shropshire union canal

Shropshire Union Canal Society – June 2026 work party report

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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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National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, celebrates 50th anniversary weekend with 1976 ticket prices!

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June 2, 2026

The Canal & River Trust’s National Waterways Museum, in Ellesmere Port, will celebrate its 50th anniversary weekend on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June by offering visitors entry to the historic boat museum at 1976 prices. For one weekend only, an adult day ticket will cost a mere £1.95 and a child/concession ticket only £1.50,…
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Mud, grit and hedge-laying spirit: volunteers push canal restoration forward

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March 4, 2026

It was a case of “mud, glorious mud” at the Shropshire Union Canal Society’s latest work party, said restoration project manager Tom Fulda. “This winter is characterised by persistent rainfall,” he explained. “The current area of site is generally well drained, but that counts for nowt when plant tracks over it.” But recent bad weather…
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WWII Firefighting Narrowboat Sculptor Celebrates 90 Years of Canal History

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January 9, 2026

A historic working narrowboat that played a vital role in fighting fires in London during the Second World War has marked a remarkable milestone — its 90th birthday. Sculptor, owned by the Canal & River Trust and normally moored outside the Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne, began its working life in November 1935 as part…
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CANAL REOPENS after £850K repair

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December 30, 2025

Boats have returned to cruising the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire following the completion of an £850,000 repair project to fix a serious breach caused earlier this year. The breach occurred when an old culvert carrying a stream beneath the canal collapsed, damaging the towpath, embankment and canal bed. To carry out the complex repair,…
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GHOST BOAT: Resurfaces on a Shropshire canal

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October 25, 2024

RELICS of a ghost boat said to be haunted by its skipper have resurfaced during work to restore the Montgomery Canal. A digger working on the canal channel at Crickheath Tramway Wharf came across ironwork from a narrowboat deep in the earth. All the woodwork had long since rotted away but the iron skeleton remained…
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HEROIC EFFORTS: On the Shropshire Union

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August 29, 2024

THE steady progression of restoration work on the Shropshire Union Canal has seen the working party move ahead of schedule – and members also discovered the remains of a haunted ‘ghost’ ship! Members of the Shropshire Union Canal Society working party met in July to upgrade the towpath in the area of Crickheath Wharf, constructing…
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REPLACED: Ageing safety gate

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July 29, 2024

A £50,000 project has seen a deteriorating safety gate on the Shropshire Union Canal at Knighton make way for a handcrafted replacement. The Canal & River Trust carried out the work at the historic wharf in June, replacing the ageing gate with one made in the charity’s specialist workshop. Between 1911 and 1961, Cadbury’s used…
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A frosty finale – but ending the year with a warm glow

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December 22, 2023

“FROSTBITE! – thankfully not,” said Tom Fulda, Shropshire Union Canal Society restoration project manager at Crickheath South on the Montgomery Canal. “But winter certainly arrived for the December work party with heavy frost and cloudless skies on the Friday and Saturday followed by snow and mist on Sunday. Nevertheless, there is much to report,” he…
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Traditional skills revive tramway wharf

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December 1, 2023

IN A world stuffed with technology it’s great to see that traditional skills and methods are still being used to great effect. This is true at Grinshill Stone Quarry where masons are dressing large coping IN A world stuffed with technology it’s great to see that traditional skills and methods are still being used to…
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Fishing celebration brings global communities to UK canal

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October 20, 2023

On 21 October 2023, young people with ancestral connections to 39 countries will gather at Market Drayton on the Shropshire Union Canal to participate in a global angling event. Hosted by national charity Canal & River Trust, the Daiwa Global Communities Celebration brings together young people from all backgrounds. The communities represented include Bangladesh, China,…
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Monty’s Brewery step up to support the Monty Canal

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Phil Pickin

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July 4, 2023

Monty’s Brewery has launched Navigation Pale Ale to support the ongoing restoration of the Montgomery Canal, which recently celebrated the opening of another restored section to Crickheath Basin. At the same time, Schoolhouse Bridge, another 300 yds along the canal’s course, is currently being rebuilt – so it’s all going down on the cut. Russ…
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Towpath delight for Crickheath

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May 31, 2023

SHROPSHIRE Union Canal volunteers have been continuing the restoration of the Montgomery Canal south of Crickheath Bridge near Oswestry. Their effort in May was spread across various activities and experienced variable weather conditions, the one constant being the incredible output and progress made. Work commenced on the towpath improvements next to Crickheath Bridge which are…
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Busy opening session at new compound

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March 13, 2023

ANOTHER spectacularly productive work party saw Shropshire Union Canal Society volunteers able to settle into and enjoy their new compound south of Crickheath Bridge on the Montgomery Canal. A wide variety of preparatory tasks were completed ready for machine plant operations to start. Thanks to favourable weather conditions, vegetation clearance continued apace in the dry…
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