Milton Keynes Community Boat name is chosen from over 200 of YOUR suggestions

The 54ft electric narrowboat which can hold 12 passengers is now called Electra.

The name was chosen by the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust’s, MK Community Boat volunteer management team, after over 200 suggestions were sent in by the public.

Founding project partners Crest Nicholson/Campbell Wharf and the Parks Trust were also involved in the final decision.

James Clifton, the Trust’s volunteer who led the search for a name, explains why the team chose Electra over some of the more infamous names that missed the cut. He said: "The name Electra means ‘shining light’ and Electra was the goddess of sea clouds in which lightning was often seen. The words electric and electricity come from the same source.

"Boat names are traditionally female, so Electra seemed the obvious choice for our all-electric boat and our sparky volunteer team who are making the new Milton Keynes Community Boat happen. The name was suggested by two people, Sheila, a BBC Three Counties’ listener from St Albans and Don Allison from Newport Pagnell, one of our loyal volunteers. Other suggestions included: Boaty-MK-Boatface, Bright Spark, Alan Turin, Tranquillity and Milton Queen."

The boat will be based at Milton Keynes’ Campbell Wharf.

Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Trust is a registered charity formed in the hopes of creating a nationally recognised Waterway Park linking Bedford and Milton Keynes. The Trust is looking to increase its volunteer numbers, both on board and on dry land ahead of the boat's launch.

The Trust’s chair, Jane Hamilton, said: “We have commissioned this exciting boat to provide a new attraction for local communities and to raise funds which can help us promote the brand-new waterway park, with a fully navigable route linking Bedford & Milton Keynes.”