Name Lynx

LYNX was originally built by Fellows, Morton & Clayton (FMC) in 1913 at Saltley Dock, as one of their first batch of motor powered narrowboats This followed the success of LINDA, an experimental craft that had been fitted with a heavy oil hot bulb engine. All these craft were fitted with Bolinder BM E type engines, which proved to be so popular that they saw the end of steam. FMC continued fitting them into all of their motorised craft for the next 34 years. LYNX was one of the very first to be built with an iron riveted hull and a planked elm bottom, supported by iron knees and a wooden keelson. LYNX was built as a cargo carrying craft for long distance canal transport, and worked with a butty (an unpowered craft) which she would have had in tow. In 1948 she became part of the nationalised fleet with the British Transport Commission, which in 1963 became British Waterways. In the 1970s she carried freight on inland waterways for South Midland, formerly Blagrove and Warwick. Today, the hull is almost completely original, with only a few very recent patches added. She still maintains an elm bottom and is in full cargo carrying trim, and indeed still loads traditional coal for demonstration purposes and carries this long distances. The engine has been changed a number of times during her carrying career, and the current engine fitted is a Lister JP2 of early 1940s vintage which was installed in the 1980s. in the 1990s she was sold into private ownership, and continued in use for retail coal delivery. In 2001 she was sold to retired boatman Fred Heritage and returned to her blue and yellow British Waterways livery. In 2013 she was acquired by the South Midland Water Transport Ltd. Her livery is now that of her current operator, and bears a close resemblance to that of her original livery for FMC.