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Issue 106, August 2014
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BRITANNIA RULES AT DUNSTABLE P12 The annual Braunston Rally provides one of the most scenic opportunities to see historic narrowboats in all their glory. Full report on P4. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON
TV Tony backs rescue bid for ‘lost’ canals
GETTING UP CLOSE TO THE KELPIES P14
BOAT REVIEW: TRUE BLUE
HISTORIAN Sir Tony Robinson is backing a campaign calling on people to rediscover, and bring back to life, thousands of miles of derelict historic canals that helped make Britain the world’s first industrial nation. As part of the campaign the Canal & River Trust has published an online map which it hopes will inspire people to
Award for breach work
P62
THE response to the breach on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Dutton has received the Canal & River Trust’s inaugural Waterways Alive Award recognising best practice by trust employees and volunteers. It was presented to the winning team by chief executive Richard Parry at a recent ceremony at the Anderton Boat Lift. As well as the challenge of a major canal breach, the team turned adversity into a new engagement with the public to gather support which resulted in the canal being reopened live on BBC’s The One Show. Six finalists were shortlisted from 40 entries.
514 BOATS FOR SALE Starts on
unearth more of their local history and help save the canals that shaped where they live. The map enables people to find their nearest lost canals, explore their history and get involved with local restoration groups. Sir Tony, who is best known for presenting Time Team and his portrayal of Baldrick in the
P19
All party CRT inquiry
THE Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has welcomed plans announced by the All Party Parliamentary Waterways Group (APPWG), to hold an inquiry into Canal & River Trust (CRT), to evaluate the development, progress and future plans of the charity. Led by chairman and former Waterways Minister, Sir Tony Baldry MP, APPWG proposes to hold an evidence session which would produce a report of the inquiry’s findings, together with recommendations for government and other relevant bodies.
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Walton Marina
Tel 01932 221 689
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Tel 01684 593 111 Upton upon Severn
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Tel 01189 477 770
River Thames, Caversham
Tel 01603 717 804
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Norfolk Broads
Blackadder series, said: “The waterway network is part of the fabric of our nation but it’s easy to forget that not so very long ago some of our most popular canals were almost lost forever. “The fact that we can still enjoy them now is thanks largely to the vision, dedication and sheer hard work of volunteers in the 60s and 70s.
These inspiring men and women just wouldn’t take no for an answer and worked on the basis that nothing was impossible. We need to recapture that same spirit within our communities to support today’s volunteers in bringing more of these once proud waterways back to life.” • Continued on page 2
Marina hosts breakfast show
DROITWICH Spa Marina recently hosted BBC One’s National Breakfast Show with reporter John Maguire. Marina director Nick Parkes was interviewed, together with Canal & River Trust operations director Vince Moran, Vaughan Welch of the Inland Waterways Association and several moorers. Canal renovation was the theme featuring the Droitwich Canal which was reopened to create the Mid Worcestershire Ring – the only 21-mile circular cruising route in Europe. Walkers will tackle the full distance or an 11-mile route for the St Richard’s Hospice Annual Waterways Walk, sponsored by Droitwich Spa Marina, on Sunday, August 17.
2 NEWS
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WELCOME
SUMMER so far has been a bit of a mixed bag with some events enjoying wall-to-wall sunshine while wellies and brollies have been the order of the day at others. Braunston Historic Boat Rally at the end of June was a good example with persistent rain on the Saturday followed by some warm sunshine the following day. But whatever the weather, we Brits make the best of it and I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Braunston, see report and pictures on page 4. I have also been north of the border to visit the legendary Kelpies at the new Helix Park at Falkirk, and while I was there enjoyed a trip up the Wheel, finding myself sat next to a couple from a neighbouring market town in Lincolnshire – it’s a small world. See our feature on pages 14 and 15. Anniversaries have also been in the news – more from Stratford next month – and we report on the Dunstable & District Boat Club’s 50th celebrations on page 12. Have you looked at the Canal & River Trust’s online map of lost canals yet? I found our local Horncastle Navigation, albeit with a photo of Boston’s Black Sluice lock, while the picture of our River Bain appears on the Fenland Waterways Link entry. It’s good to see Sir Tony Robinson fronting the campaign to rescue these canals – let’s hope he has a cunning plan.
TOWPATH
TALK
Janet
Editor Janet Richardson jrichardson@mortons.co.uk Publisher Julie Brown Display advertising Nikita Leak nleak@mortons.co.uk Classified advertising Stuart Yule syule@mortons.co.uk Feature advertising Jason Carpenter jcarpenter@mortons.co.uk Editorial design Tracey Barton Divisional ad manager Sue Keily Direct sales executive John Sharratt Group production editor Tim Hartley Production manager Craig Lamb Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Contact us General queries 01507 529529 help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk News & editorial Tel: 01507 529466 Fax: 01507 529495 editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk Advertising Tel: 01507 524004 Fax: 01507 529499 Published by Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 523456 Fax: 01507 529301 Printed by Mortons Print Ltd. Tel. 01507 523456 Next Issue – August 28, 2014
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Customers are the key to the Canal & River Trust’s success
PUTTING customers first is one of the priorities for the Canal & River Trust, according to chief executive Richard Parry who presented his report to the annual public meeting in Birmingham a year to the day following his appointment. He said it had been a huge learning curve and expressed his gratitude for the goodwill people in the boating community had shared with him. “I have relished the opportunity to get out and meet the people who care for and enjoy the wonderful canals and rivers we’re responsible for,” Richard told the meeting, held in what he described as a ‘narrowboatshaped’ room at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. “This year we have honed our longterm strategy, which includes building the broad support that is so important for the future of the waterways. We are also putting the customer at the centre of all the work we do, with a great emphasis on being open and involving others in our decision making.” A new head of customer service will be recruited to take on the responsibility for leisure boating, licensing and enforcement as well as leading wider customer service changes. West Midlands waterway manager Dean Davies will initially cover the role on secondment. CRT head of planning Heather Clarke will take on a new broader role as head of strategy and planning with a remit to continue to develop the trust’s strategy to fulfil its vision of living waterways that transform places and enrich lives.
Performance
Richard went on to say that in financial terms it had been a successful year, the CRT beating its target for income by more than £5 million and spending more on care of the canals as a result. “It’s an exciting year ahead. Continued good financial performance means that we will be able to spend more than planned. We
Annual meeting delegates wait to board a boat for a visit to Birmingham’s Icknield Port Loop where future development is planned.
PHOTO:WATERWAY IMAGES
have put aside funds for additional vegetation work this autumn, as well as further dredging and maintenance that will directly improve the experience for our customers. “We’re doing more to stir interest in the next generation of enthusiasts, we have ambitious targets for volunteering and a series of summer open days over the coming weeks to showcase more of our work to the wider community.” CRT chairman Tony Hales said that Richard had shown most extraordinary energy, stamina and openness in engaging directly with so many people up and down the country. Thanking the whole team, he said the waterway partnerships and their members had been a powerful stimulus. “You have done really well in rising to new challenges, the trust has also become a more open and engaging organisation.” Tony also spoke of the value of volunteers of all ages. “We rely on mature people to a large degree but we are also working to attract new young
volunteers and those of different ethnic backgrounds who in 20-30 years’ time will be the backbone of the trust. “We want to encourage people out of their armchair or away from that flickering screen – teaching kids about their heritage and a culture for new audiences and places.” He added that in the last 12 months the number of powered boats have increased, visitors to towpaths are up and canoeing is one of the fastest-growing sports with one million on our waters.
Petition
At the start of a question and answer session, Pamela Smith of the National Bargee Travellers Association presented a petition signed by more than 5000 people calling on the CRT not to evict vulnerable people. Tony Hales stressed: “We have no desire to evict or upset anyone who is
disadvantaged or disabled and we are trying to use as many local support agencies as we possibly can.” Referring to the proposed appointment of a welfare liaison officer, as reported in Towpath Talk last month, Richard Parry added that the trust is very mindful of its responsibilities under the Equality Act. In an update to the boaters’ meetings that have been taking place around the country, he announced that the next wave of meetings will start in September with a second live Twitter Q&A and continuing with face-to-face meetings from October 1. So far, the meetings have been a mixture of weekend afternoon and weekday evening events but the CRT would like to hear customers’ views on what timing works best for them. Please email fran.read@canalrivertrust.org.uk with your preferences.
Stratford takes some licking
Highlights of the year
• More than £120 million invested in repairing and restoring the waterways, with the proportion of principal assets in the two worstcondition grades reduced to 14.7% • 142 lock gates replaced or refurbished and more than 68 miles of waterways dredged, with the removal of more than 90,000sq m of silt • Completion of the repair to the Trent & Mersey Canal following the breach at Dutton • Major repairs to the Monmouthshire & Brecon and Llangollen canals following the damage wreaked by the winter floods • 32,440 licensed boats (excluding boat licences of one month or less) as at March 31 – a 0.4% increase • 51,000 volunteer days • More than 50 community adoptions • Nearly 27,500 children discovered their local canal or river as part of the trust’s volunteer-led Canal & River Explorers programme • Around 10,000 people visited winter works open days • People’s Postcode Lottery’s ‘charity of the year’ donation of £50,000
• Continued from page 1
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More than 200 miles of canals have been restored since the turn of the millennium and a new report by the University of Northampton highlights the economic and social benefits a restored canal brings to a community; boosting property prices and helping people to lead active, healthy lifestyles. At the height of the Industrial Revolution there were more than 5000 miles of waterways transporting goods
across the country, but many canals disappeared and the CRT says it is hoping that some of them could be brought back to life with more restoration groups joining in. The trust has set up a restoration team led by Jason Leach and is willing to advise new groups how to set up and even look for funding opoortunities. The team is based at the trust’s offices at Fazeley.
Actors and Avon Navigation Trust patrons Prunella Scales and Timothy West take an ice cream break near the theatre at Stratford during the festivities to celebrate the restoration of the Southern Stratford-upon-Avon Canal and the Upper Avon Navigation, which were reopened 50 years ago and 40 years ago respectively. We hear they are discussing a second TV series of their canal travels. A full report and pictures of the Stratford event will appear in our next issue. PHOTO:WATERWAY IMAGES
NEWS 3
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Prince takes trip on working narrowboat
IN BRIEF
Towpath encounter
By Harry Arnold
CANAL & River Trust patron, the Prince of Wales, travelled aboard a historic restored working narrowboat along the Trent & Mersey Canal during a recent visit to Stoke-on-Trent. After being introduced by Staffordshire’s Lord Lieutenant and waterway supporter Ian Dudson to CRT chairman Tony Hales and chief executive Richard Parry, the prince first toured the Etruria Industrial Museum and met some of the volunteers involved in caring for the only operational steam-driven potter’s mill in the world. He then met CRT staff and schoolchildren who were taking part in an educational activity through the CRT’s ‘Explorers’ schools programme.
Leaving Etruria: The prince with CRT Central Shires Partnership chairman Charlotte Atkins and CRT enterprise officer Simon Papprill.
Historic narrowboat Lindsay carries the Prince of Wales through Stoke-on-Trent. PHOTOS: CRT/WATERWAY IMAGES) On the towpath he talked to a group of young volunteers who are participating in a personal development programme working with the CRT to improve the city’s canals; part of the Step Up To Serve national campaign launched by the prince to double the number of young people involved in social action by 2020. After chatting to CRT staff and volunteers of the Etruria Boat Group who are working to restore and run the historic narrowboats Lindsay and Keppel, he was presented with a copy of the latest edition of Rolt’s Narrow Boat and an Eric Gaskell print by CRT chairman Tony Hales. From Etruria, the prince boarded the Lindsay for a 30 -minute cruise on the Trent & Mersey Canal to
Protest over ‘appalling’ state of towpath By Bob Clarke
THE Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal Society has written a strong protest to the Canal & River Trust’s West Midlands Waterways Office over the ‘appalling’ condition of the towpath. The letter also refers to part of the adjoining Stourbridge Canal as well as the near dereliction of a rare and Grade II listed octagonal toll office – the interior of which has partly collapsed – at the CRT’s depot at Stewponey Wharf near Kinver. Society official and past president Chris Dyche also enclosed a letter from a visiting boater who said the towpath was so overgrown there was a danger to boaters with visibility restricted particularly on bends, as well as being potentially dangerous to other towpath users such as walkers and cyclists. It is now being suggested that the condition of the towpath and canal in July is as bad as it was 40 years ago and the boater added: “The canal is little more than a ditch surrounded by a canopy of vegetation. Having talked to CRT
staff I understand that the rationale is for community involvement. This is not going to happen while minimum standards are not happening. “What is annoying users is that the wharf is operational. They say they are appalled at the lack of care being shown by staff to such an historic site.” The waterway office has replied to Mr Dyche stating: “This is a problem that has been building up over recent weeks. The situation of grass cutting has been the cause of real frustration and embarrassment with numerous hours having been spent responding to complaints. “The problem was down to contractors falling behind schedule, good growing conditions and changes to the specification. Our contract managers are working hard to address these issues and have increased the number of the teams. “We hope to see some of these issues resolved in the short term. However, given the length of the grass and fringes, it may take some time to resolve totally.”
Middleport where he officially opened the Middleport Pottery following its £9-million regeneration. While on board, Tony Hales, Richard Parry and local officers and volunteers told him about Stoke’s waterways and how the city’s canals can play an important part in future regeneration plans. Tony Hales said: “We were delighted to welcome the prince and to introduce him to the many people who are all, in their own way, getting involved with their local waterways. “Stoke-on-Trent is a great example of how waterways can really benefit communities and local industry and today was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all the great work taking place on or beside the water here.”
Beware of bogus boat buyer BOATER Clive Hammond is warning people who are selling their boats online and through newspaper or magazine advertising using a mobile phone number to beware of a new internet scam. He says it is believed tens of thousands of pounds have been lost to a fraudster who harvests the mobile numbers from sellers’ adverts. Clive told us: “A lot of people have already been caught out with this one.” He explained: “The seller will receive a nonreturnable text message expressing interest in buying the boat, requesting that further details be submitted via the supplied email address. “A lot of hyped interest follows in an everincreasing flow of emails, culminating in the prospective buyer offering to buy unseen with no negotiation; the seller is requested to immediately withdraw all adverts. The buyer says that collection will be done by ‘his agent’ and that the entire funds plus the agent’s fee have been placed
in a PayPal account. Emails appearing to come direct from PayPal confirm that the funds are ready to transfer to the seller’s account. PayPal has been notified, but it is known that scores of new sellers are being contacted daily.” Clive, who said he just wants to stop people losing money, continued: “So now comes the catch. For unexplained reasons, the buyer asks you to pay via Western Union his agent’s £1595 arrangement fee direct from the funds he has deposited with PayPal. Of course, you haven’t as yet received those funds and if you pay you will never hear from the buyer again.” Warning signs to look out for are: buying unseen at the asking price (owing to the scammer living in Nigeria); the buyer is very reluctant to make voice contact (because of poor English) and PayPal cannot make payments to external banks (if in doubt contact PayPal directly and check the reference numbers given).
Barging around Britain ITV series FORMER BBC TV political correspondent John Sergeant is undertaking eight canal journeys for an ITV series Barging Around Britain which will be screened later this year, writes Bob Clarke. He will be examining the history of the canal he travels on and will include canals in Somerset and the Crinan in Scotland.
A spokesman for the production company said the identity of the canals would not be disclosed until all filming had been completed. Company controller Richard Klein said: “Britain’s canal network is a true national treasure, full of great characters and rich in history.”
A TOWPATH walker aims to complete his tour of the Birmingham Canal Navigations to coincide with a guided walk by canal historian Ray Shill on Thursday, August 7. Mike Andrews, who recently joined the BCNS and lives near Wolverhampton, hopes to meet up with Ray on the Perry Barr flight as he comes down from the Tame Valley Canal to complete his walk at Spaghetti Junction. He started in March and has used public transport throughout his trip around the system during which he has taken 850 photographs recording every lock and bridge along the way. Mike, who has a boat share, formerly lived in Droitwich and helped in early canal restoration work there in the Seventies.
Dogged defence
A DOG walker was saved from a towpath robbery when her pet Labrador leapt to her defence and bit one of her attackers who then ran away, writes Bob Clarke. The woman was walking her dog along the Birmingham New Main Line towpath at Tividale and was approaching the Britannia Bridge when two teenagers approached her and demanded money. One of the attackers then grabbed the 42-year-old woman but was bitten by the dog during the struggle.
Record deck
LIVEABOARD musician Luke Guilford recently left his London job to travel the canal network selling records from his narrowboat Tashtar, aka The Record Deck. The guitarist and ukulele player has hand-picked hundreds of albums and singles, many of them rare, also books and instruments. Look out for Luke from July 26 in Oxfordshire as he makes his way to the Cropredy Festival on August 6-9 and then on to the Angel Canal Festival in Islington on September 7. Contact Luke on 07579 964138, therecorddeck@hotmail.com
Online vote IN OUR latest online poll at
www.towpathtalk.co.uk we asked readers whether they have tackled tidal waters in a narrowboat. Almost two-thirds of those who responded said they had while the remainder were split between those who hadn’t and those who plan to. This month we are asking readers in which region they moor their boats.
14 NEWS FOCUS
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The horses at the heart of the Helix Janet Richardson visits Scotland’s newest visitor attraction
New canal
When I visited in May, this new visitor attraction had only been open about three weeks and there is still much to be done. The new canal hub and link to the Firth of Forth at Grangemouth was fully operational although the man in charge of the project, Scottish Canals’ director of heritage, enterprise and sustainability, Richard Millar, told me there were a few more weeks’ work needed at the sea lock. A £400,000 play park was taking shape and should be open for the summer holidays. Work was also about to start on a visitor centre which should be built by November and fully open for next spring with a 100-seater cafe, shop, ticket sales, interpretation and toilet facilities. “We are hoping to open it with a big splash, it will give added value beyond what we officially set out to do. And people will continue to see regular changes over the next year and beyond.” He continued: “We are already seeing significant numbers of visitors – on a sunny day there are between 2000-4000 people a day on site. It is doing exactly what we expected it to do and from the points of view on Trip Advisor, it is delivering for people.” Richard believes a lot of that is due to
The adventure playground takes shape.
its waterside setting. “In each case you are approaching the Kelpies from a distance and getting up close to them. A big investment has gone into the parkland and the canal and the Kelpies are the things which have captured people’s hearts and minds.” He said that the construction of the new canal link is one of the most complex pieces of canal construction to be delivered in recent times involving the moving of motorways and swing bridges. Boaters previously faced four overhead obstructions to access the canal system but the new link means they can come in from the river and travel through the Forth & Clyde Canal. “This improvement is critical to us and sea-to-sea navigation is back open again. We wanted to make sure we got it right and are very proud of what has been done. We are seeing more and more boats beginning to come through and the feedback from first few customers has been very positive. They also felt very special to be passing through big crowds of people.” The canal system in the lowlands suffered from motorway development in the 1960s. Richard added. “Thirty years ago this was an abandoned canal, uncared for and unloved. Now we have the Forth & Clyde Canal, the Union Canal, Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies.” At the time of writing it was hoped to introduce a straight-through bus service between the Helix Park and the Falkirk Wheel instead of having to change at Falkirk Bus Station. A new towpath along the canal extension was opened in June by Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown, as reported in our July edition, and walkers and cyclists can continue to the Falkirk Wheel – a distance of four miles.
“
Richard Millar: The Kelpies have captured people’s hearts and minds.
PHOTO: SCOTTISH CANALS
As you get closer the sheer size and scale of these fantastic sculptures takes your breath away.
PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED
Millennium Link
The Helix project is the foundation for 40 years of growth and development and will grow year on year. “The way local people have responded has just been fantastic. Falkirk now has three icons: the steeple in the town centre; Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies,” Richard continued. “Fifteen years ago the Wheel was not built and the Kelpies were not even dreamed of so we are really changing people’s perception.” The Helix finishes off the Millennium Link project which saw the reopening of the Union Canal and its connection
“
SCOTLAND is famed for its magnificent natural scenery but a new man-made landmark is adding another dimension, not only to the visitor experience but to the local economy. The Central Lowlands area between Edinburgh and Glasgow already boasts the Falkirk Wheel, the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals but now the Kelpies are capturing the hearts and minds of all the people who have visited them. They are at the heart of the Helix – a massive project involving the creation of a 45ha country park within 350ha of land between Falkirk and Grangemouth. Nothing prepared me for the magnitude of the Kelpies as I walked across the new park from the bus stop near the Falkirk Stadium. At first you just glimpse them glinting in the sunshine – two horses heads like massive chess pieces waiting for their next move. But as you get closer the sheer size and scale of these fantastic sculptures, created by Andy Scott to reflect the history of heavy horses and the local steel and ship building industries, takes your breath away.
“Thirty years ago this was an abandoned canal, uncared for and unloved. Now we have the Forth & Clyde Canal, the Union Canal, Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies.” By canal there are 15 locks between the two sites, the journey taking around two-and-a-half to three hours by boat. Richard said they are hoping to develop alternative ways of travelling between the two locations, adding mysteriously: “We are hoping to develop a new and exciting form of transport.”
to the Forth & Clyde Canal via the Falkirk Wheel which was officially opened by the Queen in 2002. With very few new parks having been built in the last 50 years, this is a muchneeded public resource. “It is a great park for the local area,” said Richard who has been involved with the project for eight years and has worked closely
The lagoon with its waterside cafe is set to be a hive of activity during the summer.
The Kelpies by numbers
300 tonnes each 30m high 1200 tonnes of steel-reinforced concrete foundations per head 990 unique stainless steel skin plates 130 days to build 150 lorry loads with Falkirk Council to enhance the Visit Falkirk brand. “It was uncared-for scrubland, we have been able to create a wetland walk and used features already on the site. It is about people forming and developing their own green base to transform derelict green belt to community amenity.” A 200m lagoon is fed by canal water and during the holidays there will be canoe training, outdoor swimming, guided walks and wildlife tours. Local model boat and sailing clubs are also expected to use the lake. Bike hire and other activities will be developed along with a social enterprise development creating jobs. “We believe the Helix will deliver over 60 full-time jobs in the local area and about £1.5 million per annum in tourism spend,” said Richard. As part of the project, a further 27ha of park connects 16 local communities including the major conurbations of Falkirk, Grangemouth and Polmont with high quality paths. “The green belt separated them but was very much under used,” he added. Following its opening in late April when 12,000 people attended the launch with fantastic pyrotechnic shows over two evenings, the next event in late June was the arrival of the Queen’s Baton relay on the way to the Commonwealth Games. Richard told me: “The Helix Project has already taken us to places where we would never have expected to go.” The maquettes – one tenth scale models of the Kelpies – were recently on display in New York’s Bryant Park
Inside the head-down Kelpie – known as Duke. The head-up Kelpie is called Baron. having already been shown at an international exhibition in Chicago. They have also toured Scotland and England. They stand 3m high but a plinth raises them to 4.5m making an impressive piece of sculpture. “They have been crucial to us through the Living Landmarks project and the bid. We sat down with artist Andy Scott in 2006 and explained that we had this idea to build a new boat lift as part of the canal extension and looked at a design using horses’ heads to lift boats out of the river,” Richard explained. “He built scale models and the way people responded to them has been incredible – we had to repair them on a regular basis because people patted them. Through quality public art we have been able to bring the profile of the Falkirk area as well as capturing people’s hearts and minds.” The original models are on display at The Falkirk Wheel.
NEWS FOCUS 15
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Keeping the Wheel in motion Manager Findlay Withers talks about the challenges of running an iconic structure and his faith in its future
Findlay Withers: Looking forward to future development.
The Falkirk Wheel and visitor centre.
The original models on display at The Falkirk Wheel.
ONE of the wonders of the waterways, The Falkirk Wheel linking the Union and Forth & Clyde Canals has now been in operation for 12 years. But time hasn’t stood still and the site has continued to evolve with the Kelpies and the Helix park providing new opportunities for further development. I met Findlay Withers who has just completed his second year as manager. “It has gone so quickly,” he told me. “It has been a very challenging but exciting two years.” Findlay comes from an operational background having worked for BP, Esso, Dobbies Garden Centres and for a visitor attraction in Fife. “I was new to the inland waterways when I came here but I love ships. I spent a few years at sea when I left school and grew up where there was plenty of water and locks. One of my early memories is being in a rowing boat with my grandfather.”
Major player
A major player in the local economy, the Wheel attracts half a million visitors a year, 120,000 of them taking one of the boat trips. In addition to these about 1000 boats go back and forth through the Wheel in a year. “We have sustained that figure for a number of years and hopefully it will grow with the Helix,” Findlay continued. Phase 2 of a water park for children will start in September and will be ready for next season. “For the young and young-at-heart we are looking at activities in the basin such as a zipwire, canoe hire and electric bikes. This is part of the national cycling network and the John Muir Way passes right by the site. The Wheel is a clean, fun and safe
Trip boats Archimedes and Antonine. place to bring the children with wildlife all around,” Findlay continued. “We will be developing the space round here which includes 55 acres of woodland and 120 acres of grounds and the Antonine Wall. A company called Real Roman Tours (based in Edinburgh) dress as centurions and take people up to the wall. It helps to keep people here more often and for longer and give them more things to do.” The Wheel itself is very ‘green’ only using the power equivalent of boiling eight kettles of water and everything in the cafe, which has a healthy living award, is freshly made with more than 40% of ingredients sourced locally. During the season there is employment for 60 people and Scottish Canals also works in partnership with the Scottish Waterways Trust which has its office based at the Wheel and helps get people into employment through the Canal College at which 16-25 year olds who have been out of work can gain environmental and heritage or life skills.
Master plan The hire boat base on the Forth & Clyde Canal.
The Forth & Clyde Canal at Falkirk.
A five-year master plan will also see a new 100seater cafe with covered seating area which can be used for private functions as well as the expansion
A Seagull Trust boat emerges from the Wheel. of the visitor centre and its retail space with more room for as many local products as possible including tweed clothing and bespoke chocolate. “We also want to focus on more events, evening functions and conferences, also increase the dwell time here. Heritage and history tourism is on the increase and we will be developing an interpretation centre.” Findlay said that the Helix is bringing economic benefits to the whole of the Falkirk area. “We are very proud to be involved, it has been good for everybody and we want to capitalise on that success and move forward. We get a lot of visitors here who have come from the Helix and so would have benefited from that and vice versa.” From a local perceptive there is a lot of repeat business with families bringing picnics and according to customer feedback, 25% of people have visited before. Coach operators also report that their guests enjoy the experience, particularly being on the boats and the rapport with their crews, learning about the canals and facts about the Wheel. “It is very positive, we will do bespoke trips for them and will open the visitor centre especially for them. It is a win-win situation for everyone.” Visitors also come from overseas and two French students recently completed a six-week
secondment as part of their tourism studies. Interpretation and fact sheets are printed in a number of languages. With the Scottish school holidays starting earlier in July than south of the border, it helps to spread out the season and keeps the centre busy. “We recently hosted a tourism open day for small businesses during which we gave them the experience of the Wheel. The feedback we got from 90 odd businesses and 160 people was all positive stuff.”
Iconic structure
The hire boat base is also doing well and has increased the fleet from 18 to 21 narrowboats. A good way of promoting the canal, they do approximately 600 hires a year varying from weekends to week and two-week trips. Scottish Canals also has its own boats ranging from the trip boats to smaller self-drive craft so people can go on the canals themselves. The work horses are Archimedes, named after the principle on which the wheel works and Antonine after the wall. Known as the ‘A class’, they carry 96 passengers. Two smaller vessels, Millennium Link (24 passengers) and Campbell Christie (50) are used for events and are available for charter. The season runs from March to October before the Wheel shuts during November for its annual ‘MoT’. A full maintenance programme and inspections are carried out over a four-week period, a lot of which is behind the scenes. The Wheel is driven by 10 motors which need cleaning and refurbishing – the full works – and the basin is drained so the pontoons can be checked. The aqueduct and lock are also drained for maintenance. It reopens in December for the popular Santa trips which are always a sell-out. Findlay concluded: “It is a great place here – for Scottish Canals and the whole area – I am very positive about the future. We are in a really good place. It is unique and I am looking forward to the future of the Falkirk Wheel and the investment to make the visitor experience so unique. We are here as an iconic structure and also to promote the canals and waterways and to educate people that it can be fun and safe to be on the water.”
18 COMMUNITY BOATING
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DART and Bruce Trust join forces to provide the best accessible holidays afloat
Each month, National Community Boats Association chairman Derek Stansfield hopes to feature one of its projects and the first one is DART. THE only community boat charity that offers residential holidays to individuals with disabilities, Gloucestershire Disabled Afloat Riverboats Trust (DART), is to work more closely with the Bruce Trust based at Great Bedwyn on the Kennet & Avon Canal. For many years now DART has hired boats from the Bruce Trust but with a succession crisis looming, the trustees have now appointed David and Rebecca Bruce to join them. Steps have
already been taken to transfer DART operations to Great Bedwyn and this will continue over the coming months. DART was started in 1990 and built a boat that operated successfully on the Rivers Severn and Avon in Gloucestershire until 2004. At that time the boat was found to need major work which was beyond the reach of a small charity so the focus was changed to using boats hired from other operators and creating a means of access to boating for individuals who needed a
holiday with a ‘family’ feel to it. The need for this quickly became apparent as the trust’s provision expanded by 600% between 2004 and 2010. DART’s holidays are affordable while providing full board and the opportunity to be as active as the holiday-maker would like. Activities on offer include helping with operating the boat and locks, shopping and visiting places of interest. Passengers are also encouraged to help with planning the details of each trip; for example, the balance between boating and other activities. Because the aim is accessibility for individuals, DART makes provision for those with or without carers. A risk assessment system allows passengers, carers and care home staff to assess the suitability of potential passengers for one of the holidays. This is done carefully and ensures that everyone on the trip benefits as much as possible. DART uses trained volunteers to crew and cater on the trips; this includes full DBS checks. Each trip is run by an experienced trip manager whose job is to ensure that everyone on board benefits as much as possible from the experience and solve any problems that may arise. With the new management arrangements in place, DART is looking forward to continuing to provide accessible holidays for individuals into the future.
Joystick steering in action. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Meet the NCBA Trustee Board EACH edition we will feature a short biography of one of the NCBA trustees in order to give both the NCBA members and the public information on who is representing them. The first person to undergo this process is Bob Ratcliffe one of the longest serving and most experienced members of the NCBA. Bob also carries out the post of NBA administrator. Bob has been an Instructor of Outdoor Education for over 25 years with 15 years on narrowboats. In addition to his NCBA qualifications he is also a Boatmaster licence holder with the MCA. Situated in the Midlands region he runs two narrowboats for use in community boating and also MCA regulation activities. He is actively involved in the social arm of his activities which his commercial operation helps to subsidise in order to allow diversity and inclusion to boating in all of its forms. Because of the diverse nature of his operations he has a wealth of
NCBA senior trainer and moderator Bob Ratcliffe. experience in all areas of boating and the people who wish to access it, including clients from youth offending, family day outs, group trips, educational courses to A level standard, skippered holidays in addition to training of crew, boat management and the new Trainers Certificate for the NCBA. He is a Midland regional moderator for the NCBA and is always available for advice and assistance to NCBA projects.
Young carers on a DART trip.
NCBA TRAINERS COURSES 2014 All NCBA courses must be delivered or overseen by a qualified NCBA trainer. The following courses leading to the award of the NCBA Trainers Certificate have been arranged: September 5-7: ABA, Basingstoke October 10-12: SCAD/Serious Fun, Skipton October 17-19: SCAD/Serious Fun, Skipton October 31-November 2: The Wharf, Midlands Further details and application forms can be obtained from Derek Stansfield on 07450 191561, derek@derekstansfield.com. Application forms must be submitted via an accredited training centre.
Venture out for a flexible adventure among friends on board the Sobriety
Top Lane Lift Bridge at the southern end of New Junction Canal.
The Bruce Trust Fleet.
FOR the past two years, The Sobriety Project, a charity, has been offering the exciting opportunity to private individuals and social groups to enjoy day trips on the Humber Estuary on board its historic exHumber Keel Sobriety. The trips, departing from and returning to the project’s Yorkshire Waterways Museum in Goole, have become popular, unusual and adventurous excursions. With their timing determined by the extreme tidal regime of the river, all the ventures are, come rain or shine, a full day giving a unique view of the Humber region. This spring the project decided to promote similar ventures along the Aire & Calder Navigation into West and South Yorkshire for those either less able or willing to face the vicissitudes of exposed tidal waters. Tailored to the needs of the chartering party, different groups have opted for variations on the canal experience: shorter
An evening meal at Crofton.
days, one way trips or round voyages. One particular party happily spent their day cruising to Sprotbrough, near Doncaster, while a different group made use of the opportunity the following day to take the return passage. The project’s minibus was pressed into service to ensure that owners and their vehicles were reunited at the day’s end. “It was a fantastic day,” commented one passenger, “a great way to celebrate and enjoy time with family and friends, I would recommend it to anyone.” Carrying up to 12 passengers on both day and residential trips, Sobriety is available for private/corporate charter as well as community and educational use. The Sobriety Project is a charity which uses the inland waterways, its environment and heritage to promote wellbeing and social cohesion, and any income earned from visitors to its museum, passengers on board its vessels or other users all supports the charity’s aims.
Sobriety in the Humber Estuary. PHOTOS SUPPLIED ● For information contact Julie Frost on 01405 768730, or email julie@waterwaysmuseum.org.uk Write to: The Sobriety Project The Yorkshire Waterways Museum Dutch River Side, Goole, East Yorkshire DN14 5TB www.waterwaysmuseum.org.uk
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See results of million pound investment in Whixall Marina
MORE than £1 million has been invested in making significant improvements at Whixall Marina since British Waterways Marinas Ltd (BWML) acquired it in 2007, and still more development is to come. Situated on the picturesque Llangollen Canal, the enhanced facilities have been warmly welcomed by BWML’s customers. Now everyone can go along and see what the marina has to offer at an open weekend on Saturday and Sunday, September 6-7, with a free mooring on the Saturday evening. Improvements to date include new moorings, new electricity bollards, escape ladders, new pump out and sewerage system, self-service diesel and new tanks, building and customer facilities improvements, including disabled access, new car parks and disabled car parking. With no restrictions on the marina, up to 148 residential berths are available. Throughout an extensive investment programme, landscaping works to waterside lawns with picnic benches,
Ducks raise over £2500 for Cheshire hospice AQUEDUCT Marina recently hosted a successful duck race in aid of St Luke’s (Cheshire) Hospice. Nearly 1000 ducks were sold at £2.50 each and the total was boosted by extra donations to reach £2500. After the ducks were tipped into the canal, they gently drifted eastwards with boats going past at 4mph! The finish line was about 100 yards further along and 30 minutes later there was almost a sprint finish. The huge crowd of duck sponsors cheered their ducks towards the line, but just as the finish line was in sight, Maurice Ward on nb Emelia Romagna, returning from a weekend out on his boat, met the ducks headon. He was both cheered and booed in equal measure. The overall winner on the day was St Luke’s. The first placed duck was No. 781 sponsored by Michelle Hallett. Marina director Robert Parton said: “Thank you to St Luke’s for organising everything, to the people who bought ducks and the many people who turned up to watch on what was a beautifully hot sunny day.” As well as ducks, swans have been much in evidence at the marina near Church Minshull. A pair of swans hatched six cygnets at the end of May but by the end of the following months there were seven! It has been suggested that the additional cygnet had been adopted from another clutch. Robert added: “Swans have nested here at the marina every year since we opened in 2009, sometimes more successfully than others.” Observers confirmed that the swan-in-charge is the same one, as he has a damaged beak, indicating that the seven cygnets are not a different brood to the original six.
A swan with seven cygnets.
PHOTO SUPPLIED
as well as installing a pond and a fountain, meant that the marina provided a parks and gardens space for customers to enjoy. Moorer Mr T Clarke said: “I’ve lived here now for eight years as a residential moorer. For anyone who is looking for a peaceful countryside mooring, there is, in my opinion, nowhere to compare with it. “The real gem here is the attitude of the staff, their helpfulness and friendliness. As a disabled moorer, I am sure I put more demands on them than most, but their cheerfulness and willingness is second to none.” Marina manager Julie Cutts said: “It seems that other boaters are getting the message and, despite difficult economic times, during this new financial year Whixall Marina has attracted 11 new berth holders – a mixture of residential and leisure – which has been encouraging. We look forward to welcoming more boaters to Whixall to enjoy the benefits of our continued investment in the marina.”
Open day launch at Upton Marina THE second annual open day was held recently at Upton Marina in Worcestershire, with plenty of entertainment such as live music, displays, attractions and stalls, as well as the (planned) appearance of members of the emergency and rescue services. The new Boat Watch scheme from West Mercia Police was launched on the day. Similar to Neighbourhood Watch, this initiative has been designed to deal with crime on our inland waterways. Boat owners at Stourport Marina and Upton Marina also recently took part in the inaugural ‘crossover cruise’ on the River Severn in Worcestershire. A small fleet of boats left Upton while at the same time another fleet left Stourport – their destinations being each other’s marina berths. Boats passed each other between Diglis and Bevere locks, before finding welcome visitor berths at
Mal Sargent of Tingdene Marinas helps Pc Paul Lambon launch the Boat Watch scheme. PHOTOS SUPPLIED each other’s marinas, followed by more socialising in the clubhouses. Also at Stourport Marina, the boat jumble attracted many traders as well as boat owners, with bargains to be had by all, from boat hardware to clothing to safety gear.
Overwater Marina receives High Sheriff’s award
Janet Maughan receives the High Sheriff’s award on behalf of Overwater Marina. PHOTO SUPPLIED
THE team at Overwater Marina has been recognised with a High Sheriff’s Award for Enterprise for corporate responsibility. Presented in partnership with the University of Chester, the award recognises the way the marina organises and integrates corporate social responsibility in its business practice, support for the local community and development of sustainable systems in the care of the environment. Support of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the Audlem Lass Boat Service were key factors in winning this prestigious award.
Boom in boat sales at Norbury Wharf BOATERS and would-be boaters seem to be more optimistic than for several years and although there are still lots of boats up for sale, there seem to be more buyers entering the market. Following “phenomenal sales” during the last few weeks, Norbury Wharf’s manager David Ray reports they have almost sold out of boats. He added: “Although there are still many existing boaters who have decided to sell, we are now seeing more people who are trading up to a better boat and a lot more new families deciding that they want to own a boat. There is also an increase in the numbers buying a boat in order to live on it.” David believes the boom may also be linked to Norbury’s policy of advising sellers on how best to present their boats before they are seen by the buying public. “It is important that there is as much history of the boat as possible which will allow the broker to do a
comprehensive write-up,” he said. “The boat should have all personal possessions removed and have a full inventory. It helps to have the boat clean, beds made up and feeling homely, with cushions on sofas, stove blacked, windows clean. The outside should be clean too with only the essential equipment left on the roof. It helps to have the cabin paintwork clean and maybe polished. If the boat has been docked and blacked it provides evidence that the boat has been well cared for. “It is basic advice really but you would be surprised how many scruffy, dirty and clearly unloved boats you can find at brokerages and even on sale privately.” Once an offer has been accepted, expect the purchaser to commission an independent marine surveyor to carry out at least a non-destructive hull survey and if any items are picked up on, the purchasers will probably come back with a reduced offer. Norbury is still in search of boats to sell.
Mercia Marina’s Boardwalk development nears completion. PHOTO SUPPLIED
New businesses to be ‘floated’ at Mercia Marina MERCIA Marina’s new £1.7 million Boardwalk development will now include six floating businesses operating from moored canal boats at the 74 acre Derbyshire beauty spot. South Derbyshire District Council has approved plans to create pontoon space in front of the forthcoming Boardwalk development to accommodate up to six commercial moorings. These floating traders will be in addition to the six retail units, waterside pub-restaurant and four offices that are already nearing completion within The Boardwalk building itself. The waterfront development, which is likely to start trading in September following interior fit-outs, will be complemented by an outdoor events space, a sensory garden, new nature trails and free parking areas. Robert Neff, general manager at Mercia Marina, said: “Building work on The Boardwalk is almost complete and so it’s a perfect opportunity for potential retailers to get a true picture of what a magnificent place this could be to run a business.” Mr Neff said that interest in the remaining shop and office units at The Boardwalk had increased in the last few weeks as the building neared completion, but he would welcome new approaches from any other interested parties. “The moorings are ideal for smaller businesses – such as those making or selling local crafts – due to the lower rental costs. They will help to further increase the vibrancy and character of the marina when The Boardwalk opens, creating additional attractions for our existing boaters, lodge owners and new visitors.” A floating estate agent is already in the
process of agreeing terms with Mercia Marina for one of its newly approved commercial mooring spots. The Boardwalk, which was devised primarily as a service for the marina’s boaters and holiday lodge owners, will contain a high quality pub-restaurant over two floors, with both indoor and outdoor seating, as well as six ground floor shop units and four office suites on the upper floor. Retailers will include a flagship farm shop, a fashion and accessories retailer and a beautician. Mercia Marina is planning a public Grand Opening celebration on October 11-12, including street performers, live music, activities for children, boat trips and fireworks. Details will be announced closer to the date. Mr Neff said: “We’re delighted to have finally been able to deliver this project; something we had planned since the marina opened six years ago. “We think the boaters, lodge owners, their guests and other visitors will be over the moon with the pub-restaurant, farm shop and other retailers. We’d like to thank everyone for their patience and look forward to them joining us for the opening celebrations in October.” ● Businesses interested in snapping up the remaining units or new commercial mooring spaces are invited to contact Mr Neff on 01283 703332 or email info@merciamarina.co.uk Alternatively, they can contact commercial agent Paul Rushton, of Rushton Hickman Ltd, on 01283 528002 or Chris Taylor, of Salloway Property Consultants, on 01332 298000.
New pontoon for a safer landing AN ACCIDENT to a boater who stepped onto a wooden lock landing stage at Fairies Hill on the Aire & Calder Navigation while it was covered in silt from a flood four years ago has culminated in a totally new purpose built floating pontoon. The old landing stage was short and narrow, made of wooden planks at a fixed height and rises in water levels always left it covered in slippery river silt and a hazard if the water level was just covering it. Its replacement has a fixed platform at the top of the lock wall with a hinged
The new landing pontoon at Fairies Hill Marina.
sloping platform leading to a full length, wide floating platform fitted with glass fibre composite mesh which is anti-slip. As it rises and falls with the river level it is always visible and at the correct height for safe entry/exit from boats coming alongside to use the lock; so making the lock operation a lot safer. In times of flood it should also afford a safe anchorage point for any boats caught out on the river, though it is hoped it never needs to be used for that purpose. It took four years in design and finding the funding and two weeks to assemble on site. A marina spokesman praised the Canal & River Trust for responding positively to a danger which had already caused an injury and cannot fault the effort and design of the newly installed landing stage. Help was also given by neighbours Lafarge Tarmac in allowing the huge segmented platform and hiab to be assembled in the company’s yard and placed in the water for the work to take place – a slightly different load to the gravel which they used to unload from the commercial freight barges. The contractors did a superb job and also took the time to use the tug in rescuing an elderly Australian couple on a Shire Cruisers hire boat when they got stuck on the infamous sand bar nearby.
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