Motor boat "Comet" and butty "Sirius" at Gas Street Basin, Birmingham in the mid 1970s. "Sirius" is a wooden Small Ricky, built by Walkers in 1934.

"Comet" in service as a camping boat with Stroudwater Carriers at Bakers Quay, Gloucester in the mid 1970s.

Grand Union Canal Carrying Co star class motor boat 30 "Comet", seen here in British Waterways colours. "Comet" is a Small Woolwich of composite construction, built by Harland & Wolff in 1935.

"Capella", a Small Woolwich butty converted in 1991 to a motor boat with a hydraulic drive. She was originally number 247 in the GUCCC fleet and was built in 1935 by Harland & Wolff.

Former British Waterways and GUCCC motor boat "Atlas" at Windmill End on 13th September 2003. The vessel is a Small Woolwich built by Harland & Wolff in 1935.

"Indus" (nearest the camera) and "Indus Two" of Southern Region Carriers. "Indus" started off life as a Grand Union Small Woolwich butty, but has since been fitted with a counter stern and converted to a motor boat. She was originally built in 1935 by Harland & Wolff.

Grand Union Canal Carrying Co town class motor boat no. 142 "Fulbourne" at Aylesbury basin. 14th November 2005.

Bow view of the same vessel. The vessel is a Large Woolwich, built in 1936 by Harland & Wolff. 14th November 2005.

A stern view of the "Fulbourne". 16th April 2004.

Large Woolwich motor "Epsom" at Thrupp on the Oxford Canal. 20th September 1996. (Thanks to Neil Evans for identifying this vessel).

Grand Union Canal Carrying Co town class motor boat "Bicester" which has been converted for residential use. Marsworth, 19th November 2005. (Large Woolwich, Harland & Wolff, 1936)

Butty "Regulus" and motor "Radiant" at the Black Country Museum. 7th October 1996. (Both Middle Northwich, Yarwoods, 1936)

Former GUCCC motor "Alton", still working (solid fuels and diesel) on the Upper Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canal for Renaissance Canal Carriers. Macclesfield Canal. 1st April 2007.

GUCCC butty "Argus" bringing up the rear of a pair at Rugeley in 1977. (Small Woolwich, Harland & Wolff, 1935).

The former GUCCC motor boat "Hawkesbury" at Hawkesbury in May 2007. (Photo courtesy of Pete Fitt).

"Hawkesbury" moored at Loughborough in May 2005. (Photo courtesy of Pete Fitt).

Former GUCCC all-timber motor boat "Umbriel" on the South Oxford Canal. The vessel was number 94 in the fleet and was one of six Small Ricky motors built by Walkers in 1935. It later worked for T&S Elements.

Grand Union Canal Carrying Co motor "Sutton" of 1936. Bulbourne, 22nd June 2008.

I believe this may be the Small Ricky butty "Ariel" Any further information would be appreciated.

"Dodona" moored at Bulbourne on 22nd June 2008. Originally built in 1935 as a GUCCC butty, it was cut in half in the 1960s. This is the former stern section which now forms the vessel's bow. A modern counter stern had been fitted on the other end.

GUCCC motor "Tipton" of 1937 seen on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Trowbridge on 11th August 2003.

A bow view of "Tipton". 11th August 2003.

The former GUCCC narrowboat "Tucana" which was for many years used as a fuelling vessel for maintenance boats on the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. It was renamed "Zodiac" for its maintenance fleet role.

Motor narrowboat "Pinner", formerly of the Grand Union Canal Carrying Co and later boat number 161 of the nationalised British Waterways fleet. When this photograph was taken on 7th August 1997 she was still in BW service as part of the maintenance fleet on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. This is a "Large Northwich" type, built by Yarwoods in 1936.

Former working boat "Barnet" in service as part of the BW maintenance fleet. Several of BW's older vessels have been repainted in traditional colours recently. Gailey. 13th October 2005.

British Waterways working boat "Hercules" seen on the Trent & Mersey Canal. 2nd August 1997.

British Waterways butty "Malus" on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal on 7th August 1997. This vessel was formerly part of the Grand Union Canal Carrying Co fleet. "Small Northwich" type, built by Yarwoods in 1935.

British Waterways narrowboat "Radiant" at Gloucester on 22nd May 1993.

GUCCC motor "Archimedes" and butty "Ara" (both of 1935) near Cassio Bridge on the Grand Union. 17th May 2004.

GUCCC Large Woolwich motor "Chiswick" at Aylesbury on 6th September 2008.

GUCCC motor "Saltaire" of 1936 at the Black Country Museum, Tipton. 3rd October 2008.

A stern view of "Saltaire" moored next to "Swallow" at Tipton. The stern of "Saltaire" is a modern replacement - the vessel was cut in half by British Waterways in the 1960s. 3rd October 2008.

Former GUCCC motor "Gemini" at Aylesbury Basin on 17th October 2008.

"Fulbourne" and "Gemini" at Aylesbury showing the different profiles of the Large & Small Woolwich types. Aylesbury, 22nd March 2009.

The cabin of GUCCC butty "Coronis" at the London Canal Museum. 24th February 2009.

The former Samuel Barlow butty "Raymond" in residential use at Braunston in 1976. She was built by Barlows in 1958 as number 96 in the fleet.

Samuel Barlow motor boat "Gort" drydocked at Gloucester on 14th April 2007.

Samuel Barlow motor boat "Daphne" moored on the Caldon Canal. 14th April 2006.

Thos. Clayton motor boat "Spey" at Malkins Bank on the Trent & Mersey. "Spey" was number 88 in the Claytons fleet and was built in 1937 by Fellows Morton & Clayton at Uxbridge. 2nd August 1997.

Thos. Clayton motor boat no. 87 "Stour" at the Black Country Museum. "Stour" was built in 1937 by Fellows Morton & Clayton at Uxbridge. 5th August 2006.

Close up of the cabin on "Stour". Claytons specialised in carrying liquid cargoes. 5th August 2006.

"Severn" at Bulbourne. This boat was built as a butty in 1937 by FMC and worked for Claytons of Oldbury. She was converted to a motor in 1944. 22nd June 2008.

Thos. Clayton motor boat no. 18 "Dane" of 1948. Aylesbury Basin, 5th April 2009.

Cabin detail on "Severn". 22nd June 2008.

Cabin shot of FMC motor "Ferret" in the mid 1970s. This boat was built by Yarwoods in 1926.

Fellows Morton & Clayton steam motor boat "Monarch" on the Macclesfield Canal in 1997. She was built in 1908.

Fellows Morton & Clayton motor "Vanguard" at Bulbourne. This boat was built in 1911 as a steamer and was converted to a motor in 1926. She worked for Barlows in the 1950s and was named "Franklyn". 22nd June 2008.

Cabin shot of "Vanguard". 22nd June 2008.

Butty "Austrailia" and motor boat "Greyhound" of the former FMC fleet at Tipton, 7th October 1996.

FMC steam motor boat "President" of 1909 and butty "Kildare" at the Black Country Museum. 5th August 2006.

"President" at Tipton on 3rd October 2008.

FMC motor boat "Peacock" of 1915 at the Black Country Museum. 5th August 2006.

Cabin detail on "Peacock". 3rd October 2008.

Cabin interior on the "Peacock". 3rd October 2008.

"Victory" at Saul Junction on 17th June 2007. This boat was built as a steamer for FMC and was later sold to Jim Yates of Pelsall who renamed her "Pacific" and cut her down for use as a tug. Later she was used as a hire boat and named "Mallard". She is now in private ownership and has reverted to her original name.

FMC butty "Vienna" of 1911. Cheddleton, Caldon Canal, 13th April 2006.

FMC motor "Cactus" of 1935 at Wedgewood Lock, Trent & Mersey Canal. 13th April 2003.

"Cactus" at the Black Country Museum, now adorned with a plaque reading "The 100th Motor Boat". 3rd October 2008.

Former FMC motor "Malvern" of 1949 at Hardings Wood Junction, Kidsgrove. She is part of the British Waterways North West heritage fleet. 11th April 2003.

Former FMC motor "Roach" of 1935. She is seen here on the River Weaver near Anderton in the livery of her current owner. 18th September 2002.

FMC motor "Gailey" of 1937. Trent & Mersey Canal near Sandbach. 23rd September 2002.

FMC steamer "Viceroy" 17th April 2003.

FMC motor "Owl" of 1928 and butty "Hampton" of 1912 at Cowroast on 28th August 2008.

FMC motors "Minnow" and "Peacock" at the Black Country Museum. 3rd October 2008.

Erewash Canal Carrying Co butty "Cedar" of 1935 and motor "Cypress" at Cowroast on 28th August 2008.

Severn & Canal Carrying Co motor boat "Oak" preserved at the National Waterways Museum at Gloucester. 4th September 1996. Built by Charles Hill of Bristol in 1934, this small fleet of vessels were some of the earliest welded narrowoats.

Stern view of "Oak", Gloucester, 14th April 2007. Note the chimney and cowl vent, features more usually found on barges.

Converted BW river class butty "Exe" at Aylesbury on 19th February 2006.

British Waterway motor boat "Anne" which was built as part of the last fleet of working boats to be constructed in the early 1950s. Originally built with a Harbourmaster propulsion unit, it has since had this cut off and a conventional motor boat stern end welded on. Tipton. 5th August 2006.

British Waterways Admiral class narrowboat "Grenville" now used as part of the maintenance fleet. Trent & Mersey Canal, 2nd August 1997.

GWR railway boat 15 at the Black Country Museum. 5th August 2006.

Bow view of railway boat 15. 5th August 2006.

The sunken remains of day boat "Birchills". Black Country Museum, 5th August 2006.

"Birchills" with a steel day boat. 3rd October 2008.

BCN day boats, Black Country Museum, 5th August 2006.

Harts Hill Iron Co day boat "Bessie" of 1895. Black Country Museum, 5th August 2006.

Cabin detail on Midlands & Coast Canal Carriers boat "Diamond". 3rd October 2008.

FMC day boat 138 of 1898 at the Black Country Museum. 3rd October 2008.

Bow detail of day boat 100, Black Country Museum. 3rd October 2008.

A BCN day boat at Tipton. 11th October 2008.

Day boat carrying BW number 80387, Black Country Museum. 3rd October 2008.

Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway horse boat "Maria" at Bugswork Basin on 25th March 2005.

A modern working boat belonging to Wood Hall & Heward Engineering. 28th April 2007.

"Milton Maid", one of three purpose built narrowboats that operated in the 1980s carrying pottery between Hanley and Milton on the Caldon Canal.

Maintenance narrowboat "Diamond" of A & R Rothen & Sons. Tipton, 11th October 2008.

Shropshire Union butty "Saturn" at Ellesmere on the Llangollen Canal. 11th September 2007.

W H Cowburn & Cowpar motor bot "Swallow" of 1934 at the Black Country Museum, Tipton. 3rd October 2008.

W H Cowburn and Cowpar motor boat "Seagull" at Aylesbury. 22nd March 2009.

"Eileen" at Frampton, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. Further information on this vessel would be appreciated. 17th June 2007.

I believe this boat is named "Harry" but is is not the vessel of the same name which was operated as a camping boat by the Boat & Butty Co in the 1970s. Camden, 28th April 2007.

Another view of what I think is "Harry". Camden, 28th April 2007.

An unidentified wooden motor at Bulbourne. Help with identification would be appreciated. 22nd June 2008.

British Waterways River Class butty "Wye" of 1958 and FMC butty "Northwich" of 1898 at the National Waterways Museum, Gloucester. 28th September 1996.

The National Waterways Museum fleet of preserved narrowboats, Gloucester, 14th April 2007.

Stern line up of the National Waterways Museum fleet. 14th April 2007.

A pair of butties on the Grand Union Canal. 8th September 2003.

The motor boat "Empress" which is used by a fuel merchant. Windmill End 13th September 2003.

"Harry" and "St Austell" in service as camping boats for the Boat & Butty Co in the mid 1970s. Shropshire Union Canal.

"Harry" in Boat & Butty Co colours in the mid 1970s.

A pair of coal merchant's narrowboats at Hardingswood Junction, Trent & Mersey Canal. February 2001.

A motor boat on the North Oxford Canal.

A trio of working boats including "Lynx", "President" and "Kildare" at the Black Country Museum, 7th October 1996.

A line-up of working boat bows at Gas Street Basin in about 1982.

Working boats at Worcester Bar, 1982.

Working boat sterns at Worcester Bar in 1982.

Ice breaker "Ross". Black Country Museum, 5th August 2006.

A pair of coal trade working boats at Glascote. They are motor boat "Jackal" (1927) and butty "Hereford", previously of the FMC fleet. 27th July 1998.

Hotel pair "Mallard" and "Dabchick" at Little Venice. 15th August 1998.

Vessels belonging to Caggy Stevens on the BCN New Main Line at Tipton, 1977.

"Aborigine" at Banbury on 21st March 2008. I think this is a Bantock butty, motorised and converted for residential use.

Another view of "Aborigine" at Banbury. 21st March 2008.

British Waterways maitenance vessel 80406 on the Shropshire Union Canal in August 1997. This appears to be an old working butty stern turned and attached to a modern cabin and stern.

"Arden" at Battlebridge Basin, Regents Canal. I don't know the history of this vessel but it appears to be an old, rivetted hull with a more modern stern. 24th February 2009.

Various sunken narrowboats at the Black Country Museum. 3rd October 2008.

Various sunken narrowboats at the Black Country Museum. 3rd October 2008.

Various sunken narrowboats at the Black Country Museum. 3rd October 2008.