Saturn on the Llangollen

THE hundred year old fly boat Saturn in travelling the Llangollen in May including an educational trip.

The fully restored horse drawn workboat will journey along the canal between Thursday 6th and Friday 14th May, then the following week  meeting with school groups en route. (Photo: Waterway Images.)

Saturn is the sole example of a horse-drawn Shropshire Union fly boat in existence today. It was constructed in 1906 for the Shropshire Union Canal Carrying Company at Tower Wharf Chester, where a boatyard still operates.

Restored

The vessel was restored under The Saturn Project, a partnership between the Shropshire Union Fly-boat Restoration Society and British Waterways. It now travels the length and breadth of UK waterways as an educational resource to promote the history and heritage of our waterways.

The visit has been co-ordinated as part of the Pontcysyllte & Llangollen Canal Project, a two year initiative aimed at strengthening links among the 10 communities along the World Heritage Site corridor.

Funding

The project is funded through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013, supported by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

The timetable:

• 06 May: Saturn arrives in Llangollen
• 07 May: Saturn reaches Chainbridge during the afternoon
• 10 May: Llangollen Mooring Basin
• 11 May: Llangollen Mooring Basin
• 12 May: Trevor Basin, adjacent to the Pontcysyllte
• 13 May: Poachers Pocket public house, Chirk
• 14 May: Poachers Pocket, Chirk.