The construction of the replica carriage on the Slipway.

National Waterways Museum, Volunteers, WMS Meeting
The completed replica carriage except for a bit more black paint.

At the 15th November meeting of the Waterways Museum Society, Brian Spencer gave us a talk about the construction of the replica carriage which is now on display on the slipway at the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port. Brian was the construction leader for this project, in his talk he explained how all the parts were manufactured and how the carriage was assembled on the slipway. Brian has also written a description which will be in the next issue of Re:port.

Some of those involved in the project

This followed on from February’s meeting when Derek Speakman gave us a talk titled ‘Patent Slipway and Patent Slipway Carriage’. Derek described the research and design work that was carried out to enable the building of a replica slipway carriage. 

A drawing of the original slipway carriage
The slipway as it was in 1890, before the Manchester Ship Canal.

The pictures of the replica carriage were taken by Chris Bacon, while the historic pictures are from the NWM Archive.

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