Towpath Talk March 2015 Preview

The UK’s Number ONE read for all waterways users

112 PAGES

Issue 113, March 2015

Liverpool showcase

4 CHANCES TO WIN A FULL SET OF PEARSON’S GUIDES worth nearly £100 a set

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR AT THE HELM OF A £200m PROJECT

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The Albert Dock complex will be at the centre of the International Mersey River Festival and a new Northern Boat Show in June. Harry Arnold revisits the city of his youth on page 14.

PREPARING FOR A STARRING ROLE AT BRAUNSTON RALLY P60 MEET THE BOATER WHO TOOK ON THE TV ALLOTMENT CHALLENGE

PHOTO:WATERWAY IMAGES

New rules for boaters without a home mooring THE Canal & River Trust has outlined a new policy for continuous cruisers who don’t move their boats far enough to meet its published Guidance for Boaters without a Home Mooring.

It will look at how far boats have

P64

New north-west chairman

HOW NOT TO PAINT YOUR BOAT P103

A LEADING urban regeneration specialist, with strong links to the north-west of England, has been appointed to chair the Canal & River Trust’s North West Partnership. Bob Pointing will chair his first bimonthly partnership meeting in March. Currently resident in Liverpool, he brings with him a wealth of experience. For nearly a decade he was programme director and chief executive of Barrow Regeneration and West Lakes Renaissance, and previously worked for Government Office Merseyside and was chief executive of North Liverpool Partnership. He led on the Wigan City Challenge project and worked for housing providers in Liverpool and Manchester.

351 BOATS FOR SALE

Starts on

moved over the course of their previous licence to see if they satisfy the requirements which are based on the BW Act 1995.

This month CRT will write to anyone with a boat registered as not having a

P17

More locations, more choice Stourport Marina Tel 01299 827 082

Racecourse Marina, Windsor

Stourport on Severn

Tel 01753 851 717

River Thames, Windsor

Thames & Kennet Marina

Walton Marina

Tel 01932 221 689

Boat sales at seven Marinas with over 150 boats for sale

Visit:

www.tingdene.net

Upton upon Severn

Walton on Thames

Brundall Bay Marina

Tel 01189 477 770

River Thames, Caversham

Upton Marina

Tel 01684 593 111

Tel 01603 717 804

Pyrford Marina

Tel 01932 343 275 River Wey, Surrey

Norfolk Broads

home mooring to advise them of the process and will begin renewing licences on this basis from May 1.

Regular reminders will then be sent to all those boaters whose limited movement is causing a concern and on

Little ships to return

DUNKIRK Little Ships are to gather on the Thames in May before a return to mark 75 years since the evacuation. They will form up in the Royal Docks on May 16 and 17 before sailing to Ramsgate to join others from around the UK. The fleet, by then expected to number more than 50 vessels, will sail to Dunkirk on May 21 before a series of ceremonies and events over the following days. Many of the small boats from along the Thames were gathered at Tough’s boatyard at Teddington. A memorial beside Teddington Lock commemorates the operation.

the expiry of their licence, those that have consistently failed to move in accordance with the CRT Guidance will be refused a new licence unless they take a home mooring.

• Continued on page 2

School waterway visit awards

TWENTY-ONE inland waterway destinations have been awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge for providing fantastic educational visits for local schools. The visits are run by the Canal & River Trust’s Canal & River Explorers and see trained, locally based education volunteers running activities for school and youth groups, with children learning about their local area, science and technology. So far, more than 35,000 children have discovered their local canal or river with help from the team. Sites awarded the badge include: Gloucester Waterways Museum; Foxton Locks; Anderton Boat Lift; Standedge Tunnel and Brecon & Goytre Wharf.

Visit https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/explorers

2 NEWS

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WELCOME

THE days are lengthening and although it’s frosty as I write, the birds are starting to sing and spring is definitely in the air.

Although some of our readers will have kept on boating throughout the winter months, for others it is a time to start preparing for the cruising season ahead – you could win a fantastic set of Pearson’s guides in our competition on page 62.

Stoppages are beginning to wind down and continuing our roundup of open days, Harry Arnold visits Stoke-on-Trent while Polly Player reports from Braunston and I had a preview of the St Valentine’s weekend event at Hatton, see page 4.

Geoff Courtney talks to the Mayor of Bedford who chairs the consortium at the heart of the proposed Bedford-Milton Keynes waterway on page 9; and we catch up with the latest news from the work parties and volunteer groups on pages 10 and 11.

Harry Arnold looks at what’s happening in Liverpool this year on page 14, more news next month, and Steve Fila, technical director of CDMS SSE Ltd, reports on the major project to remove the Stourport barrier.

Schools break up at the end of this month for the Easter holidays and Phil Pickin reviews a hire boat built with families in mind on page 54; while Tim Coghlan continues to look forward to the Braunston Historic Boat Rally with the first of a twopart feature on the boats which will pay a special tribute to the late Sonia Rolt on page 60.

And a collection of plates belonging to another much missed member of the canal community, Maureen Shaw, is coming up for auction on the anniversary of her birthday on Saturday, March 28, see page 59.

And don’t miss Polly Player’s tongue-incheek guide on how not to paint your boat on page 103.

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Spate of attacks on boaters leads to renewed community spirit

By Polly Player

BOATING in London is often viewed by those outside the capital as something of a high-risk activity, with thefts, muggings and attacks on the towpaths of London’s canals seeming to occur on an almost weekly basis.

While those living in the thick of it are quick to point out that generally, only bad news makes the headlines and that the towpaths of London are not a freefor-all for unimpeded criminal activity, it is certainly fair to say that crime and physical attacks on boaters have come to something of a head over the course of the last couple of months.

Incidents during December 2014 and the first two months of 2015 have been concentrated around the East London area, with Springfield, Victoria Park and parts of Hackney Wick having seen a number of frightening scenes take place.

Reported incidents within the last three months alone include a number of towpath threats and muggings, as well as physical attacks including attempts to push towpath walkers into the canal, and group attacks targeting

lone walkers during the evenings.

Theft of equipment from boats, such as pushbikes and generators has also peaked in the London area over the last few weeks, and in one incident, a boater interrupted intruders on their roof, who were found to be emptying petrol cans over the boat, but who ran off when the boater’s dog began to bark.

Both the police and the Canal & River Trust have been made aware of ongoing issues being perpetrated by both gangs and individuals in certain hotspots, however, it is thought that a significant amount of crime against boaters is also going unreported.

One of CRT’s London mooring rangers, Mikaela Khan, has been liaising with police in the area, who have agreed to take the following steps in order to help reduce crime against London boaters: ● Increase police patrols within problem areas ● Support community engagement by arranging towpath meetings with interested boaters ● Put together an information pack for boaters, including sharing

• Continued from page 1

New rules for boaters without a home mooring Initially CRT will focus on those who, having declared they will continuously cruise, move the least, including a number of boats that barely move at all. For the first few months while boaters are becoming familiar with this policy, the Trust proposes to issue short duration licences to give those boaters concerned a further opportunity to establish an acceptable range of movement.

Chief executive Richard Parry said: “The right for boaters to continuously cruise is enshrined in law, and I welcome this way of boating. Our new approach does not change any rules, but it does seek to provide greater encouragement to everyone to comply with our Guidance, and spells out the consequences if they consistently don’t.”

Mike Rodd, chairman of the National Association of Boat Owners, said: “For those who are living on their boats as a lifestyle choice, these requirements – to continuously cruise – will not present any problem. Of course some folk who live on their boats may be affected: those who are genuine boaters will welcome the clarity, but a small number will find it difficult to conform.”

However, in its comments on the individual proposals NABO referred to their ‘unnecessarily aggressive tone’ adding that if CRT needs to make these changes it is a ‘sad reflection’ on our waterways. “It just goes to show how the misbehaviour of a few has resulted in significant change in regulations for everyone.”

Mike added: “We welcome CRT’s new welfare officer, Sean Williams, and applaud his work, especially in getting CRT’s existing enforcement officers briefed on the resources available to help those who are in difficulty.”

CRT head of enforcement Denise Yelland said: “Over the last 12 months the Trust has been operating in this way with boaters who are new to continuous cruising. The approach is now being expanded to all boaters who continuously cruise so that we are treating all boaters fairly and consistently.

“We are continuing to monitor boat movement as we always have done. What is changing is that we are being more active in telling people when we are concerned about their limited movement pattern, and spelling out what they need to do to meet our requirements.”

Welcome for the initiative also came from the Association of Continuous Cruisers (ACC), the Residential Boat Owners’ Association (RBOA), the Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs (AWCC) and the Inland Waterways Association (IWA), national chairman Les Etheridge commenting: “We hope the new enforcement process will quickly address in a fair way the significant issues which have developed in recent years.”

Richard Parry added: “Our message to boaters without a home mooring is that, if you are worried about your range of movement, or want to know more about what else you need to do to comply with our Guidance, please speak to your local enforcement officer (or contact your local Trust office).

“In many cases, making some small adjustments to a cruising pattern is enough to meet our Guidance, while in other cases taking up a home mooring may be more appropriate.

Ultimately we are trying to help boaters understand our requirements and avoid running into trouble, for the benefit of all boaters.”

details on police access points along the London canal network, and improving response times to 999 calls from boaters Mikaela advises boaters that in order for these steps to be effective, the support of boaters is vital, and that all incidents (no matter how minor) should be reported to the police, by dialling either 999 in the case of an emergency, or 101 at all other times.

London boaters themselves have also been instrumental in supporting each other in the face of the current problems, organising meet-ups and events aimed to promote solidarity between boaters, and show a physical presence in areas that were previously largely being avoided because of gang violence and threats.

Events such as a Reclaim the Towpath stroll have already taken place in areas such as Hackney Wick, Springfield, and the Victoria Park area, allowing boaters to meet up and discuss the current issues, as well as to offer support and advice to each other on how to stay safe.

London boater, Mike Doherty, posting on the London Boaters’

Boaters and other towpath users in the London area can get involved in future Reclaim the Towpath strolls and other boater-led events in London by visiting the London Boaters’ Facebook page, or the Reclaim the Towpath Facebook page to get in touch with others in the area.

Facebook page, said of the strolls: “This is about solidarity, safety, presence and about boaters coming together and reclaiming the towpath at night. This is not about vigilantism, being tooled up or confrontation. It isn’t a magic bullet; Mikaela is on to the police, and boaters are being more safety conscious and keeping each other informed; but it is part of the solution. OUR part of the solution.”

Crackdown on Thames licence evasion BOATERS on the River Thames are being urged to renew their registrations or face prosecution.

The reminder comes after an early crackdown in recent weeks on evasion of 2015 annual registration fees along the non-tidal section.

In a multi-agency operation which targeted Kingston-upon-Thames then Whitchurch and Purley, the Environment Agency, alongside the Metropolitan and Surrey Police as well as Kingston and London Borough of Richmondupon-Thames enforcement officers served nearly 100 enforcement notices.

EA waterways operation manager, Nick McKie-Smith, said: “All boats kept on the river must display a valid annual registration plate at all times. We are turning the heat up early on annual registration. Why risk prosecution and a possible criminal conviction? If your annual 2015 boat registration fee is still due, register or remove your boat from the river.”

The income raised from boat registration fees

helps to pay for the upkeep of the entire nontidal navigation between Teddington and Lechlade, a length of 144 miles, including 45 locks. The crackdown on non-registration will continue throughout the boating season.

Waterways staff undertake registration checks and enforcement out on the river and at locksides to ensure that boats hold the additional legal requirements for a valid boat safety certificate and at least third-party insurance.

Nick added: “Just like a car, a boat needs to be licensed, insured and have the boat equivalent of an MoT, which is a valid Boat Safety Certificate or BSC, before it can be kept on the river. This is to minimise the risks of accidents such as boat fires, explosions, carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide poisoning onboard and polluting substances entering the water and harming the environment. We want to ensure all our customers can enjoy the river as a safe environment.”

Heritage trainees get to work on lock repairs

By Harry Arnold

TWO of the Canal & River Trust’s new heritage trainees Victoria Allen and Anna More had the opportunity to work on the repairs to Middle Lock on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Fradley Junction recently.

Forty two heritage trainees will be recruited over three years under the Waterway Heritage Skills project, which is costing £811,000, with £607,000 coming from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Skills for the Future programme.

The recruits will learn lime mortaring, stonemasonry and carpentry, among other skills.

CRT heritage trainee, Victoria Allen, uses lime mortar for pointing while Anna More fixes a ground paddle during repairs to Fradley Junction’s Middle Lock. PHOTO:WATERWAY IMAGES

Help us find the Towpath Talk Volunteer of the Year AN ARMY of volunteers help to maintain the network of more than 4000 miles of inland waterways across the British Isles.

From the Waterway Recovery Group to the individual who cares for his or her ‘own patch’ of towpath, thousands of unpaid hours are contributed each year.

And it’s not just maintaining the canal and river infrastructure but providing voluntary crews for the community boats which provide such a valuable service in enabling disabled and vulnerable people to enjoy a day out in the countryside or preserving 200 years

of heritage for future generations.

Every month Towpath Talk reports on the work carried out by these volunteers and we want to say a big thank you to all these people and especially those unsung heroes who have gone that extra mile.

We will be asking readers to nominate them for a prestigious new Volunteer of the Year award and recognition throughout the inland waterways.

For details of the award and how you can nominate someone to receive this special accolade, see the April edition of Towpath Talk, out on March 26.

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Coast to coast canoe trail will follow canal routes

MORE than 10,000 young people from some of England’s most deprived communities will help to transform 150 miles of canal, creating the longest canoe trail in the UK. Over the next five years 1524 year olds and their families, will be recruited to create social action squads along the length of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and Aire & Calder Navigation, connecting communities along the route to each other and their local environment and waterways.

The Desmond Family Canoe Trail will be the

longest of its kind in the UK, first launching in Merseyside and over five years stretching to Yorkshire. Along the way it will connect towns and cities including Liverpool, Wigan, Blackburn, Burnley, Leeds, Skipton and Goole.

Canal & River Trust chairman Tony Hales said: “We want communities to use canals to enrich their lives as part of a healthy and fun lifestyle. Canoeing is a great sport, growing in popularity, for the young and the older. We want to make it accessible and enjoyed by many more families and individuals, whatever their

physical ability.”

The project is being developed by the trust, thanks to a £1.3 million donation from The Desmond Foundation and has the support of British Canoeing and Canoe England.

Along with designing the trail, the young people will organise and run a year-round programme of activity for their community including canoe taster sessions. Physical improvements to the route including planting new community gardens and habitats along the trail will also take place.

More than 50% of the

Where will the future waterways supporters come from?

A CONFERENCE will take place in Birmingham this month to examine where the future champions of the nation’s waterways will come from, and to share experiences with organisations looking to attract new supporters.

The free event is being held on Saturday, March 21, at the Bond Conference Venue, 180-182 Fazeley Street, Birmingham (B5 5SE), from 10.30am-3.30pm.

It is being run by the Worcester Birmingham & Droitwich Canals Society and the Canal & River Trust and will feature guest speakers from the youth and voluntary sector.

Among the topics under discussion will be: ● how our ageing society is likely to have a profound effect on membership groups, organisations and charities ● the tension between maintaining an attractive offer for existing supporters and increasing the involvement of younger groups ● if it’s feasible to reach and engage people of all ages with just one ‘offer’ ● whether societies/groups are equipped to attract a new generation of supporters which is more confident and tech-savvy than ever before.

Caroline Killeavy, Canal & River Trust head of community engagement, said: “This conference is an opportunity to share ideas, experiences and hear from organisations that have had successes in attracting new support. I’d encourage anyone interested in attending to come along.”

David Wheeler, from the Worcester

IN BRIEF

New Mikron shows

Canoeing is growing in popularity. PHOTO: CANAL & RIVER TRUST population lives within five miles of a canal or river and many of these are within an urban area – some are the most deprived communities in England with youth unemployment (44%) and

child obesity (32%) well above the national average.

This project aims to help make that connection and leave a lasting legacy for these communities to enjoy for years to come.

● To get involved email coasttocoast@canalriver trust.org.uk or visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/cc

Heulwen Trust appeals for skippers and crew

By Harry Arnold

Volunteer lock keeper, Veronica Dussen, being trained by Canal & River Trust waterway supervisor, Terry Drake, at Junction Lock, Fradley.

PHOTO:WATERWAY IMAGES

Birmingham & Droitwich Canals Society, added: “Every canal society I’ve spoken to recently is looking at how to find new members and volunteers.

We’re not just talking about getting younger people involved, but also those in their 40s, 50s, 60s and upwards.

Volunteers can be any age, young to old, so we’re looking at how we can appeal to the whole spectrum of ages. It makes sense to pool our ideas and expertise, that’s the aim of the event.” ● To register a place, or for more information contact Sarina.young@canalrivertrust. org.uk 01636 675740.

WELSHPOOL’S Heulwen Trust has decided to make wider use of its two Montgomery Canal-based passenger boats than in the past, with two objectives in mind.

Firstly to run the boats themselves to raise income for eventual replacement and maintenance and to fund the charity’s intended purpose, to providing free canal trips for the less-abled and the elderly.

Secondly, to make fuller use of the canal in order to minimise weed growth and provide support for the Canal & River Trust in the work needed to keep the navigation clear on the central, currently isolated, restored section of the Montgomery between Arddleen and Refail.

The trust is appealing for volunteers join it as additional skippers and crew members, which are needed to supplement its permanent skippers during

the planned extended 2015 cruising programme.

This programme includes weekend trips throughout the day from Welshpool Wharf of about 1½ hours duration, commencing at Easter, and – in conjunction with this year’s ‘Making Waves’ programme – five three-hour cruises to Brithdir Locks; also possible hospitality trips for sponsors and supporters.

Volunteers will be trained to the required appropriate competency certificate standards and the trust will meet all training costs. The trust emphasises that it will always call first on its permanent skippers but desperately needs support or involvement as back-up skippers or crew members. It will also gladly pay those skippers seeking reimbursement for their time.

Anyone interested should contact Pat Ward on patward@ intonet.co.uk or on 07801 288388.

Also see Baldwin Trust appeal on page 108.

AUDIENCE figures for the shows put on by Mikron, the canal theatre company, are growing every year say officials, writes Geoff Wood. And the Arts Council England, will be helping to fund two new shows: One of Each, the story of fish and chips and Raising Agents, celebrating 100 years of the WI. A spokesman said: “Working for Mikron is like no other acting job as they have to be able to sing and play an instrument to a high standard. But they also have to navigate the waterways, and steer a 78ft narrowboat.”

Rejoining the league?

SILTING up of the River Witham contributed to the decline of the port of Boston in the late Middle Ages and loss of its trade with the Hanseatic League countries. This was despite the development of a cargo boat with a flat bottom and removable keel to cope with shallow waters. The south Lincolnshire town has now taken another step towards rejoining the league that it was last associated with more than 700 years ago with the recommendation by Boston Borough Council’s Cabinet that it should join Die Hanse, the modern-day equivalent.

Body found in Trent

POLICE closed Nether Lock at Newark on the River Trent after a narrowboat crew discovered the body of a woman who had been missing for four weeks, writes Les Heath. Emily Holloway, 39, of Lincoln, had not been seen since December when she left her home one day and took a taxi to Newark.

A member of the family reported her missing later the same day. Her death is not being regarded as suspicious and the Nottinghamshire coroner has been informed.

Online vote IN OUR last online poll at

www.towpathtalk.co.uk we asked readers whether they have cruised any canals or rivers overseas. Most popular choice with those who responded was Scotland with 33% followed somewhat surprisingly by Germany with 28%. Tying with 17% were France and the Netherlands with 5% having cruised the Irish waterways. The Waterway Recovery Group recently launched its 2015 Canal Camps so this month we are asking readers whether they are planning a working holiday this summer.

Water bottle winners

The Heulwen Trust needs extra skippers and crew to expand its Montgomery Canal trips from Welshpool. PHOTO:WATERWAY IMAGES

CONGRATULATIONS to 10 lucky readers who have each won a Water-to-Go drinking bottle in our December competition. They are: Pauline Dring, Braunston; David Page, Desford; Steven Morris, Southwell; Claire Deakin, Market Drayton; Thomas Ward, Manchester; Caroline Warren, Bracknell; Melanie White, Stoke-on-Trent; David Reeves, Warminster; Raphael Patrice, Fulham and Pam Hubbard, Stourport.

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Removing the Stourport barrier

By Steve Fila, technical director, CDMS SS E Ltd

FOR those who have never visited Stourport-on-Severn it is a delightful place and well worth a visit. For those who have, you are going to see a significant change on the waterfront.

With a population of more than19,000, it is uniquely the only town in Britain built solely as a consequence of the coming of the canals. Before its growth there existed a small hamlet called Lower Mitton and two black and white houses c1600 can still be found in Mitton Street.

Popular legend has it that James Brindley chose Stourport rather than Bewdley for his canal because the citizens of Bewdley did not want his ‘stinking ditch’ passing through their town. The reality is that Stourport made

CDMS brought in its 50ft hydraulic crane barge which is road transportable and can therefore work anywhere in the country.

far more sense from a topographical point of view. A canal joining the River Severn at Bewdley would have needed to cross several hills. Joining the Severn at Stourport it could follow the Stour valley and this obviously made construction much cheaper.

The Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal linked the River Severn with the Trent & Mersey and as a result, after Birmingham, Stourport became the busiest inland port in the Midlands.

The canal opened to Stourport in 1771 and by 1812 five canal basins had been built. In 1775 the first Stourport Bridge across the Severn was built by the Canal Company.

The town rapidly expanded and by the 1780s there were brass and iron foundries, a vinegar works, tan yards, worsted spinning mills, carpet mills, barge and boat building yards, warehouses, shops, houses and inns. By 1795 it had 200 houses and 1300 inhabitants.

But the arrival of the railway in 1862 was to pose a major challenge to the canal. The town extended out to Newtown with Brindley Street being the main arterial road through the new residential area.

During the 20th century new industries came to the town and residential expansion continued. Some of the first local authority housing in the country was built in Park Crescent and Olive Grove.

Large private housing developments grew up along Windermere Way and Stagborough Way in the 1960s and 1970s.

The breakwater or barrier protected the intakes and river traffic from collision, diverted the dirty River Stour water away from the intakes and provided a walkway that could be used by personnel to periodically (using rakes on long poles) clean the outer intake coarse filter grids.

An aerial view of the power station.

CDMS Barrier Removal project

Steve Fila receives a kiss for all his hard work!

Stourport power station

The power station was officially opened on June 2, 1927, by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and was enlarged after the Second World War. The site, adjacent to the River Severn and River Stour, enabled the power station to operate without the customary cooling towers.

This requirement for a copious supply of reasonably clean water meant that this could not be obtained from the River Stour, especially in winter. The water intakes were positioned in the Severn, far enough out into the river so as to avoid the debris-laden waters close to the river bank.

Coal was originally brought to the power station by river and canal with a narrow gauge railway linking it through Severn Road. The branch line from Stourport station along the embankment was constructed in 1940 so that coal could be brought by rail. The power station finally closed in 1984.

The cleared site has since been developed as a housing estate with the branch line left as a public right of way.

The embankment was substantially removed in 2004 to make way for part of the proposed Stourport relief road and the building of the Millfields housing development.

Additional muscle was needed to lift the concrete sections and steel piles.

The project known as the Stourport Barrier Removal has been on the agenda for the past four years but the sensitive area and its wildlife meant that elements such as otter runs and hedgehog tunnels had to fit in with the site development programme.

CDMS SS E Ltd won the contract after a rigorous tendering phase and began work after successfully winning the contract in early June 2014.

In order to minimise effects on the environment, public access and rights of way it was decided that the entire barrier removal would be carried out entirely from the waterside of the site.

The only available navigable channel close enough to the structure, however, was a mere 0.8m deep.

This required a bespoke approach as the 55m length of reinforced concrete barrier and 60m of steel piles, which all had to be cut off underwater and removed from site, would require additional muscle to lift the concrete sections and steel piles clear after cutting Some pieces weighing weighed more than two tons.

CDMS therefore brought in its versatile 50ft-hydraulic crane barge which was ideal for the shallow water operations thanks to its shallow draught. The twin front-mounted hydraulically operated spud legs proved to be an awesome combination, and they ate into the project with impressive efficiency.

Concrete barrier

One of the remnants left behind on the River Severn was a concrete barrier at its mergence with the River Stour. Its function was to take the abstracted cooling water from the River Severn through eight intake culverts measuring 2.5m x 2.5m and also the similar adjoining seven discharge culverts back into the watercourse.

As well as protecting the intakes and river traffic from collision, it diverted the dirty River Stour water away from the intakes. Access to the large trash screens over each culvert entrance was gained by a link-span bridge, which enabled regular clearing of leaves and branches from the top of the walkway, particularly required after flooding.

The contract required that not only the concrete structure be removed and reduced to 0.7m above Normal Summer River Level but also that the 15 culverts be sealed underwater with concrete.

In addition each alternate culvert required the concrete wall to be set back 2m down inside and along from the culvert entrance, this was to provide a sheltered space for fish to protect them from the adverse current of the river in flood conditions.

The link-span bridge was the first element of structure for removal, which spanned 9.5 from the adjacent riverbank to the barrier’s concrete walkway, followed by 130m of 300mm x

Acknowledgements: Hazard signs warn navigational traffic of the remaining sections of the base structure.

300mm high-level timber fender. The 60m of steel Larssen piles were in excess of 7m high and therefore a midline cut at water level had to be carried out to reduce the height sufficiently to assist loading by the deck crane.

It was discovered that at 5m intervals piles were set back to back and in-filled with concrete to provide additional support to the pile panels, therefore 13 concrete-filled King piles also needed cutting off underwater in addition to the 130 Larssen piles. The underwater pile cutting concluded with 48 low-level deflector piles.

In order to carry out remedial maintenance and to protect the area from further degradation additional elements were built into the scope of project works. These included pressure pointing defective areas of the adjacent masonry structure, removal of trees and de-vegetation of brickwork, pressure jetting sections of riverbank piles and protective coating.

Safety hazard signs were also supplied to warn navigational traffic of the remaining sections of the base structure, the total sub base removal of which was non cost-effective.

All items removed from the site were recycled as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and protect wildlife and habitats.

The project was successfully completed on September 21 in line with the project specification. Since then CDMS SS E Ltd has received a significant amount of congratulatory emails endorsing the tremendous improvement in appearance of this area.

Barrier pile cutting operations in progress.

A CDMS diver taking time out to share his lunch with the swans.

● Stourport Power Station photos and historical Information kindly contributed by facebook ‘Friends of Stourport’ and www.stourporttown.co.uk

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Historic marina to shine once again

STANILAND Marina, formerly Thorne Lock Marina Ltd, has found new owners.

As of January 2015, the site, owned by the Canal & River Trust on the Stainforth & Keadby Canal, has been taken over by the same organisation which currently runs Boroughbridge Marina, an 80-berth inland marina on the Yorkshire Ouse.

The marina is steeped in history as the yard has been used for boat building since the 1700s.

Originally located further down on the river Don, the yard found its current home in the late 1800s.

The main business back then was the building and repair of Humber Keels but through the years, many vessels were built including warships and pleasure craft.

In recent years the yard saw a decline in building but an increase in berthing requirements along with the necessary facilities that go with them. In early 2014, the company running the marina went into liquidation and a new owner had to be sought.

Now in 2015, the new management is looking to revamp the site in its entirety and bring all the facilities back to life including major refurbishment works. The site boasts a variety of vital facilities for boaters which include open and covered dry docks, lifting for cruisers and narrowboats, soon to be well-stocked chandlery, berths for up to 60ft, clubhouse with bar and restaurant, engineering and fuels.

The historic Staniland Marina found its current home in the late 1800s. PHOTO:WATERWAY IMAGES

Fourth David Bellamy gold award for Mercia Marina

More berths are being created at Tingdene’s Racecourse Marina.

PHOTO:WATERWAY IMAGES

Major expansion at Tingdene’s Racecourse Marina

By Harry Arnold

MAJOR excavation works to increase the capacity of Tingdene Marinas Ltd’s Racecourse Marina on the River Thames at Windsor are almost complete.

It is part of continuing investment – currently over £1 million – in this location which is one of three major Thames marinas owned by the group; which also has other sites on the Broads and the River Severn.

An area of land to the north of the marina has been removed to create a new fairway and enlarged water area which will allow an increase in berths from

the current 220 to 300. This follows on from the renovation of the facilities building, installation of new bathrooms and the opening of GoGo’s Waterfront Restaurant.

In addition to the extra berths, the next step will see a rolling programme to replace the current pontoons with a state of the art system, which is expected to commence this year.

Tingdene operations director Steve Arber said: “We are very pleased to continue to improve the facilities at Racecourse Marina, both for our existing customers and our new ones, which is our company policy at all our sites.”

SOUTH Derbyshire’s Mercia Marina has won a gold David Bellamy conservation award for the fourth year running.

The 74-acre marina, near Willington – the largest inland marina in Europe – received the award from the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA), of which celebrity conservationist David Bellamy is president.

The awards scheme recognises holiday parks for work they have done to protect or enhance the natural environment or wildlife.

Mercia Marina qualified for the scheme four years ago when it launched the development of its luxury holiday lodges. The marina has since built 16 lodges overlooking its 24-acre lake and has permission to add a further 10.

David Bellamy last year hailed Mercia Marina as “a champion of all things green”, being particularly impressed by its efforts to improve biodiversity in and around the beauty spot as well as its enthusiastic committee of wildlife volunteers.

Robert Neff, general manager of Mercia Marina, said: “This is just the fourth time we’ve entered the awards scheme, and the fourth time our conservation efforts have been recognised with a gold award.

“The award is testament to all the hard work and planning of both the marina staff and the fantastic group of volunteers who help us look after the environment here.”

The awards scheme, which gives bronze, silver and gold accreditations, was co-founded in 1996 by naturalist and broadcaster David Bellamy in partnership with the BH&HPA. The assessors analyse everything from the toilet flush systems to the wildlife management to arrive as their award level.

Mercia Marina opened only as recently as 2008. Since that time, a six-figure sum has been spent on landscaping and conservation

Some of Mercia Marina’s luxury holiday lodges. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Overwater named 2015 Inland Marina of the Year

Hull Marina joins the RYA active marina programme HULL Marina, operated by British Waterways Marinas Ltd (BWML), has just joined the Royal Yachting Association’s (RYA) Active Marina Programme. That has been accompanied by investments in the marina to bring a range of benefits to customers.

The programme encourages and supports increased berth holder activity by partnering with marinas, RYA recognised training centres, berth holder groups and yacht clubs to establish or enhance a programme of training, cruising and social opportunities.

This comes hard on the heels of Hull being awarded Gold Status by the Caravan Site Storage Owners Association (CaSSOA), the highest accolade it offers, following a site inspection of its caravan storage area in July 2014. Hull Marina is more than just somewhere to moor your boat. A quality location in the heart of the city, it now offers secure hard standing on monthly or annual contracts, along with under-cover workshops and a 50-tonne boat lift from £17.50 per metre as well as mast stepping from only £55.

On-site maintenance and repair services are provided by Lloyd’s approved contractors. It also boasts the full range of top notch marina facilities that you would expect of a BWML coastal marina.

Barry Granville, marina manager at Hull, said: “We are delighted to be part of the RYA Active Marina programme. Working closely with the RYA and utilising our in-house expertise will enable us to help our customers make the best use and get the most value out of their boats. Our programme of practical activities will help our berth holders and visitors learn new skills, have fun and, most importantly, stay safe on the water.”

projects, such as tree planting and the creation of specific wildlife habitats, including a butterfly drift.

The marina last year opened The Boardwalk, its new £1.7 million waterside shopping, leisure and office development on the site, in conjunction with a new sensory garden, outdoor events area and programme of circular walks.

Janet and Angus Maughan of Overwater Marina.

SOUTH Cheshire’s Overwater Marina was named winner of the TYHA Inland Marina of the Year 2015 by The Yacht Harbour Association with partners GJW Insurance at the CWM FX London Boat Show.

The marina, which can be found on the Shropshire Union Canal close to Audlem, opened in 2010 and has quickly earned a reputation for its beautiful countryside location, spacious design and friendly atmosphere.

The Overwater team have worked hard to create a

Winners and runners-up with their trophies. PHOTO SUPPLIED

wonderful destination and were delighted when it became the first canal marina to achieve the prestigious 5 Gold Anchors in TYHA Gold Anchor Scheme.

Owners Angus and Janet Maughan and their family developed the marina as a diversification of their dairy farm and have been amazed at how quickly it has grown into a thriving and successful business.

Manager Janet said: “I can’t believe we won the award; to be named the best inland marina in the country is absolutely

wonderful and a testament to all the hard work and effort the family and our fantastic team of marina staff have put in. The award is made even more special by the fact that it is voted for by our customers and we would especially like to thank everyone who voted for us.”

Now in its second year, the awards scheme was open to all Gold Anchor accredited marinas both in the UK and overseas. The winning marinas are considered the best by their customers in the UK Coastal, UK Inland, International and Superyacht categories.

TYHA, a group association within the British Marine Federation (BMF), made significant changes to the way the competition is run to make it easier for boat owners and berth holders to vote. Gold Anchor accredited marinas were given automatic entry into the competition and over 3000 people took part by voting for 84 marinas.

As part of the voting process, marina customers were asked to comment on why they felt the marina they were voting on was the best, with excellent customer service topping the polling.

The runner-up in the inland category was last year’s winner Caen Hill Marina.

54 BOAT REVIEW

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A safe and comfortable bed for the little one. PHOTOS: PHIL PICKIN

The very comfortable-looking double berth.

Room for a little one

Phil Pickin takes a look at a child-friendly boat, built with family holidays in mind.

THERE is a saying that ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ and Lucy May would seem to embody this saying.

The owners of this, the most recently built sponsored boat to enter the Kate Boats’ fleet, gave some unusual design criteria to the team. Being the parents of a baby meant that the safety of the youngest member of the crew was paramount, and making a number of adaptations and design innovations has produced a boat that other families with young children will find very useful.

The overall layout of this cruiser stern 58ft boat could be described as having a ‘back to front design’ with the lounge at the stern followed by the galley, a fixed double berth, the bathroom and lastly a bedroom towards the bow with either two fixed singles, or a fixed single and a full-sized cot.

It’s the addition of a cot that is one of the most significant design changes made to the layout and construction.

Not only did the owners want a safe and

comfortable place for their child to sleep, but it had been noticed by the Kate Boats’ team that using a travel cot on a narrowboat isn’t always a success!

With this in mind, one of the single berths in the forward cabin has been built so that it can be converted into a cot. This is not some temporary, clipped together adaptation to an existing bed.

This cot is set up before the boat is taken out on hire and remains in this configuration throughout the trip, providing a safe and comfortable bed for the little one.

Obviously if a cot isn’t required, the boat remains configured with two single beds in this cabin. The curtains in this room are to blackout specifications in an effort to keep the room as dark as possible at bedtime and additional sockets have been fitted should a baby alarm be required.

Another baby friendly adaptation is to the main seating area towards the stern.

This area is accessed from the stern

Both gas bottles have been relocated at the cruiser stern, either side of the main doors.

doors via a number of steps which exit into the saloon on the right-hand side.

This final step has a sliding, solid baby gate integrated into it. This gate, together with a matching one closing off the entrance into the galley area, creates a safe area for a crawling baby or toddler to play. There is also additional floor covering to cover the location plates in the floor into which the table poles fit, such has been the attention to detail.

New ideas

Lucy May is a six-berth family boat, built using oak to line the interior and is finished with complementary green colours used in the upholstery and carpets.

The boat is finished to the high standard we have come to expect of Kate Boats with its continued addition of new ideas and innovations to what is, in essence, a hire boat.

For example, every possible area that can be used for storage has been used.

During the many years of operating hire boats the company has learned a thing or two and this has resulted in the development of a few things, including the use of sliding solid wood shutters on the galley window. This avoids the clatter of blinds so often used when obviously curtains cannot be used.

All new builds will have this and it’s becoming a retro fit to the remaining fleet as it’s proved such a success.

The galley has all of the appliances you would expect to see in a family boat.

Microwave, full-sized cooker, fridge, an as this is a hire boat, it’s exceptionally well equipped with everything you might need. This can include plastic cutlery etc for babies or small children and child seats for use at the table during mealtimes. Throughout the galley, maximum use of space is evident in providing more than enough cupboard space for food and other provisions.

Moving forward, you pass the very comfortable-looking double berth before coming to the bathroom, and when I say bathroom I mean it! This room has been fitted with the smallest

members of the family in mind with a shower over a small bath being installed rather than the usual shower cubicle.

The room is spacious, warm and fitted with a Tecma electric flushing toilet and wash basin with lockers fitted below the basin and above it.

As previously mentioned, the forward cabin can be adapted with the addition of the cot, but even if this isn’t in use, the potential for this adaptation is not overly obvious. The only giveaway is a small wooden cleat on one wall. The cabin can be exited via a forward door on to the well deck which has also been redesigned.

If a cot isn’t required, the boat remains configured with two single beds in the forward cabin.

A shower over a small bath has been fitted with the smallest members of the family in mind.

The galley has more than enough cupboard space for food and other provisions.

Buggy storage

Both gas bottles have been relocated at the stern, either side of the main doors.

This provides room for a very sizeable and secure locker, ideal for the storage of a buggy or similar.

Central heating and 240v power available as you might expect, as is a TV in the main cabin area and a radio with speakers fitted within the cabin ceiling.

The roof is also lined with oak and inset with LED lights and a good-sized opening roof light over the main seating area.

Outside, Lucy May is fitted with chrome fittings for vents etc, something of a departure for Kate Boats, but it is finished in the company’s normal smart green colour scheme.

The result of all these design ideas, is a very comfortable and safe, familyfriendly boat that will accommodate six, just about regardless of what age the family members are.

Being part of the hire fleet, anyone can enjoy the features included. But as with all Kate Boats’ boats, the hire fleet also acts as a showcase of its design and build ideas. As a result, anyone looking for a new build can not only see these things in action but also incorporate them within their own boat.

All narrowboats are constrained by the standard dimensions, but it never ceases to amaze me just how many variations on a theme can be included within this space.

Long may these innovations continue.

Throughout the galley, maximum use of space is evident.

A green colour scheme has been used in the upholstery and carpets.

This baby gate closes off the entrance into the galley area.

This final step into the saloon has a sliding, solid baby gate integrated into it.

SPEC SHEET Style: Cruiser stern Length: 58ft Engine: Kioti 42hp Control system: Canaline Inverter: Victron Heating: Eberspacher Washroom: Tecma electric toilet Galley: Fridgemaster refrigerator New World cooker Logik microwave Stainless steel sink and drainer Line out material: Oak ● Kate Boats, The Boatyard, Nelson Lane, Warwick CV34 5JB Tel: 01926 492968 www.kateboats.co.uk

108 WET WEB / NEWS

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The Wet Web Helen Gazeley finds out more about the UK’s largest inland seaway.

GIVEN that, as the IWA advises ‘the Manchester Ship Canal is not considered a leisure waterway’, it’s unsurprising that there aren’t many narrowboaters travelling this wide expanse.

Some found themselves making an unplanned visit a few weeks ago, however, when rerouting to avoid the renewed breach in the Trent & Mersey. It’s worth a visit, as the MSC, one of the original Seven Wonders of the Waterways compiled by Robert Aickman 50 years ago and the UK’s largest inland seaway, has a story unfolding.

Paul Kirby, marine supervisor for Peel Ports, which now runs it as part of a unified facility in conjunction with the ports of

Liverpool and Manchester, says it’s getting busier every year. In the last five years, the number of containers (TEUs or Twenty-foot Equivalent Units, the measurement of a vessel’s cargo capacity) transported on the MSC has risen from 3000 to 22,500. It’s expected to increase to 100,000 in the next five years.

Much of this is down to the Green Highway Shuttle Service, which connects deep-sea cargo with inland distribution hubs, taking bulk cargo off the road.

When Kellogg increased its use of the shuttle in 2013 it estimated a reduction in its supply chain of 40,000 road miles, and the removal of 61 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

The Manchester Ship Canal has more picturesque parts than this. See Ian and Helen’s blog, http://ianhelencanals.blogspot.co.uk for interesting landmarks.

Ongoing development has comprised a container port on the outskirts of Manchester and a new £300-million deep-sea container terminal at Liverpool, due to open this year, which will bring a third port to the UK able to accommodate the new gargantuan ships that measure the length of four football pitches and are the height of 14 double-decker buses. The other two are in the south-east. Also included will be hubs along the canal to integrate warehousing and rail with road and waterborne transport.

It’s a project with echoes of the MSC’s Victorian heyday. When it opened in 1894, it brought deepsea shipping right into Manchester, with all the economic impact that implies.

For a time it was the country’s Britain’s third busiest port, though the city saw traffic decline throughout the latter part of the last century. With ongoing developments such as this, talk of a new Northern powerhouse begins to seem reasonable.

On such a waterway, you might expect narrowboats to be discouraged, but Paul Kirby explained that, while commercial shipping is given priority in the four hours either side of high tide, smaller vessels (with their shallower drafts) are taken on either side of this period. To apply for permission to travel you need to fill in the MPF3 Pleasure Craft Induction Pack (peelports.com/ports/ manchester/port-information) which gives full details of the equipment required and

M/T Theodora, one of Tarbit Tankers’ high-heat vessels, taking bitumen, oil and chemicals, enters a lock on the Manchester Ship Canal. PHOTOS: PEEL PORT GROUP procedures followed. A full description of the route is also available from the IWA (http://bit.ly/1IhNzIt).

The Russell Newbery Engine Owners and Enthusiasts Club completed a trip last year (fearing that increased traffic might make passage more difficult to organise in future) and describe both it and the organisation involved in its summer 2014 newsletter www.rnregister.org.uk/RNRN82-WebSmall.pdf If all this sounds fascinating, but you’d rather not negotiate it yourself, you could follow the example of Ian and Helen on nb Leo who describe their journey along the MSC on the Royal Iris from Liverpool last November on their blog, Travelling the Canals of England ianhelen canals.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/ cruising-length-of-manchester-

Artwork of sorts on the Manchester Ship Canal. ship-canal.html. Alternatively, Manchester Cruises offers a 45-minute tour starting at the other end www.manchester cruises.com

➔ Formoreinformation Do you have a favourite website?

Email Helen at helengazeley@aol.com

Baldwin Trust seeks new crew members THE Leicestershire-based Baldwin Trust is appealing for new volunteers to help crew its community boat trips.

Since its foundation in 1988, it has operated specially adapted narrowboats, giving canal and river day trips for family groups

and in particular for the elderly, the disabled and those with special needs. It currently has two 70ft boats with lifts to allow easy access for passengers in wheelchairs and difficulties with mobility.

Boating experience would be preferable but is not a necessity

A good outcome for Thorne Yacht Club and The Ethel Trust

as full training will be given.

For more information contact chairman Pete Anderson on 07787 757114. All members work as unpaid volunteer crew to look after the boat and the visiting group on their outing. www.baldwintrust.co.uk

Crane restored to former glory

THORNE Yacht Club social committee raised £2000 in 2012-13 for the Doncaster-based Aurora Centre which provides support for people with cancer.

Last year, following months of uncertainty due to the closure of Thorne Lock (Staniland) Marina early in 2014, the yacht club social committee kept things ticking over with the support of caretaker managers Judith and Chris Pattenden.

Thanks to its members, past and present, a respectable £1500 was raised for nominated charity The Ethel Trust which operates a community barge on the Keadby & Stainforth Canal. It will be based at Staniland Marina in Thorne from May 2015.

The club, which reopened on February 7, is now looking forward to a positive future with the new marina owners and the opportunity to raise muchneeded funds for local charities.

New owners for Staniland Marina, page 53

Jeff Dobson, right, chairman of the TYC Social Committee, presents the cheque for £1500 to volunteers for The Ethel Trust, Phil Harrison, centre, and Brian Orwin, barge skipper, left. PHOTO: DAVID BRAMHILL

After undergoing lengthy restoration, this canalside crane has been reinstated as a feature on its original site beside the Trent & Mersey Canal at Shardlow.

The crane was originally erected in 1870

by Zaccariah Smith for beer handling at the bottling stores on each side of the adjacent canal arm, now filled in, and was first restored by the Trent & Mersey Canal Society in 1989. PHOTO: LES HEATH