London’s Paddington is set to get a new landmark with the announcement that Westminster planners have approved proposals to construct a kinetic ‘fan bridge’ that will unfurl over the Grand Union Canal at Merchant Square....
Saturn, the last horse-drawn Shropshire Union Canal fly-boat in the world, which is now used for education projects, is currently visiting towns and villages along the Llangollen Canal....
Brazen thieves managed to steal a narrowboat from a marina despite a getaway speed of only five miles per hour. The £40,000 boat, Samshiba, was taken from the marina in London Road, Kegworth, and was last seen heading for Leicester. It is expected the boat is still somewhere in Leicestershire, based on the boat’s top speed and the number of canal locks in the county. The 60ft vessel had been in the care of East Midlands Boat Services when it was taken in the early hours of Tuesday morning....
An 86-year-old great-grandfather had a miraculous escape when he fell from his bicycle into the canal. Jack Earl was rescued by six passers-by as he struggled to get himself free. He lost consciousness and was eventually dragged out after 20 minutes in the freezing water. The pensioner was lucky to escape with hardly a scratch on him to show for his ordeal....
A former seaman who dedicated himself to a Mirfield charity was given a uniquely fitting send-off at his funeral. Robert Boothroyd, who died after a battle with cancer, volunteered and fixed boats for the Safe Anchor Trust. More than 200 people who attended his funeral saw his coffin carried down his favourite canal in a floating cortege. Safe Anchor Trust Founder Les Moss said: “It was a very unusual funeral and if you didn’t know Robert and heard about it out of context then it would sound very odd indeed....

Andrew Denny | 10.30am | add a comment
When the lease ended on the flat that artist Rob Pointon was sharing with his girlfriend, photographer and animator Karen Sayle, the couple decided to embark on a house hunt. However, they didn’t start trawling through estate agents particulars looking for a des res. The unconventional couple bought a narrowboat, fitted it out as a floating studio, and then spent a year traversing the man-built and natural waterways of the UK, with Rob painting as they went. ...
We are used to quick results in this 24/7 age. Max Sinclair understands the value of patience, however. It took him more than 40 years to achieve his goal, overcoming obstacles physical and bureaucratic. Now, at the age of 82, he sits on the bench by the lock at Mildenham Mill and surveys the object of his ambition, the rejuvenated Droitwich Barge Canal.“We dredged 300,000 tons of soil and mud out of here,” says Max of the volunteers, many of whom he never knew, responsible for bringing this tranquil waterway back to life. “We laugh at David Cameron and his Big Society, but this really was the Big Society: people making a contribution, playing their part for no reward other than the pleasure of being with other people and doing something worthwhile.”
Sealine workers are being warned to brace themselves for “significant” job losses after the Kidderminster-based luxury-boat builder entered administration. Administrators from Baker Tilly Restructuring and Recovery were called in to the company, based at Whitehouse Road, off Worcester Road, earlier today. Sealine employs about 300 people....
The Shropshire Star will set sail on the region’s waterways this weekend when it gives its name to a new canal boat. The 70ft narrowboat will be used to take passengers on pleasure cruises along the Shropshire Union Canal from its base at Norbury Junction, near Newport. It will be officially launched at a VIP naming ceremony on Saturday, as part of the Norbury and Shrewsbury Canal Trust’s annual bank holiday festival....
Bath and Wiltshire police are appealing for information to help trace a 39-year-old man, Allan Campbell. Officers want to talk to him about a number of canal boat burglaries over the past three months. He is described as white, 6ft 2ins tall, of proportionate build and with numerous tattoos on his arms, hands, chest and back. He has no fixed address and is believed to have been in the Warwickshire area recently but may have moved on. Bath police are investigating eight canal boat burglaries that they believe are linked. Three happened over the Easter holiday weekend in the Bathampton and Claverton areas. ...
On Friday 26th April CRT closed the Slough arm of the Grand Union Canal, and its towpath, after serious cracks appeared in the brick abutment of Reeds Bridge (bridge 2A), close to the junction.
Peter Walker, engineering manager for the Canal & River Trust, said: “On Friday evening we noticed that one of the brick sides that supports Reeds Bridge had significantly moved so for safety reason we have had to temporarily close the canal and towpath around the bridge. We’re not sure yet what has caused this problem and over the next few weeks we will be carrying a full and thorough investigation and we hope to have the canal and towpath back open as quickly and possible.”

Andrew Denny | 10.36am | add a comment
Max Sinclair Canal enthusiast For half a century this man has inspired thousands of volunteers in his campaign to rescue the Droitwich canals in Wychavon, Worcestershire. Max, now 82, led helpers who bought diggers, built locks, made new towpaths, and cleared away 300,000 tonnes of mud. ...
The mother of a Burnley boy rescued from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal is calling for safety fencing on the canal side to prevent further accidents. Two-year-old Ayaan Shah was walking with his mother in the Colne Road area of Burnley on 15 April when he ran off. He was found face down in the canal ... His mother Nazia Khan said: "I don't want any other mothers to go through what I've gone through."...
The tourist attraction is developing a project to celebrate Gloucester Docks' contribution to the nation. This week it found out the Heritage Lottery Fund has given it initial support of £60,700 to help improve its visitor experience. The project, called From Birmingham to the Sea, will see the museum change its displays to tell the story of the River Severn and the canals from Sharpness to Birmingham. ...
Part of the cross-border Ulster Canal which has not been used for 80 years is to reopen, it has been revealed. The 14km route runs from Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh to Clones in Co Monaghan. New towpaths and bridges will also be created as part of the 35 million euro work which is expected to take three years....
A former seaman and boat lover who died after a battle with cancer had his perfect send off in a “barge” coffin. The funeral cortege with a difference involved popular Robert Boothroyd’s family following him to his service along his favourite canal. Robert, 60, was an ex-merchant seaman and boat engineer who dedicated his time to a charity which runs canal trips for disadvantaged children and community groups....
A CAMPAIGNING canoeist who is aiming to get free access for all on Britain’s waterways has vowed to continue his fight, despite being forced to give up a court case into the matter. Andrew Biddulph challenged Burton on Trent Mutual Angling Association and requested £4,000 compensation from the club, after he discovered there were restrictions in place for a section of the River Dove for which the club holds the fishing rights....
The Mirfield Boat Co has completed restoration of the inspection launch owned by the erstwhile owner of the Rochdale Canal, the late Arnold Ziff. The boat is a replica of an inspection vessel used on the Rochdale Canal. The boat was last used by the Ziff family for corporate entertaining, but had fallen into disrepair. ...
Landscape architect Antony Nelson, a director at Design International, has drawn up a plan for a raised cycle path along the Regent’s Canal. The dedicated bike path would run between Angel and Hackney partly over the canal itself. The proposal also calls for a series of cultural hubs along the route. Nelson will be canvassing canal users later in the year, before presenting his idea to the Mayor and Transport for London. ...
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