During WW2, metal and wood were in great demand for military use! So some clever git came up with the idea of making Non motorised barges out of concrete!
They could be used for barriers agains sea attack, floating docks for anti aircraft guns and a form of transport for large quantities of raw materials using a small tug boat.
After spotting these on google earth I just had to go and see them for myself! They are tucked away deep in the Cheshire countryside just off their old working route - the Manchester ship canal!
There are 3 concrete and one wooden vessel - the wooden one has deteriorated so just the outline and various metal items are visible.
Chances are - these were left here just after the end of the war and have remained forgotten ever since! None are floating anymore, judging by the water levels equalling those within the holds.
They are hazardous to walk on so if you pay a visit - take care!
Wooden sleepers were bolted on to absorb strikes against other vessels and shore walls.
The bent bar of metal was the tiller. all 3 have these still in place.
Inside the hull! This gives a good idea of what the outside would have looked like when new.
Here, you can just make out the outline of a wooden hull that didn't cope well with age and the one time heavily polluted ship canal!
Foreward!
They could be used for barriers agains sea attack, floating docks for anti aircraft guns and a form of transport for large quantities of raw materials using a small tug boat.
After spotting these on google earth I just had to go and see them for myself! They are tucked away deep in the Cheshire countryside just off their old working route - the Manchester ship canal!
There are 3 concrete and one wooden vessel - the wooden one has deteriorated so just the outline and various metal items are visible.
Chances are - these were left here just after the end of the war and have remained forgotten ever since! None are floating anymore, judging by the water levels equalling those within the holds.
They are hazardous to walk on so if you pay a visit - take care!
Wooden sleepers were bolted on to absorb strikes against other vessels and shore walls.
The bent bar of metal was the tiller. all 3 have these still in place.
Inside the hull! This gives a good idea of what the outside would have looked like when new.
Here, you can just make out the outline of a wooden hull that didn't cope well with age and the one time heavily polluted ship canal!
Foreward!
