Redshank
A traditional working narrow boat in continuous service since 1936
For the authentic narrowboat experience, this brightly decorated traditional canal boat is perfect for a summer celebration on the water.
overview
An open boat with a roll-down canopy cover for wet weather protection.
Bench seating for 40 passengers with a bar at one end and WC at the other.
History of Redshank
Built in 1936 by W. J. Yarwood & Sons, Redshank began her working life as Reading, one of the “Town Class” motorboats built for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company during its major fleet expansion in 1934. The Town Class boats were named after English towns and villages and formed the backbone of long-distance canal freight carrying.
As Fleet No. 163, Reading regularly travelled the route between Birmingham and London along the Grand Union Canal, transporting cargoes such as coal, timber and Rose’s Lime Juice.
In February 1954 the boat was purchased by the Willow Wren Canal Carrying Company and renamed Redshank. The following June she was paired with the butty Greenshank (formerly Bawtry), and the pair were repaired by Walker’s Boat Yard at Rickmansworth at a cost of £650.30.
By 1965, after being fitted with a new Lister engine, Redshank was valued at £1,200 in a debenture document. Yet by this time the age of canal freight was drawing to a close and as road transport expanded, the use of narrowboats for carrying cargo steadily declined.
On 26 August 1970, Redshank loaded a cargo at Gospall Wharf on the Ashby Canal — the final load carried by the Willow Wren Canal Carrying Company. It marked the end of an era in commercial narrowboat carrying.
In 1974, Redshank entered a new chapter when she was acquired by Nick Gray together with Greenshank. The pair were brought to Bristol to launch Bristol Packet Boat Trips.
Redshank was soon at work again, this time carrying passengers rather than cargo. She began operating trips around Bristol Harbour, along the River Avon to Beeses Tea Gardens, and even as far as Bath. Remarkably, her day-to-day life has changed little over the past five decades and she continues to perform much the same role today.
In 2023, after almost 90 years of continuous service, Redshank briefly left the water to undergo one of the most significant changes in her history: conversion to fully electric propulsion. Her traditional diesel engine was removed and replaced with lithium battery packs and electric motors, enabling the boat to operate throughout the day entirely on battery power. This pioneering conversion is believed to have been the first of its kind for a passenger vessel of this type in the United Kingdom.
