Stunning barge which has a starring role in new epic Dunkirk movie converted into an amazing houseboat and on market for £425k
The 91-year-old houseboat was depicted on screen with scores of soldiers wading through the sea to clamber aboard
A STUNNING sailing barge which starred in the making of the new Hollywood blockbuster Dunkirk has gone on the market for £425,000.
The 91-year-old houseboat, called Xylonite, was chartered by producers of Christopher Nolan's film because its owners have retained its pre-war appearance.
Although it was not involved the evacuation of 330,000 Allied soldiers off the beaches of Dunkirk in the Second World War, the 86ft long boat made it across the English Channel last year for the filming.
The blue craft was depicted on screen with scores of soldiers wading through the sea to clamber aboard.
The anonymous owner and a group of friends even appear as extras in the movie after they were given period clothing to wear as the crew.
Dunkirk, which stars Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance and singer Harry Styles, is due for release this Friday and is expected to be the hit film of the year.
Some 16 Thames sailing barges were sent to Dunkirk to help with the real evacuation in June 1940 and 11 of them made it back.
The owner of Xylonite has had it since 2011 but he has been considering selling it for a while, and now is the perfect time.
The inside of the vessel has been transformed into a stunning houseboat with a spacious open plan living area, fully-fitted galley and three bedrooms, whilst keeping many period features.
While it can go out on the open water, the new owner doesn't have to be a keen sailor as the boat comes with a residential mooring at Limehouse Basin in East London, where they will have to pay mooring and maintenance fees.
The seller said he was approached last year to take the barge to Dunkirk.
He said: "We set Xylonite up to look just like she would have looked in 1940, the art department covered anything modern on the boat, like the antennae, the lifeboat and the gas bottles.
"We needed to wait for good weather to cross the Channel, but the boat is so solidly built, we knew she would make the journey to Dunkirk with ease."
Xylonite was built in 1926 for Frederick William Horlock and was a cargo vessel working on the east coast of Britain.
The boat has 1,396 sq ft with all the accommodation on the lower deck.
There are three bedrooms and a toilet at the back of the ship, a large reception room in the middle and a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen at the front.
The boat is now being sold through Riverhomes estate agents.