Cut in two. One end with 55' of Bream was rebuilt to 70' by Keith Ball with full length cabin and has a Lister HA2. The back end now has a BCN day boat front end.

Gallery pictures containing Bream

The original engine room and back cabin were joined to the fore end of an LMS Birmingham dayboat in 1960 The original 9hp Bolinder was replaced with an Armstrong Siddeley AS3 (30HP at 1500rpm. This turned her from a redundant single motor into a powerful icebreaker/tug and ensured many more years working in the Midlands. She is still fully serviceable ans available for work.

Posted by: Paul Ayres

(2008-11-21)

Just finished the paint job on Bream, but she still needs sign writing. Loads of photos on my website at http://www.bream.org/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=902

Posted by: Steve

(2008-06-07)

Bream is back in the water after 16 months on the yard at Stretton. We\'ve done a massive refit inside and the engine is now an HR2. She\'s still in primer but I\'ll deal with that as soon as I can. Should be at Braunston, all being well then heading south for a change in July. I\'ll start putting the refit pics onto bream.org this weekend.

Posted by: Steve

(2008-04-09)

This boat was cut towards the stern by BW, and the fore end part used for maintenance on the Coventry Canal. It was sold, and ended up in the middle of Fradley Airfield, where it was purchased in the 1980\'s, and a new stern added. Attended Middlewich rally in June. Stern end of BREAM was used as a pusher tug, but is now added to a BCN day boat. The original stern has the Bolinder fuel tank, and Armstrong Siddeley AS2.Shortened to 55\'. Rebuilt to 70\' by Keith Ball with full length cabin. Lister HA2. Rear section still exists with BCN day boat front end, based southern GU.  Her current engine is an inboard Lister diesel HA2, with two cylinders and twenty-two horsepower, made in 1953. BREAM was the first of the Fish Class of single motors. She carried up to 32 tons and is believed to have broken all records for the fastest runs, fully laden. She was part of a special fleet of fast express boats, each with a hold two feet longer than the standard motors, enabling them to carry twenty-five tons easily. They could be more flexible and offer an express service in response to increasing competition from rail and road. The new design was approved in 1931 and in July the following year, BREAM was ordered as the prototype vessel. She was aptly nicknamed the MAURITANIA by the crew after the Blue Riband Cunard liner of the time and carried wheat grain and flour amongst other cargoes. In the late 1980s, BREAMS hull was bought by Keith Ball of Industry Narrowboats. Over a period of four years, he gradually restored her to original condition. By 1994, she was complete. She had a new bottom and stern, with a full length steel cabin containing exceptional steel work and recessed panels, sign-written in Fellows, Morton and Clayton livery. She was fitted with a traditional Lister HA2 and a new PRM gearbox. After several years, BREAM was sold to Roger Murray who based her at Bollington on the Macclesfield Canal. She was later bought by Martin Knott from Corwen and moved to Ellesmere Port for two years, before being purchased by the Roberts family.

Posted by: Andy

(2007-07-21)

Photo taken at Bugsworth Canal basin rally 2006.

Posted by: Julie

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