Shad is part of the collection of the Boat Museum, Ellesmere Port, but has recently been seen as far south as Stoke Bruerne. The following is the description of the boat given by the Boat Museum:
Shad was built in 1936 by W.J. Yarwood & Sons Ltd of Northwich at a cost of £700.She was one of sixteen Fish class boats built for Fellows Morton & Clayton Ltd. and was fitted out their dock at Saltley, Birmingham.
"Shad is of composite construction (iron sides and elm bottom) and could easily carry 25 tons. She was part of Fellows Morton and Clayton's northern fleet working between Wolverhampton, Ellesmere Port, Manchester and Nottingam, carrying all kinds of cargo. Shad was part of the British Waterways North West Division's Carrying Fleet, who found it more economical to run pairs of boats rather than single motors.
When British Waterwas ceased carrying by boat in the early 1960's, the boats, including Shad, were leased by Willow Wren Canal Transport Services, who continued ot run the Northern fleet.
In 1969 when Willow Wren ceased trading, the leases on the boats and the carrying contracts were taken over by Alan Galley, a former clerk with British Waterways and a manager with Willow Wren Canal Transport Services Northern fleet, who formed the Anderton Canal Carrying Company. Over the next few years the Anderton Canal Carrying Co. built up a fleet of lorries, and in 1971/72 ceased using the boats. "Shad" along with the other boats reverted to British Waterways and was taken to their Hayhurst Yard at Northwich, where she sank and lay derelict until she was bought by the Boat Museum in 1980. She has been fully restored and painted in trhe livery of British Waterways.
The boat is listed and has a photograph on the National Register of Historic Vessels.
The picture below was taken in June 2002 at Stoke Bruerne. (The boat moored alongside is ex-FMC Jubilee, now in the colours of Midlands and Coast Canal Carriers Ltd.)
The following picture was taken at the IWE in Birmingham, July 2002.
