Dane & Clara
Wandering down the canal towpath to my daily haunt, the Mill Arts Centre, I was stopped in my tracks by the lovely popping sound of a Bolinder engine…below the lock in Banbury were Dane and Clara, two wooden narrowboats on their way up to Daventry. Both boats originate from the early 1900s — Dane was converted to a motor in 1929, utilizing the aforementioned 15hp Bolinder. Clara is still a butty.
After asking permission from the owners, I took a few photos as they passed through the lock.
Clara
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Clara
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Clara
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Roses and Castles on Clara
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Pigeon Box and Bolinder Exhaust on Dane
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Water Cans
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Dane Exiting Lock
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Dane and Clara
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Heading to Lift Bridge
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Through and Away
I want one of those – totally stunning boats!!! Great watering cans too ;-)))
We had a lovely day out at Foxton Locks watched Dane and Clara come through the 10 locks must have taken all of 2hrs the owner let us look at the Bolinder engine what an unusual sound they make.
researching my great grandfather who was on a Clara a wooden butty No 7, 1881
Would this be the same Clara
It could well be – it’s certainly a wooden butty. You could try the historic narrowboat club, as they might have more information. Do you know where your great grandfather operated?