Other visits included the National Water ways Museum at Ellesmere Port in 1979 and a boat trip on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Burnley as part of her Diamond Jubilee tour in 2012.
PHOTO: JULIE ARNOLD/WATERWAY IMAGES
e Queen Elizabeth II Canal in Scotland and a lock on the Kennet & Avon Canal carr y her name and are a lasting legacy of these connections. She o cially reopened the restored
Kennet & Avon Canal on July 8,1990, bo arding the na rrow bo at Ro se o f Hungerford to break a ceremonial tape across the Caen Hill ight, where Lock 43 is named Queen Elizabeth Lock in herInhonour.Scotland she opened the Falkirk Wheel in 2002 and her most recent water ways visit was in 2017 when, accompanied by her husband Prince
P20
The death of Queen Elizabeth II is marked by the flag of St Michael’s Church, Stone, Staffordshire, flying at half-mast. The picture was taken on September 12 and the foreground shows the historic town’s distinctive Grade II-listed Trent & Mersey Canal dry docks, home to Canal Cruising Company Limited – the UK’s oldest company to operate a holiday hire fleet, still family run with new boats in build.
Paying tribute to the late monarch, the Canal & River Trust stated: “Over her lifetime, the United Kingdom’s
Continued on page 2
A moment in history
Condolences were also expressed by Scottish Canals to King Charles III and members of the Royal Family.
THE Canal & River Trust will be hosting a Let’s Chat event at Bradford-on-Avon near Bath on Monday, October 5. e team will be on the towpath of the Kennet & Avon Canal between 11am and 2pm and inviting anyone, whether an existing customer or new to the waterways, to call and nd out more. No booking is required for this event, which is part of the free Let’s programme supported by the People’s Postcode Lottery.
THE death of Her Majesty e Queen is not only the end of an era for the nation as a whole but also for the inland waterways to which she paid several o cial visits during her 70-year reign.
TOWPATH www.towpathtalk.co.uk Fo ra ll yo ur Tr aining es sa nd Specialist Eq uipmentneeds. www.midlandmarine.co.uk LEISUREMIDWEEKANDWEEKEND COURSESNOWAVAILABLE! 01902544329 CHESHIRE 01270528251 www.venetianmarina.co.uk NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 01327842577 www.whiltonmarina.co.uk NOOBLIGATION VALUATIONCALLTODAYhrsVtoyourbankaccount Y From 4% +Vat(Minimumchargeapplies) BROKERAGE SELL YOUR BOAT TODAY 1October2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk Fo ra ll yo ur Tr aining ,S afet y, Re scue,Ac ce ss and Specialist Eq uipmentneeds. www.midlandmarine.co.uk LEISUREMIDWEEKANDWEEKEND COURSESNOWAVAILABLE! 01902544329 CHESHIRE 01270528251 www.venetianmarina.co.uk NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 01327842577 www.whiltonmarina.co.uk NOOBLIGATION VALUATIONCALLTODAYhrsVtoyourbankaccount Y From 4% +Vat(Minimumchargeapplies) BROKERAGE SELL YOUR BOAT TODAY 1October2022 Starts on P25 BOATS FOR SALE STRANDED BOATS HEAD OUT ON TO SHIP CANAL Issue 204, October 2022The UK’s Number ONE read for all waterways users FORMER FAMILY BOAT FESTIVALP18REVISITEDBACKINBURTON 80 PAGES RALLY CELEBRATES CANAL MILESTONE P7P6
Let’s Chat
ca na ls h av e see n great changes, from the gradual fading of their use as freight ro utes and s ubs eq uent decline, to their rebirth for leisure boating and as cherished wildlife and well-being spaces.”
Philip, she visited the Kelpies and opened the Queen Elizabeth II Canal.
Cornish lock row CANAL water was used to ‘ ush’ out the historic sea lock gate at Bude to clear built-up sand. e work was carried out by Cornwall Council following the driest August in 40 years and caused some controversy among local residents who were concerned about the e ect on sh and other wildlife and claimed the sand could have been cleared with diggers. However the council described the sluicing as ‘essential’ and said water levels recovered almost immediately. NCA fact file COLLATING a list of past meetings for its website, Northern Canals Association chairman Ivan Cane, helped by past chairmen Keith Gibson and Chris Hayes, has found some interesting facts and trends, particularly the way that many groups have changed from societies to trusts and how their names have evolved e Hudders eld Narrow Canal has hosted most meetings with six between 1991 and 2013. NCA’s meeting on Sunday, October 9 at Chester eld will be its 80th.
A Scottish canal and an English lock: Queen Elizabeth’s name will live on
I visited one of the monthly open days hosted by the Erewash Preser vat ion & De velo pmen t Association at the Sandiacre Lock Cottages at the junction of the Erewash and Derby & Sandiacre Canals where ever yone was making the most of the summer sunshine. See page 15. And the Leicester or East Midlands Ring is the subject of this month’s Cool Canals journey on page 74.
As I write the sun is still shining, let’s make the most of it before winter sets in.
The Queen Elizabeth II Canal at The Helix, Falkirk.
OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH
We also have reports from the Brow nhills Canal Festival on page 21 a nd the A ng el Ca na l Fe sti va l on page 23 , bo th e ve nt s ma king successful returns.
Tim Coghlan brings us the delightful sto ry o f Sy lvia Mu diman, w hos e parents had worked Tyseley in the early 60s. She revisited the boat she had lived on as a child and which has been the travelling base of the Mikron eatre Company for more than 40 years. See the feature on page 18.
up his sleeves to work as a volunteer on the Montgomery Canal nearly 50 years ago More recently he visited Coventry, taking a boat trip during preparations for the City of Culture celebrations in 2021.”
HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales – then captain of the minesweeper Bronington –officially opens a restored length of the Montgomery Canal by demonstrating his skills in steering Heulwen Sunshine through the replacement Moors Lift Bridge on May 23, 1976. Funds for this specially designed boat to carry children with special needs were raised by IWA members.
I AM writing this month’s We lcome during the period of nat ional mourning for HM e Queen with many of our nor mal activities having been a ected during this period as we all join in o ering our condolences to the Royal Family.
Using a ceremonial brass windlass, HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, officially reopens Welshpool Lock during his first visit to the Montgomery Canal on May 23, 1974. PHOTO: HARRY ANOLD/ WATERWAY IMAGES
A larg e proportion of the UK’s population have never known life without Queen Elizabeth II at the helm and with a new monarch and prime minister the coming months will signal a period of great change.
2 NEWS October 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk TOWPATH Janet Independently proven pick up: 34,450 copies Independent publisher since 1885 Conditions: Editorial is accepted subject to availability of space, and editorial policy on content and insertion cannot be guaranteed. The publisher retains the right o edit material submitted. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy through accurate and clear copy, but the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. WELC OME Editor Janet jrichardson@mortons.co.ukRichardson Publisher Tim Hartley Group advertising manager Sue Keily Advertising sales team leader Tania Shaw – 01507 tshaw@mortons.co.uk529489 Editorial design Chris Abrams Production editor Pauline Hawkins Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Contact Customerusservices 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: MondayFriday www.classicmagazines.co.ukhelp@classicmagazines.co.uk8.30am-5pm. News & editorial Tel: 01507 529466. Fax: 01507 529495 editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk 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 – October 27, 2022 Continued from page 1 Trust’s royal connections Following the formation of the Canal & River Trust as a charity in 2012, the then Prince of Wales became its patron and has supported the trust’s work as an advocate for British heritage, nature and communities. According to CRT : “His Majesty King Charles III has maintained a long interest in waterways and even rolled
Pr evi ou sly he ha d met young v olunteers ca rr ying ou t conser vation work on the canals in Stoke on Trent in 2014 and opened the first phase of the restored Cotswold Canals in 2018.
Sir William O’Brien, chairman of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, talks to the Queen at the ceremony on Caen Hill Flight in Devizes on August 8, 1990, to celebrate the reopening of the Kennet & Avon Canal after a 40-year campaign and restoration work by supporters of the canal. The reopening of the canal re-established the inland waterways link from Bristol to London. PHOTO: BOB NAYLOR/WATERMARX MEDIA
Patron of the Canal & River Trust, HRH the Prince of Wales, had a trip on the Coventry Canal as part of a visit on May 25, 2021, showcasing preparations for the UK City of Culture celebrations. Hosted by CRT chairman Allan Leighton, pictured on his left, the Prince visited the former Daimler factory beside the canal and now home to the arts, before boarding the working heritage boat Scorpio for a boat ride to Coventry Canal Basin. PHOTO: CRT
PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON
PHOTO: HARRY ARNOLD/WATERWAY IMAGES
Harry Arnold receiving the MBE for Services to Inland Waterways from the Queen at an investiture on October 9, 2012. An acclaimed waterways journalist, photographer and author, in his later years Harry was also a regular contributor to Towpath Talk until his death in November 2018.
In this edition we mark the end of summer with reports from events which have taken place during the glorious weat her of the past few weeks. Phil Pickin reports from the ra lly host ed by the St affordshire & Worcestershire Canal Society at Bratch Locks to celebrate the canal’s 250th anniversary while Les Heath visited both the IWA Festival of Water at Burton upon Trent – see his report on page 20 – and the second Shardlow Inland Port Festival on page 22.
The Queen on board the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust boat, The Rose of Hungerford, reopens the Kennet & Avon Canal on August 8, 1990. PHOTO: BOB NAYLOR/WATERMARX MEDIA
SEPTEMBER 27, 2022, marked the 250th anniversary of the death of ‘the father of English canals’, engineer James Brindley On that day, his last canal – the North Oxford – had reached just below Hillmorton Locks.
Work began on the Oxford Canal in 1769 but engineer James Brindley died in 1772 before the locks could be completed in 1774, the canal eventually reaching Oxford in 1789
The locks were d es igned t o act as mutual side ponds, with a paddle between the locks enabling water to be transferred from one chamber to that adjacent, thereby saving water. Although no longer operational the winding gear can still be seen between the locks today
FundedbyOLD MORTONIANS ~ the Hillmorton Locks heritagegroup rk the 250th anniversary of the death of James Brindley
DLEY 1716 - 1772 T
JAMES BRINDLEY 1716 - 1772 The Father Of English
DesignedandFundedbyOLDMORTONIANS ~ the Hillmorton Locks heritagegroup to mark the 250th anniversaryof the death of James Brindley
“T he info rmat ion g ra phic wa s completed by Rugby Borough Council
Designed and Funded by OLD MORTONIANS ~ the Hillmorton Locks heritage group to mark the 250th anniversary of the death of James Brindley.
Ab out the Hillmorton Locks
We have reproduced it here on this page so, suggests Ian: “People can stand at the spot and hold it up to read.”
Born into a poor family, his working life started as an apprentice wheelwright which led to him repairing and re-designing waterwheel-driven mills. James became a renowned inventor and canal engineer, favouring contour canals to avoid costly tunnels and locks.
Bu t on Se ptembe r 12, t he Ol d Mortonians received an email from
CRT stating that because they had not done an appraisal or obtained planning permission – which is not needed for a tiny A2 tourist information sign –they would not permit the society to
On display are a pair of the cast iron Lock Gates, as installed here in 1840. A set refurbished by British Waterways at a cost of £40,000 is still in use today. Life expectancy of a modern gate is just 25 years!
JAMES BRINDLEY 1716 - 1772 The Father of English Canals
go ahead with the unveiling of its new information graphic.
He told us: “Last year we put for ward a plan for a simple A2 size lectern sty le infor mat ion boa rd opposite the old arm that was where his canal had reached on the day he died. After making o cial application via the events o cer early last year, attending site meetings and providing the local manager with every piece of information she requested, we paid for the lectern to be made.
On display are a pair of the cast iron Lock Gates, as installed here in 1840. A set refurbished by British Waterways at a cost of £40,000 is still in use today. Life expectancy of a modern gate is just 25 years!
With the advent of the railways and the need to compete, the contourhugging section of th e Oxford from Hawkesbury to Braunston was straightened in the 1 820s, reducing the distance by nearly 15 miles. This immediately challenged the capacity of the ight of three locks at Hillmorton, the rst on t he c anal after t he stop lock a t Hawkesbury Junction.
The solution to the congestion was to duplicate or twin the existing locks at Hillmorton, creating three pairs of two parallel narrow locks, which allowed for twice the traf c to pass the lock at any time. The work to double the locks was completed in August 1840.
www.towpathtalk.co.uk October 2022 NEWS 3www.towpathtalk.co.uk • Narrowboat s&Widebeams • Twopack • Anodes • Craneonoroff transpor ter CA LL 0132 78 42 577 www.w hi lt onma ri na .c o. uk Near Daventry,Nor thamptonshire NN11 2NH NEED YOUR BOAT BLACKING? We of ferthe co mp lete package so what ev er yo uneed - we’v egot it co vered! Call us todayfora FREE no obligation quote! 3October2022 Remembering the ‘father of English canals’ HILLMORTON LOCKS www.therugbytown.co.uk@therugbytown @therugbytownThe RugbyTownUK Rugby Visitor Centre Little Elborow Street, Rugby CV21 3BZ E: visitor.centre@rugby.gov.ukT:01788533217
Looking straight ahead, you can see the now disused canal arm which is where the last ever Brindley Canal had reached on the day he died on 27th September 1772.
At the height of his fame, James was commissioned to construct a canal to link Coventry with Oxford, but sadly, he was not to live to see it completed. Ironically, at this very spot, problems with the foundations of lock chambers sinking in sandy soil, delayed progress.
amily, his working life started as an apprentice re-designing waterwheel ngineer , favouring cont ame James was commissioned to construct a canal to link Coventry ly, he was not to live to see it com pleted. Ironically, at this very spot, undations of lock chambers sinking in sandy soil, delayed progress. ahead, you can see the now disused canal arm which is where the last had reached on the day he died on 27th September 1772.
Born into a poor family, his working life started as an apprentice wheelwright to him repairing and re-designing waterwheel-driven mills James became inventor and canal engineer, favouring contour canals to avoid costly tunnels and l
At the height of his fame James was commissioned to construct a canal to link with Oxford, but sadly, he was not to live to see it completed Ironically, at this problems with the foundations of lock chambers sinking in sandy soil, delaye Looking straight ahead, you can see the now disused canal arm which is whe ever Brindley Canal had reached on the day he died on 27th September 1772.
Local canal heritage group, the Old Mortonians, planned for years to mark the occasion but, according to chairman Ian Lauder, had various plans confounded by the Canal & River Trust.
marketing department and we paid for it to be printed on an aluminium sheet e mayor was booked to unveil it.”
It became one o f the most important and pro table transport links in B ritain with a principa l traf c in coal from Coventry and surrounding mines to London. The completion of the Grand Junction Canal in 1805 providing a more direct route from the Midlands to London, reduced Oxford Canal traf c south of Napton. However, the short section between B raunston and Napton became the link between the Warwick and Napton Canal and the Grand Junction Canal, making it part of the busy direct route between Birmingham and London.
The improvements allowed a large increase in traffic, with 20,859 vessels recorded passing through the Hillmorton Locks in 1842. Each lock was supplied with large, cast-iron gates, as opposed to the more usual timber gates. Lock 2 retains the now rare cast-iron gates which imbue it with special interest and is therefore designated as a Grade II Listed. Today the Hillmorton Locks are the busiest on the network.
Information t aken from t he Hillmorton Locks website.
of the cast iron Lock Gates, as installed here in 1840. A ritish Waterways at a cost of £40,000 is still in use today. modern gate is just 25 years!
She went on to apologise that she was unable to give a more detailed response.
“I therefore don’t have any details of any insurance claims paid out and am not aware that any other type of compensation has been paid.”
in these situations and so I am afraid all I can tell you is that investigations are not yet complete. With regard to compensation, my understanding is that boaters’ insurers will have paid out directly to them and will then reclaim those sums from the insurers of those whose liability is established.
city councillors have also inter vened to demand a quicker response.
“Due to seasonal river conditions at the time, the hydro generators were switched o and not operational when the incident occurred.”
Towp ath Talk also contacted the Environment Agency, which said it was unable to comment on this issue at the moment.
is that E lmbridge Council appear to have accepted this ve ry f lawe d plan wi thou t demanding it is corrected.”
Tw o other bo at s on re sidential moorings also sa nk after the we ir gate was opened at the Sandford weir structure, causing the water level to plummet rapidly.
Mr Wiseman said he and his wife have lived on board Tallis for 14 years but due to the damage caused during the incident they remain without a home after they “lost everything due to theThsinking”eyhave bee n left living wi th neighbours while they try to re t their boat, which was raised but had su ered serious water damage.
Low Carbon Hub’s CEO, Dr Barbara Hammond, explained that the incident occurred at Sandford weir, not Sandford hydro-electric plant, which was not operational at the time due to the dryThsummer.eweir is oper at ed b y the Environment Agency and is used to manage water levels on the ames south of Oxford. The Sandford-onames hydro-electric plant was built as an extension to the weir.
Th e hydro-electric site wa s fir st operational in 2017, built as a result of a community fundraising e ort led by the Low Carbon Hub – “a social enterprise that’s out to prove we can meet our energy needs in a way that’s good for people and good for the planet”, according to its website. e facility was designed to power almost 500 homes in the area per year.
e south bank of the River ames forms the entirety of the eight-mile northern bo undary of El mb ri dg e, ye t the Draft Lo ca l Pl an fails to address the ne eds of those known to be living on so-called ‘unauthorised moorings’ according to NBTA P lanni ng c onsultan t Alison He ine re presente d some of the boat dwellers in the planning appeal. She said: “The approach taken
Boaters lose homes in Thames weir incident
Dr Hammond added: “ e incident is in the hands of insurers, as is normal
She added: “In addition, the pu blic ha d ju st o ne oppor tu nity, in the consultation on the Draft Local Plan which ended on July 29, to comment on the Boat Dweller Accommodation Needs Assessment. is will be the one and only chance to examine its methodology, assumptions and ndings.”
e council had served planning enforcemen t notices on the boat dwellers in August 2019 to try to get them removed, which prompted the boat dwellers to apply for planning consent for the moorings in 2020. When this was refused, the boaters ap pe aled to the Pl anni ng Inspectorate.IfthePlanning Inspector ha d known t hat t he Boat Dw eller Ac commodation Needs Assessment had been completed on February 3, 2022 and that it concluded there was a need for at least 10 residential moorings in the borough, the boaters’ appeal may well have succeeded, according to NBTA Local Planning Authorities are required under Paragraph 62 of the National Planning Po licy Framework (NPPF) to assess and re ect need in their planning policies via a strategy and action. As it was, the applications for planning consent were rejected, apart
by Elmbridge Council lacks fairness, transparency and proper engagement with those most a ected by this matter It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the February 2022 Boat Dw eller Ac commodation Ne ed s As se ss ment wa s deliberately withheld.
“We have lost our home, possessions and spent thousands on alternative accommodation.“Itisfortunate that no one was seriously hurt when the boats were sunk, which happened in the middle of the night. When will someone take responsibility?”
Since the incident, it is understood that the Environment Agency, which granted a licence to operate the power plant, has closed the site until the cause of the incident can be determined.
“During the period of the survey, the river was moving on and o Yellow and Red Bo ards indic at ing st ro ng stream conditions. From the map provided it appears that the researcher was on the opposite side of the river to Elmbridge most of the time and did not survey all of the river frontage in the borough. The most w or rying aspe ct
Section 124 of the Housing and Pl anning Ac t 2016 brought boat dwellers into the ambit of local authority accommodation ne ed s assessments in England for the rst time. e National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) had been campaigning for this change in the law since 2009.
N BTA claims that t he council also failed to use the Boat Dweller Accommodation Needs Assessment to inform and shape planning policy in its Draft Local Plan for 2022 to 2037, published on June 17, 2022. It was left up to boat dwellers to discover that the ne ed s as se ssm ent ha d in fact been published and now formed part of the Local Plan Evidence Base.
The Wisemans’ narrowboat Tallis which sank after river levels fell rapidly when a weir was opened.
N BTA claims that t he council stated that its study had just begun in order to boost its case for removing boat dwellers who are moored on unregistered land on the River ames.
4 NEWS October 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk
from temporary permission of two years for a family with a child under the age of ve.
Rex Walden, vice-chairman of the Re sidential Bo at Owners Association (RBOA), said that the Boat D weller Ac commodation Ne ed s Assessment was a very poor piece of work : “ e survey was carried out in January –arguably trying to conduct a survey of this type in the winter is of questionable value. Many liveaboard boaters on rivers like the ames nd a ‘safe haven’ for the winter months so they are unlikely to be bankside unless they have found a very secure mooring.
Tim Wiseman’s narrowboat Tallis was one of the trio that sank despite the e orts of Oxfordshire re and rescue crews to try and save the craft from submerging. He and his wife Charlotte were not on board at the time.
Mr Wi se ma n ha s b ee n pressing Sandford Hydro Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Low Carbon Hub, and the Environment Agency for answers and for someone to take responsibility for the incident.
e Low Carbon Hub’s website states : “Following a fall in river levels in the Sandford reach on Sunday, May 29, 2022 we are working with Environment Agency sta and insurers to support the ongoing investigation as to the cause.
of the other
“ In 2 019 a re po rt by El mb ri dg e Council state d that there were around 50 to 80 boats moored along the River ames allegedly ‘without consent’ within the borough and there was a need to address this in the Local Plan. is has not happened.”
By Phil Pickin
PHOTOS: TIM WISEMAN
A COUPLE have been left homeless after an incident on the River ames in which a weir was emptied, causing their boat to sink.
Mr Wiseman commented: “Nearly three months have now passed and we are still without answers or anyone taking responsibility.
Not operational
The incident happened near the hydro-electric plant at Sandford-uponames in May
The sight facing the Wisemans following the sinking.
He said: “O ne of the large w eir structures at the site used to manage water levels on the river was opened, rapidly draining a channel of the river as millions of litres of water ooded over the open gates. It remains unclear why the gates were opened, but it is believed to have been a fault, not an act of Asvandalism.”aresultof the water levels dropping so suddenly, three houseboats sank, causing thousands of pounds’ damage and leaving people homeless.
Planning inquiry ‘misled’ over assessment into boaters’ needs, claims NBTA
However, nearly three months on, there is still no information available, he said. Local MP Anneliese Dodds and
NBTA cha ir man Pa mela Smith conclud ed : “S o far the outcome has been very patchy. Not all Local Housing Authorities where there are navigable wate rways e ven know they need to include boat dwellers in accommodation ne eds assess ments. A few have researched the needs of boat dwellers in depth, but this has not yet led to adequate provision of either te mp orary or pe rm anen t moorings for boat dwellers in the locations where they are required We recommend that local authorities follow our Best Practice Guide for Boat Dweller Accommodation Needs Assessments.”
A typical Lower Thames mooring. PHOTO: NBTA
One sunken narrowboats.
A River Canal Rescue team secure the stricken boat.
ELMBRIDGE Bo ro ugh Council did not reveal that it had carried out a Boat Dw eller Ac commo dat ion Needs Assessment almost six weeks before it reported to a planning inquiry on March 15, 2022 according to the National Bargee Travellers Association.
Steve Cross and Fatmir Ka st ra ti, who have b ee n moor ed a t Mo le sey i n El mb ri dg e for 1 6 and 13 years respectively, said: “After reviewing the Boat Dweller Ac commod at ion Ne ed s Assessment and Elmbridge Council’s comments on it, we are enraged at the injustice of it all. is report does not ful l the boaters’ needs.”
e Planning Inspector’s decision stated in Paragraph 51 that : “I am told that the council is now cur re nt ly undertaking a ne ed s as se ssme nt. H ow ev er, this is not currently in the public domain and so there is no evidenc e before me on the level of demand for p er ma nent re si denti al moorings and whether this would be addressed or met through a future development plan examination process or by some other means, and the timescales for doing so.”
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AFTER a slow start, crowds ocked to Louth Navigation Trust ’s Water way Community Festival on September 10 and 11 to enjoy live music beside the warehouse at the Riverhead Basin.
Music and ice creams beside the canal basin
Over the we ekend visitors could also see paddleboards and kayaks in action and, on the Sunday afternoon, members of the Cleethorpes Model Boat Association staged mock water battles and sailed their craft on the canal.
Stuart Sizer, right of centre, with some of the people who enjoyed his heritage walk along the canal. PHOTO: LNT
Bensley’s ice creams were very popular on a warm afternoon.
Applause for the musicians playing on the deck. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON
Members of Cleethorpes Model Boat Association sail their craft watched by a paddleboarder and kayaker. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON
PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON
Gary Hammond, a percussionist who was with Beautiful South, and Luke Carver-Goss on accordion play their set. On the wall above, tribute is paid with a photo of the late Queen
Elizabeth II. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON
PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON
Town and canal historian Stuar t Sizer was joined by 22 people for a heritage walk which he guided along the towpath and there were displays and refreshments inside the Riverhead wa re house which i s the trust ’s headquarters. Bensley’s ice cream van was also in attendance.
The York String Quartet providing classic entertainment on the Sunday afternoon.
The Bratch Lock festival site.
6 NEWS October 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk
The Jam Butty proving popular. Also see feature on
Some historic narrowboats.
There was a lot of interest in the history of some of the traditional boats.
of the
Society v ice-president Chris Dyche, along with the Canal & River Trust’s chief executive Richard Parry, officially opened the event. A number of local councillors attended, along with good numbers of local people.
AUGUST bank holiday weekend saw a signi cant birthday being celebrated by the Sta ordshire & Worcestershire Canal Society – the 250th anniversary of the opening of the canal.
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Ac cording to so ciet y commi tte e mem be r To ny Gregory, previous rallies have at tract ed m ore si gni fican t numbers of boats which, although it made for an impressive sight, caused problems when trying to accommodate them all. Numbers
page 76.
Report & photos: Phil Pickin
Sta ordshire & Worcestershire Ca na l’s actual b irthday wa s on May 28 when, in 1772, it o cially opened, having cost around £100,000 to bu ild. It remained open and, apparently, prosperous until 1948, when commercial tra c ended.
Th e e ve nt a lso be nefit ed from the impressive locks as a backdrop, w ith many visitors taking time to walk up to the toll
Visitors to the Bratch Locks Festival and Rally.
A boatspassingLocksnavigatesnarrowboatBratchbeforethemooredatthefestival.
at this event were described as being ‘more manageable’.
Th e se tt ing wa s id eal, a s wa s the w eather a nd ma ny visitors attended to look at both traditional and modern boats. A nu mb er of trading bo at s also participated and it was good to see groups of visitors interested in hearing the history of some of the craft from their current owners.
Plenty of colour for visitors to see.
Society celebrates canal’s 250th anniversary
house and watch the volunteer lock keepers help boats through. ankfully there was enough tra c to demonstrate the work of the lock keepers to visitors Cu rrent re st ri ctions, caus ed by t he drou ght conditions, did cause the organisers some concern before the event.
e waterway betw een the Ri ve r Se ve rn and Au therle y opened in 1772 and to mark the event a rally, attracting more than two dozen boats, was held just below the unique Bratch Lo cks in Wombou rne in the West Midlands.
PHOTOS: LYNN PEGLER/CRT
Rescue of boats stranded by Anderton lift closure
is is an extra safety feature which would hold the gate up if the supporting cables were to fail.
e Canal & River Trust helped more than 40 boats trapped on the River Weaver Navigation, after the Anderton Boat Lift unfortunately had to be closed in mid-August for safety reasons.
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In the meantime, Anderton Boat Lift visitor centre is very much open for business as usual and boat trips are available along the River Weaver Navigation to Northwich.
Weaver operations team leader Alan Wrench winding the lock.
AN U NE XP EC TED flotilla of narrowboats re cently delighted visitors at the National Waterways Mu se um in El lesmere Po rt , Cheshire as the vessels travelled on to the Shropshire Union Canal from the Manchester Ship Canal.
The flotilla of narrowboats heading out into the Manchester Ship Canal.
Trust engineers have car ried out extensive surveys of the faulty equipment and reluctantly decided that the lift will need to be out of action for the rest of the boating season. e repair needed will a ect all the gates at the site, requiring the installation of new equipment in the gate lifting mechanisms.
Th e trus t’s customer s ervices team contacted all a ected boaters individually to make ar rang ements for safe passage on to the Manchester Ship Canal along which they w ere guided by pilots. A special talk was held at Anderton Boat Lift to give advice from an independent sur veyor, who also assessed each boat to ensure it wasAndertonseaworthyBoat Lift is unfortunately closed for the rest of the boating season following a problem with a broken ‘shoot bolt bracket’ on one of the gates at the top of the boat lift.
www.towpathtalk.co.uk October 2022 NEWS 7
Normally they would return to the rest of the inland waterway network by taking a passage through the lift
Five of the narrowboats being helped through Marsh Lock at the end of the River Weaver Navigation.
e boat lift, the world’s rst, is a unique structure so new components have to be designed, manufactured and tested, which is not a quick process.
back up to the Trent & Mersey Canal.
The boaters’ meeting at Anderton.
e colourful green and red dragon pedalos have become particularly popular with DIY boating locals and tourists who have been queuing up to chill out on the beautiful River Avon.
Roar of approval for boating return
nt ee rs ha ve bee
“As a riverside town, the Avon is a really important part of our leisure industry and economy and it’s great to see people enjoying the river again at weekends and in school holidays,” he commented.
and t re es f ro m
Evesham Mayor Coun Mark Goodge is pictured on board one of the colourful dragons with his children Ellie, aged 15, Abigail, 12 and three-year-old Nathaniel. PHOTO: ANT
out pedalos, paddleboards and katakanus with more activities planned.
On t he other sid e of the Gre at B ri dg e Road, a radar sur ve y wi ll be undertaken to as certain the condition of the seven in lled locks up to the Wolverhampton level.
Th ey also clear ed t he undergrow th, making it once more look like a canal and recently have concentrated on
The existing clay dam will be re placed by a t empo ra ry f ab ri c dam while the clay is removed e channel will then be incrementally lled with this water to test it.
Thanks go t o Tu dor Griffiths builder’s merchants who generously supplied the hard core for the new compound base and also continued thanks go to Lloyd’s Animal Feeds, for its very generous provision of the group’s current compound site.
will play an important role in supporting the trust and wo rk in g alongside JN Bentley and Kier, who cover the north and south of the networ k re sp ec tively and wi ll ca rr y ou t the lar gest r es to ra tion and repair projects, including responding to dynamic situations, such as ooding or canal breaches.
WHETHER it ’s a classic vinyl album you’ve been searching for or that rare cookery book from another century you are sure to nd it at one of the largest book and music shops in the area.
information.org.uk/restorationalsodetailsorg.uk/work-party-schedulehttps://shropshireunion.forofdatesandcontacts,https://shropshireunion.fornewsand
metre section above the blocks. Riprap is designed to reduce the erosive e ect of wash created by boat propellers.
Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should access the website
Part of the cleared channel. PHOTO SUPPLIED
“ e trust is very happy to support our river users and towns, which are promoting the river for the bene t of both communities and visitors,” said Clive Matthews, chief executive of ANT, which has launched the William James mobile River Avon Welcome Centre and has sited its youth and volunteering agship Neptune in Evesham.
“ is underpins the rst strategic objective of the Evesham Town Centre Investment Prospectus which is to develop Evesham as a leisure destination, a great day out and making the most of its picturesque River Avon setting in the Vale of Evesham.”
Severn Leisure’s 12-seater Easy Tiger o ers 45 to 60-minute trips on a rst come rst served basis from Hampton Ferry and Abbey Park.
t he ov er ha ng
Th e se ve n new contracts ha ve a pot ential wo rt h of about £300 million, bringing the trust ’s civil engineerin g contracts to tal t o around £800 million,
“We have had such a lot of positive feedback from people who are delighted to be able to enjoy being on the river as part of their day out.”
and are part of its la rg est aw ard of water way engineering contract s. A mco , Breheny, CPC Civils, Fo rk er s, Jacksons , Land & Water a nd
ey will be carr ying out a suite of projects th at w ill i mp rov e the experience for local communities, boaters and visitors,
oc iet y vo
bo
THE Canal & River Trust has appointed se ve n further contractors to work alongside JN Bentley and Kier to carry out con st ru ction and engineering projects over the next decade.
He ri tage Lo tte ry f unding that has nanced the project will end in October, hence the need to complete all work by the end of the month. e pressure is on to meet this deadline, but each session now is signi cantly reducing the massive task.
Cotswold Canals Trust is always on the lookout for volunteers in a wide range of roles. Anyone interested in supporting it can make contact throu gh the website at vocotswoldcanals.org/volunteer/https://lunteering-opportunities/
e new contracts are aw arded for a period of up to 10 ye ars from Au gust 2022, with an initial term of four years, followed by extension options of a further six
Ayears.rigorous six-stage tender process was ca rri ed out ov er a 20-month period.
Th e sec ond big ad va nce t his month was the start of preliminar y work for the next project, the channel beyond Crickheath Bridge to the new Schoolhouse Bridge e fence posts were installed in the new compound area and the fence materials were due to follow later in the week.
Flattening the towpath.
h av e
The new book and music shop in Stonehouse. PHOTO: CCT
Canal & River Trust.
Other wo rk saw another 2000 concrete blocks being laid to advance the lined channel to within 15m of the winding hole at Crickheath near Llanymynech. e connection to the winding hole, which is in water retained behind a large clay dam, will be made at the start of October.
non-complex works alongside the seven newMacontractors.lcolmHo rne , chief i nfrastructure and programme s o cer at CRT, said: “I a m delighted to we lcome o ur ne w contractors who will be working with us.
Evesham’s mayor and father of three, Coun Mark Goodge, said his family was among those loving being able to mess about on the river.
O n the back of a very successful rst year in Brimscombe, the Cotswold Canals Trust has just opened its second char ity b oo k shop i n St onehous e. Located next to the library, just inside Queen Road, it promises to o er a vast selection of books, board games, DVDs and an eclectic selection of music from CD to vinyl.
Its principal aim was to develop as much of the towpath reconstruction as possible. The complete 330m length has to have wooden shuttering on the inside and outside edges, and then the middle section has to be dressed with graded stone and dust.
More riprap stone and soil have been added to exposed areas of the
ri
A RETURN of boat hire and cruises to Evesham has been greeted with a roar of approval.
IN R ECENT months, Bradley Ca na l Re sto ra tion S lu n c lea ng ing ughs Moorcroft Junction up to the foot of Lock 9.
Be fore the in au gu ra tion, Stonehouse Mayor Gary Powell said: “We are delighted to welcome new businesses into Stonehouse Given the vital role the canal plays in the environmental and social welfare of our town, it’s wonderful to be supporting this new book and music shop that will serve our community.”
e books, in excellent or near new condition, range upwards from 50p ere is also a cosy corner with seating for children to browse and read.
JN Bentley and Kier will also undertake
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Laid-back cruises on board Easy Tiger have also been a big hit thanks to Avon Navigation Trust (ANT) and Wychavon District Council working in partnership to bring back pleasure boating to the town’s crowd-pulling parks.
The first fence post on the new Project 2023 compound. PHOTOS: PUBLICITY
Book and music shop opens in Stonehouse
THE second August work party was well attended by Shropshire Union Canal volunteers despite being in the middle of the holiday season. e weather again was very kind, which resulted in another very productive three days.
A small team passed the 100m mark on the second day and by close of play on Sunday had a total of 125m chalked o e two September work parties were attempting to complete the remaining metres.
Bonkers’ Evesham Dragon Watersports team is hiring
clearing the area around the in lled Locks 8 and 9, mainly uprooting the Himalayan balsam. e remains of the channel we re t hen evident and it was the society’s wish that some proper dredging could beUnundertaken.beknown t o members of the society, contractors arrived on site a nd cleared t he channel thanks to the
Vo lun teer-run, all proceed s go towards restoring the Stroudwater Canal & ames & Severn Canals. Mike Richter, who runs both the charity’s bookshops, said: “ is is a great milestone for the trust in what is our 50th anniversar y year. We are proud to have achieved a fantastic year at Brimscombe and are now bringing a very large collection into town. If last year is anything to go by, we will continue to feature some diverse and interesting genres and we thank our customers for providing us with such a rich variety of books and music.”
On site h av e bee n appointed to deliver less complex projects on a regional basis, including tho se funded b y thir d parties su ch as towpath and access improvements.esecontractors
More contractors appointed by CRT
Clearing the way
To wpath ‘ton-up boys’ and Crickheath South project starts
Lining and blocking in progress.
Wychavon District Council has also welcomed the success Coun Mark Ward, executive board member for economic growth and tourism for Wychavon District Council, said: “It’s great to see Evesham’s fabulous River Avon being used for leisure activities.
enabling more people to experience the bene ts of spending time by the water.”
Wo rk p arties we re due to re st art in mid-September when it was planned to expose the wall edging under the Metro Tram bridge.
ANT has engaged delivery partners Bonkers Activities and Severn Leisure to operate from the Abbey Park and Workman Gardens’ moorings.
8 NEWS October 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk
SU
www.towpathtalk.co.uk October 2022 CHARACTER/PETS 9
For the past two years she has lived alongside moorings just outside Oxford in her caravan, sited on a strip of neglected woodland between water and rail track. “I appreciate the comradeship I have found on the canal, especially after emerging from a di cult and lonely lockdown My encounters with boaters have been warm and I am grateful for their willingness to share knowledge.”
At one such oating market which I had seen advertised by the Roving Canal Traders Association (RCTA) www.rcta. org.uk, on the Grand Union C anal in Milton Ke ynes, I stumbled across a fabulously decor at ed b unting-clad widebeam called C’est la vie. It is owned by Lorraine and Phil who make and s ell amazing home accessories (see Inspired Home Crafts – www.facebook. com/ihcrafts) and gifts including bunting of course, in various designs and lengths.
We discuss how only 200 years ago canals were once seen as industrial futures but now, as the country is increasingly crossed by roads and railways and contrails, “these vestiges of a former transport network ironically o er green corridors for nature, leisure and relaxation.”
alterations on the boat to assist her. Luckily, she is good with cats and dogs; her favourite toy is Spiky the hedgehog and her favourite food is cooked chicken which is much easier to eat as most of her teeth have been removed.
It was actually the show boat and their main requirement was that it was bright inside with no carpets as they had four cats and one dog at the time of purchase
I LOVE craft fayres and markets, especially oating ones, where you discover a plethora of goods created on boats by their artistic, and sometimes famous, owners.
Li ving a transient lifestyle ha s prov ided oppor tu nity for immersion in the various locations featured in Nancy’s writing but while this has been in part spurred on by the desire to obser ve environmental change, it has also been due to nancial insecurity and housing precarity growing up. “I hadn’t known stability and so I didn’t put any value on it.” Now however, she acknowledges her work with the water ways as the beginning of trying to live a more local, low-carbon lifestyle, positively supporting rather than merely witnessing biodiversity.
Paddy and Millie sitting together in the stern.
roughout her book we are treated to poetic details on the impact of human activity on our nature
DESPITE g ro wi ng u p in the Sc ottish Bo rd ers a nd Northumberland – a part of the UK sparse on canals – writer
Upon adoption she had to be socialised and taught how to play, plus unfortunately she had cancer but recovered. She has had cancer twice since and now ha s sight and po ss ible hearing issues but Phil has made
“D ogs ca n often get very excited when aboard, particularly if it’s their rst time out on the water. ere are lots of different sights, so unds a nd smells around, most of which they have not experienc ed before. Likewise, they can also be ner vous or, at t imes, over ly con dent around the gunnels. In a nutshell, they often act much like us humans when spending time on the water. erefore, it’s
“For us at BoatTrips. ie, as well as wanting to keep ever ybody safe, we want them to have a great experience on the water. e last thing any family wants is to lose their beloved pet to drow ning so we would encourage all boaters, whether occasional or regular, to dress their fur ry friend in a PFD while ou t enj oy ing ou r fantastic water ways.”
Thunderstone: A true story of losing one home and discovering another, by Nancy Campbell (Elliott & Thompson) is available in hardback online and at all good bookshops.
Twitter & Instagram: @nancycampbelle
BoatTrips.ie go the extra mile to ensure K9 boat trippers are safe
MANY bo at t ri p providers now permit dogs b ut, whe n bo arding, h ow o ften have you been o ered a lifejacket or Personal Flotation Device (PFD) for you r four-legg ed companion? Not many would be my reply.
“A s part of t he package, we o er and encourage customers to t their furry friends with lifejackets that we provide. And, so far to date, all have taken us up on the offe r. Ge nerally, peo ple see t he b ene fits of the lifejackets, after all, most see t heir four-legged buddies as being part of the family. So, wouldn’t you want to do what’s in the best interest of your family member?
It is this experience, of living alongside the canal, that she so beautifully details in her latest book, understone. is intimate and honest memoir feels somewhat like the journals of Henry oreau during his experiment in deliberate living at Walden and Nancy cites writers such as oreau as inspirations.
Cl iff R eid of Bo at Trips.ie is leading the way in not only permitting dogs on his open boat river trips but also in helping them stay safe on the water and has also discovered more unexpected bene ts Barge Beagle recently caught up with Cli to nd out more:
Bowler hat-wearing Lorraine advised that they had taken early retirement ve years ago and had purchased their Vetus VH4.65 (65hp engine) boat, their rst, from Nottingham Boat Company from new, having seen it at the Crick Boat Show; which is always worth attending.
Since that time Nancy has been appointed Canal Laureate by the Poetry Society and Canal & River Trust and, during her two-year tenure (201819), kayaked a signi cant amount of the 2000 miles of waterways, meeting those who lived and worked on them while gathering material for poems.
Writer and poet Nancy Campbell. Nancy’s caravan home beside the Oxford Canal.
Sitting on the canopy-covered stern with Lorraine was sweet 14-year-old shih tzu dog Millie, who turned out to be famous having been on Paul O’Grady’s TV programme For the Love of Dogs. Millie, who was seven at the time, had been featured (as had Lorraine and Phil) and was indeed o cially a #pogdog, who had also been on a Pets at Home advert ...yes I did ask for her pawtograph!
“I suppose one of the changes that takes place in the course of the action of understone is understanding the need to exchange my nomadic, wandering existence for something that has a deeper, more permanent engagement with locality.” It seems her home on the fringes is the perfect place to gently put down these roots and slowly learn to live with a little more commitment among like-minded folk. “Like writers, many people on the waterways are outsiders by nature, a bit unconventional – we get along well as a result.”
For more than a decade Nancy has dedicated her time to w itnessing and writing on environmental change so while understone is an exploration of living alternatively, it is also very much about humans’ relationship to the land
Pets afloat
Also with Millie was a rather pretty Birman cat called Paddy whom they purchased from a breeder as a kitten, along with his brother who has since died.
“I have always admired and been inspired by writers who have a working engagement with the environment and the cycle of the seasons.”
As she shares: “I appreciate being immersed in nature with wrens and robins as my neighbours and even the occasional heron but I am also very aware that the green space I live in is a human construct. Of course that could apply to much of the ‘natural’ landscape of the UK, but the canals are somewhere one is especially aware of it.”
Characters of the Cut
Alice Grif n is a wandering writer living and working aboard her narrowboat, Melody. She leads nature-inspired e-courses that bring us back to the earth, and ourselves.
Living the low-carbon lifestyle. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
For the love of dogs –and cats
Luckily he always gets back on the boat and even when they had to move their boat in the past, he actually waited in the same vicinity for them to return.
PHOTO: ALISON WILKERSON
Barge Beagle – sniffing out good finds for crews with canines
By Alison Alderton
Nancy Campbell, writer
“O pe ra ting from Ca rlow To wn a nd Ki lkenny City, we at BoatTrips.ie o er customers both public and privat e cruises on t he ri ve rs Nore and Barrow. As dog ow ners ou rs el ve s, we love to see dogs out and about on the water and enjoying the boating life. erefore, we o ffer custo mers the oppor tu nity to bring their K9 friends ab oard for priv at e
Website: www.nancycampbell.co.uk
By Alison Wilkerson
boat tours. Over the past four years, and particularly through Covid, this has proven most popular.
just as important for them to wear a PFD or “Welifejacket.allknow the be nefits l ifejac ke ts give, such as providing buoyancy, preventing drowning and giving protection from cold water shock. But over the past year or two, we’ve witnessed some other bene ts of our family pets donning a PFD. For example, we r eg ularly see parents struggling to coax their little ones or toddlers into life vests. However, when Oscar, their best buddy (and our boatr ips.ie resident dog), is styling a vibrant oran ge jacket, suddenly there is no longer an issue and all is at peace in the“Aworld.cutelittle doggie in his boat ing gear will always guarantee
Discover more www.boattrips.ieat:
ey also had a 7/8 year-old moggie cat called Digby who was nowhere to be seen as he was probably in the bushes, which is where he spends most of his time when moored up. He is rather independent and had been feral prior to them adopting him, as his previous owners had left him behind when they moved.
Charlie and his humans enjoy time on the water with BoatTrips.ie
However, a book was not at the forefront of her mind when she rst moved into her caravan: “Of course I keep a diary, but my move into the woods by the canal was purely a practical arrangement and had not been intended as ‘research’ for a literary project.” She soon realised, though, that the diary she was keeping about life in the caravan might have the makings of a book.
Moving south to university she encountered h er firs t huma n-made water way, the South Oxford Canal, and it soon became her peaceful place. “My towpath walks took me out of the city to nd new perspectives on the dreaming spires; a haven of nature which was a relief in this unfamiliar, densely populated landscape. e peaceful environment o ered time and space to develop my ideas and relax away from the pressure of studies.”
ey then moved from a house to live aboard their new oating home. After a year of cruising and sewing, they decided to start selling the creations at shows and fayres on land but then attended and star ted selling at oating markets from their lovely boat.
By Alice Griffin
big smiles. So aside from all the bene ts of saving your family pe t or be st f ri end, ha ving you r do g wear a life vest can often go a long way to encouraging the other precious members of your family to don a lifesaving PFD.
spaces and how it is possible to live alongside peacefully. “As I’m falling asleep, I listen to the trains pass, making a banshee scream or a sound like a bullet that pierces the van. Sometimes in the hush that follows I catch another sound, a faint electronic sigh, as the points chan ge. Th e trains ma ke t he wildness. Without the occasional sc re am and t he shakin g, I would not appreciate the silence and stillness.”
Her course — Ageless Autumn — began recently! www.alicegrif n.co.uk/ecourses
Nancy Campbell has developed a deep love for our inland waters
Marlow Lock : Replacement of lock chamber timbers.
Chief executive Richard Parr y said: “Because canals span river catchments, they are readymade to move water between water companies and to be a growing solution as the nation faces up to longer, drier summers. e pace with which these options are being considered must be accelerated if water supply is going to be treated as an urgent problem.”
Other major works: Shi ord Lock : Welfare hut roo ng and tree management along access track.
Sa ndford Lo ck : Tr ee management over boat storage and picnic areas and welfare hut roo ng.
Bray L ock: Installation of safety fencing.
It is needed to replace or ke ep ma intained 45 lo ck s, their associated structures and towpath bridges, in reliable condition for the continued safe enjoyment of boaters and all visitors.efollowing locks will be closed from the rst date listed and will reopen on the day after the nal date:
Aquarius II ready to join the Canal & River Trust’s workboat fleet. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Ca ve rsham Lo ck : Replacement of existing timbers on head landings on both banks in the lock cut.
Pennine Princess being used as a floating exhibition and interview location in Birmingham city centre during the games.
Culham Lock will be closed from the end of October until mid-March.
Canal in London, to transfer water for domestic supply. e schemes would utilise spare capacity in the canal network or use canals to move supply between water companies.
THE Environment Agency is investing £9 million as part of its annual programme of essential wo rk s along the non-tidal River ames.
THE Canal & River Trust has highlighted the role that its network can play in providing a more resilient UK water supply, including proposals to transfer water for millions more people who have been experiencing drought. Already the nation’s canals transfer more than 300 million litres of water each day to supply millions of homes and businesses in Bristol, the South West and Cheshire. And the trust is working with the water industry to progress the use of the Grand Union Canal in the Midlands which, in the years ahead, will provide a daily transfer of up to a further 115 million litres of water from Severn Trent’s catchment in the Midlands to A nity Water customers in Bedfordshire.
Ro mn ey L oc k: L oc k re furbishmen t, l oc k sid e re su rf acing, wall w ork and additio na l s afe ty f enci ng.
e trust is also championing more than a dozen further schemes across the country using, for example, the Oxford Canal, and the Regent's
installation of fenders on lock cutGobridge.ringLock: Lock chamber
Hambleden Lock : Repair of lock gate sluices.
THE rec ent Commonwealth Games in Birmingham generated a considerable amount of pride in the athletic achievements of the competitors. e international contest was also a proud moment for Cheshire-based Aqueduct Ma ri na, which su pplied tw o boats to the Canal & River Trust just as the event began.
Rushey Lock : Installation of lock chamber access steps.
Aquarius II, a new electricpow ered 35 ft boat replacing the original craft Aquarius, was used to collect debris from the water ways in and around the Birmingham area during and after the games.
Canals can help alleviate water shortages
Cu lham L ock: Replacement of hydraulic hoses, inspection and maintenance of chamber,
Mick Carrington, plant and equipment manager at the trust, said: “Aquarius II is going to be another essential workboat for our eet. It will be a vast improvement on the old craft, providing improved performance from its battery-powered electric propulsion drive e welfare provisions have been updated to provide 240-volt electrics and toilet facilities.
Ro be rt Par to n, m an ag in g director of Aqueduct Marina, sai d: “We are prou d to be supporting the Canal & River Trust to bring its workboat eet up to modern standards and Aqu arius II was ma de more interesting by its connection to the Commonwealth Games.
wa lk wa y re su rf aci ng a nd concreting on lo ck e dg e. Installation of safety fencing on the lock island.
In addition to Aquarius II , a fully re furbished Pe nni ne Princess also took pride of place in Bi rm ingham. Previousl y st at ioned at t he St ande dg e Tu nnel, the 50ft unpow ered boat was fully re tted to provide a oating exhibition and media interview location close to the indoor arena in the city.
Eynsham: Naturalised sh pass channel refurbishment and bridge replacement.
PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON
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“ e timely arrival of the new craft ensured, with the help of the trust’s dedicated volunteers, th at B irmingham’s c anals looked their best when the city welcomed thousands of visitors
Aqueduct Marina’s pride in games involvement
“While this requires continued investment to maintain the network, our 250-year-old canals are already a key part of UK infrastructure and this o ers a solution that is cheaper and more bene cial to wildlife, the environment, businesses and consumers.”
Abingdon Lock : Installation
Richard added: “Unlike constructing new pipelines or reservoirs, our 2000-mile Georgian network already exists, linking water company zones in a much more efficient way. Th e network is here to make the UK’s water supply more resilient and as a ordable as possible for businesses and consumers.
Godstow weir: Replacement of weir structure and sh pass.
October 31, 2022-March 17, 2023
also changed, after which it was repainted and blacked.
Cookham Lock: Installation of safety fencing and improving access steps to water point.
10 NEWS October 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk
River Thames winter stoppages
October 31, 2022-January 27, 2023
“It wa s also great to s ee Pennine Princess moored in such a prominent position during the games.”
of a new downstream canoe portage.Blakes Lock : Installation of two canoe portages in lock cut and weir stream.
Bray Mill: Weir and eel pass refurbishment.Walton Brid ge : Refurbishment of decking.
In addition to the canal network’s role in supplying and moving resource between water companies, the trust supplies canal water to industry to cool o ces and data centres as an alternative to the use of drinking water supplies – sparing the use of costly treated drinking water where canals are a local alternative. E xisting schemes are in London Docklands, West London and the Midlands.
As a result, Pennine Princess was tted with solar panels, a 240v system and new workstations e seating ar rangement was
October 31-December 23, 2022
for the Commonwealth Games.
This railway carriage print of the Norfolk Broads came in its original frame.
www.towpathtalk.co.uk October 2022 HERITAGE 11
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e 11-mile Paisley Canal linked Port Eglinton in Glasgow with Johnstone via Paisley. It opened in two stages in 1810 and the following year and cost £130,000 to build, with partial funding from Hugh Montgomerie of Coils eld, the 12th Earl of Eglinton (1739-1819).
e canal was taken over by t he GS WR in 1869 and closed in 1881, with much of the route being converted into a railway line. is line was closed in 1983 but was subsequently reopened between Glasgow Central and the new Pa isle y station and is known as the Paisley Canal Line e price for the totem si gn e xc ludes buye r’s premium of 15% (+ VAT).
In the same auction, two Me rs ey & I rw ell Navigat ion consignment notes dated 1841 and 1845 sold for £11, a price matched by ve BR Western Region timetable lea ets dated between 1954-67 for River Dart trips. Prices exclude buyer’s premium of 12½%.
Until the ar rival of railw ay s it wa s both a comme rc ial an d passenger success, with the l at ter t ra ns po rt ed by boats pulled by six horses. Sadly it was also the sc ene of Britain’s worst canal boat disaster, when in the ye ar of opening a day-trippers’ craft capsized, leading to the deaths of 84 people.
Heritage under the hammer
Two reasons for the high price are that totem signs, which were a familiar sight on stations throughout the BR network in the 1950s and 60s, are currently riding the crest of a wave, while this particular example is believed to be the only station to ever include ‘canal’ in its name.
Another piece of inland water ways history that went under the hammer was a Norfolk Broads railway carriage print that sold for £180 (+ buyer’s premium of 18% inc VAT) in a live online GW Railwayana auction on July 8. It was from the LNER post-war series issued in 1947 and came in its original frame.
Geoff Courtney reports on the latest canalia auction scene that includes a piece of canal and railway history that went under the hammer for £1000.
One of five River Dart Trip leaflets.
A RAILWAY totem sign from Paisley Canal station sold for £1000 in a live online auction held by Great Central Railwayana on September 3.
e station was opened by the Glasgow & South Western Railway in July 1885, closed by BR to passengers in January 1983 and reopened on a nearby new site seven years later.
e artist was Hartlepool-born Frank Mason (1875-1965), whose work included maritime and shipping paintings. He was educated as a cadet on the naval school ship HMS Conway, was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists in 1904 and was Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve shipping artist in the First World War. His work has been exhibited at a number of locations, including the National Maritime Museum.
T he Ac t, d at ed 1 774, authorised the construction by Sir John Ramsden of a canal from the River Calder at Hudders eld, and the price for this 248-yearold piece of canal history was just £16. e canal, which is just under four miles long, is now the Hudders eld Broad Canal and is popular with leisure tra c. e Canal & River Trust lauds it as “a place to nurture your own health and happiness in the heart of urban Hudders eld.”
PHOTO: PAPERCHASE
PHOTO: GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAYANA
As ever with auctions, there are sometimes bargains to be had with memorabilia several centuries old, and this is illustrated by an Act of Parliament that featured in the quarterly email and postal sale held by the transport paper work auction house Paperchase from July 14-August 2.
PHOTO: GW RAILWAYANA
The Paisley Canal totem sign sold for £1000.
where HS2 crosses or runs near to each of the a ected canals.
walk
We ndy Evans, Dave a nd Annie Roberts all stopped by to chat. Accommodating the trading boats was hindered so mewhat b ecau se s ome stretches of the towpath are quite erod ed b ehind the piling or overgrown in front of it, meaning uncert ain footing at the water’s edge.
Ne xt y ear ’s F oW returns to Pelsall where it was last held in 2016. Fo r full re po rt a nd photos, see page 20.
With the traditional tiller pin at the opening of the Festival of Water in siteIWA‘Moose’ComplexofNeilEastHudson,Hudson,MayoressforboroughShelaghare,Burton-upon-Trentfromleft:CounMcKiernan,councillorShobnallWard,KarenCounPhilipMayorofStaffordshire,Brown,managerShobnallLeisureandDaveHearnden,FestivalofWaterdirector.
Ge t involved – work par ty dates
parking/meeting
Adam Comer ford, CRT’s national hydrology manager, will speak about managing water resources on CRT’s canals and rivers and Neil Owen, CRT regional engineer, will explain why maintenance on the water ways costs so much more than most people think Register at https://water ways.org. costs-of-mainevuk/support/ways-to-get-involved/ents/crt-water-resources-and-tenance
IWA’s main objection to the plans is the absence of adequate nois e miti gat ion measures for canal users.
TWELVE trading boats and 14 land-ba se d st alls, as well as the Milton Keynes community bo at El ec tra , drew the crowds to the canal towpath south of Watling St re et, where the Fe nn y Stratford Canal Festival took place in August.
Each day, Electra provided 50-minute trips to Water Eaton and back; three trips on Saturday, ve on Sunday. All places were sold out on both days On Sunday, another electric boat arrived – James Griffin’s ra dio-controlle d model narrowboat, complete with authentic engine noise.
Alton Towers
using sat nav, use
At each canal crossing location there should be 4 m high nois e bar rier fencing across the v iaducts and on adjacent embankments. In M anchester th e construction compound should have substantial noise fencing.
Visitors browse the trading boats along the towpath at the Fenny Stratford Canal Festival.
Our canals are major heritage assets, wildlife sites and recreational cor ri dors, va lued for their tranquillity and each HS2 aff ec te d location is used by tens of thousands of people eachNoyear.ise le ve ls clos e to H S2 brid ge s wi ll be e xt re mely high wi thout aco us ti c barriers and the noise of passing trains w ill propagate over a wide area. Although this is intermit te nt, it is the peak noise levels that cause maximum disturbance, and any form of averaging noise levels is misleading.
IWA branches are lling up their winter calendars with in-person and online events. Details here: https://water ways.org.uk/support/ ways-to-get-involved/eventsOnewebinaristobeheldby West London Branch on November 3 at 7.30pm, on Water Resources and Costs of Maintenance. This year has seen Canal & River Trust have to close, or restrict hours, on many of the canals and rivers it manages.
IW A’ s pe tition explains in detail the wide variety of ways in which people use and reside on the waterways, and the vulnerability of moored boat occupants to external noise. Canal boats are residences, and while not always permanently occupied and capable of moving, wherever more than a few boats are moored, pe rm anently or intermittently, it is likely that people will be living there for si gn ifican t pe ri od s, s o their acoustic environment should be protected.
This bill for Phase 2b We st affect s th e Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Ca na l, the T re nt & Mersey Canal, and the Ashton and Rochdale canals in Manchester.
including clothing, jewellery, fancy goods, food and drink.
this spot. e
Festival welcomed back to Burton
Lane, close
NORTH WEST
4BY. e work site
12 IWA ROUNDUP October 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH IWA’S AMY TILLSON
Read IWA’s petitions: the full text of both IWA petitions – that against the Bill and that against the First Additional Provision, as published on the Select Committee website – can be seen at
e
So ciety offered i ts ‘retro re cy cling ce nt re’, s oc iety merchandise and beautiful rag rugs. Other stalls and traders had, it seemed, every conceivable item on o er,
IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust: Monthly work party on the Uttoxeter Canal working betwe en Alton and Crumpw ood. 10am-4pm. is month will be working at the Alton end of the length meeting is to Station on Farley to For those ST10 is a short from What3Words location for the location is the the the Country Branch (Taunton & Bridgwater): Work parties in the Somerset area. 10am-1pm. Contact Mike Slade: mike.slade@waterways. org.uk on 07977 263840. the branch to register an interest if you would like to attend one of these work parties. It is advisable to wear stout shoes, old clothing and take a waterproof. You may also want to take a packed lunch and any refreshments.
Alton
Arm, 10am-2pm. e tasks usually include ve ge tation clearanc e, weeding, litter picking and painting at locks Contact Geo Wood geo wood@water ways.org.uk TuesdaysIWAMilton K eynes B ranch: Reg ular wo rk p ar ty a t Fe nn y Lock on the Grand Union Canal. 9.30am-1.30pm. Work can include vegetation clearance, gardening, litter picking and painting. Work parties are dependent on weather. Contact Pat Durham on 07510 195918 or email pat.durham@water ways.org.uk TuWESTesdays & Saturdays IWA West
A big thank you to Diane Witts and all branch members who took part in organising the event or turned up to help on the day and to the traders who attended Special thanks are due to Lorraine Andrews and Penny Ho ll ow ay f or mu ch be hind-the-sc ene s work liaising with the traders e branch is grateful also to Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council for a grant for essential expenses. An early calculation of the pro t from the event gives a gure of more than £900.
PHOTO: JOANNE VELLAM
Ho we ve r, A P1 includes s ome n ew works on the Middlewich Branch at Clive Green Lane Bridge that, while pr ov iding impr ov ed cy cle ac ces s, w ou ld wo rs en ped estrian access. IWA’s se cond pe tition therefor e asks f or retention of the access ste ps and towpath hedge.
PLEASE contact
we
ra ilway , opposite
Monday October 17
e Bill, as deposited, would also a ect the Brid ge wa ter Ca na l and t he Manchester Ship Canal, although the Government’s lastminute decision to remove the Golborne Li nk t hr ou gh an Ad ditional Prov ision (AP1) re mo ve s the threat to moorings on the Bridgewater Canal, for now at least.
Canal interfaces
is event was organised chie y by IWA Milton Keynes Branch for the second year running and has become an important fund-raiser for theThbranch.eIWA stall included sales of its merchandise, a raffle, and IWA’s usual publicity and infor mation poi nt. The big water way ma p forming the bac k of the gazebo was a very useful talking poi nt, sparking many comments and re miniscences from passers-by. Alongside IWA , the Buck ingham Ca na l
delighted to welcome the IWA back to the Trent & Mersey Canal, one of the earliest to be built, with strong links to Burton.
IWA’s petition details the us ag e of the can als a ro und each HS2 interface. On the Mi ddle wi ch Branch pe rmanent moorings at Park Farm and visitor moorings at Yew Tree Farm are a ected. On the T re nt & Mers ey Canal visitor moorings at B ra mb le Cu tt ings, po pu lar tem po ra ry moorings at Billinge Gr ee n Fl ash and permanent moorings at Oakwood Marina would be particularly a ected.
PHOTO: IWA
Jo hn Bu tler, IWA nat ional tr ea su re r, thanked all the volunteers and Coun Hudson for the council’s support.
A tu g-of-war betw ee n it and Electra was suggested, but James was afraid that Electra’s wash might sink it!
close
///adapt.overdone.grow ere is a parking area down a track parallel to
IWA petitions against HS2 bill
THE H S2 (Cr ewe–Ma nches te r) Bi ll re ceiv ed a s ec ond re ading on Ju ne 20 and was referred to an HS2 Select Committee to hear petitions from those di re ctly and specially a ected.
One of the areas affected by the bill – the Trent & Mersey Canal at Whatcroft. PHOTO: IWA
point
Branch webinars and social events
Noise mitigation
iwa-petitions-against-hs2-crewe-manchestehttps://waterways.org.uk/about-us/news/r-bill
Also on Sunday, members of the IWA branch we re pleased to have a visit from Jonathan Smith, its interim chief executive o cer, who congratulated the branch on a successful event.
re tu rned to Bu rt onupon-Trent for the third time, w elcomed by delighted crowds at Shobnall Fields during the August Bank Holiday weekend.Opening the festival on the Saturday, Coun Philip Hudson, Mayor of East Sta ordshire, said he was
Th e plans inc lud e (i) the Crewe No rt h Ro lling St ock d epot and thr ee a djacen t viaduct crossings of the Middlewich Branch, (ii) three separate viaduct crossings of the Trent & Mersey Canal north of Middlewich, and (iii) a ma in construction comp ou nd i n Ma ncheste r. At each of these interfaces the canals would be subject to e xc essive nois e unless better mitigation is provided.IWAhas responded to se ve ra l previ ou s consultations , including the National In frastructur e Com mis sio n and the Transport Se lect Committee, criticising the choice of ro ut e through an area prone to brine s ubsidenc e, and i ts advers e e ects on the canals’ landscape, environment andThheritage.is pe titio n concentrat es on the maj or impacts of noise on canal users and is closely bas ed on IWA’s response to the En vironmental Statement consultation (S ee : HS2 Bi ll threate ns tranquillity of water ways around Middlewich and Lymm, 11/4/2022)IWAis p arti cularly concerned th at t he residential use of boats is not adequately assessed, and the noise mitigation measures proposed are the re fore inadequate
It w as pleasant to we lcome so me formerly acti ve b ra nch member s. Roy Cleverly, Rodney and
IWA’S Festival of Water
station. Please do not block the parking at the station, which is used by Landmark Trust guests. All tools and equipment will be provided. Volunteers are advised to wear old clothes, stout shoes and to bring waterproofs in case of rain and a packed lunch if staying all day. As we are pulling up Himalayan balsam, long trousers and long sleeves are also advisable to avoid nettle stings. EASTSunday October 2 and Tuesday October 18 IWA Northampton Branch: Work parties are usually held one weekday and one Sunday a month, along
First a provisiondditional
HS2 au to mat icall y includes nois e bar ri ers, earthwo rk s or fencing to protect residential properties bu t continues to misrepresent all canal users as ‘transitory’ and thus not worthy of considerat ion. A few canal crossings bene t from the proximity of inh ab ited bu ildings, but most crossings in rural areas are given no protection and will be subject to intolerable levels of noise.
The sun shines on Fenny Stratford Canal Festival
Parliament failed to address this issue for Phase 1 and for Phase 2a, but that is no reason why the same mistakes should be repeated with Phase 2b.
www.towpathtalk.co.uk Did you know? GJWDirect Na rrowboatinsurance includesRiverCanal Re sc ue (RCR )m em bership. *A ppliestoannualpolicypremiums over£100 subjecttostatus GJWDirectis at ra dingnameofMunichReSpecialtyInsurance(UK)Limited,registered inEngland:01262636,TheExchange, 3N ew Yo rkStreet,Manchester,M14 HN. Authoris edandregulated by th eF in ancialConductAuthority(FRN310539)andacting as am anaginggeneralagentonbehalfofcertaininsurers. Get aq uotetoday www.gjwdirect.com 0151 47 38 000 0%* Interest available 13October2022
By this point the railways had reduced the cost of transport to the barest minimum and Saner set out to explore the possibility that a reinvigorated canal system could reduce costs even further.
Moving water from the wet west to the arid, populous east of the countr y is already under serious consideration and one of the potential bene ciaries is the Cotswold Canals Trust in that a restored ames & Severn Canal could perform the task admirably, resulting in a win-win situation for both boaters and thirsty Londoners alike.
Also known as the ree-hundredfoot Canal the proposal (now almost 80 years old) was for a spinal waterway, running the length of England – 100ft wide, 17ft deep and with 25ft headroom – able to carry 1500-ton barges. Actually sitting on the 310ft contour, it connected all the country’s main conurbations and, with a few cleverly contrived branches, managed to tie in the existing inland water ways of any signi cance, all linked via a totally lock-free system, requiring the minimal use of tunnels.
Waterway vision
I’ M BOTH intr igued that Boris has unwittingly stolen my thunder and dismayed in equal measure that he might, by association, have devalued my message But, on balance, I feel there’s nothing for it but to press on!
biggest problem. I often only get to see the investigations after the event, and even though we can pick holes in the research, by then it’s a done deal between a developer who never wanted water transport and an authority who didn’t understand it’.
compliantwaaSoandrathebuthetakesofchanSeframeworktheshorconceptaswawowhichyoutube.com/watch?v=BMCicCN_x0snotonlyrehearsesthewell-rnargumentsinfavouroftheinlandterwaysasfreight-carryingarteries–wellasdemonstratinghowPownall’sneatlyovercomestheirtcomings–butalsoablydevelopsconceptwithintheindustrialofthe21stcentury.Inessenceit’sallamatterofcontext.tagainsttheimperativeofclimategeandtheimpendingcatastropheglobalwarmingtheideasuddenlyonanattractiveform,whereasinheydayofunrestrainedfossilfuelrning,itcouldeasilybeconstruedasimaginingsofalunatic.Aswithanydicalconcept,contextisking.AsPatrickMoss–waterwaysauthoritychairoftheSomersetCoalCanalciety–acutelyobserved(paintingbackdroptodevelopinginlandterwaysfreight)‘…consultantswiththeroadlobbyarethe
14 FREIGHT October 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk
For those who wish to delve deeper into the potential of this concept, it is well worth watching the comprehensive coverage of the idea at https://www.
Powna ll wa s inspired by Jo hn Saner ’s (the engineer responsible for
maintaining the Anderton Lift in 1908 when it was electri ed) 1905 paper On Water ways in Great Britain, written with the purpose of regenerating interest in Britain’s water ways
is is, in reality, simply an extension of the old saying ‘we see things as we are and not as they are’ It is to be hoped that the vigorous lobbying activity currently being undertaken by GPS Marine (and recently featured in these pages) will nally succeed in bucking this trend.
Levelling up!
Jonathan Mosse continues his monthly look at freight developments on the inland waterways.
Now, into the spotlight comes the transfer of water from the North East (and even Sc otland) to the Ho me Counties, although largely overlooking its use as an eminently viable mode of transport is is a possibility that JF Pownall identi ed back in 1942 and examined in depth in his treatise e Projected Grand Contour Canal.
We’ve recently viewed the burgeoning ‘last mile’ developments on the tidal ames driven, as much as anything, by congestion rather than any immediate environmental considerations. Lack of space prevented the inclusion of a look at the bigger picture, which is how our erstwhile prime minister managed to get a look in this time round!
of di erent geological strata, backed up by an examination of subsequent rates of erosion.Themajor challenge lay not in its c onstruction, but i n efficientl y connecting it with the major ports at s ea-level. O bviously not a water transfer issue, it nevertheless requires an elegant engineering solution and, casting around the world’s canals today, there are clearly several candidates to choose from.
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Po wn all noted th at m any of the signi cant canal builders had already made substantial use of this contour by c onstructing sign ificant lengths of their individual navigations at this level, or within 20 feet of it. However, canal company thinking in the heady days of canal mania had been relatively par oc hial a nd wh at w as clear ly lacking was a nationwide, HS2-scale, water way vision.
In his treatise, Pownall goes into great detail as to why this contour is so prevalent throughout the UK, quoting erosion to coals alongside an analysis