Kennet

Kennet - top of 5 Rise Bingley

Heritage boat Kennet is the only surviving Leeds & Liverpool Canal short boat to be found travelling the length of the canal which is accessible to the public and not converted for private use. Kennet was built in 1947 and continued to carry cargo along the canal well into the 1960s. In 2008 Kennet was included in the British Waterways Lease and Acquisition Scheme for the transfer of redundant heritage craft to suitable organisations. The Leeds & Liverpool Canal Society made a formal application under the scheme and this culminated in a lease being signed in 2009. The ownership of Kennet was transferred to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Society on 7 March 2011. In July 2011 the Canal Society was awarded a project grant (YH-09-02991) from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). It completed the project at the end of 2014.

The project was to conserve and refurbish Kennet to a standard that would maintain it in use for future generations and to create an interactive museum which would deliver the heritage of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, its boats and its working families to communities along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal through learning in an enjoyable way.

To follow Kennet’s journey and find out when and where it is open to the public click here

Visit our YouTube channel to see our film “A Voyage of Discovery” along with other videos relative to the Society and Kennet.

Kennet Today

Kennet’s hold contains displays about the heritage of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.  It has been designed in a flexible way so that it can be put to a variety of uses . Read more ….

Kennet's Life Story

Kennet was launched in 1947 at Yarwood & Sons, Northwich, to begin its life as a general cargo boat as part of the Canal Transport Ltd fleet. Read more ……

Kennet's Engines

Kennet has had 3 engines over its lifetime – a Widdop and 2 Listers. Read more ……

Maintaining Kennet

In order to keep Kennet in its restored condition the Society has a maintenance programme to cover all aspects. Read more ……

Friends of Kennet

Kennet’s operation, staffing, and as much as is practical of its maintenance are carried out by volunteers who are the ‘Friends of Kennet’. Read more…..

Funding Kennet

As the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Society is a fully voluntary organisation we are totally reliant on donations and sponsorship to operate Kennet as follows …..