2016 – Waterway Routes

18/12/16

Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Maps

I am pleased to announce the December release of my maps includes Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Maps and, like all my maps for restoration projects, these are FREE to download. The canal once...

16/12/16

Canal Shop is for sale

Just in case you hadn’t spotted the advert on Daltons, Neil’s Canal Shop Mail Order Business is for sale. As a mail order business you could run this from anywhere, so if you would...

14/12/16

Map Updates – December 2016 – Issue 57

I’m pleased to announce the December 2016 updates to my cruising maps are now available. You can see a full list of the latest issue of the maps, but those with significant changes this...

20/11/16

River Wey and Basingstoke Canal DVDs

I am pleased to say our River Wey and Basingstoke Canal DVDs have just been released and they will make great Christmas presents. The River Wey and Basingstoke Canal DVDs are available in our usual...

17/11/16

Map Updates – November 2016 – Issue 56

I’m pleased to announce the November 2016 updates to my cruising maps are now available. You can see a full list of the latest issue of the maps, but those with significant changes this...

16/10/16

Map Updates – October 2016 – Issue 55

I’m pleased to announce the October 2016 updates to my cruising maps are now available. You can see a full list of the latest issue of the maps, but those with significant changes this...

01/10/16

Christmas Posting Dates – 2016

Our Cruising Maps (available on CD as well as by download) and our Canal DVDs make great ideas for Christmas Presents, but please remember to order in time. The Post Office publish latest recommended...

24/09/16

Map Updates – September 2016 – Issue 54

I’m pleased to announce the September 2016 updates to my cruising maps are now available. You can see a full list of the latest issue of the maps, but those with significant changes this...

24/08/16

IWA Festival of Water – Pelsall

The IWA Festival of Water 2016 takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend. This year it’s at Pelsall at the junction of the Wyrley & Essington Canal and the Cannock Extension Canal, towards the...

19/08/16

Shrewsbury and Newport Canals

The Shrewsbury Canal once ran from Shrewsbury to Wappenshall Junction where it met the Newport Canal which ran to meet the Shropshire Union Canal at Norbury Junction. Branches included the Donnington Wood Canal and...

18/08/16

Map Updates – August 2016 – Issue 53

I’m pleased to announce the August 2016 updates to my cruising maps are now available. You can see a full list of the latest issue of the maps, but those with significant changes this...

10/08/16

Free Central Heating

We may be hoping it stays too hot to need the central heating on our boat for a while but, sooner or later, we will need it working. For the last two winters we have...

28/07/16

Susan’s Graduation

Our daughter and crew member, Susan’s graduation ceremony was this afternoon, in the Symphony Hall in Birmingham. Susan graduated as Bachelor of Science in Dimensions in Health Care (Paediatric Intensive Care) with First Class...

18/07/16

Map Updates – July 2016 – Issue 52

I’m pleased to announce the July 2016 updates to my cruising maps are now available. You can see a full list of the latest issue of the maps, but those with significant changes this month...

01/07/16

Happy customers

I am always pleased to receive feedback, and lots of my customers sent lovely feedback during June. Here’s a few of their comments:- Thank you Paul. Much appreciated. From MS, Kent – after I...

29/06/16

River Wey

We’re on the River Wey, filming for the planned River Wey and Basingstoke Canal DVDs. With the recent wet weather it’s been a nightmare finding opportunities to film when the River Wey wasn’t in...

23/06/16

Map Updates – June 2016 – Issue 51

I’m pleased to announce the June 2016 updates to my cruising maps are now available. You can see a full list of the latest issue of the maps, but those with significant changes this month...

27/05/16

Crick Boat Show

We’ve just finished a busy day setting up our stand at the Crick Boat Show. We’ve moved location, a little, to get a bigger stand this year to celebrate our anniversaries, but we are...

17/05/16

Grand Union Canal – Leicester Section DVDs

I am pleased to say our Grand Union Canal – Leicester Section DVDs have just been released. The Grand Union Canal – Leicester Section DVDs are available in our usual three formats:- Popular – like a television...

09/05/16

Standedge Tunnel

In 2013 we passed through Standedge Tunnel as we were filming for our South Pennine Ring DVDs. I was steering the boat and didn’t have much chance to appreciate the inside of the tunnel. Here we...

08/05/16

Map Updates – May 2016 – Issue 50

I’m pleased to announce the May 2016 updates to my cruising maps are now available. All of the maps have been updated this month, to include the latest Ordnance Survey (OS) background maps. Most have...

17/04/16

Map Updates – April 2016 – Issue 49

I’m pleased to announce the April 2016 updates to my cruising maps are now available. You can see a full list of the latest issue of the maps, but those with significant changes this month...

10/04/16

Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust

We’ve just returned from our first cruise of the season over the past two days, from our home mooring at Sherborne Wharf to Wolverhampton and back. It’s always nice to be cruising again, and...

01/04/16

Helping Seyella

It was early yesterday morning when I arrived in Wigan by train. I was on the way to help Geoff and Mags on Seyella come down the Wigan Flight. I paused to say hello...

24/03/16

10th Anniversary

Ten years ago today I sold the first Waterway Routes DVD. After many hours of careful editing, I added the Leeds & Liverpool Canal DVD to my website and crossed my fingers to see how it would...

19/03/16

Bridgewater Canal Stop Gates – 2

I recently blogged about the new stop gates being installed on the Leigh Arm of the Bridgewater Canal. Tom & Jan on Waiouru have cruised through the re-opened canal today and been kind enough...

16/03/16

Map Updates – March 2016 – Issue 48

I’m pleased to announce the March 2016 updates to my cruising maps are now available. Those with significant changes this month are:- England & Wales Canal Map Bridgewater Canal Map Grand Union Canal Map...

11/03/16

Hulme Locks Branch

The Hulme Locks Branch of the Bridgewater Canal was opened in 1838 to provide a link from the main line of the Bridgwater Canal to the River Irwell, then the Mersey and Irwell Navigation....

04/03/16

Precision Timing

While cycling along the Leigh Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal recently to check my map data I encountered new signs, intended for cyclists. This was the first sign I found, at Leigh....

01/03/16

Hollinwood and Stockport Canals Map

My February map updates included an increase in the routes covered, with the addition of a map covering the Hollinwood Canal and the Stockport Canal. Some might consider these to be called the Hollinwood...

23/02/16

Bridgewater Canal Stop Gates

The Bridgewater Canal has been closed since 2nd November 2015, just to the west of Worsley, for the installation of stop gates. Large warning signs at each end, like this one at Leigh, handily...

19/02/16

Map Updates – February 2016 – Issue 47

The February 2016 monthly updates for my maps are now available on my website. You can see a full list of the issued maps and those with significant changes are: England & Wales Canal Map...

14/02/16

Barton Lift Bridge

In my previous post about the Mersey Gateway I described a new bridge being constructed across the Manchester Ship Canal near Runcorn. There’s another new bridge being constructed across the ship canal nearer Manchester....

09/02/16

Mersey Gateway

The Mersey Gateway project will provide a new road link to relive pressure on the existing road bridge at Runcorn. It’s being constructed to the east of the existing bridge, and scheduled for completion in...

07/02/16

How Big Is Your Bridge?

On the way back from seeing progress with repainting our boat in the autumn I took up an invitation to visit Willow Wren Training. They are excavating the arm at their training centre which...

05/02/16

Runcorn Locks

Runcorn Locks once linked the Bridgewater Canal to the Runcorn & Weston Canal, the Manchester Ship Canal and, previously, the River Mersey. History Opened in 1776, the Bridgewater Canal was linked to the River...

03/02/16

Runcorn & Weston Canal

The Runcorn & Weston Canal ran parallel to the River Mersey, through the outskirts of Runcorn, for 2.4km (1.5 miles). At the southern end it joined the Weston Canal of the River Weaver Navigation through...

31/01/16

Ravenhead Canal

I hadn’t heard of the Ravenhead Canal until recently. I discovered it while researching the St Helens Canal. The St Helens Canal has a Ravenhead Branch and Googling for that threw up references to the Ravenhead...

29/01/16

St Helens Canal

History The St Helens Canal ran from the River Mersey near Warrington to reach the outskirts of St Helens. It’s sometimes known as the Sankey Canal as it used the line of the Sankey Brook in...

20/01/16

Map Updates – January 2016 – Issue 46

The January 2016 monthly updates for my maps are now available on my website. You can see a full list of the issued maps and those with significant changes are: England & Wales Canal...

13/01/16

Lapal Canal

The Lapal Canal is the name now associated with the restoration of the Dudley No 2 Canal using an alternative route in places. History The Dudley No 2 Canal once ran from Parkhead Junction...