Last summer a little piece of history sailed into Wigan in the form of a Canal barge in the name of the Kennet.

It was moored up in the sunshine near Wigan Pier and recaptured its glory days when it used to sail up and down the 127 miles of waterway that connects Leeds to Liverpool.

Originally built in 1947 by Yarwoods of Northwich the Boat has more recently gone through a total refurbishment by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Society following grants they received to complete their project.

Classed as a "short boat" it was originally used to carry cargo along the canal and these days is used as an interactive museum piece. The colours and detail on the boat were quite stunning:

Here are some statistics concerning the barge:

Length; 62 feet Beam: 14 feet 3 inches Draft: 2 feet 9 inches (unloaded) Engine: Lister 3JPM water cooled diesel engine Hull: Riveted steel plate

 You can read a little more about the barge and its restoration by visiting the website here - Kennet Project