1953-63 - Willow Wren Canal Carrying Company bought motor and butty boats that had originally been built for other canal carrying companies and re-named many of them after birds.
1963-70 - Willow Wren Canal Transport Services took on most of the 1953-63 fleet and hired additional boats from British Waterways, generally not re-named.
1964 - Willow Wren Hire Cruisers, based at Rugby Wharf, took CRANE, SANDPIPER, TERN and WARBLER and hired them out as campers, GREBE was converted to a hire cruiser and WATER OUZEL became a trip boat.
Photos from the Jim Payler collection
Key:
C&C - Cowburn & Cowper
Erewash - Erewash Canal Carrying Co
FMC - Fellows, Morton & Clayton
GUCCC - Grand Union Canal Carrying Co
LMS - London, Midland & Scottish Railway Co
Willow Wren CCC boats 1953-63:
| Name | Date Bought | Former Name | Built for | ||||
| Warbler | Dec-53 | Libra | GUCCC | ||||
| Wagtail | Jan-54 | Freda | FMC | ||||
| Shoveller | Jan-54 | Bascote | FMC | ||||
| Redshank | Feb-54 | Reading | GUCCC | ||||
| Greenshank | Feb-54 | Bawtry | GUCCC | ||||
| Mallard | Feb-54 | Elm | Erewash | ||||
| Kingfisher | Feb-54 | Florence | FMC | ||||
| Quail | Oct-54 | Quail | FMC | ||||
| Pullet | Oct-54 | Antelope | H Sabey | ||||
| Sandpiper | Oct-54 | Falcon | FMC | ||||
| Moorhen | Oct-54 | Briar | FMC | ||||
| Bittern | Oct-54 | Lion | FMC | ||||
| Crane | Oct-54 | Crane | FMC | ||||
| Tern | Oct-54 | Emu | FMC | ||||
| Grebe | Oct-54 | Antelope | FMC | ||||
| Avocet | Oct-54 | Raven | FMC | ||||
| Teal | Jan-55 | Minnie | C&C | ||||
| Snipe | Jan-55 | Kildare | FMC | ||||
| Heron | Jul-55 | Caleb | LMS | ||||
| Kestrel | Jun-56 | Triagulum | GUCCC | ||||
| Dabchick | Jul-57 | Norah | LMS | ||||
| Swan | Oct-57 | Dunstable | GUCCC | ||||
| Cygnet | Aug-58 | Gladys | C&C | ||||
| Egret | Jun-59 | Mimas | GUCCC | ||||
| Coot | Jun-59 | Ursa | GUCCC | ||||
| Bunting | Jan-60 | Dudley | GUCCC | ||||
| Godswall | Jan-60 | Denton | GUCCC | ||||
| Dunlin | Jan-60 | Hadfield | GUCCC | ||||
| Drake | Jan-60 | Taunton | GUCCC | ||||
| Smew | Jan-60 | Norton | GUCCC | ||||
| Elton | Jan-60 | Elton | GUCCC | ||||
| Curlew | Dec-61 | Seaford | GUCCC | ||||
| Otley | Dec-61 | Otley | GUCCC | ||||
| Dipper | Dec-61 | Bristol | GUCCC | ||||
| Rail | Dec-61 | Hadley | GUCCC | ||||
| Buckden | Dec-61 | Buckden | GUCCC | ||||
| Flamingo | Dec-61 | Letchworth | GUCCC | ||||
| Widgeon | Dec-61 | Thaxted | GUCCC | ||||
| Gainsborough | Dec-61 | Gainsborough | GUCCC |
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