The Daniel Adamson Steam Ship, affectionately nicknamed The
Danny, was presented with the Engineering Heritage Award by the Institution of
Mechanical Engineers at a ceremony at The Albert Dock on 20th
December 2017.
Gareth Jones, Regional Chair of the Institution of
Mechanical Engineers, who presented the award, said:
“The Danny is a beautiful coal-fired steam tug; a real
survivor from an age when canals were the UK’s trade arteries. Her two
Liverpool-built steam engines and twin screws gave her the high manoeuvrability
and power needed for work on canals and rivers.
“The ship has been on a quite a journey in recent years.
From a complete wreck, it has successfully navigated itself to join the
National Historic Fleet, the maritime version of Grade I listed building
status, alongside vessels of national importance such as the Cutty Sark.
“This award builds on that achievement and honours not just
the hard work of the Liverpudlian shipwrights at the start of the 20th century,
but also the efforts of the volunteers who have invested so much time and
effort into restoring the ship to such a fantastic condition.”
Dan Cross, Chairman of The Daniel Adamson Preservation
Society said:
“Gaining the award is very important and momentous to us as
it is recognition which relates to engineering and hopefully its future. We
have preserved an engine for the future as well as a ship and all our
volunteers and members are passionate about both.”
Launched from Birkenhead in 1903, The Danny is being
honoured for being the last operational coal-fired tug in the UK.
Bought for £1 by an enthusiast in 2004 who wanted to save
the dilapidated boat from the scrap heap, it was then lovingly restored by a
team of dedicated volunteers, with £3.8 million of financial support from The
Heritage Lottery Fund and input from the ship repair specialist Cammell Laird.
The luxury liner’s Art Deco interior were recreated from
original 1936 photographs and serves as a reminder of the resplendent days when
she was used as both a passenger vessel and to tow long strings of barges laden
with goods from the inland towns of Cheshire and the Potteries to the great
seaport of Liverpool.
After a working life of over 80 years, she has now found a
new lease of life as a cruise boat and provides opportunities for visitors to
learn about how her operating engines and boilers work.
Previous winners of Engineering Heritage Awards include Alan
Turing’s Bombe at Bletchley Park, the E-Type Jaguar and Concorde, the fastest
ever airliner. In Northern England, past winners include Cragside, the first
house in the world to be lit using hydro-electric power, and the Anderton Boat
Lift, another engineering achievement in the history of the Cheshire canals.
The Danny will be the 114th recipient of the award.
Below are more photographs from the ceremony...
Click on the video link above to watch the
Award Ceremony
All images © Bob Edwards - Picture Liverpool
