News
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Head to Ware Boat Festival
JOIN the IWA Lee and Stort branch at the beautiful and historic market town of Ware on the upper reaches of the River Lee for Ware Boat Festival from Friday, July 5 to Sunday, July 7. Friday evening is the riverside barbecue, Saturday afternoon is the themed boat parade and boat handling competition, Saturday evening…
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Restoration projects update
THE Annual Waterway Restoration Conference attracted more than 100 delegates this April. The event, jointly organised by the Inland Waterways Association and Canal & River Trust, was opened by Julie Sharman, chief operating officer at Canal & River Trust. The theme this year focused on inclusion, collaboration, training, skills and sustainable planning. Keynote speakers included Eoin Harris…
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Boost to Grand Western Canal visitor experience
VISITORS to the Grand Western Canal Country Park can now benefit from a range of new facilities to help them make the most of a trip to this charming waterway in mid-Devon. The canal visitor centre now features two new video display screens, each playing a choice of several short film clips, including some spectacular…
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Museum launches new deaf character
VISITORS to Dudley’s Black Country Living Museum during half term will meet ‘David Smith’, a new historic character. He represents real people’s memories sharing the importance of the deaf community and how deaf clubs flourished during the 1960s, as well as the barriers in society that they have historically faced. David has been developed as…
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Waverley will fly pennant with pride
By Hugh Dougherty THE world’s only seagoing paddle steamer will fly a special pennant with pride this season, as Paddle Steamer Waverley has been awarded the prestigious status of National Flagship of the Year by National Historic Ships UK. The body says that the award recognises the breadth and geographic coverage of the iconic paddler’s…
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Less boats – and licences – in London & South East
THE Canal & River Trust’s National Boat Count, conducted in the spring each year, has seen a 1.4% drop in boat numbers on its network across England and Wales. It also saw a 1.2% increase in unlicensed boats, meaning licence compliance now stands at 91.8%. Nationally, 32,602 boats were recorded on the trust’s enforceable waters,…
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Museum’s stolen tilley lamps recovered
THREE ‘Tilley’ lamps stolen from the National Waterway Museum Ellesmere Port have been recovered thanks to the keen eye of a Canal & River Trust volunteer who spotted them for sale on eBay. The trust’s museums team alerted the police, who recovered the items. The seller is now assisting police. CRT manager of national collections…
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Gloucester bridge reopens to tall ships
THE Canal & River Trust is preparing to welcome a flotilla of vessels into Gloucester for the popular Tall Ships Festival following repairs to a major lift bridge. During an inspection, cracks were found at the base of a mast on High Orchard Bridge, which carries St Ann Way over the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal…
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Canal restoration gets under way in Staveley
THE Chesterfield Canal Trust celebrated the start of its latest phase of restoration with a groundbreaking ceremony at Staveley on Friday May 17. Lee Rowley MP, Toby Perkins MP and Coun Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and vice-chairman of the Staveley Town Deal Board, were joined by Tony Mitchell, a director of O’Brien…
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Derby Bustler Market makes Mercia Marina home for event
GET ready for a sensational day of food, fun and family-friendly entertainment as Derby’s beloved Bustler Market brings its vibrant street food scene to Mercia Marina on Saturday June 1 from 11am to 6pm. Established in 2017, Bustler Market has become an award-winning street food event, known for its lively atmosphere and top-notch vendors. This…
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Black Sluice Lock marks 15 years in service
THE Black Sluice Lock in Lincolnshire has now been in service for 15 years since its official opening on Friday, March 20, 2009. Following the demolition of the old lock and the fixed sluice, a new lock was constructed on the River Witham tideway at the south end of the Black Sluice complex, marking the…
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TV personality to open upgraded towpath
CANAL Boat Diaries presenter Robbie Cumming is to officially open the upgraded canal towpath from Wendover to Halton. The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 1pm on Friday, June 28 at the entrance from the towpath to Walnut Tree Meadow, and a host of other activities are planned to take place from 10am to…
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Cutting reopens to boat traffic
EASENHALL Cutting on the Oxford Canal has reopened to navigation while a major repair project by the Canal & River Trust continues. After a period of intense rainfall in early February an estimated 4000 tonnes of the 18m cutting slipped into the canal. Trust teams worked through difficult conditions, with continued wet weather saturating the…
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Boaters march on CRT office in licence fee protest
HUNDREDS of boaters took to the towpath of Paddington Basin in London to demonstrate against the Canal & River Trust’s licence fee increases. They were also protesting at plans to introduce differential pricing based on mooring status. Activists from the boater community were joined on Easter Saturday by members of other groups in solidarity, including…
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