Name Sandpiper

SANDPIPER was originally known as FALCON and was built between 1925 and 1926 by W.J. Yarwood & Sons Ltd, Northwich, who completed the hull, and Fellows, Morton & Clayton Ltd, Uxbridge Dock, who had previously commissioned FALCON and who completed and launched her in 1926. She was originally fitted with a 15hp Bolinder Engine.

In 1949, upon the Nationalisation of the British canals working fleet, she was sold to the British Transport Commission and was used in the South Eastern Division carrying fleet. She was operated by them for the ash and rubbish traffic, among others, until 1954, when she was sold Willow Wren Canal Carrying Company Ltd., Brentford, who named her SANDPIPER. In 1962, her previous engine was supposedly replaced with a Bolinder 1052BR engine.

In 1964, SANDPIPER was transferred to Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd Incorporated and was converted to a camping boat based at Rugby. Around 1970, her previous engine was replaced with a Lister SR3 engine. In 1981, she was sold to C Marshall and J Hinckley of Stoke-on-Trent. In 1986, she underwent a restoration project by Ian Kemp of Ellesmere Port, with her engine being replaced by a Lister JP2, and was renamed FALCON. In 2020, she was once again renamed SANDPIPER.