#402

Now Sold

NB Saturn Oak and Gun Metal Ballpoint Twist Pen

(25% of the profits will be gifted to 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.

With our new rear deck cover installed and a last minute cancellation of our due family visitors we cast off our ropes on a very chilly November morning headed slowly in the direction of Birmingham. Due to planned winter maintenance stoppages along the canal, we'd be going the long way round. Cruising this time of year isn't always straight forward with wind, rain, frosts and worse of all carpets of leaves to clog the propeller so the plan was to cruise for three hours every day and catch up with pen making for three to four hours too.

The first leg of the trip was due to deposit us back at the bottom of the Audlem flight of fifteen locks but by the time we arrived we both fancied a quick visit to a local pub so we carried on up the first three locks and moored in the centre of Audlem and paid a visit to the Bridge Inn and after a few to Audlem kebab house as the pubs had closed their kitchens for the evening.

With a slight thick head, pen #402 was turned opposite Audlem Mill on the Shropshire Union Canal on Monday 23rd November 2015