Towpath Talk

  • £500M REVITALISATION with canal restoration at the heart

    £500M REVITALISATION with canal restoration at the heart

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    THE RESTORATION of the Chesterfield Canal could be at the heart of a rejuvenation project which may bring £500m to the region.  The vision is for the Chesterfield Canal corridor to be reclaimed as a place for the local community to live, enjoy and be employed; for tourists and visitors to come, play and stay;…

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  • £3M UPGRADE to tackle climate change

    £3M UPGRADE to tackle climate change

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    AN EAST Lancashire reservoir which provides a vital supply of water to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal will shortly undergo a £3m upgrade to ensure it remains resilient to climate change and continues to meet safety standards. The Canal & River Trust project will involve essential maintenance to strengthen Rishton Reservoir, near Rishton, and increase…

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  • £300 MILLION BLACK HOLE: CRT pressures government

    £300 MILLION BLACK HOLE: CRT pressures government

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    THE Canal & River Trust is hoping to persuade the Government it has a strong case for increased funding so it can continue to maintain and enhance the canal and river networks. The charity made its case as part of a submission to the Spending Review process, asking for “a contribution to its funding sufficient…

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  • WATERSIDE respite lodge dream nears reality

    WATERSIDE respite lodge dream nears reality

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    COURAGEOUS brain cancer sufferer Hannah Roberts is hoping she will see the £203,000 waterside holiday home for other patients and their families finally become a reality. The 21-year-old has now raised £189,225 towards the cost of the respite lodge at Mercia Marina in south Derbyshire and her mother, Gail Iredale, is hoping they will top…

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  • HYDROGEN fuel cell domestic power for boats

    HYDROGEN fuel cell domestic power for boats

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    GREENER solutions are a subject that Towpath Talk reports on frequently and something we like to update our readers on, as and when the opportunities arise. Hydrogen fuel cells are one of the key components in that discussion and liveaboard boater, Neil Trevithick, has supplied us with an independent review of the HyArk hydrogen cell…

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  • BRAUNSTON’S rudder mystery

    BRAUNSTON’S rudder mystery

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    Tim Coghlan reports… THE waterside setting of the Red Wheel Plaque, awarded in 2024 to Braunston Marina by the National Transport Trust in 2024, has been enhanced as a historic canal transport hub by the placing beneath it of an old iron working boat rudder. Its origins remain something of a mystery but various suggestions have…

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  • IWA Canalway Cavalcade 2025

    IWA Canalway Cavalcade 2025

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    IWA Canalway Cavalcade returns to London’s Little Venice on Saturday, May 3, for the full Early May Bank Holiday weekend. Each year the best of life on the waterways in London and its community is celebrated at IWA Canalway Cavalcade. There’s something for everyone at this vibrant canal festival in the heart of London’s waterways.…

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  • WINNERS of photo competition announced

    WINNERS of photo competition announced

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    CANAL holiday business Foxhangers was thrilled to announce the winners of its highly anticipated Memories photo competition. In the run up to the competition the hire firm was inundated with an array of stunning entries, each capturing the essence and beauty of canal holidays. First prize went to Reeling in Holiday Memories by Estella Rich, who…

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  • MUSEUM FOCUS: Celebrating the rich history of the Thames

    MUSEUM FOCUS: Celebrating the rich history of the Thames

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    Nicola Lisle explores the story of the Thames at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, from its royal connections to its industrial heyday. A MARITIME museum might not seem the obvious choice for anyone interested in Britain’s inland waterways, but the National Maritime Museum is not just about our seafaring past. There is also a…

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  • DOUBLE your donation and unlock the future of the Lichfield Canal

    DOUBLE your donation and unlock the future of the Lichfield Canal

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    In April, Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT) will take part in the Big Give Green Match Fund appeal to raise £180,000 in just one week! These funds will be used to construct a vital lock on the Lichfield Canal along Tamworth Road. This crucial appeal aims to raise a game-changing £90,000 in donations…

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  • WIN A YEAR’S RCR GOLD MEMBERSHIP

    WIN A YEAR’S RCR GOLD MEMBERSHIP

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    To celebrate River Canal Rescue’s 25th anniversary, managing director, Stephanie Horton, is giving away prizes every month, throughout the year. In this month, Towpath Talk readers can win a gold membership worth £320. The breakdown assistance & recovery package includes: vessel covered for any user or member covered on any vessel, unlimited call-outs, recovery to…

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  • WAVERLEY on board with Railway 200 celebrations

    WAVERLEY on board with Railway 200 celebrations

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    PS WAVERLEY, the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer, is backing Railway 200, the national celebration of the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825. Carrying the year-long celebration event’s logo on its website and publications, Waverley Excursions Ltd is reminding passengers that the ship was built in 1947 by…

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  • April 2025

    April 2025

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    Towpath Talk features everything you need to know about boats, marinas, wildlife, conservation, heritage and superb days out.

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  • VOLUNTEERS needed to help canal wildlife

    VOLUNTEERS needed to help canal wildlife

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    A CALL has gone out for volunteers to join a spring campaign to help wildlife along Britain’s waterways. The Canal & River Trust says there are great opportunities for millions of people to help endangered species.  With spring around the corner, the charity is preparing the ground for the year ahead and is calling on…

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