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MATT'S BLOG
Canal Transport Services News - December 2011  
Meteor is an ex Grand Union Canal Carrying Co` butty, fleet number 313.
Delivered new from Harland & Wolff Ltd in 1935 for the GUCC`s huge expansion programme and paired with motor boat Comet.
After a long and sometimes "interesting" history it is pleasing to know the current owner is returning the boat to working trim.
At CTS we enjoy restoration work on historic craft as much as we do building new ones.
Work on Meteor included hull work and a new back cabin, which has been built in steel to the dimensions of the original.
Meteor is now back in the water and will be paired with motor Aldridge.
After fit out work, the boat will appear in an "austerity" version of CTS livery.
Canal Transport Services News - November 2011  
If you scroll back to our earliest news item you can find the story of the draining of Chasewater reservoir.
Chasewater, or Norton Pool as it was known, is of huge importance to the BCN canal network as it is the primary water source. It has been drained to allow repair to the dam, giving British Waterways a challenge in maintaining water levels.
British Waterways West Midlands should be congratulated in doing a good job, water levels have been below normal at times, but generally no problems reported.
BCNS Pelsall boat rally was unaffected, and with the dredging programme on the Wyrley and Essington completed, the Northern BCN is better than ever.
Work is now nearing completion, though no water can be run off until the pool is full, to test the repaired dam wall. Lets hope for a mild, wet winter.
The pictures show the new outlet about 100 metres off the dam wall, slightly to the north of the valve house you can see in the first report mentioned above.
Canal Transport Services News - October 2011  
All steelwork to this 1972 CTS tug rebuild project was completed before the bad weather and dark nights set in. Fit out and engineering works can now continue within the nice new secure cabin.

The Turner V twin diesel engine awaits connection to the hydraulic drive.
Canal Transport Services News - September 2011  

This is the rudder for GUCC Motor Boat No. 100 Zodiac, or is it?

You may remember this Middle Northwich motor as B10, used as a refuelling boat on the River Severn. It appeared in "Colours of the cut" in Waterways World magazine, a series of illustrations of boat liveries that eventually were published as a book.

The mystery regarding the identity of Zodiac comes from a reliable source who is involved in the restoration of the boat.
He has found that four Middle Northwich motors went for complete rebuild at the same time, and whilst stripped down their identities may have been switched.

It is his best guess that Zodiac is probably GUCC No. 92 Tucana.

Whichever one it is, our job was to rebuild the rudder.
Using original plans we have produced a decent replica with flight, blade, balance weights and collars and "Doubling" of the top complete with dummy rivets. The original stock was retained.

Now refitted to the boat which is awaiting further restoration.

 

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 • NORTON CANES DOCK • LIME LANE • PELSALL • WALSALL • WEST MIDLANDS • WS3 5AP
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 • Email info@canaltransportservices.co.uk