andy3196

Yes, it is one of the dozen that have been added to this list of tunnels open to navigation by unpowered craft, sometime after November 1997. I was incorrect earlier when I stated that there were 17 open at that time, I missed off the third group which were not individually listed and had no conditions attached to their use. Two of these are now included on the current list, so now have the standard conditions of use.

Not a change in policy. I happen to still have a copy of the November 1997 licence terms and conditions lying about. On the back cover is a list of tunnels open to unpowered craft (including canoes). There are more now, but of the 17 open at that time, the longest was Bruce at 502 Yards, the longest narrow being Chirk, 459 yards. So all that has happened is that more are now open to unpowered craft, presumably as there haven't been incidents in those that have traditionally been open. Conditions of use are still similar, groups of 3 minimum, lights, life jackets etc

Try http://bcnsociety.com/bcn-society-news/ , there's a map on there at the moment, looks to be quite a large download if you click on it

Yes, bedazzled do a very nice tube, http://www.bedazzled.uk.com/12v%20&%2024v%20LED%20TUBES.htm . There is a little bit of modification needed to the fittings to remove the "starter" from the circuit, but not difficult. Some photos from when I did mine at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150335445989968.423669.551584967&type=1&l=835165c3f7 . I replaced the switches to avoid burning my fingers with a soldering iron, switches came from Maplin.

There are some pictures of the boat, before it was modified in the video at https://www.g-star.com/en_gb/featured/crossovers/raw-ferry.htm , about 17second in and a pain to try to pause the video.

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http://gecm.co.uk sounds the closest to what you're looking for. You can either download .kml files for individual canals, or there's one for the full system. Also included are the routes of disused canals. There may be some omissions but it's one guys personal project (he also does the canal site rankings)

I think I noticed Sherbourne Wharf's signs advertising that they had laundrette facilities when I was up there recently, http://sherbornewharf.co.uk/narrowboat-moorings-and-services/moorings-and-boatyard-services/ suggests I'm right. Or there was, last year when I was up there, a CRT washer and drier in the service block on the Engine Arm.

Yes, wickes already closed, pets at home closing tomorrow (barely any stock when I was in), but I don't know if access will be cut off immediately so could only warn that it might be.

It does get quite busy there, it was this week when I was last there, but you should find space somewhere. West of Br 58 isn't the greatest as it suffers from the sloping side typical of the shortened sections of the Oxford, so you will be away from the edge. Also the retail park that TDH mentions is closing down for redevelopment so the car park may be inaccessible, but of it is still open the access point is close to the bridge by the winding hole.. East of 58 you have either the park moorings on the offside (north) which are 24h and popular, but easy access from the car park. Or the towpath which you can get to down a ramp from the bridge (personally I wouldn't stop my car on the bridge), from the top corner of tesco's car park, or maybe from the new houses roughly opposite where the park car park is. Another option is the offside east of Br 59, it's a good edge and I did notice that there is at least one mooring ring last time I passed. Often see boats moored there and just a few steps from Crow Thorns. image by andy3196, on Flickr

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152513872647347&set=o.165159950237597&type=1 gives a bit of background to CRT's position concerning this boat. I'm making a bit of an assumption here and suppose that CRT consider the boat remaining in the area is reasonable as there does seem to be a plan for its future http://mortimerbones.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/hesperus-iii.html

I can't remember where I originally heard of it. And have never really had use for it, as I just drift about and use services when I come across them. Just remembered it existed and used the search box. If people do think it's useful, maybe they should ask CRT to make it easier to find.

Have you (generally) tried http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/directory , which does give a text listing of services. Some info on VM etc seems incomplete, but I never trusted the old guides totally as they didn't always agree with reality.

http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/1072/napton-lock-8-to-lock-11-oxford-canal

The information is available on Canalplan. For example http://canalplan.org.uk/gazetteer/u3ii is the bridge where MP experienced this problem.

List of tunnels open to canoes etc linked from http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/navigating-the-waterways/canal-and-river-structures/tunnels

Some further information here from Staffs Police https://www.facebook.com/staffordshirepolice/posts/10152888033423378

Birmingham is lovely, moor on the main line as close to St Vincent Street bridge and then just walk the dogs under that bridge to get to a nice grassy towpath that is pretty quiet, and you can cross over and come back on the equally good towpath on the other side of the mainline. That bit of VM is also pretty quiet at night, seems it's far enough from broad street to not get hordes of revellers.

Is this (froxfield) where you were http://wordpress.rdaa.co.uk/?cat=5 ? If so it is open all year.

Update to the stoppage notice sounds moderately positive. http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/940/napton-lock-8-10-atkins-lock-14-Oxford-canal

You might be better looking at http://britishwaterways.co.uk for archived BW documents.

Brian, (& anyone else interested), go to http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/licensing where you will find links to both the old and new versions of the terms and conditions. The pages that are worth looking at are 13 & 22 of the old version and 5 & 18 of the new. You can then make your own mind up as to the accuracy of the nbw story.

No problem. Just had me a bit worried that I didn't do Anderton last summer when I was up that way.

But with C&RT revising and amending their Licence T&C's the section that would allow the above to be transited Free Of Charge has been removed - leaving the way open for a new charge to be applied should they be so inclined. Sorry, but you seem to be wrong about that. The new terms and conditions, issued April '14, are at http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/5962.pdf and say on page 5: In fact, it looks to me as if that wording is identical to that on page 13 of the old licence conditions document which is also still linked from http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/licensing How did you hear about this supposed change?