Middle Northwich Boats...

Radiant & Regulus...

Radiant and Regulus were the first pair of "middle northwich" boats built in 1935, Radiant has spent almost its whole life in active work, only coming out of service as a maintenance boat, B3, with British Waterways on the Gloucester and Sharpness Ship Canal in Septemeber 1992.

During World War II Radiant was sued as a fire boat by the London Fire Brigade. She was based at Paddington Basin on the Regents Canal and had 3 pumps fitted in the hold. At the end of the war, she was returned to the GUCCCo and on nationalisation in 1948, she was transferred to the Docks and Inland Waterways Executives. Radiant still has the original cabin, with only a few modifications.

It is believed that the engine room was lengthened to accomodate a Ruston and Hornsby 3VSOM engine with a 3" centrifugal pump which had replaced the original 18bhp Russell Newbery by 1952. The present engine is a Lister HR3M engine which was fitted new in 1971.

Regulus has had a varied life. It was paired a number of different motors when carrying for the GUCCCo, including Reading and Seaford. Since being withdrawn from carrying, it has been a maintenance boat, based at Marsworth and a mud hopper on the River Avon where it subsequently remained derelict for a number of years. After being rescued and restored in the early 1970s, she carried coal commercially again and was paired with the motor Rufford. Radiant and Regulus were reunited in May 1993 and are normally moored at the Boat Museum, Ellesmere Port.