LANDLUBBERS are being invited to hop aboard a 121-year-old steamship.
The Daniel Adamson will welcome members of the public this weekend for a free open day.
Moored at Anderton Boat Lift, visitors will be treated to free tours and family activities.
A spokesperson for the ship said: “We are delighted to announce that the 121-year-old steamship the Daniel Adamson - ‘The Danny’ - will be open to the public this coming Saturday (August 17) at the iconic Anderton Boat Lift and Visitor Centre near Northwich from 11am to 4pm.
“We will be offering free tours of the vessel and between 1pm and 4pm and offering family activities for the younger crew members.
“We are delighted as ever to be working with our friends Canal and River Trust and are thankful to the team at the lift to accommodate us.
“The Anderton Boat Lift and Visitor Centre is often referred to as a wonderful of the waterways so combine your trip to visit both the Danny and the lift.
“We hope to see you all on Saturday.”
The Danny began life at what is now the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead in 1903, named Ralph Brocklebank after a director of the London and North Western Railway which owned Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company.
Built to tow barges from the Potteries and Cheshire towns to Liverpool, the Danny then had a stint during the First World War as an unarmed patrol boat for the Royal Navy in the Liverpool coastal area.
After the war, however, companies turned to the roads and so the Ralph Brocklebank was sold to a new owner, the Manchester Ship Canal, in 1922.
In 1936 the ship was refurbished and renamed the Daniel Adamson, after the ship canal’s founding father and first chairman.
The demise of the ship canals continued after the Second World War, with Manchester Docks shutting down in 1982.
Two years later the Danny was withdrawn from service and moved to the Ellesmere Port Boat Museum.
Funding cuts and costs resulted in the ship deteriorating and in 2004 the Danny was earmarked for scrapping.
This led to Dan Cross founding the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society as he purchased the ship for just £1.
Thanks to the dedication of hundreds of volunteers and the goodwill of several companies, the Daniel Adamson has since been restored to full working order.
A second public open day at Anderton Boat Lift is planned for September 21.
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