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Issue 158, December 2018

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CHICHESTER CANAL FOCUS

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JUST RIGHT FOR DUCKS

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SANTA’S ON HIS WAY

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Work starts on rebuilding Lock 11 on the Marple flight on the Peak Forest Canal. It was closed earlier this year after it was found that the chamber walls had moved inwards and become too narrow for boats to safely pass through. Construction workers are pictured fencing off the work site around the lock. It is hoped that the canal will reopen in March 2019. PHOTO: COLIN WAREING, COLIN & CAROLE’S CREATIONS

Opposition to EA price hikes for boat registrations

By Sarah Spencer

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“INFLATION-BUSTING” rises in the cost of boat registrations on the waterways demonstrates why the Environment Agency navigations should be transferred to the Canal & River Trust, according to the Inland Waterways Association.

Jobs ‘at risk’

This follows an EA announcement that it will go ahead with increases to its navigation charges for the next two years.

This is “to help ensure a sustainable service for thousands of boat users as well as maintenance of waterway structures such as locks and customer services,” according to the EA. It said the new charges for 2019-21

REGIONAL restructuring at the Canal & River Trust has put 240 jobs ‘at risk’. Those affected include professional, supervisory and management roles.

Staff have been briefed at a series of sessions across the network and consultations have started with trade unions. Waterway operatives, team leaders and volunteer leaders are not affected. The move from 10 waterways to six larger regions has seen some activities, which were previously managed centrally, devolved to regional teams and a reduction in senior manager numbers overall.

would be invested in waterways enjoyed by around 29,000 boat users, helping to meet the shortfall between the cost of running the service and the income currently generated from annual boat registrations.

Across the EA’s waterways, the majority of boats (98%) are used for private pleasure. For these users,

Licence freeze

THE Canal & River Trust has confirmed that headline private and business boat licence fees will be frozen for 2019 – the only change will be the reduction of the prompt payment discount to 5% from April 1. From 2020, part of this discount (2.5%) will apply for those who manage their payments online. Following a national consultation, several changes will be taking place over five years starting from 2019.

Two additional pricing bands for boat widths will be introduced from April 2020.

annual boat registrations will increase by between £6 and £100 over two years depending on the size and type of boat, although specific costs vary by location.

However the IWA said the rises were “despite the majority of respondents to EA’s recent consultation objecting to the levels of increase proposed”.

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Lockside tables

PICNIC tables have been provided beside the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Barnoldswick, writes Geoff Wood. The tables at Greenberfield Locks have been provided under a joint venture between the town council, Barnoldswick in Bloom and the Canal & River Trust with the help of a grant from the People’s Postcode Lottery. Special features include wheelchair and pushchair access. Bloom member Lesley Gilbert said: “Greenberfield Locks is one of Barnoldswick’s jewels where many boaters, cyclists and walkers enjoy the setting.”

2 NEWS/COMMENT

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WELCOME

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I START this month’s welcome on a very sad note. We have lost one of our most loyal and prolific contributors in Harry Arnold, who had also become a true friend since I took over the editorship of Towpath Talk.

As I come from a newspaper rather than a boating background, I have found his advice, experience and unsurpassed knowledge to be invaluable. And it is not just for his words and fantastic pictures; he often acted as our ‘ambassador’, checking on stockists and suggesting new outlets for our paper and was also a highly respected member of the judging panel for our volunteering awards. To put it simply he will be irreplaceable.

On the day I learned of the massive stroke which was ultimately to take Harry’s life, I was standing at a rain-soaked Grantham Discovery Day. But as they say, the show must go on and congratulations must go to the volunteers from the Grantham Canal Society for making the most of the dire conditions – see page 18.

I have followed up last month’s visit to Chichester with an article on the Chichester Canal Trust and the challenges from road improvements to its future restoration plans – see page 16.

More recently I visited our friends at the Chesterfield Canal Trust for an update on the impact of the HS2 plans following the publication of the draft environmental statement and further maps – see page 4.

Supporters have until December 21 to respond to the consultation – visit http://www.chesterfield-canal-trust. org.uk/general-news/ I have also had very useful meetings during the month with Jon Horsfall and Matthew Symonds of the Canal & River Trust and Irven Forbes of the Environment Agency, which I hope will help us in our mission to be a trusted voice of the waterways community.

Farewell to Harry, waterways oracle WITH the death of Harry Arnold at the age of 81, the waterways community has lost one of its elder statesmen.

He had continued to write for Towpath Talk until suffering a stroke in mid-October from which he never recovered. Poignantly, his last piece was the obituary for David Wain, which was published in the November 2018 edition.

Harry was awarded the MBE in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours for the significant role he had played in Britain’s inland waterways scene for almost 50 years and in 2015 he was awarded the first Outstanding Personal Achievement Award in the Canal & River Trust’s Living Waterways Awards.

Former CRT chairman Tony Hales said at the time: “This Outstanding Achievement award further recognises the enormous contribution he has made to helping make the waterways what they are today.”

Harry was one of the surviving links with the campaigning days of the late 1950s and 1960s and his knowledge of the industry was invaluable, as was his collection of photographs spanning more than six decades.

A journalist, author and photographer, his work had appeared in virtually every waterways publication. More recently, he had been a regular contributor to Towpath Talk and words cannot express how valued his input, advice and friendship have been.

Harry was a founding member of the Waterways Recovery Group and in 2008 he was appointed as a vicepresident of the Inland Waterways Association. He was also instrumental in setting up the Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port, now the National Waterways Museum and was also involved in many other waterways organisations, leading campaigns to promote and protect the canals. He

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Enjoying a chat on board steamboat Ictus at the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally in June are, from left, Harry Arnold; Michael Limbrey, chairman, Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust; Timothy West; Sheila Suchet and David Suchet.

Michael Limbrey told us: “Harry had the great ability to bring people together; at Braunston we were rounded up for a trip on the steam launch Ictus which had travelled from the Montgomery Canal to promote the ‘Restore the Montgomery Canal!’ appeal. Once on the boat we discussed the restoration and the contributions that Timothy West and David Suchet had both made to the canal: in 1992 David had opened Gallowstree Bridge, a significant new bridge which connects Welshpool to the Prince of Wales’ section, and Timothy West has visited the canal on several occasions, and took the wheel of Ictus at Pool Quay a few years ago.” PHOTO: JULIE ARNOLD/WATERWAY IMAGES

Harry was rarely seen without his camera. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES was an honorary life member of the Sankey Canal Restoration Society and the Friends of President.

Harry’s funeral took place at Lichfield & District Crematorium on November 13. A eulogy was read by long-time friend and colleague Hugh Potter, who described him as a constant in an ever-changing world of waterway personnel.

“He was around when I joined Waterways World and was still equally active when I left NarrowBoat almost 40 years later,” Hugh said. “He has been involved with so many projects it would be hard for one person to tell his story, short of writing a book.”

In a tribute for British Marine Inland Boating, Nigel Stevens of Shire Cruisers wrote: “His service to the waterways covers so many aspects, and goes back so far, that he could truly be described as irreplaceable. Even though it was publicly recognised, there will be many things he achieved which no one will ever know. We shall all miss him.”

A proud day in 2010 for the Arnold family: daughter Julie, Harry with his MBE, wife Beryl and son Mike.

PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES

See page 14 or call 01507 529529

BORN in Warrington in Cheshire, for the first 21 years of his life Harry lived between the Manchester Ship Canal and the Bridgewater Canal.

He served in both the Air and Sea Divisions of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and after two years’ service in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, attached to 27 Guided Weapon Regiment Royal Artillery, lived close to the Sankey Canal.

Originally an engineer and industrial artist, Harry trained at Liverpool College of Art – where John Lennon was in some of his classes. He started taking photographs in his grammar school days, initially of railways, in which he maintained a lifelong interest.

His involvement with the waterways and the marine industry started as a partner in a horse-drawn hostelboat, based on the Bridgewater Canal, then moving full-time into holiday boat hire and narrowboat building.

Harry and his young family moved to Staffordshire, initially to work and live beside the Shropshire Union Canal at Norbury Junction, then on to Fradley Junction, near where he was to spend the rest of his life. Harry then came out of that sector of the industry to write about, photograph and promote rivers, canals, inland boating and the marine industry.

He was one of the founder owners of Waterways World and his other editorships included Riverbank News for Motor Boats Monthly for many years, Canal & Riverboat, associate editor of Motor Cruiser, owner of NarrowBoat magazine and editor of the Inland Waterways Guide. He was also editor of Waterways, the magazine of the Inland Waterways Association for 17 years.

Harry was the first professional secretary of trade body the Association of Pleasure Craft Operators – representing the inland waterways and now British Marine Inland Boating (BMIB), part of British Marine.

He traded as Waterway Images, his company specialising in photography and publicity for the waterway, marine, leisure, tourism and transport industries. Clients also included British Waterways, now the Canal & River Trust, the IWA, Hoseasons Holidays, ABC Leisure and Ireland's ShannonErne Waterway project.

Harry’s photographs have appeared in countless publications and TV programmes and he appeared on screen in programmes such as BBC’s Golden Age of Canals and spent the summer of 2018 filming along the Montgomery Canal relating stories from the campaign and ‘Big Dig’ that started its restoration for a forthcoming video.

Opposition to EA price hikes for boat registrations The announcement from EA came as the CRT confirmed it would be freezing private and business boat licence fees until April 1, 2020.

The announcement confirms that EA registration fee increases for 2019-20 and 2020-21 will be the same as those implemented in 2018-19, which is 5.7% on the River Thames, 7.5% on Anglian Waterways and 10% on the Medway.

IWA had asked for the increases to be linked to inflation using the Consumer Price Index.

CRT’s announcement included a 5% reduction in the prompt payment discount, which will mean an increase for many boaters, but this is still below EA’s increases, according to the IWA. IWA national chairman Ivor Caplan said: “We acknowledge that EA does

need to receive more funding in order to continue to maintain existing levels of navigation maintenance and service, as well as being able to address some of the backlog of work that has led to long term closures of some waterway structures, but such high increases to registration fees is not the way to do this.

“EA needs to increase its income without disenfranchising boat owners and pricing them off the waterways.

“Increased funding from government is essential to retain vibrant waterways alive with boats, with all the associated benefits that brings to the UK economy and local communities, as well as the health benefits to the wider population.”

IWA believes a transfer of the EA navigations to CRT would be beneficial, “not only for the long term future of the

waterways themselves, but also for the boaters that use them.”

Andrew Harries, British Marine’s acting head of external relations, said: “This is a very disappointing decision.

While we recognise the extreme pressures the EA is under through the continuous decline in funding and resources, we do not believe these significant above inflation increases are the appropriate way to tackle the situation.

“We will be seeking the input of our membership, to help formulate a response and to help inform British Marine’s next steps.”

The EA is the second largest navigation authority in the UK and is responsible for more than 1000km of navigable waterways, which include the non-tidal River Thames, River Great Ouse, River

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Nene and Upper Medway Navigation.

It is estimated the charge increases will bring in an additional £930,000 by 2021.

Mark Ormrod, national manager for navigation at the Environment Agency, said: “Our navigation service plays an important role in protecting our waterways and supports both recreation and business for thousands of people.

“We realise an increase in charges is never welcome news but it is essential to keep the levels of service and maintenance which boaters tell us is needed.

“In addition, we are exploring new income streams to make our service even better and to spread the cost among everybody who benefits from our waterways.”

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Waterway trust welcomes government backing for ‘Arc’ plan BEDFORD and Milton Keynes Waterway Trust is strongly supporting a new government commitment to creating ‘healthier, greener places’ in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc. The government is backing a controversial recommendation from the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) to build up to one million new homes between Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge.

A new expressway would also shorten journey times from east to west.

Government advisers say the developments are needed to safeguard the booming economies of the UK’s science and technology hub, but environmentalists argue that the mega-plan will ruin green space the size of Birmingham.

The Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Trust believes that in its response to the NIC report, Partnering in Prosperity, “the government recognises that its long-term proposals for the area offer a unique opportunity to invest in new green spaces and to ensure that sustainability is a high priority”.

The trust has, over many years, put forward the case for the creation of a new waterway park between Bedford and Milton Keynes, arguing that it will contribute to the transformational change that the government wants to see and support new homes and businesses at the very heart of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc.

Jane Hamilton, chair of the trust, said: “We are extremely pleased to see the government recognises that funding infrastructure across the Oxford to Cambridge Arc is not just about road and rail schemes. If they are to be successful, new settlements need green spaces and water to create places which people can identify with and enjoy living.

“The Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Park can do exactly what the government wants to see – deliver a transformation to this area which embodies the ambitions of its 25-year plan for the environment, creating new habitats, opportunities for healthy lifestyles and establishing new approaches to water management and movement.”

She continued: “We are currently working with the Environment Agency to look at how the waterway might help reduce flood risk as new development gets under way.

“We have already published a report about the economic benefits the waterway can bring to the area, but it can deliver so much more, especially for the environment.

“I would encourage all those involved in drawing up plans for this part of the Arc to look very seriously at our project and ensure that it is included.”

The NIC report recognised the waterway park as a unique opportunity, stating: “The scale of growth and the opportunities created through greater arc-wide collaboration on planning

AN INITIATIVE by West Oxfordshire District Council brought together representatives of both Thames Water and the Environment Agency to discuss and answer questions on water-related issues.

These included concerns about the continuing incidents of pollution along the River Windrush, a tributary of the River Thames, which flows from the edge of the Cotswolds and joins the Thames at Newbridge, a subject which was featured on the BBC TV Countryfile programme.

Other important issues included drainage of rainwater and sewage.

Some 70 people attended the Water Day which was held at the council’s offices in Witney. They included Robert Courts, MP for Witney, Oxfordshire

County Council representatives, district council members and engineers, and town parish councillors and clerks.

Taking a particular interest in the responses from Thames Water and the Environment Agency were members of WASP – Windrush Against Sewage Pollution.

The district council’s own planning officer and engineers were joined by those from each of the two companies and a director of Thames Water was also present.

Questions were asked about the delay in carrying out promised actions to deal with rainwater and sewage problems.

Couns David Harvey and Steve Good, who had been the instigators of the Water Day, referred to the problems caused by the rainwater dispersal, now that much less water can flow into the countryside.

WORK will be carried out on the Calder & Hebble Navigation this winter to repair several locks. The navigation, which is part canal and part river, runs from Sowerby Bridge to Wakefield. Repairs by the Canal & River Trust will include: Lock 13 Anchor Pit in Brighouse to lock floor; Lock 15 Kirklees Low Lock in Clifton to replace lock floor timbers; Battyeford Flood Gates, stonework repairs to the cill; Lock 21 Double Lock Bottom near Thornhill, masonry; 1km stretch near Dewsbury, wash wall and Lock 19 Greenwood near Mirfield, rebuilding wash wall.

Chesterfield works

The Grand Union Canal close to the proposed start of the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway which will be at the heart of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON means that there is unique opportunity to take a large-scale strategic view of natural capital and biodiversity net gain opportunities.

“Projects such as the established Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Park could offer such an opportunity to create a green infrastructure asset which contributes to wider placemaking objectives.”

The route of the Waterway Park is protected in three local plans and work has started on sections of it in Milton

Keynes and near Bedford. It also forms a key element of proposals for 5000 new homes in Marston Valley as part of a planning application submitted to Central Bedfordshire.

“The trust will be working to ensure that the waterway is included in any new strategic plans for the area between Bedford and Milton Keynes and is extremely keen to hear from supporters and communities who can help ensure this exciting initiative becomes a reality,” said Jane.

Pollution concerns raised at Water Day

By Elizabeth Rogers

IN BRIEF Lock repairs

Coun Harvey pointed out that this would require even greater preventative measures in the future, as the district council’s recently approved Local Plan will bring housing development of 16,000 new homes to the area within the next decade.

“We were able to dig deeply into what has been going wrong and to what the two companies plan to do to prevent these problems recurring,” he said.

Coun Harvey pointed out that it took five years for the recent prosecution of Thames Water for the pollution in the Aylesbury and Little Marlow areas to be dealt with by the courts, an unacceptable length of time. Thames Water was found guilty and fined £20 million.

Thames Water responded that it took three years for investigations by the company to be completed. Other

THE Canal & River Trust has begun work to repair and replace 12 lock gates along the 46-mile Chesterfield Canal this winter. A team has started replacing gates at Locks 30 and 31 Brickyard Double Lock near Shireoaks before moving on to Lock 29 Milestone Lock. It will also support the Environment Agency as it carries out pressure tests on Lock 65 West Stockwith Lock and Flood Gate.

In January 2019, the final phase of the works will be at Locks 26 to 28 Thorpe Locks, where several gates will be replaced.

Community action

MORE than 20 pupils from Cheltenham College recently worked alongside the Canal & River Trust to clean up a stretch of the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal.

The fourth form pupils spent a morning on the towpath at High Orchard Bridge, a short walk from Gloucester Docks, as part of their community action programme.

Students collected litter, cut back vegetation and spruced up the steps of the bridge.

Survey vessel

Coun David Harvey: greater preventative measures will be needed. PHOTO SUPPLIED attendees made reference to the many incidents that had taken an unnecessary length of time to resolve.

LONDON’S Deputy Mayor for Transport Heidi Alexander has named the latest addition to the Port of London Authority (PLA) fleet of vessels that survey the bed of the tidal River Thames. Covering a patch that extends from Richmond in Surrey to Gravesend in Kent, Thame uses state-of-the-art sonar, laser and photographic equipment to map the river’s ever-changing contours and identify potential artefacts and hazards, hidden in its bank, jetties and walls. Named after the Thames tributary that rises in Buckinghamshire, the boat is also available for commercial work.

4 NEWS

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Keeping ahead of HS2 – could canal plans change the game?

By Janet Richardson

CHESTERFIELD Canal Trust is pulling out all the stops to keep its restoration plans on track pending the outcome of the current round of HS2 Phase 2B consultations.

Although these will close on December 21, it is expected that results will not be published until the draft bill goes before Parliament in 2020 instead of next summer as originally intended.

Towpath Talk spoke to Robin Stonebridge, chairman of Chesterfield Canal Trust and Rod Auton, trustee and publicity officer, about the current situation, including the impact of measures included in the draft environmental statement volume two,

community area report for Staveley to Aston published in October.

The main concerns are how the railway’s link line to the proposed infrastructure maintenance depot at Lowgates will cross the canal and the potential land taking during construction of HS2, shown in large swathes of pink on the published maps.

“By showing all these pieces of land they could end up sterilising areas which have already been restored,” said Robin.

There are no clear timetables and it is not known how long this land will be taken for but it is envisaged that construction on this section will start in 2024. As it will also be a construction depot, this and the link line will have to be one of the first things to be built and is expected to

take two years and nine months.

One of these areas is around Staveley Town Basin, which opened following restoration in 2012 on land owned

by Markham Vale, an offshoot of Derbyshire County Council. This has been designated on the map as an area of ‘public realm’, with tiered seating overlooking the canal.

“We have just got an investigation licence but require permission to take the canal through (where the site was crossed by the old mineral line), explained Rod. “If we can get the canal through to the bottom of Bell House Lane where we have a new compound then it is their (HS2’s) problem. It completely changes the game and they will have to sort it out.”

Robin added: “It is a bit up in the air but if Network Rail – one of seven different landowners in a 200m stretch – refuse permission for us to go through the bridge, they are giving us a fantastic publicity opportunity.”

Another affected area which is currently on hold is a proposed development by the Chatsworth Estate to include housing, a small marina and pub with wetland areas. And it is not yet known what the impact is in terms of the major Chesterfield Waterside development.

Robin also referred to the ‘road to nowhere’ to Junction 29 of the M1, joining up with the dual carriageway in the middle of Chesterfield.

Rod Auton points out the new wall marking the line of the next stretch of canal to be restored. When this is completed the Trans Pennine Trail will be moved along the wall at the back of the photo. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

Crossed by the Trans Pennine Trail, the land where there are seven changes of ownership in 200m. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

This boundary stone will eventually be returned to its original position at Renishaw.

PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

Robin Stonebridge and Rod Auton of Chesterfield Canal Trust look at the plans with Lincoln University student Chelsea Everett, who visited the trust’s headquarters at Hollingwood Hub as part of a work placement with Towpath Talk. The areas in pink show just some of the land required during construction of HS2. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

Staveley Town Basin has been designated an area of ‘public realm’ overlooked by tiered seating. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

Tunnel vision

Another area of concern is around the closed Norwood Tunnel where most of the Norwood Estate will be taken for a construction site. A plan to shut off the underpass where the Cuckoo Way (the long distance walk along the 46-mile Chesterfield Canal) goes though Norwood to Kiveton Park and divert the path would ‘kill’ the outstanding view across to the Pennines.

The original 2880yd tunnel was once the longest in the world although in canal builder James Brindley’s original plans it would have been 630yd.

However, there is no mention of this in HS2’s plans. “We are hoping they will give us some money to pay for part of this new tunnel,” said Robin. “It would cut out nine locks so the cost saving is enormous and politically it would be a really good win for them.”

He explained that one of the benefits would be to cut a lot of water run-off over the railway. “Because of the way the summit pound was built and the locks on either side, in order to restore Norwood we need a lot of water and they will have a lot.”

Water storage and attenuation is an

idea which has been given root to in the environmental statement.

Robin has pored through 1100 pages of documents surrounding HS2 including consultation reports and said that another issue is that in the narrative there is a differential between navigable waterways and canals and others (navigable being the operative word).

Under the heading ‘Waterways and canals’, clause 14.4.26 states: “It is not currently expected that the construction of the Proposed Scheme would have a significant effect upon navigable waterways or canals in the Staveley to Aston area.”

He added: “Some very clear decisions are needed from the Department for Transport. We need to ensure what Chris Grayling (Secretary of State) said in Parliament percolates through to HS2 and our local MPs – Lee Rowley (Northeast Derbyshire) and Toby Perkins (Chesterfield) – have been very good.”

As reported in Towpath Talk (News, Issue 157, November), in answer to a question from Lee Rowley, the minister gave an assurance that HS2 would not stop boats from being able to pass underneath the spur line to the depot.

The Hartington railway bridge carrying the old mineral line. PHOTO SUPPLIED

The site of the old mineral line which was crossed by the footbridge in the background. The new Eckington Road Bridge was built in 2009. The spur to the HS2 depot will curve round while the canal will continue in a straight line.

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Leicester’s riverside transformed for Diwali celebrations

Sitting on the seat erected in memory of the late Rob Davies are, from left, Kevin McNiff, Rob’s wife Helen and son Andrew Davies with behind, in the blue jumper, Russell Newbury Register chairman Bob Scott and RNR members who strolled along the towpath to Swan Park, Whittington, from their informal autumn gathering at nearby Huddlesford Junction. Andrew Davies works at Alvecote Marina in Staffordshire specialising in boat painting. PHOTOS: WATERWAYS IMAGES

THE River Soar running through Leicester came alive with light as the city’s Diwali celebrations headed down to the riverside.

As part of the festival, the Canal & River Trust, working in partnership with a specialist lighting artist and Leicester Belgrave Mela, transformed Limekiln Lock, off Abbey Park Road.

Illuminated sculptures in the shape of a swan, a diva lamp and lotus flower, made by local residents, were floated on the water along with the origami boats also created by the community.

The artist also created a series of light installations around the lock and on the towpath and visiting narrowboats were decorated with lights.

Liz Fleuty, CRT development and engagement manager, said: “Diwali is

a perfect opportunity to give people a different perspective on their local waterways and it was great to highlight the important role that they can play in local life.”

CRT staff were also on hand to explain about the work of the trust and how the city’s waterways can improve their health and wellbeing.

Illuminated sculptures floating in the lock.

RNR members gather to remember Rob Davies

After the seat unveiling Rob’s family and close friends travelled back to Huddlesford aboard historic narrowboat Kangaroo, a fitting presence as in the 1970s she was the workboat of the Trent & Mersey Canal Society when Rob and young son Andrew were ‘T&M’ volunteers. Kangaroo is now in the South Midland Water Transport Ltd fleet at Alvecote Marina and director Lawrence Williams steered her to the occasion.

THE year’s Autumn Gathering of boats powered by Russell Newbery engines, held at Lichfield Cruising Club, Huddlesford, on the Coventry Canal, also saw members of the Russell Newbery Register paying tribute to the late Rob Davies, who was the register’s administrator and treasurer for 18 very effective years.

As a boat owner he joined the register soon after it was established in the early 1990s; it was not long before he volunteered to take over its organisation – leaving the founders to focus on engineering matters.

Rob had the foresight to see there was potential for more than providing engines and spares for owners and in 1998 single-handedly organised the first RNR Rally at Ellesmere Port, now an annual event with a comprehensive social and technical programme.

RNR newsletter editor Kevin McNiff conceived the idea of a canalside seat in the Davies family’s home village and was wholeheartedly supported by the register’s directors. The seat bears a plaque in memory of Rob “A true friend and enthusiast of the waterways” from his RN family. A fitting epitaph for a man who actively volunteered with the Saturn fly-boat project, Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust, IWA Festivals and other organisations.

Canal & River Trust staff launching origami boats. PHOTOS: CRT

Hindu festival procession in Oxford

By Elizabeth Rogers

THE Ganesh Utsav Hindu festival was held recently in Oxford for the first time.

A tradition of the autumn months, it is celebrated for 10 days in many places but took place over one day.

It was held at the Matthew Arnold School in Botley, the location having been chosen because its site is not far from the River Thames.

Water is needed for the immersion of a clay idol of the elephant-headed Hindu God Ganesh at the end of the celebrations to mark the God’s birthday.

During the day some 400 people attended and non-Hindu visitors who came out of interest were made welcome and invited to join in.

This year the celebration was organised by Sesh and Jyoti Parimi who were pleased to see visitors from so

many different backgrounds.

An important part of the festival is the installation of a clay model of Ganesh during which the worshippers chant Vedic hymns and Hindu texts and pray.

At the end of the day the idol was taken to the river for the ceremonial immersion. A procession of about 100 people wended its way down to the river bank accompanied by music and dancing, together with the singing of Bhajans, which are religious songs.

A special menu of Indian dishes was prepared and flavoured with herbs, served together with sweets such as Modak.

Activities included painting for the children, who were helped by their parents to paint their faces with traditional symbols.

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‘Fantastic opportunities’ from waterways freight INLAND waterways in the UK and Europe should be considered as an alternative to road and rail freight, an international conference held in Leeds has recommended.

Inland waterways are a viable, cost-effective and green option for all kinds of freight, according to experts at Freight by Water 2018.

The event, hosted by Canal & River Trust (CRT) and the Freight Transport Association (FTA), and funded by an EU Interreg North Sea Region grant, as part of the Inland Waterways Transport Solutions project, highlighted how switching freight from road and rail to water can compete on cost and can also cut emissions.

The ‘unsung hero’ of transportation network modes, inland waterways across the world have proved to be effective and efficient channels for moving everything from beer to building materials, the conference heard.

It highlighted several success stories and also discussed several opportunities for freight by water.

Among the potential projects is the Leeds Inland Port at Stourton, which could take at least 200,000 tonnes of freight traffic off the roads.

Steve Higham, service and outcomes development manager at CRT, said: “With increasing pressure on our road and rail network, navigations such as the Aire & Calder from Leeds to Goole present fantastic opportunities for cutting the costs and environmental impact of transporting goods.

Reduce costs

“This is why we have developed proposals for an inland port in Leeds, with funding and support from West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

“We believe this facility would pave the way for further development of the inland waterway freight sector across the UK and internationally.”

Alex Veitch, FTA lead on water freight and co-ordinator of Freight by Water, added: “There’s

Steve Higham, service and outcomes development manager at CRT, Stuart McKenzie, harbour master at CRT, Mariet Tefi-Dontje, Smallingerland municipality, Netherlands, discuss the plans for the Leeds Inland Port at Stourton. PHOTOS SUPPLIED never been a better time for businesses to explore waterways as a means of freight transport.

“Waterways provide businesses with the perfect opportunity to reduce costs and environmental impact and should be an integral part of any effective multi-modal logistics strategy.

“However, further investment in infrastructure is desperately needed for it to reach its full potential.”

Using funding secured from the EU Interreg North Sea Region programme, CRT is undertaking engineering studies at Bullholme Lock on the Aire & Calder Navigation this winter to assess the possibilities of increasing the size to accommodate Euro Class II container barges.

A planning application will soon be submitted for the Stourton port site and a decision is expected early next year.

Opposition to protected wharves plan THE Freight Transport Association (FTA) is “strongly” disputing a recommendation that could see up to eight London wharves lose their special protected status.

Safeguarded wharves are those in the capital that have been given special status by the Mayor of London and the Port of London Authority (PLA), in a bid to ensure they are retained as working wharves and protected from redevelopment into non-port use.

The Mayor has recently published a review of all the designated safeguarded wharves in London. This recommends: the removal of the safeguarding designation from five wharves; the removal of the designation of three wharves, if the Silvertown Tunnel scheme goes ahead and consolidation of wharves with the London Borough of Newham proceeds; and the application of safeguarding directions on two wharves that are not currently safeguarded.

However a response to the Greater London Authority (GLA) recommendations by the FTA, which supports greater use of inland water freight to help ease pressure on congested roads, states the consultation paper “proposes the release of five wharves from safeguarding status in the absence of a compelling business case for redevelopment”.

It states: “We consider that it would be preferable to retain safeguarding status unless a developer can make a compelling case for the change in status. We ask the GLA to provide further information on any proposed redevelopments for these five wharves that we are unaware of.”

Lack of ambition

The FTA also states: “According to the consultation document, in only one case, Welbeck, has there been any attempt to market and promote freight services. This implies a lack of ambition and direction by the owners/operators of the wharves.

Therefore, FTA strongly disputes the conclusion that these wharves should be recommended for release.”

It asks: “Can the GLA provide reassurance that the lack of investment in these sites, and

the road-centric landside developments, are purely coincidental and not a deliberate attempt by owners to run-down the asset in the hope of obtaining release from safeguarding?”

The five wharves where removal of safeguarding is recommended are: Railway River Thames, Bexley; Priors Bow Creek, Newham; Mayer Parry Bow Creek, Newham; Welbeck Barking Creek, Barking & Dagenham; Phoenix River Thames, Borough Havering.

The three wharves where safeguarding direction is recommended to be removed only if the Silvertown Tunnel Scheme and wharf consolidation proceeds are: Thames River Thames, Newham; Manhattan River Thames, Newham; Sunshine River Thames, Newham.

Of these three, the FTA states: “The Mayor is recommending that a safeguarding direction is applied to Royal Primrose wharf adjacent to Peruvian wharf which ‘would allow a group of operators, affected by the Silvertown Tunnel, to co-locate and derive benefits from co-location, release existing sites for redevelopment as other uses, reduce the areal coverage of these operations whilst increasing their actual capacity and deliver modal shift benefits from road to water’.

Look to the west

“The FTA view is dependent upon whether the current operators of the wharves are content with the proposed solution. If there is significant and evidence-based challenge to this proposal from freight operators at consultation stage, then FTA would be minded to oppose these proposals.”

The FTA response also suggests “there is no reason why locations for safeguarding should not be sought in the west”, for example, Penton Hook Marina and Egham Hythe.

It states: “Although this would mean smaller loads travelling downstream, it does mitigate freight originating on the west of the country having first to travel to Tilbury, for example, to then travel back up the river to central/west London. There are also questions of water depth but these are manageable if freight were to travel downstream.”

Pennywort – a growing problem on the Soar

By Les Heath

BOATERS on the Soar Navigation are running into problems – literally – in the form of huge mats of floating pennywort which, in places, have completely blocked the waterway.

Having to go down in the weed hatch to remove tangled roots from around a propeller is annoying for any boater, but many will be unaware that this invasive plant causes other major problems.

Floating pennywort, or hydrocotyle ranunculoides, is a native of North and South America and has been around in the wild in Britain only since 1990.

It has the ability to regenerate from small fragments and its rapid growth can be up to 20cm a day.

As a result, it reduces the oxygen in the water, threatening fish and invertebrates, blocks drainage systems and forces out native plants.

The Soar is well known for flooding and floating pennywort can easily restrict flood alleviation structures.

It is thought the plant arrived in Britain in the 1980s as an ornamental aquatic plant for garden ponds and someone discarded an unwanted

Floating pennywort completely blocking the waterway at two points on the Soar Navigation near Mountsorrel. PHOTO: LES HEATH plant into a waterway. It has since spread rapidly northwards from the south of England.

Needless to say, since 2014 it has been illegal for anyone to cultivate the plant or release it into the environment.

Meanwhile, it is proving to be a major, expensive battle for the Environment Agency and other navigation authorities.

River rescue award for officer

By Geoff Wood

A POLICE officer who put his life at risk to save a man in a freezing river has been named as one of Britain’s heroes.

PC Mohammed Nadeem had only been in the job for nine months when he answered a radio call about a man in the River Irwell at Bury, Greater Manchester, in February.

Without any thought for his

own safety, he immediately scrambled nine feet down the banking and jumped into the fast-flowing water.

For 20 minutes PC Nadeem, who admitted he is “not a great swimmer”, battled to keep the man from drowning and hauled him to the river bank. He has since picked up a national Police Bravery Award and the Service To Country Award at the Amplifon Awards for Brave Britons.

PC Nadeem has been rewarded for his selfless actions. PHOTO: GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE

RYA SPOTLIGHT 7

www.towpathtalk.co.uk The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is the national body for all forms of boating, including dinghy and yacht racing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs and sports boats, powerboat racing, windsurfing, inland cruising and narrowboats and personal watercraft.

Boaters, do your bit for the environment AS BOATERS we all have a vested interest in protecting the environment where we spend our leisure time and The Green Blue is dedicated to ensuring you get the best possible advice on how to do that.

Demand for support, advice and resources from The Green Blue has never been stronger, with a heightened interest from the recreational boating community in how we can be part of the solution to minimise our plastic pollution and other impacts boating may have on our environment.

The Green Blue has been working closely with the UK recreational boating sector over the last year, helping people adopt and facilitate environmental best practice to minimise any impacts on our inland and coastal waters, habitats and wildlife – with a particular focus on our Marine Protected Areas and preventing the spread of harmful invasive non-native species.

So as we head into the new year, what else can we do to #GoGreenFor2019?

For starters, there’s The Green Blue’s new video guide for marina operators on what’s involved in developing a site biosecurity plan.

We can also follow these simple top tips to help safeguard the waters and habitats we enjoy and rely on for the future:

1. Reduce energy consumption

Think about your carbon footprint of the type of fuel you use for propulsion, heating and power. Consider alternatives like biodiesel or biogas if possible, but ensure these are sustainably sourced and produced. Be aware of how much fuel you’re using, and how you use your generator. Try to cook or cool food and drink in more energy-efficient ways. Install low-energy lighting and a more efficient engine to reduce your energy use.

2. Stop the spill

Reduce the amount of oil and fuel entering the marine environment from your boat by following The Green Blue’s best practice advice (see website address in side panel). Take care to avoid spills when refuelling. If you do spill, never use detergents to clean it up as this will exacerbate the problem. Detergents break down oil into smaller particles, which are then more readily available to fish and aquatic life. They can strip the oils from gills, making breathing difficult. What’s more, the phosphates in detergents can cause algal blooms, which in turn lead to a loss of oxygen and death of aquatic life.

3. Recycle Use biodegradable rubbish bags that break down relatively quickly.

Recycle as much waste on board as possible. With the increasing amount of mixed recycling facilities now available,

Recycle as much waste as possible to reduce the impact on waters.

PHOTOS: RYA

you need only two bins on board. Ask your marina to provide recycling facilities and point out that recycled waste can be up to 50% cheaper to dispose of than waste going to landfill.

Think about recycling old equipment, such as rope and electronic kit, at boat jumbles, freecycle or on eBay, rather than throwing it away.

biodegradable rubbish bags; they break down in 12 to 18 months rather than up to 500 years.

For more top tips on safeguarding our inland waters, or to download your free copy of The Green Guide to Inland Boating, visit www.the greenblue.org. uk. The site is packed with practical advice, case studies and information on green products, to help you save money, protect water quality and habitats and, ultimately, safeguard the future of our inland waterways.

4. Ditch the disposables

Plastics that end up as ocean debris contribute to habitat destruction and entangle and kill tens of thousands of marine animals each year. To limit your impact, stamp out single-use plastics by using refillable water bottles and reusable bags, buy products with less packaging to reduce carbon footprint, always choose products without microbeads, and ditch the disposables – remove all plastic cups and straws. Consider more eco-friendly

alternatives such as cutlery and rubbish bags made from corn-starch, which can be composted.

5. Think about your rubbish!

Remove as much excess packaging as you can before you go out on the boat and always prevent plastic bags, drinks cans and loose items from blowing overboard. You can also set a good example by not throwing any litter (including biodegradable waste) overboard and by investing in

● The Green Blue is the joint environment initiative of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and British Marine that helps boat users, boating businesses, clubs and training centres to reduce their impact on coastal and inland waters to keep them in great shape for now and the future. The scheme raises awareness, supports practical projects, runs bespoke outreach activities and offers easy-to-follow advice to make boating in the UK as sustainable as possible. Visit www.thegreenblue.org.uk to find out more.

8 NETWORKING

SOCIETY NEWS Busy year

POCKLINGTON Canal Amenity Society’s tripboat, New Horizons, has had its busiest season yet, with receipts for the canal’s bicentennial year likely to break all records. The increase is largely due to the number of events held at Melbourne, attracting additional passengers.

With the reopening of more of the canal, New Horizons is now able to offer trips in two directions. Next year sees the society celebrate its 50th anniversary. (Double Nine, autumn 2018)

Forging Ahead

OVER the next four years the Black Country Living Museum will be creating a major new historic 1940s-1960s development, new learning spaces and a new visitor centre, taking its story up to the closure of the Baggeridge Coal Mine in 1968 which brought about the end of a unique era for the Black Country. This £23 million project, BCLM: Forging Ahead will use real things, real people and real stories to engage and inspire visitors, of all ages, to learn about the Black Country’s heritage, its impact on the world and its relevance today. https://www. bclm.co.uk/ (195, November 2018)

Volunteers needed

THIS year has been a disappointing one for Wendover Arm Trust, as far as events are concerned.

Aldbury Fete and Tring Carnival were successful, but the group could not get enough volunteers to man the stand at Rickmansworth or Linslade so participation in both was cancelled. Two further events that the trust had expected to take part in were cancelled and the June Restoration Open Day did not attract the crowds of previous years. “We have a dedicated band of volunteers helping at events but we need more to lighten the load on them,” stated the Wendover Arm News.

Light at the end…

THE David Suchet Tunnel Vision £1,000,000 Appeal of the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust has seen more than half the cash raised. Staffordshire County Council’s plans for the Lichfield Southern Bypass are moving towards the construction phase in mid-2019, when L&H is expected to provide £1 million for the canal tunnel. Eight hundred donors have supported the fundraising.

Actor David Suchet and his wife Sheila gave the appeal a personal boost at the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Festival in June. Visit www.lhcrt.org.uk/tunnel-vision. html to contribute. (Cut Both Ways, Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust)

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Charity walker ‘horrified’ by rubbish problem

By Sarah Spencer

A FOOTBALL fan whose love of Manchester United led to a passion for the canals has raised more than £2000 for the Alzheimer’s Society.

However as well as raising awareness of the charity, Frank Carter now also wants to highlight the problem of rubbish “turning the tranquil towpaths into lengthy and unsightly rubbish tips”.

Frank celebrated his 70th birthday last year by walking the 70-mile South Pennine Ring and raising an initial £800, and has continued to support the cause, giving away DVDs of photographs of his travels in return for donations.

He said he was “delighted” to have more than doubled his first £1000 fundraising target.

Frank, who lives in Essex, said: “I was asked if I would be interested in becoming a voluntary representative for the Alzheimer’s Society, to help spread awareness of the illness and to help improve the lives of those diagnosed with dementia, as well as for their carers and family.

“I was pleased to accept this, so have now been studying dementia for the last few months and aim to be available to help spread awareness of what needs to be done in the very near future.”

He continued: “More recently I have been walking canals to produce additional DVDs and have now covered the Regent’s Canal from the

Limehouse Basin in London to Little Venice, Paddington. Recently I started from Little Venice with the intention of eventually, in stages, walking the entire length of the Grand Union Canal to Birmingham.”

Frank enjoyed covering the 14-mile Paddington Arm to Bull’s Bridge, and the main canal back to Thames Lock, Brentford, but the journey was marred by the large amounts of litter he came across.

He said: “I enjoyed every stage of this 20-mile walk, but sadly I did become very much aware and extremely concerned about the growing amounts of litter being deposited and abandoned along the towpaths of this canal.

“I cannot list everything that I observed, but this ranged from beer cans in their thousands to unwanted broken pieces of furniture and even large amounts of unwanted clothing. I am a serious canal lover, but I was horrified to see how bad this problem has got, and feel that much needs to be done to make canal users aware of what will happen if this is allowed to continue.”

Frank described it as an “awful, growing trend which is literally turning the tranquil towpaths into lengthy and unsightly rubbish tips” and felt the main culprits were fly-tippers.

“I was really shocked,” he said. “There was loads of rubbish in Southall, it really was appalling. It’s such a shame.

“I haven’t seen it to that extent

Frank at the end of his walk along the Paddington Arm from Little Venice, Paddington, to Bull’s Bridge at the junction of the main Grand Union Canal. PHOTO: FRANK CARTER elsewhere, just a little bit in the centre of Manchester.”

Frank’s interest in canals was sparked by visits to friends in Buckinghamshire who lived close to the cut, then a few years ago he started going to matches at Old Trafford regularly, staying in a hotel on the Rochdale Canal.

From there, Frank decided to explore the waterways further and became hooked. He has been a friend of the Canal & River Trust for some years, as well as a member of the Huddersfield Canal Society since 2016.

He said: “I am pleased to support both organisations who help to ensure that following the restoration of the canals in the late 20th century, the canals and towpaths remain in good condition for boating enthusiasts and walkers like myself.”

Anyone interested in contacting Frank can do so by email at frank. carter27@tiscali.co.uk or donations to the Alzheimer’s Society can be made via his Justgiving webpage www.justgiving. com/fundraising/Frank-Carter1

Uppermill springs into action after Storm Callum UPPERMILL Community Association (UCAN) turned out in bad weather to clear fallen trees brought down by the high winds of October’s Storm Callum.

Trees had fallen in the picnic area near Limekiln lock and also blocked the canal towpath near the viaduct.

Volunteers spent the day cutting through branches, clearing away the debris and making the area safe.

Earlier in the month the team had tackled lock gate painting at Dunge Booth lock, bulb planting in the raised beds near Wade lock, as well as the usual litter picking along the towpath.

There is still more to do and if anyone would like to get involved the next project days are: Saturday, December 1 and Thursday, December 13.

Getting involved in volunteering in the local environment is a great way of meeting other locals, enjoying some healthy exercise and fresh air, with a wellearned hot drink and biscuit at the end.

Uppermill Community Association volunteers who had their work cut out in the wake of Storm Callum.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

All equipment is provided by the Canal & River Trust and you are recommended to wear stout footwear and suitable clothing for the weather conditions. The usual meeting

point is 10am at the canal bridge on Moorgate Street. (Uppermill is on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and surrounded by Saddleworth Moor on the edge of the Pennines.)

● For more details contact UCAN’s group leader Peter Killan on 01457 878361, or e-mail peterkillan@hotmail.com

Second phase set for water testing THE second phase of the Montgomery Canal Restoration Project is almost ready to be water tested.

Shropshire Union Canal Society volunteers finished channel shaping and virtually completed lining and block laying between Pryces Bridge and Crickheath near Pant.

The hard work of volunteers has ensured the project has remained on schedule. PHOTOS: SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL SOCIETY

Another 33 metres of shaping was completed over the weekend of November 2-4. This session took channel preparation to the end of section 1B (the second section of four to be completed).

The lining and then block laying – which weighs the layers of liner down – is almost complete and now there are a few metres to go to reach the December target point, which is a temporary dam.

When completed, the section will be filled with water to test it.

There was reinstatement of newt fencing and also vegetation clearance in section two, which will be the focus of work for next year.

A sustained effort from volunteers during the year has ensured that the December deadline is on schedule.

Also, contractors engaged by Canal & River Trust to construct the winding hole at Crickheath are making rapid progress, installing piling along a considerable length of the winding hole.

Lining and block laying is almost complete – with just a few metres to go to reach the December target point.

It is estimated that both ends of the 735-metre length of canal will be restored, in water, and have boats on it by 2020/21.

The Shropshire Union Canal Society has been involved in progressively restoring the channel of the Montgomery Canal since 2008.

The current project is to extend the channel from Pryces Bridge to Crickheath Winding Hole, a distance of 735 metres.

The first 100 metres, phase 1A, has been shaped, lined and water tested.

NETWORKING 9

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Characters of the cut Noah Price meets Kitty Irvine, a children’s book author, who writes about a magical narrowboat called Mouse.

THE BRITISH waterways have long been a great source of inspiration for many artists and writers.

JMW Turner, one of Britain’s most renowned painters, was compelled to capture the way the sun was casting a brilliant lemon-yellow light across Chichester canal on a wintry day in 1828. Kenneth Grahame was inspired to write Wind in the Willows after observing the wildlife along a stretch of the Thames from Reading to Cookham. And the German-born poet Michael Hamburger described Paddington canal as ‘a magic mirror’, where ‘the black water tells of a reversed Atlantis wisely built.’

For Kitty Irvine it was seeing a squat pusher tug, aptly named Mouse, moored along the Grand Union Canal in the village of Braunston, which made her want to take a step into the world of literature.

Mysterious moorings

“I had always wanted to write a book,” she said, “but never really had the time to commit to writing one or felt I had a good enough idea for one — until I saw that dinky old workboat. Straight after seeing it I started writing about it.”

Since that day in 2016, Kitty has written and illustrated three instalments of Mysterious Moorings with Mouse and is currently working on another one.

Each book centres around the boat Mouse but — through the imagination of Kitty — it is a very different kind of boat to the one she originally saw.

“Although it looks small, like the TARDIS it is much bigger on

the inside than it appears on the outside,” she explained. “Inside there is an infinite amount of space and all the rooms a child could ever imagine.”

The boat is owned by a kindly old couple, Mr and Mrs Bobbins, who like to invite children to experience an alternative route along the canal that only Mouse has the magical properties to offer. Locks become portals to fantastical locations and open up opportunities to meet all sorts of amazing characters such as Tippy and Tilly, Felix the Fumblebee, and the King and Queen of the Frogs.

“I like fantasy,” Kitty said.

“I have a great-nephew and a niece and I love seeing the world through their eyes – the way they see things that grown-ups can’t see.”

Continuous cruising

For seven years Kitty has lived with her husband on a widebeam canal boat, continuously travelling up and down the British waterways. “We’re never in one place for longer than two weeks,” she said, with a smile.

Before they decided to commit themselves to becoming liveaboards they worked together in private domestic service for about 20 years. This involved looking after the households of members of the UK Royal Family and various dignitaries overseas.

“We had a very interesting and wonderful lifestyle,” she said, “and as a result, we were lucky enough to afford an early retirement.”

But the last thing they wanted to do was become too settled: “We loved travelling and we

The inspiration behind Kitty’s books.

Kitty Irvine, the author of the Mysterious Moorings with Mouse series. PHOTOS SUPPLIED couldn’t bear the idea of looking at the same four walls every day.”

It was during the early 1990s when they started to consider taking up the canal lifestyle, while renting a house on the Isle of Mull. “The water that surrounded the island attracted us to the idea of living on a boat,” she said. “Finally, after a few years of searching, we decided to buy a canal boat in Reading and we haven’t looked back since.”

Freedom

The name of their boat is Saoirse, a Gaelic word meaning ‘freedom’; a perfect name considering the freedom that their early retirement has given them.

“It’s fabulous,” she said. “We think the wildlife is beautiful.

And we have met people who we will consider to be friends for the rest of our lives.”

Not only has Kitty integrated herself into the canal community with ease but she also finds it is a constant inspiration.

“Unfortunately I have put some of the real-life characters that we have met into my books,” she laughed heartily, “because they are such interesting and lovely people! I also love the names of the boats, many of them have inspired names for characters.

For example: there is a baddie called Black Bart and that was taken straight from a boat we saw.”

Kitty modestly describes her literary pursuit as a ‘hobby’ but, like the main characters in her books, she has found her very own treasure along the canal.

More of Mouse’s magical adventures Reviewer: Noah Price

PETER and Emma’s Magical Canal Adventure is the latest instalment in Kitty Irvine’s series of children’s books called Mysterious Moorings with Mouse.

It may have a similar premise to her previous books – two children go on a summer holiday, come across a magical narrowboat and embark on an adventure they could never have expected in their wildest dreams – but Irvine proves that within this simple formula there is much flexibility.

This time the story features brother and sister, 12-year-old Peter and 14-year-old Emma. At first, they come across as frankly unlikeable. Emma, like most teenage girls, is obsessed with her looks and carries an overly bloated sense of self-importance.

Peter is bored and frustrated with the all-too-familiar company of his Nanny and the claustrophobia of London city life.

Sadly they are the product of a lack of attention from their workaholic parents.

Both of them are in need of some real love and care. Luckily their down-to-earth grandad Jim is able to provide this for them.

Every summer they stay at his boathouse in the country and experience a more relaxed pace of life – but this time it’s different. When they discover the deceptively small narrowboat Mouse they go on a magical adventure which changes their lives forever.

Mysterious Moorings with Mouse: Peter and Emma’s Magical Canal Adventure by Kitty Irvine (paperback), is available to buy from www.kittyirvine.com priced £6.99.

10 COMMUNITY BOATING

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‘Paddle of Britain’ victory for veteran

The Overwater engineering team at the start of their fundraising paddle. From left are Mark Spencer, Simon Peek and Ralph Butler. PHOTO SUPPLIED

‘Peeky’s Blinders’ raft paddle supports RNLI THREE men in a boat raised more than £700 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in a mammoth 10-mile paddle.

The engineering team from Overwater Marina, led by workshop manager Simon Peek, paddled for pounds from the marina, near Audlem, to Nantwich basin and back, to raise funds for the RNLI. The team, nicknamed ‘Peeky’s Blinders’, was in its bespoke mini narrowboat raft called ‘Broke n Down’ for the fundraising paddle.

The raft was built by the team for the

recent Overwater RNLI Festival Raft Race and Simon explained: “It was just too good not to use it again, and the crew from the Rhyl RNLI station, where the money raised will be going, were amazing help at our festival – it feels really good to give a bit back.”

He added: “The raft is a mini replica narrowboat with a smoking chimney, coiled mooring lines, roof mop, canal ware bucket and its own tunnel light, which came in very handy on the way back.”

The team’s inspiration came from the

crew of the Audlem Lass Boat Service, which, crewed by volunteers, runs from Overwater Marina, near Audlem, to the bottom of the Audlem flight, from Easter to the end of October every weekend, to raise much-needed funds for the RNLI. Marina owner Angus Maughan, who followed the team on the towpath, said: “I am completely humbled and incredibly proud of the effort Simon and his team put into building the raft and their commitment to raising funds for such a worthy charity.”

AN ARMY veteran used Britain’s inland waterways for an epic journey along the length of Britain to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War. Dan Smith (39) set off on August 29 on a solo kayak from the top of Scotland to the south coast of England.

He finished in Littlehampton after 53 days, having covered a total of 910 miles. The Paddle of Britain challenge saw Dan get into the record books by becoming the first person to kayak the full length of Great Britain.

Dan camped at night and covered terrain that was a mix of water, mountains and moorland, negotiating non-water sections on foot with an improvised pulling device for his kayak and kit.

By the time Dan hit the Wey & Arun Canal on October 18, the end was in sight.

He said: “Being ex-military myself, I’ve finally found a worthy cause to champion that’s got me laser-focused and super-motivated.

“With no surviving veterans left from the ‘war to end all wars’, I feel it’s more important than ever to remember those who paid the ultimate price for the freedom of future generations. My challenge is but a small token of my appreciation for their sacrifice.”

His challenge not only involved paddling 720 miles of inland waterways, but also walking 190 miles.

The trip tested every ounce of Dan’s strength and he admitted there were times when he thought of giving up. One of the hardest points was at Rannoch Moor in Scotland, when he had to drag the boat over six miles of bogland and heather, against strong winds. “It was then that I started to think of get-out options,” he said.

Frequently changing the tyres of his specially built trolley was also a problem he hadn’t expected. “I had to keep asking for replacement inner tubes,” he laughed.

The reception of passers-by and the welcome of canoe clubs went a long way in keeping Dan going over the long time spent away from his wife and young children.

“The main motivation is that this is a first and that I make a lot of money for such a good charity,” said Dan. What’s next for the adventure-seeker

Dan Smith and his kayak raising money for the Royal British Legion on his Paddle of Britain challenge. PHOTO SUPPLIED from Northumberland?

“I will need another challenge, but I’ll have to let the dust settle with the wife first,” Dan said. ● Dan has currently raised more than £16,000 for the Royal British Legion.

For more information and to donate go to www. paddleofbritain.com

Little Free Library enhances beauty spot

The Huddlesford Gathering is always a great day out. PHOTO SUPPLIED

New website promotes popular Gathering BOOKINGS for next year’s Huddlesford Heritage Gathering can now be made on a new website.

The Gathering, held biennially and organised jointly by Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust and Lichfield Cruising Club, brings together historic boats, floating traders, private boats and classic vehicles, with exhibitors and displays on the field.

The 2019 event will be held on September 21-22 and anyone wishing

to make a booking can do so at www. heritagegathering.uk Queries should be sent to the dedicated email address huddlesford@ lhcrt.org.uk.

With music, entertainment, food and an all-day bar, the Gathering is open to visitors from 10am to 5pm each day.

Entry to the Gathering, held at Lichfield Cruising Club, Huddlesford, Lichfield, WS13 8PY, is £5 with free parking.

A LIBRARY with a difference is now available in Rodley – encouraging people to visit their local Leeds & Liverpool Canal and pick up a book at the same time.

The Leeds Little Free Library initiative and Light Up Rodley approached Canal & River Trust (CRT) about the idea of installing a bookcase next to the waterway.

Brightly painted with a wildlife design, the library has been stocked with a selection of recommended titles for children and adults. Everyone is invited to borrow a book, either to sit and read by the canal or take home and enjoy, or add their own favourite to the collection for others to discover.

Carry Franklin from Leeds Little Free Library said: “We are delighted to have installed our 23rd little library, in this beautiful spot beside the canal.

We hope that both passers-by

People choose books from the new Leeds Little Free Library in Rodley. PHOTO: CANAL & RIVER TRUST and the local community get a lot of pleasure from their little book exchange.”

Jane Ingham, secretary for Light Up Rodley, said: “Light Up Rodley

is a community group working to improve our village for everyone.

We are delighted with our new Little Free Library which is a result of fundraising locally.”

COMMUNITY 11

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With the plaque following the unveiling ceremony are, from left: Jim Forkin, chairman, IWA Chester & Merseyside with Samantha Dixon, leader of Cheshire West & Chester Council, Jenny and Katy Carter (daughters), Christine Carter and Ivor Caplan, IWA national chairman.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Tribute to Mike, a volunteer extraordinaire NEARLY a hundred people turned out at the top of Northgate Locks, Chester, on October 24 to hear tributes and witness the unveiling of a plaque to honour Mike Carter.

Mike, who sadly passed away in February 2017, was a stalwart of the north-west waterways. The unveiling was conducted by his widow Christine and his daughters Jenny and Katy.

The event was organised by the Inland Waterways Association, Chester & Merseyside Branch where Mike had been a member since 1987 and was one of the most active members in recent years.

Dignitaries who attended included Samantha Dixon, leader of Cheshire West & Chester Council; Ivor Caplan, national chairman of the IWA; also senior representatives from the Canal & River Trust.

Mike was a visionary and was always enthusiastic in expanding the knowledge of the general public, and in promoting the waterways in the Chester & Merseyside area. He undertook numerous tasks within the IWA branch area, without ever thinking that a challenge could not be overcome.

His was the driving force behind the organising of many events and festivals over the years. In his spare time he organised the Manchester Ship Canal and River Mersey Crossings for boaters who came from all over the country to attend local waterways events.

Mike took on the branch CRT liaison and volunteer co-ordinator’s job and organised monthly work parties, mostly round the Chester area, but also at Ellesmere Port.

He was a core member of the team that organised the Chester Canal Festival in 2014, which then received the title of the National IWA Campaign Festival for that year. It was an event which culminated in the branch receiving IWA’s annual Branch Achievement Award later that year.

In 2016 he was the driving force behind the Eldonian Village Canal Festival in Liverpool, which also received the title of the National IWA Campaign Festival for that year. The branch was later presented with a CRT National Living Waterways Award for Community & Volunteering.

In September that year Mike was invited to address an audience at the World Canals Conference in Scotland, where he spoke on his favourite subject, ‘Waterways as a driver of Community Engagement and Social Regeneration’.

Since his death nearly two years ago, the IWA has posthumously awarded Mike the Richard Bird Medal for services to the waterways. CRT North West launched the Mike Carter Award to recognise the North West’s young volunteers in 2018.

He was well liked and respected throughout the North West and is sadly missed.

A latter-day ‘Rochdale Pioneer’ Bob Weatherley of Littleborough Canalside Development Group pays tribute to Brian Ernest Holden, who died recently at the age of 87.

BRIAN Holden was a career academic with a strong interest in boating and architecture.

In 1964 he became head of classics at Smithills Grammar School in Bolton and remained there for the rest of his career.

During his time at Smithills, Brian led numerous canal boat trips to different parts of the country and also working parties of volunteers on canal maintenance projects in Ashton and elsewhere.

But the watershed (so to speak) was a meeting at the Art Gallery in 1974, chaired by the Revd Philip Darnborough, a minister in the Littleborough Methodist Circuit. A society was formed to restore the longdefunct Rochdale Canal, with Brian as secretary; a role he would hold until his death.

Obstacles included culverting, lowered bridges, buildings, at least one pylon and a motorway; what Brian called ‘official vandalism’. I remember sitting there thinking ‘this is a great idea, but they’ll never do it’.

But do it they did, and in 2002 (50 years after its closure, and 198 years after its original inauguration) the canal was once more opened to through waterborne traffic from Manchester to Sowerby Bridge, in West Yorkshire.

Of course many people contributed. Job creation projects, grants from numerous sources, a new public interest in conservation and the environment came at the right time.

But it is no exaggeration to say that without Brian Holden, his determination, his cultivation of the right people (often over meals in canalside hostelries), his motto ‘never say never’, it would not have happened, and the restored Rochdale Canal is his memorial.

He truly was a latter-day ‘Rochdale Pioneer’, following in the footsteps of the renowned original Rochdale Pioneers who founded the Rochdale Cooperative Society, which in turn became a global movement.

Brian Ernest Holden, 1930-2018. PHOTO SUPPLIED He had an in-depth knowledge of all historical matters relating to the Rochdale Canal, which he would advise at great length to interested listeners.

Each year Brian and colleagues would travel around the country to boat rallies with the society’s caravan, promoting the merits and heritage of the Rochdale Canal and encouraging membership of the society.

It is hoped that some form of memorial can be created to Brian, ideally within the vicinity of the Rochdale Canal, as a permanent tribute to his efforts in both sourcing the funding for and reopening the canal.

12 IWA ROUND-UP

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AROUND THE BRANCHES WITH IWA’S GEMMA BOLTON

Thirty cycles and a sofa among Leamington clean-up haul ELEVEN brave IWA Warwickshire Branch members endured the pouring rain to take part in the latest clean-up of the Grand Union Canal in Leamington.

They were joined by an enthusiastic group of more than 40 local volunteers, made up of Scouts from the 1st Sydenham group, the Warwick University ladies’ hockey team, members of the Leamington Community Canal Group, and local residents.

Steve Lambert and Ralph Gaskin of Canal & River Trust (CRT) oversaw the morning and supplied equipment, plus a tug and hopper to take away all the rubbish.

The event covered the canal between Sydenham Road bridge (no. 37) and Clemens Street bridge (no. 41).

Despite this stretch having been visited a couple of years ago, it still produced an impressive hopper full of debris. In addition to the all-toofamiliar collection of more than 30 bicycles and 10 trolleys, the haul included a lot of tyres, some railings, a microwave, an engine block, a sofa, a heavy pump valve, a big reel of orange cable, a sewing machine, a large valve key, a child’s rocking horse and a street sign for Clemens Street.

The one disappointment was the failure to extract a backless safe from the canal near St Mary’s Road bridge.

Despite the efforts of eight volunteers, the weight of the safe plus the water and silt defeated everyone. The location has been reported to CRT who will hopefully be able to lift the item in due course.

Volunteers with their cargo of rubbish and vegetation.

Linslade Scouts help with canal clean-up MEMBERS of a Linslade Scout group joined IWA Milton Keynes Branch for its second canal clean-up of 2018.

Supported by Wyvern Shipping Co, the event focussed attention on the recovery of rubbish along the Grand Union Canal from Fenny Lock, Bletchley, to Grove Lock, just south of Leighton Buzzard.

At the busiest point, 43 volunteers were involved including 11 volunteers from The Parks Trust, and volunteers from Canal & River Trust. The group was also supported by a narrowboat towing a pan (shallow draught workboat) from which its crew could tackle the offside vegetation and rubbish.

The next clean-up in the area will take place in the spring.

Reunion weekend sees more than 1000 hours of work

Removing vegetation from the canal bed. PHOTOS: IWA

Cleaning and screening on the Ashton

IWA’S Waterway Recovery Group held its Annual Reunion Weekend on the Lichfield Canal on November 3-4.

More than 70 volunteers from across the country, joined by volunteers from the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust, carried out several large scale restoration jobs, including vegetation clearance along the line of the canal, hedge-laying and building a retaining wall. Altogether volunteers spent a staggering 1,120 hours over the weekend restoring the canal.

Warwickshire IWA members and a group of volunteers endured pouring rain to carry out a clean-up of the Grand Union Canal in Leamington. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

IWA WORK PARTIES IN DECEMBER Anyone intending to attend one of these events for the first time should contact the organisers beforehand and wear suitable clothing and footwear. If staying all day take a packed lunch unless other arrangements are indicated.

VOLUNTEERS filled 18 black bags with assorted litter from along the Ashton Canal, along with two panels of rusted ‘Heras’ fencing.

IWA Manchester Branch adopted a length of the canal two years ago and has carried out regular work parties ever since. The work party was used as an opportunity to promote this work and Operation Ashton, a massive clean-up project which took place half a century ago and contributed to the restoration of the Ashton Canal and the reopening of the Cheshire Ring in 1974.

EAST

Good way to work off the mince pies

MIDLANDS

WATERWAY Recovery Group’s main canal camps programme ends in October – but that doesn’t mean its volunteers go into hibernation for the winter.

WRG works all year round and every year runs a Christmas Camp, from December 26 through to New Year’s Day. Work includes vegetation clearance, so there will be plenty of scrub bashing, bonfires and other winter activities. This year’s site will be based in the Cotswolds near Stroud and the cost is £70. More details on the Inland Waterways Association website.

Using chainsaws, brush cutters, bow saws and loppers, along with some brute force and determination, volunteers removed trees, stumps and brambles from the canal bed.

Along the existing towpath, a number of volunteers took to hedgelaying to improve Fosseway Heath Nature Reserve for wildlife.

The Fosseway Lane section of the Lichfield Canal covers a distance of just over a half-mile through locks 18 and 19.

Tuesday December 11

Sunday December 9

IWA Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire Branch: Work party in Kidderminster to concentrate on clearing plastics.

Meet 10am at Limekiln Bridge. Contact David Struckett: david.struckett@waterways.org.uk

Wednesday December 12

NORTH

IWA Lincolnshire Branch supporting Sleaford Navigation Trust: Work party to carry out a variety of tasks to maintain the navigable section of the Sleaford Navigation. Contact: 01522 689460, workparty@sleafordnavigation.co.uk

IWA Peterborough Branch: Work party to clear vegetation along Horseways Channel and carry out maintenance of Horseways Lock. 10am to 3pm.

Contact Roger Mungham: 01945 773002, roger. mungham@waterways.org.uk

Every Friday

IWA Lichfield Branch and Canal & River Trust: Joint work party on the Trent & Mersey Canal to help clear offside vegetation. Starting at Fradley Junction 9.30am-3.30pm. Contact Neil Barnett: neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk

Sunday December 2 and Tuesday December 18

IWA Northampton Branch: Work party on the Northampton Arm, 10am-2pm. Work usually includes a variety of tasks such as painting, vegetation clearance and litter picking. Contact Geoff Wood: geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk.

Thursday December 13

IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust: Work party on the Uttoxeter Canal, 10am to 3pm.

Bridge 70, Crumpwood. Contact Steve Wood: 07976 805858, steve.wood@waterways.org.uk

Thursday December 20

IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and Trent & Mersey Canal Society: Work party on the Cheshire Locks, Trent & Mersey Canal, 10am to 3pm. Contact John Lawson: 07940 878923, John.lawson@waterways.org.uk

SOUTH

Tuesday December 18

IWA Oxfordshire Branch supporting Banbury Canal Partnership: Work party on the Oxford Canal near Banbury. 9am to 1pm. Contact Colin Garnham-Edge: bcpontheoxford@gmail.com.

WEST

Every Saturday in December Saturday December 15

IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch: Work party in the Chester area working along the Shropshire Union Canal, 10am to 4pm. Work will include painting and vegetation clearance. Contact Jason Watts: jason.watts@canalrivertrust.org.uk IWA Manchester Branch: Work party in Greater Manchester, 10am to 4pm. Tasks will include vegetation clearance, litter picking, painting and pulling rubbish out of the canal. Contact: 07710 554602, secretary@manchester-iwa.co.uk

IWA West Country Branch (Taunton): Work party in the Taunton area, 10am-1.30pm. Please let us know if you intend to join us by 6pm the day before.

Contact Steve: 07855 794256, stevebulgin@ icloud.com

Every Tuesday & Saturday in December

IWA West Country Branch (Bridgwater): Work party in the Bridgwater area, 10am-1.30pm. Please let us know if you intend to join us by 6pm the day before. Contact Mike Slade: 07977 263840, mdslade8@gmail.com

For further information on any of these events please contact Gemma Bolton on 01494 783453 or email gemma.bolton@waterways.org.uk Details can also be found on IWA’s website at www.waterways.org.uk

14 PETS

Pets on the Cut

Spellhound

Rescued from a wheelie bin, Henry now travels the cut and is ace at finding lost tennis balls, Alison Wilkerson discovers.

A WEEK before summer solstice, the astronomical beginning of summer, I had an extremely interesting chat with Wendy Witch and was introduced to her lovely ball-obsessed six-year-old dog, a Staffie/ Boxer cross called Henry.

Wendy is indeed a witch, a white witch and celebrant (creating, writing and conducting ceremonies) and lives with Phil and Henry on their 57ft, 1927 former Birmingham Canal Navigation (BCN) historic narrowboat called Irene, which has a 1970s three-pot (cylinder) engine.

They purchased the boat from a private seller in 2001 and have lived aboard since 2011, following a restoration which included a new bottom, replacing one which was rotten (a soggy bottom is not really ideal according to Mary Berry).

As well as their working boat, they have a 28ft, 1931 ex-military lifeboat butty Harvest Moon, which they obtained three years ago. It now acts as a shed and garden and is where plants are carefully tended and nurtured, then sold on the towpath to help raise funds for charity, namely Huntington’s disease (HD), which is close to Wendy’s heart.

She set up her business (see www.wendywitch. co.uk and Facebook) in the year 2000 but became a sole trader in February. Having inherited her beliefs and skills from her father and grandmother, she believes in paganism and has spent many years conducting handfasting and baby-naming ceremonies, cleansing and blessing rituals, as well as other pagan rituals and Tarot reading.

Henry the dog is very loyal and truly loves Wendy,

Henry loves to sniff out a new ball.

PHOTO: ALISON WILKERSON

but does not take much notice of her activities and will sniff clients then lie down when not in a fun or playful mood. He is ball-obsessed, as I witnessed.

He was a rescue dog, via a friend, after being found in a wheelie bin, which must have been terribly traumatic, but has since attended training and knows basic commands.

He is good on the boat, but not with other dogs and most know that when Henry’s coming they need to move. Also he’s not keen on the engine noise when travelling, so tends to stay inside, in a nice quiet spot. He loves his Dentastix and real meat including sausages and chicken, as well as biscuits dipped in coffee (I’m a dunker too!). He sleeps on his back, with his legs in the air, and will get up in the morning, but only when his owners do, which must be a real treat when having a lie in. He wears a different bandana each day.

He has travelled approximately 200 miles per year on the boat and walked and run a lot more than that. He is not really a people person and tends to ignore strangers on the towpath. He is very much a free spirit, especially when a ball is involved and will locate even hidden ones (without magic), many of which were probably lost many moons ago. He would make a great police sniffer dog, but tends to rip them apart, the found balls, that is!

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It’s all paws on deck for Hendricks!

WHEN rescue dog Hendricks was dreaming of his forever home, he might not have imagined that it would be a narrowboat!

But that’s exactly what it was and thanks to his ‘first mates’ Alice Yeates and Chris Webb, who fell in love with the 18-month-old Spaniel cross when they met him at Dogs Trust Shrewsbury, he is now thoroughly enjoying new adventures on the waterways of Shropshire and beyond.

The couple made the boat their full-time home a year ago, and realised that they had an ideal lifestyle for a dog.

“Living on a boat gives us the freedom to go wherever we need to for work and we realised it’s perfect for a dog,” said Alice. “Hendricks loves walking along the towpaths, but even more than that he loves exploring new places. We move around a lot, heading off to somewhere different every week or so, so it’s never boring for him!”

Alice, who works as a designer and signwriter, and project manager Chris, fell in love with Hendricks when they met him at the rehoming centre in May. He had found himself without a home due to a change in his family’s circumstances and as soon as Alice and Chris saw him they both felt he would suit the boating life.

Since adopting him they have travelled around 200 miles, setting up temporary home in many different places, including Nantwich to the north and Milton Keynes to the south.

Hendricks loves to leave the boat behind and go exploring with Alice.

Chris Webb and Alice Yeates love life on the water with Hendricks.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Alice added: “At first so he could get used to the noise of the engine, I’d walk Hendricks alongside the boat, but now he’s more than happy to sit back and relax inside while we do all the work! He usually stretches out on the sofa but gets himself in a position where he can still keep an eye on what we’re doing.

“When he comes up on deck with us he likes to make sure he has a good viewing position, which usually means putting his paws on my knees, much to the amusement of passing boaters and walkers!”

Louise Campbell, manager at Dogs Trust Shrewsbury, said: “It is quite unusual for us to rehome a dog to a boat but for a young dog like Hendricks who is inquisitive and loves to be out and about, it’s a perfect lifestyle for him. He is obviously loving life and we hope one day when they’re nearby they will spend a bit of time on dry land and come and see us!” ● If you think you could offer a dog their perfect life, on land or water, you can take a look at the many dogs needing homes at Dogs Trust Shrewsbury at www.dogstrust.org.uk

ENDOFPREVI EW

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