Wednesday 6 July 2011

Streak of Blue


Between Watford Locks and Norton Junction on the Leicester Section last month was this unusual boat.


The name Streak of Blue refers, presumably, to the kingfishers depicted in the stained glass window in the cratch. Not surprisingly the boat itself is painted blue.


At the stern the roofline steps up to include two slim forward-facing windows, as well as extra windows on the sides. Does this act as a wheelhouse for inclement weather? It doesn't look like it collapses or slides, so I take it that there is always sufficient headroom for bridges and tunnels.

3 comments:

Bruce in Sanity said...

These boats are mostly seen around the NW canals, as they are/were built at Wincham Wharf.

Cheers

Bruce

Vallypee said...

Practical, but maybe not so handy in hot weather!

Roger Smith said...

There is a similar boat for sale at Mercia Marina, from the description:-

Construction: All steel narrowboat to the Ensign 2000 design with fixed wheeelhouse over stern deck, built to a declared specification of 10-6-4, ballast tank to reduce the air draft if required.