Norton Canes Boat Services

04/11/2026

Our latest build, Déjà Vu!

We've put together a gallery of photographs showing off our latest build, Déjà Vu, a 60ft semi-trad narrowboat with a beautiful solid oak fit-out and lots of lovely finishing touches throughout.

A few details of her specification:

60ft semi-trad stern
Beta Marine 43hp engine
Solid oak fit-out
Reverse layout with dinette
Walkthrough bathroom
Crossbed
2-pack external paintwork
Hull sides and baseplate gritblasted and finished in 2-pack epoxy blacking

We're really pleased with how she's turned out, and it's lovely to see everything come together.

We'd also like to wish her lovely owners many happy years aboard Déjà Vu. It's been a pleasure building her for you, and we hope she brings you plenty of wonderful memories and adventures along the waterways!

There's plenty to look at, so enjoy the photos!

30/10/2026

Another busy week at the boatyard!

We’re a little behind with our social media updates this week, mainly because it’s been busier than ever! Here’s a roundup of what’s been happening at Glascote Basin.

Deja Vu – Our latest new build is nearing completion! We’ve had the Narrow Escapes film crew with us, filming some of the finishing touches, and Waterways World have also been along to carry out a review.

Moose – A major job completed this week! Moose has undergone extensive hull work, including gritblasting of the baseplate and hull sides, substantial pit welding, followed by two-pack epoxy blacking and a UV protective coat. She’s now safely back in the water after a lot of hard work from the team.

Joshua – Back with us for some steelwork. An existing porthole aperture had originally been cut too large, with the gap made up using wood and silicone sealant, which had started leaking. We’ve welded in a new steel ring to correct the aperture, then drilled and tapped the new metalwork to securely refit the porthole.

Printer’s Devil – Currently in our dry dock for blacking. We gritblasted and two-pack epoxy blacked this boat five years ago, and we’re pleased to report that, following pressure washing, the existing coating was still in fantastic condition. A great example of just how well a properly prepared and applied two-pack epoxy system can perform.

Another productive week, with plenty more going on behind the scenes. We were hoping things might quieten down a little as winter approaches, but there’s certainly no sign of that yet!

Not that we’re complaining! 😁

28/10/2026

🎬 We’ve had the Narrow Escapes crew back at the boatyard today, filming for the next series, in typical British weather! ☔

They’ve been following traditional fender maker Phil English, who’s been making a set of rope fenders for our latest new build, Déjà Vu.

The fenders are one of the final finishing touches to the boat, and we’re looking forward to seeing it all on TV!

12/10/2026

Loving the new kit Tamworth FC Women 👌

09/10/2026

We were hoping for a bit of respite with winter approaching, but things are as busy as ever. Can’t complain really!

The crane was with us on Tuesday, and we launched Felix, while Moose is now out of the water and has been gritblasted. Today’s job was the big clean-up, ready for some pit welding followed by two-pack epoxy blacking.

Work on the galley in our new build Wenda is underway, with the oak blockboard carcassing taking shape.

Over on Pride of Holderness, the cooling system is now installed, along with new drain channels, gas locker and uxter plate protection.

Thisuldo is having the finishing touches applied to her paintwork, while Signy Steve has been back with us this week. The new diesel tank has been installed in the front well deck, and the removable sections of seat supports have been painted and fitted.

We’ve also been machining some lovely padauk hardwood for Siskin, ready to be turned into a new TV unit and bookcases.

And finally, our latest new build, Déjà Vu, is on the dry dock this week for blacking and signwriting by Charlotte Hopwood. We’re keeping that one under wraps now until she’s finished, though!

Phew! And that’s not even everything we’ve had going on this week — just the bits I’ve managed to photograph!

04/10/2026

We had a great weekend on Lamprey at the Black Country Living Museum with the Historic Narrow Boat Club Gathering.

Really good to see the museum full of historic boats, with plenty going on across the weekend. Thanks to everyone who came along and said hello!

30/09/2026

We’re looking forward to the Black Country Living Museum’s Home of Industry weekend this Saturday and Sunday.

It’s lovely to see LAMPREY featured in the Museum’s promotion for the event — she’s already there and ready for what should be a brilliant weekend.

A celebration of industry, innovation and heritage ⚒️

Join us for Home of Industry this weekend, 3-4 October and celebrate the region's rich industrial heritage:

🚂 Steam engines in action
🚢 Over 30 historic narrow boats, including Peaky Blinders-featured boats Lamprey and Sandbach
⚒️ Live industrial demonstrations
⛓️ Chainmaking and strike activities
🎶 Live music and entertainment
🏘️ Historic characters and storytelling

A fantastic day out for all ages, included with standard Museum admission and FREE for UnChained Annual Pass holders.

25/09/2026

🧡 ROSIE – 1974 AND PROUD OF IT 🧡

Some boats get modernised.

Some get “updated”.

And then there’s Rosie… who appears to have simply decided the 1970s were perfectly good enough. 😂

Built by Fernie in 1974 and owned by the same family from new, Rosie is an incredibly original 50ft traditional narrowboat, complete with an interior that is an absolute riot of period colours, tiles, patterns and proper old-school boating character.

And she’s no static museum piece either — Rosie has travelled all of Britain’s navigable canals and waterways across Europe during her life.

She now needs some sympathetic recommissioning and updating, but after more than 50 years with the same family, her owners’ biggest wish is that she goes to someone who will love and cherish her just as they have.

📍 Stretton Arm, Oxford Canal
💷 £17,950

https://www.norton-canes.co.uk/boat-sales-brokerage/rosie/

23/09/2026

🚤 New to brokerage – Wild Otter
💷 £32,450

A proper traditional boat with bags of character! Wild Otter is a 59ft Norton Canes, built in 1987, with a traditional engine room and back cabin and a Lister HRW3 at her heart.

She has a lovely quality fit-out with plenty of solid oak and mahogany detailing and, while she’d benefit from a little TLC and updating to bring her back to her best, there’s a really good boat underneath. The Lister was rebuilt by MES Midlands in 2024 too.

📍 Lying at Glascote Basin, Coventry Canal

👉 Full details and photographs are in the advert.

22/09/2026

A 1970s TIME CAPSULE…COMING SOON 🧡

I went out today to photograph our latest brokerage boat and completely fell in love with it.

Owned by the same owner from new, it has survived gloriously untouched — the floral tiles, curtains, furniture, crochet, lamps, telephone… the lot!

Stepping aboard really is like stepping straight back into the 1970s. It’s absolutely magnificent — some of it belongs in a museum! 😍

Full details coming soon, but in the meantime…

What’s your favourite original detail? 👇

I’m struggling to choose, but those tiles are pretty special. 🧡🤎💚