Missfire

Status: Fettling needed

Owner: Mark Williams

Area: UK-Cambridgeshire

Hull

Open Launch. Construction: Clinker wood, epoxy sheathed.
Hull model: Open Launch
Built 1955 by Borwicks at Windermere
LOA: 16' 6", Beam: 6' 0", Draft: 1' 6",
The hull has a complete history of its use since it was built.

Boiler

Yarrow type 3-drum WT Built 2003 by Alan Salisbury at Longridge
Fuel: LPG, Pressure: 100 psi,
engine driven pump, hand pump, injector, steam feed pump, whistle,

Engine

Single, double acting. 2" X 2 1/4"
Built 1991 by Newton Pickles at Barnoldswick
Design: 5A (modified) by: Stuart Turner
Power: 1 1/2 HP
Slip eccentric single, sv, non-condensing, 750 rpm. Originally fitted to Steamboat "Dale" by T Cross; first steamed in 1995 and then each year until 1999.

Propeller

Bronze, 3 blades,
Shaft: 3/4" steel

History

Built by Borwick Boats of Bowness-on-Windermere in 1955 for the Bowness Bay Marina Boat Hire, as a clinker built wooden hull on frames, it was fitted with an inboard Stuart 2-stroke petrol engine made by Mike Smith of Fleetwood. As "Boat No 5" of their hire fleet, it doubtless served them well as it remained with them until 1996. Purchased in 1996 by a Lake Warden (John Wood, 1936-2014) on Windermere, she was renamed "Swan Song" and used as "Ferry Tender No 1936" by him, with the original engine used until an outboard was fitted (presumably when the original expired), until 2001. Nick Lancaster of Fleetwood then acquired her and embarked on a full refurbishment of the hull, including the addition of striped mahogany topsides, and conversion to steam power by removing the original engine and fitting the current steam boiler and engine. Renamed by Nick as "Missfire", unfortunate health issues intervened and two friends, Roger Squires and Jim Booth, acquired her in 2016 to complete final finishing work. They did so in April 2017, when "Missfire" was tested/approved by C J Davies of the SBA; accompanied by Nick, "Missfire" was successfully returned to water in August 2017 at Lake Coniston. This revealed that some fettling was needed to the drive coupling arrangement, but loss of storage meant that time was against them. Hence, a new custodian was sought and she was acquired by Mark Williams in September 2017, with whom she now resides in Buckden, Cambridgeshire. Fettling over the winter should see her take to the River Great Ouse come spring in 2018.

Added to the register: 2017.12.02.