Race against time to restore Northwich

摘要

HISTORIC working boat Northwich is pictured being lifted out of Gloucester Docks and moved to the quayside outside the National Waterways Museum for examination by experts prior to conservation work. The unpowered horse-boat, built in 1898 for carrying company Fellows Morton & Clayton, is the oldest narrowboat in the Canal & River Trust museums' collection, and one of 68 nationally important boats in CRT's care. The work is part of a programme of conservation on the entire collection supported by £314,000 from Arts Council England and divided between the sites at Gloucester and Ellesmere Port. The trust's Steve Bagley explained that the age, size and vulnerability of construction materials of the exhibits "pitch us in a race against time", but that "we are delighted that thanks to this funding we are finally able to secure a positive future for Northwich".