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Obituary: Ken Warriner
Founder of Fernwood Craft and influential consultant to Finesse Boats
Ken Warriner, who with his wife, Julia, founded narrowboat builder Fernwood Craft, has died suddenly at the age of 76. Fernwood in many ways changed the face of narrowboat building, with an emphasis on design and innovation rather than just practicality.
Ken had an engineering background, both electrical and mechanical. A long career included making radar systems for planes, and working for hi-fi companies. The move into boat-building came about following several hire-boat holidays, during which Ken and Julia decided…
18 February 2026
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Major chandlery group closes shops, moves to online delivery
LKQ, the big motor industry distributor that now owns Midland Chandlers, is closing its three showroom-style shops and moving to a delivery-only model.
Customers will…
13 February 2026
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CRT responds to Boat Licensing Commission proposals
…
12 February 2026
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British Marine takes training online
British Marine has announced a digital training platform for the leisure marine industry.
Called the British Marine Training Academy (BM Academy for short), it has…
11 February 2026
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Ex-chair of CRT is new English Heritage chair
Tony Hales CBE has been appointed the new chair of English Heritage.
Tony had been appointed British Waterways chair in 2005, seeing its transition through…
08 February 2026
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Long summer stoppage for Staffs & Worcs
Little noticed in the drama of the Llangollen breach was a collapse of a bywash culvert on the Staffs & Worcs Canal at Penkridge on…
08 February 2026
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GU arm reopens after seven-month closure
The Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal finally reopened in late January, a full seven months after it closed due to last year’s drought.…
08 February 2026
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Oxford Canal apprentice is first qualified Heritage Marine Engineer
An apprentice at Banbury’s historic Tooley’s Boatyard has gained a brand-new certificate in inland waterways marine skills.
Jacob Beak, who works at Tooley’s Boatyard in…
08 February 2026
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All boats out of the breach
After three weeks when little seemed to be visibly happening at the site of the Llangollen Canal breach, all three of the boats embedded in…
27 January 2026
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GU side-ponds restored
The Canal & River Trust is restoring two side ponds on the Grand Union’s Hanwell flight in West London. However, they are being done to…
16 January 2026
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New owner for Caen Hill Marina
Marina chain Aquavista has continued its expansion with the acquisition, in mid-January, of Caen Hill Marina on the Kennet & Avon Canal.
The 300-berth mooring,…
16 January 2026
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