Stroudwater barge

As for most specialised British canal barge designs, their size was chosen to be the largest that could fit through the locks and bridges of the area in which they worked. The locks of the Stroudwater Navigation are 72 by 17.6 by 4.6 feet (21.9 m × 5.4 m × 1.4 m). This gave typical dimensions for the barges of 70 feet (21 m) length and a beam of 15.5 feet (4.7 m). They could carry between 70 and 75 tons.^[1]

As usual for barges they were carvel built, with bluff bows and rounded bilges. The stem post is high with a towing bitt behind, and with a canoe stern.^[i] Both stem and stern had a small decked area. The bow carried a large iron windlass and the stern provided a small living cabin beneath the deck. There was no sailing mast or propulsion, as they were bank-hauled by horses.

These barges were used on the Stroudwater canal and onto the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, via Saul Junction, and thence to either Gloucester or for transhipment from seagoing ships at Sharpness docks. The design changed very little in over 100 years.^[1]

As for so many designs, they were replaced by motor vessels after World War 2, as those were cheaper to operate. The last to operate were as dumb barges on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal in the 1940s.^[1]