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Watching the detective

By Tim Coghlan

Braunston Marina

AFTER an absence of 10 years, the distinguished actor and waterways enthusiast, David Suchet will return to Braunston Marina to open the 16th Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival – co-sponsored by Braunston Marina and Towpath Talk.

On David’s last visit, in 2008, the theme of the year’s rally was the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Raymond, the last wooden narrowboat built for the English canals. Ten years on, the theme will be its 60th anniversary.

The Raymond was built at what was then Barlow’s Yard – now Braunston Marina – and launched on 2 June, 1958. The boat was rescued in 1996 in a derelict state by the newly formed Friends of Raymond, who then carried out a major restoration to it, so that since completion of that first restoration in 2002, it has become The Pride of the Cut! But as a wooden boat, the work goes on, and again this winter the boat has been undergoing major works to be ready in time to show itself off in the opening parade of the rally, with David back at the helm.

From its small beginnings in 2003, the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally has become the premier rally and festival on the English canals. The 2017 event attracted 93 historic narrowboats, making it by far and away the largest such event on the canals. Its success-formula is now much copied, with similar events springing up all over the canal network. This is good for the canals and the precious collection of surviving working narrowboats – but Braunston Rally remains the original and still best.

The rally’s location is at the heart of the canal network, in the beautiful setting of the historic Braunston Marina and the canal and village at Braunston. But probably most importantly for the boaters and visitors, is the ability for the boats to parade in a sort of figure of eight – a challenge for the steerers, and a spectacular site for the visitors to see and photograph from so many vantage points. And these viewing points include the famous quayside beer tent – the Wet Dock!

Other attractions will include the famous Braunston beer tent, plus fast food, music, morris dancers, theatrical entertainment and fun.

The Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival is sponsored by Braunston Marina and Towpath Talk magazine, with support from the Canal & River Trust.

Companies mentioned in this article

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