A RADIO-CONTROLLED SCALE MODEL OF THE STEAM LAUNCH 'BAT', ENGLISH, 20TH CENTURY,
Built by K.N. Townsend of Cumbria in 1985, to a scale of 1:8, serial number 0II, a small brass plaque to the stern reads Model No. OII 1987.

Hull of timber, plank on frame, painted white to the waterline and red below with a dark green boot top, a varnished top strake with a gold leaf caveta. Fitted with a three blade brass propeller. Laid timber decks with notched king plank and wide mahogany covering boards.

Engine: Specially developed twin cylinder double acting, with 3/8-inch stroke and four columns, the balanced web crank shaft with split big end bearings, five bearings, the outer two being miniature ball races. Copper vertical boiler, with mahogany cladding, incorporating a heat sink and low-profile gas burner, from special propane tank. Fitted with level glass, safety valve, pressure gauge, steam whistle and Windermere kettle. With a modernised type of low profile boiler handforce feed pump.

Forward cockpit, lined with beaded panelling and fitted with slatted mahogany bench seats, central engine space, with removable laid decks for access to gas cylinder, engine and radio control gear for engine, steering and whistle. The cockpit fitted with slatted mahogany bench seats. There is a removable green surrey top on brass poles.

Inventory includes radio control transmitter and charger, timber toolbox and leather folder containing documentation. Mounted on brass crutches on a slate base.
14in (35.5cm) tall on base
the model 40in (102cm) long
Footnotes:
A fine example of one of the finest model makers of the 20th century. Care of construction and painstaking attention to detail are evident throughout. The first example of this model was commissioned for the Windermere Steamboat Museum collection.

The steam launch Bat was built by Brockbank of Windermere to the design of her owner, Alfred Sladen in 1891. In 1904 she was used by Isaac Story and Jack Kitchen to conduct experiments in early radio control on the Lake, where she was steamed around the northern end with only a stoker on board. It is believed the first example of a vessel being controlled by radio. Found derelict at Bowness in 1966, she was rebuilt and now can be found in the Windermere Jetty, Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories.