Watson class
Joel and Maria
Maria is being used here as a handy bridge for quick access across to the towpath. The canal was derelict and closed to traffic at the time so she was not causing an obstruction.
Joel has been craned out onto the side of the Ashton Canal for repair after the 1972 Ashton warehouse fire.
Joel was almost totally destroyed in the fire, only being saved by the "lucky chance" of a cast iron pillar from the warehouse falling from an upper floor, bursting bottom planks and sinking her.
The ex Shropshire Union Fly boat Dove, which was alongside, stayed afloat and was a total write off.
Maria and Joel were Great Central and LNER maintenance boats on the Ashton and Peak Forest Canals, these canals being taken over by the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company in order to carry goods through rival railway companies territory, they eventually passed along with the boats to the British Transport Commission on nationalisation and then to the British Waterways Board.
Joel and Maria
Maria is being used here as a handy bridge for quick access across to the towpath. The canal was derelict and closed to traffic at the time so she was not causing an obstruction.
Joel has been craned out onto the side of the Ashton Canal for repair after the 1972 Ashton warehouse fire.
Joel was almost totally destroyed in the fire, only being saved by the "lucky chance" of a cast iron pillar from the warehouse falling from an upper floor, bursting bottom planks and sinking her.
The ex Shropshire Union Fly boat Dove, which was alongside, stayed afloat and was a total write off.
Maria and Joel were Great Central and LNER maintenance boats on the Ashton and Peak Forest Canals, these canals being taken over by the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company in order to carry goods through rival railway companies territory, they eventually passed along with the boats to the British Transport Commission on nationalisation and then to the British Waterways Board.