Towpath Talk

FIFTEEN YEARS to grab a unique steamy canal image

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October 9, 2025

This year marks Railway 200, the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, when the Stockton & Darlington Railway commenced operations in 1825. IN what was one of the biggest railway events of recent times, The Greatest Gathering at Derby saw the 150-ton SR Merchant Navy Class No. 35028 Clan Line twice routed over Grand Union…
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BOAT EXPLOSION cause being determined

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October 8, 2025

A BOAT which sank in Kelston Lock, on the Bristol Avon Navigation, after suffering an explosion has been recovered from the water. The co-owners of the vessel, who wished to remain anonymous, told how on August 25 they collected it from its mooring on Mill Island and set off across the River Avon towards Kelston…
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£200K AWARDED for restoration

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October 7, 2025

LICHFIELD and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust has been awarded £200,000 in Community Infrastructure Levy funding from Lichfield District Council to support the delivery of phase two of the Gallows Reach canal restoration project – a transformative step in restoring the Lichfield Canal. The levy is charged on new developments and funds infrastructure improvements in the…
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SUNKEN BOAT recovery cost pursued by council

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October 6, 2025

Bath & North East Somerset Council has begun formal proceedings to recover £55,000 in public money that was spent on removing sunken boats from the River Avon in Bath. FOUR boat owners have been served with formal demands requiring them to either settle their debts in full or agree a repayment plan. The boat removal…
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WIN! 40 incredible prizes

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October 4, 2025

Boating enthusiasts across the UK have the chance to win more than 40 incredible prizes in the Ultimate Boat Giveaway, by GJW Direct. From stand-up paddleboards and boating courses to subscriptions, vouchers and more, this is an exciting prize draw for water lovers. What’s up for grabs? Altogether, the prizes are worth more than £6000 and cover everything…
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WIN a place on an RCR maintenance course

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October 3, 2025

To celebrate River Canal Rescue’s 25th anniversary, managing director Stephanie Horton is giving away prizes every month, throughout the year. In October, Towpath Talk readers can win a place on one of RCR’s boat and engine maintenance courses, worth £315. The two-day course covers how to maintain diesel engines and the systems within a narrowboat,…
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DAM OVERFLOW spillway due to be finished by Christmas

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October 2, 2025

A THREE-YEAR construction project to create a new overflow spillway structure at Toddbrook Reservoir, Whaley Bridge, is expected to be finished by Christmas. Construction of the new dam spillway is key to bringing the reservoir back into use after the former auxiliary spillway on the dam wall was damaged in the summer of 2019 following…
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IRELAND to host UKILN Conference 2025

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October 1, 2025

THE UK & Ireland Lakes Network (UKILN) Conference 2025 will take place on October 14/15 at the Killarney Plaza Hotel and Spa, Co. Kerry. Hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA Ireland), the two-day conference, with the theme; Mirrors of Change: Reflections on Irish Lakes Past, Present and Future, will unite individuals and organisations passionate…
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PILOT BOAT TOUR to link two counties in unique heritage experience

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September 30, 2025

THE OFFICE of Public Works (OPW) has announced a collaboration with the Rose of Innisfree Boat Tours to create a pilot tour to Parkes Castle on Lough Gill, linking the two counties of Sligo and Leitrim, and inviting visitors to step into a living story of Ireland’s northwest with a unique heritage experience. Every Wednesday,…
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TRADERS FEELING THE HEAT of drought-stricken network and ‘devastating’ winter forecast

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September 29, 2025

Towpath Talk editor Lucy Wood reports… WATERWAYS businesses are expressing growing concerns as low water levels and stoppages are set to continue into the autumn following what was officially declared the hottest summer on record, leading to calls for an urgent rethink on water management in the UK. As predictions are made that the country’s reservoirs may not fully recover until at least December and possibly the spring, with swathes…
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BALSAM BASHERS tackling invasive species

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September 27, 2025

As summer issues its last hurrah, working parties around the country have been busy removing Himalayan Balsam from our riverbanks. Lucy Wood reports… The non-native species is damaging to the environment and illegal to spread under UK law, and every summer teams of hardy volunteers gather to fight the perpetual threat. In Lincolnshire, the East…
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IMPROVEMENT WORKS along popular towpath route complete

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September 26, 2025

WORKS to improve a popular walking and cycling route along Edinburgh’s Union Canal are now complete. Scottish whin stone paving between Leamington Lift Bridge and the boundary of Edinburgh Quay has been laid to create a new smooth surface to improve accessibility for all users. New lighting has also been installed to increase safety for…
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FLOATING ECOSYSTEMS installed to attract more wildlife

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September 25, 2025

A series of planted coir rolls have been installed on the Nottingham & Beeston Canal as part of a drive to encourage more wildlife into the city centre. The project is designed to soften the edges of the canal walls and attract more birds, bugs and watery wildlife. The ecosystems are made largely of coir…
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RESTORATION: Grade II-listed pumphouse

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September 24, 2025

The historically important pumphouse at the National Waterways Museum, in Ellesmere Port, is to be repaired and restored thanks to a grant from Historic England. The £252,282 award will enable the Canal & River Trust to renovate and conserve the structure and access bridge so they can be reopened to the public and enjoyed for…
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