Derby narrowboat tours to launch

City centre river boat trips for passengers are due to launch after being delayed due to the pandemic.

The trips, which will run between Phoenix Green, opposite the Museum of Making, and Darley Abbey, in Derby, will start on 21 August.

The Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust Ltd (DSCT), which is behind the trips, said they would operate at weekends on a specially-built boat, the Outram.

The trust said they were delighted passengers could finally get on board.

The boat is a traditionally-built steel hulled narrowboat measuring 50ft (15m) by 8ft 6in (2.59m) and is designed to carry 12 passengers and crew.

The trust said its trips would take about 50 minutes travelling slowly upriver, turning and returning downstream to the mooring point.

Mike Wingfield, vice chairman of DSCT and designer of the Outram, said: "We knew we had to design a boat from scratch and this allowed us to build it with disabled access and environmental credentials.

"The boat is also environmentally friendly - it runs on electric power, with batteries recharged from solar panels and topped up by a fast landline charger - and provides a composting toilet."

The trust said the boat had been ready to go in 2020, just as the pandemic struck, causing major setbacks.

Trust chairman Chris Madge added: "We are delighted to finally invite passengers on board.

"After such long delays caused by the pandemic we were determined not to miss the summer completely, so we are starting the service from a temporary boarding point under Causey Bridge.

"We are grateful for Derby City Council for their help in this and await the construction of a pontoon expected in the autumn, which will then provide full disabled access."

Matthew Eyre, the council's cabinet member for community development, place and tourism, said: "Passengers will be able to see a view of the city centre that, until now, has only been available to local rowing clubs, and the launch of this service marks the start of Derby finally making use of the River Derwent and acknowledging its status as a valuable asset to our city."

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