News

Replacing lost waterways heritage: The unveiling of the Ventiford crane on the Stover Canal

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Mark Lancaster

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December 8, 2021

AN ICONIC crane has been reconstructed on the Stover Canal to help tell the story of the canal’s unique history. IWA provided a major part of the funding for the Stover Canal Trust project through its South West Inland Waterways Regeneration Fund. The replica crane was unveiled by IWA’s Dr Ruth Sewell in September. This…
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Unique Scottish bridge needs repair

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Janet Richardson

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December 7, 2021

IWA volunteers in Scotland are campaigning to repair Dunardry Bridge on the Crinan Canal. As the only hand-operated rolling bridge which goes across a lock chamber, it is a unique example of waterways heritage. Sadly, it has been out of operation for a number of years. We hope that Scottish Canals will include it in…
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Volunteers create canal footpath in four days

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Janet Richardson

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December 6, 2021

IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group recently helped to create a new footpath on the Burslem Branch Canal. A group of 12 volunteers spent four days kickstarting the Burslem Port Footsteps project as part of a WRG canal camp working holiday. They installed over 60m of footpath edgings and new path materials. The rest of the project…
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Aquavista completes strategic acquisition of Castle Marinas

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Janet Richardson

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December 3, 2021

London, UK – Aquavista, the UK’s premier residential and leisure mooring provider, has today announced an expansion of the company’s marina portfolio with the strategic acquisition of Castle Marinas. The Midlands-based marina operator will see its portfolio expand with an additional 11 high quality marinas added to its footprint at new locations, including Crick Marina…
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Machines move mountains

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Mark Lancaster

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December 3, 2021

SHROPSHIRE Union Canal volunteers have been continuing with the restoration of the 330m dry section of the Montgomery Canal at Crickheath. The second work party in October was almost totally machine based with the major job being the continuation of reducing the width of a 70m section of the channel at the eastern end of…
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Leicester’s waterways – the potential to be unlocked with new partnership!

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Janet Richardson

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December 2, 2021

The Canal & River Trust is bringing together businesses, community groups and local authority departments in Leicester to help make the city’s waterways better for people and wildlife. The charity is launching the Leicester Waterways Improvement Partnership to make the River Soar and Grand Union Canal running through the city even more special and use…
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Wheelyboat joins Wey & Arun fleet

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Janet Richardson

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December 1, 2021

WEY & Arun Canal Trust members gathered recently to welcome the latest addition to the charity’s fleet: a Mk III Wheelyboat. The boat was officially named the Walter Grove at a special ceremony in Loxwood on October 23. The purchase of the secondhand Mk III Wheelyboat was made possible by a generous donation from supporter…
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March target for reopening breach site

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Colin Wareing

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November 30, 2021

THE Canal & River Trust is aiming to reopen the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Rishton at the end of March 2022 following the recent breach. It is also hoped to reopen Gargrave Lock following wall reconstruction at the same time. As reported last month, fibre dams were installed between New Barn (109) and Aspen…
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Canals saviour immortalised in bronze

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Colin Wareing

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November 29, 2021

A STATUE commemorating Blackburn MP Barbara Castle has been unveiled in the Lancashire town’s Jubilee Square. She is portrayed holding a representation of a copy of the equal pay act from 1970. Barbara Castle was the Labour MP for Blackburn from 1945 to 1979 and from December 1965 until April 1968 was Minister for Transport…
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£4 million earmarked for docks regeneration

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Janet Richardson

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November 27, 2021

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA), the charity that campaigns to protect and restore the inland waterways of Great Britain, welcomes the announcement made at this week’s Bridgwater Town Development Forum that £23.2m has been awarded from the Government’s Towns Fund to Sedgemoor District Council for the regeneration of Bridgwater. The award includes £4m towards the…
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RESTORATION OF HISTORIC CHESHIRE CANAL FOOTBRIDGE WINS ENGINEERING AWARD

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Janet Richardson

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November 26, 2021

The Canal & River Trust waterways and wellbeing charity has won a major engineering award for its sympathetic restoration of a historic Grade II Listed footbridge across the Trent & Mersey Canal in Middlewich, Cheshire. Canal engineers Tania Snelgrove, Ian Draycott and Helen Braidwood have been presented with a coveted heritage award from the Institution…
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Who left the lock open?

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Janet Richardson

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November 25, 2021

WHILE walking along a section of the Kennet & Avon Canal to Devizes recently, Towpath Talk contributor Kevin Thomas came upon Lock 25 standing wide open. It prompted him to question what is it that makes boaters leave a lock open – laziness, a lapse of attention or even arrogance? In its guide to saving…
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Let there be light! Towpath walking routes now lit…

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Janet Richardson

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November 23, 2021

Waterways and wellbeing charity, Canal & River Trust, working in partnership with the City of Wolverhampton Council, has installed solar-powered lights along the canals in Wolverhampton to improve walking and cycling routes along the city’s towpaths. The lights have been installed along six miles of canal with one every ten metres, along the Main Line…
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Acton Bridge Cruising Club rumours simply not true

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Janet Richardson

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November 23, 2021

IN JANUARY this year, Acton Bridge Cruising Club on the River Weaver in Cheshire suffered an unprecedented flood which damaged some of its moorings. Since that time, it has been rumoured that the club is no longer functioning, according to member David Moores. “This is far from true,” he told Towpath Talk. “All the damaged…
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