What a great day at Tunnel End, Marsden!

Thanks to Paul Thompson and Kim Warren for all their work in making it happen. Great credit should also be given for the 50 musical performers who gave their time so generously. Also a big thank you to Bev and her team at CRT for pulling out all the stops to ensure its success.

Here are some great pictures of the day, all courtesy of Alan Stopher, Chairman HCS.

The Marsden Shuttle was busy all day

Enoch’s Hammer entertain a young visitor

The Blackbird Family craft stall was popular with children and adults alike

The Ticket Collectors entertain

Some French dancing getting ahead of Brexit

The Uketeers warm up the wrist action for a Woo or two

An unexpected visitor

Blues Band Green T get into the Groove

We even had a cruising boat through, right on cue

All aboard!  © Alan Stopher/HCS

It was great to have our friends the East Manchester Community Boat Project joining us at this annual event. Their friendly crew gave around 400 local people a free boat trip on ‘Community Spirit 2’ during the two days. Pictured above are eager passengers going aboard and below their crew lining up to receive First Prize for the Best Presented Boat from HCS Council member Peter Rawson.

First Prize for the Best Presented Boat    © Alan Stopher/HCS

On Monday 25th March, the BBC were filming on the canal at Marsden, featuring award winning garden designer Mark Gregory, whose ‘Welcome to Yorkshire’ show garden for Chelsea 2019 will be inspired by the Narrow Canal.  Our Marsden Shuttle and crew were used to good effect and ‘The Road to Chelsea’ is planned to be aired on BBC1 at 18.00 on 12th May.

Mark Gregory (red life jacket) interviewed at Lock 40E, Marsden

All aboard for Chelsea 2019.   Photos: Syd Barnett

With the main cruising season over for another year, winter stoppages have now started in earnest on the waterways network.  All the ones programmed for the Huddersfield Narrow run till Christmas.  You can download a relevant extract from CRT’s published notices below, giving details of the work being undertaken and the nearest winding holes.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/report/winter-notices.pdf

Happy Winter Cruising!

Huddersfield Canal Society Needs You!

The Shuttle at Tunnel End

We need crew to help run the Marsden Shuttle.  No previous experience required, just an interest in boats, canals and people!  Full training if you’d like to join us.  Come to one of our pre-season open days – Monday February 19th or Sunday March 18th.  We’ll be shuttling between Tunnel End and Lock 42 (Marsden Station) from 11.00 to 15.00.  Hop aboard and have a chat with our friendly crew, or contact the HCS office for more information.

Giving free rides for visitors to Stalybridge Carnival 2017

Huddersfield Canal Society volunteers crew the Society’s own boat, the Marsden Shuttle, operating a ‘water taxi’ service between Marsden Station and Tunnel End for visitors to Standedge Visitor Centre. We try to do this every weekend between Easter and the end of October but we need the crew. Commitment is as much or as little as you like – every day we have a Skipper and Crew is a day the Shuttle can operate. Crew just need one day training, but there’s the opportunity to train for the ‘Skippers’ Certificate’ too. It’s not too difficult, and learning to steer and control a boat is great fun. We also meet lots of people who come to admire the scenery, and want to know more about our part of the world. It’s a chance to spend days out on the most scenic stretches of canal in the country, and we have occasional trips further afield when we visit canal-side festivals, often travelling through the longest, highest and deepest tunnel on the canal network.

Looking forward to having you on board!

Delighted to say that the new book by Trevor Ellis is now available through our Shop link where it can be purchased via PayPal.

Treat yourself and Order Now!

With the main cruising season over for another year, winter stoppages have now started in earnest on the waterways network.  All the ones programmed for the Huddersfield Narrow and Broad start after Christmas.  You can download a relevant extract from CRT’s published notices below, giving details of the work being undertaken and the nearest winding holes.

CRT Winter Notices 2017

Happy Festive Cruising!

Our Marsden Shuttle heading off from Wool Road to Portland Basin on a chilly 2013!