1953-63    Willow Wren Canal Carrying Company bought motor and butty boats that had originally been built for other canal carrying companies and re-named many of them after birds. 

1963-70    Willow Wren Canal Transport Services took on most of the 1953-63 fleet and hired additional boats from British Waterways, generally not re-named.

1964          Willow Wren Hire Cruisers, based at Rugby Wharf, took CRANE, SANDPIPER, TERN and WARBLER and hired them out as campers, GREBE was converted to a hire cruiser and WATER OUZEL became a trip boat.

Photos from the Jim Payler collection (link is external)

Key:

C&C - Cowburn & Cowper
Erewash - Erewash Canal Carrying Co
FMC - Fellows, Morton & Clayton
GUCCC - Grand Union Canal Carrying Co
LMS - London, Midland & Scottish Railway Co

Willow Wren CCC boats 1953-63:

Name Type Date Bought Former Name Built for
Warbler motor Dec-53 Libra GUCCC
Wagtail butty Jan-54 Freda FMC
Shoveller butty Jan-54 Bascote FMC
Redshank motor Feb-54 Reading GUCCC
Greenshank butty Feb-54 Bawtry GUCCC
Mallard motor Feb-54 Elm Erewash
Kingfisher butty Feb-54 Florence FMC
Quail motor Oct-54 Quail FMC
Pullet motor Oct-54 Antelope H Sabey
Sandpiper motor Oct-54 Falcon FMC
Moorhen motor Oct-54 Briar FMC
Bittern motor Oct-54 Lion FMC
Crane motor Oct-54 Crane FMC
Tern motor Oct-54 Emu FMC
Grebe motor Oct-54 Antelope FMC
Avocet motor Oct-54 Raven FMC
Teal butty Jan-55 Minnie C&C
Snipe butty Jan-55 Kildare FMC
Heron butty Jul-55 Caleb LMS
Kestrel butty Jun-56 Triagulum GUCCC
Dabchick butty Jul-57 Norah LMS
Swan motor Oct-57 Dunstable GUCCC
Cygnet butty Aug-58 Gladys C&C
Egret motor Jun-59 Mimas GUCCC
Coot butty Jun-59 Ursa GUCCC
Bunting butty Jan-60 Dudley GUCCC
Godswall butty Jan-60 Denton GUCCC
Dunlin butty Jan-60 Hadfield GUCCC
Drake butty Jan-60 Taunton GUCCC
Smew butty Jan-60 Norton GUCCC
Elton butty Jan-60 Elton GUCCC
Curlew motor Dec-61 Seaford GUCCC
Otley motor Dec-61 Otley GUCCC
Dipper motor Dec-61 Bristol GUCCC
Rail motor Dec-61 Hadley GUCCC
Buckden motor Dec-61 Buckden GUCCC
Flamingo motor Dec-61 Letchworth GUCCC
Widgeon motor Dec-61 Thaxted GUCCC
Gainsborough motor Dec-61 Gainsborough GUCCC