport edition of the series with Giles Brandreth & Sheila Hancock. In 2022, following consultation with the Bramble volunteer group, the Stourport Forward Board decided to formalise Bramble’s activities as a trip boat and Brian Hill and Alan Botham were passed out as the first Helmsmen, soon to be followed by Giulio, Eliza and others. 

During the summer of 2024, Bramble was blacked by a small team of volunteers at Martin Brookes’ yard and the cabin was prepared by Martin for repainting, by completely stripping the cabin down to bare metal. Layers of paint were carefully applied, under cover. Despite frequently humid and wet conditions during the summer, around 10 coats of paint were applied, creating a super-shiny surface. Once again Dave Moore came along to paint livery onto the boat cabin. This time, with a much improved surface, and annual maintenance, it is hoped that the paint will retain its good looks for even longer. Refurbished fenders, plus one new one made by Joe and Donna Hollingshead, and repairs to the cloths by Cliff Turner and replacement of exterior ropes by Alan Botham have helped to improve Bramble’s appearance, ready to re-start school visits and boat trips.

Stourport Forward have been successful in being awarded a Heritage Lottery Grant for £250,000, and some of these funds will help to improve accessibility to the boat during 2024 – 2026.