Waterways

On 19 May, MJT Cranes craned 10 canal boats, weighing up to 35 tonnes each, into Crick Marina, near Daventry, as part of preparations for the 26th Crick Boat Show. Around 40 canal boats will be on display at the show, and 10 of them (with a combined weight of over 225 tonnes) will be…

We’ve begun work to restore the north portal wall of the historic Harecastle Tunnel in Kidsgrove, Staffordshire, helping to spruce up the area ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Trent & Mersey Canal. Work at Harecastle Tunnel History of Harecastle Tunnel Constructed under the direction of pioneering canal engineer James Brindley, the tunnel was…

We’re responsible for caring for Hill Top Reservoir (Slaithwaite Reservoir), and have reached a major milestone in our multi‑million‑pound upgrade of the site. Slaithwaite Reservoir To mark this milestone we’re releasing new ‘behind‑the‑scenes’ images to show the scale and complexity of the engineering works. Building climate resilience The spillway functions as the reservoir’s overflow channel,…

We’ve been working with its local volunteers along the Oxford Canal at Hillmorton Locks in Warwickshire to carry out a seasonal tidy‑up of the much‑loved lock flight ahead of the busy summer season. Volunteers at Hillmorton Locks The work was carried out by our dedicated team of volunteer lock keepers based at Hillmorton Locks. Home…

We’re carrying out major repair works on two sections of the Oxford Canal to protect the historic waterway, prevent water loss and ensure the canal and towpath remain safe for everyone. Canal bank works near Napton Locks The works In Warwickshire, near Napton Locks, we’re strengthening a stretch of canal bank where sheet piling installed…

We’ve expanded our volunteering with over three quarter of a million hours donated in 2025/26. We’re today celebrating a record 12 months for volunteering across its 2,000-mile network of waterways in England and Wales. In the year up to the end of April, 8,043 volunteers supported us, up from almost 5,500 volunteers the year before. …

We’ve reached a milestone in the construction of a multi‑million‑pound scheme to upgrade Slaithwaite Reservoir. A major phase of the upgrade Construction of the new spillway marks the first major phase of the upgrade. The spillway acts as the reservoir’s overflow channel, safely releasing excess water when levels are high. The new, modern spillway will…

We’re announcing the biggest change in lock gate manufacture since moving from steam to electric machines. We’re investing in new technology at our lock gate workshop in the West Midlands that will allow us to increase production of lock gates to keep up with the demand for replacement gates across our 2,000-mile canal network. The…

We’ve completed a programme of major maintenance and preservation works on Cheshire’s waterways to help keep the county’s historic canal network navigable and safe. Lock gates have been replaced at several locks on the Llangollen Canal, Shropshire Union Canal and Trent & Mersey Canal, as part of a £1.2m programme of repairs and restoration across…

We’ve recently completed a programme of maintenance and improvements across several canals in the Black Country to get them primed and ready for the start of the busier summer boating season. With around 110 miles of canals, all dating back more than 200 years, the Black Country boasts one of the UK’s most historic waterway…