Lasted longer

A NARROWBOAT passenger service along the Regent's Canal that was only expected to last a few months is celebrating its 60th birthday.

It was original owner John James who started Jason's Trips from Little Venice to Camden, and the same trips are still running today, 60 years later, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Trips continued

With many canals being closed at the time, he did not expect the service to last, but pressure by a group of people, that eventually became the Inland Waterways Association, created a resurgence in interest in the waterways, and so the Regent's Canal was saved, and the trips continued allowing the company to thrive for far longer than could have been imagined.

The 70ft narrowboat Jason is the same boat that has been used for the whole 60 years, and though it started by taking people to work, it now caters for tourists.

Not changed

The cruise from Little Venice to Camden Lock takes 45 minutes, and has not changed over the past 60 years, although passengers are no longer allowed to sit on the roof as they did in the early years.

Originally the boat was horse pulled, but very soon this gave way to a diesel engine being fitted.