| The IMechE Heritage Award was established in 1984 with the intent to promote artefacts, landmarks, and sites of engineering significance. The latest recipient of the Award in our Region is the Daniel Adamson coal fired steam driven tugboat which has been fully refurbished to provide a cruising service along the Mersey and the Manchester canal system. The ‘Danny’ is the 114th recipient of the award which includes other memorable recipients such as the Anderton Boat lift and the Battle of Britain Memorial flight. The Danny was built at the Lairds shipyard in Birkenhead in 1903 and served to tow strings of barges along the Manchester Ship Canal to Manchester. Retired from service in 1984 the boat was destined to the scrap heap if it had not been for the intervention of a Mersey tug skipper, Dan Cross and the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society who raised the £5m funds to restore the boat to its former glory. The presentation event in Liverpool was attended by many volunteers involved in the restoration work and operating the boat, as well as IMechE members from across the region. Gareth Cemlyn Jones Regional Chairman gave a brief summary of the Heritage Award followed by Dan Cross who explained the history and the restoration of the ‘Danny’. Following the formal presentation of the plaque, attendees were invited to tour the boat including the engine room as well as enjoy a hot drink and a mince pie. Interviews were given to the BBC local news, local newspapers as well as a photo opportunity of the presentation. After the event, the ‘Danny; was moved from its berth at Canning Dock to its winter mooring for maintenance before the start of the 2018 season of cruises. The following link provides an excellent video of the restoration work on the ‘Danny’ https://www.facebook.com/dannyinsteam/videos/1404773389570479/ Gareth Cemlyn Jones Chairman Merseyside & North Wales Region |