#396 Now Sold

NB Saturn Oak and Chrome Ballpoint Twist Pen

(25% of the profit will be gifted to The Shropshire Union Fly-Boat Restoration Society , the custodians of NB Saturn)

EUROPEAN OAK - Quercus robur

Usually straight-grained, the heartwood of European Oak varies in colour from light tan to brown. Quarter-sawn pieces show attractive flame figuring. The wood is fairly hard, heavy and dense, clean but with the occasional knot. European Oak is a beautiful timber and with an oil finish, the grain will turn a deep golden brown.

This particular piece of oak (probably English rather than European) is just a little bit special though. It is one of the large bow mainframes from the Shropshire Fly Boat Saturn. The days of the fly-boats began with the success of the Bridgewater and Trent & Mersey canals in the 1770’s. Up until the heyday of the fly boats cargos had sedately plodded up the towing paths (Haling Way’s in them thar days) at three miles per hour or so but the new Fly Boats with teams of four men and two horses regularly galloped their loads of perishable goods at ten miles per hour. 

Built in 1906 for the Shropshire Union Canal Carrying Co. at Tower Wharf, Chester, Saturn was used for the fast carriage of cheese from the producing towns of Cheshire and Shropshire to the major markets such as Manchester. 

Saturn is the last horse-drawn Shropshire Union Canal Fly-boat in the World – originally built to travel non-stop, day and night. Over 100 years old, she has been fully restored to her former glory; not only to preserve her for posterity but to educate present and future generations about our waterways, narrowboats and horse-boating.

It was only a short cruise north from one of our favourite moorings at the bottom of Audlem to one of our favourite towns, Nantwich. Although it's only a little over two hours journey it was the stillest most foggy trip we have ever had. Luckily the Shroppie is fairly straight but trees and bridges still leapt out of the murk. I even missed all the massive canal side signs giving directions to Hack Green 'Secret' Nuclear Bunker!

The trip to Nantwich was predominantly to have our rear end measured up for a pram cover that will enclose the open rear deck from the elements and give me some shelter from the summer sun (yeah right!) and the rest of the weather from our unpredictable seasons. Unfortunately the weather was so bad on the appointed day that Hazel and Tim from Cratch Covers and Canopies were unable to carry out the pattern making and measuring so after waiting for a couple of days we decided to head up to Chester and arranged that the guys would drive up to us in dryer and less windy weather.

We were lucky enough to spend a few hours en-route in the company of Martin on fuel boat Halsall, a proper working boat. Martin delivers coal and diesel in a continuous loop around the four counties ring getting up as far as Ellesmere Port on the banks of the Mersey. The plan was to end our day a few hours south of Chester but in the warm afternoon sunshine we decided to stop early away from houses and roads with the backdrop of Beeston Castle, which dates back to the Bronze age but more recently has the ruins of Ranaulf de Blondeville's castle dating from 1220. What a magic place to make some special pens!