On This Day, 13 July 1916

Birmingham Daily Post

Thursday 13 July

A BIRMINGHAM EXPERIMENT.

On Tuesday an interesting experiment with the use of detachable motors for canal barges was carried out between Gravelly Hill and Hamstead Colliery by a Birmingham firm of a coal factors. A barge was fitted with two detachable 3½-h.p. petrol-driven motors, one on each side of the stern of the barge, in such a position as to leave free play for the large rudder. An empty barge was taken from Gravelly Hill to colliery, the journey occupying 2hr. 8min., a large number of locks having to be passed. At Hamstead the motors were changed onto a loaded boat in about 15 minutes, and this barge was then taken to Gravelly Hill in 3½ hours. The experiment, which was witnessed by representatives of the Canal Co., was regarded as a demonstration of the possibility of detachable motors displacing horse haulage of canal boats.