Sponsors
National Historic Ships UK acknowledges the financial support of its sponsors
Registration number
2279
Status
Registered
a12admin
Details
Function
Service Vessel
Subfunction
Tug
Location
Stourbridge
Vessel type
Canal Tug
Current use
Private use
Available to hire
No
Available for excursions
No
Construction
Builder
Harris Brothers, Netherton
Built in
1941
Hull material
Steel
Rig
None
Number of decks
1
Propulsion
Motor
Number of engines
1
Primary engine type
Inboard diesel
Boiler type
None
Boilermaker
None
Dimensions
Breadth: Beam
7.00 feet
(2.14m)
Depth
3.00 feet
(0.92m)
Length: Overall
51.00 feet
(15.56m)
History
Built in 1941 by Harris Brothers of Bumblehole, Netherton, HELEN is a canal tug of riveted steel construction with a Bolinder diesel engine model 1053. She was built for Joseph Holloway & Co. Ltd of Oldbury to pull coal boats around the Birmingham Canal Navigations. This traffic stopped in the mid 1960s and she was bought privately to pull passenger boats on the Caldon Canal. During this time she was lengthened to 51 foot and a higher superstructure put on. She changed hands in 1999 and was bought by her present owner in 2007. She is one of the few remaining Birmingham tugs built by Harris Brothers.
Key dates
-
1941
Built by Harris Bros of Bumblehole, Netherton as a Canal Tug for Joseph Holloway & Co Ltd
-
1941-45
She pulled coal boats around Birmingham Canal
-
1945
She was sold to Leonard Leigh Ltd
-
1965
She stopped working when coal traffic stopped
-
1970
She was bought privately and pulled a Passenger Boat on the Caldon Canal
-
1999
New owners
-
2007
New owners
Own this vessel?
If you are the owner of this vessel and would like to provide more details or updated information, please contact info@nationalhistoricships.org.uk
