Six years of the Danny
RUNCORN’S historic restored steam ship the Daniel Adamson is celebrating six years since its rebirth as a precious heritage attraction.
The ‘Danny’ returned to the water in 2016 as a public passenger boat having been saved form the scrapheap by a team of determined volunteers and transformed into an award-winning attraction.
To mark the sixth anniversary and thank supporters, the boat hosted a VIP trip along the Weaver Navigation to the world’s first boat lift at Anderton Boat Lift in Northwich.
On board were representatives from groups and organisations who have been associated with the 1903 Art Deco tug since its restoration.
Former Halton Council leader Rob Polhill joined Cheshire’s High Sheriff Jeannie France-Hayhurst, Peel Ports’ Phil Hall, Tatton MP Esther McVey and representatives from the Canal & River Trust, National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Historic Ships, Riverside College, Halton MIND, local authority colleagues and the Cheshire Community Foundation, all among more than 50 guests.
Together they enjoyed a 90-minute cruise through the Cheshire countryside along the river from Acton Bridge to the Anderton Boat Lift, operated by the
Canal & River Trust.
A spokeswoman for the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society said The Danny is the last surviving steampowered tug built on the Mersey and is part of the official National Historic Fleet, alongside such famous ships as the Cutty Sark and SS Great Britain.
It was rescued from the scrapyard by determined volunteers led by Dan
Cross, a Mersey tug skipper, and restored at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, with the help of a £3.8m Heritage Lottery Fund grant.
The story of success, resilience and determination is now helping to inspire a generation of youngsters and providing engaging experiences for adults and children from all walks of life.
These include young engineers from Riverside College in Widnes and Cronton Sixth Form College, as well as undergraduates from universities such as Newcastle and Liverpool John Moores, and primary school children from Halton, wider Cheshire and Liverpool.
Halton MIND mental health charity, Power in Partnership
ColDanny’s lege, Cheshire Autism Practical Support, scouts, guides and cadets are some groups to have benefited.
This spring, children and young people across the ages of eight to 25 from Cheshire, Halton, Warrington and Wirral are taking part in arts workshops and heritage visits for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee “Let’s Create” project, in conjunction with Youth Federation, the Canal & River Trust, funded by Arts Council England, through the Cheshire Community Foundation.
Dan Cross said: “The last six years have been a remarkable journey and this special boat trip was to say thank-you to the many people who have played a part in making the whole enterprise such a success.
“More than a hundred brilliant volunteers keep the ship afloat and run public boat trips on a regular basis, which helps to support our extensive programme of public engagement and education.
“The Danny is far more than just a restored steamship, special though that is.
“The opportunities for education and enrichment that it presents have the power to change and improve lives, and that is priceless.”
Further information and tickets can be found online at website, thedanny.co.uk