Online Bookshop

Together with our sister magazine, Waterways World, we publish a range of waterway history books written by the experts in their fields. You can order with confidence online using our secure server. 

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Subscriptions

National Waterways Museum Supporters' Scheme

Join the National Waterways Museum Supporters’ Scheme and be a part of an exciting new initiative to save Britain’s historic inland waterways fleet. Your gift of £39* will help save some of the nation’s most remarkable boats. The scheme is being administered by Waterways World Ltd. *From your payment of £39, at least £20 will be passed on to the museum to help restore the historic boats.

£39.00: Buy

National Waterways Museum Supporters' Scheme with 1 extra adult

Join the National Waterways Museum Supporters’ Scheme and be a part of an exciting new initiative to save Britain’s historic inland waterways fleet. Your gift of £49* will help save some of the nation’s most remarkable boats. With this option, 2 adults will be allowed free entry to all 3 museums for the length of your membership. The scheme is being administered by Waterways World Ltd. *From your payment of £49, at least £30 will be passed on to the museum to help restore the historic boats.

£49.00: Buy

Narrowboat 1-year subscription

One year's subscription (four issues) to Narrowboat, the inland waterways heritage magazine. Save 10% on the cover price.

Makes a great gift

£17.80: Buy

Narrowboat 2-year subscription

Two years' subscription (eight issues) to Narrowboat, the inland waterways heritage magazine. Save 15% on the cover price.

Makes a great gift

£33.65: Buy

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Current issue

NarrowBoat Current Issue

Winter 2009/10 - issue 16 includes: Historical profile: River Thames; Famous Fleets: Wide Boats; Picturing the Past: Will King Collection; Traditional Techniques: Ice-breaking on the Leeds & Liverpool; Canals That Never Were: Birth of the Basingstoke; Picturing the past: Seeing Double; Tracing Family History: Double funeral; Readers' letters & Queries; Heritage Update

£4.95: Buy

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Books

The Last Number Ones (Subscriber Price)

The 'Number Ones' were the proud elite of boat people who owned and operated their own cargo-carrying narrowboats. Joe and Rose Skinner were the last of them. This book brings together their story, along with their long-serving horse-boat Friendship, as a celebration of their unique position in waterway history. Edited by Hugh Potter, it includes a free CD-ROM featuring captivating interviews with Joe and Rose.

£16.99: Buy

The Last Number Ones (Edited by Hugh Potter, non-subscriber price)

The 'Number Ones' were the proud elite of boat people who owned and operated their own cargo-carrying narrowboats. Joe and Rose Skinner were the last of them. This book brings together their story, along with their long-serving horse-boat Friendship, as a celebration of their unique position in waterway history. Edited by Hugh Potter, it includes a free CD-ROM featuring captivating interviews with Joe and Rose.

£19.99: Buy

James Brindley - Canal Pioneer (Christine Richardson: hardback)

Christine Richardson has worked hard and to good effect to combine the fact and fantasy surrounding James Brindley into a very readable book. 136 pages, hardback.

£29.95: Buy

James Brindley - Canal Pioneer (Christine Richardson: paperback)

Christine Richardson has worked hard and to good effect to combine the fact and fantasy surrounding James Brindley into a very readable book. 136 pages, paperback.

£14.99: Buy

The Regent's Canal (Alan Faulkner)

In the first detailed history of the canal, the author traces the canal from its inception, through its construction and commercial success, to its eventual decline and new leisure role. 176 pages, hardback.

£25.00: Buy

Precious Cargo - 50 Years of Hotel Boats (Robin Smithett)

From tentative beginnings in the 1950s to a thriving industry today, here is a definitive history of hotel boats. Anecdotes, historic and coloured photographs cover all aspects of hotel boat life including routes, operators and crew. 128 pages, hardback.

£19.99: Buy

Windlass in my Belt - John Thorpe

NOW BACK IN PRINT! An autobiographical and evocative tale of a young boy's journey into manhood set against the background of the Midland canal system in the 1950s and 60s. An enduring passion begins with early family trips and his parents' purchase of a canalside cottage at Stoke Bruerne. It tells of his acceptance into the canal community and gives a vivid account of life on, and journeys in, a working boat. An eulogy to friendship and the lost world of working boats.

£14.99: Buy

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Gifts

Binder

This attractive binder holds eight issues (two years) of NarrowBoat magazine.

£10.95: Buy

Binder (special subscriber price)

This attractive binder holds eight issues (two years) of NarrowBoat magazine. Discounted price for NarrowBoat subscribers.

£9.95: Buy

Front Cover Print 1 (Spring 2006): Somerton Deep Lock

A signed limited edition A3 (297mm x 420mm) print of the cover illustration from Narrowboat issue 1, specially commissioned from waterway artist Chris Jones. The picture shows Thomas Clayton's Tweed and Gifford moored below Somerton Deep Lock, on the Oxford Canal, in the early 1950s.

£40.00: Buy

Front Cover Print 1 (Spring 2006): Somerton Deep Lock (Subscriber Price)

A signed limited edition A3 (297mm x 420mm) print of the cover illustration from Narrowboat issue 1, specially commissioned from waterway artist Chris Jones. The picture shows Thomas Clayton's Tweed and Gifford moored below Somerton Deep Lock, on the Oxford Canal, in the early 1950s. This special price is available only to Narrowboat subscribers.

£35.00: Buy

Front Cover Print 2 (Summer 2006): Sunrise at Gloucester Lock

A signed limited edition A3 (297mm x 420mm) print of the cover illustration from Narrowboat issue 2, specially commissioned from waterway artist Chris Jones. The scene recreates events at Gloucester Lock at sunrise in the 1980s.

£40.00: Buy

Front Cover Print 2 (Summer 2006): Sunrise at Gloucester Lock (Subscriber Price)

A signed limited edition A3 (297mm x 420mm) print of the cover illustration from Narrowboat issue 2, specially commissioned from waterway artist Chris Jones. The scene recreates events at Gloucester Lock at sunrise in the 1980s. This special price is available only to Narrowboat subscribers.

£35.00: Buy

Front Cover Print 3 (Autumn 2006): Hopleys Dock

A signed limited edition A3 (297mm x 420mm) print of the cover illustration from Narrowboat issue 3, specially commissioned from waterway artist Chris Jones. Showing Hopleys Dock alongside the Coventry Canal at Glascote in the early 1920s.

£40.00: Buy

Front Cover Print 3 (Autumn 2006): Hopleys Dock (Subscriber Price)

A signed limited edition A3 (297mm x 420mm) print of the cover illustration from Narrowboat issue 3, specially commissioned from waterway artist Chris Jones. Showing Hopleys Dock alongside the Coventry Canal at Glascote in the early 1920s. This special price is available only to Narrowboat subscribers.

£35.00: Buy

Front Cover Print 4 (Winter 2006): The Dudley No 2 Canal

A signed limited edition A3 (297mm x 420mm) print of the cover illustration from Narrowboat issue 4, specially commissioned from waterway artist Chris Jones. Displays a view looking north east on the Dudley No 2 Canal at Netherton during the 1920s.

£40.00: Buy

Front Cover Print 4 (Winter 2006): The Dudley No 2 Canal (Subscriber Price)

A signed limited edition A3 (297mm x 420mm) print of the cover illustration from Narrowboat issue 4, specially commissioned from waterway artist Chris Jones. Displays a view looking north east on the Dudley No 2 Canal at Netherton during the 1920s. This special price is available only to Narrowboat subscribers.

£35.00: Buy

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Back issues

NarrowBoat Issue 15

Autumn 2009 - issue 15 includes: Historical profile: Mon & Brec; Life Afloat: Flowers afloat; Working on the Waterways: 40 years on the canal; Famous Fleets: Seddons of Middlewich; A Broader Outlook: Coal to Wigan; Canals that never were: Leeds & Liverpool canal - 1770; Historical profile: Caldon Canal Follow-up; Tracing Family History: Police!; and more

£4.95: Buy

NarrowBoat Issue 14

The Summer 2009 issue of NarrowBoat includes: Historical Profile - Caldon Canal; A Broader Outlook - The father of Britain's canals?; Famous Fleets - Grand Union Canal Carrying Co; Canals That Never Were - Grand Imperial Ship Canal; Picturing the Past - Trent 5 at Tunstall; Famous Fleets - Harvey-Taylor Follow-up

£4.95: Buy

NarrowBoat Issue 13

The Spring 2009 issue of NarrowBoat includes: Famous Fleets - Leeds & Liverpool Canal Co; Historical Profile - Grand Union Canal; Canals That Never Were - Derbyshire Connections; Tracing Family History - Early Boat Records; Last Traffics - Wheat to Wellingborough; Picturing the Past - Thames & Severn Canal

£4.95: Buy

NarrowBoat Issue 12

The Winter 2008 issue of NarrowBoat includes: Famous Fleets - Harvey-Taylor; Historical Profile - The River Thames; Canals That Never Were - The Peak District; Life Afloat - Wood End Hostel; Traditional Techniques - Ice-Breaking on the Weaver

£4.95: Buy

NarrowBoat Issue 11

The Autumn 2008 issue of NarrowBoat includes: Famous Fleets - Cowburn & Cowpar; Historical Profile - The Grand Union Canal; Canals That Never Were - Oldham; A Place in History - Daisy Nook.

£4.95: Buy

NarrowBoat issue 10

The Summer 2008 issue of NarrowBoat includes: Famous Fleets - Birmingham and Midland; Historical Profile - The Monmouthshire Canal; Preserving the Past - British Waterways' Approach; Life Afloat - A Tale of Two Classes, and more

£4.95: Buy

NarrowBoat Issue 9

The Spring 2008 issue of NarrowBoat includes: Famous Fleets - Anderton; Historical Profile - Basingstoke Canal; Early Campaigning - Enterprise in Reading; A Place in History - Nynehead, and more

£4.95: Buy

NarrowBoat Issue 8

The Winter 2007/2008 issue of NarrowBoat includes: Famous Fleets - Ovaltine; Historical Profile - Trent & Mersey Canal; Traditional Techniques - Breaking the Ice; Canals That Never Were: The Manchester and Birmingham Junction and more.

£4.95: Buy

NarrowBoat Issue 7

The Autumn 2007 issue of NarrowBoat includes: Mersey Weaver - A major carrier from the North-West Historical Profile - Worcester & Birmingham Family History - Emanuel Smith of Brentford Canals that never were - Stockton & Darlington

£4.95: Buy

NarrowBoat Issue 6

Fellows, Morton & Clayton - carrying through two world wars. Historical Profile - Peak Forest Canal Picturing the Past - A boatman's album Canals that never were - Dorset & Somerset

£4.95: Buy

Narrowboat issue 5

The Spring 2007 issue of NarrowBoat, the inland waterways heritage magazine, includes: Canal Boat Registers - how to use them to trace your family history; Fellows, Morton & Clayton - the most famous carrying company of all time; Shropshire Union Canal - history of the UK's most popular cruising waterway; A View of the Landscape - the origins of narrowboat decoration; ...and much more.

£4.95: Buy

Narrowboat issue 4

The winter 2006 issue of Narrowboat, the inland waterways heritage magazine, includes: Spider-web Belts and Clothes of the Cut - what 20th century boatpeople wore; Midlands & Coast - a famous carrying fleet working mainly on the Shropshire Union Canal; Leeds & Liverpool Canal - the last trans-Pennine canal to be completed; Alexander's Album - Early photographs around Stoke Bruerne and Blisworth; ...and much more.

£4.95: Buy

Narrowboat issue 3

The Autumn 2006 issue of Narrowboat includes: Famous Fleets – Samuel Barlow Coal Company; Historical Profile – Oxford Canal; Art of the Waterways – Roses & Castles; A Broader Outlook – Sloops and Keels; plus much more.

£4.95: Buy

Narrowboat issue 2

The Summer 2006 issue of Narrowboat includes: Evelyn Booth on Measham Pottery, Alan Faulkner on the Severn & Canal Carrying Company, Richard Dean and Peter Brown on the history of the Llangollen (Ellesmere) Canal, and Brian Lamb's photographic memories from Marple. Plus Cromwell Lock, how to use parish registers, the never-completed Leicestershire & Northamptonshire Union Canal, and all the regulars.

£4.95: Buy

Narrowboat issue 1

The Spring 2006 issue of Narrowboat, including Tony Lewery on Art of the Waterways, Alan Faulkner on Thomas Clayton (Oldbury), Ian Langford on the Staffs & Worcs Canal, and Richard Dean on the proposed Watford & St Albans canal. Plus articles on Spoon Dredging, the Manchester Ship Canal in 1963, Boating Genealogy, and Severn Boats.

£4.95: Buy