Tugboat team recognised for its restoration
AHISTORIC Runcorn tugboat has been won the title of flagship of the year at the National Historic Ships UK’s awards.
The Daniel Adamson, nicknamed The Danny picked up the gong in recognition of its team of volunteers from Runcorn, Widnes, Liverpool, Manchester, Warrington, Wirral and Cheshire.
Dan Cross, chairman of The Danny’s restoration committee and a working tugboat skipper, of Widnes, was presented with the award by HRH The Princess Royal Princess Anne.
In return, he gave the princess a painting of The Danny completed by Thomas The Tank Engine illustrator Edgar Hodges.
Following a £3.8m grant from The Heritage Lottery Fund, The Danny has been fully restored and is now offering cruises to and from Liverpool and along the Manchester Ship Canal, River Mersey and River Weaver hosting a variety of day tripping groups including corpo- rate events.
More cruises are to be launched in 2018, giving visitors and tourists the chance to tour the North West’s waterways in a 1903 steam ship featuring an art deco interior.
Cruises via Acton Bridge and Sutton Weaver are to be announced lasting from 90 minutes to full days.
The Daniel Adamson spent most of its working life berthed in Runcorn and was staffed in the main by many workers from Runcorn and Widnes.
Colin Leonard, of Runcorn, who worked on the boat as well as the restoration project and its ongoing use, said a team effort by everyone on the project had helped to seal the award for the scheme.
He said they are now looking forward to next year’s extra cruises including from Sutton Weaver after the ship is dry docked for maintenance over the winter, adding that it was surreal for the boat to be running again.
Mr Leonard said: “I tied it up for the last time in 1984 on the ship canal.
“That was it, I never ● thought for one minute that 33 years later it would be coming up and down the ship canal and the River Weaver.
Mr Cross said: “The awards this year were presented by our own patron Paul Atterbury and were handed out by the Master Of Trinity House HRH Princess Royal and it was a proud day for me representing the project and all the volunteers who have worked so hard.
“I accepted a certificate and HRH seemed genuinely interested in the ship and I have to say her speech, which she deliv- ered without notes showed an extensive knowledge of historic ships and the positive effect they can have on the communities where they are based.
“At the end of the awards, I took the opportunity to present Trinity House with a framed print of a painting of The Danny.
“I made the presentation to The Princess Royal at the end of the awards.
“Needless to say the painting proved very popular and HRH asked several good questions about the ship and the project which was very gratifying.”