community – Industrial Heritage Networks

Canal Restoration Projects in England Update

September 8, 2026mikenevell

*Open day in July at the Staveley restoration works on the Chesterfield Canal. Image courtesy of the Chesterfield Canal Trust.*

The restoration of Britain’s canals is often thought to have ended with the re-opening of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, which celebrated this summer 25 years since it re-opened in 2001. However, the 21st century has seen a number of volunteer-led canal restoration projects progress across England and Wales, and several are now nearing the completion of their next stages.

The Chesterfield Canal Trust have been working on restoring the canal since the beginning of this century, and the latest section to be restored is through Staveley town centre, where work continues on rebuilding locks and a canal basin. Details here: Staveley Restoration Works – Chesterfield Canal Trust

The Cotswold Canal Trust continue their work on the ‘missing mile’ project which will see the Stroudwater Navigation waterway restored – alongside locks, bridges, and wetlands – to create a navigable route from the River Severn to River Thames. Work started this summer, after six years of planning, on Phase 1. 750m of new canal are currently being built on a new alignment necessitated by the building of the M5. Further details here: The Missing Mile: 300 Metres Dug and Discoveries Unearthed – Cotswold Canals Trust

The Wiltshire and Berkshire Canal Trust continue their work on restoring 70 miles of canal. The latest addition is the building of a swing bridge at Wichelstowe. Further details here: Wilts&BerksCanalTrust

Finally, the Canal and River Trust continue their work on repairing the January 2025 breach on the Langollen Canal at Whitchurch in Shropshire. Details here: Llangollen Canal Breach Repair Updates | Canal & River Trust

*Missing mile construction east of the M5. Image courtesy of Cotswold Canal Trust.*

Water Tower Fans Wanted: Volunteer Opportunity

August 24, 2026mikenevell

The British Water Tower Appreciation Society (BWTAS) has spent 20 years championing Britain’s water towers with exhibitions, tours, lectures, media appearances (yes, even William Shatner, Star Trek’s Captain Kirk!). Now their chairman, secretary, and treasurer are stepping down together, and they need three new officers to keep it going.

They have a healthy bank balance, hundreds of members, and hard-won trust with tower owners and heritage bodies. However, without new leadership, they’ll have to wind up the society.

If you are interested in helping the society navigate its future please email Nat Bocking, the general secretary, at: natbocking@icloud.com

And to find out more go their blog site here: British Water Tower Appreciation Society

The Resilience and Sustainability of Publically Accessible Industrial Heritage Sites in England: New Report

August 21, 2026mikenevell

A new report on Industrial Heritage Sites in England in 2026, commissioned by Historic England and the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, has been published. This report, by Heritage Innovation, examines the resilience and sustainability of designated industrial heritage sites across England.

Focussing on designated industrial heritage sites that are accessible and interpreted to the public in England, it is a major update on two previous English Heritage (now Historic England) commissioned reports, carried out in 1998 (by PLB Consulting Ltd) and 2008 (by the late Sir Neil Cossons). Drawing on desk-based research, questionnaires and interviews, its emphasis is on industrial sites open as heritage attractions, including both museums and monuments. There are sections on:

ownership
governance
function
finance
management
access
conservation
interpretation
and marketing

Having considered the findings, it concludes with a series of ten recommendations. These include strengthening advocacy, increased support for the IHSO project, revitalising volunteering, developing technical skills, continued sector monitoring, exploring new approaches to governance and funding, and researching heritage fuels. It also calls for a strategic review to set priorities for the industrial heritage sector over the next 25 years.

The report and its findings will help take forward the work of the Historic England-funded Industrial Heritage Support Officer (IHSO) project, hosted by the Ironbridge Gorge | National Trust (further details on the project here – https://industrialheritagesupport.com/ (this current website) and https://industrialheritagenetworks.com/). The IHSO project is also supported by the The Association for Industrial Archaeology.

Dr Mike Nevell, IHSO, thanked Heritage Innovations for their hard work in pulling together data from a very varied sector, noting that ‘this is the first study of the industrial hertiage sector in a generation. Its findings and recommendations will be of considerable interest to all those involved in the care and public presentation of England’s industrial heritage, especially local authorities and other public bodies, charitable trusts, and volunteer groups’.

To download the report follow this link: https://historicengland.org.uk/research/current/discover-and-understand/industry-and-infrastructure/industrial-heritage-in-england/.

Further details about Heritage Innovation’s other work can be found here: Heritage Innovation | Cultural Heritage Consultancy UK

*The Longwarehouse and Museum of Iron, part of the National Trust Ironbridge Gorge sites taken over in March 2026 from the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. Image copyright Dr Michael Nevell*

Inland Waterways Association Helps Canal & River Trust to Update its Restoration Delivery Plan

August 17, 2026mikenevell

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has worked with Canal & River Trust (CRT) to help improve its revised Restoration Delivery Plan (RDP), published 28th July. This document will provide the framework for future restoration of canals not currently open to boats and managed by the CRT.

The Restoration Delivery Plan is intended to set out how the CRT will work with restoration promoters and other partners to deliver the restoration of waterways across England and Wales. As a critical friend to CRT, IWA has engaged constructively with the Trust’s senior management to ensure that restoration receives the support and strategic priority it deserves. By reinforcing the importance of a friendly approach to waterway restoration and encouraging CRT to consider restoration as a core charitable objective rather than a secondary priority, the IWA has helped move the document towards a more positive, practical, and delivery-focused one.

The IWA noted that the discussions between the IWA and CRT have also led to improvements in CRT’s internal restoration processes and a better mutual understanding of how restoration activity should be managed across the Trust’s network. This, however, needs to be matched by restoration groups becoming increasingly professional when undertaking construction work, both onsite and with design and Health & Safety paperwork.

For more details follow this link: IWA secures improvements to Canal & River Trust’s Restoration Delivery Plan – The Inland Waterways Association

Wiltshire Industrial Archaeology Conference 2026: From Branch Lines to Tram Lines

August 11, 2026mikenevell

The 2026 Wiltshire Industrial Archaeology Conference will take place on 24th October at Devizes Town Hall, which is located on the first floor of the building. It is accessible via a wide staircase, or a platform lift. There is an accessible toilet on the first floor of the building. The programme is as follows:

9.30 am – Registration

10 am – Welcome by Mike Stone Chairman of the Industrial Archaeology Committee at Wiltshire Museum.

10.05 am – The Calne branch and its industries, by Mike Stone. Mike was curator of Chippenham Museum and regularly lectures on a wide range of subjects.

10.50 am – Coffee

11.10 am – History of the Midland South Western Junction Railway, by Nick Baxter MA in Public History. Nick is a retired secondary school history teacher. He gives history talks and guided walks as part of his ‘Wiltshire History Man’ business.

12 noon – The Wantage tramway, by Dr Richard Marks, historian. ‘Industry Past’.

12.50 pm – LUNCH BREAK.
Lunch is not provided, please bring your own, or there are numerous bars and cafes in the Market Place, just a short walk from the Town Hall.

2.15 pm – A compendium of delights relating to the Malmesbury Branch, by Mike Fenton, railway historian.

3 pm – Tea

3.25 pm – The railway, locomotives and history 1916-1919 of the H.M.E.F. Stratton, Swindon: Ammonium Nitrate Explosive Works, research by Colin Judge of the Industrial Railway Society. Presented by Malcolm Holland, local historian.

4.30 pm – Conference ends

To book follow this link: Booking for events – Wiltshire Museum

‘Silver End 100’: Heritage Open Day Celebrates Industrial Company Housing in Essex, 13th September

July 29, 2026July 28, 2026mikenevell

During the 19th and early 20th century industrial companies provided housing and community facilities for their workforce, demonstrating both philanthropy and good business sense. Essex has a number of examples of this which will be celebrated on 13th September, as part of Heritage Open Days at Silver End village.

Silver End Heritage Society and the Essex Industrial Archaeology Group are running the celebration day with talks, walks, and displays exploring the company housing of Silver End village, built by the Crittall family who manufactured metal window frames. Details on the events and how to book the tours are below.

CBA Members Weekend 2026: Explore the Industrial East Midlands

July 28, 2026July 28, 2026mikenevell

The Council for British Archaeology (CBA) and CBA East Midlands are jointly hosting a weekend of archaeology and heritage activity across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in the English East Midlands on 26th and 27th September.

On Saturday they will be visiting Cromford Mills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the first water-powered cotton spinning mill, and Cromford Village in Derbyshire. On Sunday, in Nottingham, members will explore the UK’s largest network of caves, their changing uses, and their industrial features. There will also be a visit to Brewhouse Yard to discover the stories of Nottingham’s social history and lace making. The weekend will finish at Nottingham Castle, a Stuart Restoration-era ducal mansion, and Mortimer’s Hole, a human-made cave beneath the castle.

The cost is £90pp for the weekend (with people sorting out their own accommodation and transport, though some car-sharing might be possible for anyone arriving by public transport), with tickets limited to 30.

Further details on how to book here: CBA Members Weekend 2026 Council for British Archaeology

Ask an Archaeologist Day – 24 July 2026

July 23, 2026July 23, 2026mikenevell

Ask an Archaeologist Day 2026 takes place on Friday, July 24, and is an annual, social media-led, celebration that invites anyone, anywhere, to pose their burning questions to real archaeologists. The event typically runs all day, with archaeologists posting updates and answering questions in real time.

In the UK the event is managed by the Council for British Archaeology (CBA) and coincides with the Festival of Archaeology. The initiative encourages public interaction with archaeologists on social media platforms in an informal but informative way. All you need to do is post your question and get involved in the conversation on one of the following platforms:

X (formerly twitter)
Instagram
TikTok
Bluesky

Use the following hashtag to ask your question, #AskAnArchaeologist, in your post, and follow the event @AskAnArchDay and @archaeologyuk. It would be great to see questions about industrial archaeology, the archaeology of manufacturing and mining landscapes, and industrial heritage!

For further details follow this link: Ask An Archaeologist Day FAQ Council for British Archaeology

AIA Norwich 2026 Conference Bookings Still Open

July 6, 2026July 3, 2026mikenevell

The 2026 Association for Industrial Archaeology Conference is taking place at Norwich, Norfolk, in the east of England, in September. Places for the annual event are still available, providing an opportunity to explore the industrial archaeology of the city and its region.

The main part of the conference, on the 5th and 6th September, will explore the city’s electricity supply, East Anglian maltings, and the archaeology of the Herring fishing industry. The Annual Rolt Memorial Lecture on the Sunday will be given by Dr Russell Thomas on ‘From Gasworks to Heritage: Reading, Re-using, and Remembering the Gas industry’. A series of industrial archaeology tours across the region will take palce from 6th to 9th September, including windmills, pumping stations, and engineering works.

Flexible booking is available for the main weekend conference, with a deadline of 24th July, whilst online-only attendance for the weekend events can be booked up to 1^st September 2026. To book a place on the conference follow this link: Annual Conference – The Association for Industrial Archaeology

*Stationary steam engine at the Cambridge Museum of Technology. Image copyright Dr Michael Nevell.*

ABTEM – Support for Transport & Engineering Museums

June 15, 2026mikenevell

The Association of British Transport and Engineering Museums (ABTEM) and London Transport Museum are offering specialist support to museums with industrial, transport, or engineering related collections in the form of online advice sessions, email support, and physical visits. ABTEM is a non-profit-making group that exists to provide a forum for the discussion of matters of common interest to transport and engineering museums and to provide a means of representing their views on issues of national and regional concern and is recognised by the Arts Council England (ACE) as a Subject Specialist Network (SSN). They hold regular meetings at museums and heritage sites in the UK.

Lis Chard-Cooper is an ABTEM Committee member and the Vehicles and Engineering Curator, LTM, is now able to offer support sessions to the wider sector. Lis has over 25 years’ experience working with a range of different industrial, science and engineering collections across the country. She has been a peer reviewer, adviser and museum mentor on many occasions.

Industrial objects can often be overlooked in a general collection or staff feel less confident with handling them or concerned with the hazards they might pose. If you are a museum or member of staff with lots or simply just one or two big things but who have little experience or time, please do reach out. The support on offer can take whatever form is most useful to the enquirer, for example a “virtual tea and biscuits” online advice sessions, quick email support answering conservation or storage questions or even a follow up physical visit to a site within the UK. It could be help with collection reviews, or help connecting to a specialist for detailed advice.

Although no charge is made for the time devoted to this support activity, ABTEM would like the recipient museum to complete a short survey to help shape the future support it can offer. Should any on-site visits be needed the recipient museum will be expected to cover any travel costs.

If you have a question or want some guidance, please email your query to: elisabeth.chardcooper@ltmuseum.co.uk

For further details follow these links:

ABTEM Guidelines: GUIDELINES FOR THE CARE OF LARGER & WORKING HISTORIC OBJECTS

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