NB Denebola Elm and Gun Metal Rollerball Pen
EUROPEAN ELM - Ulmus procera
European Elm has is a light to medium brown, sometimes with a hint of red. With an oil finish, it can turn a beautiful golden brown colour. Unless, of course, it's been under the canal for a long time.
The rotten parts of these rebuilt boats are usually used to stoke the fires that steam the new planks for bending to the hull's shape. Luckily these pieces of elm were too important to burn and have been properly stored. The pens I make from historic boat materials have been thoroughly tested by me to make sure that they will give pleasurable daily use.
Narrowboat Denebola is a star class narrowboat built by Harland & Wolff at Woolwich on the River Thames in 1935, she was launched in December that year. She was named after a star in the constellation of Leo and was built for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd (GUCCCL). She operated under fleet number 35, although it was registered at Brentford as number 582 and her gauging number was 12501.
Denebola's hull is composite with riveted steels side and an elm bottom. She has a pointed bow with a raked curved stern and counter stern. She was used for carrying bulk cargoes until 1st January 1948 and the advent of British Waterways. She was then converted for use as a zoo bus and re-named Water Fairy in 1965. She was bought by Oliver Lovell who filled in her sides and changed her name again to Romulus and was run as an educational camping boat until 1985 when she went into private ownership and was given back her original name of Denebola.
Denebola's hull is composite with riveted steels side and an elm bottom. She has a pointed bow with a raked curved stern and counter stern. She was used for carrying bulk cargoes until 1st January 1948 and the advent of British Waterways. She was then converted for use as a zoo bus and re-named Water Fairy in 1965. She was bought by Oliver Lovell who filled in her sides and changed her name again to Romulus and was run as an educational camping boat until 1985 when she went into private ownership and was given back her original name of Denebola.
Pen #772 was turned on 31st March 2017 at Whilton on the Grand Union Canal.
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