Towpath Talk - January 2022 - Preview by Mortons Media Group Ltd

FREE

1 1 Issue 195, January 2022

www.towpathtalk.co.uk January 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk January 2022

TOWPATH 80 PAGES 2022

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

Crick Boat Show Keighley Transport Festival

Montgomery Canal Triathlon

9 10

5 6 7

16 17

8 9

12 13

DECEMBER

1 2 3 4

4 5 7

14 15

10 11

12 13

15 16

Boatlife Live, NEC Birmingham

14 15

NOVEMBER 2 4 6

6 7

Fairport’s Cropredy Convention Festival

6 7

9 10

2 3

5 6

4 1 2

OCTOBER

2 3 4

7 8

SEPTEMBER

Please check before traveling to any event

AUGUST 1

4 5 6 7 8

JULY

FREE INSIDE 26

22 TOWPATH

27 28 TOWPATH

OUT TODAY

St Richard’s Canal Festival, Droitwich IWA Canalway Cavalcade

26 TOWPATH

OUT TODAY

27 28 TOWPATH

OUT TODAY

Gathering of Historic Boats at Audlem

24 TOWPATH

27 TOWPATH

OUT TODAY

24 25 TOWPATH

OUT TODAY

TALK

OUT TODAY

Braunston Historic Boat Rally

22 TOWPATH

OUT TODAY

TALK

23 TOWPATH

TALK

OUT TODAY

TALK

24 TOWPATH

TALK

OUT TODAY

Middlewich FAB Festival

TALK

24 TOWPATH

TALK

2022 YEAR PLANNER 29

SELL YOUR BOAT SELL YOUR BOAT

FOR CASH CASH FOR NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

CHESHIRE

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

CHESHIRE

01327 842577 01270 528251 01327 842577 01270 528251

New year greetings

The largest monthly boating publication in the UK

Advertising 01507 529489 01507 529354 News & Editorial 01507 529466

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

JANUARY

MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 SUN 2 MON 3 TUE 4 WED 5 THU 6 FRI 7 SAT 8 SUN 9 MON 10 TUE 11 WED 12 THU 13 FRI 14 SAT 15 SUN 16 MON 17 TUE 18 WED 19 THU 20 FRI 21 SAT 22 SUN 23 MON 24 TUE 25 WED 26 THU 27 TOWPATH OUT TODAY FRI 28 SAT 29 SUN 30 MON 31 TUE

TALK

The UK’s Number ONE read for all waterways users

CATH SCOOPS SECOND AWARD

Winter fuel BOAT FOR VETERANS AFLOAT

P48

JON TOASTS HIS 10-YEAR JOURNEY

P77

BOATS FOR SALE Starts on

P21

A snowy scene at Braunston with the Horseley Iron Bridge at the entrance to the marina decorated for the festive season. PHOTO: TIM COGHLAN

Seeing the canals from a different perspective THE Canal & River Trust is hoping to return to in-person open days so people can find out what lies beneath the surface as it carries out a £59 million repair programme. Every winter the trust replaces lock gates, dredges to ensure the water is deep enough for boats, undertakes maintenance on its mechanical structures and carries out a host of other heritage repairs and tasks to keep the network open and help ensure its

resilience to climate change. Chief executive Richard Parry said: “Our teams are out, often battling the elements, to keep the canals and rivers open, safe and accessible for boaters, local communities and other waterway visitors. “The task of looking after this ageing network presents an ongoing challenge, particularly as extreme weather becomes more common, so we will continue to be unrelenting in our efforts to generate

the funds and support needed to keep the waterways available for generations to come.” Subject to the latest coronavirus Government guidelines, the trust plans to run a series of open days in February and March. These will allow people to walk along the bottom of a drained waterway, see the working industrial heritage up close, hear from the teams involved and find out more about the essential work to

keep this important part of the nation’s history flowing. There will also be a programme of online ‘behind the scenes’ tours giving people who aren’t local, or who would prefer to join online, the opportunity to see the breadth of works taking place. The open days are being planned across the country and will encompass a variety of sites and works. • Continued on page 2

New EA charges

Leicester partnership

Northern canals

THE Environment Agency has announced a new charging framework following feedback from boaters. Aimed at being ‘more consistent and transparent’ the scheme will now see increases of 4% in 2022; 4% in 2023; and 2% in 2024. It follows an eight-week consultation which received more than 1000 responses. EA says that changes were needed because the current scheme is inconsistent across its three waterway areas. Boat registration renewal notices are being sent out to customers using the Thames followed by those registered on the Medway and Anglian early in the new year.

THE Canal & River Trust has launched the Leicester Waterways Improvement Partnership to make the River Soar and Grand Union Canal running through the city more special and use them to help tackle some of the city’s key challenges. With 117,000 people, more than a third of the city’s population, living within 1km, Leicester’s waterways are uniquely placed to help improve people’s lives. To maximise these benefits the trust is looking to pull together a broad range of organisations to help identify and deliver a range of projects along the waterways.

The Northern Canals Association plans to revive its twice-yearly meetings. Covid restrictions permitting, these will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2022, at Draycott Cottages hosted by the Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society and on Sunday, October 9 with the Chesterfield Canal Trust. NCA was set up some 15 years ago to co-ordinate networking events of restoration trusts from Birmingham and the North. Members’ contact details have become outdated and any restoration groups in these areas are asked to email northern.canals2021@btinternet.com to ensure the database is current and receive event details.

INSTANT INSTANT FUNDS FUNDS FOR YOUR

rrss h h

FOR YOUR BOAT BOATVALUATION NO OBLIGATION

t accoun BROKERAGE FROM 4%+VAT NO OBLIGATION VALUATION r bank (Minimum charge applies) t n u to you o c c a BROKERAGE FROM 4%+VAT k n a b r NORTHAMPTONSHIRE (Minimum charge applies) to you

01327 842577 www.whiltonmarina.co.uk 01327 842577 NN11 2NH Daventry, Northamptonshire,

your bo at with one yfr ouormbo our marinas from o at with ur mari one nas CHESHIRE

01270 528251 www.venetianmarina.co.uk 01270 528251 Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 6DD

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

CHESHIRE

www.whiltonmarina.co.uk

www.venetianmarina.co.uk

Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 2NH

Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 6DD

2 NEWS

January 2022

WELCOME I WOULD love to write that the sun is shining and all’s well with the world but only the first part is true as we face, to put it in the words of the politicians, a ‘tsunami’ of Omicron cases. Hopefully the booster jabs will help contain the spread and that boaters will be able to get theirs such as on the Kennet & Avon Canal where the vaccination boat has been in action – see Kevin Thomas’ report on this page. As we reflect on 2021 and look forward to a new year at least we have been able to enjoy some outdoor events such as the Crick Boat Show and the IWA Festival of Water in August. I have struck an optimistic note by including the Canal & River Trust’s plans for the return of in-person open days on the front page – keeping my fingers crossed that they are able to go ahead. There are also some other good news stories such as the funding for Bridgwater Docks, see opposite page and the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, report on page 8. The coming year will see several milestone anniversaries such as 40 years since the launch of the new Puppet Theatre in January 1982, see Nicola Lisle’s feature on page 17. On the subject of dates, apologies to everyone who was expecting a year planner in their December edition; I was a month early putting the taster on the front page! Hopefully it should be with you this time. Congratulations to the winners of the Wordsearch competition in our November edition. First prize went to Mr Richold of West Yorkshire, second prize to Mrs McCaig of Lancashire and third to Mrs Handley of Shropshire. Wishing everyone a healthy and happy new year.

TOWPATH

TALK

Janet

Editor Janet Richardson jrichardson@mortons.co.uk Publisher Tim Hartley Group advertising manager Sue Keily Advertising sales team leader Tania Shaw – 01507 529489 tshaw@mortons.co.uk Advertising sales representative Chris Heaton – 01507 529354 cheaton@mortons.co.uk Editorial design Chris Abrams Production editor Pauline Hawkins Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Contact us Customer services 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: MondayFriday 8.30am-5pm. help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk 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 – January 27, 2022

Independent publisher since 1885

Conditions Editorial is accepted subject to availability of space, and editorial policy on content and insertion cannot be guaranteed. The publishers retain the right to edit material submitted. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy through accurate and clear copy, but the publishers cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions.

Independently proven pick up: 34,450 copies

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

New Canal Laureate retraces routes along Britain’s towpaths

BRITAIN’S new Canal Laureate is Roy McFarlane, the Poetry Society and the Canal & River Trust have announced. Poet Roy grew up in Birmingham and the Black Country, surrounded by canals. He said: “I lived, played and loved by canals and rivers and am looking forward to recapturing those stories; tales of diverse communities in urban settings who lived with canals in their backyard.” During lockdown, Roy, like many of us, spent a lot of time outdoors. He retraced routes along his local canal towpath and developed a new-found understanding of how waterways can become sites and spaces for well-being and an aid to mental health. Roy begins his role as Canal Laureate this month, following in the wake of poets Nancy Campbell (Canal Laureate 2018-19), 2021 Forward Prize-winning Luke Kennard (2016-17) and Jo Bell (inaugural Canal Laureate, 2013-15). During his Laureateship, Roy is interested to explore how people feel about their local canals currently, and how our national and global history can be read in the story of the canal network’s development. He added: “I’ll be exploring stories of women, labour and migration in the building of these canals and how that contributed to the Industrial Revolution with its hidden histories of colonialism and imperialism.” Roy will be both writing his own poems, and working with various groups of canal users, including boaters, to create new collaborative works. His first project will involve a canal walk on the shortest day of the year, to be followed by return visits on the Equinoxes and the longest day. Other projects with a wellbeing, nature or history focus will follow – and canal communities who would like to get involved with them should contact the Poetry Society for the latest updates. Richard Parry, chief executive at Canal & River Trust, said: “Every one of our Canal Laureates has shown us the waterways through new eyes. Roy is passionate about telling the stories of

people, places and history: topics that resonate in the trust’s work. “Growing up in the heart of canal country, his perspective on the changing nature of the waterways and their growing importance in the well-being of local communities is exciting. I am delighted to welcome Roy as our new Canal Laureate and look forward to hearing the stories he finds to tell.” Judith Palmer, director of the Poetry Society, said: “We’re really proud of the new work that’s been created through our long-standing partnership with the trust. Rivers have never been short of glory, but it was time canals began to receive the attention they were due. “Now there’s a vibrant new body of work which celebrates the many ways canals touch our lives, with poems responding to the people, places, history and wildlife of our amazing canal network. We can’t wait to see how Roy McFarlane opens up new perspectives on the UK’s canals over the months ahead.” Roy McFarlane is a poet, playwright and former youth and community worker born in Birmingham of Jamaican parentage, spending most of his years living around the Black Country, and now residing in Brighton. He’s held the role of Birmingham Poet Laureate, Starbucks Poet and Birmingham & Midlands Institute Poet in Residence. He is also an Ambit and Poetry Wales competition winner. His debut collection Beginning With Your Last Breath was followed by The Healing Next Time (Nine Arches Press, 2018, nominated for the Ted Hughes Award and the Jhalak Prize). Roy has an MA in Writing Poetry from Newcastle University and the Poetry School, and is currently working on his third collection with Nine Arches Press which is due for publication in October 2022.

New Canal Laureate Roy McFarlane. PHOTO SUPPLIED Established in 2013 by The Poetry Society and the Canal & River Trust, the Canal Laureateship aims to encourage exciting new writing about Britain’s historic canal network. Previous Laureateships have seen poems stencilled on to towpaths in biodegradable paint, designed into new lock beams and translated into short films. Poets have drawn on conversations with boaters and engineers, kayakers, lock keepers and litter-pickers, delved into archives and given new life to forgotten classics in performances, publications and animations. Canal poetry has been celebrated at venues and events including the Hay Festival, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Birmingham Literature Festival, National Waterways

Museum Ellesmere Port, London’s Southbank Centre and Crick Boat Show, Braunston Historic Boat Show, Welshpool Poetry Festival, Market Bosworth Festival, Leeds Liverpool Biennial, and in a dedicated canal edition of BBC Radio 4’s Poetry Please. The project is part of the Arts on the Waterways programme, a partnership between the Canal & River Trust and Arts Council England to attract new audiences for both the waterways and the arts, working with a range of partners and engaging actively with local communities. The Canal Laureate’s new poems and observations will be published on www.waterlines.org.uk Follow Roy’s adventures via Twitter @CanalPoetry

A sign of the times By Kevin Thomas

CAEN Hill Marina in Wiltshire has been kept busy recently playing host to what was being referred to as the NHS ‘booster boat’. It had previously visited the marina as part of the NHS Covid-19 vaccination programme. While moored up in the marina, the professional and friendly staff see to it that anyone living along this part of the Kennet & Avon Canal are able to receive the necessary Covid vaccinations. Judging by the numbers in attendance it was well-received and in order to ensure things ran more smoothly two gazebos were also erected. Another most welcome surprise was the tea and cakes served by the Canal Ministries boat. They too moored up at the marina quay and between the booster boat, the gazebos, the tea and cake, and the Ministries boat there was an atmosphere of relaxed fun for the duration of the booster boat visit. Our grateful thanks to the NHS and all of those involved. We might be living in times of uncertainty with the mantra of ‘face masks on, face masks off’ but at least we can be comforted in the knowledge that there are a lot of extremely dedicated folk in our corner.

Voluntary lock keepers on the Seend flight of locks, Clive and Marie Perry pictured with vaccination boat Litania which they helped through the locks from Bradford on Avon to Caen Hill Marina. PHOTO SUPPLIED

The vaccination ‘booster boat’ and gazebos. PHOTOS: KEVIN THOMAS

Seeing the canals from a different perspective • Continued from page 1 People will be able to experience: Anderton Boat Lift on the River Weaver; a walk along the drained Hertford Union Canal in the heart of London; staircase locks at Grindley Brook on the Llangollen Canal; water-saving repairs at Hebden Bridge on the Rochdale Canal; replacing lock gates at Seend on the Kennet & Avon Canal and a chance to visit

Newark’s inland dry dock – the largest in the UK. In addition, virtual events will include: Bingley Five Rise Locks on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal; works to pumping stations on the Kennet & Avon Canal and emergency breach repairs on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Rishton. To find out more about the open days, please visit: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/ events/open-days-2021-22

NEWS 3

www.towpathtalk.co.uk January 2022 2022

IWA celebrates £4m investment in Bridgwater Docks

THE Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has welcomed a funding package which could bring new life to Bridgwater Docks in Somerset. Announced at the recent Bridgwater Town Development Forum, the £23.2 million award from the Government’s Towns Fund to Sedgemoor District Council includes £4 million towards the regeneration of the docks. IWA is keen to see funding used to provide new community and leisure facilities at the docks and to support the restoration of both the infrastructure and the historic Bascule Bridge that straddles the docks. The award is subject to a satisfactory business case being prepared and signed off by the Government. West Country Branch chairman Ray Alexander said: “We are delighted to see the regeneration of Bridgwater Docks included as part of the Towns Fund award. Our vision for the future of the docks and the Bascule Bridge is for them to become a vibrant and exciting part of Bridgwater and to help attract more visitors to the town and more boaters to use the docks. “We also wish to see the history

and heritage of the docks celebrated and used to good effect so that heritage and waterway enthusiasts, historians and many others will wish to visit Bridgwater and see the docks and the Bascule Bridge for themselves.” Waterways form a significant part of the country’s infrastructure, boosting local economies and bringing health and well-being benefits to the communities they touch. As well as a combination of a river and historic quayside at the heritage docks, the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal passes through 14 miles of delightful countryside to the county town of

Taunton, where it joins the River Tone Navigation. The IWA has strong links with Bridgwater through both its members and its volunteers. It recognises the importance that the docks have to the town and for some years has been lobbying the local authorities and others to secure the future of the docks. Now that the award from the Towns Fund has been announced IWA is keen to work with the authorities to help optimise the opportunities provided by this funding.

Heritage docks

Bridgwater Docks opened in 1841 and at the same time the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal was extended to join the docks at Newtown Lock. The docks operated as a port for nearly 130 years, with the last ship leaving in 1969 and the docks closing to shipping 50 years ago in July 1971. Subsequent to this the docks have operated as a marina and from 1999 have been leased to Canal & River Trust; this lease has now ended. The Barge Lock fell into disuse around 2002-03 at about the same time as the Bascule Bridge spans became unusable, which has prevented small craft from accessing the docks from the River Parrett for almost 20 years. The docks and the Bascule Bridge were Grade II listed in 1973.

An aerial view of Bridgwater Docks which have been empty following the expiry of the lease to the Canal & River Trust. PHOTO: MARK SEARLE

BOATS WANTED FOR BROKERAGE OR CASH CASH SALE Instant funds in your bank account

BROKERAGE FROM 4% + VAT (Minimum charge applies)

An artist’s impression of the new canal channel under the M5. IMAGE: PERFECT CIRCLE

The start of the ‘missing mile’. PHOTO: KEN BAILEY

‘Missing mile’ of Gloucestershire canal to be restored after 50 years PART of the Stroudwater Navigation that was lost to road builders half a century ago is due to be reopened. It will be designed by property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Perfect Circle and its extensive supply chain. Following the Act of Abandonment 1954, a mile-long section of the Stroudwater Navigation was destroyed to make way for the A38 roundabout, A419 link road and the M5 in the late 1960s. This section now forms one part of the Cotswold Canals Connected Phase 1B Restoration Project, locally known as the ‘Missing Mile’. The section of canal through the A38 Whitminster Roundabout has recently been reinstated, thanks to National Highways Designated Funds, who granted the Cotswold Canals Trust £4 million towards the ‘Missing Mile’. The next step in this restoration will be to excavate a new canal channel along with the construction of two new locks, one new lift bridge, accessible towpath, flood relief, lowland habitat and wetlands. Further along the Stroudwater Navigation volunteers will continue to lead the restoration and maintenance and look forward to the canal between Thrupp (near Stroud) and Saul Junction being reconnected to

the 2500km of inland waterways network at Saul Junction. As a preferred partner of Perfect Circle, Tony Gee and Partners has been commissioned to deliver preliminary design, detailed design and on-site supervisory services via SCAPE Consultancy – a direct award framework that drives collaboration, efficiency, time and cost savings. It is the global engineering firm’s first appointment as part of Perfect Circle. Tara-Leigh McVey, infrastructure framework director at Perfect Circle, said: “We are delighted that Stroud District Council, on behalf of Cotswold Canals Connected, has engaged Tony Gee and Partners via Perfect Circle and SCAPE Consultancy to help reinstate part of Stroudwater Navigation that was lost more than 50 years ago. “This project will not only help reconnect the ‘Missing Mile’ to the national canal network,

but it will provide an accessible walking and cycling route, which will attract more visitors to the area and support the local economy.” Peter Reeves-Toy, director at Tony Gee and Partners, said: “As part of our works, we will be providing preliminary design services for the whole ‘Missing Mile’, including the highway interface with the A419 (where a new mooring basin will be created), the canal, two new locks, pedestrian bridge and the underpass beneath the M5 motorway, as well as the excavation of the canal itself. “From an engineering perspective, it’s a real technical challenge. To avoid the disruption and cost caused by constructing a purpose-built canal crossing beneath the M5, the existing underpass used by the River Frome will be used to create a new canal channel alongside the river, albeit with a lower water level than the river to provide the necessary headroom.”

The Company of Proprietors of The Stroudwater Navigation were authorised by Act of Parliament in 1730 to build the canal, which opened in 1779. It connected the market town of Stroud in Gloucestershire to the River Severn, with its main cargo being coal. Following the opening of the Thames and Severn Canal in 1789, it formed part of a through-route from Bristol to London. Due to competition from the railways and the Act of Abandonment granted in 1954, permission was given to release part of the Stroudwater channel, including Bristol Road Lock, to enable the construction of the M5 link road and the A38 roundabout.

Northamptonshire

01327 842577

www.whiltonmarina.co.uk Daventry, Northamptonshire NN11 2NH

Cheshire

01270 528251

www.venetianmarina.co.uk Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 6DD

4 NEWS

January 2022

Whitehouses (Old Pumping Station) before re-watering.

A time to reflect! Whitehouses taken 24 hours after re-watering began. PHOTOS: WCT

Quarter-mile Wendover stretch back in water

ON A blustery and cold November day volunteers from the Wendover Canal Trust (formerly the Wendover Arm Trust) started re-watering of a further quarter-mile section of the canal between the two footbridges. This is another milestone for the trust whose volunteers have worked tirelessly, sometimes in appalling weather, to complete this new section which has not held water for more than 100 years. ‘Pulling the plug’ by the existing

bund was carried out by both the oldest and youngest volunteers to the trust. Permission had to be obtained from the Canal & River Trust, the owners of the canal and it has been estimated that re-watering will take up to a fortnight. However this will not be to navigable depth and completion of the remaining section linking up with the Phase 1 restoration at Little Tring will be necessary before boating is possible. Removal of a major obstruction by way

of an old tip at Little Tring will cost the trust a very substantial sum and funding for this work is being investigated – any contributions will be very welcome! While re-watering was in progress seven scouts aged 11-17, three scout leaders and two mothers, all braving the blizzard conditions at the winding hole, planted 60 hedging plants along the back fence and weeded around last year’s trees. This was for their Community Service badge.

Sir David Suchet backs Lichfield Canal appeal

ACCLAIMED actor Sir David Suchet shared a fundraising appeal from Lichfield’s canal group with his 55,000 social media followers. Best known for his TV role as Agatha Christie’s detective Hercule Poirot, Sir David posted a message on his Twitter account @David_Suchet endorsing Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust’s Big Give Christmas Challenge. The trust took part in Christmas Challenge 2021 to raise £7000 in just one week. And thanks to a single huge donation, this target was reached almost immediately. These funds will be used to provide trees, hedging and wildflowers along the canal, as well as bird houses, bat boxes and information boards. Sir David, who is LHCRT’s vice-president, appeared in a video asking his followers to support the appeal. Although any further donations received now will not be match-funded, they will still be gratefully accepted. Chris Bull, LHCRT chairperson, said: “By planting more trees and wildflowers and providing information about our environmental work we want to help visitors to the canal understand how the canal brings the environment, biodiversity and a green corridor to their doorstep.”

Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust vice-president Sir David Suchet. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Oldest volunteer Pete Bowers (left) and youngest William Mathew pull the plug together to get the water flowing.

Water trickles into a newly re-watered section.

Tree boost for Lichfield Canal Trust

A LICHFIELD group whose national organisation celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2022 is marking the occasion by donating £1 for each of its 680 members to the city’s canal trust’s tree fund. Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust will benefit from the generosity of the local branch of u3a, which is a UK-wide movement of locally run interest groups providing learning and leisure activities for retired people. Local branch chairman Judith Thorpe explained: “We were looking for a lasting way to celebrate the u3a’s 40th birthday and so when we heard that the canal trust was hoping to plant trees along the Lichfield spur of the canal, we offered to help. “We have 680 local members and when we asked them if they agreed to us contributing to the trust’s tree fund they agreed – so we seized the opportunity to plant now. “By the time the official birthday comes around the trees should be well established and everyone’s experience of walking along the canal paths should be even better.” Peter Buck, LHCRT engineering director, said: “We are very grateful for Lichfield u3a’s generous donation. As well as the extensive restoration of the Heritage Towpath Trail and canal across Lichfield, this generous donation of trees by u3a is the first key restoration activity on a new section of the Lichfield Canal along

Winter works west of Wigan

AS PART of the annual winter stoppage programme on the inland waterways, work has been taking place at Dean Lock to the west of Wigan on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, writes Colin Wareing. Canal & River Trust workboat Murillo was used to transport materials that had been loaded at the nearby road bridge at Gathurst. The works included refurbishment to the tail gates of the lock and leakage repairs to the top gates. The lock access ladders have also been extended. Canal & River Trust reported that the stoppage had been completed as Towpath Talk went to press.

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Work boat Murillo arrives at the works at Dean Lock. PHOTO: COLIN WAREING, COLIN AND CAROLE’S CREATIONS

Falkland Road. “This not only helps to secure the roadside boundary but also meets the trust’s objectives to provide a green corridor, an environmental enhancement to wildlife and biodiversity and an amenity for the people of Lichfield to enjoy for many years to come.”

Lichfield u3a chairman Judith Thorpe joins Peter Buck, engineering director of Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust, at the Falkland Road canal site to help plant the donated trees. PHOTO: LHCRT For more information about Lichfield u3a, visit https://u3asites.org.uk/lichfield/ welcome, and to find out more about Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust, visit https://lhcrt.org.uk/

NEWS 5

www.towpathtalk.co.uk January 2022 2022

New pumps installed at Gloucester Docks

TWO large three-ton pumps have been installed by the Canal & River Trust at Gloucester Pumping Station in the docks. The new energy-efficient pumps replace two of the four existing ones to play a crucial role in managing water resources in Gloucester and Bristol. Water levels in the docks and canal are constantly managed by the trust otherwise levels would fluctuate due to lock and dock operation and abstraction. The pumps at Gloucester take on average 100 million litres of water per day from the River Severn to keep the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal open for navigation and ensure correct water levels for ships using the busy port at Sharpness Docks. Their role doesn’t end there – the water taken from the river is treated at Purton, to be used by nearly half the 600,000-strong population of Bristol. The new pumps are more efficient, have a higher level of resilience and have been designed to be easier to maintain, helping their sustainability and giving them a life span of around 20 years. It’s expected that the new pumps can cut the electricity bill for the pumping station by around 10%. The pump replacement project, with the remaining two older pumps due to be replaced in the next financial year, forms part of wider activities across the trust, reducing energy consumption and reducing CO2 emissions. Nigel Taylor from the Canal & River Trust explained: “These pumps act like a beating heart in Gloucester Docks for the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. Though tucked underground and unseen they are controlled by our state-of-the-art waterway management system to continuously manage water levels in the canal. “We are grateful to the players of People’s Postcode Lottery as the existing pumps were reaching the end of their working life, and funding raised by the lottery players has made these new ones possible. At a time when our waterways are busier than ever the pumps really are mechanical and technical heroes – keeping the canal open, ships moving and Bristol’s thousands of taps running with water.” Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “I’m

The old and the new – the blue ‘snail pump’ was in use from 1963-2000. Its 2021 equivalents replace a more recent set of pumps. PHOTOS: CRT

delighted that support from players will see new, more energy-efficient pumps being installed so water can continue flowing along the canal for boats, ships and Bristol residents alike. “Players of People’s Postcode Lottery are supporting this project as part of our Postcode Climate Challenge initiative, which is providing 12 charities with an additional £24m for initiatives tackling climate change this year.”

Canal & River Trust’s Nigel Taylor and Linda Butterworth with one of the new pumps.

Pump facts:

Engineers working with the Canal & River Trust on the installation of the new pumps.

• Gloucester Pumping Station consists of four 2000 l/sec capacity pumps which were originally installed in 2000. • Each of the two new Flygt column pumps is capable of filling an Olympic-size swimming pool every 21 minutes. • Each pump weighs more than three tonnes, is the size of a small car and requires a 40t road crane to install. They cost £100,000 each. • The pumps operate on demand and are controlled by the trust’s SCADA level management software. They can also be controlled locally. • Water has been pumped from the Severn into the canal since 1834 and it’s still possible to see the 1960s original No 1 ‘snail’ pump (named after its distinctive shape) on site. • The Canal & River Trust’s Gloucester & Sharpness Canal has supplied drinking water to Bristol since the 1960s.

Second national award for waterways volunteer WEST Yorkshire volunteer Cath Munn has received a second national award for her outstanding contribution to Canal & River Trust waterways in the Yorkshire and North East region. The presentation took place recently at the Standedge Tunnel Visitor Centre near Marsden. Cath, 46, from Huddersfield has been recognised by CRT and the Marsh Charitable Trust for her support and huge contribution in delivering the Explorer programme despite the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic. The programme provides educational resources and delivers workshops on topics such as water safety, wildlife habitats, flooding, heritage and STEM learning. She co-delivered new, interactive online workshops to 5000 schoolchildren between April-July 2021, sometimes delivering up to four workshops a day. She embraced the unknown and excelled with the challenge, even delivering some sessions while on holiday and going international when a student joined from Pakistan. Cath said: “This is such an unexpected surprise, I’m in shock! It’s a real honour especially as there are so many wonderful volunteers and hearing what each of the shortlisted nominees does was really inspiring.” She added: “I get so much from

David Booker of the Marsh Charitable Trust presents Cath Munn with her award watched by Canal & River Trust volunteer nominees and staff. PHOTOS: CANAL & RIVER TRUST/CANALRIVERTRUST.ORG.UK

volunteering. I don’t do it for the accolades, I get a real buzz from what I do, being outdoors is such a boost for your mental health and I get so much from the trust. I’d definitely encourage others to get in touch, there’s lots of opportunities and lots of brilliant people to meet.” Cath was nominated by CRT skills and learning co-ordinator Claire Cavendish for the Marsh Charitable Trust Award. Claire said: “I’m thrilled she’s been recognised for her outstanding dedication, support and enthusiasm with our charity, going above and beyond in helping look after our waterways and spread our water safety message over the summer. “She has made a huge contribution to our Explorers education programme over the past year, embracing the

challenges of the pandemic as we adapted our interactive water safety sessions to a virtual, online audience. It was a massive learning curve and Cath’s can-do attitude was a great support.” Having lived on narrowboats with her husband Iain, a civil engineer, for more than a decade, Cath missed being by water after returning to living in a house. She first volunteered for the Canal & River Trust as part of its towpath taskforce eight years ago, helping with activities such as painting and planting bulbs for several years, before moving on to lock keeping – which has helped her to reconnect with her love of being by water. She is also part of the award-winning volunteer lock keeper team at Tuel Lane Lock, Britain’s deepest lock, in

Sowerby Bridge which received an award during the summer. CRT Yorkshire & NE regional director Sean McGinley said: “Our volunteers make a tremendous contribution to our waterways. These national awards showcase the range of their talents and celebrate their enthusiasm, passion and sheer hard work. “While this award recognises her contribution to our education programme, Cath has helped us in many ways over the last eight years, attending her local towpath taskforce, becoming a qualified boat master, plus a guide and chaperone at Standedge Tunnel, Britain’s longest, deepest, highest canal tunnel.” Award ceremonies will be taking place in each of CRT’s six regions in the coming weeks.

Cath outside the Standedge Tunnel & Visitor Centre with her award certificate.

PROTECTS FOR LO NGER SAVES YOU TIME AND MONEY For your nearest dealer visit

www.elsan.co.uk

Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

GREAT BRITISH PRODUCTS

66 NEWS

January January2022 2022

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Vaccine firm volunteers help with canal projects

STAFF from pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca in Cheshire are just a few of the dozens of volunteers working with the Canal & River Trust this winter to improve the Macclesfield Canal for both people and wildlife. More than 60 employees have so far carried out a range of outdoor tasks as part of the company’s corporate volunteering initiative. Over the next few months, trust staff and many other volunteers will be devoting hundreds of hours to upgrading towpaths, planting trees, mending hedgerows and removing unwanted vegetation. At Bosley Reservoir, which supplies water to the canal, the

trust is working in partnership with the Prince Albert Angling Society and the Angling Trust to deal with an invasion of the non-native New Zealand pygmy weed, which is outcompeting existing native plants and destroying habitats for insects and nesting birds. On Bosley’s 12-lock flight, just over a mile of muddy, sloping towpath has been upgraded with a new all-weather, hard surface of stone chippings – a waste by-product from Welsh slate quarries. Eroded canal banks around the lock chambers and gates have also been repaired, making it safer for boaters alighting to operate lock gates.

Using Turnhurst to remove unwanted vegetation from the canal bank. PHOTOS: CANAL & RIVER TRUST

A waterlogged towpath near Bridge 87 at Scholar Green has been greatly improved, thanks to a major project to reinforce the soggy ground conditions with more than 40 tonnes of waste slate. And all along the 26-mile canal route, staff and volunteers will be planting trees, removing overhanging vegetation and improving hedgerows and wildlife corridors. Phil Smith, CRT local area operations manager, said: “All our volunteers are doing a fantastic job. It’s vitally important to keep this historic canal in good condition and we are very grateful to everyone who is working with us to do that.” Ecologist Tom King explained: “We’re doing everything we can to enhance habitats and promote biodiversity. Planting trees and keeping hedgerows in good condition gives a vital boost to preserve habitats for small mammals, birds and insects. “We are also particularly pleased to find a fantastic new use for the waste stone from Welsh slate mines. This is a win-win both for the environment and everyone who enjoys using the

GUARANTEE DELIVERY

TPT delivered to your door for only £1.16 an issue Issue 171, January 2020

TALK

waterways users The UK’s Number ONE read for all

TOWPATH

FREE

96 PAGES

FREE INSIDE

2020 YEAR PLANNER YOUNG VOLUNTEER EARNS AWARD

Winter waters

NEW APPEAL FOR PRESIDENT

NARROWBOAT’S UNUSUAL CARGO

p24

Narrowboats moored on the Leeds

West & Liverpool Canal at Parbold, W

By Janet Richardson

BOAT TREKKER AT FINAL FRONTIER

P25

FOR BREAKING NEWS & BOATS FOR SALE visit our website

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

ATS FOR SALE A BOATS Starts on

P63

COLIN WAREING Lancashire in January 2019. PHOTO:

eams for 2019 are revealed k’s TTop TTeams T k’s Towpath Talk a s, we bid farewell awn AS A new decade dawn t th to 2019 with the results of our Towpath Top Team award which has been k Top Talk r r. running throughout the year. With four teams shortlisted for the final with vote it was a veryy close-run contest t volunteers ty the Grantham Canal Society taking the title by a short head.

Such was the support also for from Crusader Community Boating first Blisworth that we are awarding our a rd – something Community Boat awa f the we had alreadyy been planning for r r. coming year. of Commended are the Friends the River Nene and the Waterways Chaplaincy’s Martin and Fiona Buck. Award presentations to our finalists

r The r. will take place in the new year. off a winning team receives the hire day boat carrying up to 10 people, generously sponsored by ABC Leisure Group Ltd. The runner-up will receive a £100 voucher to spend at Midland four Chandlers at Braunston and all donation finalists will receive a £100 towards their volunteering organisation the from Mortons Media Group Ltd,

Talk. tth Tal publisher of Towpath Our thanks go to the readers who rose of to the challenge of finding a group a gone that extra ave unsung heroes who have f their local stretch off towpath, mile for a association or ays canal or river, waterways a our judging ave community boat – and gave the panel a difficult job of shortlisting four finalists. • Continued on page 2

found on a boat moored Ouse bodies t achievemen f nd 100-dayCommunity of two men were fou probe Action Network (UCAN) THE bodies Boats gunshot were called UPPERMILL Y k city centre. Emergency services after starting in Yor investigating damage to narrowboats POLICE are Officers were after gunshots were fired in Cambridge. a December 5, at around 10.15pm, ay, called on Thursday, f m shots fro after nearbyy residents reported hearing near boats on the what was believed to be an air rifle the window of one River Cam. Photographs off holes in a since been published. One resident ave of the boats have Chesterton the from told reporters thatt shots, coming moored at Browns side of the river, were fired at boats five about for on Field, Fen Ditton, and this went no injuries were minutes. Cambridgeshire Police said reported and enquiries were continuing.

achieved its 100-day volunteering milestone 2300 hours of out in 2015. This included more than who, according voluntary work achieved by local people to, crafting to UCAN, “care about, and are committed environment”. and maintaining our beautiful local and for the positive Thanks were given to all supporters, work parties will feedback from the community. The next 8 and 20. The usual be on January 4 and 23, and February on Moorgate meeting point is 10am at the canal bridge Killan on 01457 Street but this can change. Contact Peter 878361 or peterkillan@hotmail.com

at around 8pm to Lendal Bridge on the River Ouse said officers on December 4. North Yorkshire Police f two men for attended “after concerns were raised with their touch in their 60s who had been out of bodies. Fire .” Upon arrival officers found the family.” The deaths and ambulance services both attended. although did were being treated as ‘unexplained’ a post-mortem not appear to be suspicious and The men had not examination was due to take place. alk went to press. Tal tth T been identified when Towpath

11/12/2019 10:17:16

Call 01507

QUOTE OFFER CODE: TPT01

To save you having to track down a copy every month, take advantage of our special offer

Delivery from just £14

wonderful waterway towpaths.” He added: “At Bosley Reservoir, the New Zealand pygmy weed is giving us a major challenge and over the next few months we’ll be working with our angling colleagues to spray and clear the weed as much as we can. “Now the non-native invasive species has taken hold, it will sadly be almost impossible to eradicate, which is why it’s so important for everyone to take extreme care not to spread the plant elsewhere on their shoes, clothing or equipment. Always follow the government’s guidelines to ‘check, clean, dry’.” To join the volunteers improving the environment around the Macclesfield Canal, please contact the trust’s local volunteer c o - o rd i n a t o r Jason Lock. Email: jason.lock@ canalrivertrust.org.uk

Volunteers from the Angling Trust and Prince Albert Angling Society join the Canal & River Trust mission to reduce invasive New Zealand pygmy weed at Bosley Reservoir.

Volunteers from Macclesfield Canal Roving Group with CRT work boat Turnhurst.

Footbridge restoration wins engineering award

THE Canal & River Trust has won a major engineering award for its sympathetic restoration of a histor ic Grade II-listed footbridge across the Trent & Mersey Canal in Middlewich, Cheshire. Canal engineers Tania Snelgrove, Ian Draycott and Helen Braidwood have been presented with a coveted heritage award from the Institution of Structural Engineers (Midlands), for a partnership project that also involved specialists from Arcadis, Kier and deHavilland. Ta n i a , who managed the project, said: “We are delighted to be given industry recognition for what was a challenging

restoration. The old bridge was badly corroded, so our engineers had to come up with innovative ways of preserving as much of the original steel structure as possible while ensuring it could still carry modern loads. “Some weathering is clearly visible but unique historical features, which were too badly rusted, had to be replicated. The str uctural elements were all painted black, as in the original colour scheme, including the new ‘U’ frames which strengthen the bridge.” She added: “The new mesh on the parapets is the same woven mesh used at the Eden Project and is so light that it appears to vanish

Middlewich Town Council chairman Coun Mike Hunter with project manager Tania Snelgrove at the reopening of the bridge. when viewed from a distance – allowing the structure to appear very much as it did over a hundred years ago.” Big Lock Footbridge provides an important pedestrian crossing point across the canal. The trust carried out a £330,000 restoration after the bridge had to be closed for safety reasons. A temporary pedestrian

crossing was installed alongside it and the trust created a special cradle to lift the old bridge safely on to a low loader. The elegant Victorian structure was then transported to a specialist firm for grit blasting, followed by a sensitive and detailed restoration. It was then craned back in and reopened to the public in June 2021.

This great deal means you will pay just £1.16 for your copy to be delivered to your home. That’s cheaper than chips!

529529

www.classicmagazines.co.uk/TPT01

Canal & River Trust engineers Tania Snelgrove (centre) with Ian Draycott, Helen Braidwood and colleagues at the ISE awards ceremony. PHOTOS: CRT

NEWS 7

www.towpathtalk.co.uk January 2022 2022

Waterwheel on the Wey & Arun

DID you know there is a waterwheel on the Wey & Arun Canal? It’s thought to be the only one of its kind on the national waterway system. At the southern end of the canal, on the Arun Navigation, you’ll find Lordings Lock and Orfold Aqueduct (a single structure), along with a waterwheel. Here the canal is carried over the river by the three-arched aqueduct, while the waterwheel – powered by the river – lifts the water into the canal. Sadly, recent vandalism and deterioration have rendered the waterwheel unusable but thanks to a grant from a charitable trust, Wey & Arun Canal Trust volunteers have begun to restore this heritage asset. The project, led by former mechanical engineer Brian King, has called for painstaking precision. A bespoke single stainless steel shaft with associated end flanges had to be

The new wheel. Lordings waterwheel in previous times. commissioned, manufactured to exact size and fixed in place by a specialist engineering contractor. All the peripheral steelwork had

The waterwheel being restored.

to be removed, then brushed up and rejuvenated with a special underwater paint. The stainless steel buckets that move the water also needed rewelding, another specialist task. The chute from which water flows into the aqueduct has been replaced with a Cor-Ten steel equivalent (the previous one made of wood having rotted through), while the current rubber seals used to prevent water loss between the buckets and the stone wall have also been removed and replaced with a unique stainless steel lip. Brian follows in the footsteps of restoration pioneer Winston Harwood in attempting to bring this very special structure back to life. Back in 1992 Winston and fellow volunteers discovered what appeared to be the foundations of a building. They decided to excavate (by hand) and eventually uncovered the lock and aqueduct and exposed the waterwheel

Winston Harwood hard at work near the site of the waterwheel in the original restoration. PHOTOS: WACT chamber for the first time in 140 years. Working from only the internal dimensions of the chamber, Winston constructed a waterwheel – no mean feat with no drawings or other example. Further improvements have been made to the wheel over the years and work on the wheel will recommence in the spring (the area floods in winter, making it difficult to get equipment on

site). It is hoped the Wey & Arun Canal Trust will soon be able to show off this special structure in its full glory. If you want to know more about the restoration of the Wey & Arun Canal and ongoing projects, go to www. weyandarun.co.uk

High quality rigid frame, semi-ﬂexible and portable

SOLAR PANELS

for narrowboats, yachts, leisure vehicles and off-grid power systems

Our products:

• Flexible and rigid frame solar panels • Solar charging kits • Solar charge controllers • Inverters and inverter chargers • Deep cycle gel and AGM leisure batteries

Your benefits:

Special products and prices for boat builders, marinas, chandleries and other trade

! No need to pay for electric hook up ! Save money on fuel ! No more smelly and noisy generators ! Freedom to travel independently from shore power ! Keep your batteries topped up while in storage

Why buy from us:

Inverter charger Fibreglass Aluminium Aluminium 250W flexible reinforced 160W reinforced 50W solar panel flexible solar narrow flexible panel solar panel

Rigid 310W solar panel

Gel batt ttery t

Towpath Talk readers - quote TPT2022 for FREE next day delivery

! More than 50,000 boat and motorhome customers ! Over 400 different products in stock, of all shapes and size - leading brands ! Bespoke narrow-fit and multiple solar panel kits ! No quibble 30 days return and refund policy ! FREE lifetime technical product support

For more information visit www.photonicuniverse.com email info@photonicuniverse.com or call 020 3150 1111

88 NEWS

January January2022 2022

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Canal restoration boosted by Borough Lands grant

GRATEFUL volunteers have received a welcome boost to their efforts to restore a former waterway. The Melksham, Chippenham & Calne branch of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust has been awarded a grant of £4825 from Chippenham Borough Lands Charity. The money has been used to provide additional equipment for local work parties including an all-terrain mower, chainsaw, hedge-trimmer, brushcutter, pole-saw, scythe and various other tools as well as training. The grant will help the charity to cope with a surge of support from local people and businesses who are keen

to bring the former canal back to life. Chairman of the Melksham, Chippenham & Calne branch Dave Maloney said: “The national lockdowns encouraged a much greater appreciation of nature and outdoor exercise, which inspired more people to seek an active role in the restoration campaign. We’ve also seen increasing interest from local businesses who want to use our work parties for teambuilding days. “This welcome support provides more opportunities to work on multiple projects, but we’re sometimes limited by the amount of equipment available.

Dave Maloney, second from left, and fellow volunteers in front of the restored canal at Pewsham, with some of the new equipment funded by Chippenham Borough Lands Charity. PHOTO: JUSTIN GUY

“However, this generous grant from CBLC will allow us to train and equip even more volunteers and therefore quicken the pace of restoration.” Phil Tansley, CEO of Chippenham Borough Lands, said: “We are delighted to be providing funding support to the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust. “Their fantastic work along the canal is helping to bring back into use the waterway for the benefit of local residents.”

Dry dock

Volunteers have already reconstructed a towpath, wharf, bridge and spillweir to the south of Pewsham and are now rebuilding a dry dock. The stretch includes around a mile in water. Teams are also working on another mile of canal to the east of Pewsham, from Green Lane Farm towards Stanley. The aim is to extend and then connect these sections with the original line south of Lacock, where the trust has already purchased some of the land, to join the proposed new ‘Melksham Link’ which would provide access to the Kennet & Avon Canal. Aside from the welcome boost to local tourism and employment, and the creation of safe new routes for walking and cycling, the restoration would also provide valuable new wildlife habitats. Work party tasks include digging, bricklaying, hedge laying, grass cutting and tree planting, as well as operating chainsaws or driving dumpers and excavators, with training available. There are also opportunities to volunteer with event management, fundraising and research. Email dave.maloney@wbct.org.uk or visit www.wbct.org.uk

Towpath solar lights illuminate Wolverhampton walking routes

TOWPATH

TALK

THE Canal & River Trust, working in partnership with the City of Wolverhampton Council, has installed solar-powered lights along the canals in Wolverhampton to improve walking and cycling routes along the city’s towpaths. Lights have been installed along six miles of canal with one every 10m, along the Main Line canal from Coseley to the bottom of the Wolverhampton

GUARANTEE DELIVERY From just £14

TEL: 01507 529529 QUOTING: TPT02

Lock Flight and along Wyrley & Essington Canal from Wolverhampton Train Station to the Bentley Retail Park. The project is being part-funded by Priority 4 of the European Regional Development Fund which supports the shift towards low-carbon economies. Powered by sunlight the lights will illuminate at dusk and will remain on until sunrise. Each of the 1000 lights has been fitted with special ‘bat hats’ to ensure these nocturnal mammals are not distracted by the light being emitted from the towpath as they hunt for food and navigate along the canal. James Dennison, enterprise manager at Canal & River Trust, said: “These eco-friendly lights have been installed on Wolverhampton’s busiest canal towpaths and are going to bring major improvements for everyone who uses the waterway routes. “Our canals are great places to visit throughout the year, and now local people don’t have to limit their use of these important routes to just daylight hours. The lights will mean our towpaths can be used as green walking and cycling

routes year-round, allowing the local community to experience the health benefits of being next to water.” Coun Steve Evans, City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for city environment and climate change, said: “The new solar lights will make sure our canals and towpaths remain a safe and attractive option all year round. They are a valuable addition to our network of cycling and walking routes across the city, which we are continuing to extend and improve. “The installation of these lights is part of our city’s Smart Infrastructure Project. This project includes Smart Lighting, which is currently converting Wolverhampton’s streetlights from older, higher-energy sodium lamps into low-energy LEDs. He added: “Projects like these will help us to lower our carbon emissions, reduce our energy consumption and enable people to choose alternative methods of transport, supporting our commitment to make City of Wolverhampton Council carbonneutral by 2028.”

Lichfield Canal route visitors Graham and Wendy Edmondson give their views to Seasalt worker Jane Cook. The couple, who have been living in France, were visiting a brother in Lichfield before moving to Lincolnshire. PHOTOS: LHCRT

Shop staff support canal restoration project A LICHFIELD shop’s staff have been helping to shape the future of the city’s canal restoration project. Workers at the Three Spires Shopping Centre branch of Seasalt Cornwall, the national women’s clothing and accessories retailer and its outlet shop at the Heart of the Country, took on the task of interviewing visitors to Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust sites to discover users’ motives and views. This information is important in helping LHCRT to understand what visitors are interested in, to inform the trust’s future plans and is vital to its funding applications. Part of Seasalt’s sustainability mission is to provide all its employees with one day extra paid leave to undertake volunteering hours in a way of giving back to the communities where they live. Two members of staff from the Lichfield shop surveyed people using the Fosseway site in September, two pairs from the outlet interviewed visitors to the Fosseway again and also Borrowcop Locks in October, and another pair from the outlet were talking to people at Gallows Reach on November 5.

Several years ago, Seasalt staff carried out planting on the canal route and its CEO and several senior directors accompanied a local manager for a day helping to create the footpath at Gallows Reach. LHCRT chairperson Chris Bull said: “The fact that these volunteers are so experienced and skilled in peoplefacing work makes them ideal for this task. We are most grateful to the lovely folk of Seasalt.”

Seasalt’s Donna Walker interviewing Linda Wright, a regular visitor to the Lichfield Canal towpaths.

Your help needed on the Cromford Canal

THE Friends of the Cromford Canal in Derbyshire are looking for new trustees to move their restoration plans forward in 2022. Planning approval has been granted for a significant restoration project at Langley Mill but the Friends need new enthusiastic trustees from all backgrounds to help guide them through these exciting times. A spokesman explained: “We are an active charity whose aim is to restore the Cromford Canal to navigation over the 14.5 miles between the end of the Erewash Canal at Langley Mill Basin and Cromford Wharf. “At present there is only a 1.5 mile length of canal in navigation, between Cromford Wharf and the Derwent Aqueduct at the northern end of the canal, and a short length at the southern end from below

the road bridge through the first lock to the end of the Langley Mill basin, but in between the line of the canal is still present on some reaches whereas other sections have unfortunately been lost to new development and a new alignment will be needed.” The spokesman continued: “Last year, we obtained planning approval for a 1km reach of the canal which is known as the ‘Beggarlee Extension’, starting from the Langley Mill basin heading north up the Erewash valley. “We operate a trip boat on the northern section of the canal on a commercial basis to provide some funding for modest repair and maintenance work along the canal and have aspirations to extend this section of the canal further.” The c h a r i t y ’s management board

realises that it needs an urgent trusteerefresh and is looking for people with a background and interest in canal restoration and preferably who have specific skills to bring to the team, particularly engineering and finance skills. So if you think you can help accelerate the restoration and development aims please get in touch; the Friends are looking for enthusiastic and energetic individuals who can w o rk co-operatively with existing trustees. Please visit www. cromfordcanal.org for more details on the canal and aims. Interested parties should email chairman David Martin for an informal chat at chair@ cromfordcanal.org.uk

NEWS 9

January 2022 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk January

Paul Smith on board Violet Mary.

Characters of the Cut

By Alice Griffin

WHEN Paul Smith first set eyes on his boat he knew there really was ‘something about Mary.’ Built by Peter Chipperfield over a period of 33 years in tribute to his late mother, Violet Mary is 44ft with an 8ft 6in beam, which just so happens to be the exact measurements of Peter’s lock-up! Floated on the river in 2012, after Peter’s sad passing in 2020 the boat was brought to Paul’s attention. “Word of mouth led me to Violet Mary as I had boating friends on the River Lea who knew Peter and spoke of him with great fondness. I still remember when I first saw her – it was love at first sight. She has this wonderful blend of brutal industrial strength and soft wooden pirate ship edges that marry together like art. I loved everything about her.” Paul wasn’t looking entirely through rose-tinted spectacles though. He understood all too well the journey ahead. “What I also saw was a clutter of wood, grime, spider webs, rat droppings and old tools. But through that chaos there was something truly special and unique. I could see what Peter had seen and felt this great surge of purpose to finish what he had started.” Huge life changes including grief and divorce had left Paul with a desire to seek out a life of simplicity and once purchased, he felt compelled to tackle Violet Mary’s emergence from half-finished project to the home she now is, head on. “I spent the dark and isolated winter of 2020 within her shell. It became a pilgrimage of purpose, unbelievably hard, but it forced me to focus on the job at hand and that’s exactly what I needed. It gave me space to be physical and simple without dwelling on the emotive, traumatic outside world.”

Paul Smith at the tiller. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Peter Chipperfield built Violet Mary over 33 years in tribute to his late mother.

Paul’s two young boys love being on board and enjoying nature.

As Paul worked he discovered more and more of the incredible character Peter was and found their lives becoming inextricably entwined. “As I scrubbed, every masterful weld and bodged carpentry creation was revealed. Each old tool uncovered from grime told a story in itself, moulded to the strong hands of its previous owner.” With so many new shells gracing the waterways these days, to observe Paul’s need to discover the depth of story living within his boat is heartening and as winter turned to spring it seems all those who knew and loved Peter were also delighting in Violet Mary’s re-emergence. “I was inundated with fellow boaters sharing a wealth of stories about a man who truly lived; a passionate doer of things, adventurous, freespirited, kind. I felt compelled to tell Peter’s story, to finish his boat and live up to his maverick reputation.” Paul’s commitment to this journey now shines through in each minuscule detail. “I kept everything. Every scrap I found became a treasure: old timber with bolts became shelves, church mahogany recovered from the bow became doors and even Peter’s walking sticks have become clothes rails. I wanted to keep Peter alive through the details of a life lived.” Paul’s favourite place though, is the bow. The bow of the boat joins steel with heavy mahogany. I sit there every day, feet up appreciating the mastery of the joins, the marrying of steel and wood, the beautiful lines and elegance and the feat of perseverance and skill it must’ve taken to create. “It’s the tip of the boat, the way forward, it’s like an arrow for the soul… look ahead and all is fine. I love that.”

Through his loving restoration Paul has also created a home equally appreciated by his two young boys. “They adore Violet Mary and know all the stories of Peter. My littlest is three and recently I overheard him when he thought nobody was listening. He said: ‘Violet Mary, I love you’.” Creating this safe space following life’s challenges has allowed Paul and his boys the opportunity to focus on real experiences. “For us all it has felt like a reawakening of some dormant animal spirit. We swim in the lake, cook on the fire, carry water.” And whether stopping to marvel at a snail, collect feathers, or cheer as a flock of geese fly overhead, through the eyes of his boys, Paul has rediscovered the magic of life. “Peter made this boat, I turned it into somewhere we could live, but my boys made it a home and I thank Peter every day for that opportunity. Violet Mary saved me and for that, I will be eternally grateful.” I n s t a g r a m : the_journey_of_violet_mary Facebook: @ thejourneyofvioletmary As a videographer you can expect to see more films about life aboard Violet Mary – as well as stories from the river – via Paul’s company: www. standout-films.com Alice Griffin is a writer wandering the waterways aboard nb Melody. Do make sure you stop to say hello and share your stories if you pass her on the canal! Instagram: alice_ is_in_wanderland www. alicegriffin.co.uk

10 NEWS 10

January January2022 2022

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Keen guests help with locking. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Hazel the well-being boat

Chris ‘The Boatman’ Leah explains how the Wooden Canal Boat Society (WCBS) has developed an offer which epitomises what the word ‘well-being’really means and where Learning – one of the key Five Ways to Wellbeing, a set of evidence-based public mental health messages – fits in.

SYSTEMS

SOLUTIONS

• Quality engineering • Innovative design • Competitive pricing • Guaranteed compatibility • Unrivalled warranties

*Warranty terms and conditions can be found at www.vetus.com

5-year

warranty on engines*

COMPLETE PACKAGES AVAILABLE FOR NEW BUILD, REFIT AND REPOWERING

Narrowboats t:

023 8045 4507

Widebeams

Dutch barges

| e : SALES@VETUS.CO.UK | W W W.V E T U S . C O M

3-year

warranty on equipment*

An unpowered butty, Hazel is usually towed by a motor boat.

WHEN Peter and Claire Stone donated Hazel to the WCBS in 1988, we weren’t sure what to use her for. In the short term she provided a comfortable

floating home for a young family; however, the idea of the WCBS is that, once restored, our historic boats should have a social or environmental function and benefit the community. One thing that most WCBS members have in common is that getting involved with canal boating helps their mental well-being. How could we magnify these effects by being mindful of the Five Ways: Give, Be Active, Connect, Notice and Keep Learning. Would using a boat to boost well-being work? The Hazel Project was born. Time passed, funds grew only slowly and Hazel’s elderly hull deteriorated until it became difficult to keep her afloat but, finally, in 2011, Hazel was dragged out of the water in a most undignified manner. A boatbuilder travelled from America to take charge of the restoration and, over the next few years, her rotten timbers were replaced and she was refitted to accommodate 12 people on a day trip or up to eight overnight. With disabled access to the forward half of the boat, she has two bedrooms with more accommodation in the saloon. The boat is heated by a woodstove and there’s a roomy, accessible bathroom. There’s also a separate traditional back cabin where the crew stay when she goes on longer trips. Hazel is a 107-yearold wooden narrowboat, originally built to carry salt and converted to a floating home in 1951. She is unpowered (a butty), so she’s towed by a motor boat (perhaps by a horse in the future). Usually the motor boat is Forget-meNot, another wooden boat but, at 94 years, a mere youngster.

She can do short trips of between two to eight hours, overnight stays, weekend breaks or longer holidays. She can also be used as an intimate and unusual meeting space and pre-virus we were holding regular drop-ins for people who wanted to chat. Guests often say that being aboard Hazel has a magical effect on them as they slow down, notice the heritage around them and become immersed in nature. With opportunities to learn boat handling basics, flora and fauna to notice, passengers and crew to connect with and the chance to get off and walk or work a lock always available – the boats barely match most towing path strollers’ pace – a trip on Hazel is a wonderful way to build your well-being. And it’s so peaceful! But to achieve these outcomes for our guests Hazel needs a fully trained skipper and crew to take care of navigating the boat and working the locks, while simultaneously (when Covid restrictions allow), interacting with guests and, if they are keen, helping the guests help us with locking and basic ropework and even steering. Once the work to Hazel was completed our next big task was to recruit and train crew and for that we needed a partner. Hazel is a ‘community boat’. The National Community Boat Association has a full suite of training and qualification options, tailored to that sector’s needs. They are people like us. Why would we look any further? We estimate that to make the most of Hazel and justify our funders’ investment in the project, we should be on the water for between 200 and 250 days each year. Given that winter boating is not everyone’s cup of tea and the maintenance and repair needs of the other half of the pair, the motorboat, this will see some

weeks when we’re out and about most days, a crewing requirement which runs into dozens of bodies, all of whom are volunteers. Volunteering – giving your time, energy and skills without financial reward – is a sure-fire route to wellbeing. But people have busy lives, families and limited resources and, in common with other VCSE organisations we do see a certain amount of ‘churn’. With the various effects of Covid we have lost a great many volunteers. But we have also retained a core of committed souls who are working like Trojans to deliver our National Lottery Community Funded project: Thanks to the NHS. Over a period of six months we aim to take more than 300 NHS workers, either as work teams or with their families, on four-hour well-being trips on the Ashton and Peak Forest Canals. It’s been a challenge but a very worthwhile one and one unlooked-for benefit has been the opportunity for volunteer crew members to learn and practise new skills. We have started to recruit from the local community and recently we were able to celebrate the achievement of someone who has been learning with us since 2015. Mick Owen, who himself runs a well-being business out in the wilds of Derbyshire, started doing a bit of crewing to get the ‘regular dose of narrowboating’ he reckons everyone needs. His commitment grew, as did his levels of competence, and when we did a full weekend of assessment for the various levels of NCBA qualification he ticked all the boxes to achieve its CCBM award – a fully fledged skipper. For more about the NCBA go to www.national-cba. co.uk online

NEWS 11

www.towpathtalk.co.uk January 2022 2022

Active Waterways Cheshire volunteers celebrate national award

A NATIONAL volunteering award has been presented to 27 volunteers from the Active Waterways Cheshire project by the Canal & River Trust and the Marsh Charitable Trust. The Marsh Trust Awards celebrate volunteer excellence and the amazing range of activities delivered by teams and individuals across CRT’s network in England and Wales. In the North West region, a group of volunteer walk leaders were recently presented with their awards at a special ceremony held at Anderton Boat Lift, near Northwich. The Cheshire volunteers are all involved in leading guided walks programmes in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Nantwich, Waterways Cheshire volunteers were Northwich and Macclesfield as part of Active ted with national Marsh Trust volunteer presen the three-year Active Waterways project, s at a special ceremony at Anderton award delivered in partnership with Sport Lift. Pictured here are: Project lead Poppy England, to encourage over 55s in the Boat an, Rosemary Smith, David Hall, Lynn Learm county to get active and feel better by water. Malcolm Craig, Jim Robertson and on, Poppy Learman, Active Waterways Johns t co-ordinator Madeline Fowler. projec Cheshire project leader for the Canal & River Trust, said: “The volunteer walk leaders are 12-week programmes – a testament to their an inspiration and I offer my congratulations to dedication to this worthwhile project and the them all. They had to adapt quickly to changes joy that it brings people.” forced on us by Covid-19, supporting the Active Christine Mellor, head of volunteering at Waterways team to deliver online programmes Canal & River Trust, added: “The past 18 months during the lockdown periods. have been challenging with the coronavirus “Since the easing of restrictions, they have pandemic affecting volunteering and I was so returned to guiding the 12-week walking thankful to see our volunteers back in force as programmes across the county. For many the restrictions eased. participants who were socially isolated during “I'd encourage anyone who is interested in lockdown, this was their first time socialising and volunteering for the trust to get in touch – there participating in group activities again.” are so many opportunities on our website in your She continued: “Active Waterways volunteers local area. Come along and get involved!” share their enthusiasm of the canal and river Marsh Charitable Trust chairman Brian Marsh networks and their knowledge of the local said: “This year we have been able to celebrate history, heritage, flora and fauna. They often the achievements of more volunteers, both integrate mindfulness activities into the walks individuals and teams, across six regions of the and invite participants to socialise further after UK and we hope to continue to highlight these the walk over a coffee. invaluable commitments in years to come.” “Many have now been volunteering for several North West 2021 award winners are: Keith Pickton, Stuart Goode, David Hall, Janet Pitwell, Jacqui Dunbavin, Lynn Johnson, Steven Tideswell, Tom Dawson, Catherine Golightly, Malcolm Craig, Christopher Evans, Rosemary Smith, Paula Ford, John Brighouse, Kath Ward, Eileen Room, Karen Waters, Tim Purrier, Wendy Thomas, Jim Robertson, Beverley Moore, William Taylor, John Goodman, Kathryn Broad, Graham Percival, Jeff Fairweather and Jennifer Budworth.

The Active Waterways Cheshire group walking the towpath. PHOTOS: CRT

For more information about the work of the Canal & River Trust, including how you can volunteer or donate, visit www. canalrivertrust.org.uk

PART OF MIDDLEWICH CANAL CENTRE

O TS A O

Boats Wanted! We’re having a busy time for boat sales and as a result we now need more boats to sell Call for details

Tel: 01270 760 799 Boatfinder Brokerage Services

@BoatfinderBS

Middlewich Canal Centre is home to the following family of companies

Monty project team wins community award THE Montgomery Canal Restoration Project won the Community Engagement Award at the 2021 Ground Engineering Awards ceremony held recently in London. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project near Crickheath involves rebuilding a section of canal channel across very bad ground including an area that was a peat bog. The original canal channel in the area had mostly disappeared due to subsidence and the challenge was to reinstate the canal banks in such a way as to avoid further subsidence in future. The technique used was to build oversized banks weighed down with water-filled tanks over the peat areas. This induced subsidence both quickly and irreversibly after which the banks were reduced to their finished shape. Consulting geotechnics

engineers Arcadis provided a design solution in conjunction with Canal & River Trust which was suitable for construction by volunteers. The Shropshire Union Canal Society acted as contractors to deliver the technically complex work. SUCS project manager David Carter said: “It is rather surreal to see a volunteer organisation such as ours win a national award like this and beating many construction industry household names in the process. “We are very grateful to the staffs of both Arcadis and Canal & River Trust for their help and guidance during this work. It has been a real team effort.” On site for two three-day work parties a month the 40-strong volunteer group has now completed the critical work. Finishing work on the project will carry on into this year. The Ground Engineering

Awards Ceremony celebrates the achievements of projects, people and businesses working across geotechnical engineering. The GE Awards are open to any business/project and attract the biggest names in main contracting, consultants, geotechnics, ground investigation specialists, suppliers and manufacturers.

You can ﬁnd individual adverts for us throughout Towpath Talk Ninety of the water-filled IBC tanks have now been removed.

WWW.CANALCENTRE.COM

12 IWA ROUND-UP

January 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk

AROUND THE COUNTRY COMPILED BY IWA’S GEMMA BOLTON

Trent & Mersey village aiming for Heritage Inland Port recognition IWA is supporting an application to the Maritime Heritage Trust for Shardlow in Derbyshire to be recognised as a Heritage Inland Port. Close to where the Trent & Mersey Canal joins the River Trent, it is regarded as England’s earliest, most complete surviving example of an

inland canal port, with a new village springing up after James Brindley’s canal was completed in 1777, as part of his linking of the Trent and Mersey rivers by canal. The earliest buildings beside the canal were Warehouse A and Warehouse B (known to many

Warehouse B – the Clock Warehouse. PHOTO: IWA

visitors along the canal as the Clock Warehouse and now a popular canalside pub). Local IWA members are supporting the scheme, led by a local resident, for Shardlow to be awarded Heritage Inland Port status by the Maritime Heritage Trust. The trust has already designated a number of Heritage Harbours around the coast and recently announced Chester as the first place on the inland waterways to be designated as a Heritage Inland Port. The Shardlow Inland Port Steering Group has been set up to progress the application. The steering group’s aims include organising an annual festival and campaigning for repairs to some of the village’s historic canalside buildings by encouraging investment through funding and grants. They also hope that being designated a Heritage Inland Port will add to the village’s Conservation Area and individual Listed buildings status to protect Shardlow’s waterway heritage.

IWA supports Wendover Arm Canal re-watering

AS REPORTED on page 4, the Wendover Arm Canal from Bridge 4a to Bridge 4b is back in water, thanks to the Wendover Canal Trust with support from IWA. IWA’s Restoration Hub has been providing a significant amount of support to the project, led by the Wendover Canal Trust. Technical support officer Mikk Bradley worked with Canal & River Trust over the drawings and designs which

allowed this section of restoration work to be undertaken by volunteers. He has also prepared detailed drawings for the repairs to the foundations of the swing bridge, including stop plank channels and sheet piling bank protection. Mikk has also taken on an active role in training Wendover Canal Trust volunteers in levelling and relevant regulations.

The re-watering has come about thanks to the enormous effort of the WCT volunteers over the last six years. During lockdown, local Waterway Recovery Group volunteers got stuck in at the trust’s regular work parties. IWA’s Restoration Hub will continue to support this project and will be running a Family Canal Camp with Wendover Canal Trust in 2022.

Get involved – join us on a work party IWA branches are getting back to work to improve waterways across the country. Work parties have been risk assessed and mitigating measures are in place. Please contact 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 bring a waterproof. You may also want to bring a packed lunch and any refreshments. North Thursday January 20 IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and Trent & Mersey Canal Society: Work party on the

Cheshire Locks, Trent & Mersey Canal. 10am-3pm. Contact John Lawson John.lawson@waterways. org.uk; or phone 07940 878923. East Tuesdays IWA Milton Keynes Branch: Regular

work party at Fenny 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 pat.durham@waterways. org.uk or phone 07510 195918,

Sunday January 9 and Tuesday January 18 IWA Northampton Branch: Work

party on the Northampton Arm as part of the Branch's adoption of the navigation. 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 or phone 01604 453932.

West Tuesdays and Saturdays IWA West Country Branch (Taunton & Bridgwater): Work parties

in the Somerset area. 10am-1pm. Contact Mike Slade: mike.slade@ waterways.org.uk or phone 07977 263840. Branch talks and socials

In addition to work parties, IWA branches host local waterway talks, walks and socials to share the wonder of the waterways. Many of these are open to anyone who wants to come along. Find something that’s on near you: waterways.org.uk/events

Wheelchair and pushchair users will benefit from extra hardstanding space alongside two of the benches. PHOTOS: IWA

Northampton Arm now has three new benches and a defibrillator THROUGHOUT the autumn, volunteers from IWA Northampton Branch have been installing benches along the towpath, supported by funding from Cummins Power Systems. The first bench was installed at Lock 1, a little down from Gayton Junction in September. An old bench had been removed from this site

to be refurbished and installed at Lock 3. During work parties in November, volunteers dug out and poured the concrete bases for the second and third benches and a defibrillator, at Lock 14 at Pineham. This work party was supported by volunteers from the Network Rail Milton Keynes finance team. Then, in December, a small group of volunteers

fixed two new benches to the hardstanding. A defibrillator cabinet funded by Hunsbury Meadows Parish Council was also put in place. The volunteer work parties normally take place twice a month along the Northampton Arm as part of the adoption by IWA Northampton Branch. Volunteer at waterways. org.uk/northampton

A lasting legacy from Notts & Derby branch stalwart TRIBUTES have been paid to Nancy Johnson, a former chairperson of the Inland Waterways Association Notts & Derby branch, who passed away on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, aged 82. Nancy, who lived in Cotgrave, was chairperson for more than 17 years in the late 1980s onwards and during this time was re s p o n s i b l e for fundraising and hands-on involvement in many local river and canal restoration projects. I n i t i a t i v e s spearheaded by Nancy include d raising £26,000 in 1996 to build a footbridge over the water overflow on the Nottingham Canal near The Navigation Inn on Wilford Street in Nottingham. She was also involved in several projects on the Grantham Canal which included the restoration of locks in Cotgrave Country Park as well as replacing missing milestone markers. Commenting on her legacy, David Johnson,

Nancy’s husband of 65 years and also a former IWA committee member, said: “I have always been extremely proud of the way Nancy thrived and grew in confidence in her role as chairperson. “It is very apt that her fundraising efforts will leave a lasting legacy for other boaters and users to enjoy on the Notts & Derby canal and river network. We thoroughly enjoyed our boating expeditions, the many friendships we developed and the

memories these have created.” Nancy died of pulmonary fibrosis and was treated in the Nottingham City Hospital by doctors and nurses on Edward 2 & Fleming Ward. The funeral was on Thursday, November 18. The family chose to raise money for Nottingham Hospitals Charity which supports staff education and welfare, research, patient facilities and new buildings, refurbishment and new equipment.

Nancy Johnson, front, at the footbridge over the water overflow on the Nottingham Canal. PHOTO SUPPLIED