Details
Construction
Dimensions
History
Built in 1906 for the Shropshire Union Railways & Canal Carrying Co. at Tower Wharf, Chester, SATURN is a canal 'Fly-boat' (express delivery boat). Her construction was entirely wooden, with oak sides and an elm bottom. She was mainly used for the fast carriage of cheese from the producing towns of Cheshire and Shropshire to the major markets such as Manchester. Horse-drawn, she could carry between 12 and 16 tonnes. In the early 20th century, she worked on the Llangollen Canal and remained horse-drawn until the early 1950s, by which time she was working around the Wolverhampton area.
SATURN operated as a hotel boat from 1958 until the late 1980s, and later passed through a succession of private owners.
The Shropshire Union Fly-boat Restoration Society Ltd - a voluntary charitable group – was set up to preserve one of the two remaining Shropshire Union Canal fly-boats. Symbol was acquired but became too decayed to restore. SATURN then became available, and The Saturn Project partnership was set up with the society to restore and operate the boat.
Between 2001-2005, and at a cost of £87,000, Saturn was professionally rebuilt by Malkins Bank Canal Services, with assistance from society members. This was enabled by a fund-raising campaign with major contributions by British Waterways Wales & Border Counties Waterways (now Canal and River Trust), Heritage Lottery Fund, Waste Recycling Environmental (WREN), the Shropshire Union Canal Society, The Waterways Trust and The Manifold Trust; plus other donations of money and materials from society members, other individuals and companies.
Relaunched in 2005, SATURN is now the last remaining Shropshire Union Canal fly-boat in the world in original condition. She celebrated her centenary in 2006. She is a superb example of a fully operational fly-boat; travelling the waterways and fulfilling the partnership’s aims to educate future generations about the history of narrowboats, horse-boating and our waterway network. The combination of boat, crew and horse – and all the techniques and skills evolved over 250 years – demonstrates a unique unit of transport that served Britain from the 18th into the 20th Century.
Significance
What is the vessel’s ability to demonstrate history in her physical fabric?
SATURN'S hull was strongly built and designed for speed. Her elm bottom boards were only 2.5 inches thick, rather than the standard 3 inches, being constructed for the weight of lighter cargos that would not push down on the canal bed causing wear and tear to the hull. Although SATURN has now been heavily reconstructed, every effort has been made to keep to the original specification and use like-for-like material. Replacement elm was sourced for the bottom boards (although part had to be finished in opepe due to lack of available wood). Old photographs and drawings were also used to ensure that new fastenings and fittings were made as exact replicas wherever possible.
What are the vessel’s associational links for which there is no physical evidence?
SATURN was built as a ‘cheese fly’ and represents a fast mode of transport used for the carriage of perishable goods from the late 18th to early 20th century. She is the last surviving operational horse-drawn Shropshire Union Canal fly-boat. SATURN has regional links to the North-West where she is still seen today, travelling the waterways north of Birmingham to Merseyside and into Wales. She continues to be operated as a horse-drawn vessel, raising awareness of a type of industrial transport that has now died out.
How does the vessel’s shape or form combine and contribute to her function?
SATURN was designed at the height of canal transport as one of the express craft of the waterways. Her hull represents the ultimate development in the skill of building wooden narrow boats, with its combination of fine lines and lightweight construction.
Source: Hannah Cunliffe, Policy & Project Manager, National Historic Ships, April 2011.
Grants
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January 2019
A Sustainability Award of £1000 for replacement cloths for the vessel's hold was made from the Strategic Development Fund of National Historic Ships UK
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December 2011
The Saturn Project has received a grant of £4000 from The Waterways Trust. Part of the money will go towards the cost of SATURN's planned maintenance. Source: Historic Narrow Boat Owners Club, December 2011
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September 2009
A Sustainability Award of £1400 for dry docking was made from the Strategic Development Fund of National Historic Ships
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2000/01
The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £50,000 for restoration work
Own this vessel?
If you are the owner of this vessel and would like to provide more details or updated information, please contact info@nationalhistoricships.org.uk