Name Darley

DARLEY is a narrow boat, built by Harland & Wolff Ltd. at Woolwich in January 1937. She was registered at Rickmansworth as number 160 and was fleet number 135, with gauging number 12661. Her hull is made of riveted steel and, although she would have originally had a wooden cabin, this has been replaced with a steel structure. She has a pointed bow with a raked curved stem and a counter stern. Her current engine is a 1957 Petter PD2, with two cylinders and 20 horsepower. She was commissioned by the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd. and named after Darley Dale and was initially intended for pairing with the butty, DENTON. 

She carried loads from Birmingham to London until the advent of nationalisation in 1948 and paired with BORDESLEY, being steered by S. Meese and on general service. In 1963 she was hired to Willow Wren Canal Transport Services Ltd.

 In 1967 DARLEY was epossessed by British Waterways Board for non payment of rental by Willow Wren Canal Transport Services Ltd. and put into storage on the Wendover Arm, near Tring.

Sold to Alfred Matty & Sons Ltd., Coseley in 1968, for use as a canal maintenance boat.  It was subsequently cut in two and stern end fitted with a flat ‘punt’ bow and converted to dredger and renamed WILL NEWTON.  The  fore end was left on the bank at Coseley.

In 1981, both ends sold to Roger Hipkiss, Birmingham - re-assembled at Tipton with new cabin and other steelwork being done by Doug Greaves. Cabin fitted out at Gas Street Basin, Birmingham by Colin Yeomans and decorated by Donald White. After renovation paired with ALPERTON 

Sold to T Bellamy in 2003 who had the bottoms and  sides re-footed. 

In 2011 sold to her current owners who have kept her in as near original condition and travel the network visiting transport festivals showing the boat and talking to the public.  Still carries the occational load. Kept at Great Haywood