canal heritage

The canal campaigners who refused to let the Monty run dry

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Mark Lancaster

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June 12, 2026

Sixty years after a last-ditch meeting in a Newport hotel, the Shropshire Union Canal Society is still fighting for the waterways of the historic Shropshire Union network – turning threatened closures into volunteer-powered restorations and keeping up the pressure to bridge the final ‘Shropshire Gap.’ THE Shropshire Union Canal Society (SUCS) began life on Wednesday,…
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Shropshire Union Canal Society – June 2026 work party report

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Web Editor

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June 11, 2026

A very busy work party. 5 days, record volunteer numbers (again), multiple different activities. Apologies if this report is a little longer than normal. “June was the second successive work party with two days of preparation before the main work party started on Friday. And once again, two full days of profiling the channel was…
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New canal boat joins Scouts’ fleet

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Web Editor

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June 10, 2026

THE Wakefield Scouts have unveiled Scouting Explorer, the latest addition to its canal boat fleet, following months of dedicated renovation work by volunteers and committee members. The vessel, which has been transformed into a fully equipped hire boat, is intended to provide young people in Scouting with new opportunities for adventure, teamwork, and learning on…
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New venue for canal concerts

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Web Editor

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June 4, 2026

The Chesterfield Canal Trust is promoting two concerts at the newly restored Barrow Hill Memorial Hall. The proceeds will go towards the further restoration of the canal. The Swing Commanders will be appearing on Friday 26th June followed by Simon Mayor & Hilary James on Saturday 27th June. To book, click here or ring 01246…
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Community grants power boats and green spaces

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Web Editor

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May 30, 2026

CHESTERFIELD Canal Trust is celebrating welcome financial support following the award of two grants that will benefit its historic boats and a popular canalside community hub. Coun Bert Bingham, who represents Worksop West on Nottinghamshire County Council, made a major donation from his share of the authority’s Councillor’s Divisional Fund. It will go towards the…
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Centuries-old gift keeping tradition afloat

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Web Editor

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March 27, 2026

Villagers and guests gathered in a Lincolnshire churchyard to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the burial of Nicholas Harby – and honour an unusual bequest. WHEN Nicholas Harby died in 1826, he left behind more than memories – he ensured a living tradition for Harlaxton, in the South Kesteven district of the county, by bequeathing…
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Join appeal to help keep PeggotyTom IV operational

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Web Editor

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March 21, 2026

ISLINGTON Boat Club is raising funds for a new engine for its core boat, PeggotyTom IV. Keeping the boat operational is critical to what the club does – without it, youth sessions and training courses are at risk. “For many years, PeggotyTom IV has been more than just a narrowboat. She has been a place…
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New venue for artefacts exhibition

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Web Editor

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February 23, 2026

THE Stafford Riverway Link Artefacts Exhibition, displaying artefacts unearthed at the Baswich site by volunteers, is on the move. You can catch it at Rising Brook Community Library, in Merrey Road, Stafford, ST17 9LX, until Saturday, March 28. As reported, the Stafford Riverway Link CIC is a canal restoration group aiming to reconnect the county…
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Trust salutes volunteers in North West for their exceptional contributions

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Web Editor

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February 21, 2026

The waterways – and canal volunteering – are for everyone. The Canal & River Trust celebrated this by honouring its volunteers in its annual awards scheme, supported by The Marsh Charitable Trust. In an ongoing series, we are featuring all the winners. THIS month we continue to shine the spotlight on the work of trust…
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Historic tug’s bell rings again

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Web Editor

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February 11, 2026

The bell from a long-scrapped Shroppie canal tug is on public display for the first time. Steam tug W. E. Dorrington was built in 1906 for the Shropshire Railway and Canal Company (SR&CC), and its bell is on show in Warrington Museum until February 28. This has prompted further research into its role in the…
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Wartime mystery uncovered during Whitminster Bridge restoration

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Web Editor

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February 10, 2026

Volunteers restoring Whitminster Bridge on the Stroudwater Canal have uncovered two concrete pits believed to date from the Second World War, while major restoration work continues following a multi-million-pound heritage grant. Wartime pits discovered beneath Whitminster Bridge Volunteers restoring the historic Whitminster Bridge on the Stroudwater Canal have uncovered two mysterious concrete pits believed to…
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Brecon Canal illuminated as communities mark 225th anniversary

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Web Editor

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February 7, 2026

Up to 2,000 people gathered along the Brecon Canal for a series of illuminated evening events marking the waterway’s 225th anniversary. The celebrations formed part of a year-long programme led by Glandŵr Cymru. Up to 2,000 people came together to light up the Brecon Canal during a week of celebrations marking the canal’s 225th anniversary,…
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Traci Dix-Williams Awarded MBE for Outstanding Services to Heritage and Community Preservation

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Web Editor

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January 23, 2026

Traci Dix-Williams, former Chief Executive Officer of the Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust, has been awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours in recognition of her services to heritage. Describing the honour as “an unexpected and deeply humbling experience,” Traci reflected on a career spent preserving, interpreting and celebrating Britain’s industrial and cultural…
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Historic Narrowboat Norway Reborn: 1927 Wooden Cargo Boat Returns as a Steel Replica

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Web Editor

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January 21, 2026

A historic British waterways workboat has been brought back to life after nearly a century, as Norway, a wooden cargo narrowboat first launched in 1927, has been reborn as a faithful steel replica following an eight-year restoration project. Originally built in 1927 for the Anderton Company, the 72ft ‘knobstick’ motor narrowboat spent decades carrying cargo…
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