News

ARMADA invades Government by river

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May 28, 2025

AN ARMADA of boats took part in a friendly invasion of London but carried a serious message to the Government: ‘Put cash into the waterways’. Fund Britain’s Waterways (FBW) organised a protest flotilla with many boats taking part in a month-long cruise from Lincolnshire to the capital, calling on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to…
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FOXTON hosts 75th anniversay celebration

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May 27, 2025

FOXTON Locks is set to host a weekend-long canal festival celebrating the pivotal role that Leicestershire’s waterways played in the renaissance of the nation’s canal network 75 years ago. The festival, taking place on June 7 and 8, is being organised by the Leicestershire branch of the IWA with local partners including the Canal &…
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VOLUNTEERS compile huge canal survey

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May 26, 2025

A VOLUNTEER-LED heritage survey of 2000 miles of canal network in England and Wales has started this year – the first in more than three decades. The work, which will take four years to complete, will create a vast digital database which will detail the history of the network and its associated structures. This is…
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EXTENDED: Story Competition Deadline

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May 24, 2025

River Canal Rescue has extended the deadline for its story-telling competition to 31 May, giving boaters more time to submit an entry about ‘life on the cut’. The story – a maximum of 700 words and three photos – must relate to boating over the past 25 years and can be funny, dramatic etc, as…
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SUMMER PARTY: All welcome!

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May 23, 2025

Only a few weeks to go until River Canal Rescue’s 25th anniversary celebration! The free family-friendly party is from 1-7pm on Sunday 8 June, at the Stafford Riverway Link Grounds, Baswich, Stafford, ST17 4FR. Near RCR HQ (br 101 on the Staffs &Worcs canal). Bringing together the local community, boaters, past and current RCR members,…
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FOR SALE: Popular marina

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May 22, 2025

FARNDON Marina on the River Trent is to be sold. Owned and developed for more than 50 years by the Ainsworth family, it the first time the marina has been on the open market. Alison Alderton reports… Set in the Nottinghamshire village of Farndon, the marina site spans 25 acres and has berthing for more…
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LONDON: St Pancras Basin

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May 21, 2025

A thriving area weaving together history, community and a love and respect for canal heritage.Alice Elgie reports… OPENED in stages from 1816 onward, The Regent’s Canal was built to link the Grand Junction Canal’s Paddington Arm with the Thames at Limehouse and for 140 years the canal transported coal, goods and building materials from the…
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MUSEUM FOCUS: A tale packed with suspense

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May 20, 2025

Nicola Lisle visits the Clifton Suspension Bridge Museum to discover the fascinating story behind Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s iconic masterpiece. Officially opened just over 160 years ago, on December 8, 1864, the Clifton Suspension Bridge was one of Brunel’s final projects, completed five years after his death and standing as a lasting tribute to his engineering…
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PRIZES up for grabs

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May 19, 2025

THE ever-popular National Historic Ships UK Photography Competition is back for a 16th year. The competition theme is Craft & Crew this time and there are some fantastic prizes to be won, as well as the chance to be featured in the 2026 calendar and accompanying exhibition at Historic Dockyard Chatham. National Historic Ships UK…
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A PORT in transition…

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May 17, 2025

Alison Alderton reports… THE EU Just Transition Fund is helping to transform Ireland’s hidden heartlands with work forging ahead over recent years on numerous projects along the River Shannon corridor. Shannonbridge, once in the centre of the peat harvesting area of the midlands and probably the area which took the greatest brunt of the effect…
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REOPENED: Scale Lane footbridge

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May 16, 2025

Alison Alderton reports: THE Scale Lane swinging footbridge over the River Hull has reopened to pedestrians and cyclists following its closure late last year. The bridge was closed to the public in December 2024 when essential repair works to its swing mechanism were scheduled to take place. However, a routine inspection identified several bearings also…
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BINS to save CRT money

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May 15, 2025

Phil Pickin looks at an unexpected way to help CRT save money while also helping the environment. (Body copy) ANYONE connected with the waterways will be aware of the financial woes that CRT is having to endure. As a result, the organisation is looking at every aspect of its operation in an effort to save…
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ANOTHER ONE bites the dust!

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May 14, 2025

Alison Alderton reports… FURTHER demolition to the former Cottam Power Station on the banks of the River Trent in Nottinghamshire has taken place. Cottam Power Station was commissioned in 1968 and capable of generating enough electricity for 3.7m homes. It was originally designed to be operational for 30 years but had its life extended to…
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CHARACTERS of the Cut: Christine Wood, Traditional Canalware

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May 13, 2025

Alice Elgie reports… IT SEEMS like Christine Wood was blessed with the right name for her trade, busy as she is painting not only traditional canalware but also restoring interesting, unusual and antique pieces of furniture. She shared with me: “When I was 14 I saved my pocket money and bought a wood turning lathe…
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