People’s Postcode Lottery players help replace lock gates
Even though many of us are still waiting for our first frost, we’re into the last third of meteorological autumn and our massive annual investment in winter stoppages has begun.
This essential work spans 45 canals and rivers nationwide, including 137 separate projects at more than 100 locks, 14 bridges, two tunnels and a host of embankments, sluices, culverts and canal walls. The work continues through until mid-March.
Six of these large-scale lock gate replacement projects are possible thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. This fantastic support enables 20 lock gates, which have reached the end of their 25-year lives, to be removed and replaced with new ones. Each lock gate is individually designed and hand-built at one of our two specialist workshops, by skilled craftspeople using traditional techniques.
The lock gate replacements funded by PPL are:
the bottom gates at City Road Lock on the Regent’s Canal in Islington, London, due to take place this month
the top and bottom end gates of Ham Lock 87 on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Thatcham, near Newbury, Berkshire, due to happen in November and December
the top end gates on Bottom Barge Lock on the Staffordshire & Worcester Canal at Stourport, Worcestershire, due to take place in January and February 2026
the top and bottom end gates on Gees Lock 36 on the Grand Union Canal, near Leicester, due to happen from January to March 2026
the top and bottom end gates of Lock 12 on the Calder & Hebble Canal at Brighouse, Yorkshire, due to be replaced between January and March 2026
the top and bottom end gates on Lock 87 on the Rochdale Canal in Manchester, due to take place between February and March 2026.
If you’re in, or visiting, the capital, do pop along to City Road Lock on the Regent’s Canal in London, where the site will be set up with viewing areas. Our colleagues will be on hand to provide information and answer questions about the works.
City Road Lock, Regent's Canal
Keeping the nation’s canals open and safe
Malcolm Horne, our chief infrastructure and programmes officer, said: “Winter is the time of year when the focus for our skilled in-house construction teams turns to delivering the larger maintenance and engineering projects that are essential to keeping our 250-year-old canal network open and alive.
“Canals are centuries-old working heritage and, with rising costs, climate pressures and more extreme weather events, the challenge of keeping them in good condition for navigation has never been greater.
“While millions of people use and visit the canals every week, perhaps they don’t stop to think about what it takes to look after them – or what we would lose if they were gone. Our canals cannot take care of themselves - keeping the nation’s canals open and safe requires millions of pounds. And the reality is, we cannot keep them alive without the support of boaters, our volunteers, supporters, and the wider public.”
Volunteering excellence celebrated
As Malcolm, our chief infrastructure and programmes officer, mentions in his quote above, it takes a mammoth collective effort to keep canals open and navigable. At the core of this are our volunteers.
This is why we are celebrating the outstanding contribution of volunteers as we complete our annual volunteer awards. The awards, made with the Marsh Charitable Trust, recognise teams and individuals from right across our 250-year-old navigable network.
Volunteering has been one of the great success stories since our charity’s formation in 2012, with around 5,500 people now regularly volunteering their time and contributing nearly three-quarters of a million volunteer hours in the past financial year to help keep the canals open for the benefit of boaters and local communities.
The Marsh Charitable Trust has supported these awards since 2015, with the number of individual awards increasing from 12 to 28 to reflect the growth in the number of volunteers giving their time to help us look after the canal network and the diversity of the tasks and experience they are bringing.
This year’s recipients range from a volunteer who started volunteering with his dad as a lock keeper at 16, to others who have been with us for over a decade devoting thousands of hours of their time.
Volunteers litter picking on Rochdale Canal in Manchester
Volunteers play a vital part in caring for and improving stretches of canal across the network. This year, award recipients include volunteers on the Wolverhampton flight of 21 locks, who have worked tirelessly season after season to overcome and keep on top of graffiti, fly tipping and anti-social behaviour; the Kidlington Towpath Taskforce, whose environmental focus and collaboration with regional partners has enhanced canal habitats and connectivity, and included practical improvements like signage, benches, and lock maintenance; and a lead volunteer who has overseen the painting of all 21 locks on the Leicester Line, alongside numerous other enhancements to the canal corridor.
The waterways – and canal volunteering – are for everyone. This is exemplified by Tracey Clarke, boater and founder and current chair of the Accessible Waterways Association, who strives to improve both our processes and on-the-ground accessibility improvements so more people can use and enjoy the canals, on or off the water. Tracey has been recognised in the new National Team category.
Christine Mellor, our head of volunteering, said: “Volunteering on the waterways has long and proud history, and now the Canal & River Trust is part of that story, with a revolution in volunteering since our charity was formed in 2012. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our canals. We simply couldn’t keep these precious waterways alive and offering so much to boaters, and all those communities they run through, without their passion, energy and commitment. Whether they’re helping boaters through locks, restoring heritage structures or lending a hand during floods, their impact is huge.
“Our 250-year-old canal network needs this support now more than ever. Volunteering with us is flexible, fun and rewarding, and it’s a brilliant way to meet new people, learn new skills and make a real difference to your local area. There’s something for everyone, and we’d love you to join our amazing volunteers in making such a difference.”
Brian Marsh OBE, chairman at the Marsh Charitable Trust, said: “We are pleased to be able to work with the Canal & River Trust once again to deliver these Awards, recognising those who give their time to volunteer on our nation’s waterways, enhancing their heritage and supporting the wellbeing of those that use them. We would like to congratulate the individuals and volunteer teams who have been recognised through this year’s Awards, from all across the UK, and we look forward to continuing to highlight these invaluable contributions in years to come.”
Get ready for a winter wonderland afloat
With temperatures still in double figures, it can be hard to find the motivation, or yet see the need, to prepare for the cold, short, days of winter. However, if this year’s extensive drought had any silver lining it’s that it reminded us that we can’t assume that we’ll get ‘normal’ weather and that we should prepare for the extremes that are becoming more frequent.
While a helpful reminder for those who’ve wintered on the cut before, this guide is essential reading if it’ll be your first winter afloat.
Preparing yourself and your boat
Ideally your boat should be well insulated. You might find that some smaller craft designed as day or weekend boats won't be sufficiently insulated to keep you toasty as a live aboard throughout the winter.
Upgrading the insulation is quite a major job, so this is something that should already be underway before the leaves fall from the trees.
Double it up
Double glazing your windows can make a big difference. Some people use polycarbonate sheets with clips and/or magnetic tape. You can also use bubble wrap or cling film.
The key thing is to make sure you don't block up any ventilation grilles. Here is the advice from the Boat Safety Scheme about avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning.
Spare parts
Make sure your boat is serviced and you have all the essential spares, like fan belts and morse/teleflex cables (you only need one spare morse cable but make sure it is long enough to be used as either throttle or gear cable). Spares are useless without the right tools to fit them so make sure you're fully kitted up.
Also make sure you've got spares of the basics - mooring pins, windlass and our Watermate keys. It's so easy to drop things in the canal when your hands are cold: a magnet is useful for emergency rescue but it's no fun to be fumbling around near icy water! Many boaters have a cork ball attached to their keyring so they'll bob to the surface. If you do lose your keys in the canal you should never look for them in the dark.
Store your water hose inside to prevent it from freezing and splitting. If you haven't got room to store it inside, then make sure there is no water left in the hose when you stow it away.
Are you winter ready?
Fleecy pyjamas, a thick dressing gown, decent house shoes, bed socks and a hot water bottle are a boater's best friends for a warm, toasty night during winter.
For daytime and boating activities, you'll need to have some proper winter and weatherproof clothing for those long trudges down muddy, slippery towpaths and steering while horizontal sleet lashes at you.
Decent boots
Some people like proper Wellingtons, others swear by their Doc Martens or Rigger Boots. Many people also recommend Equestrian boots because “they are cheap, high quality and made for work, mud and muck”. Most are also steel toed and have a good grip, which is very useful for working locks.
If your boots or shoes get very wet while boating, stuff newspaper in them when you take them off and put them in warm place (not right next to the stove as they'll crack). They will dry quicker so you don't start the next day's boating with wet feet.
Under no circumstances should you be tempted to line your boots with plastic bags unless you want trench foot and possibly even gangrene.
Wet wet wet?
Condensation can be a big issue on boats during the winter. Drying wet washing and wet boating clothes and using LPG gas for cooking all contributes to the problem. Whatever you do, do not block up any ventilation grills.
If you have hopper type windows it's worth checking that the drainage vents are not blocked.
What you want is more ventilation, letting the moist air out and dry in. Ideally you need to get your solid fuel stove hot enough so you have to open all the windows. Done regularly, this will keep the damp and mould at bay. Don't forget to give your mattress and cupboards a regular airing as well.
Suck it up!
Quite a few boaters recommend a window vacuum cleaner such as the one made by Karcher (other brands are available). All you need to do is use the vacuum cleaner to suck up the condensation from the windows every morning and tip it out of the boat.
If you've got a decent battery bank and the means of charging those batteries then you could consider a small 12v dehumidifier.
Embrace winter and your boating neighbours
Find other boaters to talk to: most boaters are community minded and are happy to share hints and tips, loan you a spanner when you need it, and have a bit of banter when you're feeling down.
Don't forget to check on your more vulnerable boating neighbours, especially during spells of hard weather. If anyone is struggling please alert our Boating team or one of the agencies that can support people in need.
Here’s some great advice from Narrowboat Girl about preparing for winter.
Remembering Prunella Scales
We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Prunella Scales who was a much-loved supporter of our canals and a familiar face to so many people along our canal and river network.
Prunella had a great enthusiasm for boating. She explored Britian’s canals and rivers with wit and warmth, along with her late husband Timothy West, as we all could see through the much-loved Channel 4 series Great Canal Journeys.
Timothy West and Prunella Scales on a narrowboat
Heather Clarke, our strategy & impact director, says: “I have always enjoyed tuning in to her adventures afloat. Whether operating locks, spotting wildlife on the towpath, or reflecting on the stories of the waterways, Pru’s love for canal life was evident in every episode, and I know she will be missed greatly by so many of us on and along the waterways.”
Our heartfelt condolences go out to Prunella’s family and friends at this difficult time.
Maintenance, repair and restoration work this weekend
As we head towards winter our major repair and restoration programme is underway. This means there will be more closures than usual as we replace lock gates, mend sluices and complete a whole range of jobs to prepare the network for next year’s cruising. You can find out where we’ve started work with this link.
Of course, as we enter the more volatile months of winter there’s a higher chance of extreme weather which may also impact navigation.
When this does happen, or we have to unexpectedly repair something, we get notices up on to our website as soon as we can – it’s always best to have a scan while you’re planning your cruise and also just before you set off. You can find out how to get stoppage notification alerts on your smartphone in this article.
Below, you’ll find a list of navigations that have ongoing restrictions, that aren’t part of our winter stoppage programme, that may affect you if you’re planning to get out on the water this weekend:
