A Nice Pair

Today we’ve cruised to Market Drayton in Shropshire, having got caught earlier in a sharp shower – this despite planning not to ‘do rain’.

On the way we spotted a pair of boats – a boat with an engine (the ‘motor’), towing a boat without an engine (a ‘butty’), are known as a ‘pair’. From the 1920s they were a common site on canals, the motor carrying its own cargo, as well as taking the place of the horse which could have originally pulled the butty.

‘Clematis’ and ‘Ilford’ the butty (nearest the tow-path)

Both boats were originally part of the ‘Fellows Morton & Clayton’ fleet. ‘Clematis’, was built in 1935 by Northwich boatyard Yarwoods, and fitted with an Armstrong Siddley AS2 engine, whilst ‘Ilford’ was built in 1912 by West Bromwich yard Braithwaites, making her 103 years old.

We later managed to catch them on the move passing through a bridge-hole and shot a video. Hopefully you can see it (I think you have to click on the image below).