What do we know about Towpath Talk?

[Bobphilips]

Hi everyone,

 

I've just found a website called Towpath Talk that says it is a newspaper? Has anyone seen it about and know where I can get a copy?

 

Funnily enough they have just started a forum too. Only four members but you never know.

 

The site is at: www.towpathtalk.co.uk

 

The forum is at: www.towpathtalk.co.uk/forum

 

Regards and safe sailing,

 

Bob

 

Bob Philips

[John Orentas]

Hi Bob.

 

Towpath Talk has been going now for 2 or 3 years in a monthly free of charge tabloid newspaper format they are on issue 26 now, it started off in the Yorkshire area and is slowly spreading, I wrote an article for it once.

 

If you are a member of a society or have some form of distribution set-up you could probably become a distributer.

[dor]

This has been avaialable to pick up at canally shops for a while, but can now be viewed online, sa you point out.

 

However the editor who built it up has now resigned/left/ sacked/sold it, and the new editor is from the printing company. He allegedly knows nothing about boats, unlike the previous editor, so it will be interesting to see how it develops over the next few months.

[fender.]

Hi Bob.

 

Towpath Talk has been going now for 2 or 3 years in a monthly free of charge tabloid newspaper format they are on issue 26 now, it started off in the Yorkshire area and is slowly spreading, I wrote an article for it once.

 

If you are a member of a society or have some form of distribution set-up you could probably become a distributer.

 

I get it from the cafe at the top of Hatton Locks. They have been stocking it since Towpath Talk began.

[Supermalc]

I was given a copy last year, but have not seen any since. It's produced locally at Horncastle, so would have thought copies would be circulating in this area.

[Canal Shop Man]

Yes, it's been around for a while. The editorial has been a bit amateur sometimes and the pictures don't always have any relevence to the text, but, hey, it's free! (paid for by the advertisers, so there's lots of adverts!)

 

To find out where to get a paper copy try this list (if you can read it)

 

Towpath Talk Distributors

[tony collins]

I was given a copy last year, but have not seen any since. It's produced locally at Horncastle, so would have thought copies would be circulating in this area.

 

 

Also available from Badsey's Bistro at Hillmorton locks on the Oxford Canal

 

Tony

[Gary Peacock]

Trouble at the mill at Towpath Talk it might or might not improve in quality in future issues!

 

Change of owner and editor.

[Carrie]

A friend of mine writes articles for it. I like it cos it's not pretending to be a posh glossy and seems really down to earth and liveabord-friendly.

[Jon]

I can usually get hold of a copy in my local pub (The Moorings, bridge 43(ish), GU), but I have seen it in some very strange places, like a student bar at Warwick Uni which is no-where near a canal!

 

Jon

[Liam]

To find out where to get a paper copy try this list (if you can read it)

And if you can't..

 

Try saving it to your PC and then use something like Windows Picture & Fax Viewer to 'zoom' in.

 

I'd not heard of this mag until today, and thanks for the link of the distributors, there's someone local to me who should be able to provide a copy!

[Bobphilips]

Hello again guys and thanks for all the information.

 

I'll see about hunting down a local distributor from the list.

 

Pitty their forum isn't doing much business. Seems like it has only just started up so I guess it will take a while.

 

Still the newspaper looks a good read.

 

What do people reckon about this study done by British Waterways and London Transport that says more industrial use should be made of the canals around London?

 

I can see this rolling out across the network and soon we'll end up stuck in traffic jams!

 

The story is at: http://www.towpathtalk.co.uk/edit1.htm

[GRPCruiserman]

White Bear Marina have it at Adlington on The Leeds Liverpool.

[Bobphilips]

Hello all,

 

Managed to get a paper copy from the Pyewipe Inn near Lincoln. Great little read it has been with coffee yesterday (Sunday) morning.

 

I like the idea of downloading a copy as Liam suggested. Just find it hard to read on the screen after a while. Plus you can't pop it under your arm and take it with you. Well my old computer from the steam age is a bit lumpy.

 

Thanks again to everyone for helping. Shows that the waterways are a community.

 

Regards,

 

Bob

[Canal Shop Man]

Well, the day of the free boating newspaper are now over!

 

The February edition has just come out with the news that from the next issue it will be available from news stands as well as chandleries and other outlets, BUT at a cost (amount not mentioned)

 

Is this the beginning of the end for this paper, or are you all willing to pay for it? If so, what would you be willing to pay?

 

I'd be interested to know, before they approach me to sell it in future, rather than give it away.

[Liam]

I downloaded the latest version from their website, and personally, I didn't find anything that interested me, personally, it was just full of adverts.

 

Although, now they're charging.. will they drop some advertisers and use the space for news, stories, features etc or will they continue as they are doing now? If so, I'm not really interested.

 

Moving onto another mag.. Waterways Word Ltd announced in their Feb edition that they're bringing out a new quarterly mag, called "Narrowboat". This is going to be based more around the historical side of things, such as working boats, roses and castles, old engines, working boat rallies etc. Because I'm interested in that sort of thing, it does interest me, although I don't like the sound of 4 editions per year, they did say although it's called "Narrowboat" it certainly won't be a small mag.

[Carrie]

It had a bit of a slating on narrowboatworld (Victor's page). That's a good enough endorsement for me.

[fender.]

anyone remember 'Narrowboat?' (the magazine produced by Harry Arnold from offices based in Alrewas) Its aim, as the canal grapevine knew at the time, was to be a better journal than Waterways World. But NB lost out, and things have obviously come full circle with WW's new offering.

Edited February 2, 2006 by fender.

[dor]

I'd be interested to know, before they approach me to sell it in future, rather than give it away.

 

Don't think I would want to pay for it. It's rather amateur compared to WW & canal Boat. OK for a quick flick through but doesn't have much to offer, and I don't think the change of editor will improve it.

[Liam]

anyone remember 'Narrowboat?' (the magazine produced by Harry Arnold from offices based in Alrewas) Its aim, as the canal grapevine knew at the time, was to be a better journal than Waterways World. But NB lost out, and things have obviously come full circle with WW's new offering.

 

Hi Fender,

 

Apparatently 'Narrowboat' tried to do just that. In the 80's they bought out the mag but then it all went down hill for some reason or another.

 

Waterways World Ltd bought the name 'Narrowboat' some time ago, and are now working on bringing the mag out.. which is what what is happening in March.

[Bobphilips]

So the Free Towpath Talk is going to be a paid for... typical I find a good little read and it goes and changes.

 

Does anyone know why it's going paid for?

 

And more importantly how much it is going to cost us?

 

I have a thousand questions...

 

Is it going to be available from the current outlets still?

 

Regards

 

Bob

[fender.]

Hi Fender,

 

Apparatently 'Narrowboat' tried to do just that. In the 80's they bought out the mag but then it all went down hill for some reason or another.

 

Waterways World Ltd bought the name 'Narrowboat' some time ago, and are now working on bringing the mag out.. which is what what is happening in March.

 

I didnt know this. Thanks Liam. It'll be interesting to see how they can balance two publications especially when one could argue that real good quality waterway articles are hard to come by.

[Liam]

Thanks Liam. It'll be interesting to see how they can balance two publications especially when one could argue that real good quality waterway articles are hard to come by.

Yep, it'll be hard I suppose, not to step on Waterway's World's toes and because it's out every 3 months, I can't see them having a news section.

[Canal Shop Man]

Does anyone know why it's going paid for?

To make more money??

And more importantly how much it is going to cost us?

£1.65 per issue!!!!!!!!

I have a thousand questions...

Let me know - I'll try to get some answers . . .

Is it going to be available from the current outlets still?

Well, apparently, if they buy it they will stock the current edition, if they don't want to buy it they will be able to stock the old edition which will then be free, but 3 weeks out of date. . .

[Liam]

Let me know - I'll try to get some answers . . .

Now that they're charging, will they drop some adverts and put articles or some other interesting stuff. I downloaded and read the free Jan edition and it was just full of adverts.. it was boring.