Fuel Boat

A very wet and windy day.  So bad that by 10:00 am we had found a sheltered spot moored and "cabined up" for the day.this shot of a working boat.  Very few photo opportunities, in one of the dry spells I took this shot of a working boat.
 
While the canals as a working transport system had all but ceased by the years following WW11 a few struggled on into the 60s.  Today there are still a handful of truly working boats but they are generally known as "fuel boats" there are even fewer "lavender boats" so few I have never actually seen a lavender boat.
 
The fuel boats, as their name suggests carry various fuels, diesel,gas,&coal/smokeless fuel.  These are sold either to other boaters or to canal side properties which are often out of the way for such things as coal deliveries.  Lavender boats are a totally different proposition.  Many boats have tanks for the "black water" (what goes into the toilets) these need pumped out periodically.  You can either call at a boatyard/marina or in some areas a "lavender boat" will visit your mooring.
 
This shot taken from one of the canal bridges had a fuel boat in the foreground.  Typical of working boats of yesteryear there is a 10ft (3m) "back cabin" where in the old days a whole family would live.  Then the open hold, now with a large diesel tank situated midships. It is interesting to note that a fully loaded working boat in the past would be siting in the water down to the line you can see about 6" (15cm) above the water.  This would put about 3 - 3.5 ft (1m) below the water level.