One of the things I love about the boats and train is that it is pretty much as it has been for many years.
Our train remains the lovely little locomotive built in 1974, still proudly named “Little David”
Our boats are the same boats made new in the 60’s with the same Stuart Turner RM3 engines.
When we took over in 2015, we were adamant we wanted to keep it this way for as long as possible as we felt that that was very much part of the attraction.
However, it was always at the back of my mind that whilst its lovely to hear the ‘phut phut’ of the old engines, times had changed.
Growing increasingly more aware of climate change and the effects of pollution to the planet, we had a responsibility to look at environmentally friendly alternatives without taking away the enjoyment and the nostalgia.
After much research and lots of discussions and meetings we found a company in Devon called Lynch Motors who could provide us with electric engines that could be fitted into our current boats and train.
Without wanting to wait any longer, we decided to inform the council of our intentions and make plans as soon as possible.
Realising this project was going to take a rather hefty financial investment, we applied to the Rural Development Programme for England who at the time were advertising grants under the Peak Leader programme.
We were thrilled to be successful in applying for the grant to convert the business to electric and they have part funded the cost of the engines. Our project was deemed very worthy of their support and they were very helpful at getting us through the mammoth application process.
Over the winter of 2019 we had 10 new electric motors made and we also had an electric engine made for Little David who had been badly damaged, during the recent floods.
The engines we had originally in the boats were Stuart Turner RM3 marine engines.
Our new engines are what is called a Yellowtail Marine System. It is still an inboard engine, doing the same job but more efficiently, using fully renewable electricity and is so quiet you can hardly hear it!
The council were fully supportive in our decision to convert and assisted us in providing approved electricians to create the electric infrastructure in the park itself.
We decided to stay closed this year (2020) due to the coronavirus pandemic, so we were unable to introduce and launch the new electric business but are very much looking forward to doing so in the spring of 2021.
It feels good to be a fully environmentally friendly business, being able to keep the boats and train going long into the future and opening the door to extra visitors that due to health reasons may not have been able to visit due to the previous smoky engines.