Leicestr Trader

Leicester Trader.

The dumb barge "Leicester Trader was once a familiar site on the waters of the Humber and river Trent carrying cargoes serving the many towns along its length. The barge was built in 1953 by Dunstan's of Thorne near Doncaster. Few if any of the original Trent Barges survive in their original form. The Leicester Trader is one of the few that has remained in near original condition. She has had a varied life since she stopped carrying cargoes to Nottingham and the many other wharfs along the Trent. Barge owner and preservationist Les Reid has always thought that the Trent Navigation and its rich history should be put on record for future generations before it is lost in the passage of time, to this end Les has purchased the "Trader" and is set to embark on his most ambitious project yet. He is taking the Leicester Trader back onto home waters in fact to Newark where she will become a floating museum dedicated to the river Trent and how this important waterway played a vital role in the development of the towns and city's which the waterway serves. The museum being based on a barge will be capable of being moved to shows and waterway festivals. The first stage of the project was completed on when the "Leicester Trader" was moved from the Knottingley boat yard down to Goole. The move was only made possible through the kind help of "Humber Barges Ltd" who allowed their dry cargo barge "Fusedale H" to tow the dumb barge to Goole thus completing the first part of her journey back to Newark. The pictures below are my record of the first part of the trip.

If you can help Les in any way at all with this vital and worth while project you can contact him via his email facility. les.ried@ntlworld.com