POIROT will be back on the case and the water in Braunston next week.
Celebrated actor and waterways enthusiast David Suchet will return to Braunston Marina for the first time in a decade
to open the 16th Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival, which takes place over the weekend of June 23 and 24.
On his last visit in 2008, the theme of that 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.
And ten years on the the theme for the rally will be Raymond’s 60th anniversary.
Mr Suchet said: “Ten years away from the Cut has been ten years too long. It will be great to be back onboard Raymond for the opening the 2018 Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally.”
The Raymond was built at what was then Barlow’s Yard – now Braunston Marina – and launched in June 1958. The boat was rescued in 1996 in a derelict state by the then newly-formed Friends of Raymond, who carried out a major restoration.
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 for the rally’s opening parade with Mr Suchet back at the helm.
From small beginnings in 2003, the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally has become a major celebration of English canals. The 2017 event attracted nearly 100 historic narrowboats.
The highlight of the rally will be a parade of all the narrowboats round a figure of eight-like circuit, and there will also be music, morris dancing and more.
Admission is £20 per car. All profits from the rally will be donated to canal and local causes – the main recipient this year being the canal charity, the Friends of Raymond.
