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Historic fly-boat is an education

18th Nov 2011

A historic Shropshire Union fly-boat will be used to teach children about canal heritage, thanks to a £4,000 grant from the Waterways Trust.

The Saturn is a cheese fly-boat, which used to deliver cheese to Manchester, via the Llangollen Canal and Shropshire Union Canal. The Shropshire Union Fly-Boat Restoration Society (SUFBRS) will use the money towards an educational programme, including visual age, future plans for more horse-boating, and for on-going maintenance of the boat. The society is also installing traditional white cloth coverings on the boat, which will have the added benefit of providing wet weather shelter.

Keeping canal traditions alive

The Waterways Trust chief executive Roger Hanbury said: “We are delighted to be able to provide this support to Saturn. This project helps open up the story of our waterways, keeping alive the traditions and culture of the canals for future generations to enjoy and learn from. This grant has been made possible due to the generous support of Tony Hales CBE.”

SUFBRS chairperson Sue Cawson said: “The Saturn Project would like to say a very big thank you to Tony Hales and The Waterways Trust for this grant. It will make a real difference to our work with schools to improve the activities we provide. It is a real delight spending time with all our visitors, young and old, passing on our knowledge of the canals and boats of the past - especially Saturn.”

The overhaul of Saturn on Ellesmere Dock has just been completed and SUFBRS would like the thank Craftmaster Paints for providing the paint and BW North Wales & Borders Waterways for the use of the dock. Boatbuilder Adrian Polglase and the Project’s boat manager, artist Tony Lewery, worked with and directed the volunteers.

Last updated: 24/11/2011

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