Name Pelican

PELICAN is a motorised, single screw steel tug/maintenance boat, fitted with a crane. She was built for the Manchester Ship Canal Company as a maintenance barge on the ship canal, carrying men, tools and materials to sites that could not be reached by road. Launched in 1956 by Isaac Pimblott on the River Weaver at Northwich.

PELICAN carried out light lifting duties and general bank protection work on the Manchester Ship Canal for nearly 30 years, coming out of service in 1985. A variety of maintenance craft were required for canals, many with cranes for heavier work and the Priestman Brothers of Hull designed and manufactured many of these, including the one fitted on her. PELICAN was built by Isaac Pimblott and Sons along the lines of a ‘Duker’, a design of boat characteristic to North West England. The vessel design was adapted by Pimblotts showing how the basic design of an existing craft might be altered to suit a specific function.  PELICAN is fitted with a 40’ jibbed number 7 Priestman crane powered by a Dorman 3LB diesel engine of 35 hp. Pelican’s main engine is a Gardner 4L3 diesel.

As a working vessel until 1985, PELICAN benefitted from regular, high quality maintenance until it was moored at Runcorn, awaiting disposal. The National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port then acquired the vessel. PELICAN is now used as a floating exhibit. She represents a type of general maintenance craft seen on larger canals and river navigations.