Thanks for the reply colin, don't worry about waffling as I'm interested in anything that might nail it down. I have seen a few pictures over the years now that you mention it, of similar cruisers on canals and the like and also in a few British TV series. We did not have anything like this in NZ as this (if it representative of a common type of British inland cruiser) has no masts etc and was perhaps built to negotiate low bridges. Most of our boats have the full kit on top such as radar, aerials fly bridges and the like as most of our boating is done on the sea.
I should have bought the other one as well as these old boats are getting rare now but do I need the work? We'll get there yet on the make, regards John.

Thanks for that bit of info Steve, will head off on that tack and scour the high seas of the internet for any sightings of a vessel of that name. Will let you know if I find her.

Regards, John.

HI Steve, thanks for pointing me in that direction, you were close with the Maycraft and they do look a bit similar, but sorry, no cigar. Your suggestion led me to the Vintage Modelworks site and I was told it is a 'FAIRACRE 11, luxury Thames cruiser' built from Modelmaker plan 709 and designed by Philip Conolly (late 50s - 60s) you were correct on the date though and now I can give it a name, (even if it does sound like a piece of farmland!)
Mystery solved and thanks to Mike Cummings of Vintage Modelworks for his info. I have found there are still plans available as well and I may purchase one just for the hell of it to go with the boat. Bit of a coincidence to find 2 of these unusual subjects here in NZ, be interesting to know when they were built and where, (may have even been Imported by people coming to live here) next question,- has anyone built one ?