Canal Festival – Pelsall 2010 postponed
Added: Friday 12th of February 2010 Catgory: newsA LACK of water has caused the postponement of the 2010 Pelsall Canal Festival.
Major repair for Netherton Tunne
Added: Friday 12th of February 2010 Catgory: newsThe trouble plagued 3027-yard Netherton Tunnel, Dudley, will receive major repair work either next winter or in 2011/12 writes Bob Clarke.
WRG’s major projects to be tackled by the Canal Camps this year
Added: Friday 12th of February 2010 Catgory: newsThe Cotswolds Gough’s Orchard Lock at Brimscombe Port, near Stroud, where work needs to continue to reconstruct the lock chamber wall, undertake repairs to the lock bridge, towpath and replace the bywash. There is a lot to do over the four weeks and these will be busy camps that require plenty of volunteers. Anyone with brick-laying experience or who wants to learn how to brick-lay will be most welcome. There are four one-week long working holidays running from 26 June-24 July.
River Lee Navigation towpath improvement BY BRITISH WATERWAYS
Added: Friday 12th of February 2010 Catgory: newsBritish Waterways has completed a £216k visitor improvements’ project on a one-mile stretch of towpath on the River Lee Navigation in Hertfordshire, creating a four-mile wheelchair and pushchair friendly route.
Sankey canal row
Added: Tuesday 19th of January 2010 Catgory: newsAs we went to press, it was reported that campaigners for the restoration of the Sankey Canal on Merseyside are optimistic that a newly built bridge which effectively blocks the canal, may actually boost assist their efforts to see the canal restored to its former glory.
Waterways in Parliament
Added: Tuesday 19th of January 2010 Catgory: newsTHE waterways and their future continue to be the subject of parliamentary debate, the following references to the canal network having been reported in Hansard:
Environment Agency prosecutes speeding boater
Added: Tuesday 19th of January 2010 Catgory: newsA boater has been ordered to pay a total of £1195 for navigating his boat without due care, and at excessive speed, along the busy River Thames.
Licence evasion reduced by a further 1.5%
Added: Tuesday 19th of January 2010 Catgory: newsThe total number of unlicensed boats on BW waterways has fallen by a further 1.5 per cent during 2009. Despite the harder times of the credit crunch, 94.7 per cent of the 31,400 boats on BW’s canals and rivers are now fully paid-up licence holders.
Timothy West to open IWA’s National Festival
Added: Tuesday 19th of January 2010 Catgory: newsWELL-KNOWN actor of stage and screen Timothy West CBE is to open the Inland Waterways Association's National Festival & Boat Show at Beale Park on the River Thames in 2010 – subject to filming commitments.
Towpath Talk Tableau
Added: Tuesday 12th of January 2010 Catgory: newsSend us your pictures. Do you have Towpath Talk photos to share that tell a story or show an aspect of life on our inland waterways?
Boat owners’ rights – British Waterways replies
Added: Tuesday 15th of December 2009 Catgory: newsSally Ash, BW’s head of boating, responds to the assertions made by the National Association of Boat Owners (NABO) and reported on page 3 of November’s Towpath Talk.
Midland Chandlers branch for Mercia Marina
Added: Tuesday 15th of December 2009 Catgory: newsMERCIA Marina has begun construction on a remarkable new 'energy saving' building for Midland Chandlers – the largest branch yet for the fast-growing chandlery chain. Due to be completed and opened by March 2010, this latest outlet of Midland Chandlers will be a low-profile wooden-walled building, in keeping with the rest of the marina.
Marsworth Yard: BW development plans
Added: Tuesday 15th of December 2009 Catgory: newsWhile the possible sale of British Waterways’ assets en bloc is hitting the headlines again this month, in the meantime individual local sales are still arousing controversy.
Chasewater reservoir drained
Added: Tuesday 15th of December 2009 Catgory: newsCHASEWATER Reservoir, Staffordshire, which is the main source of supply to around 100 miles of the Birmingham Canal Navigations is being completely drained to allow urgent repairs to be carried out on the reservoir’s several hundred yards long dam writes Bob Clarke.
Increase in water vole numbers
Added: Monday 16th of November 2009 Catgory: newsTHE water vole is among nearly 300 different species spotted making their homes by the country's canals and rivers, according to a survey by British Waterways.
Early Christmas stocking for River Trent
Added: Monday 16th of November 2009 Catgory: newsSTRETCHES of the River Trent and Tame that were badly affected by recent pollution incidents will get an early Christmas stocking of thousands of baby fish this winter.
Strensham lock closure warning
Added: Monday 16th of November 2009 Catgory: newsA NOTICE of restricted through navigation has been given for the Lower Avon at Strensham Lock.
Has BW slipped free of its legal moorings?
Added: Monday 16th of November 2009 Catgory: newsBRITISH Waterways has called for a 'constructive debate' on boat owners' rights following a legal challenge to its powers writes Bob Clarke.
Huddersfield locks get winter overhaul
Added: Monday 16th of November 2009 Catgory: newsAS part of its annual maintenance programme, British Waterways will be undertaking a £445,000 project of essential works along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal over the next few weeks. The maintenance will include the replacement of eight lock leaves on six lock gates along the canal, as well as repairs to a breach of the ground paddle culvert and leakage through the lock wall at Lock 14, or ‘Ramsden’s Lock’.
‘Idle Woman’ Olga dies at 85
Added: Monday 16th of November 2009 Catgory: newsThe canal equivalent to the Land Girls, the young ladies wore a badge with the initials IW to indicate that they were working on the Inland Waterways on essential war work and were given the nickname ‘Idle Women'. Olga was also one of the four women who last October helped The Waterways Trust and British Waterways to commemorate the contribution made by the ‘Idle Women’, with the unveiling of a plaque at the Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum.
New collections manager
Added: Monday 16th of November 2009 Catgory: newsTHE Waterways Trust has appointed Peter Collins to the post of collections manager for its National Waterways Museum, based at Ellesmere Port.
Mortons Acquire Classic American Magazine
Added: Thursday 12th of November 2009 Catgory: newsLincolnshire publishers Mortons Media Group Ltd have purchased Classic American magazine from the Trader Media Group. The magazine is the market-leading title for all things relating to classic American cars.
Berks Divers find buried treasure
Added: Monday 12th of October 2009 Catgory: newsTHE recent discovery of a bag full of silver by the Environment Agency has sparked a police investigation in Berkshire.
Sewage and chemical leak on River Trent
Added: Monday 12th of October 2009 Catgory: newsAS we went to press, the Environment Agency was warning that cyanide and raw sewage had entered a 30-mile stretch of the River Trent in Staffordshire between Stoke-on-Trent and Yoxall.
Tom Rolt events planned for 2010
Added: Monday 12th of October 2009 Catgory: newsNEXT year is the centenary of the birth of Tom Rolt, one of IWA’s ‘founding fathers’.
What happens if the figures don’t add up?
Added: Monday 12th of October 2009 Catgory: newsWith BW and EA facing serious funding shortfalls Bob Clarke looks at what the future holds for our cash-strapped inland waterways.
A critical time for our waterways’ future
Added: Monday 12th of October 2009 Catgory: newsAlthough IWAC does not mention the point, one can only assume it will look at the potential of funding from local authorities – ranging from cities, towns and district councils – many of whom experience economic benefits, including tourism, which come from well-used waterways.
'Party-syllte' event celebrates world heritage status
Added: Wednesday 16th of September 2009 Catgory: newsBOAT owners and visitors are being urged to join in a gala day to celebrate the success of Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in its newly won World Heritage Site status.
Broads Authority seeks new member
Added: Wednesday 16th of September 2009 Catgory: newsDEFRA is seeking an individual with a keen interest in the Broads to become a member of the Broads Authority and advise on the future development of this important wetland and much- loved boating area.
Book now for Christmas at Black Country Museum
Added: Wednesday 16th of September 2009 Catgory: newsTICKETS for autumn/winter events at the Black Country Living Museum have gone on sale with visitors urged to book early for events which include Halloween at the Museum, Traditional Bonfire Night, Santa Hunts and Traditional Christmas Evenings.
Narrowboat fire
Added: Wednesday 16th of September 2009 Catgory: newsA narrowboat caught fire while it was being repaired at Black Country Narrowboats yard on the Stourbridge Canal, Prestwood.
Youngsters open vandal-proof locks
Added: Wednesday 16th of September 2009 Catgory: newsVandal-proof locks developed some years ago by British Waterways in an attempt to prevent lock paddles being drawn and pounds drained by vandals are proving ineffective, particularly in the Black Country, writes Bob Clarke.
Super Safety day helps boaters
Added: Thursday 18th of June 2009 Catgory: newsSeventy boats were given free safety information and installation checks in the first of a series of Super Safety days run by the Broads Authority at St Benet’s Abbey on the River Bure, with boaters stopped for speeding, toll offences and for routine safety checks on visiting craft.
Nationwide survey
Added: Thursday 18th of June 2009 Catgory: newsPlantlife is launching a nationwide public participation survey on non-native invasive aquatic plants and hopes to gather useful data about the extent of the continuing sale of such plants in garden centres and pet shops and their distribution in the wild, as well as to raise public awareness of the problems associated with non-native invasive aquatic plants.
Timetable set for new Scottish canal
Added: Thursday 18th of June 2009 Catgory: newsA NEW Lomond Canal could bring tourism and jobs as well as resolving flooding problems along the Strathleven Corridor.
New gas safety scheme
Added: Thursday 18th of June 2009 Catgory: newsOWNERS of boats with gas systems installed need to know that Gas Safe RegisterTM replaced the CORGI gas registration scheme in England, Wales, Scotland and the Isle of Man in April this year and the BSS is keen that people are aware of the changeover.
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