Canal News
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Stoppage – Caldon Canal
Caldon Canal south of Milton, Stoke-on-Trent. Looking north.
The seventeen mile Caldon Canal was opened from Etruria to Froghall in 1779, and extended to Uttoxeter in 1811, though this extension only operated until the late 1840s. The canal has seventeen locks and the 69 metre long very low Froghall Tunnel, unusable by many narrowboats.
© Copyright Roger Kidd and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Monday 9 January 2012 – Friday 17 February 2012
These works have been planned to coincide with the winter navigation closure for delivering the Ivyhouse Embankment Works between 09/01/12 and 17/02/12.
Towpath & Navigation: 09/01/12 to 10/02/12 – Contractors working for Stoke City Council are to undertake essential works to strengthen the deck of Botteslow Street Bridge. These works will require access to the underside of the bridge and will involve hot welding works. It is therefore necessary to close the towpath and navigation.
Towpath: 13/02/12 to 17/02/12 – National Grid is to undertake works to cap off redundant gas mains at this location and towpath closure is necessary. Pedestrians please follow the diversions posted by the contractor.
Towpath only will be re-opened for the weekend of 11th and 12th February 2012. At all other times please follow the diversion information posted on site.
British Waterways apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
The towpath is also closed
Enquiries: Telephone 01827 252000 during normal office hours.
IWA walk and work site visit on the Coventry Canal
12 January 2012
Atherstone Locks No 8, Coventry Canal, Warwickshire
This is the eighth lock in the flight of eleven lowering the water level by eighty feet (24.4 metres) over about two miles (three kilometres). Detailed information regarding the flight and this lock in particular can be seen here: SP2998 : Side pond at Atherstone Locks
© Copyright Roger Kidd and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Old Coal Yard
Off Coleshill Road
Atherstone
Warwickshire
CV9 2AU
Coventry Canal »
Join the IWA Lichfield branch for a guided walk on the Coventry Canal to see the repair work at Atherstone Locks. British Waterways will be working on the lock flight, and locks 3 and 9 will be dewatered for brickwork repairs and gate relining.
Meet 10.30am by Atherstone Top Lock for 10.45am start. Total walking distance from Lock 1 to Lock 9 and back is about 3 miles. Optional meal afterwards at the Kings Head, Watling Street (near Lock 5). Parking available at the old coal yard.
Places limited, so please book – contact Pat Barton on pat.barton@waterways.org.uk or 01785 824012.
New boats and a new base for Drifters
5th Jan 2012
Drifters Waterways Holidays has announced that its business will be expanding in 2012 with 30 new narrowboats and a new hire boat base.
The new boats will join the company’s existing fleet of almost 500 narrowboats and will provide holiday makers with even more choice of boat size and location. The boats are fully equipped with all the essential mod cons including central heating, hot water, TV, DVD players, showers and flushing toilets.
Wider choice of boats
Spring will also see the hire boat company open a new base on the Grand Union Canal in Warwickshire. Based at Stockton Top Marina between Warwick and Braunston the base will offer a choice of six boats ranging from two to 10 berths.
The new base is ideally placed for the Warwickshire Ring on a week’s break, travelling through Warwick and Birmingham. Alternatively if you’re planning a short break it’s the perfect launching point for trips to the canal-side village of Stoke Bruerne or historic Warwick with its castle and waxwork museum.
If you’re thinking of taking a boating holiday this year take a look at waterscape’s guide to hiring a boat on Britain’s canals.
Foxton Locks Festival dates announced
Grand Union Canal – Foxton Locks
A view of the 10 locks near the village of Foxton. Now a tourist attraction with a café and two pubs as well as a museum and country park. Link
© Copyright Ashley Dace and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
4th Jan 2012
The popular canal festival at Foxton Locks in Leicestershire will take place on Saturday 30 June and Sunday 1 July 2012, organisers have confirmed.
Visitors will be able to enjoy the spectacle of Viking re-enactments, admire the historic vehicles and meet the animals in pets’ corner. There will also be live music, craft stalls, a real ale tent and children’s rides. Narrowboats from across the country will gather for the event.
Family day out
This will be the third consecutive year of the festival, which takes place on the Grand Union Canal Leicester Line. It attracted thousands of visitors in 2011, despite the dry summer.
All the money raised from the festival will go to the Foxton Inclined Plane Trust, which works to preserve the historic Victorican Inclined Plane boat lift.
Festival Director Ann Bushby said: “This is a great event that is quickly gaining in popularity. We organise the festival, not just to raise money for the Foxton Inclined Plane Trust, but also to make the public more aware of the glorious canal heritage we have in this country.”
For full details, visit http://www.foxtonlocksfestival.co.uk. For boat bookings, contact Andrew Shephard at andrewshephard@madasafish.com. For stall bookings, contact Ann Bushby on festival@fipt.org.uk.
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