As has already said, the window for steam narrowboats was very small. - You basically better off with a horse than a steam engine for the amount of cargo space and fuel it eats. - And then when semi-deisals and the rest of the ICE world came about, ofcause, there no competition.
However, there where indeed a non-insignifcant number of steam narrowboats about, although unfortunatly very few of the steam plants where saved from scrapping when they where replaced with ice's. - Indeed of the thirty or so FMC steamers (which included presdent, Presdent, Monarch, King, Baron, Prince, etc) just about the most we have of any of there engines is a single half decent black and white shot and memorys. Theres actaully a parallel thread on steamnarrowboats going on in canalworld, also started this week if anyones interested. http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10971 Daniel
