The Severn & Canal Carrying Co

Historical Profiles: NarrowBoat, Summer 2026

Andy Tidy

Andy Tidy traces the rise, struggles and reinvention of a Severn-based carrying business shaped by estuary trade, canal connections and relentless competition

Decline With the postwar nationalisation programme looming, the combined Sharpness CC and S&CCC was purchased by Lyon & Lyon Ltd, which operated a fleet of tankers on the Severn under the name of John Harker Ltd. It in turn sold the carrying fleet to the British Transport Commission in 1948 which operated the craft under the British Waterways banner. Over time all the Severn barges were sold off and carrying trade had all but ceased by 1965. Harker’s continued to carry petrol and oils up the river utilising a terminal at Worcester until a pipeline was built in 1975. After nationalisation, the fleet of narrowboats was disbursed. Some went into the BW fleet, some migrated back into Cadbury ownership, some of the wooden motors went to Thomas Clayton (Oldbury) Ltd for conversion to tankers, and others were simply scrapped. Just a handful of these distinctive and, some say, ungainly narrowboats have survived to date, identifiable by their bluff bows and pointed sterns.…