Name Bletchley

BLETCHLEY was built in 1936 for the Grand Union Canal Company. She was delivered to the fleet on 17.11.36 with fleet number 119 and paired with the butty Bakewell. Her original engine was a National 2DM.

She worked for BW until April 1963 were she was leased to Willow Wren, until Bletchley was repossessed by BWB in 67’ish were she was laid up for a couple of months down the Wendover arm. BLETCHLEY was then sold of to D Jones and J. Pilkington July 1968 they also owned the butty ARGUS and she was fitted with a Lister JP2.

 In the 70’s BLETCHLEY and ARGUS were sold to P Smith who traded as Foxton boat services and the pair where used as camping boats then later traded as Educational services Leicester, with steerer Jack Monk. And the JP2 was removed and replaced with an Armstrong Siddley AS2. 

In 1984 BLETCHLEY and ARGUS were sold to Three Fellows of Sawley for use on the Gravel run on the river Soar. In 1985 the AS2 was removed and replaced with a lister HA3. They were sold again in 1989 to P Hawker who used the pair to sell retail fields. 

In 1997 the HA3 was replaced by a HB3. In October 2013 BLETCHLEY was sold to A Buckle of ANA fuels who did retail coal on the river Nene, and the HA3 was reinstated. 

In May 2018 BLETCHLEY was sold to Jules' Fuels still doing retail fuels. She was then sold to NJS Canal Contracting in August 2019 who are the current owners. BLETCHLEY can be seen still trading as a fuel boat carrying coal, diesel and gas to this day.