Canal News
Waterscape.com
Walsall Canal View
The Canal near the Black Country New Road at Great Bridge
© Copyright Gordon Griffiths and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Restriction: Walsall Canal
Bradley & Forsters Bridge to Forsters Bridge
Tuesday 29 November 2011 – Friday 9 December 2011
A 50 metre stretch of towpath between Bradley and Forsters and Forsters Bridge will be affected by boundary wall demolition works being carried out.
The towpath will remain open at all times and towpath users will be escorted through the works.
British Waterways apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Enquiries: 01827 252000
Muddy Waters Santa Cruises
03 December 2011 – 04 December 2011
Annie’s Tearoom
Canal Road
Thrupp
Oxfordshire
OX5 1JZ
Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal at Aynho Weir – © Copyright Shaun Ferguson and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
A festive canal boat ride from the peaceful village of Thrupp, with Oxfordshire Narrowboats and the child-friendly narrowboat Muddy Waters.
Visit Santa in his floating grotto. Price includes gifts for the children and tea and a mince pie at Annie’s Tearoom for the grown-ups.
10am-3.30pm
£7. To book, call 01865 356140 in office hours, or email muddy.waters@live.co.uk.
Christmas music at Foxton Canal Museum
04 December 2011
Foxton Canal Museum
Middle Lock
Gumley Road
Foxton
Leicestershire
LE16 7RA
Grand Union Canal Leicester Line
Bridge 53 Grand Union Canal Leicester Section. The summit level of the Leicester Line is at 412ft, runs 20.5 miles between Watford locks to the south and Foxton locks to the north going through practically nowhere, and does it very well. © Copyright Maurice Pullin and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Christmas music at Foxton Canal Museum. Plus, the Foxton Inclined Plane Trust’s grand prize draw.
For more details, or to volunteer to help out, call 0116 279 2657.
Wharf Inn Christmas Fayre on the Oxford Canal
03 December 2011 – 04 December 2011
Wharf Inn
Wharf Lane
Fenny Compton
Warwickshire
CV47 2FE
Unusual and handmade Christmas gifts will be on sale at the Wharf Inn on the Oxford Canal.
There will be stalls in the pub and in a heated marquee, selling gifts, spices, cakes and homemade Christmas puddings, hamper orders, bird boxes, sticks and turned items. Stalls will include Cartia handmade fashion jewellery, Crafts in Wood and the Cheese Boat with a selection of yummy cheeses and chutneys. Plus learn how to make a Christmas wreath on Sunday at 4pm.
News
Historic fly-boat is an education
18th Nov 2011
A historic Shropshire Union fly-boat will be used to teach children about canal heritage, thanks to a £4,000 grant from the Waterways Trust.
The Saturn is a cheese fly-boat, which used to deliver cheese to Manchester, via the Llangollen Canal and Shropshire Union Canal. The Shropshire Union Fly-Boat Restoration Society (SUFBRS) will use the money towards an educational programme, including visual age, future plans for more horse-boating, and for on-going maintenance of the boat. The society is also installing traditional white cloth coverings on the boat, which will have the added benefit of providing wet weather shelter.
Keeping canal traditions alive
The Waterways Trust chief executive Roger Hanbury said: “We are delighted to be able to provide this support to Saturn. This project helps open up the story of our waterways, keeping alive the traditions and culture of the canals for future generations to enjoy and learn from. This grant has been made possible due to the generous support of Tony Hales CBE.”
SUFBRS chairperson Sue Cawson said: “The Saturn Project would like to say a very big thank you to Tony Hales and The Waterways Trust for this grant. It will make a real difference to our work with schools to improve the activities we provide. It is a real delight spending time with all our visitors, young and old, passing on our knowledge of the canals and boats of the past – especially Saturn.”
The overhaul of Saturn on Ellesmere Dock has just been completed and SUFBRS would like the thank Craftmaster Paints for providing the paint and BW North Wales & Borders Waterways for the use of the dock. Boatbuilder Adrian Polglase and the Project’s boat manager, artist Tony Lewery, worked with and directed the volunteers.
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