''President'' is a historic, steam-powered narrowboat, built in 1909 by Fellows Morton & Clayton (FMC) at their dock at Saltley, Birmingham, England. It is now owned by the Black Country Living Museum, where it is based. ''President'' is registered by National Historic Ships as part of the National Historic Fleet.

Early years

President narrowboat at the junction of the old main line and new main line

The long ''President'' was constructed in 1909 at FMC's company dock in Saltley, and cost £600 (). She was registered on 23 June that year. Her

rivet A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed, a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite to the head is called the ''tail''. On installation, the rivet is placed in a punched ...

ed, wrought iron hull is shaped in the 'Josher' style, named for FMC director Joshua Fellows. In 1925, the

Ruston, Proctor and Company Ruston, Proctor and Company was established in Lincoln, England in 1857, and were manufacturers of steam tractors and engines. They later became Rustons and then Ruston & Hornsby. History The firm was started as millwrights and implement man ...

steam boiler and engine were replaced by a 15 hp Bolinder crude oil engine. Ernest Thomas, a director of FMC, and a Walsall-based coal carrier, acquired the boat in 1946. She was sold to George and Matthews of Wolverhampton in 1948, but that year the UK's canals were nationalised and she finished her working days as part of British Waterways' northern maintenance fleet, on the Trent and Mersey, Macclesfield and Shropshire Union canals, from a base at Northwich.

Preservation

''President'' was bought by Nicholas Bostock and Malcolm Braine in 1973, as a derelict hull. They restored the hull and constructed a replica cabin and boiler room. A 1928 Muir and Findley " Scotch" return boiler, similar to that originally used, but operating at 100 PSI was acquired and fitted, as was a twin cylinder steam engine, originally used in a Thames launch. The boat returned to service in 1978.

Black Country Living Museum

NB President and Kildare - Soulbury Locks

''President'' was purchased by the Black Country Living Museum in January 1983. The boiler was replaced by a Cochran dryback return flue boiler in 1990. A major refit took place from 2001–2003, including the provision of a new steam engine, pipework and cabin, plus major hull repairs. ''President'', in FMC livery, normally operates with a butty boat, ''

Kildare Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional ce ...

''. In 1992 she paired with

on a 257 mile journey through Cheshire and Staffordshire to raise money for orphaned children in Romania. On 3 June 2012, President took part in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant in London, representing the Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire, having spent three weeks making the journey from Etruria Industrial Museum, Stoke-on-Trent, at an average speed of 3 mph. Her boiler failed an inspection in 2018 and is beyond economical repair.

Bibliography

References

External links

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Steam Narrow Boat President

crew blog

National Historic Ships website
{{Oldest surviving ships (pre-1919) Steamboats in Europe Vehicles introduced in 1909 Black Country Living Museum Transport in Birmingham, West Midlands Canal boats of the United Kingdom Ships and vessels of the National Historic Fleet