Skip to content Skip to navigation

Welcome to the HNBC

 Random boat image

Welcome to the HNBC

The Historic Narrow Boat Club was formed in 1966 and is a not-for-profit club dedicated to preserving the working heritage of UK canals, from the boats themselves to details of the waterways on which they travel.  We are passionate about working boats, traditional skills, the built heritage, and the practices and courtesies of the working boat people.

We are an active pressure group for navigational and waterway heritage interests and we welcome all who support our aims, whether boat owners or not.  By supporting the Club, you are helping to ensure that the UK’s canals retain their unique heritage value.

We hope you enjoy exploring this website.

Going boating in the North East?

Read the updated Skipper's Guide on our Navigation page before you go!

Six good reasons to join us

  • Our quarterly newsletter, full of interesting articles.
  • Discount offers on boating equipment and services.
  • Access to the ever increasing wealth of information in our narrow boat register and archive.
  • Help and advice on historic craft maintenance through our members' forum
  • Small, sociable rallies.
  • Twice yearly members’ meetings – the AGM in March and the winter social in November, both with interesting speakers.

How to join

You can join us as an individual, joint or associate member.

Read more about how to join

 

 Newsletter

The Club's Newsletter is published quarterly. This is a high quality and lavishly illustrated colour publication with many fascinating features of interest to enthusiasts of historic boats.

Read "taster" Newsletter articles here. Back issues are available in limited quantities from the Club shop.

Why not join the club and get your copy hot off the press every quarter?

Find historic boats...

Events   view all

Fri 15 July
Gnosall C-Fest

Gnosall C-Fest 2022 (15-17 July) – Save the date

Planned highlights include: 

Canal restoration talks

Trading craft boats

At least 5 bands over 3 days at our great pubs

Historic working boats

Local canal societies

Gnosall canal history exhibition

Public boat trips.

Children’s activities   

 

Sat 30 July
Audlem Gathering

Planned date for the Audelm event. More details nearer the time.

Sat 30 July
Chester Canal celebration

Celebrating 250 years of the Chester Canal, location Tower Wharf, Chester

Flyer for the event here.

Sat 20 August
Brownhills Canal Festival

Please book in on the website https://lhcrt.org.uk/brownhills-festival.html

Club shop

Have you bought your copy yet?

   

Following on from the successful first volume of Mr Weaver’s photographs of the Birmingham Canal Navigations, HNBC has now published the promised second book.

This perfect-bound, soft back volume of 136 pages covers most of the other waterways of England and Wales, with 220 photographs taken by Mr Weaver between 1950 and 1982.

 

£16.00  plus p&p

 

 

 

Our Club Shop always has an range of interesting products available through our mail order service. Please browse the various categories using the links below

Blank Cards  -  Christmas Cards  -  Club plaques  -  Maps and books

Navigation issues

It is so important to tell C&RT, and us, if you get stuck on the waterways.

C&RT's general contact phone number is 03030 40 40 40, their emergencies number is 0800 479 9947, or you can use their Contact Form. 

C&RT Region by Region - a list of email contacts, and a map of 2019 Regions, is here.

Please let us know too so that we can chase it up. 

Here is our pinchpoints form, or you can email navigation@hnbc.org.uk

DON'T JUST SORT IT, REPORT IT

Thank you!

Latest stories   view all

AGM - responses to questions

The club's AGM was conducted by Zoom software on Saturday 13 March 2021.

Members submitted a series of questions in advance to guest speaker Stuart Mills, the Chief Investment Officer of the Canal and River Trust. Stuart addressed the questions that fell within his remit during his presentation. Answers and comments on the remaining questions were provided afterwards by other Trust staff and can be found here (HNBC member's pages, you will need to log in to see them).

Red diesel for boats

The government published its response on 3 March 2021 to its consultation on the use of red diesel. The good news for boaters in mainland UK waters is contained in paragraphs 4.6 and 4.7, different rules apply for Northern Ireland:

4.6 Following consultation, the government has decided to maintain the entitlement to use red diesel beyond April 2022 for all commercial boat operating industries, including but not limited to the fishing and inland water freight industries. 

Restricted access for wide beamed boats

Canal & River Trust has confirmed in a notice dated 11 February 2021 that wide beamed boats may only use parts of the north Oxford canal if they are booked to do so.

"The north Oxford Canal between Braunston Junction and Hillmorton Locks is a narrow canal, not suitable for wide-beam craft. 

Access to the marinas on the north Oxford is permitted but only at pre-agreed times and must be done in a single journey (i.e. not stopping between the marina and the destination)."

National Historic Ships register

It is really important that owners of historic narrow boats register them with National Historic Ships.

What the NHS does, and why it does it, is here.

Registration criteria are here.

To register, complete the form on this page.

Recent updates   view all