Home  / CRT/MC/IMG/2

CRT/MC/IMG/2

Black and white photographic image of Shropshire Union and Railway Canal Carrying Company narrowboat 'Elector'

Description

Euan Corrie writes: Elector was photographed just above York Street Lock at Stourport on the Staffs & Worcs. The photographer stood close outside the door of the toll office on the lock side. The canal company’s wharf and yard, later a hire boat base and now redeveloped, is on the left. Several of these Shropshire Union boats ran regularly to Stourport into the 1950s, by which time they had carried LMS and then British Railways London Midland Region livery. They were known locally as ‘Stourlifters’ and lifted smallish consignments from various sources, particularly Kidderminster which were often taken to the railway interchange basins at Wolverhampton on the BCN. The preserved Saturn was amongst them until about 1957 or 1958. Shropshire Union boats were, of course, by no means confined to the Shropshire Union system. Peter Brown writes: ‘The RCHS's Waterways History Research Group came up with the answer within a day, as I had confidently expected.’ The Shropshire Union boat Elector does not appear to be on the Shropshire Union system, but the boats regularly worked to Birmingham and the Black Country, to Kidderminster, the Potteries and Manchester, and occasionally further afield.

Date

early 20th century

Reference code

CRT/MC/IMG/2

Extent & medium

1 black & white image with negative
image elector (003)-tiff

Comments