www.fmc-rudd.co.uk

Motor Narrow Boat
70'6" long 7' wide
Rudd was built by W. J Yarwood, Shipbuilders on the river Weaver in Cheshire, England in 1936 for the carrying firm of Fellows, Morton and Clayton Ltd. and was number 323 in their fleet. Rudd was a member of a class of boats named after freshwater fish which were built specifically to operate on the canals in the northwest of the English canal system. Because they operated as single motors, i.e. not towing a butty or unpowered boat, they were fitted with a 9hp Bolinder's engine.
Rudd is fitted with the 15hp Bolinder's engine originally installed in the motor boat Aster. The Aster was built in 1931, the engine dates from 1929.
When the present owners restored Rudd from derelict she was rebuilt with the 7 feet long engine room which was normal, not the 5 feet long engine room which the fish class had. The 7 foot length is by far the most representative.
She was acquired from British Waterways in 1979 and rebuilt using, as far as possible, the original methods and materials. This means she is still of composite construction having rivitted wrought iron sides, an elm bottom and a wooden cabin. All the components which were wood are still wood. She is included in the National Register of Historic Vessels, certificate number 1622.

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