Canal News – Fradley Junction

Peregrine falcon

Flock to Fradley Junction for free feathery fun

15 – 16 Nov 2014
9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Address

Alrewas
Staffordshire
DE13 7DN

On Saturday 15 November the Trust’s ecologist Stuart Collins will be holding a free ‘Birding for Beginners’ course teaching people how to identify different species of bird.

The course is aimed at showing birdwatchers what to look out for through the changing seasons. On Sunday the Trust’s ‘Explorers’ education team will be teaching families how to make simple feeders helping birds through the winter months.

The team will also be leading some fun bird-spotting activities and helping families to collect leaves which they can use to create special Autumn crowns. The ‘Explorers’ programme is aimed at teaching kids all about the history and wildlife of their local canals as well as how to enjoy them safely.

The event is run by volunteers and is part of a monthly programme of things to do at Fradley Junction. More information The Birding for Beginners course takes place from 9:00 on Saturday 15 November.

For more details or to book a place contact Stuart Collins on 07879 884 802 or stuart.collins@canalrivertrust.org.uk. Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. The ‘Explorers’ activities take place between 11:00 and 14:00 on Sunday 16 November.

 

Canal News – Canal & River Trust 22-8-2012

 

Boat gathering and charity summer fair

24 – 27 Aug 2012
10:00 am – 05:00 pm

Head to the Boat gathering at Alvecote Marina on the Coventry Canal, with stalls and entertainment galore.

Alvecote Marina

A busy day along the canal at Alvecote Marina. Photographed from Samuel Barlow the public house.  © Copyright John Carver and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

 Attractions will include historic working boats from the Narrowboat Trust, live music, a beer festival, vintage motorcycles, tricycles and barbeques, with craft and fundraising stalls, facepainting and traders including Draco Crafts.

Entry is free, and there will be unlimited moorings along the canal, and hook up available within the marina for a small nightly charge (advance booking required).

Organised by the Samuel Barlow pub. Stallholder bookings and marina requests to caz@samuelbarlow.co.uk or 07966 135184.

Alrewas Arts Festival

25 Aug – 01 Sep 2012
10:00 am – 11:00 pm

If you’re planning a trip to the Midlands towards the end of August, meander down the Trent & MerseyCanal as far as the picturesque village of Alrewas, near Lichfield.

From August 25, to September 1, the village will be staging a week-long arts festival, kicking off with an arts and crafts street market on the opening Saturday followed by a ceilidh at the village hall in the evening.

Bank Holiday Monday, August 27, will be Music Monday with a variety of bands and musicians playing at pubs and clubs throughout the village from noon until midnight. Art and photographic exhibitions will be open to the public throughout the week and it will be a good opportunity for canal boats, displaying and selling crafts, to moor up in the village.

Every day, morning, afternoon and evening, a whole range of art and craft workshops will be run at various venues around the village, ranging from roses and castles canal art and photography to water colours and wood turning. New this year is a graffiti art project involving local youngsters under one of the canal bridges, so watch out for it as you pass. All the classes are totally free and visitors are welcome, though numbers are limited.

There will also be a variety of entertainment on offer, including a folk breakfast, lunchtime concerts, drama, dance, comedy, storytelling, poetry performances and daily morning movies for youngsters. There will be big art events and some woolly surprises.

The festival will end with a twilight lantern parade, firework display and a grand finale open-air concert on the village playing field, featuring some great bands, ranging from jazz to hard rock.

Again there is no charge and all are welcome. Bring chairs, blankets, wine and nibbles and enjoy. To find out more, and to view pictures and video clips from previous festivals, go to the festival website

Paralympic Flame Festival

26 Aug 2012
02:30 pm – 05:30 pm

Get up close to the Paralympic Flame at the NationalWaterwaysMuseum on Sunday August 26

Join us to see the Paralympic Flame up close when it visits the Museum.

The flame wil be arriving on Wirral Community Narrowboat Trust’s magnificent new boat Over The Rainbow – a state of the art accessible narrowboat – at 1.30.

You’ll be able to see the flame up close, find out about Paralympic events and even have your photo taken with it. Plus all the usual museum attractions and trails, before the flame leaves at 4.30.

The Cheese Boat moors up

26 – 27 Aug 2012
10:00 am – 10:00 pm

The Cheese Boat travels the country’s canals and rivers, selling delicious cheeses, pickles and chutneys.

Trent and MerseyCanal at Fradley Junction, Staffordshire

The Swan public house is in the row of buildings at the junction. The red narrowboat “Marquis” in the foreground has been rebuilt onto an 1898 hull. Originally steam powered, it was converted to diesel in 1925. It was shortened to 55 feet in the 1960s, presumably when it was converted to a leisure cruiser.   © Copyright Roger Kidd and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

It’ll be mooring up at Fradley Junction to tempt you with delicious cheeses, including Snowdonia Little Black Bomber extra mature chedder, Perl Las blue veined cheese, and Cennin Cenarth cheese with leeks & white wine.

Community bike ride along the GrandUnionCanal

26 Aug 2012
11:00 am – 12:45 pm

Join a Sky Ride local ride along the Chocolate Trail.

Covers the Grand Union Canal starting and finishing at Rowheath Pavillion, Bournville.

Sky Ride Local rides are fun, friendly and free community bike rides that help you get out and explore your local area. They’re led by a British Cycling trained ride leader who can provide support and give you a few tips, whatever your age or ability. To find a ride and book a place go to www.goskyride.com

Grand Union Canal

The Grand Union is a 137 mile (220km), 166 lock, 2 tunnel canal running between Brentford in London and Birmingham. It is the longest canal in Britain, and has 11 main arms and junctions. It takes over a week to navigate.  © Copyright Nigel Chadwick and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Canal News, Waterscape, Feb 24th 2012

Canal News

Waterscape

 Fradley Junction

Burton upon Trent

Staffordshire

DE13 7DN

T: 01827 252000Fradley Junction, Trent and Mersey Canal, Staffordshire

This is the junction of the Coventry Canal with the Trent and Mersey. The famous Swan Inn is the white painted section in the 200 year old (listed) brick building.

Some refer to it as the “Mucky Duck”.

© Copyright Roger Kidd and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

 Boaters, walkers and families alike find much to interest them at Fradley Junction – the spot where the Trent & Mersey and Coventry canals meet.

The junction is particularly busy during the summer months, with guided walks taking place along the towpath and boaters having a well-earned break at the café or nearby pub. Children are kept busy at the Fradley Pool Nature Reserve, with pond-dipping, bird-watching and various other nature-related activities on offer.

Services offered:

• Leisure attraction

• Nature reserve

• Visitor centre

• Restaurant

• Cafe

• Pubs + bars

• Boat hire

• Food

• Family friendly

 Model boat fair

03 March 2012 – 04 March 2012Model Boats Pelsall

 National Waterways Museum

South Pier Road

Ellesmere Port

Cheshire

CH65 4FW

Related Waterways

Shropshire Union Canal »

Model boat fair at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port. See model boats being demonstrated in the docks, view them up close on display and shop for the latest in model boat parts.

For more details, call the museum on 0151 355 5017 .

National Waterways Museum, 4 March

The bottom lock at The National Waterways Museum is being drained so our team can carry out lock gate replacement.

Come and join British Waterways on Sunday 4 March for a unique behind the scenes look at the locks. British Waterways teams will lead tours around the works, answering your questions about how lock gates are hand-crafted.

The team will also be able to tell you about how we care for and maintain the historic lock structures and the local area.

Unlocking the history

The locks at the museum site are designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed structure and point of the Shropshire Union Canal. The locks open into the Manchester Ship Canal, which leads onwards to the River Mersey. The site was a working port until the 1950s and is made up of a system of locks, docks and warehouses, together with a pump and engine room.

 Shropshire Union Canal at Barbridge, Cheshire

Seen from beneath the arch of Bridge No 100 (Bremilow’s Bridge) across the Shropshire Union Canal (originally the Chester Canal), which carries Stokehall Lane. Note the width of the bridge hole – far more than bridges further south on Telford’s narrow Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal. From here northwards, locks are fourteen feet wide, and boats up to a beam of ten feet are still able to navigate the canal to Ellesmere Port.  © Copyright Roger Kidd and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

 The canal was designed and engineered by William Jessop and Thomas Telford as part of an ambitious project aiming to connect to three nearby major rivers – Severn, Mersey and Dee. The section from Whitby Locks to Chester opened in 1795, linking two of the rivers. The connection to the River Severn was never completed.

Time: 11am-4pm

Location: National Waterways Museum, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 4FW

Can you help British Waterways look after Gloucester’s waterways?

The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal

The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal at Frampton on Severn viewed from the swing bridge. Frampton on Severn church is on the right.  © Copyright Philip Halling and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

 22nd Feb 2012

British Waterways is looking for people who can dedicate some of their time to helping them care for Gloucester’s canals, river and dock. There are ten different roles available, all based in the Gloucester Dock office, which range from fundraising and heritage, to environment and even film making.

Lucy Bowles, British Waterways’ volunteer coordinator, says: “We’re in the midst of a really exciting time on the waterways. This summer the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, River Severn and Gloucester Docks will all be handed over to a brand new charity, the Canal & River Trust. This means we have new opportunities to work with the people who love their local waterway and have time or skills they can offer to help these 200-year-old treasures.”

The opportunities available are:

– Environment assistant

– Orchard creation volunteers

– Environment library assistant

– Film creator for internal communications

– GIS research volunteer

– Fundraising assistant

– Gloucester Docks and Saul lock keepers and rangers

– Volunteering development officer

– Heritage team assistant (to cover Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and South Wales)

There will be an informal drop-in session at The Dock Office, Commercial Road, Gloucester GL1 2EB anytime between 2pm and 5.30pm on Wednesday 22 February where you can find out more about the positions advertised.

Alternatively, you can visit http://www.waterscape.com/volunteering or call Lucy on 07824 327 274.

Guy Douglassv, who volunteered with the environment team last year, says: “By volunteering with British Waterways I noticeably improved my job prospects, through gaining valuable experience in the water management industry. After graduating, I joined the environment team at Gloucester and contributed towards many challenging and interesting projects. The team were really enthusiastic and helpful, constantly sharing their specialist knowledge and encouraging me to get involved. It also me more confidence and material when attending interviews, and it lead to me getting two job offers which I had never anticipated before the placement took place.”