Name Flamingo

Built for the Grand Union Canal Carrying co in 1936 W J Yarwood & Sons of Northwich on the River Weaver, being one of 38 motor boats that are often unofficially described as "Large Northwich" and are form part of a wider grouping of boats with deep hull sides now often referred to as the "Town class".

FLAMINGO was originally the GUCCCo's fleet number 153 "Letchworth", intended to be paired with wooden "Large Rickmansworth" butty "Lichfield".

Actively carrying in the 1940s, it continued after 1948 to work in the British Transport Waterways fleet, until it was sold with 7 other motor boats to the Willow Wren Canal Carrying Company in 1961.  At that time Willow Wren usually renamed boats they acquired with names of water birds, and "Letchworth" became FLAMINGO, quickly entering regular service.

The Willow Wren years are the best documented for this boat, and with butty "Beverley" it delivered the very last load of grain to Whitworth's mill at Wellingborough in April 1969, and continued to handle some of the last traffics to John Dickinson's Croxley paper mill in 1970, eventually with butty "Cygnus".

When Willow Wren ceased operations in 1970, it became a public trip boat on the Trent and Mersey, and operated until about 1986.  Subsequently the trip boat conversion was removed, and the hold was converted to the living accommodation it now has.

The Lister HA2 engine is believed to the one put in by Willow Wren Canal Transport Services around 1968.  It has recently had a complete rebuild – probably the first in nearly 50 years.

It was bought by its current owners in late 2014, and is the subject of ongoing restoration.