Victorian steamboat Belle set to sail on York’s River Ouse

Dave Flett  -

A scuba diving instructor is hoping to set sail on the River Ouse after buying a £320,000 Victorian passenger boat.

Jim Sanderson, 32, who also works as a firefighter in York and runs his own eco-friendly, wood-flooring business, plans to provide an historic alternative on the city’s waters to existing modern vessels.

He believes his 75-foot, steam-powered ship will create up to 25 new jobs for York people, while also significantly boosting tourism.

The former Oaklands School pupil said he decided to buy the boat after it failed to meet its reserve price at a London auction.

“I feel it would complement our historic city perfectly,” he said. “I just need a little help from the council to park her and pick people up.”

The boat, named Belle, was built in teak on oak at Kingston-Upon-Thames back in 1894.

She first sailed around Land’s End and up the Bristol Channel to Worcester, where she plied the River Severn for more than 80 years. Rescued from oblivion in 1980, Belle returned to the Thames and was lovingly restored with authentic Victorian décor throughout and has been used more recently for charter cruises at Maidenhead.

Mr Sanderson has taken to boats after helping fit out a bus that will tour around the athlete villages at London’s 2012 Olympic Games, laying down antique wooden floors and building a stage for bands to play on the Victorian-style vehicle.

“It was an honour to be asked to work on something that will become a part of our Olympic history,” he said.

His York-based company Eco Flooring UK, which specialises in reclaimed parquet flooring and recycles wood up to 300 years old from schools, churches and factories, only began business earlier this year. He said he recently rubbed shoulders with world-famous bands the Kings Of Leon and Arctic Monkeys while completing a job at London’s Empire Studio, and environmentally-friendly Hollywood actor and Pride And Prejudice star Colin Firth had requested a meeting with him to discuss the business.

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