Name Lion

LION was built in March 1913 by Fellows, Morton and Clayton Ltd (FMC), Birmingham, as an iron composite motor narrow boat with a fore deck. She was fitted with a Bolinder E 15 hp engine and allocated fleet number 38, being the second FMC boat to carry this number. She was registered as Birmingham 1286 and her route listed as Birmingham to London to transport general goods.  

In 1913 she was gauged by the Birmingham Canal Navigations Co. at Tipton as BCN 21801. A year later she was regauged by the Grand Junction Canal Co. in London as GJC 11843, giving her a load  limit of 30 tons. In 1921 a further 5 cwt was added. In 1930 she was re-engined with a Bolinder BM 15hp engine, and in 1931 minor alterations were made increasing her load limit by 9 cwt.

She was regularly docked by FMC at Saltley Dock. In 1938 minor alterations were made adding 11 cwt to her load limit. Further alterations made at Uxbridge Dock in 1939 and 1942 added 20 cwt, and again in 1943 and 1946 when 20 cwt and 3 cwt respectively were added to her load limit.

In 1949 she was sold to the British Transport Commission and allocated to its South Eastern Division with fleet number 224. She was paired with ROUMANIA (steerer F. Prince) but in October 1949 she was laid up at Uxbridge Dock. Her registration was transferred to the Docks & Inland Waterways Executive, London. She was docked at Uxbridge and by September 1950 she had been fitted with cabin electrics and headlamps. In late 1951 she was reported to be in general service.

In 1952 she was paired with DENMARK (steerer Mrs Brace) and continued in general service until May 1954 when she was put up for disposal. In October 1954 she was sold to the Willow Wren Canal Carrying Company Ltd at Brentford. Her registration was transferred to Willow Wren, and her name was changed to BITTERN in May 1955.

By October 1955 she was in commission as BITTERN assisting REDSHANK and GREENSHANK carrying timber to Bedworth. In May 1957 she was paired with TEAL (steerers Ted Jr and Marina Barrett). Around 1958 she was re-engined with a Seffle S110BF 25hp single cylinder semi-diesel-engine. In 1959 she was in commission paired with SHOVELLER (steerers Ted and Sarah Barrett).

In 1961 she was in commission paired with SMEW – steerer Joe and Mary Safe and in 1964 she was transferred to Willow Wren Hire Canal Transport Services Ltd.

From 1967 to 1977 she was sold to two differen owners and re-named LION.

In 2014 she was sold to her current owner.