NB Saturn Oak and 24ct Gold Plated Rollerball Pen
(A donation from the sale of this pen 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.
Pen #631 was turned on Sunday 14th August at 2016 at Blisworth Festival.
“Didn’t we have a loverrly time the day we went to Blisworth…”
Ok so it’s not Bangor as in the 1979 Fiddler’s Dram lyrics, but I can’t help singing (however badly) this opening line to joyful song on our cruise south to trade at Blisworth Canal Festival. In my opinion, and that of many of this year’s 40,000 plus happy attendees, Blisworth is the quintessential British summer fair.
Great things to do… great things to see… and great things to buy… should really be the Blisworth Canal Partnership’s strapline when advertising Blisworth Canal Festival 2016. And the dusting of icing on this perfect victoria sandwich is that it’s all free, no entry charges and no parking charges!
For those who have never visited (shame on you!) the festival is split into three distinctly different areas. Firstly the festival field with the best of British entertainment including everything from dog shows, ferret racing and rifle ranges to face-painting, candyfloss and bouncy castles. Secondly, the village itself opens it’s arms and gardens for an intimate and leisurely sojourn past steam engines and cream teas on church pews to the very special gardens of Blisworth House (C1702) which was the perfect location for local crafts and a rare breed farmyard animals.
Of course last but not least is the canal itself with waterside bands and beer tents, boat trips and the piece de resistance (well I am slightly biassed) the colourful and eclectic floating market. For Debbie and I on the Pen Maker’s Boat it was an absolute bumper of a weekend, definitely our busiest to date. Sadly we were too busy to get around to see much of the frivolity during the festival opening hours but us boaters certainly know how to make up for it at the beer tent in the evenings.
See ya next year Blisworth!
