GRAND UNION - ROYALTY CLASS (Types A & B)
In July 1928 the Regents Canal & Dock Company placed an order with the Steel Barrel Co. Ltd. of Uxbridge for a pair of experimental narrowboats that would be suitable for carrying between London and Birmingham. They were to be larger than conventional narrowboats in order to provide sufficient freeboard for working in the tidal waters of the Thames. Delivered in 1929, the motor was named GEORGE and the butty MARY after the king and queen.
By the time GEORGE and MARY had been delivered her original owners had merged with four other companies to form the Grand Union Canal Company. The following year the GU Co. purchased Assosciated Canal Carriers Ltd. and leased the two boats to their new carrying subsidiary. GEORGE and MARY were then evaluated in service and used to form the basis of a new standard narrowboat design for ACC. This new class of boats continued the royal naming theme and became known as the Royalty Class.
Production of the Royalty Class was split between several builders. Yarwoods of Northwich provided four coppered steel motor boats. James Pollock & Sons of Faversham built two coppered steel motor boats. Walkers of Rickmansworth, Bushells of Tring and Woods of Brentford all provided two wooden butties each.
Under the GUCCC classification system the prototype pair were designated Type A and the other six Royaly Class pairs were designated Type B.
By the time GEORGE and MARY had been delivered her original owners had merged with four other companies to form the Grand Union Canal Company. The following year the GU Co. purchased Assosciated Canal Carriers Ltd. and leased the two boats to their new carrying subsidiary. GEORGE and MARY were then evaluated in service and used to form the basis of a new standard narrowboat design for ACC. This new class of boats continued the royal naming theme and became known as the Royalty Class.
Production of the Royalty Class was split between several builders. Yarwoods of Northwich provided four coppered steel motor boats. James Pollock & Sons of Faversham built two coppered steel motor boats. Walkers of Rickmansworth, Bushells of Tring and Woods of Brentford all provided two wooden butties each.
Under the GUCCC classification system the prototype pair were designated Type A and the other six Royaly Class pairs were designated Type B.