Avon Boating - www.simplonpc.co.uk

Simplon - The Passenger Ship Website - www.simplonpc.co.uk Simplon Home - www.simplonpc.co.uk - Recent Updates - Search - Copyright Information - Contact Simplon - www.avon-boating.co.uk This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation
	Avon Boating G.H.Rose and Son - Stratford-upon-Avon
	The Rose family introduced trip boats to the River Avon at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1898 with the Swan of Avon. She must have been quite a pioneer, being powered by an Austro-Daimler petrol engine. She was joined in 1900 by the Rose of Avon. In 1905 the family ordered the Britannia from the famous Oxford boat builders Salter Brothers. She was delivered to Stratford via the canal system, and remains in the current fleet, now powered by a British Leyland engine. The fleet was expanded in the early 1990s with four wooden launches all built by Borwick of Bowness on Lake Windermere, although they came from various owners. These are all in current service and are named Mayflower, Spray, Lotus and Lady. The first three of these boats (the larger ones) have all been converted to battery/electric propulsion. They are moored overnight downstream of the tramway bridge and run from the quay at the Bancroft gardens. Britannia and Lady are moored upstream of the bridge and operate from a pontoon by the Avon Boating boat house, where small rowing and motor boats are available for hourly hire. The fleet is divided like this because the larger launches cannot fit under the tramway bridge after heavy rains, as happened on my second visit. I first visited the Avon Boating fleet on 4th August 2009. I had excellent trips on both Britannia and Spray, but the weather was dull and photography not easy. I returned in better weather on 6th August when most of the images below were taken. On this visit I arrived early before services had started, and witnessed the efforts made by the crews to prepare the boats for daily service, with all windows carefully cleaned and all brightwork polished. This is a beautifully maintained fleet of classic launches, run by enthusiastic and helpful crews. To travel on these boats contact:- www.avon-boating.co.uk

	Sections on this Page Avon Boating Postcards Avon Boating Fleet List Vessels on this Page Britannia - built 1905 Lady - built 1933 Lotus - built 1929 Mayflower - built 1912 Rose of Avon - built 1902 Spray - built 1925 Swan of Avon - built 1898 Titania - built ???? Related River Passenger Boat Pages Stratford Header Page Evesham Header Page Handsam Too - Evesham Trip Boat Avon Boating - Stratford-upon-Avon - this page River Thames Header Page French Brothers Salter Brothers		Associated Pages UK Excursion Vessels World Ferry Fleets Cruise Ships Ocean Liners Simplon Postcards. Home Page Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates References Trip Out Guides - Various Editions 1985-2009 by Geoffrey Hamer Trip Out Guides are available from Geoffrey Hamer, PO Box 485, Southall, UB1 9BH Contacts Avon Boating website:- www.avon-boating.co.uk Avon Boating email:- boat-hire@avon-boating.co.uk
- Search the Simplon Website

Swan of Avon was the first trip boat on the River Avon at Stratford-upon-Avon when delivered in 1898. She was a very early passenger motor vessel, being powered by a single cylinder Austro-Daimler engine. Her builders are unknown. She is 31ft 6in long, and has a licence for 22 passengers. Swan of Avon was fully restored in 1997/98 and given a steam engine at this time. This was a two cylinder compound engine built by Simpson Strickland at Dartmouth, one of eight built between 1896 and 1912. The engine had been restored in 1975 for use on the 30ft launch Selina. The Swan has a vertical fire-tube boiler built by Austin & Pickersgill at South shields in 1987 for a similar launch, but not used.