Towpath Talk

  • ‘More fun than going to the gym’

    ‘More fun than going to the gym’

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    By Janet Richardson A FAMILIAR sight at the Braunston Historic Boat Rally in late June, the iconic pair Nuneaton and Brighton are still at work. They are owned and operated by the Narrow Boat Trust, a volunteer-led charity whose objective is to maintain the historic boats and demonstrate how they were operated commercially together in…

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  • Boaters march on CRT office in licence fee protest

    Boaters march on CRT office in licence fee protest

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    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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  • Date for Robbie’s diary as he opens ecology park

    Date for Robbie’s diary as he opens ecology park

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    THE Lichfield Canal at Darnford Moors Ecology Park has been officially opened by TV’s Robbie Cumming, following its completion by Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT). This 0.5km section of canal was completed thanks to a grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) with match funding from HS2’s Community and Environment Fund (CEF)…

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  • Business body backs campaign for waterways funding

    Business body backs campaign for waterways funding

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    BRITISH Marine recently joined other members of Fund Britain’s Waterways for a meeting with the Canal & River Trust chief executive Richard Parry and his senior team at Hatton Locks. The trade association, whose members come from a broad range of boating businesses, is one of 120 organisations backing the FBW campaign to protect all…

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  • More of the Monty takes shape

    More of the Monty takes shape

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    WITH parts of the UK having had their wettest winter since records began in 1836, work on the Crickheath Tramway wharf wall was delayed despite prolonged pumping to reduce water levels. So the main focus of a recent work party was to crack on with lining and blocking just south of the wharf. This section…

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  • Accessible picnic area opens at Saul Junction

    Accessible picnic area opens at Saul Junction

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    WHEELCHAIR users will be among visitors able to appreciate the benefits of spending time by the water at Saul Junction with the creation of a new picnic area. Volunteers from the Canal & River Trust have spent eight months building the area, which has been designed to provide space for up to four wheelchairs at…

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  • Spring launch for Sharpness 150 landmark

    Spring launch for Sharpness 150 landmark

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    CELEBRATIONS to mark 150 years since the opening of Sharpness New Dock in 1874 were launched with an exhibition at Sharpness Sports and Social Club. Aimed at bringing people from the community, surrounding areas and visitors together to participate in and enjoy exploring the past, present and future of Sharpness Dock, anniversary events will continue…

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  • Health check for ‘stream in the sky’

    Health check for ‘stream in the sky’

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    THE Canal & River Trust recently emptied Pontcysyllte Aqueduct of water to check that the 307m long structure is in good working order. Nicknamed the ‘stream in the sky’, the aqueduct was built in 1805 by Thomas Telford to carry the Llangollen Canal across the Dee Valley 38m below and was granted World Heritage Status…

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  • Restoration team springs into action

    Restoration team springs into action

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    THE eagerly awaited start of lining and blocking the Montgomery Canal route at Crickheath South got off to a flying start. Tom Fulda, restoration project manager for the Shropshire Union Canal Society, said that the team had been delayed by the wet weather over the winter but pumps were being used to reduce water levels…

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  • May 2024

    May 2024

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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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  • Experts to help trust with climate challenges…

    Experts to help trust with climate challenges…

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    WITH the canal network facing the growing challenge of climate change driven storms and floods, the Canal & River Trust will bring in technical experts to make sure its waterways are safe and open. The charity’s in-house team can now call for specialist support to help look after the network’s reservoirs, embankments, cuttings and other structures.…

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  • Canal Boat Diaries moors up for a new series

    Canal Boat Diaries moors up for a new series

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    STARTING weeknights in June there are 10 new one-hour episodes of the popular Canal Boat Diaries with Robbie Cumming, as he offers a personal take on life aboard his narrowboat home the Naughty Lass. The filmmaker and waterways enthusiast explores the landscapes, towns and cities of the Midlands before heading south down the Grand Union…

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  • Boat owners warned: pay up or face a fine

    Boat owners warned: pay up or face a fine

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    A READING-based boat owner has been convicted and fined for failing to register his cruiser for use on the River Thames. Environment Agency officers discovered the unnamed boat moored opposite Reading Marine Services during routine checks last year, Reading magistrates were told. The owner Michael Toner did not attend the hearing. As the boat was…

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  • Getting set for lining and blocking

    Getting set for lining and blocking

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    DELIVERY of building blocks and various liner materials will signal the start of work on the next section of the Montgomery Canal south of Crickheath Tramway. The second Shropshire Union Canal Society work party of the year saw a variety of activities including channel profiling and hedge laying in readiness for the resumption of work…

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