narrowboatworld

THIS morning (Monday) seven Star Class historic working boats are loading up at Paddington Basin with 100 tons of gravel that needs to be transported up the Grand Union Canal to Atherstone just north of Birmingham, about 120 miles.

IT WAS six years ago that Crown Narrowboats built Rhapsody in Blue for American owners Sharon and Dan, who spend the summers on our waterways, part of this year attempting Standedge Tunnel—here's Sharon's story:

HOT on the heels of the closure of the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, comes news that the Weaver too is closed by a problem at Saltersford Lock.

THE Birmingham & Fazeley Canal was closed on Friday (2nd July) with the long pound above Minworth Flight very low and unnavigable, after being breached.

THE ongoing emails from boaters to their MP's on British Waterways' lack  of expenditure on maintenance is causing questions to be raised in the House of Commons, Alan Tilbury tells us.

SINCE Mercia Marina opened just over 18 months ago, it has seen a transformation, and there is the opportunity for both public and boaters to see how it is progressing, with a Mercia Marina Festival and Open Day.

BOTH the Rochdale and Leeds & Liverpool canals are at risk from closure due to water shortage.

CAEN Hill Flight that was closed over a week ago will not be re-opened until Friday 9th July.

HOT on the heels of Ralph Freeman's clash with all male booze cruisers, another boater has had a narrow escape, suffering obscenities from the crew.

OVER 100 gaily decorated boats of every type squeezed themselves into Chester Basin during the weekend (26th and  & 27th  June) for the Inland Waterways Association's (IWA) Tom Rolt Centenary Rally.

WHILST on the northern reaches of the Trent & Mersey I was surprised to find local hire companies hiring boats for short term 'booze cruises'. Further south it seems hire boat bases have learned their lesson and will not hire to same sex crews, particularly for a day or a weekend.

CAEN HILL Flight on the Kennet & Avon Canal will be closed for the next 11 days, caused by a boat damaging lock gates.