Mossdale and Oakdale, two surviving Mersey Flats
Mossdale
This vessel was built in circa 1863 and
her hull is of carvel construction (planks flush, not overlapping) of oak, elm
and pitch pine. She was mainly used to carry grain between Liverpool, Runcorn,
Birkenhead and Manchester, as well as carrying grain to flour mills at
Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. Originally named Ruby, she was renamed
Mossdale when Abel & Sons of Runcorn, Cheshire, bought her in the
1930s. They extensively rebuilt and deepened her to obtain the maximum load for
a minimum displacement. She was found abandoned at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, in
1970 and is now preserved in the Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port.
Oakdale
This vessel was built in 1951 by Richard
Abel & Sons of Runcorn, and her hull is of composite construction (wood and
steel), with a Lister HA3 diesel engine. She spent her working life on the
rivers Mersey and Weaver and was mainly used to carry grain. She was built to a
design similar to those built by Abels in the 1850s. Oakdale has been
restored and is now a bed-and-breakfast houseboat.
| Mersey Flat | Mossdale | Oakdale |
|---|---|---|
| Length (feet inches) | 71 11½ | 72 6 |
| Draught (feet inches) | 5 6 | 3 0 |
| Beam (feet inches) | 14 3 | 15 9 |
| Location | The Boat Museum, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire |
Duddon Estuary, Cumbria* |
| Builder | Unknown | Richard Abel & Sons, Runcorn |
| When built | Circa 1863 | Circa 1957 |
*Duddon Estuary is a sandy estuary lying between Morecambe Bay and the West Cumbrian coast.
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| Ellesmere Port, Cheshire,
c1930. Two Mersey Flats are moored by the wharf on the left and a flour mill stands in the background. |
Bridgewater Canal, Runcorn,
Cheshire, 1910. A Mersey Flat is in the foreground on the left. |