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In 1967 British Waterways enlarged the locks as necessary and deepened the channel of the Aire & Calder Navigation from Goole to Leeds to provide a draft of 2.5 metres for craft up to 175 feet in length. Humber Enterprise was one of six craft built to this nominal 500 tonne capacity size. Humber Enterprise (with Humber Renown) was built by the Yorkshire Dry Dock Co in Hull for J.H. Whitaker to operate as a 430 tonne tank craft carrying fuels from the Humber to Leeds, mainly for the Fina and Esso contracts but also to other destinations. During this time contracts were obtained to move heavy oil (starting fuels) to power stations such as High Marnham, Drax, Thorpe Marsh and Ferrybridge, and this necessitated the fitting of heating coils and oil fired boilers. With the enlargement of the waterway by widening and lengthening the locks and the advent of 600 tonne vessels around 1980 Humber Renown was then used for other work such as tar from Goole docks to the Croda works at Knottingley. With the gradual loss of these contracts Humber Enterprise was eventually laid up in 1995 and then purchased by Humber Barges Ltd in April 2000 (along with Fusedale H) for conversion to dry cargo carrying which was carried out by J&J Malone Ship Repairs in Goole, but has not yet been completed. Humber Enterprise is currently laid up in Goole awaiting engine re-installation, new wheel house etc. These craft were the first to be steered by a hydraulic system with a joy stick instead of a wheel and had a very superior crew accommodation.
Built by Yorkshire Dry Dock Co in Hull for J.H. Whitaker
Humber Renown was then used for other work such as tar from Goole docks to the Croda works at Knottingley.
Laid up
New owner
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National Historic Ships UK acknowledges the financial support of its sponsors