*FREE!** August issue of Towpath Talk

WaterwaysOmbudsman reveals boaters’grievancesinannualreport

ByLucy Wood

LOSS of businessincome,overstayers and speeding boatswereamong the complaints referredtothe Waterways Ombudsmanduring2023/24.

Avarietyof matters raised by boaters, ahouseholder,abusinessownerand alandowner were outlinedinthe WaterwaysOmbudsman Scheme andthe WaterwaysOmbudsman

Freeartsday

Committee’srecently publishedannual reportsfor2023/24.

The schemeisthefinal stagefor complaints aboutthe Canal&River Trustandthe Avon NavigationTrust, whicharereferred afterthetrusts’ ownprocessesare exhaustedandthe complainantremainsunhappy.

TheWaterways Ombudsman Committeeisresponsibleforensuring theschemeiseffective.

One-stopshop

During the period April2023 to March2024,Waterways Ombudsman SarahDaniel received 43enquiries abouttheCRTandnone aboutthe Avon NavigationTrust.

Fouroftheinvestigationsshe carried outwerecomplaintsfrom boaters.“At theheart ofallthesecomplaintswasa lackofresponsivenessfromthetrust,” commentedMsDaniel.

“I made recommendationswhich

have resultedinthetrustlookingatits processesorprocedurestoconsiderif change is required.”

Oftheinvestigationsconcluded duringthe year,threewere upheld,one waspartiallyupheldand threewere not,withanotherclosed without being completed duetomediation.

Readthejointreportinfull at: www. tinyurl.com/waterwaysombudsman

Parkingupgrades

FAMILIESand residentsmingledtocelebratethe RiverLea,Enfield’s integral waterway. Festivalofthe Leasaw visitorsdescendonthe river’stowpathsand the BLOQScommunityspacefor afreeday ofarts andculturalactivities.Itwasorganised by BLOQS andthe Canal& RiverTrust’s Hinterlands Enfield project,whichconnectscommunitiesalongthe river, withsupport from theArtsCouncilandthe People’s Postcode Lottery. Formoredetails,see page 6.

CRAFTEDBoats Ltdhas bought FennyMarinain South Warwickshire. The companyaimstoupgrade facilities,runthedry dockforboatrepairs, is lookingatfacilitatingapainttunnel to carryout top-side repaintsand is consideringbuilding boats there. It isalsolooking into runningahirefleet, offeringbrokerage, along with achandleryand engineservicestofurtherits plansto becomea one-stopshopforall boatingneeds.

VISITORStoFoxtonLocks in Leicestershireare setto benefitfromimproved disabledparking and anew ANPR systemallowingpaymentupondeparture. Charges remainthesameforshortandlong-stay parking. Paymentoptions arecash,card, appor annualpassavailablefor repeat visitors. The carpark helpsfund Canal& RiverTrust’s canalcareworkand improvementsaimtoenhancethevisitorexperience. Full story: seepage24.

WELCOMEtothe

INTHEaftermathofthe recentgeneral election, Ifound myself strongly agreeingwiththe wordsofNABO generalsecretary, PeterBraybrook, inhiscolumnthismonth(p78)as hewrote:“Wecannotexpectthat theletters we wrotelastyearwillbe transferredtotheconstituencyoffice of thenewincumbentsoweneedto startagain…letthenewMPknowthe issues youcare about.” He’sperfectlycorrect,wecannot presumelastyear’scommunications will reachthenewrepresentative. It’s imperativetoacquainttheincoming MP with ourconcerns aboutthe canalnetworkand navigable rivers, in theconstituencies with achange in representation. I’msurethelongtermeffects(for betteror worse)ofthe changeingovernmentwill become clearerin themonthsahead.

In othernews,despitethe poor weatherthis summer, we thankfully hada breakinthecloudsfor people toenjoy theBraunston Historic Narrowboat Rally,the20th such event ontheGrandUnion,which wasa huge success withlarge crowds andgreat weather.See thefull reportonp21. And finally, I’djustliketobid farewelltocontributingeditorJanet Richardson, whorecentlydisembarked fromthehelmhereat TowpathTalk to enjoynewchallenges –wewishyou all the best forthefuture.

Enjoythe edition.

WaterwaysOmbudsman reveals boaters’ grievancesinannual report

•Continuedfrompage1

ALANDOWNERwhosewoodlandisthe

site of aCRT valvehouse complained abouttrust contractorswho had worked therelong-term. Sheclaimed bushes hadbeenchopped down, that scaffoldingwas left behind,that workers hadaccessed herlandviaan embankment, andthat workershadnot finishedthe work –therefore, CRThad breached theagreedcontract.

“She hadtried to make aformal complaintbut wasfobbed off,” wrote Ms Daniel. “She wasunhappy with the customer servicefromthetrustandfelt that herwishesandinstructions had been disregardedover theyears,with thetrust appearingtodoasitwished and sayingsorry afterwards.

“Thetrustacceptedithad not managed thesituation well. Iupheld thecomplaint. The trusthad already agreed topaythe complainant’slegal costsin respectoftheaccessagreement; Ifoundthis areasonable recompense. In addition, Irequired thetrustto make anadditionaldirectpayment as agoodwill gesture.”

Ms Danielalsorecommendedthat the CRTappointa project managerin such circumstances.

Bridge closure

ONE case concernedtheeffect ona business becauseofCRT contractors closingabridgefor repairs.The complainantarguedthat signagehad beeninadequatetoadvise hiscustomers ofthe roadclosuresordiversions –and that his businesswas severelyaffected as aresult.

The bridge in question wasclosed fornine weeks,causinghimadditional stress duetoaccessissues, andthis wasfurtherimpactedbytheclosure oftwomorebridgesinthearea.Had the work gonetoplan,however, the bridgeswouldnot have beenshutat the sametime.

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Ms Danielsconcluded,ashad the trust, that it anditscontractorscould have donemoreintheinitial stagesto engage with residentsand businesses whomighthavebeendirectlyimpacted by theclosures.

“Had someonetakenthetime tospeakto thelimited number of propertiesontheaffectedroads before thebridgeworkstarted,theywould have beenbetter prepared to putcontingency plansinplace,” shewrote.

“Earlyengagementwiththe complainantcould have identified if thesignagewas presentand mayhave resulted in bettersignage, especially aboutlocal businesses beingopen,and hecould have been betterprepared to update hiscustomersonthediversion andletthem know hisbusiness remainedopen.”

The complainantwas advised to make abusinesslossesclaim to thetrust, and theombudsman awardedhim asmall goodwillgesture.

Speedingboats

SPEEDINGboats ownedbyoperatorson the Kennet &AvonCanal were ‘causing anuisanceanddangertoother canal usersandmoored boats,’accordingto onecomplainant. He didnotacceptthat theCRThaddoneenoughtomonitor matters or to enforcethe speedlimit.

“Speedingboats canbedangerousto otherboatersandtheexcessivewash cancause damage tothe waterway,” wrote Ms Daniel.“The trustwillactwhen it hasevidenceofanoffender.Thetrust doesnot have the resourcesto policethe wholeofthe navigationandthisiswhyit

asksforevidencewhen membersof thepublic report speeding craft.”

Thecomplainant offered to gather evidenceif thetrust providedhim with equipment, butthe trustrejected thisasit wasunfair to putthe complainantinthat position.

The CRTconfirmed it workswithhire boat operatorsand theirtrade bodyto ensurethathirersare awareofwaterways rules,butthat these maystill be breached. When an operator has evidenceofthis,itcan takeaction;whenthe CRThasevidence to ‘supporta concerningtrend withan operator,’ it canpursuethisdirectly.

Thefrontcoverofthe WaterwaysOmbudsman Schemeandthe Waterways OmbudsmanCommittee’s recentlypublishedannual reportsfor2023/24.

“Thetrust hadveryfewcomplaints aboutspeedinghireboatsthroughout thesummerforthisparticular region,” wrote Ms Daniel.“Iwas satisfiedthat thetrust hastaken action to reduce thefrequencyofspeedingboats inthe area,but withoutevidencetoidentify theculpritsand substantiatethefacts,I accepteditcouldnottakefurtheraction.

“Asa resolution,the complainant wanted thetrust to provideassurances that it willtakeactiontoproperly manage thehireboatcompaniesoperatinginthe areaandtoensureitadherestohealth and safety requirementsforcustomers andother canalusers,” Ms Daniel added. “I wassatisfiedthatthetrust had demonstrated it wasalreadydoingthat.”

Poorhygiene

ALIVEABOARD boatercomplained abouthow theCRT responded to his repeated reportsaboutthe poor standard ofcleanlinessofcustomer facilities at hismooring. Therewasa suddendropin standards,hesaid, and asked why,whenhereportedthis,no action wastaken.

Therehad been noalterationinthe methodorfrequencyofthecleaning schedule,butthetrusthad changed thecleaningcontract supplierand had addressed teethingissues.

“Thecomplainantdidnot agree andprovidedphotosofthefacilitiesto demonstratethe lackofcleaning. The trustaccepted thefacilitiesneeded updating which,theyargued, made cleaningmore difficult.

“Therefollowed aseriesofmeetings whichresulted in thetrustgaining access tothehistoricaldata aboutthe cleaning regimeon site.This revealed missed visitsandpoorrecord-keeping, as wellaspoor cleaning. As aresult,there wasachangeinpersonnelandamore stringentapproachtorecord-keeping.

“This matterhasnot beenwell handledbythetrust. It appeared tome that ratherthaninvestigatingwhat was happeningatthesite,thetrustdismissed the matterasteethingtroublesduetothe change ofcontractor.

“Thephotographsshowedafacility which wasnotfit to be used. It was obviousit wasnot just apoorjob being done,but that eithernothingwas being done by the cleanerornovisits were beingmade.”

Recommendationstothetrust includedmonitoringworkand conductingits owninspections.

The ombudsmanrequired theCRT to make asmall goodwill payment tothe complainant.

Unlicensedboat AHOMEOWNER

complainedabouta boat dwellermoored oppositehisflat. He explained that the boat wasunlicensed and hadnoengine,so adiesel generator was runningfrommorning tonight, which hada detrimentalimpact on hismentalhealthand well-being.

Asheunderstood that theareahasa 14-daymooring limit, he believed the boat should have movedon onceit hadoverstayed.

“Thetrust has acceptedthere have beendelays in respondingtothe issues butsaysitwas hampered by theneed to followdueprocess when potentially makingsomeonehomeless,”wrote Ms Daniel.“Asthe boat isunlicensed,it (CRT) cannotpursue theoccupantby enforcingitslicenceconditions;instead, asthe boat is beingusedasahome,it

THISisthefifthandfinal annual reportofWaterwaysOmbudsman SarahDaniel,who warnedthat the Canal&RiverTrustwillfacefuture difficultiesin maintainingstandards and servicesdueto ‘dwindling resources.’

Commentingonherfinal year in office,MsDaniel,wholeavesthe positionthis summer,saidinthe report:“As Iapproach my final few monthsinoffice,I have been reflecting onthe last fiveyears.I have completed 40investigationswhich Ihope made adifference to thoseinvolved.Even whenthe outcome isnotwhat the complainantwanted,theyhave closureand abetterunderstanding ofwhyadecision hasbeenmade.

“Ofthosethat have been upheld, thetrust (CRT)haslearntlessonsand gaineda greaterappreciation ofhow itsactions canimpactonanindividual whenfacedwitha large organisation. Ihavealwaysfoundthetrusttobean organisationthat strives toprovide the best serviceandexperienceit can, oftenindifficultcircumstances.

“Thetrust’s operationstouchso many people’s lives,fromsomeone takinga strollalongthetowpathor livingadjacenttoit, toliveaboard boaterswho relyonthetrust forthe upkeepand safetyoftheirhome environmentandtothosewho run businessesonor by the waterways. Thisiswhatmakes theombudsman role so interestinganddiverse;each contact canbeabout something completelydifferentfromthe last, whichmeans Iamconstantlylearning.

“The waterwaysarecherished by many andthepassionfortheir upkeepisclearfromcomplainants andthetrustalike.Itisbecoming apparent howdifficult itis going to be forthetrust to maintain standards and services withdwindling resources andincreasingdemandand Iwish them wellin managingthis.

“I would encouragethemtobe asopenandtransparentaspossible aboutany necessary changes andto continuetoconsulttheirusers about changeswhich may affectthem.”

Meanwhile,the Waterways OmbudsmanCommittee’schairman,

must takealegal routeto remove the boat. Theinvestigationfocused on whetherthetrusthas followedthe proceduresfordealingwithliveaboard boaters. The boat was‘unidentified,’ whichmeansithad no boat index numberor name.Thetrustthereforehas no recordofit, its sale,ordetailsofthe currentowner/lawful keeper.

“Thetrust must followalegal route to remove theindividualfromthe waterways.This takestime,effort and constantmonitoringandinteraction. It didnot have thenecessaryresources to deal withthe situation in atimely mannerand beginthe liveaboard process.He(thehomeowner)feltthat responseslackeddetailand were not clearonwhat, if any,action wasbeing taken, as thetrust wasconcernedto protecttheidentityofthe boater.

“Thelocal authorityandthe police were able to providemoredetail,which addedtohisfrustration.”

Ms Daniel recommendedthat the CRTproduce afactsheet settingout what it canand cannotdointhese circumstances.Shealso required asmall goodwill gesture forthecomplainantto recognisethe stress andinconvenience caused.

LesleyHorton,who wasappointed in November last year,saidshe was pleased to presenther first annual report in the role.Shefollows outgoingKaren McArthur,whoheld the positionforthree years, andsaid: “I’d like to recordmypersonal thanks to Karenforherassistancein handing overthe roleandon behalfofthe committeeforherworkoverthepast fiveyears.She hasleftthe schemeina strong position tocontinueits work.” In thereport, she outlined:“The totalcostoftheombudsman service in 2023/24was £32,655.77.Thisis madeupofombudsman pay, other coststofacilitatehome working, and largerexpenses suchas thepayment ofannualmembershipfeesforthe OmbudsmanAssociation,Chartered TradingStandards Institute,and Information CommissionersOffice fees.Therewereadditionallegalcosts thisyear of£2457associated witha judicial review. The courtmadea costsorderagainstthecomplainant in respectoflegalcostsincurredby theombudsmanindefendingthe unsuccessful application,which we intendto pursue.”

Sheadded: “The comingyear will bringchangetothe scheme.Sarah willleaveher roleinthe summer and anewombudsman hasbeen appointed. Iwouldliketothank Sarah forher hard work anddedication indeliveringfair outcomesandin supporting thenew ombudsmanin embeddingintothe role.”

Phase2 of UlsterCanalofficiallyopened

ByAlisonAlderton

TAOISEACH(IrishPrime Minister)

Simon Harrisand Tánaiste (Irish DeputyPrimeMinister) Micheál Martin, alongsideWaterwaysIreland(WI), have officiallyopened Phase 2ofthe Ulster Canalredevelopmentprojectfollowing aninvestmentofmorethan€20million. Theredevelopment projectwas carried outbyWI,the navigation authorityfortheinland navigable waterways, from August 2022to June ofthis year, completingthe restoration ofthe UlsterCanal from Clonesin Co Monaghan to ClonfadinCo Monaghan. Phase 2oftheprojectincludes anew marina in Clones,1kmof restored canal, a1.5kmloopedwalkandanamenity areaincludingparking, aserviceblock, picnicarea,performance spaceand bus/trailer spaces, onthe routeofthe 180-year-old UlsterCanal.

The visionfor Clones Marina,agreed followingpublicconsultation,isamarina that safelylinksthe wider waterway andgreenwaynetworkintotheheartof Clones Town,providinga memorable anduniquegateway toCo Monaghan andthe border region: aplacetoengage withthe water, landscape, ecologyand thecelebrated heritageof Clones.WI iscollaboratingwith stakeholderson aVisitorExperiencePlanfor Clones Marina to fullyutilisethenewon-water

andalongside-water amenities forthe public good.

Theinvestmentsaw the creation of80newconstruction jobsand will provide aboost tothelocaltourismand recreation sector.

TheUlsterCanal Redevelopment Phase2isaninvestmentunderthe Programmefor Governmentsupported throughtheDepartmentfor Housing, LocalGovernmentand Heritage,the DepartmentofRuralandCommunity Development andtheSharedIsland Fund.

Commenting on the opening ofthe latest phase, WICEOJohn McDonagh stated:“WaterwaysIreland’spurpose isto be thecustodianofthe inland navigationsandcollaborateto reimagine,maintain,developand promotethemtosustaincommunities, environmentand heritage.

“Throughthe Ulster Canalrestoration,

Ministersattendingthelaunch,picturedwithotherinvitedguests:WaterwaysIrelandCEOJohnMcDonagh withthe Taoiseach,SimonHarrisand TánaisteMicheálMartin;MinisterforHousing,LocalGovernment& HeritageDarraghO’Brien;MinisterForRural &CommunityDevelopment,HeatherHumphreys;Ministerfor Nature,Heritage &ElectoralReformMalcolmNoonan;MinisterForInfrastructure(NI)JohnO’Dowdand JuniorMinisterintheOfficeoftheDeputyFirstMinister(NI)PamCameron.

we aim tobuildabrighterfuturewhere the waterwayplaysan inspirational role inthelivesofthelocalcommunityand offersexcitingopportunitiesforlocal businesses. Iwouldliketopay tribute to everyonewho hashelpedusreachthis happyjuncture– inparticular,Iwould

About Waterways Ireland

liketothanktheWIprojectteamand contractor Jons Engineeringfortheir commitment, energy and supportin deliveringthisimpressive projectin22 months.

“Wewillcontinue to collaborate withall stakeholderstoensure that thenextphase ofthe restorationofthe UlsterCanal,between Clonfadand Castle Saunderson,iscompleted to enableaccessibilityfrom Clones to the Erne systemandonwardstothe wider waterwaysnetworkacrosstheislandof Ireland.”

Phase 1oftheprojectenabledtravelby boat from Lough Erne to anew boating destination at CastleSaundersonin County Cavan.

Oncecompleted, Phase 3will connect the10km between Clonfadand Castle Saunderson,linkingClones marina to the Erne system andonwards to the wider waterwaysnetwork.

WaterwaysIrelandisthenavigationauthority responsibleforthemanagement, maintenance,developmentand restorationofalmost1100kmofinland navigablewaterways,principallyfor recreationalpurposes,andtheleading providerofGreenways,with600kmoftrails(includingBlueways).

ClonesMarina. PHOTOS:SUPPLIED

Unrestoredsectionofcanalat Clones.

FoxtonLockscelebrates210 yearswith afloatingmarket anddrawingcompetition

AS PART of asummerofcelebration, afloatingmarketwasheld at Foxton Lockstomarkaspecialanniversary. Themarket, heldbythe Canal &RiverTrust,was thefirstina seriesofevents marking210 years sincethefirstnarrowboat used the famousflightoflocks.

As wellasenjoyingsome retail therapy,visitors were ableto follow afunfamilytrailaroundthe site.

Diggingforthelocks– thelongest, steepeststaircase oflocksinBritain –startedin1810andittook four yearsuntiltheywerecompleted, allowing thefirstnarrowboatsto pass throughin August 1814.

Todaythelocksarestill ahiveof activity,used by around5000 boats and welcoming400,000 towpath visitorseach year.Thetrust has alsolauncheda special drawing competition,encouragingartists agedbetweenfive and17tocapture their ownperspectiveofFoxton Locks.

JannetteWarrener,destination and attractions managerforCRT, said: “Itpromisesto be areally excitingsummer at Foxton Locks as we celebratethismilestonein thelongandcolourfulhistoryof thesite, andwhat better wayto

kickthingsoffthanwitha floating market?

“Caringforthecenturies-oldlocks requires ayear-round effortand eventslike thisareanopportunity for people to have agreat dayout andfind outhow thetrustand our volunteersareworking toprotect thesitefor futuregenerations.”

Thankstothe work of thetrust andits volunteers, Foxton Locks holds aGreen Flag Award. It sits in34acresof naturalgreen space, makingthesitetheidealplaceto go naturespotting.

As wellasthelocks,visitors can alsoenjoypubs,cafes,a museum andthehistoricremains ofa uniqueinclinedboatlift,whichis designated as aScheduledAncient Monument.

The drawingcompetitionis split into twocategories: children aged between fiveand11 years,and young people aged between12and 17 years.Entrantsare encouraged to submit adrawing of Foxton Locks, withthepicturesthat best capturea dayout at the siteineachage group receivingaprize.Thecompetition will rununtil Saturday, August 31, with judgingtakingplaceon Monday, September2.

ThefloatingmarketatFoxtonLockswas ahugesuccess. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

Planningapproval grantedfor nextstageofLichfieldCanal

LICHFIELD andHathertonCanals RestorationTrust(LHCRT) has beengiven permission forthe developmentofa new section between CricketLaneand London Roadin Lichfield.

The site ispart ofthehistoric, currentlydisused OgleyLocks sectionofthe Wyrley &Essington Canal,which wasclosed in1954.

LHCRTisrestoring the Lichfield Canaltoestablish anavigable gateway fromtheCoventryCanalvia Lichfieldtothe Birmingham Canal Navigations,and creating agreen andbluecorridorforthe benefit of thecommunity.

The planningapprovalincludes the constructionof a650-metre watertight canalchannelfrom London Roadtotheexistingold Lock 24in Borrowcop LocksCanal Park, anewlocktothe west of Cricket Lane, aliftbridge linkingLongbridge Road with Tamworth Road,andnew pedestrianstepsfromGallowsWharf to London Road.

DerekLord, planningand technicaltrusteewithLHCRT, said: “Thisis ahugemilestonefor usand we cannow startthelong-awaited work on the canalalongTamworth Road,creating afulllengthof channel from BorrowcopLocks

Canal &River Trustvowsto revampefforts after‘disappointing’boaters’survey

THE Canal&RiverTrust haspledged to ‘redouble’ itseffortsand ‘dothings differently’followinga ‘disappointing’ annual boaters’survey. Overall satisfactionamong respondentstothe survey, whichprovidesanimportant snapshotof boaters’views, hasdroppedto46%from 54% ayear ago–fallingfrom apeakof76%in2017.

Atotalof45%of respondents ratedthe upkeepofwaterwaysas ‘poor’,anincreasefrom 38%lastyear, andwhile theypraised truststaffand volunteersfor helpfulness, the2024 survey recordedthat the overall attitude towards thetrusthas declined;net favourabilityfell by 8%to 38%,andthose‘positively advocating’ forthetrustfell by 6%to22%.

·59%do notbelievethe trustprioritises spend effectively(upfrom52%).

·40%donottrustthe CRTtolookafter thecanal network(upfrom33%).

More proactiveand preventativemaintenance, widersources of funding, andmoreconsultationand bettercommunication with boaters were suggestedby respondents,and againstthe backdropofthecost-of-living crisis,concerns were raised aboutrisingfeesand equitable chargingbetweenlicences.

More than1100 randomly selectedtrust licensees respondedtotheonline questionnaire during April,includingleisureand liveaboardboaters with home mooringsorwhocontinually cruise, andtrade boaters.

boatingcustomerswiththe experienceand servicethey expect. Thisdisappointing resultconfirms that we need to redouble oureffortsto improvethis.

“Werecognisethata numberoffactorsmay have contributed tothisdecline in satisfaction –among them the numberof stoppages duetotheimpactofthe flooding we experiencedfor severalmonthsinthe winter, theincreaseinlicencefees, and last year’s issues with grasscutting.

ourresources,andgivingas muchnoticeandinformation as we canabout stoppages.

CanalParktoStJohn’sGrange. The first stagewillbetobuildthe canal channelfrom London Roadand installthe pedestrianliftbridge to giveaccessfromLongbridgeRoad to Tamworth Road,forwhichwe raised substantialfundsthrough ourBig Give appeal.

“Our volunteers willthen continue tobuild thecanalchannel towardsCricket Laneand make it water-ready.”

He continued: “Ouraimisto get as muchofthe canalinwateras soonas possible,sowewillincorporatestop planksordamsalong therouteto enablethisto happen. We willalso carryout additional landscaping work withplanting, includingmore trees, toincreasebiodiversity.”

The canalalreadyhas acompleted section at Borrowcop LocksCanal Park and apartlyprepared channel at St John’sGrange, withtwocanal culverts,whichwereconstructedby Ameyfor Persimmon Homes.

Ameywillalsoinstallan additional canalculvertbeneath CricketLane,aspartofthenew Persimmon Homeshousing developmentatthat location.

Detailsofthe work andfurther updates will be available at lhcrt. org.uk/gallows-reach

Analysis of theresults confirmed that boatersare ‘now morethantwiceaslikely to havespokennegativelyof thetrust than positively,’up 7%to49%. “Underpinning theseattitudesis alongerterm decline,since2021, in beliefthat the trustis listeningtoand actingon theinterestsofboaters,”said areportpublishedonthe CRT’swebsiteinJuly,which alsohighlighted that:

·57%donotbelievethe trust listens to boaters(up from48%in2023).

Thefeedbackhas been described as concerningby theCRT, which hasreiterated itsfocuson keyareas includingfacilities,general upkeepand maintenance, andcommunication –and is nowfinalisinga planto addressthe survey results.

In anupdate sent to boaters, theCRT said:“We aregreatlyconcernedtosee thefallin boater satisfaction overthe last year,which continues adownward trend insatisfactionsince2017.

“The trustiscommittedto doingwhatever we canwithin ourmeanstoprovideall our

“Thetrustiscommitted to providingour boating customerswiththe best experiencewecan. We acknowledgethat we must do things differentlyto respond to concerns,notwithstanding thechallengesofclimateand fundingthatwillcontinue.

“Werecognisethat the keyfactorforthe boating communityisthe general upkeepand maintenanceof the canalnetwork,andthat thisdemandsa clearfocus fromtrust. This willformthe mainpartofourplan. How to keepessentialfacilities ingood workingorder will formanotherareaoftheplan, andcommunicatingmore effectively with boatersand listeningtoyourconcerns, explainingmoreaboutwhat we aredoingtolookafter thenetwork,how we are spendingand prioritising

“While we will be doing what we cantodeliver improvements,weknow that youhaveexperienced for yourselvestheimpact ofextreme weatherevents onthenetwork.Thisis hittingusatthe sametime as areal-termreduction in ourgovernment grant, despite severalyearsofhigh inflation,andwhen we’ve beenrequiredtosignificantly increase spendonour reservoirs –now accounting for asignificantproportionof ourmajor worksexpenditure –tomeetlegally binding safetymeasures.

“Ourcommitmentis to listento yourconcerns andtacklethoseareasthat aremostimportanttothe boatingcommunity. We greatly appreciate your supportandunderstanding as we do so.”

AnupdateontheCRT’s websiteadded: “Overthe comingweeks we’ll be finalisingtheplan with timescalesandmeasures so youcan see howwe’re deliveringagainstit. We are fullycommittedtodoing what we cantoaddressthe concerns highlightedinthe survey.”

Readthe survey in full here: https://tinyurl.com/ boaterssurvey

Partofthe plans,showing the Tamworth Roadliftbridge.

PHOTO:SUPPLIED

AviewofthemarinaatBraunston,ontheGrandUnionCanal. PHOTO:CRT

Diverscarryoutvitalsafety inspectionsonMon &Brec

SPECIALISTdivers have been carryingoutinspectionsonthe Monmouthshire& Brecon Canal aheadofthe manufactureofnew safety gates. Glandwr Cymru,the Canal& RiverTrust in Wales,carried outthe work at LlanfoistEmbankment.

The embankment, whichislocated between thepicturesque Llanfoist Wharfand Govilon Wharf, features twosetsof safety gateswhichare used for maintenanceandprotection ofthe canal.Glandwr Cymruhas undertakentheinspectionaheadof planned winter worksonthis section ofthe canal.

Insteadofdrainingthe canal,a specialist diveteamfrom SeaLift Divingtooktothe watertoinspectthe gatesandto survey andmeasurethem.

Thishelped minimise disruptionfor boaters, asthe navigation didn’t have to be dammedanddrained.

Usingthe resultsoftheinspection, theCRTwillbemanufacturingnew safetygates at its workshop.These will be installedduringthecharity’s winter worksprogrammeaspart of the ongoingmaintenanceand renewalof canalinfrastructure.

“LlanfoistEmbankmentisone of many beautifulspotsonthe canal andisindailyuse by boaters,soit’sa prioritythat anyworkthattakesplace isdonequickly.

“Using divers helps withthisand isalsoa cost-effectivealternativeto drainingthe canal.”

He continued: “The canalisa

LeeBrain,areaoperations manager at Glandwr Cymru, said: “The Monmouthshire &Brecon Canalis morethan200 yearsold so it’s vital that we carryout inspectionsand make improvementsto secureitsfuture.

remarkablepieceofengineering, buttimeistakingits toll,combined withtheincreaseinextreme weather caused by climatechange.

“Weare doingall we cantomeetthe challenge,but we need help.Weare callingonpeopletosupportGlandwr Cymruandhelp keep canalsalivefor today’sboaters,thelocalcommunities the canals runthrough,andforfuture generations."

To discovermoreabouthowyou can supportGlandwr Cymrubyvolunteering ordonating, visit canalrivertrust.org.uk

AgeingsafetygateonShropshireUnion

Canalreplacedbyhandcraftedoak

A£50,000projecthas seena deterioratingsafety gateon the ShropshireUnion Canal at Knighton makewayfora handcraftedreplacement.

The Canal&River Trust carried outthe work at thehistoricwharf in June, replacingthe ageinggate withone madeinthe charity’sspecialist workshop.

Between1911and1961, Cadbury’susedKnighton Wharfand associated buildingstoprocesslocal milkinto‘chocolatecrumb’, which wasthentransported by boat to Cadbury’sin Bournvillealongthe canal. The safety gateplays avital roleinprotectingthe canal andneighboursintheevent ofemergencies.

At about35yearsof age, theold gatewasshowing signsofdeterioration, so theCRTreplaceditforthe safetyofthearea.Thecanal remainedopenthroughout the works.

Ad am Ba nnister, construction manageratthe

The35-year-oldsafety gateis removedfrom KnightonWharf,onthe ShropshireUnionCanal. PHOTO:CRT

trust, said: “KnightonWharf hasafascinatinghistory andshowshowthe canals played aroleinthe success of someof ourmosticonic companies.And we’restill usingtraditionaltechniques tosafeguardthis important heritage;we’ve handcrafted thereplacementgateoutof greenoakin ourspecialist workshop.

“Thetrustiscommitted to keepingthesecanalssafe and availablefor boaters, visitorsandneighbouring communities.Our canals areinconstantuse,opento theelementsdayin, dayout, andtimeistakingitstoll, compoundedbytheincrease inextreme weather caused by climatechange.”

SCOUTS came to theaidofother volunteerscleaning upanarea closetoNew CutCanalthathas becomeoneoftheworst spotsin Warrington forflytipping.

Twenty-four scouts turned out with threeleaders togiveWoolston Park South athoroughlitter pick. Theywereaccompaniedby experiencedvolunteersfromthe NewCut TrailGroup. Workingunderclosesupervision, the scoutsfounddiscarded mountain bikesandchildren’sbikes,aTV

Thenewsafetygate,handcraftedingreenoak,isputinto place. PHOTO:CRT

screen,aluggagetrolley andthe usualplasticanddrinkscontainers. WoolstonParkSouthissituatedclose tothe recyclingcentreandadjacent to theNew CutCanal,providinga through routetothetowpathanda popularpicnic spot. The scouts were shown howto conduct alitterpicksafelyand learnedalot aboutantisocial behaviour by some membersof the public.Everythingcollectedwas taken tothe gateonManchester Roadandarrangements were made with Warrington Borough Council to collectthe materialforprocessing thefollowing day.

AnnePrice,press officer forthe NewCutgroup, said: “Thepark beingclosetothe recycling centre suffers becausepeoplewhoarrive whenthecentreisclosed aretoo lazy to taketheirdiscardedgoods homeand recyclethemproperly.

“Thewholearea thathas been createdinpartnership by volunteers,parishcouncilsand theboroughcouncilisanexcellent areaofgreen,open spaceforall to enjoy. Unfortunately, we have these individualswhodon’t respect it.”

If you wishtohelp outinthe area,withfriendly work parties, bird and mammal surveysorlitter picks,you cancontactthefollowing: emailinfo@newcuttrail.com;email birding@newcuttrail.com;www. newcuttrail.com;Facebook ‘New CutHeritageand EcologyGroup’.

DivesurveyatLlanfoistEmbankment. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

Projectsharbour majorplansfor transformation of Tullamore

ByAlisonAlderton

WHILEthe Dublinend of theGrand Canalcontinues tograpple with bad pressconcerningtheinfluxoftents housingasylumseekers,concerns over their lack of accesstofacilitiesandthe erectionofbarriers restrictin forthe general publicto stretchesofthe waterw thereismuch betternews inland, particularlyfrom Tullamore, which will firmlyplacethemidlands town on the touristmap forfuturegenerations.

Contractssigned forGrandCanalUrban Greenway

TheGrand CanalUrba project,funded underthe Regenerationand Developmen und, willbringtheGrand CanalGreenway to TullamoretowncentreatKilbeggan Bridge whilecomplementingthe previouslycompletedURDFfunded Tullamoretowncentreenhancement works(completed in2020).

Below:artist’s impressionofthe imaginedfuture of Tullamore Harbour. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

Pictured at the contractsigningoftheGrandCanalUrbanGreenwaywereCathaoirleachof TullamoreMunicipalDistrict, Coun Declan Harvey(centre)with(front,fromleft)Peter LyonsofKenny Lyons &Associates;CiaránGarryof Tower Civils; chief executiveofOffalyCountyCouncilAnnaMarieDelaneyanddirectorofservices TomShanahanwith (back row, fromleft)CounNeilFeighery,CounTonyMcCormack,DonalGarryof TowerCivils,CounSeanO’Brien and Joe Dooley,a/seniorexecutiveengineer,TullamoreMunicipalDistrict. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

andGrand CanalHarbour Masterplan meetsthe aspirationsofthewhole community.

This willeffectivelyprovidean attractiveand easily accessiblevibrant town centredestination forall greenway userswhichwillin turn benefitall localbusinesses.

Theworks underthiscontract comprisetheconstructionoftheGrand CanalGreenwayurban sectionthrough TullamorefromConventViewtoCox’s Bridge andthe28th Lock toSraghBridge totalling 2.6km.Thisprojectisthefinal connectingpiece of workstocombine twoelementsofpreviousprojects carried outbyOffalyCountyCouncil, namelythe TullamorePublic Realm EnhancementschemeandtheOffaly Grand CanalGreenway.

Theworksinclude wideningof footpathsalongthe canalbank, undergroundingofcablesand street enhancement,newpaving andkerbs, road realignment, resurfacing and relining, trafficcalmingfeatures, signage andlighting.

ChiefexecutiveofOffalyCounty Council, AnnaMarie Delaney, confirmed: “Theseworks willcomplete theGrand Canalgreenwaythrough Offaly,a totaldistanceof70km,and areanintegral part of theproposed Greenway linkfromtheGrand Canal Dock Dublin to Shannon Harbourin West Offaly.”

The completionoftheseworkswill further strengthenOffaly’stourism offering as greenway userswill be

spoiltforchoice.Bothnewand returning visitorsto Tullamore will experiencea wealthof attractions,enhancedpublic realmfeatureswhilealsobeing an enhancedamenityforlocalusers.

KennyLyons &Associatesisthe projectdesigner and TowerCivils has beenawarded theconstructioncontract with worksscheduledtocommencein thecomingweeks.

TullamoreRegeneration FrameworkandGrandCanal HarbourMasterplan

OffalyCountyCouncil with Waterways Ireland,ConsultantsBrady Shipman Martin/FaulknerBrownsandGrafton Architects have beenseekingviewsfor thefutureofTullamore to ensure that the TullamoreRegenerationFramework

Stonebridgeattheentranceto the TullamoreHarbour,Grand Canal. PHOTO: ALISONALDERTON

Th eTullamore RegenerationFrameworkand Grand CanalHarbour Masterplan undedbythe Departmentof g, LocalGovernment and ge underthe Urban Regeneration and DevelopmentFund 2020(URDF), co-funding by OffalyCountyCouncil and by WaterwaysIrelandforthe HarbourMasterplan.

TheTullamoreRegeneration FrameworkpositionsTullamore town centre at theforefrontofthe town’s future development. It aims toserve as amodelfor regeneration, promotingcompactgrowth,creating healthyand appealingpublic spaces, enhancingurban resilience,improving permeability, fosteringvibrancyand encouragingsustainablemobility.

The multi-disciplinaryconsultancy team inBradyShipman Martin and FaulknerBrownsdelivered the frameworktoactas amaindriverfor compactmixed-useurbandevelopment withinthe town centreofTullamore and seekstoestablish avisionfor the developmentofseveral key opportunitysites.

The TullamoreGrand CanalHarbour Masterplan,jointlycommissionedby WaterwaysIrelandandOffalyCounty Council,has providedtheprismthrough whichfuturetransformationand regenerationofthe harbourareacan be envisioned.

GraftonArchitects,asthe appointed consultancyteam, hasculminated itsassessmentofthe studyareain aMasterplanthatreimaginesthe

harbourareathrough acatalogueof scaleddevelopmentopportunities.The Masterplan study areaalso includes theGrand CanalHarbourandadjacent lands, theCanal Spur Lineenabling accessintothe harbourbasin,and Young’sStore –a three-storey former warehousewithanapproximatefloor areaof 275squaremetresfrontingthe canalalongConvent Road.

AnnaMarie Delaney,chiefexecutive ofOffalyCounty Council, welcomed submissionsontheplans.“The TullamoreRegenerationFramework andGrand CanalHarbour Masterplan provideimmenseopportunityto Tullamoreandthe widercounty to reimagineand reinvigoratethe countytown.Theplansaddressthe opportunitiesandchallengeswithin Tullamoreand withURDFsupport createsopportunitiesforfutureprojects in thetown.”

ÉannaRowe, operationscontroller with WaterwaysIreland,notedthe significantmilestonebeingreached with thisconsultation stageinfinalisingthe Masterplan,confirming:“Waterways Irelandasthe Navigation Authority withresponsibilityfortheGrand

Canaland HarbourinTullamorewas lookingforward to therealisationofthe Masterplan’s visionandthat itsadoption willprovide aframeworkand template forthefull integrationofthe harbour intothefabricof Tullamore.”

Mr Rowe thanked OffalyCounty Council, theteamofconsultants ledbyGraftonArchitects,the DepartmentofHousing, Heritage and LocalGovernmentaswellas allthe stakeholderswho hadcontributed to theprocessthusfar.

Yvonne Farrell, nativeofTullamore, and ShelleyMcNamaraleadtheteam forGraftonArchitects.

Yvonne reflected:“When Iwasa studentatStPhilomena’sNational Schoolon HarbourStreet, littledidI thinkthat, yearslater,I would be partof adesignteam researchingthe harbour, walledinbehindthe school.

“The Masterplan reimagineshowthis hiddentreasureofnationalimportance anduniquecharacter cancontributeto thelifeandcultureofTullamore.”

FurtherinformationonURDF can befoundhere: https://www.gov.ie/en/ publication/56ef8-urban-regenerationand-development-fund-urdf/

FestivaloftheLea: FamiliescelebrateEnfield’s

FAMILIES, localresidentsandpeoplefromfurther afieldin Londonjoined together to celebratethe RiverLea,Enfield’s integral waterway. Festivalof the Leasaw visitorsdescendonthe river’stowpaths andthe BLOQScommunity spacefor afreeday of family-friendlyartsandculturalactivities. Astretchofthecanal from BLOQStoChalk Bridge wastransformedintoavibrantperformance space featuringartists CathyWade,Renin Bilginer, Chantelle Purcell, Cath CarverandChristina Kalinowski, achildren’stheatreperformance by Chickenshedandaninteractivedance performance onChalkBridge by CeydaTanc Dance in collaboration with ReninBilginer’s artwork. Familiesalsohadthechancetocolourthe towpath withchalk spray andimaginetheir own futurecity,while beingentertainedbyDJs Mission

Londonandthe RoyalSoundsand spoken word performances by Write2Speak.

RosDaniels, regionaldirector at the Canal& RiverTrust,said:“The RiverLea haslongplayed animportantroleinLondon’sstory, withevidence it wasusedfortransport as earlyastheBronze Age. Today,theriverflows throughsomeofthemost diverseandcreativepartsofthe capital.As acharity, we arepassionateabout the canalsand rivers in our care, and we understandthe benefitstheybring to thosewho spendtime by them.”

TheeventonJuly13was organised jointlyby BLOQSandthe Canal& RiverTrust’s Hinterlands Enfieldproject, whichpromotes well-beingand connectscommunitiesalongthe RiverLea.The projectis supportedbytheArtsCouncilandthrough fundsraisedbyplayersof People’s Postcode Lottery.

Acommunity-ledculturalfestivalwasheld tocelebratetheRiverLea. PHOTO:CRT

TullamoreHarbour. PHOTO:ALISONALDERTON.

SchoolhouseBridgeofficiallyopen

RichardHinckley,salesdirector,BeaverBridges,withShropshire’s Lord-LieutenantAnna TurnerJPandJohnDodwell,chairmanofthe MontgomeryCanalPartnership. PHOTOS: PHILPICKIN

ByPhilPickin

SHROPSHIRE’SLord-Lieutenant, AnnaTurner JP,hasofficiallyopened bridge 86, SchoolhouseBridge, onthe MontgomeryCanal. Theceremony tookplacein frontofa largecrowd of supportersand representativesofthe many individualsandorganisationsthat helped withtheproject.

John Dodwell,chairmanofthe MontgomeryCanal Partnership, thankedmanylocalcouncillors includingCoun Lezley Picton,theleader of ShropshireCouncil. In his speech, he highlightedthe supportfromShropshire Councilforthe restoration overthe years,including a£177,000grantfrom the RuralProsperity Fundfor rewatering works. Buthedidn’toverlooktheefforts ofthearmy of volunteerswho have madetheproject possible. Thanksalsowenttothe public fordonatingaround£1.1mandthe Inland WaterwaysAssociationfor providing£70,000fromtheTony HarrisonMemoriallegacy.Smaller but nonethelessimportant donations were

alsoreceived fromthelocalIWA Branch, the Walker Trust,the TarmacLandfill Communities Fundandthe Millichope Foundation. Thanksalsowenttothe Friendsofthe MontgomeryCanal,who contributedmorethan£30k, largely fromtheirannualtriathlons.

ShropshireUnion CanalSociety was alsomentioned,havingstartedthe fundraisingoffwith£12,000,andthanks

alsowent tothemanyindividualswho donated funds,bothlarge andsmall. Although alarge numberof volunteers have beeninvolved in the rebuildingofthebridge,John Dodwell wanted to highlighttheefforts of anumberwho have provideda significantamountofsupport andhelp, includingMichael Limbrey, aretired solicitorwhodealtwithallthe legal paperwork; Phil Parker,a retired civil engineerwho wastheprojectmanager who kept an eyeonBeaverBridgeswho builtthenewbridge; andRogerBravey, aretired civilengineerandexpertin bridge building.

Havingopenedthenewbridge, work continuesonthe twomilesleftto restore in Shropshire–80%ofthe canalhas so far been completed.This remaining sectionis known astheShropshireGap, and apublic appealto raise£250,000is under waytocompletethispartofthe project.AccordingtoJohn,excludingthe £177,000 RuralProsperityFundgrant, they aremorethanhalfwaytowardsthe target,withthetotalamountraisedso farbeingabout£130,000.

Alargenumberofonlookersattendedtheopeningofthenew SchoolhouseBridge.

TheStopHousehasbeenvacantformorethantwoyears. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

THEhistoric BraunstonStopHouse wassetto go underthe hammeron July25afterthe Canal&RiverTrust announcedplanstoputitupforsale. FindingabuyerfortheGradeII-listed buildingwillprotectitforfuture generations,accordingtothetrust.

The sale wasduetotakeplace viaanonline auction, with aguide priceof£220,000.The CRTsaidits aim wasto“breathenewlife”into thepropertyand “generateincome to supporttheongoingcareofthe nation’shistoric waterways”.

The charity’ssearchfor atenant hasproved unsuccessful,with “verylittleinterest” from potential occupiers.TheStopHouse hasbeen vacant formorethantwo yearsand its conditionisdeteriorating, said theCRT.Aspokesperson said:“The sale willenablegreaterinvestment in maintenance ofthe building, as hasbeen seen withotherhistoric propertiesalongthe canalnetwork.

“Asthe Stop HouseisGradeII

listed,anew owner will have to abide by theheritage conservation protectionsinplaceto safeguarda buildingofthistype.”

LinnyBeaumont, CRTregional directorinthe EastMidlands,said: “Thisis afantasticopportunityto ownoneofthecanalnetwork’smost cherishedbuildings at the very heart ofthe nation’scanalnetwork and playapartinprotectingitforfuture generations.

“Thereare some wonderful examplesacrossthe canalnetworkof historicproperties beingbeautifully restored inprivateownership and we think, withthe rightowner,the Stop Househasfantastic potential.

“The sale willalsogenerate importantincomethat canbeused to supportthe vital maintenance work on ourhistoric canals.”

Aspartofthe salea sectionof gardenis beingretainedbyCRT for usebypatronsof theGongoozlers Rest cafeboat.

Historiclighterreturns

THE beautiful Susan istheonly surviving timber-builtlighter fromtheChelmer &Blackwater Navigation. Susan wasbuiltin 1953 by RJ Priorof Burnhamon CrouchforBrown &Sontimber merchantsinChelmsfordto carrytimberfromHeybridge BasintoChelmsford.

Based onthedesign ofthe earlierhorse-drawnlighters whichfrom1797 carried avariety of cargobetweenChelmsford andthe BlackwaterEstuary, it wastheonlyChelmer& Blackwaterlightertobefitted withaninboardengine.

Susan isanimportant reminder of the Navigation’s industrialheritage andoperation andisincludedonthe National Historic Ships register. Commercialtrafficonthe Navigationceased in1972. In 1976the Chelmsford Branch of TheInland Waterways Association stepped in to save Susan from beingbrokenup. In the yearsthat followed Susan wasowned by theChelmer LighterPreservation Society, Passmore EdwardsMuseumand ChelmsfordBoroughCouncil Museums Service.

In 2002it wasdiscoveredthat major repairs wererequired andin2005The SusanTrust wasformedasapartnership

Right: Susan istheonly survivingtimber-built lighterfromtheChelmer& BlackwaterNavigation.

ofinterested andexperienced organisations, many ofwhich hadpreviouslyowned Susan.The aimofthetrust wastoacquire Susan and restoreittoworking conditionforuse as atripboat onthe Navigation.

The restorationcommencedin 2010atStOsyth Boatyard with aseriesofstages carried outas grantfundingbecame available from many sources bothlocally and nationally.Theseincluded IWAChelmsfordBranchand London Regionas wellasIWA’s EssexWaterways.

Withthe specialist boat buildingworknow complete, Susan hasbeentowed back to HeybridgeBasinandtheChelmer &BlackwaterNavigationwhere theoriginalThornycroftengine will be refitted.

Thefinal stageofthe project willprovide acover for Susan

Susan arrivesat HeybridgeBasin.

PHOTOS:CHELMERCANALTRUST

oncefundinghas been secured,and Susan will then be operated forpublictrips by volunteersonthe Navigation forwhichit wasbuilt.

Manyhandsmake light worktocarryout StillWaters ‘heeltest’

VOLUNTEERSfromIWA ManchesterBranch,WRG (North West),CRTand TamesideCanal Boat Trust tookonthe jobof helping to load,distributeandthen unload153bagsofsand,each weighing25kg.

Thiswas carriedout on Friday,July5 aspart ofthe ‘heel test' required by the Maritimeand Coastguard Agencybeforetripboat StillWaters couldbecertified to continue carrying passengersfromPortland Basin.

The bags of sand areplaced on boardtosimulate afull complementofpassengers andthe boat isthen testedfor stability by monitoringhow the vessel rollsunderthese conditions.

The TamesideCanal Boat Trustoperatesthepassenger narrowboat StillWaters from Heritage Wharf, Portland Basin,Ashtonunder Lynefor publictripsandprivatehire. Tripscan resumewhenthe safetytestsarecomplete.

Volunteershelpedload, distributeandunload153 bagsofsand,weighing 25kgeach,fortheheel test.

Work Parties

Fortheheeltest,bagsofsandareusedtosimulatea fullloadofpassengersandtheboatisthentestedfor stabilitybymonitoringhowthevessel rollsunderthese conditions. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

Speakerssought

IF YOUknowanyonewhois willingtogivetalksabout the inlandwaterways –whether it be aboutcanalsand river navigationsin general,or specialistsubjectsassociated withtheinland waterways, pleasetellthem aboutthe SpeakersDirectory ontheIWA website, andaskthem to getin touch withtheirdetails so they canbeaddedtothelisting. Formoreinformationon volunteering, orto supplyany updatesorcorrectionsto the SpeakersDirectory,please contact:speakers@waterways. org.uk

PLEASEcontact thebranchto registeryour interestifyou wouldliketo attend awork party.Itis advisabletowear stoutshoesand old clothingandto takewaterproofs. Apackedlunch andrefreshments arealsoadvisable.

Northampton Branch Volunteeringdates: August 4&20 Work partiesareusually heldone weekdayand one Sundayamonth, alongthe Northampton Arm. Thetasksusually include vegetation clearance,weeding, litter pickingand paintingat locks.

Forfurtherdetails please contact Geoff Wood at:geoff.wood@ waterways.org.uk

IWALichfield talks &walks

TALKS When: Friday,September20–7.15pmarrivalfor a7.30start. What: The BraunstonHistoricNarrowboatRallies2003to date –anillustrated talk by TimCoghlan. Where: Darwin Hall, Heathcot Place,Lichfield WS136RQ. WALKS When: Thursday, September5,2024,10.30amarrivalfora 10.45am start.

What: CarltonandtheAshbyCanalwalk. Aneasy 4.5-mile walk withno stiles,following thetowpath,publicfootpaths, grasstracksandpavementsthroughout.Leaving the pubcar park, we walkthroughtheprettyvillage of Carlton andcross fieldsbeforeheadingtoMarketBosworth.Wethendescend alongthe main roaddown to thecanal andleave thetowpath by bridge 44,finallyfollowing thefootpathback to Carlton. Where: Meet inthe carparkofTheGateHangs Well, Barton Road, Carlton(near Market Bosworth), CV130DB.Contact: CliveWalker -clive.walker@waterways.org.uk

CharactersoftheCut

Stuart

Fenwick- BriaStudio

ByAliceElgie

AFTER sofa surfing for anumber of years,floristandfiddleplayer Stuart Fenwickwasfinally introducedtotheideaofa narrowboatnamed The Briarose by aworkcolleague. A42ft semitrad builtin1984as aholiday boat, forthepastseven yearsshehas become Stuart’shomeand haven inthe busy BigSmoke. However, it seemstherewas moretothis move thaninitiallymetthe eye… Stuartshareswithme: “In subsequentyearsmypaternal granny,whosefamilyhailsfrom theWestCoast of Scotland, toldmemygreat-great-great grandfather wasalockkeeper at FalkirkLocks,whichnow has thebeautifulwheel.”Stuart’s maternalgrandadtookhimonthe wheelnotlongafterit wasbuilt,as

wellason afamily canalholiday down theLlangollenwhenhe was about12.“The canals have always beenonthe edgesofmylife,andit feels warmingtoknowI’mtracing my ancestor’slifestyle.”

Studio

The Briarose isnowthe hubof Stuart’sfloristrybusiness, Bria Studio,whichis aventure that came aboutafter manyyears of workinginvariousflorist shops. “Mymum’s side of the family hadahaberdasheryin Morpeth,Northumberland,for nearly50yearsand Istartedwith aSaturdayjobinthefloristnext door.” Twenty-one yearslater, after workinginshopsfor10 yearsacrossNorthumberland, Tyne &Wear,Edinburghand London,completingafolk music degree at Newcastle University

andtravelling theworld, Stuart isincrediblyhumbledbyhis careerpath.“Icouldnever have imaginedIwould be paid to travel,share, teachandgraftfor someofthetopfloristsaround theUKand beyond.”Itseems beingthe sonofahillshepherd intheCheviotsmeanshe’s not shyofabitof hard work! However, branchingout alone wasalwayspartofthe planand Stuarttellsme about howhehad arecurring dream for yearsof owningafloristry businessona boat. “Whenthe boat camealongandthenCovid stoppedmyfreelance work,it wasthe perfectopportunityto make thisdream areality.”

In this venture, Stuart’s passionforsustainability hasalwaysbeen at theheart of everything. “Within our industry, we have ahuge impactontheenvironment, and with makingourmoney fromthisIreally believe we should starttothinkofthe trueimplicationsofthat domeof perfect rosesonyour coffeetable.For me,Iuse onlyBritish or localflowers in my ownworkand Iurge othersto buylocal,Britishor at theleast,seasonal.”

Tradition

Hisinspiration to cherishthe seasonalmoment is atimely reminderofthefragility of ourenvironmentand as acontinuouslycruising rovingtrader,Stuarttakes this seriously.Whenmoored in Londonhecan be seen cyclingtothe NewCovent Flower Market in Battersea with hisolivecollecting basketreadytobefilled. “It’s quite asiteto behold!”hetells me,butit’s clearthat hislove ofsharingtheoldtraditions holdsgreatimportanceinhis lifeandalongsidegrowing flowers aboard, youwillalso findhimplayinghisfiddle mostdays, sharingtunes withhis Instagramfollowers. “Mydadandgreat-grandad were bothfiddle playersand on my seventhbirthdayI wasbestowed with my greatgrandad TomArkle’s fiddle.” With agrannywhoisalsoa greatsinger, telleroftales, andaccordionandconcertina player, it’s clearthat creativity isintheblood.Stuarttells me:

“One dayI hopetodo aproject with my music,flowersand tales to inspirepeopleacrossthe country, butwewill have to wait andsee if The Briarose isuptothe

Acharmingdisplaybycandlelight.

journey. Ifor sure am!”

Onestretchwhere Stuart will certainly be sharinghiscreations isthe RiverLea.“Youcanfeelthe historyinthe waterfromtopto bottomonthatstretch.Therehave beencommunitiesof boatsliving onitformillenniaandit’s sadto see space beingtaken away for wealthier pursuits.”Keepingsuch sacred watersfromfallinginto disrepairand nurturingaspace forliveaboardsandtouristsalike isimportanttoStuartbecause, despitehissometimeshigh-flying floristrycareeroftwo decades,his heartliesinthesimplicityoflocal.

“Creatinga beautifularrangement

Formoreinfo: Instagram:@ briastudio for someonewho appreciates the time,effort andloveittakes to sow,grow,produceandenhance the beauty that surroundsus, is alwaysmyfavouritething.”

AliceElgieis awriterandyoga teacherwholeadsonline journallingandmindfulness experiencestohelppeople de-stressand reconnect withnature,andthemselves: wanderingalice.world

ThesiteiswellmaintainedandissituatedalongtheRiverGreatOuse, aprime locationforpassingtrade.Themarinaoffersover100mooringssuitablefor cruisers,smallcraftnarrowboatsandwidebeams,withnearlyallhavingwater andelectricitysupply.There isampleparkingavailablealongsidethemoorings, withtheparkalsobenefittingfromsecuregatedaccessandCCTVforsecurity.

■ SituatedontheGreatOuseRiver

■ 100+Moorings

■ WorkshopFacilities

■ StockedChandleryOpen 7Days AWeek

■ CampingandCaravan Provision

■ ToiletandShowerBlocks

■ BoatLifting,Maintenanceand CleaningFacilities

■ Pressure Washing,Blackingand ScrapingFacilities

■ EngineeringServices

■ VisitorMoorings

OneofStuart’sbeautiful displays.

StuartFenwickis aman happyinhiswork. PHOTO:INDIAWHILEY-MORTON

Takingshape: anarrowboatbeingmadefromfully recyclableplastic. PHOTOS:SUPPLIED

Newplastic vesselheraldsrevolutionincanalboatconstruction

Theeagerlyanticipatedlaunchof aworldfirstcanalboatcraftedfromplastichasbeen announcedby agroundbreakingBradford companynavigatingthewaytothevesselsof thefuture.

FORMATION Plastics Ltdisthe innovatorofthis state-of-the-art canalbarge,meticulouslycrafted from high-densitypolyethylene (HDPE). With abasethickness of 20mm, sidesof15mmand aroofthicknessof12mm,this vessel standsas atestamentto innovationand sustainability.

Salesand marketingmanager ShaunMoirexplained: “Our visionextends beyondthis singlelaunchas we areactively exploringthe creation ofa

specialised HDPEcanal boat fortheCrickBoatShowin 2025.”Shaunsaidthelaunchof theHDPE canalboatmarked “a significant milestoneinthe boatingindustry”.

“Byleveragingthe superior qualitiesofHDPE,we arenot onlyenhancingthe performance anddurabilityof canalboats but alsosetting new standardsfor sustainabilityandefficiency,” he said.

Thereare many advantagesto

H NOWINTHE WATER H

Thesizeis40`x10`andbuiltusing20mmforthe baseoftheboat15mmforthesidesand12mmfor theuppersections.

Theprocesstheyuseiscalledextrusionwelding

HDPE,which Formation Plastics hasfound makesitanideal materialforconstructingcanal boats. These include:

Durabilityandlongevity: HDPE is renowned for itsexceptional durability. It is resistantto the harshestenvironmental conditions,includingUVrays, saltwaterandchemicals.This resilienceensurescanalboats can withstandprolonged exposure to waterand weather without degrading, providinga longer lifespancomparedtotraditional materialslikesteelor wood.

Lightweightandbuoyant: One of thestandoutproperties of HDPEisitslightweightnature. Thissignificantlyenhancesthe

buoyancy ofthecanal boat, allowing ittofloateffortlessly while reducing theoverall weight. Alighter boat translates to lowerfuelconsumptionand easierhandling, makingitmore efficientand eco-friendly.

Lowmaintenance: Unlikesteel, whichisproneto rust,orwood, whichcan rot, HDPE requires minimal maintenance.Itdoesnot corrode,rotorrequirepainting, whichdrasticallyreducesthe upkeepcostsandeffort. This makesHDPEcanalboatsnotonly cost-effectivebutalsolesstimeconsumingtomaintain.

Eco-friendly: HDPEisarecyclable material,aligningwithFormation Plastics Ltd’scommitmentto sustainability. By choosing HDPE,thecompanyis reducingtheenvironmental footprintofits canalboats. Moreover,theproduction and recycling processes ofHDPE have alower environmentalimpact compared to other materials.

ofengineersanddesignersis already workingona specialised modelthat willhighlightthefull potential of HDPE.” And forthosewondering, itisalsopossibletopainton

Someofthekeyfeaturesofthe Crick 2025 boatwillbe:

Advanceddesign: Incorporatingthe latest inboat designtechnology,focusing on both functionality and aesthetics.

Sustainability: Emphasisingeco-friendly materialsandenergy-efficient systems,showcasinga commitmenttogreenboating.

Innovation: Integratingmodernamenities andsmarttechnologyto enhancethe boatingexperience.

the plastic to create the art historicallyassociatedwith canal boats. Usinga certainprimer with achemicaladditivethat bonds toHDPE,this canbeappliedto enabletraditionalsign writing.

inplasticsengineering is paramount and commitment tothese principles is unwavering,ensuringthat each productmeetsthe higheststandardsofquality. Meticulous attentionto detail,skilledcraftsmanship and punctualdeliverysetsthe companyapart.

Nowdelving intothe extraordinaryrealmofHDPE canalboating,thisunique vesselis atestamenttoallthat hasgone before, pushingthe boundariesofconventional norms.

whichistypicallydoneonthermoplasticsduetotheir responsetoheating.Unlikeothertypesofplastics whichburnwhenheatisapplied,thermoplastics liquefyandhardenagainuponcooling.

Extrusionweldingistypicallyusedtojoin componentssuchastanksandpipes.Intrenchless construction,sectionsofthermoplastic(mostoften polyethylene)canbeextrusionweldedtogetherto formamonolithicpipestructuretobeinsertedinto thehostpipefor rehabilitation.

Inotherapplications,extrusionweldingisideal forapplicationsthat requirelengthyweldstobe madeinasingle run.Althoughmostcommonly

doneonHDPEsheets,extrusionweldingcan beperformedonotherthermoplasticssuchas polyvinylchloride(PVC),polypropylene(PP),and polyvinylidenefluoride(PVDF

Thiscanalboatis readytobe asailaway,at presenttheinteriorsarenotallcomplete,for futureprojectsformationplastichavethehelpand expertiseof amultiaward-winningyachtandnaval architect

Flexibilityandstrength: TheflexibilityofHDPE allowsforinnovativedesign possibilities,enablingthe constructionof canalboats that arenot only robust but alsoaestheticallypleasing. Thestrength ofHDPE ensuresthat the structurecan withstandimpactand stress, providingasafeand reliable vesselforits occupants.

Shaunsaid: “Withthe CrickBoatShow2025on thehorizon, we areeager to showcasea canalboat that epitomisesthefutureof boating. Ourdedicated team

ForFormation Plasticsthe canalboatisthe latestin along lineofimpressiveprojects fromtheseexpertsincrafting premiumplasticproducts,that go backmorethan28years.

Specialising in adiverse rangeofplastic solutions, from bespokeone-offdesigns tolarge-scaleproduction, Formation Plastics haslong beenattheforefrontof innovationandprecision. Seasonedprofessionals leveragecutting-edge technologyandcreative techniques to consistently deliverunparalleledresults.

At Formation Plastics, thepivotal roleofprecision, durabilityandaestheticappeal

Shaunsaid: “Aswelook forwardtotheCrickBoat Show 2025, ourambitionis toleadtheway ininnovative canalboatdesign,provingthat HDPEisindeed thematerialof thefuture.

“Joinusaswenavigate towardsa greener,more efficientfutureinboating, with ourgroundbreakingHDPE canalboatleadingthe way.” If youwant more informationorwishtowitness thefamous HDPE canalboat first-hand, ateamofexperts is readytoprovide you with comprehensivedetails,answer anyqueries you mayhaveand guide you throughthefeatures of aHDPEcanalboat. Formore info: www.formationplastics. co.ukoremail:shaun@ formationplastics.co.uk

ThelatestboatfromFormationPlasticsbeingcarefullymanoeuvredonsite.

MaidoftheLoch stalwartmadeMBE

JOHN Beveridge,founderof the Loch Lomond Steamship Companywhichis working to returnPS MaidoftheLoch, builtfor British Railways in1953,tosailingonLoch Lomond, hasbeen madea MemberoftheOrderofthe British Empireinthe King’s BirthdayHonours List.

Seventy-one-year-old John, who hailsfrom Helensburgh, says that thehonour has been bestowed on him for his volunteering with the charity from which he stood down as chairman in 2021, after many years of patient work advancing the Maid of the Loch’s cause and successfully sourcing funding since the foundation of the company John said: “This honour reflects on the fine work done over many years by our volunteers. When we took over the boat in 1995, she was a wreck and sinking Today,

work goesontorestoreher to full steamingcondition so that she cantakeherplace againon Loch Lomondas atrueheritage andtourist attraction.The MBEisa great boost forthewholeheritage andpreservationmovement and hasgenerated useful publicityfortheworkwe’re doingonthe Maid.” Loch Lomond Steamship CompanychairmanIain Robertson said: “Without the efforts of John and others, the Maid would have been scrapped This honour recognises the importance of the part he played in saving the ship and commencing work on her restoration” John has also been active in the restoration and operation of London & North Eastern Railway-built PS Waverley and sits on the charity’s board. He is also actively campaigning to have Helensburgh Pier

restoredsothat thepaddler candockthereagainduring the summermonths.

The Maid atBallochPier.ThankstoJohn’spioneeringwork,sheisdestinedtosail betweentheBonnieBanksagain.

ShipyardSocialexhibition

THE ScottishMaritime Museumisshowcasingavery different take on thehistoryof shipbuildingbydelving into the socialarchivesoffamous Clydesideshipbuilders, Alexander Stephen&Sonsof Govan,and William Denny& Sonsof Dumbarton.

Dubbed Shipyard Social, theexhibitiondelvesintothe DennyArckivz, acollection ofpictures,brochures,tickets andartefacts,recallingthe organisedsocial lifeof Denny workers between1889and 1950.This wasatimewhen shipyardworkers organised their sociallifearoundthe company, with worksoutings and clubs,encouraged by the management, and competitions between various sectionsofthe workforce.

Launchdayswerered letter daysintheyardcalendar, andonshoware thetickets, brochuresandphotographs markingthelaunchofRMS QueenMary at JohnBrown’s shipyard on September26, 1934, atimeofgreat rejoicing forthe staff and workers,with familiesinvitedalongtojoin

thecelebrations.

Alexander Stephen &Sons built arecreationclubforits workersin1920,providing tenniscourts,two bowling greens,afootballpitch, puttinggreenand alicensed barinitspavilion,alldesigned

Glasgow is launchedatScott’sof GreenockonJune20, 1936.Launchdayswere realcelebrationsfor theworkersandtheir families.

tohelp workers relaxand compete againstoneanother and teamsfromother yards. Andallthis wasfor avoluntary contributionof3d perweek!

Denny’sorganised cruises ‘doonthe water’onthe Clyde for workersandused the yard’s owntugboat, the Snark, toprovidetrips,whilemany members of thedrawing office were membersofthelocal operatic society.

EvaBukowska, the museum’s exhibitionsand eventsofficer,said: “Much hasbeen saidaboutthe tough, dangerousand sometimes uncertain workinglifein Scotland’s shipyards.Shipyard workersboundtogetherinto close-knitcommunitiesand their sociallivesandthose of theirfamilies were often intertwined.Thiswasan importantcountertothe hardshipsofthe workingday.”

Shipyard Social runs until Sunday,October 13 at the Scottish Maritime Museum, Irvineandthecostofentry is includedinthe museumentry ticket. More details at www. scottishmaritimemuseum.org

John Beveridge MBE, in the engine room of Maid of the Loch. PHOTOS: HUGH DOUGHERTY

Exploring your canalancestry: Friendsofthe canalfamilies

NicolaLislecontinuesher familyhistoryserieswith alook at thecanalboatmen’smissions,chapelsand institutes,whichofferedmuch-neededsupporttothe floatingpopulation

BY THE19thcentury canalboatmen andtheirfamilies were well-established fixturesonthe wateryhighwaysof Britain, many workinglonghoursto keepessential goodsmovingaround the country. Yettheywerestilllargely ostracised by the public.Allthat was soontochangeasvariousorganisations andindividuals beganoffering spiritual andpracticalsupporttothe boating communityintheformofboatmen’s institutes,missionsandchapels.

Oneofthe earliest wasthe Boatmen’s Institution at Paddington Basin,founded in 1827 by theLondonCityMission.This quickly became apopularplacefor canalworkers to gather,knowing they could geta hotmealandenjoy abitof socialising. In itsheyday,theinstitution attractedaround250 boatmen aday.

TheLondonCity Mission later establishedaCanal Boatmen’sMission Hallanddayschoolfor canalchildrenin Isleworth,WestLondon. Here thelocal

missionaryheldservices beside the canalorinthe Mission Hall,as wellas offeringpastoral supporttothesick and dying, andhis daughterheldlessonsfor childreninthe Mission Hall.

By the turnofthecentury,itwas clearthat largerpremises were needed, and anew, purpose-builtinstitute was

constructedatTheButts,Brentford,on landprovidedbytheGrand Junction CanalCompany.The newBoatmen’s InstituteopenedonDecember13,1904, continuing its spiritualand education mission with religious servicesanda dayschool, butnow italsoincludeda maternityhospitalas wellasoffering meals,clothingandotherpractical support. Lateron,adulteducation classesand socialevents became popular featuresoftheinstitute.

The dayschool at Brentford was takenoverbythe Middlesex Education Committee in1920; by the1930sthe school at Paddington wasunderthe controlofthe LondonCountyCouncil. Bothoftheoriginalinstitutebuildings havesurvived andarenow private houses.

The Port Dundas MissioninGlasgow, founded in1871,offered similar spiritual,practicaland social support to thelocal canalpopulation.

TheIncorporated Seaman’sand Boatman’sFriendly Society was formedin1846and wasresponsiblefor establishingmissions in Birmingham, Leedsand Sheffield.Again,these missions catered forthe boaters’ spiritualand educationalneeds, as well

as offeringfood,non-alcoholicdrinks, washingfacilitiesandotherpractical help,aswellasorganisingsocial events. Oneoftheformermission buildings, the Boatman’sRestatWalsall, was particularly popular, attractingaround 200 boatsa day. The building later becamethe Birchills CanalMuseum. The museum hasnow closed,butits collectionsarehousedatthe Walsall Leather Museum(https://go.walsall.gov. uk/museums-libraries-and-galleries/ walsall-leather-museum).

TheSalvationArmy wasanother friendtothe canalpeople,offering pastoralcare, providingfoodanddrink, andhelpingwithpracticalproblems, suchashelpingwithwritingletters.

Butitwasn’tjustofficialorganisations that offered help.AtStoke Bruerne, Sister Mary Ward (1884-1972)tended totheboatpeople’s medicalneedsfrom her canalside cottage,mostly at her own expense, duringthe1940sand1950s, while at Jericho,Oxford,localcornand coalmerchantHenryWard(c17811852)fundedthe buildingofafloating chapelfor canalfamilies.Consecrated in1839,the chapel wasmooredatHythe Bridge and served as bothchapeland schoolroomuntilit sankin1868.

Findingoutmore

To traceancestorswhomayhave beenconnectedwithanyofthe institutes,chapelsormissions, thebeststartingpoint is the relevantlocal recordofficeor familyhistorycentre.Holdings obviouslyvarybuttypicallyinclude reports,correspondence, records, photographsandoralhistory recordings. Asearchforthe floating chapelatJericho,forexample,at the Oxfordshire HistoryCentre (www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/ museums-and-history/oxfordshirehistory-centre),bringsup areport onthechapel,dated1849-58,and somephotographs.

The NationalArchives(www. nationalarchives.gov.uk)holds Friendly Society registers,financial recordsand other paperwork, alongwithdetailsof regional archivesholding records relating tolocalFriendlySocieties.There arealso records relatingtothe LondonCityMission,againwith detailsofother relevant regional archives.

For records relatingtothePort DundasMission,trytheScottish ArchiveNetwork(www.scan.org.uk). TheSalvationArmy InternationalHeritageCentre holdscorrespondencerelatingto BrigadierFredFielding’sproposals forwaterwaysministries(ref. CS/1/1/4),aswellasphotographs and otherpotentiallyuseful material.Searchtheironline cataloguehere:www2.calmview. co.uk/SalvationArmy/CalmView/ Further reading Freer,Wendy &Foster,Gill,Canal Boatmen’sMissions(Railway& CanalHistoricalSociety,2004)

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FormerBoatmen’sInstitute, Brentford. PHOTO:STEFANCZAPSKI

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TheBoatmen’sInstitution,JunctionMews. PHOTO:MAGGIEJONESPDM1.0

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Althoughsubjecttorapidfluctuation,wholesalefuelpricesperlitreare currently:£0.75formineraldiesel;£0.78forsubsidisedHVOand£1.12 forunsubsidisedHVO,makingitfinanciallyunviable.

Shadesofgrey

JonathanMosse’smonthly look at freightdevelopment ontheinlandwaterways.

ONTHEfaceofit,thegeneralelection we’vejusthad appearsto represent massivechangeatthe politicallevel, butthat is to ignorethosewho beaver away behindthe scenes,providing consistencyinthe applicationof policy anditsdetailedcontent.

It is thecivil servantsthat will dothe donkeywork intranslatingLabour’s bravenew worldintostatutoryreality andit willnodoubt representahardand probablythanklesstaskforwhichthere will be little publicacknowledgment.

In apossible attemptto redress thisimbalance,I’d liketodelveinto theworkingsof just oneareaofthe Departmentfor Transport (DfT)who, onthefaceofit,one mightthink hadan awfullot to do withthe carriageoffreight ontheinland waterways. Ifonly! Our waterways (and alltheirfundingwoes) actuallysitfirmlyundertheDepartment forEnvironment, Food and RuralAffairs (DEFRA),whichmightgoa longway to explainingwhy transportingcommercial cargobywatergets so littleairtime… It would be hard toarguethat fuel isnot asignificantcomponentin transportingprettymuchanything, nortominimiseitsimpactonglobal warmingonceprocessed by anengine. While someprettybasicphysicsdictates that waterway transport consumes afractionofthat used by things with

HVOis readilyavailablefor allapplicationsbuttheprice isveryvolatileandtherefore unpredictable.

wheelsitis,nevertheless, amaterial overheadforthebarge andshipoperator.

Anobvious waytomitigateits environmentalimpactis to usea biofuel suchashydrotreatedvegetable oil(HVO)whichis90% carbonneutral, withconsiderablylowergreenhouse gas(GHG)emissionsthanfossilfuels.

Once overallpolicyhas been thrashed outbythe politicians,decisionsaround whouseswhat fuel, withinthedifferent sectorsofthe maritime world,lie with theDfTandareultimatelyinthegiftof thoseaforementionedcivil servants.

Asfarasfuelling everythingthat floats goes, thebig pictureatDfT makesa great dealof sense, giventhat thereisbotha finiteamountofaparticularbiofuel currently availableandthat onetypeof shipping is better suitedtoonefuelthan

another. Just as abarge on the Thames wouldn’trunonammoniaormethanol, so a220,000-toncontainership would struggleifpoweredbyapetrolengine!

My (admittedlylimited)experience ofthedemographicofDfTcivil servants, based largelyon time spentattending meetingsasamemberoftheir Low Carbon FuelsGroup, isof relatively young, enthusiastic,verywellqualified people(I’mtalking1st degreesor doctorateshere)who have satdown togetherand putagreat dealofthought intodividingworldshippingintothree sectors,asfarasdivvyingupbiofueluse isconcerned.

So,inthebravenewbiofuel world, we arelookingatSector 1asDeep Sea,Sector 2asCoastaland Sector3 for Inland waterwayswith, obviously enough (although stillindevelopment) ammonia,methanolandthelike for Sector 1and Sector 3supportedbyHVO.

In DfT’s mind (despite surveys suggestingotherwise)Coastal leans fairlyheavilyondeep-seabiofuels rather thantowardstheirinland equivalents, whichisunfortunatewhen we consider that averysignificant tonnageofinland waterwaysfreightiscarried on tidal estuaries suchas the Thames,Medway and Humber.

Whileunderthelong-established HMRC definitionofaninland waterway (forthe purposesoffuelduty)these tidalstretches of watercomplied,to forcecompliance withtheir sectorised concept,DfT hasdecidedthat atidal inland waterwaylives withintheir Coastal sector.Indeed,theyhaveseenfit to re-categoriseCat Cinland waterways intotwosub-categories:Cat Ctidaland CatC non-tidal!

Thisin turnimpactsanysubsidythat aparticular biofuel attracts. Whilethe departmentcan’tphysicallyprevent youfromusingaparticular biofuel,it candecideto subsidise itsuseinone sector butnotforuseinanother,thereby making it unaffordable.

In anutshell,anomaliesinthisgrand plan appearwhereone sector interfaces withanother(inthis case Inland with Coastal)and a‘grey area’isgenerated. Ourbrightyoung things at DfT haveyet tograpple withgrey areas generallyin life, so itisno wonder that it presents them with astruggleintheirenactment of policy.

Putbluntly:considerableestuarine tonnage travels,forthemostpart, in areasofdensepopulationwhereGHGs have asignificantimpactonhealthand well-being. Here, low-emissionfuels should,therefore, be readily available, affordableandactivelypromoted.

On aroundtripfromNewarkto WakefieldtheHVOconsumedcosts about£5448unsubsidisedand£4320subsidised.

DedicatedHVObunkerbarge Dispenser topsupGPStug Vincia ontheThames.

Warmwelcome:SallyWinslow,theEthel Trust’ssocialmediaandPR co-ordinator,readytowelcomeguestsonboard Pearl,thespeciallybuilt widebeamboatthathasjoinedtheEthel Trustfleet. PHOTOSALLYCLIFFORD

Atthehelm:JohnCuckson,oneof theEthel Trust’s16skippers,takes thehelmforthetrip. PHOTO: SALLY CLIFFORD

Royalsealofapproval forcharity’s calming boat trips and retreats

Acharity providingboattripsandresidentialsforthecommunityand charitableorganisationshasbeengiventheroyalsealof approval. SallyCliffordwentaboardtofindoutmore.

THEinnatestillnessofthe surroundings evokesanimmediate senseofcalm. Eventheloneduckwaddling beside thewater at Staniland Marina in Thorne,Doncaster,maintains aquiet andnon-quackingpresence,perhaps consciousof keepingthe peace.

Thewaterwaynetwork,andits wildlifeinhabitants,can do wonders formentalhealthand well-beingand the EthelTrust,whichoperatesone ofitstwo-strong fleet of community bargesfromStaniland Marina alongthe Stainforth& KeadbyCanal,istestimony tothat.

Pearl,a57ft by 12ft widebeam boat, wasdesignedspecificallyto meettheneedsofthecharity,which wasinitially setupintheearly80sto supportthehomeless in Sheffield, but nowprovides daytripsand residential boatingexperiencesforcommunity andcharitableorganisations in South Yorkshire.

Alongthis peaceful stretch, Pearl transports hundredsofpassengersa yearwho benefit from thepeaceand tranquillitythat beingonthe water brings.One suchpassenger, Pearl Dearden,aneighbourofoneofthe trust’s50volunteers,enjoyedhertrips with theEthelTrustsomuchthat she expressed hergratitudein agenerous

Award-winning:Ethel Trustvolunteers receivetheQueen’sAwardfor VoluntaryServicefromHMLordLieutenantofSouth Yorkshire,Andrew Coombe. PHOTO: ETHELTRUST

bequesttofundthecraft namedinherhonour.

Design

Today’sskipper,John Cuckson,whosewife Lizisalsoa skipper andadministrator withthecharity, explains Pearl was designed on Ethel, thetrust’sother57ft by 12ft widebeam boat. Transportinghundredsof passengers ayearfromthe trust’sothermooringatVictoria

Quays, Sheffield, Ethel’s routeis along the Sheffield& TinsleyCanal, the upperfour-mile routeofthe Sheffield

Atwork: Pearl cruisingalongthe Stainforth &Keadbycanal. PHOTO:ETHELTRUST

Lockinggood: Ethel,oneoftheEthel Trustcommunitybarges,inLock5 ofthe11locksattheTinsleyFlightontheSheffield &TinsleyCanal. PHOTO:ETHELTRUST

&Yorkshire Navigation. “Ethel is exactlythe rightsizeto go through thelocksandthisis exactlythe samesize,” says John, referring tothestipulationfor thenew-build boat. Steppingdown intothecabin, John explainsthenifty designofthe removable stepsmakingway forthe ,enablingeasyaccess forpassengersinwheelchairs.

Other specificationsinclude separatesleepingaccommodationfor thecrewwitha two-bunk bedroomand anadditional pull-down sleep space in acorridorwhich canbeclosedoff forprivacy.

Anaccessibleshowerroomand separatetoiletfacilities have also been provided in thisimpressivebuildby Colecraft Boatsbased in Long Itchington which,SallyWinslow,the trust’ssocial mediaand PR co-ordinator, explains took aroundtwoyears tocomplete.

Amodernkitchenleadsthe way toa spaciouslounge surrounded by comfortable seating. Large windows expandthe waterside vantagewhile openingdoorsatthe bowreveal alevel outdoor seatingand viewingarea. Runningondieselandelectric, the hybrid boat’s buildcamefroma consciousnessofprotectingtheplanet. “It’shybrid. It hasbecomemoreand more of athing, likecars, it’s theway forward,” says John.“Itshouldalsobe lessmaintenance.”

Wordofmouth

Scoutleader John’sintroduction to thetrustisfamiliaramong many of the volunteerswho foundout aboutit through word ofmouth:“It is agreat groupofvolunteersandit’s nice to meetpeople.”

TodayJohnandhiscrew, JanWalshaw and Paul Winks,are accompanyingthe SheffieldCityKnights,asocialgroup

Allaboard:TheSheffieldCityKnightsjointhecrewoftheEthel Trustas theypreparefor theirdaytripontheStainforthandKeadbyCanal. PHOTO: SALLYCLIFFORD

Atthehelm:HRHPrincessAnne takesthehelmduringhervisitto theEthel Trust. PHOTO: ETHELTRUST

foradults withadditional needs, on the relaxing six-mile, five-hourtripto Bramwith Lock.Itisa familiar route for thegroup’svolunteer manager, Karen Thistlethwaite,who hasjoined theEthel Trusttrips formanyyearsand sees first-handthe benefits they bring. “It’s amazing, it’s socialskills,independence, teamwork andit’s just fun,”saysKaren.

Thetrustalsorunsthree-day residentialswhichtake them as faras DoncasterandGoole. Barbecues,pub lunchesandshoppingtripsareamong theenjoyableexperiencesalongthe way. Sallyexplainspassengers canalso getinvolved with steering the boat and helping to operatethelocks –under guidancefromthetrust’snationally accreditedandtrainedexperts.

Spottersheetsareparticularly entertainingfor young passengers –rangingfromfive to 19. “Onthe Sheffield canalwehavea terrapinand

Brewingup:Ethel Trust volunteer,Jan Walshaw,prepares refreshmentsaheadoftheday’s trip. PHOTO: SALLYCLIFFORD

we do terrapin spotting andthereisa moorhen,”saysSally. Fundingtokeepthetrustafloat comesfromthe BBCChildrenin Need andcharitabletrusts.Theboats arealso availableforprivatehire, celebrations and special occasions.In2021thecharity hada very special celebrationofits own whenit wasawarded the Queen’sAward for VoluntaryServicefor ‘outstanding supportfordisadvantagedpeople.’ Two yearslater, the trustwelcomedavery specialvisitor –HRHPrincessAnne –whounveiledthe nameplaqueand enjoyed atripon Pearl,takingthehelm, as Sallyrecalls.“It waslovely. We dida 20-minutetrip on Pearl andPrincess Annetookher turnonthewheeland we hadalittle plaquethat sheunveiled. It wasalsoa greatendorsementofthe work we do.”

To findout more aboutthe EthelTrust visit:www.etheltrust.co.uk

WickRNLI crewon 2000-mile worldrecord challenge

TWOcrewmembers from Wick RNLI,Allan Lippand MhairiRoss, areattempting to bethefirstmixed pair to circumnavigatethe mainlandUKunsupported, while raisingfundsfor theRNLIand Scotland’s CharityAirAmbulance.

AllanandMhairi,who between them havemore than 35 yearsofRNLI sea-going service,left Wick on June 1and, at thetime ofwriting, hadreached the southcoastwherethey were anchored in Newtown Creekonthe Isleof Wight waitingfor wind speedsto reduce.

Theirworld record challengehas beennamed ‘Stormy and Steth:the Long RowHome’, withthepair

rowing in two-hour cycles whilegivingtheothertime toeatand rest.Allanis coxswainmechanicatWick RNLI,wheretheyoperate anall-weatherTrent class lifeboat, RoyBarkerII

Whileatsea the coxswain mechanic hastheimportantrole ofcommanding the lifeboatandensuringall equipmentisrunning safely,complyingwith international, nationaland localmaritimestandards, as wellasRNLIpolicies

andprocedures.Allan alsosupportsthelifeboat operations managerwith operational readiness andthe managementand welfareofthe volunteers at Wick RNLI.

Mhairiisa paramedic based at Wick Ambulance Stationand volunteercrew at Wick RNLI. They’ve bothtakenthree months’ unpaidleaveto complete thechallenge.

Toqualifyasanunassisted circumnavigation,Allanand Mhairi can’ttouchlandor

receiveany supportduring theirchallenge.They’ll be completely self-sufficient ontheir seven-metrerowing boat Boudicea,witha desalinationunitto turn salt waterintofresh,anddried expeditionmeals to eat.

Thepair have set themselvestheambitious goalof raising£30,000, which will be split between theRNLIand Scotland’s CharityAirAmbulance. Followthepair’s progress anddonate from www. thelongrowhome.co.uk

WiganFlight undergoescomplex repairs

A200-year-oldlockwhichispartofthefamousWigan Flighthasundergonecomplexrepairssothatboaters cancontinuetousethecanal.

BUILTin1816, WiganFlightisoneof themostdistinctivefeaturesonthe Leeds&Liverpool Canal.Theflight of21locksraisesthe canalmorethan 200ft overtwo-and-a-halfmiles.

In June,oneofthelocks, nextto Warrington Road in Wigan, stopped holdingwater,andthe Canal& RiverTrust’s specialists draineditto investigate. Theydiscoveredthat the hugeconcrete ‘arrowhead’, whichforms partofthecillthelock gatesitson, had lifted,meaningthatthe gatescouldnot sealshut.

During the works, theteamfound moredamagetotwo largewooden floor planks,whichalsoneeded to be replaced.TheCRT team designed and builtramps down to thecanal bedforthe machinerytobreak upthe arrowheadand safelyremove it from thelock.

Theythen putinthenewconcrete base,cut andtest-fittedtimbercills,and poured structureconcretetocreatea newarrowhead.

With theunexpectedopportunityof afullydrainedlock, the charityenlisted thehelpoflocal volunteerstohelp clear outtraffic cones,bikesandother

rubbish.Oncetheconcrete haddried, theteamfittedthetimbercillsand testedthelockgates,withnavigation ableto resumeaheadof schedule early lastmonth(July).The CRTprioritised the work to fix thedamagetoensure thelockremainedsafeand available to boaters.

Whathadstartedasa‘simple’failed cill turnedintoa muchlargerproject involvingtonsof materials,machinery and abroad rangeofengineeringand constructionskills.Jeff Smith,reactive responseteammanager at CRT, said: “TheWigan Flight is wellknown by localboaters –and by thosefrom furtherafield seeking thechallenge of tacklingthe 21locks.

“It’sremarkablethat, morethan200 yearssince it wasbuilt –markingthe completionofthe Leeds&Liverpool Canalandlinkingthose cities by water –itisstill beingusedbyboatstoday.

“Weknew howimportantitwas to getthelockopenfor boatersasquickly as possibleandithas beenallhands ondeck tocompletethistricky repair.”

He added:“We’ve takenadvantage of havingafullydrainedlocktodoas many othertasksaswecan so that the

Thehaul roadteammovingsoil.

ShropshireUnion CanalSocietyhas aglobalfollowing!

Atthebottomofthedrainedlock ontheWiganFlight.

chancesof havingtodisrupt navigation againarereduced.

“We’re proudtolookafterthis amazingpartofourheritage andwe arepleased to see boaters navigating theflightagain.

“Caringfor ourageingcanal network isanexpensivetaskfor ourcharity,and wewelcome people’s support.”

Tony fromSydneywassoimpressedwithwhathesaw onlinethathetravelledtotheUKtovolunteer at theJune workparty(possiblynotthesolereasonforhisvisit). WITHliningandblockingalmost completein Phase 1B,attention turnedtothearea at thetopofthe banks abovetheblocks. The solution differs betweenthetowpathsideand the offsidebanks.Onthe towpath side,themethodtoprotecttheliners from(just below) waterleveltothe towpathisthe sameaspreviously used:thelinersare coveredwith medium-sized aggregate(riprap) whichin turniscoveredwith soil. By Saturday ofthe July work party,this hadbeencompleted. Analternativesolutionwasused on theoffsidebank, whereasmall wall ofinterlockingblockswas built with earthbehindfor wildlifeto populate. This,attimes atricky and fiddly task,wascompletedoverthetwo work parties.Anoutstandingeffort wasmadebysociety volunteersto completelayingthe secondcourse ofblocksduringthe June work party. Eachoneofthesespecialistblocks must be very carefully manually positionedandinterlockedwithout theuseofmortar.

That thenleftthearea behind this‘retainingwall’ to beinfilled. Particularly challengingwas astretch at thesouthernendofthesitewhere therewasno haulroadandtherefore noplantaccessfromthetopofthe bank. Duetothe slope of thebankand vulnerabilityoftheuncoveredliner system,this hadtobedone manually. Rightoncue,anarmy(well, 17corporatevolunteersfrom Openreach) turneduponFriday ofthe July work partyeager to get stuck in. So largewasthegroup that theysplitintothree teams. Countlessbarrowloadslaterandby mid-afternoon,the jobwasdone. Whilethe hiveofactivityto

completethebanks wasunderway in Phase 1B,the wallers, members oftheDryStone WallingAssociation andassistedbysocietyvolunteers, steadily progressed thecompletion ofthewharfwall repairs in Phase 1A.Theresultlooksimpressiveand ifthe weatheris kindthisshould be completed nextmonth. Anyoneinterestedinbecominga volunteershouldseeshropshireunion. org.uk/work-party-schedulefor detailsofdatesandcontacts.

MhairiRossandAllanLippatthestartoftheirvoyage. PHOTO:RNLI

TonyfromSydney. PHOTOS: SUCS

ThemedfamilyfestivalatAndertonBoat Lift

PIRATES,a mermaid and shanty-singingsailors willdrop anchor at Anderton Boat Lift, near Northwich, fora themed familyfestival.

Hostedbythe Canal&River Trust, theConwyPirateswill swingintoactionon Saturday and Sunday,August10and11, for aweekendofthrillinghigh seasshenanigans,including cannonandpistolfiring, treasure hunts, costume parades,games andlivemusic.

They will be joinedby mermaid Aurora, who will entertainvisitorswith songsand storiesofthe oceans.

The EdwinClark trip boat willoffershort cruises upand

Cannonandpistolfiringare amongthehighlights.

down thelift,andtruststaff will be on handtotalkaboutthe programmeofvitalrepairs and upgradesthat arepartofthe

EngineeringTheFutureproject.

The historic structureopened in 1875 andisthe world’s first major commercial boat lift.

Ani Sutton,thetrust’s destinationand attraction manager, said:“TheConwy Pirates stormed ourNational Waterways Museumin Ellesmere Port earlierthis yearfor ariotous weekendfestival.

“Theywere ahugesuccess withvisitors,and we’vemanaged totemptthemawayfromthe high seasandontothe canals for apiratere-enactmentat Anderton BoatLift.

“The eventcomesonly aweek before Northwich’sfabulousPina Colada Festival –andwhat better

Saltisford CanalArm,Warwick

Come andjoinusatSaltisfordCanalArm,Warwick onSunday8September 2024- from 12.00to 4.00pm ForTalesoftheRiverbank,inconjunctionwithWarwickLibraries HeritageBoats, Crafts, CanalDramaGroup,Food,ChildrensActivities Ring01926 490006formoredetails

waytowhetthe appetitefor rum and pineapplethan with pirate funand gamesatthisstunning historic monument, one of the ‘seven wondersofthe waterways’.” Theevent andadmission totheAnderton Boat Lift visitorcentreisfree, butsome activities,includingboattrips, incur achargeand must be bookedin advanceonlineat http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/ places-to-visit/anderton-boatlift-visitor-centre or by calling 01606786777.The centre will be openfrom10am-4pmon bothdaysofthefestival. Special seasonaleventsalsoincludea Steampunk Lift-Offcelebration on September28and29.

Ahoythere!Funand gamesforeveryonewill beonofferat apiratethemedfestivalbeing heldatAndertonBoatLift thismonth.

PHOTOS:CRT

WHAT’SONIN AUGUST

IfyouwantyoureventlistedinourfreemonthlyWhat’sOnsectionemailyourentryto editorial@towpathtalk.co.ukorusetheeventsformatwww.towpathtalk.co.uk/events.Please checkwithorganiserswhethertheeventisgoingaheadbeforesettingoutonyourjourney.

UntilSeptember4

StaffordRiverwayLink: Display of artefactsunearthedbySRL volunteers fromthe canalatBaswichCommunity Library, Lynton Avenue,Baswich, Stafford, ST170EA.

August4

IWATowpath WalksSociety: Four Hundred Years ofthe New River. Manor House(Finsbury Park exit6) at 2.30pm.Normalcharge £20;concessions,studentsand accompaniedchildren16and over £15;8-15 years£5;under-8sfree. Prior bookingrecommended,contact London Walks: 02076243978oremail london@walks.com

August11

GranthamCanalSociety: Activities Day. WoolsthorpeDepot (behindthe Dirty Duck pub)NG32 1NY, 10am3pm.Boattrips available.www. granthamcanal.org

ShropshireUnionCanalSociety: Three to four mile walk,meet10.30am at the Shroppie Fly, AudlemWharf, ShropshireStreet, Audlem,CW3 0DX,free parking inCheshireStreet. If wishingtoattend contactSue Ballon01283533765, secretary@ shropshireunion.org.uk/ Returnexpectedby1pmtothe Shroppie Flywherelunch canbe booked directon01270421396or online at shroppiefly.co.uk

August14-15

FriendsoftheMontgomeryCanal: Lock wind at NewMarton Locks. August17-18

BrownhillsCanalFestival: Floating traders,historic boatsandmore.

Silver Street Moorings. August18

IWATowpath WalksSociety: Limehouse– Thames –Docklands. Westferry DLRbycyclehire pointat2.30pm.Normalcharge £20;concessions,studentsand accompaniedchildren16and over £15;8-15s£5;under-8sfree.Prior booking recommended,contact London Walks: 02076243978oremail london@walks.com

August25

IWATowpath WalksSociety: The secretsofthenorthern Queen ElizabethOlympic Park.Stratford (Westfield/QEOPexit by Preta Manger sign)at2.30pm. Normal charge £20;concessions,students andaccompanied children16and over£15;8-15s£5;under-8sfree. Prior bookingrecommended,contact London Walks: 02076243978oremail london@walks.com

August31-September1

WhitchurchWaterwayTrust: Whitchurch CanalFestivalonthe Whitchurch Armofthe Llangollen Canal.

September1

IWATowpath WalksSociety: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross–GranarySquare– Camden. King’s Cross: taxi queue sign next to Preta Manger at 2.30pm.Normalcharge £20;concessions,studentsand accompaniedchildren16and over £15;8-15s£5;under-8sfree.Prior booking recommended,contact London Walks: 02076243978oremail london@walks.com

KirkintillochCanalFestival

FROM canoeingandclassic carsto aflightsimulatorand arealaircraft, Kirkintilloch CanalFestival isshaping uptobe asoaraway success.

EastDunbartonshireCouncilis workingwitharange of partners, including Kirkintilloch BaptistChurch and Police Scotland,to make ita weekendto remember. The Saturday evening(August 31,5-10pm) will include afreelivemusicconcert, DJand spectacularfireworks at Southbank Marina,Kirkintilloch,with moreannouncementscomingsoon.

So far theSundayFunday (September 1, noon-5pm) –will include:

SouthbankMarina: Free activities suchas canoeing andarchery, with streettheatre, live musicandperformancesonstage –includingEastDunbartonshire’s remarkable Rock Choir.

Therewillalsobeapaid-forfunfair, climbingwalland rollerdisco –so preparetoget yourskateson! In addition,therewillbea hotfood courtand abar.

KirkintillochBaptistChurch (ShamrockStreetcarpark –nextto Sainsbury’s):

Free funincludes aflight simulator and –forthefirsttimeever –areal Cessna150aircraft,facepainting, laserquest,assaultcourse, inflatables, pillowbattles, wreckingball, bouncy fun,livestage,and atoddlerfun zone andcrafts.

Therewillalsobecreamteas in theGreenhouseCafe (donation required),tea, coffee, tray bakesand aprayertent.

CowgateandBarleybank: Classic cars,farmers’market,a

REDHILLMARINA

wide rangeofcraft stalls,andfood anddrinkfor sale.

RegentGardens: Checkoutthenewlytransformed RegentGardens while enjoying performances by Scottishtribalband ClannAnDrumma, Dunbartonshire ConcertBandandthe JugglingGent.

KirkintillochPoliceStationgrounds (SouthbankDrive): Detectivetraining(who atethe Gingerbread Man?), outrunan officer speed checkchallenge,beat the goalie,off-roadbikes,virtual realityheadsets,quiz/challengesand more. As wellaslocalofficers,you canalsomeetstaffand seevehicles fromthe Marine Unit,Scottish Fire and Rescue,StAndrew's FirstAidand partner agencies.

Ann Davie,chiefexecutiveofEast Dunbartonshire Council, said:“We’re hard at work creatinganothergreat line-upforthe Kirkintilloch Canal Festival,inconjunction with arange of partnerorganisationsinthe public andprivatesectors. Ourfocusison providingasmanyfreeactivitiesas possible–includingopportunitiesfor peopleofall agesto getactive.

“Lookout formoreupdates inthe comingweeks –followusonsocial mediaforthelatest information.” Externalpartners will be providing paid-forboattripsduringthe dayonthe Saturdayand Sunday, entertainmentatRegentGardenson theSaturdayafternoonandthe Spirit ofAlbaFestival in Kirkintilloch Town Hall –a celebrationofspiritsandcraft beverages fromaroundthe world –on theSaturday(noon-3pmand4-7pm). In addition,boattripsarebeing organised towhet the appetiteahead ofthe main Kirkintilloch CanalFestival weekend:

• Sailand Stories –Monday, August 26 –11amand1pm

• BubblesandBreakfast Cruise –Wednesday, August 28 –11am-1pm

• Fish Teaonthe Canal– Thursday, August 29 –5-7pm

• SpiritOfAlba WhiskyTasting Session –Friday, August 30 –7-9pm. Formoreinformation,visitwww. eastdunbarton.gov.uk/canal-festival andwww.kirkintillochcanalfestival. org

FREEENTRY

JOIN THEPARTY!

AUGUST24, 2024

LIVEMUSIC

MUSIC FROM12NOON

12PMROUNDUP

1.30PMABBERELLA

3PMREDSPECTRUM

4PMLEANNE LOCHHEAD

5PMROBPERRINS

6PMMILLENNIALMAYHEM

7PM THETONEJUNKIES

9PMBEARDSMITH

Milestonehistoric rally provesaspopularasever

Withworld-classevents, attractionsandsporting distractionsonTVandjustdowntheroad,thisyear’s BraunstonHistoricNarrowboatRally,the20thsuch eventontheGrandUnion,was ahugesuccesswith bigcrowdsandexcellentweather.

By TimCoghlan

HELDinitstraditionalslotin June,the rallyattracted 74 historic narrowboats –slightlydown fromlast year but understandableduetostoppages and mechanicalproblems(perhapstobe expectedwiththesecanalleviathans).

Thenumbers attendinginthese post-Covidyears representabout athird of theentirefleetofhistoric narrowboatsinreasonable-to-good order. This emphasisesthefleet’s historicimportanceandthevital roles museums,canal societiesandprivate owners perform.Abouttwo-thirdsof that survivingfleethavenowattended Braunston at some time overthe years, inspiringnew restorationprojects.

The latest seenatthis year’s rally was theformerGUCC’s Town Class Bristol Itsyoung owner Darrenarrivedat the rallyforthefirsttimefollowing its restoration.The boat wasagain ‘Bristol fashion’ –though stillinundercoat. On the ‘good news’side,theCoventry CanalSociety’sworkingnarrowboat Panther rejoinedthefleet aftermissing tworalliesdue to problems. On the down side,the President,thelastcoalfired steamnarrowboat, wasabsent again.Building anewsteam boilerto modern standards hasbeenresolved and reconstructionisunder way.The boat is expected to be backinsteam by year-end.Ifso, music producerand steamenthusiast Pete Watermanwill be on boardtoopennextyear’s rally.

DustyMillerpresentsTimCoghlan withhispaintingofBraunston BottomLock,basedon aphoto takeninthetwilightyearsofcanal carryingintheearly1960s.Itwas tothankTimforhissupportofthe Guildof WaterwaysArtists. PHOTO:TIMCOGHLAN

Thisevent isthelargest gathering ofhistoricnarrowboatsandthe best placefor gongoozlers,ofwhichthere were about5000this yearto be seenin greatnumbers. President,withits butty Kildare,weretohavebeenthe stars, leadingtheopening parade with canal enthusiastand Poirotactor SirDavid Suchet at thehelm.Butas something of adoublewhammy, David hadalate change to hisfilmingscheduleand had to cancel.

and Raymond leadingtheopeningparadeandpassingthe marinaentrance.

Theunveilingofthemarina’sNational Transport Trust’sRedWheel plaquebymusicproducerandsteamenthusiastPete Waterman(left), alongsidethetransporttrust’sdeputychairmanJerrySwift(centre)and themarina’sTimCoghlan. PHOTO: VICTORIAJANEPHOTOGRAPHY

However, steppinginwas hiswife Lady Sheila,acanal enthusiastinher own rightandnowco-vice-president oftheIWA. Sheacceptedour invitation todothehonours on Buckingham CanalSociety’s DianatheDredger, which hadalready beenscheduledto attend. David hadpresented ittothe Buckingham CanalSocietyin October 2023inmemoryofmylatewifeDiana, who haddiedofcancerin2014.

Openingformat

The openingtookthe format of Diana theDredger leading theparade.It enteredthe marina under Horseley Ironworksbridge to arecordingonthe PA of BernardCribbins’hit Hole In The Ground,and its famous refrain‘Don’t dighere, digitelsewhere’,which many bystandersjoinedinwith.Thearrivalwas accompanied by bellsfromBraunston church andmusicfrom Daventry Brass. Sheiladeclared therally open as she passed undertheentrancebridge. Sheilavisited standsof canalsocieties, presentingchequesfromthe rally, including £1000 to Buckingham Canal Society. In total,£5000 wasdonated to canalandlocal causes.

MeanwhiletheBraunston-based historic boats, the Nutfield and Raymond, thenledthetraditionalparade though the marina and roundtotheBraunston Turnandback. In Raymond’s hold werea numberof guests,including RichardParry, CEOofthe Canaland RiverTrust,and

Greatforgongoozlers –thecanal outsidethemarinawaspacked three,andsometimesfive,deep withbrightlycolouredformer workingboats, awondroussight tobehold!

Tony Hales,retired chairmanoftheCRT.

Anhour beforetheopening, Pete Watermanunveiledthe RedWheel plaqueBraunston Marinahadbeen awardedbythe NationalTransport Trust,largely on hisrecommendation. Presentweremembers ofthe National Transport Trust, includingJerry Swift, itsdeputychairman,andalsoRichard Parry. The plaque wasfixedonthe wall oftheformerengineshop.

Winner

The winninghistoric narrowboat forthis year’s Nurser AwardBuckbyCanfor Best in Show,asvoted by thehistoric narrowboatowners, wasMichael Pinnock forhis magnificently restored Emu.Theboatwas builtfor FMC by Yarwoodsin1926,andfitted withoneofthenew Bolinder semidieselengines.AswellasthatBuckby can,to be heldfor ayear, Michael alsoreceived £250worthof vouchers, donated by Midland Chandlers.

The Guildof WaterwaysArtists hadits ownmarquee,with 10 members displayingtheirwork. DustyMillerpresentedapainting ofBraunstonBottom Lock in its workingdaystomeonbehalfof themarina.

The rallyisalsobilledasacanal festival;entertainment included the canal-travellingAlarum Theatre withitsnewshow, abitter-sweet comedy with asongabout working

womenofthe canals.Therewas ahostof music inthe beertent, as wellas Punch and Judy.Onthe Sunday,toclosethe event, therally sponsoredacandlelit choralconcertbyFioriMusicaliof Renaissance music. The venuewas acrossthemeadowsfromBraunston at theancientchurchofWolfamcote. The eventwill returnnextJune,with hopefullyPete Watermanopening itonthe restored President andits butty Kildare.Therallyissponsored by Braunston Marina and TowpathTalk,and supportedbythe Canal&RiverTrust.

Braunnston Bottom Lock in about t 1965 –arecently rediscoveredphotograph bythelateHarryArnold.Comparethe scenetotoday’sBraunstonrallies,with manyofthoseabandonedboatsnow restored,andsomeevencarryingagain. PHOTO:HARRYARNOLD/WATERWAYSIMAGES

PHOTO: SIMONDAY

LadySheilaSuchetopenstheeventonboardtheBuckinghamCanal Society’s DianatheDredger. PHOTO:VICTORIAJANEPHOTOGRAPHY

LadySheilaSuchetpresents achequefor£1000to TerryCavender,CEO oftheBuckinghamCanalSociety,which ownsandoperates Dianathe Dredger PHOTO: VICTORIAJANEPHOTOGRAPHY

Nutfield

PHOTO:SIMONDAY

Lifethrough alens

NarrowboaterColin Wareing(ofColinandCarole’sCreations)updatesus onthe beautifulsightsandsoundsofthecanalsashegoesabouthisdailytravels…

MiddlewichFolkandBoat Festival

NiciGriffin of theBeanieBoat(above) showsoffsomeofher waresforsaleat theannualMiddlewichFolkandBoat Festival2024inJune.

Niciandherpartner traveltheinland waterwaysofthecountryaboardtheir narrowboat Delta Nicihand-makes beaniehatsforsale,alongwithselling hand-dyedyarnsfromindependent spinnersanddyers.

Thecanalandtownthrongedwith boatsandpeoplefromFridayto Sunday,June14-16,fortheannual Middlewich Folkand Boat Festival basedaround theTrent andMersey canalwhichrunsthroughthetown. Nextyear’sevent:June13-15.

BoatsleavingLock84on WiganFlight

On abrightbutcool Wednesday inJulyvariousnarrowboatswere seenleavingLock84andheading underBritanniaBridgeonthe WiganflightoflocksontheLeeds &LiverpoolCanal.

Theseweresomeofthefirstboats totraveldowntheflightof21locks astheflight reopenedfollowinga stoppageto repairthecillunderthe tailgatesofthislock.

The repairshadbeenongoing fromMay26upuntilJuly3.This meantnoboatswereableto moveupordownthelocksfor 39days,andit resultedinquitea fewboats waitingtousethelocks withsomefrustratedcrewsunable tocontinuewiththeirsummer cruisingplans.

SomeCanal &River Truststaff werestillaroundthelocktomake sureeverythingworkedokay.

MarpleLocksFlightreopens

Followingprotracted repairs to lock7onthe Marpleflightofthe PeakForestcanal,the flightandthe canalreopenedtonavigationonthe afternoonofFriday,June14. Onthefollowingday, the narrowboat CloudNine (pictured above)isworkingupthe flightand entersthelock from belowwhile someoftheheavyplantmachinery isstillinplaceonthelockside.

Thecrewof CloudNine had comeovertheRochdalecanal, “whichwasveryhardwork”and wereheadingdowntoLondon.

BackinAugustof2023,itwas foundthatthetowpathsidewallof thechamberoflock 7hadmoved inwardsandithadbecometoo narrowforboatstopassthroughit, with alargeholeappearingbehind thelockwallinthetowpath. Thewallonthetowpathside ofthelockhadtobedismantled, concretepilesputinplacebehind itandthenthewallwas rebuilt,

usingnewstoneblocksto replace some of theoriginalsthat were beyond reusing. Whilethiswasbeingdoneitwas discoveredthattheoffsidewall wasindangerofmovinginaswell. Havingcaughtitearly,amethod ofinstallinggroundanchorswas devisedandthiswasdone,though itmeantthelock reopeninghadto bedelayedbeyondtheanticipated openingdateofMay24untilthe laterdateofJune14.

Narrowboatloweringdown lock7

Here(below) anarrowboatisseen workingdownandloweringthrough thelockwiththenewstonework evidentinthe rebuiltlockwall. Theoffsidelocksidewall(foot ofpage)showsthe roundshapes wherethe stonehasbeencutout toinstallthenewgroundanchorsto stabilisethissideofthelockduring the rebuildingofthelock.

Memorialphotochallengeinvites buddingsnappersto Tiptonfestival

Talentedphotographersinvitedtocelebrate‘the Veniceofthe Midlands’inmemoryofalarger-than-lifewaterwaytrader.

THE RayJordan Memorial Photo Challengeispartofthe Tipton Canal andCommunityFestival, beingheldon September21-22,andpromises araftof greatprizesfor the winners.

The competitionisfree to enternow at www.tiptonfestival.co.ukandthere is just one rule –thethemeof ‘Tipton’s Canals’can be interpretedinanyway, buttheimages must be aboutaspects ofthe waterway.

It is being runbyKev Maslin, of GreatBridge, thefestival’s organiser andhimself awaterwayphotographer of manyyears’standing.

“I’vetakenthousandsofphotographs around Tipton’scanalsand it’s ahighly photogenicplace,” he said. “You maywish toincludecanalfeatures,boats,andeven peopleaspartofyourcompositions,but the judges willbelookingforpictures whicharetruly representativeofthearea.

“Anddon’tthink you haveto bean experienced photographeror ownthe

latest equipmenttotakepart. Havingan eyefor apictureiswhatreallycounts,and many similarcontests have been wonwith imagestakenonmobile devicesor pocket cameras.”

The challengeisa tributetoformer canaltrader RayJordan, awell-known character whowas always abig partof thefestival. Hiswife, Lesley, hasagreed to presentthe winnerswiththeirprizes duringtheevent.

Topjudges

“ThereisaBig Kids category (aged16and over)and aYoungAdults category (aged 15andunder),”saidKev.“We arethrilled that top waterwayphotographers Derek Prattand StuartFrance have agreedto be ourjudges.

“Oursponsors have been very generous. Thetopprize is aweek’s luxurynarrowboat holiday donated by BlackPrince HolidaysofBromsgrove,a company that reallydoes setthe standard

whenitcomestoholiday boathire.”

Otherprizesincludea day-long self-drive boat tripalong the beautiful ShropshireUnion Canal, provided byNorbury WharfLimited,andthe chance to get25high-quality calendars printedfromyourown images,courtesy of Staffordshire-based printer The CalendarCompany. Athirdcategorywill be anopencontestandthe winner will be decidedbypublic vote.Theclosing dateis August 31.

Thefestivaldatesbacktothe mid-2000s,anditisthefirst yearthat Kev hastakenonthe mantleoforganiser.He said:“The festivalitselfshouldprovide quite acarnival atmosphereanda realspectacle withhistoric,tradeand privateboatsmoored all theway from MalthousetoTiptonGreen.

“Backincommercial carryingdays, Tipton hadnolessthan13milesof navigable canals withinitssmallarea andbecameknown as ‘the Veniceof theMidlands’.”

Visit www.tiptonfestival.co.ukfor moreinformation.

Closureofadangeroustowpathleads toBoatCanalFestival cancellation

THE popular Boat CanalFestival, runbythe InlandWaterways Association’sLee &Stort Branch to coincide withtheWareFestival, was cancelleddue to thelast-minute closureofadangerous towpath.

HertfordshireCountyCouncil issuedaprohibitionorderfora large section ofthetowpathon the RiverLee through Ware, including the siteonwhichthe July 5-7 festival wastobeheld because its conditionis apublic safety risk.

Fortyserious and dangerous issues were identified, andthe area will be closed indefinitely until remedial work –estimated to cost about£100,000–iscomplete. No timescaleforthe work has beenreleased.

Prosecutionthreat

Barrierswereerected at eitherend andentrances,andanyoneusing thetowpath –whichis apublic rightofway –couldbeliableto prosecutionand asubstantial fine.

TheIWA branchhas now questioned whytheclosurewas

not aplannedone,norconsulted on,whenthe towpathhas been in a‘poorstate for manyyears.’

CraigHaslam,fromtheIWALee and StortBranch,said:“Thisis sad anddisappointingfor ourlocal boatersandthe widercommunity

of Ware after20 years of stagingthis incredibly popularfestival.

“Wedonotquestiontheneed for significant improvements;however, we feelthiscouldhavebeen achieved through aplanned closure whenfootfalland rivertraffic is quieter,ratherthanelecting forthebluntinstrument ofafullandimmediateclosure viaanprohibitionorder which we believeisa disproportionateapproach and wasdone without consultation.”

Repairestimate

The towpathwas assessed by thecouncil’s contractor, Ringway,whichidentified the40issues(see panel, right), eachofwhichalone could have been enough toissuethe closure order, accordingtotheIWA.

It also claimedthat the work isestimated to cost £100,000,thoughthe council told TowpathTalk thereis ‘nofigure for potentialcosts

Tiptontoptips forperfectpic

Howdoyoucapturethebestofour waterways?Tiptonfestival’s organiser, KevMaslin, aphotographerformany years,offershistopfivetipsfortaking thatperfectphotograph...

• Visit avarietyoflocationsand makeuseofdifferentsubjectswithin thoseareastoincreaseyourchancesof grabbingsomeeye-catchingimagery. Each willhaveitsowninteresting qualities.Makeeffectiveuseofcolour, textureand featurestoconveymood andatmosphere.

•Don’trushit. Takeyourtimeand concentrateonyourcomposition. Lookall around your viewfinder or screenbeforecommittingyourselfto pressingthatbutton.Theremay be somethingintheframethatyoudidn’t necessarilywant.

•Keepyoureyeonthesky.Ifit’s acloudydayand alittlebitovercast, butyoucanseethatthesunislikely tomakeanappearance,waitforitto breakthroughandlightupthescene. Thedifferencewillastonishyou.

•Pay attention to the overall shapeofyourcomposition. Aportrait (vertical)shotmayworkbetterthana landscape(horizontal)one.Ifindoubt shootbothanddecidewhich looks bestlater.Don’tbeafraidtoget alittle closertocapturethose fine details.

•Makeuseofcompositional elementsinyourpictures.There arelotsoftheseoutonthecanals. Forinstance,youmaywishtouse abridgearch toframeyour sceneor alock beamtocreate foregr ound interest.Even includinga simplebollard oredgingstone canaddanextra dimension.

“Enjoyit!” saidKev.

“Alovefor yoursubject willalways KevMaslin.

Fortyissuesidentified

yet’ as itdependsonthe work required.Thereisnotimescale, forthe same reason.

In apublic statement, theIWA said: “Thetowpath hasbeen ina poorstatefor many years, deterioratingeach year,and usuallyvolunteers from thebranch undertakea fewdays’worktomake thearea safeforthefestival with minimal support.

“TheIWA hasasked forassurance it would be complete before the2025festival, butthis was notforthcoming.Thedecision demonstrates alackofmultiagency partnership working, as no consultationtookplace.

Highlightsfunding

“Thesituationhighlights howthe waterways canbeaffected if not fundedadequately.

“TheFundBritain’s Waterways grouphascometogetherto campaign to persuade nationaland localgovernmenttoensurethat the benefits provided to thepublic by the waterwaysdonotcontinueto be eroded.”

AspokespersonforHertfordshireCounty Counciltold Towpath Talk thattherewasno time forpriorconsultationwithpartners;the towpathneededtobeclosedurgentlydueto theimmediatesafetyrisk.

Thespokespersonsaid:“Overthe lastfew weeks,wehave receivedabout40 reportsof hazardousdefectsontheRiverLeetowpath betweenAmwellEndand Ware Lock.

“Wehaveinspectedtheseandfoundthatthe pathsurfaceneedssignificantrepair.Duetothe siteconditions,theproximityofthefootpathto thecanalandtheamountandcomplexityofthe work required,weunfortunatelyhadnooption buttoimmediatelyclosethisfootpathwhilewe arrangeforpermanent repairs.

“Wehavebegunassessingexactlywhat workis requiredand,mostimportantly,how wegoaboutsafelycarryingout repairs,given howdifficult itwillbeforstaffandmachinery tosafelyaccessandworkonthisverynarrow site. We willbeworkingwiththeCanal &River TrustandtheEnvironmentAgencytoagreean approach.

“Atthemomentwedonotknowwhen workscanstart,orhowlongtheywilltaketo complete,butwedoknowthatthisis acomplex jobandwilltaketimetodoproperly.

“Weknowthiswillbeinconvenientfor regularusersofthepath,anditisvery unfortunatethattheclosurehasled to the cancellationofthepopular Ware BoatCanal Festival,butwehadtotakethisdecisionon safetygrounds.”

RayandLesleyJordanat apreviousTiptonCanalandCommunity Festival. AphotographiccompetitionisbeingheldinRay’smemory.

PHOTO:KEVMASLIN

Abusywaterwayata previousfestival. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

Colourfulscenesawaitvisitorsat theTiptonCanalandCommunity Festival. PHOTO: SUPPLIED shinethrough.”

Carparkimprovements goliveat FoxtonLocks

THE Canal&River Trust hasbeencarryingout improvementsto car parking at Foxton Locksin Leicestershire, makingavisit to thehistoricsiteeasierfor the hundredsofthousandsof visitorseachyear.

Aspartofthe proposed upgradethecharityis installinganANPRsystem, enablingpeopletosimply parktheir vehicleandpay whentheyleave.

Parkingcharges,which arebeingkept at thecurrent level, applytoallspaces withinthe short-stayand long-stay carparks and visitorswill be abletopay

by cash,card,or by using an app.Jannette Warrener, destinationand attractions managerfor theCanal& River Trust, said:“Foxton Locksisthemost wonderful, tranquilplace,wherepeople canget closertonatureand theirlocalhistory.

“These improvements will helpensurethat avisitto Foxton remains arelaxing experience by removing someofthehassleassociated with carparking.

“With abusysummerof family-friendlyactivities just aroundthecorner,these improvementsarevery timelyand we look forward

to welcomingpeopleinthe weeksandmonthsahead.”

The newsystem, which went liveonTuesday,July23, willalsoenable peopletopay foranannualpass, providing greater valueformoneywhen planningrepeatvisits.

As wellasthenew payment systemthe trust hasalsoimproveddisabled parkingprovision at Foxton, re-markingbaysand creating extraspaces. Thetrustwelcomesmore than400,000visitorsto Foxtoneachyearandthe car parkhelpsthecharityraise vitalfundsto carryoutits work caring forthe historic

TVpersonalityRobbieCummingcutstheribbonwith(left)WCT chairmanCliveJohnsonand(right)RosDaniels,oftheCanal& River Trust,andDrElaineKing,ofChilternNationalLandscape.

canal,flightoflocks and bridges. Hometo the longest, steepeststaircaseoflocks in Britain,Foxton Locksholds aGreen Flag Awardandsits in34acresof naturalgreen space, making thesitethe idealplacetosoakup both heritage and nature.

As wellasthelocks, visitorscanalsoenjoypubs, cafes, amuseumandthe historic remainsof aunique inclined boat lift, whichis listed as aScheduledAncient Monument.

To findout more aboutthe trust, includinghow youcan supportitsvital work,goto: www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

Starringrolefor Timothy WestonShakespeare’sAvon

Veteranstageand screenactor Timothy WestCBEismakinga worlddebut…asAvon Navigation Trust’sriver tripstar.

TIMOTHY West,whosethespian heart is anchored in Shakespeare’s Avon, made specialtimeto record acommentarythat’s enthralling passengers aboardtrip-boat Corsair and raisingfundsforthecharitable Avon NavigationTrust(ANT). Timothy,anANTpatronalongwith wifePrunella ScalesCBE, waxesmost lyricalon rivetinglocal historyfor Evesham’s very pretty riverexcursion. He recallsthegloryand gory daysthe riverhas runthrough,asmodernday Corsair cuts adash betweena 17th-century lock andthe Hampton rope ferry,whereonce abbey monks glidedtotheirvineyards. High points includethe Battleof Evesham,a swineherd’ssacred vision, Lady Godivaand ghostlysilverbells.

Timothy’s dulcet tones were recordedinEvesham at theiconic triangularlockkeeper’s house, whichis beingrepurposed by ANT’sdedicated volunteers astheirtraining centre and theANTYouth SquadHQ.

Andwe’reoff!ANTSquadmemberZakMellor recordsactorTimothy West’slatesthitforthetrust,eagerlywatchedbyANTdirectorand scripteditorRogerClay. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

“We’re so very grateful to Tim, who hasturnedoursimple words into adramatic tour deforce,and to the Valeof Evesham Historicaland Simonde Montfortsocietiesfortheir richhistoricalinput,”said ANTchief executiveCliveMatthews.

“Itwas apleasuretohelpthe guardiansof ourlovelyriver,and to have thegreatTimothyWest honouringourhistory,”addedlocal historian David Snowden.

Tim, who’s alsowellknown forhis GreatCanal Journeys TV adventures withPru, said: “I alwaysenjoymydays withANTandthe Avon,and it was lovelyto getasneakpreviewofthe impressivelock-housetransformation. It’s just ashametheydon’t want me to drivetheboat. Maybenexttime!” The newtrainingcentreisbeing fundedentirely by grants and volunteers’freelygiventime.Itwill be unveiledinthe autumn.

BoaterRobbieCummingcuts ribbon at Wendoveropening

Walkers, cyclists,canoeistsandschoolchildren joinedTVpresenterand WendoverCanal Trust patronRobbieCumming at theofficial openingof the WendovertoHaltontowpathupgrade.

THEimprovement, whichcost £750,000and runsfor1.7miles,took sixmonthstocomplete.Itispartof ajointambitionofthe Wendover CanalTrust (WCT)andthe Canal& RiverTrust to seethe entireseven milesofthe WendovertoGrand Union Canaltowpathupgraded.

The officialopeningevent, held on June28 at Walnut Tree Meadow, Wendover, saw220 pupilsfrom John Colet School walkingroupsdown thetowpathtoHalton,whilemore than30 youngstersfromWendover Church of England Junior School took part in anaturetrail.

The CracklewickMorrisdancers performedtwice,andtherewasa call to attentionfanfaresounded byKathyGifford. Shealsoplayed

afanfareafter Robbie,presenter of TV’s CanalBoatDiaries, cutthe ribbon to formallyopenthetowpath. In frontofthecrowd, WCT chairmanCliveJohnsonthanked RobbieandDr ElaineKingfrom Chilterns NationalLandscape, whoseorganisationplayed amajor rolein securingfundingtomake theevent happen.Healsothanked RosDaniels,ofthe Canal&River Trust, Coun SteveBroadbent, of BuckinghamshireCouncil,and PeterElwin, WCTpartnerships director,who ledthefundingand theorganisationoftheevent.

Mr Johnson said: “The work carried outbyRothenGroupand Kierplc hashugelyimprovedthe former muddytowpath.Forthefirst time,wehavemadeitaccessibleto theentirecommunityall year round. Iknowitis, and will be,enjoyed by thoseoutfor astroll, ramblers, joggers, cyclists,themobilityimpaired andbirdwatchers.”

The upgrade wasfundedbyHS2 Chilterns NationalLandscapes ReviewGroup, WendoverParish Council, Lionel Abel-SmithTrust, WendoverCommunity Board and Halton Parish Council.EKFB, FCCEnvironment, RothenGroup, WendoverParishCounciland FairhiveHomes sponsored new railings at WharfRoad,thesignage alongthetowpath,andtheevent itself.Itwasorganised by John Colet School, WendoverNews, EKFB,Wendoverand Halton Parish Councilsand WendoverCanalTrust.

AnaerialviewofthestunningFoxtonLockssite,fourmileswestofMarketHarborough.

PHOTO:CRT

TrumpeterKathyGiffordwith WCTchairmanCliveJohnson.

Robbieorders apizzaat Walnut TreeMeadow,Wendover.

EASTMIDLANDSBOATSERVICES -WILLOWMOORINGS

Moorings Availableforcruisersandnarrowboatsat£4.60perfoot,permonth. Residentialmooringsavailableat£325.00permonth forNarrowboatsonly. Poweredslipwayforboatsupto40footand asecondslipwayforsmallboats.Slipwaycanbehired forDIYworkorweofferservicesforAntifouling,PaintingandGeneralServicing. We alsohavea BoatSafetyExamineronsite. LocatedontheA6,adjacenttoTheOtterPublicHouse. 01509672385 www.eastmidlandsboatservices.co.uk Kegworth,DE742EY

Amarinathatoffersyou achoice

Afamily ownedmarinasetinrural Worcestershire, butminutes away from theM5, givesallboaters great travelopportunities.

The238berthmarinaislocatedontheDroitwich Canals, ideallysituatedfor greatcruisingalbeit fora shortbreak orlongholidays.Itiswithineasy walkingdistanceofthe SpaTownofDroitwich.

■ Securityfor youand yourboat

■ Fulllengthjetties, in anon floodenvironment

■ Firstclassfacilities, including luxuryshowerblockand launderette

■ ShopandChandlery

■ Elsan, Pumpout,Diesel,Water

■ Boat Blackingoptions available

■ Hardstanding,ServiceArea, andCranage Padfacilities

■ Calor GasStockist

■ CaravanMotorhomeCLsite

HillFarm Marina

SouthStratfordCanal

TheView Restaurantis nowfullyopen www.theview-eat.co.uk

•Enjoyprivate access to atraditional 200acrebeefandsheepfarm

• •Dogsrunfreeindesignatedareas.

• •Watch thechanging seasons,thewildlifeand theanimalsonthefarm

• •Enjoythe completepeace, freedomand tranquillityofbeinginthe countryside

• •Accesssome greatlockfreecruising forday trips,weekendorlonger voyages

• •Easyaccesstothe motorwaynetwork

• •Onsitelaundry, Hairdressersand Dog Grooming It goeswithoutsaying....

• •A secureplacetomoor your boat, and park yourcar

• •Luxuriousshowers,communalareas,pump outandfueletc.

• •FreeunlimitedWIFI

• •Electricity andwater connections

• •Extra widepontoons available

Pleasewatchtheprogress www.hillfarmmarina.co.uk emailinfo@hillfarmmarina.co.ukorcallDavidon07971118953

WelcometotheLakelandLeisureFamily...

Forover30years, family-ownedbusinessLakeland LeisureEstateshavebeen developingandoperating holidayandleisureparksalongwithinlandand coastal marinasspanningacrossthe UK and Spain.

Set insome of theUK’smostbeautiful countryside, our marinasprovidetheperfectlocation foryour boatingadventures. Positioned at premierlocations inCheshire,Staffordshire,Essex,Gloucestershireand

Conwy, ourmarinas offer something foreveryone whether you’relooking fora leisureorresidential mooring, awintermooringthrough thecoldermonths, orjustpassing through fortheday.

Each marinaissurrounded by picturesqueviews,boast fantastic facilities,andaremanaged by friendly faces to ensureyourstaywithusisperfect.

Highgrove wasofficially awarded1stplacefor Favourite Boat in Show at Crick.This is afantastic achievementforLakeland LeisureEstatesand Kingsground Narrowboats,andweare delighted!

TattenhallMarina, Cheshire

DiscoverOurIdyllic Retreat& EnjoySummer

Withanabundance of wildlife, peace, tranquillityandour experienced team onhand, youcan relaxand enjoyyour ownlittlepieceofheaven.

SecureyourberthontheLlangollen Canal, themostbeautifulcanal in thecountry! Call 01270524571 oremail sales@swanleybridgemarina.com

SwanleyBridge Marina,SpringeLane,Swanley, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW58NR- www.swanleybridgemarina.com

Ourboatyardfacilitiesare locatedcanalside, on themainlineoutsidethe Distillery

Mooringsintheheartofthecity

Mooringinthe centre ofBirmingham City

SherborneStreet,BirminghamB168DE 0121 455 6163/01214545367

www.sherbornewharf.co.ukor email@sherbornewharf.co.uk

We areinauniquepositionontheBirmingham CanalNavigationsandhave berths available close to thecitycentreservingall typesofboaters forovernight, shorttermandlong term moorings.

 QUIETANDSECUREMOORINGS  GAS,DIESELANDPUMPOUT

 BOAT REPAIRSANDMAINTENANCE

Boat engineservice £225.00

Singledayemptyand refill £250.00

Vbottomboatextra charge(atthe timeofbooking youmustinformusif your Boat is V-Bottom £100.00

Extradaysinthedockifalreadybookedin forblackingorservicewillbe charged at £75 perday

Blacking consistsofjet washingthehulloftheboatdownandmakingsureareaisclean anddry, should we findanythingof concernwewill contactyou to informyou.Wecan offer variousblackingproductspleasecallusandspeak to us.

Anodesare£160perpairandfitting/weldingis£60.00perpairifpurchasedfromus. Allother worksarecharged at £60.00perhour

Blackingischargedper footlengthoftheboat

NestledalongsideBecket’sPark,NorthamptonMarinahas asecluded,countrysidefeelwhilst beingwithineasywalkingdistanceofthetrainstationandtowncentrewithitsmanyshops, bars,restaurantsandtheatres.

LocatedatthejunctionoftheRiverNeneandtheNorthamptonArmoftheGrandUnion Canal,itisideallyplacedforexploringbothAnglian Waterwaysandthewidercanalnetwork. Offeringboaters afriendlystaywithaccessto agreatchoiceofcruisingroutes. Ouraward-winningfacilitiesbuildingisopentoallmarinacustomers,including washrooms,laundry, pump-outandElsandisposalpoint.Allofourberthshaveaccessto waterandelectricity.Ourlandscapedgroundsprovide arelaxingrecreation areawithBBQsandpicnictables. We offerpermanent,visitorandwintermoorings. Youcanalsopurchase yourAnglian Waterwaysboatlicencesandnavigation keys fromour fulltimeSiteOfficer.

SHAKESPEARE MARINA

•250berthslocated onriver Avon

•10minswalkfrom Stratford-upon-Avon

•RiseandFallpontoons

•Waters &elechookupstoeachberth

•Freewi-fi •Laundry•Showers

•Fuelsales •Pumpout

•LakelandLeisure boatbrokerage

T: 07714095005

E:shakespeare@land-water.co.uk

CAENHILLMARINA

•248berthslocatedon

Kennet &Avon canal

•NeartoDevizesWiltshire

T: 01380827062

E:caenhill@land-water.co.uk

NORTHWICH QUAY

• 50berthslocatedonriver Weaver

• CentreofNorthwich,Cheshire T: 07967461038

E:northwich@land-water.co.uk

LISTER-PETTERDIESELENGINES AND SPARE PARTSSPECIALIST

UK’sLargeststockofLister-Petterenginesandgearboxes. Unrivalledknowledge,experience and aftersalessupport.

Having your tired old engine or gearbox repaired? Inthelongrunouroptionsarelikelymorecost effective:Reconditionedservice exchangeor reconditionyourexistingunit;Factorylowhours andgoodusedunitsalsosupplied.

Allenginesandgearboxes aresuppliedfullytestedand withwarranty.Ifyoursis pastit’sbest,calloremail us to findoutmore.

+44(0)1213776029mail@realdiesels.co.ukwww.realdiesels.co.uk

TheWharf, WatlingSt, Gailey, Staffs ST195PR 01902791811

enq@jdboats.co.uk www.jdboats.co.uk

SPECIALISING IN BOAT RESTORATION& REPAIR

CabinRefits Woodwork Paintwork Steelwork

Engines Electrics SolarPanels Hybrid Propulsion HARDSTANDING DIYFACILITIES STORAGE

Take amomenttosoakinthepeaceand tranquillityofthe Huntingdonshirecountrysideandexperienceallthat HartfordMarina hastooffer. AgatewaytotheRiver GreatOuse,themarinaisperfectly placedforcruisingoneofBritain’slesserdiscoveredwaterways,andis idealforexploringnearbytownsand cities.With premium facilitiesand capacityforalltypesofboats,fromwidebeamsandnarrowboatstoday boatsandcruisers,HartfordMarinahassomethingforeveryboater.

BOAT BROKERAGE

TingdeneBoatSaleshelpsboatersateverystepof theirboating journey.Whetherlooking to buyorsell acraft,ourwidebrokerage network,bothonlineandatourUKinlandmarinas,isyourstoutilise. So,ifyouareinthe marketforanupgradeorhave aboatyouwishto sellonorclosetotheRiverGreatOuse,contactHartfordMarinaand seehowwecanhelpyou.

ANNUAL &VISITORMOORINGS

NEWANDUSEDBOATSALES

DAYBOATHIRE &WATERSPORTS

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240VPOWER TO EACHBERTH

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BOATSFOR SALE AT HARTFORDMARINA

HARTFORDMARINA

COMBINATIONRESCUELADDER/GANGPLANK

Haveyoufalleninto the waterandstruggled to getout? Mostaccidentshappeninoraroundlocks. Gettingoutofthe waterishardwith wetheavy clothes. Thebanksidesarehighandnohandholds to getout. This versatilelightweight(LADDER-MATE)storessecurely on your roofwiththefreeladderlocksupplied. £125 +£30p&p to anylocationonUKmainlandorfree collection(Please callus)

Over100tillerpinsinstockvisit

www.tillerpins.co.uk

www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk

e:sales@miracleleisureproducts.co.uk

Telephone:01902686569 orDawn07909086868

Hands-freeattachmentthat slidesoverthetillerbar.

Thisisan attachmentthatslides over thetillerbarwhenitis rainingand you canpopthebrollyinthe topofthe tubesecured by athumbscrew. Choiceofsizes. from £25 +p&p

Keeps your weedhatchclear £22 +p&p BROLLY-MATE

WoodworksBoat Fitting

Servicing Spareparts TechnicalHelp SystemDesign

HYDRONICHS3 D4EHEATER

Thislatestheaterisnow in stock.4.3kWoutputand only 1.3kWatlow,idealfor narrowboats. Kitsfrom£1795.00

Foronly£560.00receive oneofourfactory reconditionedunitswhen yousendusyourold, nonfunctioning D4WSC orD5WSC*.

*ServiceexchangeT&Csapply DIESELHEATINGFORBOATS

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Controlyourheater through yourphone

Easyinstallation.Simpleon/off. Runtimesettings. iPhone& AndroidSMSnotification.£159.00 SIMnotincluded.

MGMBoatsLtd

•Hull steam cleanedandblacked •Blastedand2pkblackingsystems •Anodes, supplied andfitted •Welding workundertaken •CovereddockforanyDIY workcanbebooked, incpainting.

• Slipway canbebookedformaintenance work,suchas rudderrepairs,sterntubereplacement &alsosurveys (Byothers) •Engineservice &electrical work •WesellCalor13kgpropanegas Call01162640009or email:mgmboatyard@gmail.com (Newwebsiteunderconstruction) UpperSoar,Leicester.LE48AF

Yourneeds

Seagoing Saildrives Inland WaterwaysMarineGeneratingSetsSpares &Support

36yearsofcustomercentredfocus,listeningto needsanddeliveringlongtermvaluesolutions. Specialistsincustomeradviceandsupportatall pointsof aproductslife.

Superbafter-salesserviceviaournetworkof approvedengineinstallersandsparesstockists.

14to98HPGreenlinekeelcooleddieselpropulsion engineswithmechanicalorhydraulicgearboxes.Full hydraulicdriveoptionavailable. Supersilentacoustichousings,3.5or5.0kVAtravel powerandbowthrusteroptionsavailable. REDUCECO2 BY90%! Compatibleforcontinuoususe withHVOfuel.*

*IfotherFAMEbiofuelsareusedormixedwestronglyadviseuseofouralternativefuelkit option.Availableforneworretrofit-abletoexistingengines. D

5yearself-servicewarranty,recreationaluseonlyterms &conditionsapply.

43to98HPGreenlinekeelcooleddieselpropulsion engineswithsingleortwin48vhybridelectricdrive motor/generator(s).

NEW Beta14E-Drive,14kWconstantelectrical propulsionpower. Fullyintegratablewith48vbatterymanagement inverterchargersystems. Fully integratablewithBetaGen/BetaSetgenerators.

FULLYSERVICEDCRUISING ANDRESIDENTIALMOORINGS ANDFULLBOATYARDSERVICES

•Iver(SloughArm)andNortholt (Paddingtonarm)

•Securesiteswithprivateparking

•Deliveryofgas,solidfuelanddiesel directtoyourboat

•Electricity, water,elsanandpumpout

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•Chandlery

•Mechanical,electrical,andcarpentry workundertaken

•Craning,gritblastingandblacking

•Twopartepoxyhulltreatment

•Fuelpolishingservice

sales@high-line.co.uk 01753651496 www.high-line.co.uk

FORSELLERS

•Freemoorings

•Sales locationwithestablishedfootfall

•Open 6days /week

•TradePlatesforunlicensedcraft

•Presalespreparationandrepairs

FORBUYERS

•Freeguidanceandadvice

•Comprehensivehandover

•Secureclientsbankaccount

•ABYAqualifiedbrokeragestaff

•Industrystandarddocumentation

PRIVATEBUYER’SSERVICE

•Ifyouarebuyingprivately,wecanoffer thefollowing services:

•Adviceonallaspectsofpurchase

•Provisionofdocumentation

•SecureClientsbankaccount

•Bespokeservice –asmuchoraslittleas youwant,pricedaccordingly

kb@vcmarine.co.uk 01753652502/07860480079 www.vcmarine.co.uk

STARLINE STARLINE

We aretheonly membershipassociationsetup,in1963,toprotectthe interests of live-aboardboaters.Weneed your supporttobeableto continueour work.Sojoinus,inpromotion,development, representation andprotection ofour chosenlifestyle.Interested?

See more informationonour websitewww.rboa.org.uk.ortelephone 0330 0577180to findouthowtojoinand getinvolvedinthesafeguarding ofthefuture freedomoflivingafloat. Annual membershipfromonly£30.00.

The ResidentialBoatOwners’AssociationStudio 2WatersideCourt ThirdAvenueBurtononTrentDE142WQ SponsoredbyAll Willsand Trusts.co.uk

Shared ownershiptheaffordable way

Ownasharemanages afleetofnarrowboatswhichoperateonashared ownershipbasis.

Thismeansthatownersof1/12thsharescanenjoyatleast3–4 weeks’holiday afloateachyear, schoolholidayweeksareavailable at asmallpremium.

Tel:07800902323 formoredetails www.ownasharecruising.co.uk

•Free‘noobligation’quotationsand

•Planningandschedulingtofitinwith

Extrasthatcan beadded to the package:

•Baremetallingofgrittedareas.

•(Re)grittingofcabintopandgunwhales. •Graining/scumbling. •Diamondsandgeometricalpatterns. •Topbend/returnplatedecoration. •Traditionalcanalart(RosesandCastles). •Signwriting. •Hatchandslidedecoration. •Varnishing. •Mouse’sears/teddybearonrearbulkhead. •Paintingofcounterbands.

AssistInsuranceServicesLtd winsprestigiousindustryaward

ASSISTInsurance Services

Ltdwasannounced as the winnerofthe2024 Customer Experience Award,oneofthe mostprestigious awards inthe insuranceindustry,on July3 at theRoyalAlbertHall.

Afewmonths ago, the companywas informedit hadbeen shortlistedforthree prestigiousBritish Insurance Awards,markingasignificant accomplishment. Assistwas thrilledtoreceiverecognition fromtheinsuranceindustry once again,followinga similar success at the same eventin2022.

MembersoftheAssistteam travelledtoLondonforthe prestigious awardsceremony, wheretheywerethrilledtobe declared the winners ofthe 2024 Customer Experience Award. Despitecompeting againstsignificantlylarger organisations,theirtriumph in securingthisaccoladeisa remarkablefeat, onethat fills them withimmensepride.

Reflectingonthis achievement, ClaireLeech, director at Assist,said: “This awardisrecognitionofthe hard work anddedicationof ourentireteam. It underscores ourcommitmenttoputting customers at theheartof everythingwedo.

“Weare immensely proudofthisachievement

AssistInsuranceServices Ltdwasannouncedas thewinnerofthe2024 CustomerExperience Award. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

andmotivated to continue deliveringexceptional service. We willcontinuetocreate valuefor ourcustomers,be atrustedpartnerintheir timesofneedand remain committed to pushing the boundariesof service excellence.”

The Customer Experience Awardisopentoany UK-based insurance business andthe judges were looking forthosewho hadclearly demonstrated anexcellent levelofengagementwith customers, from marketing tosalesto customer service andclaims.

Proof wasrequired on howthisimpactedthe customerexperienceand howpolicyholdersand prospectivepolicyholdersfelt towardsthebrand.Businesses hadtodemonstratehow theyprovidedthe very best experience to theircustomers

Marine/Leisure

BatterySolutions

UniqueDesigngives:-

Predator Batteriesareproudtointroduce,thelatest groundbreakingtechnologyinLeadAcid Batteries. ManufacturedinDubaibyEternity Technologies, weintroducetothe UK the QUASARrangeof Batteries

CombiningCarbonNano Tube(CNT)withSolid SilicaGel Technologyproduces aLeadacidbattery withManyoftheattributesofLithium.

DeepCycleCapabilitydownto 90%DOD 25%moreelectrolytetopreventDry-Out. CycleLifeinExcessof1,500cycles @90% DOD PSOC operationbetween 40%-90% 2-3xFasterRechargeCapability

98%Recyclable, -Mostenvironmentally responsiblebatteryavailable. Compliantwith EN60-254-1and EN60-254-2

Contact:

Stuart 07368 373549 or Stuart@predator-batteries.tech

Mark 07887 972678 or Mark@predator-batteries.tech www.predatorbatteries.co.uk

POWERFOR

throughoutthelifecycleofa policy,as wellashowthey have introducedonline processesto make sure that thecustomerexperience wassmooth,reducingany barriersthat mightprevent themfromobtainingaquote or renewingtheirinsurance. This relatestothe availability oftheir services outofhours, wherecustomers cannow renewtheir policiesonline andalso obtainaninsurance quoteusing theirquoteand buyonlinefacility.

AboutAssistInsurance ServicesLtd

AssistInsurance Services

Ltdisone oftheUK’sleading providersof boat insurance, withmorethan19yearsof experienceandmorethan 50,000leisurepolicyholders. Thecompanyhas been awardedthe2024 Platinum TrustedCustomer Service AwardbyFeefo,the2022 Customer Care Award,the 2022 Personal LinesBrokerof the Year Award,andthe2020 Personal LinesBrokerofthe Year Award. Eachoftheseawardsis atruereflectionofAssist’s commitmenttooutstanding customer service. Formoreinformation call 01604945565orvisitwww. assistinsurance.co.uk

Marinebatterysolution reachesUKmarket

PredatorBatterieshasbecometheexclusivemarineUKimporterand distributorofQuasar,anISO-certificatedbatteryfromEternity Technologiesin theUAE.The agreementisspecificallyfortheUKmarineandleisuremarkets.

THEpremier Quasar Gelrange utilises ‘carbon nanotubetechnology’ that isclaimedtodeliver “ultimateperformance with significant benefits overothertechnologies”.

StuartJames,PredatorBatteries’managing director,said:“WhilePredatoris anew nametothe UK,wehavemanyyears ofexperienceas abattery providertothe marine market.Our agreementwith Eternity Technologiesenablesustonowprovide Quasar,the very bestbatterysolutionavailable,to theUKboatingcommunity.”

Stuartisalsochairmanofthe UK Electric Boat Association,andthe management team hasclose connections withtheBritish marine industry.

Predator begandeliveringQuasartothe market throughOEMsand selected trade outletsinJune.

Predatorprofile

Predator,foundedin2023,is anewcompany, but hasmorethan50yearsofexperienceinthebattery business behind it.

Demandsonbatteriesincrease;themarine andleisuremarketsaretypicalinthisrespect withever-growingapplicationsbeingintroduced. Predatorsays supplyingthecorrectbatteryforeach deploymentisvital,andunderstandingthis –and beingabletooffertheultimatebattery solutions –is its speciality.

Eternity Technologies

Established inthe UAEin2011, Eternity Technologies says it hasbecome a“globalleader intheindustrialbatterymarket, providingworldclass ISO-approved motiveandnetwork power applications”.

Productionandoperationsarebased in Dubai; however, the business hasworldwide reachand

distributionin10countriesincludingthe USA, SouthAfrica,India, Spain, GermanyandFrance. The business hasanenviable reputationfor product design,productionprocessesandtechnical developmentthatthecompanysayssetsitapart fromotherbattery products available.

BreakingthroughwithQuasar

Predator Batteriesannouncedthe arrivalofits ‘revolutionary’lead acid battery,inco-operation with Eternity Technologies Ltd, amodern, stateof-the-artbattery manufacturingfacilitybased inthe UAE. The companyexplainedthat, under the guidanceofDr Mark Stevensonand ateam of European management, “the very latestlead acidbatteryhas beendeveloped –Quasar.Usinga processthat involvescarbon nanotubetechnology significantlyreducestheinternal resistanceofthe battery, plusincreasesthebattery’sstructure. The increaseinlifeexpectancy issignificant”.

Techspec

Untilnow, sealedVRLAbatteries have primarily been segregated into four sectors:stationary batteries,deepcyclebatteries,highratebatteries andbatteriesoperatinginPSOCconditions (off-grid). Quasarcombinesallthesefeaturesinto onebattery.

It’s abattery that Predatorsays cancycleupto 2000times(@50% DOD), hashighratedischarge (forengine starting),plus x2chargeacceptance foropportunecharging, will operateinPSOC conditions,(40%-90% SOC) andcan remainon float charge formonthsonend (because of25% moreelectrolyte).Predatoraddedthebatteryhas adesign lifeofupto15 years.

Fordetails go to:www.predatorbatteries.co.uk

Stockboats:prosandcons P46 Goinggreen: LynchMotors P47

BoatLifeacquired by NEC

BOATLIFE hasannouncedthatithas been acquired by theNECGroup afterthree yearsofoperation,during whichthecompanyhasorganised the annualindoor eventinBirmingham. BoatLifeisnowunderthe ownership of NECGroup’s newly established eventdivision, PendigoEvents.

Accordingtoreports,a substantial investmentfromtheNECGroup will, it is hoped, “propelBoatLifeintoan excitingnewphaseofexpansion”, withthepromiseto“super-charge theexperiencefor exhibitorsand visitorsalike”.

AnthonyMitchell,newly appointed managingdirector of Pendigo Events, brings20 yearsofexperienceinthe eventsindustry, includingleadership roles at thecelebrated Pubinthe Park. Havingbroughttogetheranincredible teamofindustryspecialists,his expertisewillbepivotalincrafting anexciting futurefor BoatLifeandthe NECGroup’s broader events strategy.

“BoatLifeisthefirst exhibition inthe portfolioof Pendigo Events,” Anthony said.“Weare proudtobe thenew ownersoftheUK’sbiggest indoor boat event.

“Overthe past four months,the team hasbeenworking tirelessly withtheUK marineindustrytotruly understandwhat ourclientsand visitorswantandneed from BoatLife.

“Asthefirstconsumer boat eventin theUK calendar,weare excitedtobe delivering atrulyfantasticexperience forthe marine industry.

“Withmoreinvestmenttoallow ustohostnewas wellas returning brands, therewill be afocuson deliveringengagingcontent andnew featurestoensureatrulyimmersive visitorexperience.With so much to see anddo,wecannot waitto welcometheindustry to BoatLife nextyear.”

As part ofthemove into Pendigo EventsandNEC Group, eventdirector RichardDovewillbring thesame passionanddrivetoBoatLife.Itis feltthat withthe supportoftheNEC Group, Richardwill be in aposition tospearheadthedevelopmentof BoatLife.

BoatLife2025 willtakeplacefrom February6-9 at theNEC.

More detailswillbeavailable at www.boatlifeevents.com

Newfacetakesthehelm pledgingtowooboaters

WHITE Mills Marinaat Earls Barton hasannouncedthat GeorginaWickham (pictured)has been appointedmarina manager.

Georgina(aka George) who hasa wealthof boatingknowledge, hasbeen managingmarinas forthepast five yearsand havingjoinedthe141-berth WhiteMillsin Mayhas alreadybecome amuch-valuedmemberofthe team.

George said: “I amthrilledtohave joinedWhite Mills Marina and Iamso lookingforward to notonlyattracting moreboaterstothe marina itself,but to alsointroducingthemtothe stunning, underused,tranquil RiverNene.

MarinamanagerGeorginaWickham.

MerciaMarinapraisedfor‘extremelyhighstandards’

DERBYSHIRE’SMercia

Marinahasbeenpraised for having‘extremely high standards’asitretains itsfive-starholiday park ratingandcelebratesa Gold AwardfromEngland’s official tourist board, VisitEngland.

Arecentassessment praised themarina, in Willington, forimpeccable standardsofcleanliness,a professionaland welcoming environment, adiverse rangeofshops andeateries offeringlocalquality produce,high-quality

leisureequipmentand well-maintainedrecreation areasforbothadultsand children,andlandscaped groundswith anemphasis onconservationand wildlife attraction.

To mB lo ome r, VisitEnglandquality assessor,said: “Asalways, nothing stands still at Mercia Marina.Itisidealfor bothfamiliesandcouples to enjoy. Thisnotable destinationoffers asuperb rangeofshopping, food and beverage outletsfor guests and dayvisitorstoenjoy.

Continualinvestmenthelps improveand maintainthe extremelyhigh standards notedthroughout my visit.The Gold Awardis recommendedforthepark andis very welldeserved.”

Thetransformationof thesite’sbandstand has been highlightedasakey improvementforvisitors. Its stepshavebeenconverted into relaxed,grass-covered seating, enhancingboth theuseand appearance ofthearea.Accessibility hasbeenimproved,along withfurtherhealthand

safetymeasurestoensure asafeandpleasurable environment.

Tony Preston,salesand marketingmanager at the marina,whichopenedin 2008, saidhe wasdelighted at theparkretainingitsfive starsand beinghonoured withthe award. Looking ahead, Mercia Marina has anambitiousplantocreate thePromenade,a landmark buildinginanawardwinningdesign to bring moreretail, restaurants andluxuryresidential apartmentstothe site.

WigramsTurnWaterside &Marina launchesnewresidential moorings

AQUAVISTA hasjustannounced itslatest marina to be awarded full residentialstatus. WigramsTurn Waterside& Marina onthe junction oftheOxfordandGrandUnion Canalsin Warwickshirenowhas brand-newresidential moorings for salefor both widebeamsand narrowboats.

“Itisquite simplyanincredibly beautifulriver,and Icouldnot be happierbeing apartofit.”

George knowsboats andinland boatinginsideout andcan even tella gearbox just by itssound!

Shehas boated sinceshe was16and herfirst boat wasa 44ftbackendofa buttyboatcalled Joanne,which was followedby70ft narrowboat Seamus Keen to welcomenewmoorers, Georgeis alreadyplanningaseriesof promotionaleventsandisalwayshappy togiveboatersa 1:1tourofthe marina. Anyoneinterestedinfindingoutmore cancall07802890874.

Aquavista’s residentialmooring package includesa registeredUK postaladdressand post box,a 2000L Keter storagebox,afree weekly washanddryinthenew laundryfacility, afreepumpout everymonthandaccessto Vivup LifestyleDiscounts –discounts onlotsofhigh streetbrandsand supermarkets.

The marina hasalsoseensome other major changes in recent

Winnersannounced

Thewinnersofthefreemooring competition WhiteMills Marina held duringCrick BoatShowhave been announced.

The news couldnot be moretimely for boaters MitchandMaria(pictured)who arecurrently havinga new narrowboat builtand were lookingfor amarina.

Marinamanager George said: “We aresolookingforward to welcoming Mitchand Mariatoour beautifulWhite Mills Marina and introducingthem to the stunninglypretty RiverNeneand Nene Valley.

“Thecompetition generated numerousentriesand sowe decided we wanted everyoneto be winners andarenow offeringallthosepeople whoentered ourcompetition 10%off amooring.”

www.whitemillsmarina.co.uk

monthsincluding theappointmentof new marinamanager,MarcMewis,and asignificantinvestmentinitsfacilities including refurbishedshowers, laundryfacilityand customer lounge.Ithasalsoinstalleda newdog wash,highspeed Wi-Fi, CCTV,securityentrance gate and outdoorsocialisingarea for allthecommunityeventsthat happen at the marina. Setonthe junctionofthe Oxford andGrand Union Canals, Wigrams Turn Waterside& Marina offers threecruising directionsandmilesandmiles of open countrysideto explore. The marina is just ashort walk from Naptononthe Hill, alovely littlevillage with acoupleof pubs,ageneralshopand apost office withits owncafe.Orifyou want to go furtheryou canreach Southamin just 10minutes by car. Alongwith aleisurecentre, plentyof pubsandshops,this pretty market town hassome

interestingarchitecturetolookatand is well wortha visit.

Wigrams Turn Waterside& Marina isthe latest marina to receive investmentaspartofAquavista’s commitmenttocontinuouslyinvest inits marinasand to offerthe best of watersidelifeforitscustomers. Fora limitedtime,Wigrams Turnis offeringa complimentarytwo-night stay foranyoneinterestedinfinding outwhy it’s aperfectplacetocall home.

The marina’s next open daytakes placeon Saturday, September21, 11am-5pm withtoursofthenew facilitiesplus achancetomeetthe team andmoorers.

There’ll be craftstalls,floating traders, food anddrinksandlivemusic throughoutthedaytoo.There’ll bea rangeofused boatsonsale available tolookaroundplus watersidecrewon handtoprovideadviceonallthings boatingfor anyone consideringa changeinlifestyle andplaningtotake to thewater.

OneofthenarrowboatexhibitsatBoatLife2024. PHOTO:PHILPICKIN

AleisurelytripatMerciaMarina. PHOTO:SUPPLIED.

AnaerialphotoofWigrams Turn Waterside &Marina. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

Stockboats: theprosandcons

ByPhilPickin

IS IT me,ordothere seemtobemorestock boats around at themoment? Onemarina, inparticular, hasa numberof boatsonofferfroma rangeof builders,sowethoughtitmight be interestingto have alook into notonlywhat’s on offer butthe advantage of buying ‘ready to sail’. Aquicklookatthe boatsonofferatAqueduct Marina willshowtheusual rangeofgood quality second-hand boatsrangingfrom(at thetimeof writing)£35,000to £175,000.Butinaddition to these areanumber of stockboatsfrom Knights, Ovation andCollingwoodboats. Allniceandnewand ready fortheirfirstowners.Justlikebuyinganew car(but sadly withoutthat new carsmell),thelureofowning anew boathastobethat everything is clean,shiny and hasalmostzerohours ontheclock. Thereare very fewnegativeswhen buying anew boat that is readytosailawayotherthanthe lackof flexibilitytochange thelayout, equipment or colour scheme.Andthereare anumber of advantages that you maynotinitiallyconsider.Buyfroma reputablebrokerageand you will be buyingsafe in theknowledgethat thedocumentationforthe boat isallinorder.Withtalesofboats beingsold without havingalloftheirdocumentationinorder

currently circulating, itis worthmakingsure that everythingisinorder beforespending asizeable amountofmoney.

With many boat buildersquotinglongwaiting lists,some runningintomanyyears,theprospective buyerhas to weighupjusthow importantbeing abletochoosethecolourofthecupboardsinthe galleyandwhat typeoffloor covering is used.

And with many stock boatsprovidingopenliving spaces foryou tofurnishtoyourown taste, soft furnishings,galleyequipmentandpicturesforthe walls willquickly make thenew boat look bespoke, butwithoutthe wait.

So,withthat inmind,let’s have alook at three ofthe boatsthat were (and stillcould be)onoffer at Aqueductandwhichprovide agood overviewof what isonoffer at thisprice point.

Noteveryone willlikeallofthe boatsseen, but chances areatleastone will appealto you.Soifyou areinthe marketfor anew boat, youdon’t want to wait yearsfor abuildslotto be availableand you don’tmindnot havingabespoke build,thereisa good rangeofalternativesonoffer.

These boatsmay notbebespoke,but if youdon’t tellanyone,neither willI!

OvationBoats: CharnwoodEdge

Unlikethe Knightsboat, this Ovation boathasafarmoretraditionalfeeltoit,whichis good asit meansthat theselectiononoffer cancater for just abouteveryone.Theoverallimpressionwithin this boat is‘warmandcosy’ with asignificantamountofwood onshow.As youmight expectwitha new boat, despiteitstraditional styling, itis well equipped withallthemodernfacilities youmight expect. The Bubble stovehelps withthetraditionallookoftheinterior,andtheskylight inthe roof is anicetouch,which bringsinmorelight.

Boatstyle: Cruiser stern

Length: 60ft

Berths: Fourorsix with owner-addedloungesofa bed

Mechanical: Canaline42,PRM150 gearbox,Vetus bowthruster, 4xdomesticand 1xstarterbattery. Powerstar inverter charger. Wiring for solarpanelsinstalled

Heating: Eberspacher Hydronicdiesel boiler.Bubble stove

Interior: Solidoakand veneer,vinylflooring, L-shapedseatingaroundtable.Thetfordthree-burner hob,Bellingoven/grill. Indesitwashingmachine.Electricfridge.Fridgemasterfreezer

Bathroom: Compost toilet,Quadrant800mmshower

Price: £164,500

KnightsNarrowboats: No38

No38 wasreviewed inmoredetailinapreviousissueof TowpathTalk,but beinga stockboatpriced at around£170,000,itfitscomfortably withinthe rangeofboatsfeaturedonthispage.Likeoneofthe otherboats we willlook at, No38 is amodern and well-finishednarrowboatthat isalsowell-equipped andfinishedtoahighstandard,as you mightexpectfromKnights. The boat hasmanynicefeatures, coupledwith plentyof storage space. No38 feelslargerthana 58ft boat. Thiscould be down to some areas awaitingfurniture, butitisalsodowntogood design andmakingthemostofthespaceon offer.

Boatstyle: Cruiser stern

Length: 58ft

Berths: Two(2+2 withdinette)

Mechanical: Beta 43hp,PRM 150gearbox, waterlubricatedstern gearand75Kgf bowthruster. Electrical: 3kWVictroninverter/charger,1x100 &4x125ampAGMleisurebatteries.2x420w solar panels

Heating: Webasto5kWdieselcentralheatingwith tubularstyle radiatorsand towelrailinthe bathroom.Solidfuel stove. 55ltrtwincoil calorifier& 1kW240vimmersionheater

Windows: 4xbonded,tinteddoubleglazed withthermalbreak +threeportholes.

Galley: Fridge with freezercompartment, high-level ovenandmicrowave,three-burnerhob, stainlesssteelunder-countersink,solidlaminateworktopsand washingmachine.

Lounge: Low-levelTVunit withsmartTV

Bathroom: 760 x1000mmshowercubicle,ceramic basin, cassette toilet with chinabowl Bedroom: 4ft x6ft3inOttoman-stylebed,extendingto4ft4in x6ft3in

Price: £170,000

CollingwoodBoats: RNB014

This is another60ftcruiserstern boat currentlyonofferatAqueduct.Thisonehas areverse layoutand wasbuilt by Russell Narrowboats.Thisisanothermodern narrowboat in bothlook anddesign and, asisoftenthe case,itisfitted with abow thruster.Inthe galley,thereisalsoa winecooler,whichis anicetouch,alongwithacomprehensivelistofappliances.Theexternalcolour willdivideopinion butyou will certainly be able tospotthis boat inthe marina. RNB014 alsocomes with apramcover, whichisn’t seeninthepictures.

Boatstyle: Cruiser stern

Length: 60ft

Berths: 2+2

Mechanical: Canaline38.PRM 125 D2 gearbox,Vetus bowthruster,twin75& 100ampalternators, 4xdomesticand 1xstarterbattery, Victron12/230 v3kWinverter/charger

Heating: Refleksdiesel stove,Eberspacher heater andtwo radiators

Interior: Pullmandinetteandfourseats,Thetfordovenandgrill,three-ringgas hob,Shoreline fridge/freezer. Washingmachineand Quartzworktops

Bathroom: Quadrant800 x800mmshower, Thetfordcassette toilet

Price: £149,950

Theshoweronboard RNB014.

CharnwoodEdge. PHOTOS:PHILPICKIN

Galleyintothelivingarea.

Thebathroomon CharnwoodEdge.

No38. PHOTOS: PHILPICKIN

Viewintothelivingarea.

TheGalleyof No38.

RNB014. PHOTOS: PHILPICKIN Viewfromthegalleyintothelivingarea.

LynchMotorsoffersgreenerboatingoptions

ByPhilPickin

ASWEallknow,anddespite news reportstothecontrary, electricand hybrid vehiclesare morepopular than ever before asmorepeopleembracethe conceptofgreentransportation. As we allknow,theUK waterwaysarenoexception, as environmentalconcernscoupled withtechnologicaladvancesand cleverengineering ideasdrive themovement towardselectric and hybrid boating.

Whentalking toanyone whocurrentlyusesorhas used an electricallypropelled narrowboat, they willall tell you howmuch they appreciatethe reducednoiseand pollution you get. Electricmotorsand marine drivesolutions reducenoise and pollution, butindoingso, many will voicetheir concern regardingthe rangetheywill get fromanelectric boat. This is where hybrid systems offer flexibility by combiningelectric power withtraditionalengines.

Onecompanythathasbeen activeinthis sectorformore than 30 yearsisDevon-based LynchMotors.Thecompany designsandinstallselectricand hybriddrivesystemsfor awhole hostof applications, including marinedrivesystemsforferries, solar-poweredboatsanda largenumberofnarrowboats, includingthe Queen's Royal BargefortheJubileepageant.

ElectricMarine DriveSystem

Accordingtothecompany, Lynch’s Electric MarineDrive Systemisuniquedue to its simplistic, compactdesignand simplecontrol. This results in auser-friendlysystemthat canbeeasilyinstalled and operated,thoughLynch Motors

doesofferaninstallationand commissioningserviceif required.Thesystemcanalsobe used in avarietyofenvironmental conditions, suchassalty rivers, seas,canalsandlakes.

Butattheforefrontofmany boatowners’mindsiswhether thisis goingtobecostly. Lynch’s systems startataround £6000, rising to£10,000, withtheactual costdependentonthe boat and its specifications.This means that when consideringfuelcosts alone,thisinvestmentwilltakea good few years beforeseeingthe financialbenefit,but thereare lowermaintenancecoststobe

takenintoconsideration,asisthe positiveeffect on the boat’s value.

The companyfeels that despite higherupfrontconversion costs, fuel savingsof between50%and 100% canbeachievedinaddition to reducedmaintenance,which canoffset this overtime.This isquitea claimand would be dependent upon thesupplier oftheelectricityusedto recharge the boat. Butthereis no overlookingtheincreased environmentalbenefitsandany potential regulatory changes favouring low-emissionvessels. Thesewillallenhancethe resale valueand potentialsaleabilityof

electric narrowboats. Withthat in mind, Lynchfeelsthat converting toelectricor hybrid canbea financiallyandenvironmentally soundinvestment.

Hybridsolution

But, for thoselookingfora hybrid solution, Lynch Motors hasrecentlyintroducedthe RedSnapper,a product many will have seenatvariousevents aroundthecountry.Thisisa drop-inelectric hybridinboard systemdesignedfortypical cruisingspeedsoninland, nationalandinternational waterways.The systemis simpletoinstall andwillfit sailingcraft,yachts,pleasure craftand narrowboats(subject toenginebaysize). The Red Snapperis saidtobeupto 93%efficientfromthis48-volt system.Itisavailable in three e modesand manufacturedat t Lynch Motors, Devon.

The companysaysthat when consideringa move to electric itis sensible to considerfuture regulations.Theexpected2025 CleanandGreen Directive

stronglyencouragesthe adoptionofelectricpropulsion andother sustainable technologies, particularly inthe buildingofnew boats.

The directiveaims to reduce emissionsandpromote environmental sustainabilityin themarineindustrybyoffering incentivesand settingstricter environmental standards,butit

does stop shortofinsistingthat allnew boatsareelectric.

Lynchisnotonlyproudofits linkstothelate Queen’sbarge butalsotothefirsthistoric narrowboat, asfarasitis aware, to be converted to ahybrid. LynchMotorsdesigneda marinedrivesolutionthat sympatheticallyconverted the iconicoldBristolPacketBoat, Redshank, toelectricpropulsion. This is ahybridsoithas an internalcombustionengine andan electric 20kW48v drive, Lynch Swordfish 20, andanMG Energy Solutions battery pack.

The‘captain’andhis e electricianinstalledit, and Lynchcommissioned itonce itwas readyfortesting. AccordingtoLynch,the p performancehasexceeded all expectations,achievingin excessofsixknots,withafull day runningwithan overnight charge. The boat,now used daily for passenger toursinBristol, is a good exampleofagreener futureforUK waterwayswhile protectingits richheritage.

ThelateQueen’sRoyalBargefortheJubileepageantandpoweredby LynchMotors. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

The LynchMotorsteam. PHOTO:SUPPLIED.

The Red Snapper – a hybrid solutionfrom LynchMotors. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

TheShroppieFlypub,ontheShropshire UnionCanalatAudlem.

PHOTO:SUPPLIED

Alfrescodining atcanalsidepubs

Oneofthemostpopularthingstodoon acanalboat holidayistomoor up closetoacanalorriversidepub,asHaleyHadley,ABCLeisure Group’smarketing andsalesdirector,explains.

THEREarehundredsofhistoric innsonthe canaland river networktochoosefrom, many with watersidegardensthat are perfectfor summertimedrinks andmeals.

leggerswho propelledboats through tunnels.

Miller,nexttothe Llangollen CanalatWrenbury, wasoncea watermill.

We have 25 acresofrollingCheshirecountryside, whynot comeand getawayfromitall by spending timein oneofour beautifully furnishedbelltents, orcampingwithyour owntentorcampervan.

Thesepubsoften have nameslikeTheLockInn, The Navigation, TheTunnel, The Bridge or The Boat,anddate backtothedayswhenthe canals madeup afreight-carrying transport network. Canalside innsprovidedrefreshmentfor workingboatfamiliesandtheir horses, as wellastheprofessional

Sometimes,pub buildings originally hadother functions relatedtothe historyofthe waterway.Forexample, the WeighbridgeInn onthe Worcestershire&Birmingham Canal,nexttoAlvechurch Marina,was theold weighbridge officefor offloading coalbarges forlocal deliveries by horseand cart.TheShroppie Flypub,on the ShropshireUnion Canal at Audlem,wasoriginallya warehouse, andthe Dusty

Today,thesehistoric hostelriesarepopular destinationsfor peoplewho want to watchthecanal world go by,especiallyinthesummer. Even betteriftheyare neara lock,givingtheopportunityfor some gongoozling!

Spendingtime by thewater is relaxing, whether you areon aboating holidayorare just enjoyingasummerevening outside.

TheWilderfamily,whoowntheplace,haveanattitudetothecampsite thatbefitstheirsurname.Grazedbycowsinsomepartsandcutjustonce ortwiceayearforhay,themeadowsareotherwiseleftlongandwildin summer.Afewfootpathshavebeenconscientiouslymowninbetween pitchestohelpguideyouaroundthefieldsandovertoanotherlakeattached tothecanalthat’sawildlifehotspotandagoodplacetowatchforherons.

Soupforthesoulon acoldwinternight

Article &PhotosbyKevinThomas

PERIODICALLY duringwinter we’llfeeltheurge toenjoyafillingand soul-warmingseafoodsoup with garlic bread as aside, and,itgoeswithout saying, aglass or threeofwine.Whenthis seafood want occasionallytakeshold –Ihesitate to usethe word ‘craving’ –Brenand Iusually ventureoutand buy twopacksof Lidl’s pre-cooked 350gOceanSea Seafood Selectioncomprisingmussels,squidand kingprawns.It’s also referredtoonthepackasa seafood piemix.Tothis we’lladdanother200g of readycooked,frozenand peeledprawns. Allof thistakes care of the seafoodingredients needed. Back on board Sabi Star,Brendoesn’ttake long to getthings sorted out. First,she allowsthefrozen seafood tothaw by placingitonthedrainingboard inthe galley. During winter theheatingsystemson Sabi Star keep the boat toastywarmsoitdoesn’t takelongforthe seafoodtothaw. It’s also worth mentioningherethat we usuallybuy 2x350g Ocean SeaSeafood Selection because Brenusually makes at leastfourlitresof soupwhichprovidesus with morethanone meal. Somethingthatweas‘oldies’ have to considerdue to budgetaryconstraints.

Onepluswhen makingaseafood soupis you canaddanyvegetablesof your choice because thereare no hard andfast rules,and recipesof this nature certainlyaren’t cast in stone. Forthe soupinquestion,andinadditiontothe seafood mixinclusiveofthe peeledprawns, Brenadds thefollowing;1xlarge chopped redonion, 2x

Chopped redonion,chilliesandgarlicmix abouttobesautéed.

clovesofchopped garlic,2x finelychoppedfinger chillies,chopped celery sticks,choppedcourgettes, 1x smalltinof sweetcorn, apinchortwoofsalt,a shakeofchilliflakes,andfinally some cauliflower andbroccoliflorets.Welikespicyfoodsochillies areanimportant ingredientinvirtuallyallof our meals,althoughtheadditionof spicesisobviously apersonalchoice.

Initially,Bren sautésthechopped onionand garlic, thensheaddsthe seafoodmixand vegetables andfillsthe saucepan with waterbeforeaddinga stockcube. Allof thisisbroughttothe boil, andthenallowedto simmer for

Duringtheprocess atinofpotatoandleeksoupisadded,asischoppedparsley.

Avisualfeastof Scotland’scoastalwaters

ANEW ebook,Coastlands, is avisualcelebrationof Scotland’s incrediblecoastal watersandthegrowing numberof marine rewilding initiatives restoringthem. The book is avisualfeast ofimages with aserious message.Although relentless humanexploitation has depletedanddegraded Scotland’s seas,theycould still recover, andperhaps morequicklyandcompletely thanterrestrial habitats. Scotland’scoastal waters arelinked tothe restofthe world’s oceans, providing aroute by which the impoverishedseascould be restockedand rewilded.

The text describesthepast actionsthathave ledtothe current degradation,andthe lifethat Scotland’s coastal waters once supported. Readerscandiscoverthe initiativesnow takingplaceto restore theseunique habitats. The wonderfulimages reveal what’s belowthe sea’s surface,includingreefsand thecreatureslivingamong

them,seagrassmeadows and kelpforests,the machair(a Gaelic word fortheunique plant habitthatonly occurs in ScotlandandIreland),the fishingindustry,sanddunes, beaches,sealsandotters, andthe seabirds,marine lifeandothercreaturesand organismshidden beneath the waves. Alltheimagesare fully captioned.

Theseafoodmixisfirstadded,afterthat theprawnsandvegetablesareaddedand theingredientsarebroughttotheboil.

aboutonehour.AddedtoitisatinofHeinzPotato &Leeksoup, andchopped parsley,andif you so desire, youcanaddlemongrass.Intandem with thisandtowardstheendofthecookingprocess the garlicbreadisgrilled. Seafood soup has always been afirmwinterfavouriteof oursand perhapsbecausewe originatefromlandlocked Zimbabwe,although we lived in SouthAfricafor awhile,inZimbabwe, whereimportedseafood wasconsidered anexpensiveimportedluxury, weseldomexperiencedit.

Here intheUK,wefindthingslikemussels, prawns,squidandthe variousseafood mixesare affordable,healthy andenjoyable.

•

•

The book is publishedby Scotland:the BigPicture. The charity’svisionisof avast networkofrewildedland and wateracross Scotland, wherewildlifeflourishesand peoplethrive,asa solution tothegrowing climateand biodiversitycrises. The ebook(50 pages)costs £5andis availablefromwww. scotlandbigpicture.com

NEWSERVICES

ExperiencedpubLandlordsPhil andNickyarepleasedtohave recentlytakenovertheiconic Canalsidepub,TheBridgeInnat Brewood.

SituatedonBridge14onthe ShropshireUnionCanal,this popularcanalsidepubhas agreatlocation,goodvalue pub/restaurantfortheboating communityand afullyfunctioning launderette.

We arepleasedtoannouncethatwenowservefood until9pmdailyandoffer afabulousbreakfastservice startingat9ameveryday. AfullSundaydinnerserviceisavailableuntil6pm. VegetariansandNGCIcustomersarefullycateredfor.

FUTUREPLANS

Afittingmealfor ahungrynarrowboateron acoldwinternight.

Thefourstagesof afour-strokedieselengine:suck(induction),squeeze(compression),bang(ignition) andblow(exhaust). PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

Know yourengine

Inordertokeepenginesoperationalandmoving, RiverCanalRescuemanagingdirectorStephanieHorton saysit’simportanttobeabletoidentifyandunderstand theirworkings. To helpyoudothis,Stephaniereviews dieselengines

THEdieselengineissimilar to the petrol engineinthat itoperateson afour-stroke cycle.However,itisalsoverydifferent; it hasnoignition system,sothere’s noneed for asparkplug to ignitethe fuel.Instead,theairiscompressedin the cylindertoincrease thepressure rapidly;thisin turncreates thehigh temperaturesrequiredso that asfuelis added,it causesthefuel to ignite.Other than astartermotor,thedieselengine doesnotrequire anyfurtherelectrical interaction tooperate.

Diesel ignitesatmuchhigher temperaturesthan petrol,wellover 300C,which makesitsafertouseand store thanpetrolasit willnot ignitebelow this, andisoneofthe maincontributing factorsforthemove towardsdiesel engineson boats. The four-strokecycle, describingtheinternal sequenceof events that theengine goesthroughin ordertoproducepower, is commonly referredtoasthe ‘suck, squeeze, bang andblow’ cycle.

In orderfor adieselengine tostart,a numberofconditions must be met.The engine must be turningover quickly enoughto buildthepressure to createthe temperatures required for ignition. Flat batteriesor poorconnections will result innon-starting(astheengine cannot be turnedoverquicklyenough tocreate the ideal conditionsforcombustion).

Fuelis avitalcomponentand must be addedtotheengine at exactlythe righttimeandinthe rightamounts;too

muchor toolittle will resultinirregular combustionanderratic running. This canbedue to manycauses,suchasfuel contamination,injection pump failure, injectorsand fuel pump issues. Finally,enginecompressionplays abig part in thesuccessofthe cycle. In ordertoproducepressureinthe cylinders,initiallyair must be drawnin at the righttime.Whenthe valvecloses and seals,pistonringscreate asealed surfaceinthe cylinders so that theideal conditions aremet forcompression to be achieved.Whencompression starts to fail,thepistonrings or valveseals arewearing andthereforegases escape duringcombustion,causingpoor or erratic running. Thisusually requiresan engine stripandnewparts to be fitted.

Marineenginetypes,systems

andcomponents

Marineengines: Bukh,VolvoPenta andMerCruiser, to name afew.

Theseare engines specifically designed for marine applications.They areusually direct injected (see further inthisarticleforexplanation),heavy andcomparativelyslowrevving.They aredesignedtooperateata coolant temperature of70Corless.

Automotiveengines: BMC1.5 and1.8, Perkins,Peugeot,Fordetc.

Typicallywithfourormorecylinders, usuallyhighrevving(fortheir ageand design)andcomparativelyhighly

stressed.Innormalmarineusesthey areusuallyindirectinjected. The coolingsystemsnormallyoperate at about85Cand have apressurised system,unlessderated by the supplier fordirectcooling.Parts arerelatively cheapand, withthe rightchoiceof engine,readily available.

Industrialengines: Kubota(Beta and Nanni), Mitsubishi (Vetusand Thornycroft),Isuzu(HMI),Yanmar (BarrusShire), Lister.

Theindustrialengineisoneof themorepopular enginesandthe names aboveare companiesthat have marinised theengine formarine applications.

Areliablebaseengine,suchas Mitsubishior Kubota,ismost common andtheindirect-injection systemis usuallyemployed. Dependingonthe age of theengine,itscharacteristics will vary in termsofdesign, stress etc. Modern Japanese-based units have characteristics similarto automotive engines,whileolder Listershavemore incommon with marineengines.

Classic/vintageengines: Lister, Gardner,Ruston Hornsby,Kelvin, Petter, StuartTurner.

These tend to be enginesmorethan 50 yearsold,orolddesignsofengines fromthe lateindustrial era. Theywill normallybedirect-injected andtend to be big, heavyandslowrevving, with averylarge torque.This slowrevving,

TheBeta43is apopularindustrial-typeengine.

AlovelyexampleoftheclassicListertwo-cylinderair-cooledengine.

NarrowBoatEngineMaintenance andRepair,available fromRCR directfor£20orAmazonKindleat £16.99.

high-torquecharacteristic makesthese enginesidealfor marine applications and resultsin alonglife.

Directandindirectdieselinjection engines

Whetheranengineisdesigned specificallyfor marine applications or hasbeen marinised tosuit,all dieselenginesfallintotwocommon designsthat describethemethodof dieselinjectionintotheircombustion chambers.

In direct-injectionengines,the fuel is sprayed directlyintothecombustion chamber. Thetopofthe pistonisshaped to direct andcontroltheairmovement, resultinginthefuelmixingwiththe heatedairand burningmoreevenly. The enginebenefitsfrom good fueleconomy andeasystarting.

In an indirect-injectionengine,the design incorporates apre-combustion chamber,where thefuelisinjected to mix withtheheatedairthat isforced intoit by thepistononthecompression stroke fromtheprevious cycle. Thisdesignrequiresheaterplugs(glow plugs) to assist with cold starting. The

pistonhas asmall sphericalchamber, which causestheairandfuelmixture to swirlinthecombustionchamber, and thesetwo elementscombinedspeed upthecombustionprocess.Indirect injectionbenefitsincludelongerengine lifeandsmoother running, enabling higher revs perminute.

Most currentengines,otherthan vintage engines,use theindirectinjectionmethod;however, thereisa generalmovetowardsdirectinjection withnewerindustrialengines.It’s importanttounderstandthedifferences andidentifywhichtypeyou have –the easiest wayistocheck if yourengine usesheaterplugs (glowplugs).

Troublestarting?

Anydieselenginewillstartaslongas it’s spun over rapidly enough andthe correctamountoffuelis added at the righttime,evenwhere compression is anissue(although you mayhave touse anadditivelikeEasy Starttogiveitan extraboost).The additiveoptionisnot recommended unlessit’s anemergency, astheengine canbecomeaddicted to thistypeofsubstanceandanydamage caused will be irreversible.

Stephanie said:“Thereare many differenttypesofenginesinstalledin boatsand,dependingonthe application, ageofthe vesselandusage,these enginescan be specificallyfor marine applications,orvehicleandindustrial enginesthathave beenmarinised for useinboats.All marinedieselengines usea numberofsimilarcomponents so by havingabroadunderstandingof themandhowthey’reintegrated, no matter what engine,gearbox or ageof vessel, you should be ableto maintain the systems.”

Formoreinformationondiesel engines,theirarrangements,main systems,suchaspropulsion,cooling andelectrics, andhow to identifykey components,locatefaultsandfix them, Stephanie’sbookNarrowBoatEngine Maintenance andRepair is available from RCRdirectfor £20and available fromAmazonKindle at £16.99.

TheBMCunitis agoodexample oftheautomotive-typeengine.

NewfullyfittedNarrowboats

•New 60’narrowboat, semicruiser stern, reverselayout,diesel propulsion,isonbrokerageat AqueductMarina,£164,995incl. (AqueductMarina,NantwichCW56DX- 01270525040)

•New 42’narrowboat,cruiser stern,tradlayout,electricpropulsion, isonbrokerageatABNBNorthKilworthMarina,£155,000incl. (ABNB,NorthKilworthMarina,LE176HY -01788822115)

• Refurbishment, 70’ narrowboat,tradlayout,trad stern,dieselpropulsion, is onbrokerageatNew&Used Boat Co,£114,950incl. (New&Used Boat Co,MerciaMarina,DE656DW -01283707357)

BEAUTIFULBOATS BUILTTOLAST

Establishedin1974,Colecrafthavegainedtheexperience andexpertisetoensurethattheboatwebuildforyouwill lastforyearstocome.

Allourboatsarecustomdesignedandbuiltto individual requirements. Boatsarebuilttoordertoanystageofcompletion –froma barehullorsuperstructuretoluxuriouslyfittedand finished. We buildnarrowbeamandwidebeamboatsforprivateand tradecustomersandarepossiblythelargestsupplierof steelshellstootherboatbuilders/fitters.

OurlatesttripboatsincludeCrusaderComunity(Widebeam withHybridpropulsion -fullMCAcertification), Electra(Narrowbeamwithelectricpropulsion -12passengers) andKingfisherMark(Widebeamwithelectricpropulsion12passengers).

OurweldersarecodedtomeetMCA requirements.

£54,950

JA SMINE

Type: Narrowboat

Length: 68ft Width: 6ft10in

Moored at: Sawley £55,000

GIGUE

Type: Narrowboat

Length: 60ft Width: 6ft10in

Moored at: WhiteBear

£149,000

LE VA NTE

Type: Widebeam

Length: 57ft Width: 12ft

Moored at: Packet Boat

£174,950

TH EB ILLET

Type: Widebeam

Length: 67ft Width: 12ft

Moored at: Wigrams Turn

£61,950

SUZIE Q& ELSE YT OO

Type: Narrowboat

Length: 57ft Width: 6ft10in Moored at: KingsBromley

£215,000

FLO

Type: Widebeam

Length: 70ft Width: 12ft3in

Moored at: Lying away Cookham ReachRiverThames

58ftexBlackPrincehireboat,cruisersternbuiltin 2011byPro-BuildNarrowboatsLtd, 4-6berth,BSCMay2025, Canaline42hpengine. Perfectlysuitedtobeusedagainas ahireboat. £58,000. NBSOUTHERNCOMFORT

57ftcruisersternnarrowboatbuiltbyJohnWhitein1999 withowner fit out.BSC2027,newCanaline42bhp enginein2019,only700hrs.Blacked2022,cabin repaint2023,newpramandcratchcovers2022.Solar panels,Galvanicisolator,lotsofimportantextras. Perfectlyappointedforlivingaboard.OIRO £56,000.

Experiencemoorwith LakelandLeisureEstates...

NEW -HIGHGROVE |£229,950 |2024

58FTCRUISERSTERN |ROYDONMARINA WINNEROF FAVOURITEBOATAT CRICK2024. ATRULY LUXURIOUS BESPOKE NARROWBOAT.

MILTONQUEEN |£32,500 |1980 62FTNARROWBOAT |CAENHILLMARINA AUNIQUEBOAT COMBININGHISTORICALCHARM WITHMODERNFUNCTIONALITY.

Become an annualmoorer at aLakeland Leisuremarinaandunlock aworldof exclusivebenefits and unforgettable experiences. Enjoyluxuriouslodges, scenic marinas,beachfrontcampsites,andhotelrooms in Vietnam! OurRewardsClub offersspecialspa experiences,enticingfoodanddrinkdeals, anduniquestays at ourfloatingpods,hottublodges andwoodlandpods. Plusbenefitfromexclusive offersfromlocalbusinesses, to enhanceyourstaywithus. Visitlakelandleisuregroup.com/lakeland-leisure-rewards-club

DOTTY |£44,950 |2005 31FTCRUISERSTERN |SAULJUNCTION ACHARMING,WELLCRAFTEDCRUISER.THE PERFECTBLENDOFPRACTICALITY AND COMFORT.

MESSAGEINABOTTLE |£72,000 |2006 65FTNARROWBOAT |GREATHAYWOOD RECENTLYREFURBISHED TO AHIGHSTANDARD.A COMFORTABLE &STYLISHLIVINGEXPERIENCE.

UNREGISTERED |£144,950 |2023 57FTSEMI-CRUISER |BARTONMARINA ADISTINGUISHED 2BERTHVESSEL.THESOLIDOAK FIT-OUTELEVATES IT TO ACLASSOFITS OWN.

NEWSHEARWATER |£129,950 |2023 60FTCRUISERSTERN |TATTENHALL THEEPITOMEOFMODERN LUXURYONTHE WATER. ABRANDNEW VESSELWITHPREMIUMFEATURES.

MarinaExtension-SpacesFillingFast!

Lakeland LeisureEstatesisdelightedtoannouncethatour Roydon MarinaVillageextensionisnowover 50%filled. Situatedoffthe RiverStortnext to Roydon Station (a 30 minutetrain journeyfromcentral London),thispicturesquemarinaisnestledinthepeaceful LeeValleyRegional Parkwhilstbeingideally locatedfor commuting to the capital.RoydonMarinaVillageoffers boatersmodern facilitieswithina community,plusthebonus of aBoathouseCafe Barfor watersidemealsanddrinks. Reserveyourberth by visiting roydonmarinavillage.co.uk,calling01279792777oremailingenquiries@roydonmarinavillage.co.uk.

ASHBOATS LTD

NEWBOAT– AVAILABLESOON, BYNEWCONCEPTBOATS.

57ftcruiserstyle,the4thboatintheirPremiumrange, currentlyinbuild.Reverselayoutwithbedroomforward, livingareaaftandgalleyandshowerroomcentral. Very highqualityandhighspecwithsolarpanels,Victron electronicsincludingSmartPanel,stylish,contemporary interior.

£139,500INC VAT

NEWBOAT– SAILAWAY, AVAILABLENOWFROMSTOCK.

57ftcruiserstyle,narrowbeamwithsprayfoam insulation,windowsfittedwithportholedforward, linedinterior,Canaline42enginefullyinstalled.This boatisonhardstandingat aboatyardalongsideNew ConceptBoatswhocaninstalanythingrequiredbythe buyerat areasonablecost.Theexteriorispaintedin darkbluewithcreamcoachline.

£65,950INC VAT

NEWBOAT– FULLYFITTEDAND AVAILABLENOWFROMSTOCK.

57ftcruiserstyle,narrowbeambyMellorBoatswith reverselayout.Largelivingareaaftwiththesolid fuelstoveinhearth,galleywithquartzworktopsside doorsetc.centralshowerroomandforwardbedroom, extendingtothefrontbulkhead –nofrontcockpit. Brightandcheerfullivingspace.Keenlyforsalewith offersinvitedcloseto £110,000INC VAT

NEWBOAT– CURRENTLYINBUILD, AVAILABLEINAPPROX.2 MONTHS

52ftsemi-tradnarrowbeamfullyfittedbyaward winningBourneBoats.Stunningqualitywoodworkwith cupboards,shelvesanddrawersineverypossiblespace –a‘fully’fittedboatineverysense.Aftgalley,forward bedroom.Thesteelshellwillbegritblastedand2-pack paintedforlonglastingexteriorfinish –tothebuyers’ colourchoice.Outstandingquality.

£126,000INC VAT

LO’A –MARI£138,500 57 x12ftwidebeam –absolutely stunning.Veryhighquality andin‘asnew’condition.The builder’sfinalboatbefore retirement,builtforhimself. Littleused(102hoursonly),2 bedroomsandfully,tastefully furnished.

Ref1526

MRCHARDONNAY£43,500 40ftcruiserstylebeautiful woodworktointerior.Cabins ateachendwithconvertible seating/berths.Central contemporaryshowerroomand galley.Verylittleused,hence itssale.2021buildinexcellent condition.

Ref1524

Ref1520 ATLANTIC

£89,500 Beautiful60fttrad,withGardner 4LKinengineroom,Boatmans cabinandwellcraftedwood interior.Completed2008byBlack Countryinspiredcraftsmenand offeredinexcellentcondition. Gorgeouslinesanda real headturner.

Ref1523

Ref1525

LIZZIE £48,950 40ftcruiserstyle,aftbedroom, forwardlivingareawithdinette/ double.BuiltbyBlackCountry Narrowboatsin2003.Survey fromMay’23available.BSCto 2027,Dieselcentralheating+ solidfuelstove,inverter,Yanmar 3cylengine.

ENCHANTRESS£27,500

Summerproject –56fttradbyMike Heywood(EvansandSon)with RichardWilmingtonfit-out,nowin needofsometlc.Exteriorpaintwork poorbuttheinteriorwaswellfitted andwilleasilybebroughtbackand isworthmodernising.Illhealth forcessalehencerealisticprice

GREGWELL £39,950 57fttradstylecompletedin2011 bytheverytalentedengineer,first owner.Areal‘engineer’s’boat, builttolastwith apractical,reverse layoutofgalley,livingarea,shower roomandbedroom.Functional ratherthanpretty,butwith everythingworkingasitshould.

SAPPHIRE

£31,500

32ftShetlandInlander,centrecockpit, from2005andimmaculate.Inboard 3cyl Yanmardieselengine,diesel centralheating.Forwardmaincabin withdoubleberthinbow,dinette/ double,galleyandwccompartment. Aftcabinwithdoubleberthandshower compartment.Newcockpitcanopy.

SPECKLEDJIM£74950

70ft TylerWilsontradwith ahigh qualityoak &ashinterioranda perfectlayoutfor afamily.Main bedroomaft,showerroom,2 singlebedroomswithbunkbeds overstorage,galleyandforward livingarea. Wellequipped,good condition,BSCtoOct’27.

Ref1517

BRISTOL FASHION£49,950

50ftDutchstylenarrowbeam.Fully refitted(frombareshell)in2017. Lovelybrightinteriorwithshower forward,bedroom,aftlivingareaof lounge,diningareaandgalley.Solar, inverter,solidfuelstove, gorgeous woodfloor –allnew 6years’ago. Goodsurveyfrom2021available.

Ref1508

Ref1522

Ref1519

Contact01455 291111or

email:boatsales@bosworthmarina.co.uk www.bosworthmarinaboatsales.co.uk

PlanB

60ft Semi Traditional, Built by Dave Clarkin 2007,2berths. £67,000

Karis

45ftCruiserStern, Built byColecraftin 1989,2+2 berths.New Beta38hpenginewith 962hours. £39,950

Tranquil Daze

62ft Semi Traditional, Built by Reeves with aReadingMarinefitoutin 2002,5berths, Beta 43. £59,995

LifeofRiley

55ftCruiser Stern, Built by Liverpool Boats &fittedout by ClassicNarrowboatsin2004, Beta38. £59,000

Strumble

32ft Traditional, Built by DougMoorein1984, 2berths,Beta25. £38,500

Over 28yearsofexperienceselling individually inspected,well presentedboatsfromyourown mooring

REF10558 –Ladydog. 57 foottraditionalsternnarrow boat. £64,950.00.

REF10564 -Tia Maria. 69 footsemitraditionalsternnarrow boat. £44,950.00.

REF10566 -Rosewood. 57 foottraditionalsternnarrow boat. £64,950.00.

–Caesar.

REF10571 –Nobody Knows. 28 footbuttystylenarrow boat. £7,999.00.

REF10563 -Nugs Tug. 37 footcruisersternnarrow boat. £32,950.00.

REF10565 -Elapsed Time. 65 foottraditionalsternnarrow boat. £29,999.00.

REF10570 –Abel’s Ark. 45 footcruisersternnarrow boat. £37,950.00.

RE10572 –Lilybel. 65 foottraditionalsternnarrow boat. £POA.

REF10567 –Welsh Rose. 60 foottraditionalsternnarrow boat. £47,950.00.

50ft – Calcutt Boats Clipper Hull by Andicraft with a Pat Buckle fitout Powered by a

1.8.

2006 49ft – Napton Narrowboats hull and fitout. Powered by a Shire 1952 with a PRM260 Gearbox. Boat safety until

NEWWIDEBEAM65' x12'05'' 'TreacleMine'| thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

JONATHANWILSON70' X13'06'' 'Northern Spirit' thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

£119,950 WIDEBEAMS &BARGES

£375,000

SAGARMARINE DUTCHBARGE 'Lady Macbeth' thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

VIKINGCANALBOAT70' X12'06'' 'Persephone’ pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net

£209,950

COLECRAFT60' X10'6'' 'Freya' thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

COLLINGWOOD 60' X12' 'Elysium' thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

£164,995

AQUALINEBOATS65' X11' 'Weir OnTheMove' hartfordboatsales@tingdene.net

HERITAGE BOATS62' X12' ‘Geanna' thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

£104,950 NARROWBOATS

£149,950

MIKEHAYWOOD57'TUG 'Oasis’ pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net

£64,950

£129,950

PIPER50' SEMITRAD ‘Animishkaa' pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net

£39,950

£129,950

ORCHARDMARINA60' X9'PIONEER 'Scallywag’ pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net

SEAOTTER31'NARROWBOAT ‘Lazy Daisy' pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net £38,500 HIXTON35'CRUISER ‘Freedom7' pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net £32,950 Contactone of ourspecialistwidebeam& narrowboatsales offices today!

01932221689

01480274707

01932343275

Marina| 01684593111

Marina| 01299827082

&Kennet Marina| 01189477770

BOATYARDSERVICES

•Engineand Heating Servicing

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•Gas,ElectricalandPlumbing Specialists

•BSC’s &SafetyExamination Work

•EngineSalesandInstallation

•Traditionalboatpainting

•SpecialistsinHistoricenginesandcraft

•BoatBrokerage

•Diesel Tank ScrubbingandBugRemoval. MOORINGS

•MarinaMoorings

•LongandshorttermMoorings

•Coal,Gas,Diesel &Pumpouts

DRYDOCK

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•MicrobiologicalHull Treatments

•AnodeReplacement

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•Welding

•Surveys

SIGRID

£48,500

48ft,2007,VikingAfloat.JustArrived,very wellmaintainedcraftwith aversatile 2+2 berthlayout.Idealfamilyboatorfor acouple.

SOLD

SHUGLEY £49,950 57ft,1991,North WestNarrowboats. Areluctantsale of averywellcaredforcraft,oneownerfromnew. Mitsubishiengine,solarpanels,centralheating, recenthullsurvey.10/6/4steelspec.

TRANQUILLITY£29,950

42ft Trad 4berth,1981 byColecraft. Excellent condition,Hullshotblastand 2packepoxy, BSS expires:11/2025. 1ownerfrom newvery reluctant sale!

JustArrived.45ft,1988,Eggbridge,traditional, BMC1500, 2berth,projectboat.Fullinternal picturesandspeccomingsoon,nowavailablefor viewing.

TA-RA-A-BIT£38,500 50ft,1997,CharlieFox.Cruiserstern.Just arrived,bethefirsttosee.

SARAHJANE£64,950

57ft,2003LiverpoolBoats Trad,stylishly refitted 2023.IsuzuMarineengine,Victronenergyinverter.

RAINDOG£37,950 45ft,circa1997,RonLloyd, traditional.

SANDPIPER£50,750

50ft,1992,MarqueNarrowboats. Awellpresented 2+2berthsemi trad,with recenthullsurvey.This wouldmakeanideallive-aboard for acoupleorawellappointed cruising/holidayboat.

NOTTINGHAM LANE, OLD DALBY, LEICESTERSHIRE, LE14 3LX T:07721382619E:davidmawbyboats@gmail.comW:www.davidmawbyboats.co.uk

QualityRiverand CanalMotor Cruisersareavailabletoviewby appointmentatourLeicestershire indoor showroom.Over20years experienceand2,500boatssold.

VIKING26 £17,995

CentreCockpit,Length26ft,Beam6ft10ins, Built1990, 6Berthsin 2cabins,LIFT OUTCOCKPITSIDEFOREASYACCESS, cooker,toilet,shower,hotandcoldwater system,12and240voltselectrics,CREAM LEATHERETTECUSHIONCOVERSWITH BLUEPIPING,poweredby aMercury15hp4 strokeoutboardengine,BSC2027,original whitegelcoat(notpainted),hullpolished andnewantifouling,includesnewmooring ropes,cleanfenders,etc,FREEDELIVERY within250milesorlocalmooringavailable.

SAPPHIRE

newcreamleatherettecushioncoverswith bluepiping,newsideandfloorcarpets,new canopy,12and240voltselectrics,powered bya Mercury15Hp 4strokeoutboardengine, Bsc2027,alloriginalgelcoat(notpainted), hullandsuperstructurefullypolished,new antifouling,includesnewmooringropes, cleanfenders,etc,FREEDELIVERYwithin 250milesorlocalmooringavailable

SUPERBVIKING275GREATSAVINGONNEW£69,995 Builtin2023andinalmostasnewcondition,Length27ft6ins+bathing platformextensions,Beam9ft,EASYACCESSREARDOOR, 6Berths, HiLinespecincludingCookerwith 2ringhob,grillandoven,fridge (12and240volts),shower,electricflushcassettetoilet,12and240 voltselectrics,WARMAIRHEATING,BOWTHUSTER,HARDWOOD CABINFLOORING,FLEXITEAKCOCKPITFLOORING,STEREO,FISH FINDER,STEREO,UPGRADEDCOCKPITUPHOLSTERY,poweredby aMariner40Hp 4strokeoutboardenginewithpowerliftandhaving coveredlessthan50hours(fullyservicedandincludesbalanceof manufacturer’swarranty),BSC2027,alloriginalunmarkgelcoat, hullandsuperstructurefullpolished,newantifouling,includesnew mooringropes,cleanfenders,etc,FREEDELIVERYwithin250miles.

VIKING22 £19,995

WideBeamcalledLauraBelle,Length22ft,Beam 7ft8ins,Built1995, 4Berths,cooker,fridge,shower, toilet,hotandcoldwatersystem,12and240volts electrics,CREAMLEATHERETTEUPHOLSTERY WITHBLUEPIPING,NEWCANOPY,NEWFLOOR CARPETSANDHEADLINING,poweredbya Honda25Hp 4strokeoutboardengine(justbeen fullyserviced),Bsc2028,alloriginalgelcoat(not painted),hullandsuperstructurefullypolished, newantifouling,includesnewmooringropes, cleanfenders,etc,FREEDELIVERYwithin250 milesorlocalmooringavailable

NEWVIKING23NARROW BEAMNOWINSTOCK FORIMMIDIATEDELIVERY 4Berths,HilineSpecboat withFoldingwindscreenforlowbridges,cookerwith 2 ringhob,grillandoven,fridge,hotandcoldwater system,shower,electricflushcassettetoilet,12and 240voltselectricswithbatterycharger,poweredby a20Hp 4strokeoutboardengine SPECIALSUMMERPRICEOF£47,995, BOOKYOURVIEWINGNOW.

CONSORT

SIRKAY

£40,000

60ftby12ft6insHouseboat,BuiltinDerbyin1994. Generouslivingareawithlargeopenplanloungeand kitchen/diningarea,withwellappointedgalley,large bathroomareawithshower,washbasin,saniflowtoilet andwashingmachine.Bedroomhas alargebaywindow, builtinwardrobe,andspaceforadditionalfreestanding furniture.Theboathas240voltmainsand agaswater boilerforhotwaterandcentralheating,and7ftheadroom throughout.Thiscraftdoesnothaveanengine,but providesexcellentlivingaccommodation.

£33,500

40ftby6ft10instradstern,builtin1999by R&DFabricationspoweredbyNanni35hpinboarddiesel engine,Enteringtheboatfromthesternthereiscupboardstorage /lockerthisareaalsogivesaccess totheelectricsfusesetc.Fromthestepsisthedinettewhichgivescomfortableseatingfor 4people withstorageunder,thisalsomakes aguestdoublebed.Movingforwardisthegalleywithunitsport& starboardincorporating 4ringgashob,oven &grill,matchingsink &drainer,fridge,toaster &kettle. Thereis asmallshelf,towelrail,andamplestorage &work-toparea.Thebathroomisnextwithshower, handwashbasinsetincupboardunitandportapottitoilet.Movingforwardagainisthemaincabinwith fixedseatingwhichmakes adoublebedwithstorageunder,largewardrobe,cornerunitwithTV,wall mountedTV,foldingtable,and aReflekswithbackboilersupplyingthecentralheatingradiators.The crafthas12 &240velectrics,calorifierwithimmersionheater,frontcratch &aBSCvaliduntilJune2027.

FLOTILLY

£47,995 48ftby6ft10instradsternbuilt 2006byHinepoweredbyBMC1.8inboarddieselengine.Fromthebowis an Lshapeddinetteactsascornersofaseatingwithstorageunderalsois aguestdoublebed.Inthisarea isontheportsideis asolidfuelstovewithbackboilermountedon atiledplinth &surround.Thestarboard sidehas acornerstorageunitwithpowerpointsforTVetc,thereisseparatetablewhendining &a central heatingradiator.Thegalleycomprisingof acircularstainlesssteelsink &drainer,fullgascooker,fridge, microwaveoven,kettleand asidehatchoppositeofferingadditionallight &ventilation.Thebathroomhas ashower,handwashbasin,heatedtowelrail, &Thetfordcassettetoilet.Thebedroomhas afixeddouble withstorageunder,wardrobe,smallshelfalongthesideofthebed &centralheatingradiator.Thereisalso anadditionalwardrobeinthecorridorwithshelving.Thecraftisclean &tidyreadyforuse.Ithas12 &240v electrics,calorifierwithimmersionheater,BSCvaliduntilApril2028.

STOVEPIPE WELLS £42,000 60ftby6tf10ins,TradStern,built1999by R&DFabrications,poweredby abrandnewBetamarine45hp inboarddiesel.Fromthebowisthemaincabinwhichisopenplanallowingfreestandingfurniture.Thestarboard sidehas asolidfuelstovemountedon atiledplinth &surround.MovingdowntheboatisthePullmandinette whichofferscomfortableseateddiningwithstorageundertheseating,italsomakes aguestdoublebed.The galleyhas a4ringgashob, acircularsink &drainerwithtiledsplash-back,fridge,andspacetoinstall aeyelevel oven &grill.Thereisalso asidehatchofferingadditionallight&ventilation. Thebathroomcomprisesof asmallbathwithshowerover,handwashbasinwithtiledsplash-back,portapotti,a pump-outtoilet,themainbedroomwith afixeddoublewithstorageunder,wardrobewithsetofdrawersbelow, Theboathas12 &240velectrics,twinalternators,2kwcombiinverter,80ampbatterycharger,Webastodiesel centralheating,and aBSCvaliduntilMay2025.

Need aSurvey orBoatSafety Examiner?

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waterways MarineSurveys &BSS Examinations For aCompetitiveQuote &PromptService

Tel07918677782 CoveringallAreas

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BEng(Hons),MIET,AffilIIMS,MIET,MABSSE. Surveys,valuations,andconsultancy throughout Yorkshire,Lancashire, CumbriaandScotland. 07794862022 robert@burtonmarine.com www.burtonmarine.com STEVESIMCOE

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isanindependentcompanyproviding professionalandcomprehensivesupport servicestoNarrowboatsandInland Waterwaysvessels. BasedinNorthamptonshireweare ideallyplacedtoofferourservices. Ourservicesinclude:

•Hull condition, Pre-purchase,Insurance and Valuationsurveys.

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JDSBOAT SAFETY CoveringSouthernEngland

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07795625661 jasonjds28@gmail.com

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IWAIHQDunrovin. PHOTOS:SUPPLIED

CEOof WaterwaysIreland

JohnMcDonaghandIWAI presidentKayBaxter unveilthe restoredhistoric ShannonNavigationmarker.

IWAIhostsgarden partyto remember

THE Inland Waterways Associationof Ireland(IWAI) hascelebrated its70th anniversarywithagardenpartyand theunveilingofthree memorialsinthe groundsofIWAIHQ Dunrovinonthe shoresof Lough Ree’sInnerLakes;the locationwhereitall beganbackin1954. PresidentKay Baxterledtheday’s eventswhichwereattended by 140 IWAImembersandinvited guests.

The unveilingsincludingthat ofa

restored historicShannon Navigation marker,theonlyone thought to be remainingfromcirca 1845;astone memorial, kindly donatedbyCarmel andThomas Meegan,dedicated tothe deceasedmembers oftheIWAIwhich willofferthosegrievinga lovedonea focalpoint andquietplaceinwhichto rememberthem; and arestored stone plaque commemoratingthe garden atDunrovinwhich wasoriginally plantedanddevelopedbythefounding

memberoftheIWAI, Harry Riceandhis wife Peggy.

This stoneplaquehad been commissionedbyHarry and PeggyRiceonconstructionof theoriginalpropertyatDunrovin backininMay 1948.The site waslater bequeathedtothe IWAI by the Rice familyand anewmeetingroomforthe association alongwith alifeboat station forRNLILough Reewasconstructed. It wasduringtheconstructionofthisnew

CarmelMeeganandIWAI presidentKayBaxterunveilthe memorialstone. Mnásome,barbershopgroup,performingatthegardenparty.

Dockers &Dolls

TITANIC Belfasthas announcedthe returnof afreesummerexhibition in partnership with Terry BradleyArt following the huge successoflastyear’s inauguralevent.

Inlandwaterwaysmarina continuestoflyBlueFlag!

QUIGLEY’S MarinaatKillinurePoint, theentranceto LoughRee’s InnerLakes, hasretainedits Blue Flag statusforthe 21styearin arow.

The Blue Flag is oneofthe world’s mostrecognised environmental awards.OriginatinginFrancein1985, it waslaunched asaninternational programmeaspartofthe European Yearofthe Environmentin1987.

In 1988,thefirst year that sites were awardedoutsideofFrance,19beaches andtwo marinasreceived the Blue Flag inIreland.

Theprogrammeaimsto raise environmental awarenessandpromote soundenvironmental managementof beaches, marinasandeco-tourismboats aroundthe world. The 85 Irishbeaches andnine marinasthathave achieved thisaccoladefor2024mustcomply with specificcriteria relatedtowater quality, safetyand sitemanagement, environmental educationandthe provisionofinformation.

Quigley’sMarinaremainstheonly marina sitedonthe inland waterways toholdthe Blue Flag accreditation.

buildingthat thestone wasdiscovered. Martin Donnellyof thesub-committee which managed thedevelopmentofthe newsiteunveiledthe stone.

Akey speechwas made by theCEO of WaterwaysIreland, John McDonagh, inwhichhepraised theIWAIforits longevity. He also spokehighlyofthe pivotalpartnership betweenIWAIasa voluntaryorganisationand Waterways Irelandinshowcasingthevibrantlifeof Ireland’s waterways.Thefullspeechcan be read at www.iwai.ie Blessed withdelightful weather,the eventculminated with guestsenjoyinga barbecuemealinthe beautifulgrounds with music and singing. Acelebration cakewascut by thecurrentpresident andnolessthansevenpastpresidents. With aspecialmemorialplaque commissioned to mark the occasion,and availableto purchase inIWAI’s online shop at:https://www.iwai.ie/iwai-shop, ittruly wasaday to remember.

IWAImembersoftheDunrovin sub-committeewithIWAI presidentKayBaxteratthe restoredstoneplaque.

Dockers &Dolls–The ArtofTerry Bradley will rununtil Saturday, August 31from9am-7pm inThe Andrews Gallery.

Thenewexhibition showcasesBradley’slong traditionofpaintingthe dockers –representing fair,strongBelfast workerswho have dealt with alotin life,while alsoincorporatingsome

ofthe rich maritime history ofthecity,his iconiccolourfulfemale piecesandhiswork relating tomentalhealth awareness.

Aspartofthis year’s exhibition, Titanic Belfast hasintroducedanew andexclusiveimmersive experiencedesignedto delveintoBradley’s life andartistic journey.

Thisunique feature is narrated by Terryand will allow peopletofind outmore aboutthe renowned artist andprovidedeeperinsights intohisart.

Judith OwensMBE, chief executiveofTitanic Belfast, said: “Weare delightedto welcome TerryBradleyback to TitanicBelfastfollowing the huge successoflast year’s exhibition. He is one

of NorthernIreland’s bestknown artistsand we are so proudtobeableto make hisartmoreaccessible andprovide aplatformto givepeople,bothlocaland fromaroundtheworld,the opportunitytoview Terry’s incredible work andfind out moreabouthimas aperson.”

TerryBradleysaid:“It isanhonour to return to Titanic Belfast, with abrand

newexhibitiontocelebrate my work.Forme,Dockers &Dolls –TheArt of Terry Bradleyisaverypersonal and reflectiveexhibition,as itshowshowintroducing colourintoartworksignifies ashiftin my mentalhealth.

“Thetransformation frommonochrometo afull spectrumofcolourisnot just aesthetic,itisdeeply symbolic.

“Itrepresentsthegradual reawakeningofsenses,the rediscovery ofjoy,andthe acceptanceofthe selfinall itscomplexity. Icanthink ofnowherebetterthan TitanicBelfast, theheartof Belfast’s rich maritimehistory where Ihavetaken so much inspirationfrom,formeto sharemyown personalstory.” Forfurtherinformation visit: www.titanicbelfast.com

Carrickcraftsummerdiscounts

CARRICKCRAFT, onethelongest-establishedhirefleet operatorsinIreland,isofferingsummer discountson bookingsmadebefore theend of August this yearfor

holidaystaken beforeSeptember28,2024. Areductionof10%is availableonthe CarlowClassboat while20%isonofferforallothercraftacross Carrickcraft’s three basesatBanagherand Carrick-on-Shannononthe Shannon Navigationand Bellanaleck on the Erne system. Carrickcraftoperatesanextensiverange ofboats,from twoberth to 10 berth, over an impressive 21 different typesof vessel.

To findyourperfect holidayexploring Ireland’shidden heartlandsandthe FermanaghLakelands aboard afully equipped,licence-free cruiserand to view available offers, visit Carrickcraft’s website:www.carrickcraft.com

CarrickcraftbaseatBanagher,RiverShannon. PHOTO: ALISONALDERTON

Quigley’sMarina. PHOTO:ALISONALDERTON

JudithOwensMBE,chiefexecutiveofTitanicBelfast,with TerryBradley. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

Nobarecupboardsat Hubbert’sBridge

BargeBeagle –sniffingoutgoodfindsforcrewswithcanines

ByAlisonAlderton

BARGEBEAGLEhasnever beenfond ofthe nurseryrhyme,Old Mother Hubbard,particularlywhenitis discoveredthat thefood cupboardis bare–adog’s nightmare! Luckilythe pantrywas wellandtruly overflowing in TheWheatsheaf Bar&Grill at Hubbert’sBridge, Lincolnshire, not onlywith scrumptiousfood butalso withdog-friendly staff andclientele so BargeBeagle,who hasalwaysbeena little hard ofhearing(selective deafness we like to callit), wasthankfulthat he decided totagalongdespitetheplace name soundingsimilartooneofhis pethates!

Publicmooring

It wasAprilwhen BargeBeaglevisited thewhitewashedpuband alovely sunnyday,idealfor sittinginthe lawned garden, withits flowering shrubs,woodenfencingand outlook overthe BlackDrain Navigation(there arepublicmooringsjusta fewyards downstreamenablingboatersto visit) andthe Poacher Line,running trains

Usefulinformation:

TheWheatsheafBar &Grill: www.facebook.com/Wheatsheaf HubbertsBridge ThePoacherLine: www.poacherline.org.uk BrownFen Waterway Trail: The62-milecircularBrownFen Trail runsfromBoston,south towardsSpaldingandCrowland, beforereturningnorthtoBoston viaDonington.

Blossoming summer gardens

By LeeSenior

THE humidand often sultrydays oflate summer produce some wonderfuldelights bothinthewildand at homein ourown blossominggardens. He dg er ows abound with wildblackberries duringthe second halfof August; thosememorably glossy,tasty purple-blackfruitsare unmissableandarea forager’s dream!

Wildblackberries:these tastyberriesareunmissable andareaforager’sdream.

betweenNottinghamand Skegness on theoppositebank. Therewereplenty of woodenpicnic-style tables and benchestochoosefromand several dog bowlsfilledwithfresh water.

BargeBeagle wasted notimein suppingdownabowlofwater and was readytolounge aboutonthegrassin the sunshinewhilehis humansenjoyed pre-lunchdrinkswhen theywereall ushered inside –unfortunately,the absenceof amemberof staff hadleft the pubshorthandedandfood would not be served inthe gardenthat day!A table hadbeen reserved for ourparty which seemedlikeoverkillgivenit was amid-weeklunchtime and we only had to walkacrossthe carparktoenterthe main buildingbut we hadnosooner beenshown to ourtablethan people begantoarrive and soonthedining room wasfullto capacity.

Ourtable seated four,butthere were onlytwoofus(andBarge Beagle ofcourse) so plentyof room tospread out. We were outofthe wayofthe main thoroughfarewhichallowedBarge Beagle to comfortablysitalongside wherehewas warmlygreetedbyboth the staff andotherdiners.

Onthemenu

Food choices were varied (vegetarian optionsincluded)andit wasdifficult to make adecision. In theend,one ofusoptedfor the porkand apple burger topped with brieandchilli jam in abrioche bunservedwithchips andthelargestonion ringseverseen. BargeBeaglethoughttheylooked like flyingloopdogtoysandappeared to get readytoleapintotheairto catchone

inmid-flight! The otheroptedforfish andchips; crispybatteredhaddock, garden peasandhome-madechips–delightful!BargeBeagle tuckedintohis usuallunchtimesnackofawell-known bone-shapedbiscuit which we had broughtwithusand wassoon asleep at ourfeet.

The staff didtheirbesttotempt us withdessert butour bellies were bustingafterthe mains,and besides… BargeBeagle hadbeenonhis best behaviour forlongenoughanda pleasantwalkalongpartoftheBrown FenWaterwayTrail beckoned.

No matter what yourmodeof transport– car, boat, trainetc –The Wheatsheafistrulyworth avisit and onethingthatisfor sure –Barge Beagle willmostdefinitely be returning!

Closertoground level, yellowflag irises commonly make afine sightin damp, boggy and marshy locations suchasthesides of waterwaysnearour belovedcanals. The yellowflowers appearduringmid-late summer.

Anumberofplantsarealso seedingaroundthistimeanditis very rewardingtogather seedsfrom yourown garden,perhapsfrom our perennialfavouritessuch asaquilegia. It’s not just perennialsofcourse, there areannualssuchasNigella (love-in-a-mist)and poppieswhose seed heads notonly lookgreatinsitu on theplantbutalsofreely seed with gay abandon.

In ourgardens,mildewandblight canstrikeinAugust. At thefirstsigns of potatoblight, itisimportantto cut down the haulms to preventthe tubers from beingruined.

Also during AugustandSeptember, wildplumsarecommon in many partsof theUKinhedgerowsand wasteland. The fruits canbemost usefulinthe kitchen forinclusionin home-made jams,jelliesandpies. Elderberriesjointhepartythis monthtoo.Theseclustersoftinyblueblackberriesalso have multipleuses inthe kitchen,notleastofallwhen makingabatchofelderberry wine, which canoftenberather potent! By contrast, elderberrycordialis asomewhat morerefreshingand teetotalalternative. However, it’s very much worthnotingthat elderberries shouldn’t be consumedraw as theycontain atoxin, whichisthankfully destroyed by cooking.

PetsontheCut

AmazinglacewithHolly

ByAlisonWilkerson

IJUSTlovevisiting floatingmarketsandthe RovingCanal Traders Association(www.rcta. org.uk)hosts many up anddown the canal network, where very talented andcreative folk candisplay and hopefully selltheir goodsfromtheirboats,if they areRCTAmembers, ofcourse.

Forinformation, to become amember, you alsoneed acurrent CRT tradinglicence. At one such market, oneofmyrescuedogs took averykeeninterest inwhat oneofthetraders wasmaking,and Ihadto stophimfrom jumping upasshe waslacemaking whichlooked complex,complicated andrequiredalotof concentration. To be honestitwas exquisite andblew my mind with theamountand variety ofbobbinsneededto create suchwork. Indeed only adedicated and talented person would attemptsuch acraft.

Craftsaboard

The very talented lady wasChristine,who makeshandmade bobbinlace,macrame and beadedcrafts on her55ft,2003 traditional stern Liverpoolnarrowboat

Hobnail (Facebook ‘Hobnail Lace’). The vessel is poweredbya Beta Marine38engine. Christine livesaboard withherextremely well-behaved littledog and ‘FirstMate’ Holly who,I wasadvised,was about12yearsoldand akokoni,whichisan ancientGreekbreed ofcompaniondog. Holly wasrescued from Romaniaandadopted by Christine after rehoming checksfrom Chilterns DogRescue Societyin2019. Hollytooktolife afloat instantlyand thoroughlylovesboat life.Sheeven hasa varietyof beds, onein allareas ofthe boat, buttravels inher special outside bedonthe stern hatchandloves tosit and watchtheworld go by,especiallywhere locksare concernedas a‘sitandwatch’affair, whichis much saferfor allconcerned.

Hollylovesmeeting people,especially children, butdoes notunderstandtoys. However, shedoes understandtreats!She alsodoesnot havea prey instinctandthus doesnotchasewildfowl and makesfriends with catsas wellas gettingon withotherdogs.During hertime withChristine she hashad twodips in themuddy water, both whiletrottingonthe towpathtooclosetothe edgewhilelookingover hershoulder…whoops! Christineadvised that she purchased her boat inthe summerof2020 andit washer second narrowboat,having owneda 45ftsemitradandlived aboard overthe winterof2019. Beforelivingaboardshe hadlived in many parts of England with avaried careerand spenta few yearscruisingbefore retiringand becoming afloatingtrader with Holly.This washerfirst everfloating market as atraderwhich was very excitingasyou gettomeetsomany interestingpeoplein termsofcustomers andfellowtraders;in fact,allwhofrequent ourwaterwaysand/or make themtheirhome. If you everfind yourselfata floating market,dolook outfor Hobnail as you might have thepleasureof meeting Hollyand Christineandtheir amazinglace!

WalkingalongtheBrownFen Waterway Trail.

Hollyenjoyingthe sunshinenextto Hobnail. PHOTO: ALISON WILKERSON

VisitorsenjoyingthefestivalatLochrinBasin. PHOTOS:FOUNTAINBRIDGE CANALSIDECOMMUNITYTRUST

CelebrationoftheUnionCanal andcanalsidecommunity

THE2024 Edinburgh CanalFestivaltook placeon Saturday, June15,organised by theFountainbridgeCanalside CommunityTrust(FCCT) for thethird yearrunning. Lotsoffree activitiesand entertainmentencouraged visitorsto explorethe Union Canalandthefive activity zones –stretching between Lochrin Basin,theterminusofthe Union Canaland HarrisonParkWest –eachzoneofferingthingstodo,food, artandlivemusic.Morethan40local groups,charitiesand socialenterprises also attendedtheevent, givingvisitors theopportunitytofind outaboutlocal projectsandhowtogetinvolved.

The ever-popular raft racein Lochrin Basintook on anewformat with partners DriftwoodAdventureprovidingallthe equipmentneeded,teamsjusthaving tobringdecorations fortheir rafts andoptionalfancy dress. Canoepolo demonstrationsand matches added to thefunonthe waterand goodspectator sport. Furtheralongthe canal,the Forth CanoeClubofferedcanoe,kayakand paddleboard taster sessions,and rowing boatswereavailabletohirefromthe Edinburgh UnionCanal Society.

It trulywas alocalaffair withallthe refreshmentsfromcommunitygroups and businessesthat operateonor nearthe canal.The festivalshowcased

Raftracecompetitorsonthecanal. communitybandsandlocal musicians. Performersfrom Rowanbank,anawardwinningEdinburgh socialenterprise, delightedthecrowdsonand off thewater.

The FCCT’s aimistomakethe local area abetterplacetolive, work,do businessandvisitandthe canalfestival is agreat networkingopportunityfor localorganisationstomeet,catch up andcreate newopportunities.

Rachel Sedman, FCCT’sdevelopment manager, said:“Iwanttothankthe many non-profitorganisations,charities and socialenterprisesthat helped to make 2024suchagreat festival.Somany peoplecameandexplored thecanal and we hopetheyhavediscovereda place andgroupstheycancontinue to enjoy andengagewith.”

DaringBarbaraabseils fromtheFalkirkWheel

AT THE ageof83, Barbara Barnes hasabseiledfromthe FalkirkWheel to support Alzheimer Scotland. Barbara, joined by herson Gordon, ispassionate aboutraisingpublic awarenessofthedevastatingdisease afterlosingbothher parentsto dementia.Her adventure on the FalkirkWheelis just oneofmany daring fundraisingchallengesshe hasundertaken over40 yearsof supporting thecharity.Previous challengesincludedjumpingfroma plane,zip-wiringacrossthe Clydeand abseilingfromthe ForthRailBridge. Alzheimer Scotlandprovides supportandinformationto people withdementia, their carers and families, andcampaignsforthe rights of people withdementiaandfunds vitaldementiaresearch. Whether ornot you fancya challenge like Barbara’s,find outhow you can supportAlzheimer Scotlandat: www. alzscot.org/support-us

KelvinAqueduct awardedaRedWheel

THE KelvinAqueducton the Forth&Clyde Canal hasbeen awardeda National TransportTrust RedWheel. The aqueduct wasconstructedbetween 1787and1790 by Robert Whitworth,theengineer responsibleforthefinal westernsectionofthe canal. When it openedin 1790,it wasBritain’slargest aqueduct,carryingthe canal70ft abovethe River Kelvin.The continuous run of masonrythatformsthe

aqueduct andthe Ma ry hill Locks–theflighto fivelocksa associatedb –immediatelytotheeast areacknowledged as one ofthe canal’sfinestsingle features.

The NationalTransport TrustHeritage Plaques, or RedWheels,recognisethe mostsignificantsitesof historicalimportance to

National Transport Trustvice-president JohnCameronCBEunveiledthe plaque,alongsideScottishCanals’ heritagemanagerChrisO’Connell. PHOTOS:SCOTTISHCANALS

ortintheUK. ey have been erectedonmorethan150 sites,celebratingtheUK’s aviation, rail, roadand waterheritage.

ThisisthefirstRed Wheel awardedonthe Forth&Clyde Canal, with Scottishcanal locations previously awarded thewheelincluding Leamington LiftBridge and LinlithgowCanal Basinonthe Union Canal, andthe Caledonianand Crinan Canals.Searchfor moreRedWheelsitesand otherinterestingtransport heritage sitesat: www. nationaltransporttrust. org.uk

Sinkingfeelingonthe Forth &Clyde

ASURPRISE sinkholeappearedat Lock 9onthe Forth&Clyde Canal in Falkirk. Ashortsectionofthe towpath wasclosedofffor safety. The canalbetween Lock 16,thefirst lock headingeastfromthe Falkirk Wheel,andthe Kelpiesisclosed to navigationdue to insufficientwater suppliesontheflightand in the surroundingfeeder streams.Boaters canheadwestalongthe canalasitis opento navigationfromthe Falkirk WheeltowardsGlasgow.

Lock9,partoftheFalkirkflighton theForth &ClydeCanal.

Triumphfortraditionalboatfestival

THE31stannual Glenglassaugh Traditional Boat Festivaltookplacein June,whenmorethan16,000visitors descendedonPortsoy.Thefestival,a celebrationofnorth-eastScotland’s maritimeheritage,attractedaround 30heritage vesselsfromacrossthe UKforaweekendoflivemusic and dance,Scottish food anddrinkand heritage crafts. Ahighlightofthe weekend wasthe world-famous Red Arrowsaerobaticteam performing abovePortsoy,theironly public displayinScotlandthis year,their diamondanniversary.

The Best Boat Awardwas wonby the Isabella Fortuna from Wick.David Urquhart,chairmanofthefestival, said: “Selectingthe bestboatofthe festivalisalwaysa difficultdecision,

butaftertakinga tourofthe harbour, the Isabella Fortuna stood out; thecrew have beenlong-standing friendsofthefestivaland Iwantedto dedicatethe awardtothemandtheir painstakingeffortstokeepthe boat in seaworthycondition.”

The IsabellaFortuna is atraditional Fifiefishingboat, first launchedin September1890.Originallypowered by twohugelug sails, ajib andfive oars,she wasoperatedbythe same familyfor86 yearsfromArbroath.

Othertraditional boatsdropping anchorin Portsoyincluded The Swan from Lerwick, datingfrom 1900,and White Wing and Reaper fromAnstrutherin Fife,builtin1917 and1902 respectively.Thousandsof visitorsclimbed aboard Reaper to exploreheranddiscoverwhat life was likeatseamorethan100 yearsago. Nextyear’s festivaldates have already been setforthe weekendof June28-29. More information canbe found at:stbfportsoy.org

BarbaraandhersonGordonat theWheel. PHOTOS: RUSSELLSMITH

Repairsunderwaytothetowpath besideLock9. PHOTOS:CALLUMFREW

Days Out

Worcester

Ourseriesisdedicatedtoshowcasinguniquedaysout nearspecialcanals.Whetheryou’reintogongoozling (watchingboatingactivities),leisurelytowpathwalks, wildlifespotting,boattripsorevenretailtherapy,ourcanal systemhassomethingforeveryone.Thismonth,wepay avisitto Worcester,hometosuchdiverse attractionsasa famousfishpassandelegantRoyalWorcesterChina.

ByPhilPickin

WITH apopulationofaround104,000,a largecathedralfoundedin680andhome to WorcestershireCountyCricketClub, Worcester canhardly bedescribedasa ‘hidden gem’.Butforanyoneinterested in waterways,ithas aconsiderable amountonofferalongsidehistorical and sporting placesofinterest. Whether you arevisitingonyourboat or just as part of aday out, Diglis will undoubtedly be apointof interest.It iswherethe Worcester& Birmingham Canalmeetsthe RiverSevern.The junction makesanideal startingpoint fromwhichtoexplorethe canaland the riverbytakingthe2.5-milecircular

riverside walkintothecityitself.Aswith mostofthe waterwaysoftheUK,Diglis Basinand Diglis Islandhaveplayeda major roleinthetransportationof goods and materialsalong the waterwaysin thepast. Today,thejunctionprovidesa gateway for boaterswhoarelookingto cruiseonto, or returnfrom,thelongest riverintheUK.

WalkingaroundDiglis Marina,you notice just howmuchlocaldevelopment hasencompassed thewaterwaysand howsignificanttheyhavebeen,and continueto be,forthecity. Canal enthusiastswillfind themarinaand the WorcesterDryDockofparticular

interest,andthereare plenty of placesto stopandhavea coffeeora meal within themarina.

Diglisfishpass

Butwhen you mentionDiglis,thefirst thingthatcomestomostpeople’s minds isthenow-famousfishpass. Located onthemanmadeisland,thepassis anambitiousprojectthat combines engineeringandconservationand has resultedinone ofthelargestfish passes inthecountry.

The Diglispassis, according to CRT, “oneoffournewfishpassescreated to openup158milesof riverhabitatto the rare twaiteshadsotheycan reach their spawning ground.” So,ifyou are planningavisit,itisworth bookingone oftheexpertvolunteer guidestotell you all aboutthe wildfish you will be able to see through theunderwaterglass panelsintheviewinggallery. Toursare availablefromspringtoautumnand should bebooked inadvance.

The best waytosee thearea andthe cityitselfistotakethecircular riverside walk;you will pass theimposing cathedral overlookingthe riverand thecricketgroundbeyond. Depending onthetimeof yourvisit,the riverferry mayberunning, takingpassengersfrom just behindthecricketgroundtothe oppositebank just belowthe cathedral itself.But Worcesterisn’tall cathedrals andcricket. The city is thebirthplace

ofthecomposer SirEdwardElgar, bestknown forwritingLandof Hope andGlory. He wasborn at The Firs in CrownEastLane,andtheproperty is nowowned by the National Trust.

Royal WorcesterChina Worcesterisalsoknown forits porcelain, known worldwideas RoyalWorcester China.Amuseumislocatedinthecity, notfarfrom themarina. Thisisjust oneofanumberof museumsdotted throughoutthecity,includingamedical museum.Themainoneisthe Worcester CityArt Galleryand Museum,ashort walkfromthecitycentre. The citycentre is,asyou mightexpect, abusyareaof shops,barsand restaurantscateringfor mosttastes,someofwhicharetucked intosmallcourtyards.With alot to see, walkingtoursareavailablefocusingon thehistoryofthecityor,forthosewho want somethingdifferent, there’sthe historicghostwalk.

Forvisitorswho want things at afaster pace,Worcester RaceCourseislocated ashortdistancefromthecitycentre. Butfor many,the area aroundthebasin will be thefocusoftheir attentionwith its riverlocks,whicharesaid to be the largestanddeepestoftheirtypeinthe country. Withthe riverclose by and moorings availableclosetothecity, Worcesterprovidesaninterestingand convenient destination withplentyto see anddo.

FACTFILE

Furtherplacesofinterestinclude: GeorgeMarshallMedicalMuseum: www.medicalmuseum.org.uk

DiglisFishPass: www. canalrivertrust.org.uk/diglis WorcestershireCounty Cricket Club: www.wccc.co.uk

WorcesterCathedral: www. worcestercathedral.org.uk Aquavista’sWatersideMarina:www. aquavista.com/find-a-marina/ diglis-waterside-marina

TheFirs:Elgar’sbirthplace: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/ worcestershire-herefordshire/ the-firs

RoyalPorcelain Works: www. royalporcelainworks.co.uk WorcesterCityArtGallery&Museum: www.museumsworcestershire.org. uk

WorcesterRaceCourse: www. worcester-racecourse.co.uk

TheHistoricGhost Walksof Worcester: www.onarole.co.uk

Left:Someofthedeepestlocksin thecountry. PHOTO: PHILPICKIN Locksonthe Worcester& BirminghamCanal.

PHOTO:PHILPICKIN

TheweiratDiglisFishPass.

&RIVERTRUST

TheTowpathAnggler

Ourmonthlylook at theanglingscene

ByDavidKent

IT HASbeenfairly quietonthemeeting frontoflateand,giventhat we are rapidly approachingtheextended schoolholidays,Iguessthat will be the case for afew weekstocome.Atleast itallows abit of free time to getstuck into jobsaroundthehome.Inour case twonewceilings,decoratingand re-carpetingplus anumberofjobsto do outsidetoo.

What meetings Ihavehad have been at localclublevel. That said, someofthese were pretty heavydutyinvolving local authoritiesandother agencies,evenan MP,asfollow-upstotheflood damage overthe pasttwo years. Ispokeofthis lastmonthandthesemeetings have only confirmedthatangling continues to be welldown thepecking orderwhenthe impactof such eventsareconsidered. In my ownclub’s case,thelossofmembers duetoinaccessiblefisheries over such anextendedperiodisverysignificant. Whenchallengedonvariousaspectsof theproblemtheseorganisationsarevery fondof “passingtheproverbial buck”.

Like so many others Ibelievethat there should be acompleterethinkof flood prevention strategy acrossthecountry.

Waterquality

On arelated topic,weare all awareof thebig push nationallytotryandforce watercompanies to reducethe number ofdischarges into thewaterways, andthe sea. Essentially,intimesof excessrainfall, such discharges are allowed.Theseshould be monitored to ensure they complywiththelicence. Determinants areusedtolookat temperature, pHlevels,turbidity, dissolved oxygen andothers. Any fluctuationor seriesof fluctuations should be actedupon.Unfortunately, it seemsthat,at present, thereistoo oftena poacherand gamekeeper situationinplacewhichonlygives rise touncertaintyand suspicion.Ofcourse, thequalityofthe waterin ourcanalsand rivers isofparamountimportancetous alland particularlyforthosewho rely onthemfor recreationandlivelihoods.

Asananglerformorethan60years, the saddestmemories Ihaveare of seeingfish in distress or dead.Therefore Ican onlyurgeall the watercompanies totake heed of theimpactoftheir actionsandthe regulatorybodiesto impose theheaviestofpenaltiesasand when appropriate.

The recent period of more summerlikeweather has, withoutdoubt,helped improvesport acrossalltypesof venues. Even so,manyplacesarestill notwhere theyshould be forthestartofJuly. We hadacoupleofdaysof sweltering, humidconditionswhichcertainly helped many ofthose fishwhich had

Waterway

notspawned inthepreviouswarmspell to completetheexercise. Butthenitall slipped backwardsonce again. Indeed last Sunday Iwas outonaclub match andthe wind wassocold we allwent divingintoour vehiclestofindanysort ofadditional clothingwecouldfind. Clearly,this also affectedthe fishing sincethe venuehad beenongood form, producingtypical weightsforthis time of year.OnSundayanumber of theanglers really struggledfor abite. In factwhenthebailiffcalledintonotethe topweights,hecommentedthatourtop four hadtotalled less thanthe winnerof amatch theprevious week. The forecast forthecomingweekis notespeciallyencouragingeither so it maywell seesomeof us revertingbackto almostwintertacticsand,inparticular, whenitcomestofeeding. Usually, at this timeof year, generousfeedingiscalled for butamorecautious approachcould be theway togo.

Results

My computerhas been outofactionfor more thantwoweeks so Ihavenotdone as much research regardingresults.Two friends fisheda matchona silverfish poollastweekandonly4lb wonwhen, normally,15lbto20lbisneeded.That said,oneof my committee colleagues fishedour sectionoftheTrenton Thursdayandendedwithalmost30lb ofpristine roach,breamandchub. Although Ihavemanaged to fish alittlemoremyself sincewritingmy lastarticle,results have,sadly,been as consistentasthe weather.Withouta doubt,mybestdaywas twoSundays ago when Ifished alocal stillwater.Icaught steadilythroughthe dayand weighed 108lbof carp.Evenso, Ionlyfinished second. Alovelyday’s fishing by any standardthough.

If youhavetime to take advantage of thelongeveningsI suggestyou doas it seemsthat thelateafternoononwardsis themostproductivetimetofish.Ifyou go to acanal Ithinktargetingthebream is agood idea.Maggots and pellets seem to be catchingwell.If you fishstillwater, maggotsand pelletsareagain bankers–buttakesomesweetcorn whichmay find you theodd betterfish. Tightlines.

usersurged to prioritiseskinprotection

LIFEJACKET is acompany established by three friendswhose lives were deeplyimpacted by cancer. Their personalexperienceinspired thecreationof abrandwhosevision seekstochange attitudesand behaviours towardsskinprotection, to improveskinhealthand,ultimately, reducetheincidenceofskin cancer. Boatersareespecially at riskdue to prolongedexposuretointense UV raysreflectedoffthe water. To spread thisimportantmessage John Hibbard, CEOofGill Marine,emphasised thecriticalneed forskinprotection amongboaters:“As sailors, we’re

naturallyexposed to increased levels of UV throughoutthe year.This year,to raiseawarenessoftheimportanceof protectingyourskin while outonthe water, we’rethrilledtopartnerwith LifeJacket. We’ll beposting content throughoutthemonth withpractical tipsandadvicetoprotect yourskinon the waterall year round.”

LifeJacket’shigh-performance sunscreens,moisturisersandUPF50+ technical weararedesigned to inspire UK boaterstouseskinprotection, stayingtruetothecompany’smotto “We’ve got yourback.”Formore details,goto:www.lifejacketskin.com

PHOTO: BARBARAEVRIPIDOU

The WetWeb

ByHelenGazeley

FORMER riflemanCraigWood has announced plansto setanew world record by sailing soloandnon-stopfrom La PazinMexicoto Yokohama in Japan, atripthat couldtakemorethantwo months.Thereare plenty of solo sailors inthe world,butwhatmakesthisextraspecialis that Craig, 33,lostbothlegs andhisleft handinanIEDexplosion whileinAfghanistanin2009. Beingon waterand relearningtosailwaspartof his rehabilitation. “It’sgiven me alevel footingagainstable-bodiedpeople,” he says.“Somedon’tknowasmuchasIdo, someknowmore.”

He'schosenthis challengebecause he wantstochangeperceptionsof howmuch adisabledpersoncando. “I wanted to make itdifficult,” he says. “Somethingthat’s difficultforanyone.” ForCraig,specialadaptationsinclude agalleywhereeverythingiswithin easy reach: siliconematstohelpgrip vegetableswhile chopping, apepper grinderthat workswith apush-button ratherthantwist, and anold-fashioned tin-openerthat youjab intothelid. On deck thereare plentyofgrab rails,and safetynettingsurrounds theboat, in case ofslippinginrough seas.

REMAP

Whilenegotiatingthe canalsand waterwaysdoesn’tpresentthefeatof enduranceof sailing6000milesinopen sea, livingonboardanarrowboat throws upplentyof challengeswhen you’ve lostalimb.

Steveliveson anarrowboat andthe lossofa legmeanthislifeafloatwas in jeopardyas he couldn’tnegotiatethe step upfrominside to the stern.Thisis wherearemarkablecharity went tohis aid.REMAPprovidesfree, custom-made equipmenttoindividuals with ashortor long-termdisability. It has65branches

aroundtheUKandhelpsaround 3000 people ayear. This yearisREMAP’s 60th anniversary. Setupin1964 by anengineerwho made aramp andelectrichoistforhis disabled sisterandwas struck by the huge differenceit made toher life, it wasoriginally called BasicMovement AdvisoryPanels(BMAP). Thename nowisanacronymforRehabilitation EngineeringMovementAdvisory Panel butisaffectionatelyknown as ‘Resourceful EngineersMakeAnythingPossible’.

ForSteve,the solution wasa repurposed seat liftonanarmwhich swingshimthroughthedoorway. You cansee itinaction on REMAP’s YouTube video(youtu.be/OBRO52dPpbk). Buthe’snottheonlynarrowboater thecharity hashelped.With space

Heritageunderthehammer

TwoauctionsheldinJunebyGreatCentralRailwayanaincludeda numberofitemsthatwould havecaughttheeyeofcanalandinland waterwaysenthusiasts,including atowingpathwarningto cyclists, abridgeweightrestrictionnotice,andanextensiveselectionof colourfulcarriageprints.GeoffCourtneyreports.

THEfirstsale washeldon June1, inwhich aGWR cast ironnotice warningpeoplenotto rideor wheel abicycle,tricycleorany other vehicleuponthetowing path without apermit, went

underthe hammerfor£300.

Asimilariteminthe same auction wasa Monmouthshire Railway &CanalCosign warning against trespasswhich soldfor £160,whileotheritemsthat

REMAP’ssolutionallowsthe chairtoturnonasixpenceinvery restrictedspace.

went to newhomesincluded aLochTaySteamers brassfree passfor Robert MWilson(£280) and aNorth Eastern Railway assistantdockmaster’s uniform buttonthat sold for£80.

FindoutmoreaboutREMAP onitswebsite remap.org.uk

so restrictedinside,normal-size wheelchairs canbeaproblem.

ForElaineSmith,who hasmotor neuronedisease, REMAPaddedasteel framewithwheelsandcastorsto asmall woodenchairwhich cannow rotateon its vertical axis,ideal inconfined spaces.

Finallycame aFirst World Warpieceof canaliathat attractedenoughinterestfor it to go underthe hammerfor £850.Itwas aworksplate from astandardgauge 0-6-0Tbuilt in1917byKerrStuart& Co of Stokeforthe Inland Waterways &Docks,a divisionofthe Royal Engineersthatwasformed in1914tohandle military transport, includingsupplies, ammunitionandevacuation ofthe wounded,alongthe canalsandinland waterways of Franceand Belgium, andlater alsoMesopotamia,Egyptand

REMAPhasalsocreated aningenious solutionfor awheelchairuserwho needed alifttoaccessthe sternfrom the bank. With ahydrauliclift attachedtothe sidecreatinga riskofleaks,thecharity optedfor inflatableairbags secured ina metaltray.This makesaccesseasyand meanstheclientcan get off theboatby herselfifnecessary. Take alookatthe solution at remap.org.uk/solutions/wheelchairaccess-for-narrowboat REMAPalwayswelcomesdonations andislookingfor volunteers around thecountry,includingengineersto helpdesign and build solutions.Visitits websiteformoredetails(remap.org.uk). If you’d liketosupportCraig, who is raisingmoneyfor Blesma(blesma. org), acharitywhich supportslimbless veterans,and Turnto Starboard(www. turntostarboard.co.uk),whichuses sailingtosupportpersonnel returning to civilianlife,visithisCrowdfunder page (www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ craigwoodsails).

AGWRtowingpathsignthatsoldfor£300atauctionon June1. PHOTO: GREATCENTRALRAILWAYANA MV

Salonika. Theseoperations, inwhichthe railway played aroleintandem withthe waterbornetraffic, were avital, butsometimesunderplayed, contributiontothe wareffort. Twoweekslater,onJune 13and14,Great Central Railwayanaheldanother auction,andamongthe1000+ lots wasaShropshireUnion Railway and CanalCobridge weight restriction cast iron noticethat soldfor£270.This companywasformed in 1846, managedseveral canals,and constructedand ranone ofthe few railwaysinEngland built by acanal company,the Staffordto Shrewsbury line. Alsointhe auctionwasan extensiveselectionofcarriage prints,whicharealways apopular featureofthese sales,andamongthem wasa number that hadcanal,inland waterways, andother marine appeal.Theleaderofthis pack wasapaintingofMV Swan on

LakeWindemerethatwasissued by British Railwaysin1957and wasthe work oftop marine artistClaude Buckle(1907-73). The printwas sold withanother carriageprint and went for£220. The251-ton,three-deck, diesel-poweredMV Swan, which cancarry upto533passengers, wasbuilt by Vickers Armstrongs of Barrow in1938,is stillin servicetodaywith Windermere LakeCruises,and is amemberof the National Historic Fleet. Behindthisprintwasanother issued by BR,promoting Bridlingtonin Yorkshire. It waspaintedbyDonald Blake (1908-97),andillustrateda harboursceneofleisureand fishingcraft.Ittoo wassold with anotherprint, andfetched£80. Avarietyofother carriageprints of waterway scenesalsowent underthe hammer,several of whichachievedinexcessof£50. The pricesquotedinboth auctionsexclude buyer’s premiumof15%(+ VAT).

Craig Woodwillsetsailfor YokohamanextJanuarytoraisemoneyfor Blesmaand Turn toStarboard. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED ElaineSmithonhermodifiedchair.

TALKBACK

Yourchancetowritetous onanytowpathtopic: Towpath Talk,POBox99, Horncastle,LincsLN9 6LZoremaileditorial@ towpathtalk.co.uk

DearMr Clare, Ihavejustspent, after arecentillness, amostenjoyable Sundaymorning in bed, readingthe latest editionof TowpathTalk.Itarrivedafewdays agoand, so faras Iamconcerned,it wasthemost interestingI have read in alongtime.Let mecongratulate youand yourcolleagues.You doa fantastic jobfor allofuswho have interestsin canalsand riversandtheir relatedactivitiesandindustries.

My onlydisappointmentwasthat thereinitially appeared to be little aboutmypartofthecounty.However, that feelingwasallayedwhen,towards the back ofthe publication, Ifound ‘Exploringthe CityofChester’, by Phil Pickin, acity Iknowwell(though perhapsmedievalChester ratherthan themodern)and LeeSenior’s article onthe Leeds&LiverpoolCanal.

Oneofthe ‘Seven Wondersof theBritish Waterways’ islocatedin Burnley. It is,ofcourse, theBurnley Embankment, themostspectacular of itskindinthecountry.

Notonlythat, butBurnleycontains severalremarkablebridges,one which wasbuilt,surprisinglyto some, fromthetopdown! TowpathTalk has featured thisbridge,whichcarries the canalovertheM65,in anumber of articles.

Mr Seniorreferstothe Foulridge Tunnelandits relatedreservoirs butthe GannowTunnel,in Burnley, thoughshorterthantheonehe mentionsis,perhapsfroman engineering point of view, much moreinteresting. Whereasthe Foulridge Tunnelis,inactuality,a coveredcutting, theone atGannow isconstructed throughthe Ightenhill Ridge, acoal-bearinghillwhich wasmined before the canalwas constructed.

This madethe work onthe tunnel verydifficultbut,likeitsneighbour, thereisnofootway throughthe structure. In theearlydays,the broadbargesthat used theLeeds& Liverpoolhad to be ‘walked’ through the tunnel beforemen were replaced by steamengines.

Someof your readers will be aware that thecanalin Burnleypasses through apartoftownknown as the Weavers’ Triangle.

TheTriangle,oncethe bestpreservedcanalsideindustrialarea inthecountry, still survivesand restorationis wellunder way, with the Universityof CentralLancashire takingthelead, withtherestorationof Victoria Millof1855andthe Burnley Iron Worksof1793.

The Triangleisalsohometothe visitorcentre, whichis runbya voluntaryorganisation,theFriends ofthe Weavers’Triangle.

At themoment, thecentreisclosed for restoration work butitwillreopen, withnewexhibitions,intimefor Burnley’sCanal Festivalin August.

The Friendsalsorunthe Blackburnbuiltmillengine at OakMount Mill, alsointhe Weavers’Triangle.Thisis open regularlythroughout theyear, oneofthefewmillenginesstillin situ at itsoriginallocation.

Attractions

Burnley’sattractionsalsoincludethe town’s parks. The most significant of them is Towneley Park,atmorethan 400acresand with amagnificent museumandartgallery,itisnotto be missed.Butadjacenttothe canalare two otherparks,bothofthemgranted greenflags.

Much of Burnley’s canaltowpath hasbeen restoredinrecentmonths.It givesaccesstothe superbcountryside aroundthetown and amarinaat Reedley,whichis withinthe Burnley constituency.

The town centre,withitsshops, restaurantsand multiplexcinema, withanother ‘pictures’under construction,iseasilyaccessiblefrom the canal. Burnley’scanalfacilities arewell wortha visit,asare thoseof Blackburn.

Yours sincerely, RogerBarstowFrost, MBE.,MA., FRSA.

(Formerly MayorofBurnley).

Dear Roger,

Thank youfor your kind letter.Tohear theprevious editionof TowpathTalk wasthemostinterestingyou have read in alongtimeis very pleasing, and acredittothewholeteamwho contribute eachmonth.Theadditional information yousuppliedregarding Burnleyismostinteresting, perhaps we shouldinclude amoreexpansive feature onthis in afutureedition.

Kind regards DanClare Editor

Wheredid that word comefrom?

JohnSoutercontinues hisseriesbyexploring theoriginsofcommonly usedboatingterms.

MANYofyou maybefamiliar with themeaningsof alot ofthe wordsthat boatersuse. Buthaveyou ever stopped to wonderwherethe wordsweare all toofamiliarwithactuallyoriginated? Here aremoreexamplesof words whoseorigins mayhopefullyinform you and,insome cases, perhapseven surpriseyou.

Tumblehome

The angleatwhichthe cabinsides on anarrowboat leaninfromtopto bottom(whenviewed fromendon) anddesignedandconstructed this wayasbeing especiallyuseful when givingmorebridge-holeclearance at the topofthe boat. The originofthis word isunknown butisknown to date from1825-35andconsidered to relate to workingboats havingthesidesof thehome tumblingdownfromtop to bottom,originallyatthe sternofthe vesselwherethe cabin waslocated.

Weir

Alow barrieror damacrossa water channel whichcould be used to increase thewater’s depthand/or controltheflowofwater,especially whenallowing forthepassageofcargo boatspastworkingmillsetc.

FromtheOld English‘wer’meaning ‘dam,fence,enclosure’ andespecially originallywhenthesedammedareas were used forthe catching offish. It’s alsorelatedtothe OldEnglish‘werian’ meaning‘to damup’.

Wharf(orstaith,staithe)

Traditionallythiswas astructureon thebankof ariveror canalwhere boatswoulddock to loadorunload their cargoesorpassengers,andwhich canincludeoneormoreberth.The word isoften used interchangeably with the word quay. In the NorthEast andeastern England the word staith or staitheisalsooftenused and can be foundinthe nameof places such as Burnham OveryStaitheinNorfolk. The suggestionthat the word wharf isanacronymfor ware houseatriver frontageisgenerallyconsidered to be wrongand wasa phrase specially thoughtupandused by Thames river boat guides!

The word is thoughttoderivefromthe Late OldEnglish word ‘hwearf’ meaning ‘shore, bank whereships cantieup’. The word may alsocomefromthe Dutch word ‘werf’ meaning ‘yard,storagearea’ andthiscouldexplainwhynamessuch as MinistryWharf in Saunderton, Bucks came abouteventhoughitisnowhere nearanybodyofwater!

Windinghole

Correctlypronounced as win-ding, not wine-ding, it is aroughly triangular baycutinto the offside bank,i.e. oppositethetowpathsideandhence theexpression offline,togiveenough roomfor aboatlongerthanthe widthof acanalto be ableto turntotravel back intheoppositedirection. Beforetheadventofthemotorised boat the wind wasusedwherever possibletohelp in turningthelong boats–hencethetermwindinghole. Thewordwindingisthoughttoderive fromthe OldEnglish‘windan’meaning ‘tomovebyturningandtwisting’, which camefromthe Germanic‘winda’.

Windlass

An L-shaped handleortoolused for operatingthepaddleorslackergear on lock gatesorsides.Byusingthesquare socketatoneendwhich fits overthe spindleoperatingthepaddle gearit can raiseorlowerthepaddles.Awindlass canalsobereferredasacrankorlock keyinsomeareas.

The word is circa1400fromthe Old Norse‘vindass’ meaning‘to wind’. It mayalsopossibly derivefromthe Anglo-French word ‘windas’, havinga similarmeaning.

Windinghole,AldermastonWharf. PHOTO:PHILIP PANKHURST –CC-BY-SA-2.0

Llangollen,thecanalwharf. PHOTO:DRCLIFTON -CCBY-SA2.0

Alothashappened sincewelastspoke

ByPhilPickin

ALOT hashappened since Ilast caught up with CatherineArmstrong, ownerof asmallfleet of hire boatsshe operates withthehelpofher husband fromDroitwich Marina.Called Cafwin Cruises, thebusinesswasestablished at what wasarguablythe worst possible timeto startanew venture–justbefore the Covidpandemic.But despite these obstacles,former RAFLogistics Officer SquadronLeaderArmstrong,

who served in the RAFfor31 years, hadembarkedonsettingupher own hire fleet.Afterthe RAFand ajob in industry,she successfullysoldholidays in apropertyshe ownedinthe US before sheoptedfor the waterways. CafwinCruises wasalwaysintended to be alittledifferent. Catherinetold us:“I’ve triedtooffersomethingabit different from thenorm. I’ve always been keen onthe eco-friendlysideof thingsand have always providedfree eco-friendlytoiletriesand cleaning

materialsfor my gueststouse,recycling bins,bagsetc.However, Arthur is diesel,and so theexcitementofgetting aserialelectric hybrid andto be the first narrowboat hirecompanytooffer suchonthemainwaterways hasbeen beyond exciting.”

Catherinedecidedthat the boats inherfleet would be differentby havingallthefeaturesthat you might expectinahigh-end narrowboat. And withthat in mindshe started off with Arthur Owl.Despitethechallengesthat befelleveryoneduringthe pandemic bookings were good,somethingthat hascontinuedsincethat time.

Encouraged by the responseto Arthur Owl, Catherinethentookdelivery of OllieOwl,a boat sponsoredbyits buildersOrtomarine,whichcontinues withthe business'sphilosophyof offeringsomethingalittle different, but inthis case,he’sevenmoreeco-friendly. The 58ft semi-trad boat is aserial hybrid equipped with abankof10 solarpanels. The hope is that during thesummer months,theneed forthegenerator will be keptto aminimum.

Whenitisnecessary,Catherine would liketoruniton HVO fuel.

Withsixyearsoftradingasa hire fleet behindher,Catherineislooking toupgrade Arthur Owl to aserial hybrid withthehelpofthe buildersOrtomarine during the winterof2024.As aresult,this small fleet of boutiquehireboats will be asenvironmentallyfriendlyas possible. Butwhileallthisis goingon, Catherine hasalsobecomethechairmanofBritish Marine’s MidlandsBranchAssociation. Sheadmitsthatwhenfirstasked,she feltlessthanqualified to holdsucha positiongiventheshortlengthoftime she’s beeninvolved in thewaterways. Butherundoubted leadership skills, gainedduringher careerinthe RAF, willnot have goneunnoticedbythose who soughttorecruitherintothe role.

SincejoiningBritishMarine, she hasfoundthe supportprovidedbythe organisation very useful, somethingshe

is lookingtochampionduringhertime in postto ensureallmembers make themostofthe serviceson offer.Asan example,CafwinCruises hasgained QualifiedAccreditedBoatyard(QAB) status,havingpassed anassessment duringwhichthe business scored 100% inall categories. These assessments will be carried outevery three yearswith randominspectionduringthethreeyearcycletoensure itmeets anumber of requirements,including the Hire Boat Handoverscheme.

QABaccreditation sawBritish Marine teamup with VisitEngland to delivera rangeofqualityaccreditation schemesthat setstandards defining good practiceforthoseinthe tourism business.Gainingaccreditation throughthe QABschemeindicates that hire boat operators arecommitted to quality,providingrecognitionfor theiroperationsandgivingpotential customers alabel theycantrust.

The schemeclearly setsexpectations for customerswhentheybook their hireboatexperience.Theclearcriteria operatorsareassessedagainstprovide amethodofbenchmarkingand can assist operatorsin developingtheir businesses.

When Arthur Owl isconverted, Catherine will be keento runbothboats on HVO fuel, somethingsheis keento seeothersdoaslongasitcomesfrom asustainable source.Shefeelsthat environmentalissuesandthefunding of Canal&RiverTrustare majorissues thatBM canplaya significant part in overthecomingyears.Inparticular, Catherine wouldliketosee theissue ofthedutypaidon HVO addressed to helpencouragemoreboatersto make theswitch.

With asuccessfulhire boat business to runandanincreased involvementin British Marine,thenextfew yearsfor Catherinelook busytosaytheleast!

Nowisthe timetorenew ourcampaigns forthewaterwayissueswecareabout...

NABOgeneralsecretary PeterBraybrook commentsonsome moretopicalissues.

IT WILLseemlikeoldhistory nowbutas Iwrite the result ofthe generalelectionisfresh and raw. What achangeinthe politicallandscape!All our hard work with FundBritain’s Waterwaystohighlightthe need andplightofthe canals and rivers hasprobablybeen shreddedandconsigned tothe recyclingbinasconstituency afterconstituency alongthe

waterways haschanged political colour.Wecannotexpect that theletters we wrotelast year will be transferredtothe constituency office of thenew incumbent so we need to start again.The funding review by thelastgovernment will soon be forgottenanditisuptous to bringtheinadequacyofthe outcometothe attentionofthe new government. Whether in Henleyonthe Thames,BanburyontheOxford Canal, Stourbridgeonthe BCN, BerkhamstedontheGrand Union,Creweand Nantwich onthe Shroppie,Calder Valley, Ribble Valley, Stoke-onTrent,Blackburnand Leeds, Monmouth,Montgomery, Melkshamand Devizesor scores of otherconstituencies thathave changed hands,letthenewMP knowtheissues youcareabout. We care aboutthedecay inthe fabricofthe200-year-old canal networkandtheconditionof thenavigable rivers.

CleanitandCruiseit

Havingjustreturnedfrom anexplorercruiseonthe Birmingham CanalNavigations (BCN),which largelycovered

waters we cruised lastsummer, we noticedthedifference ayear makes: theyhavenotimproved. Reed beds have grownfurther acrossthenavigation, weedis chokingthe channelinplaces, andthereisa greencarpet over the canalforlongdistances. Lock beamsare visibly rotting andpaddle gearstiffandclunky whereitisoperable.

includedalifepreserver,a child's carseatandmiles and milesofpolythene apartfrom theusual rope,fishing twine and weed.

There wasevenachangeat WolverhamptonServiceswhere last year therewas no rubbish disposalandshower, this year thereare bins butthe Elsan point, showerandtoiletareall

“Wecannotexpectthat theletters we wrotelast yearwill be transferred to theconstituencyoffice ofthenew incumbent so weneed to startagain.”

The BCNsociety catchphraseis CleanitandCruiseit. The flotilla of12 boatsonthecruiseall had problems at sometimeorother with rubbisharound theblades. The worstinstance wasalarge bundleof wire, possiblyleft by anelectricianwhocould not afford to disposeofhis trade waste responsibly. But theassortmentofobjectsalso

‘closed untilfurthernotice’. We were gladtofindthat the pump-outfacilities at Ocker Hilland DudleyTunnelarm were fullyfunctioning andthe contactlesspaymentsystemwas no hassle at all. Thatisa CRT trialthat appearsto have been successful.

We alsovisited theBradley Workshops. (Myapologies

to StanleyFerry Workshops fornotmentioningthemlast month)to see theworktheydo in preparationforthe winter stoppagesandthe many lock gatechanges that arerequired. Theworkshops have the capacitytobuild150 lockgate leaveseachyear.

We wereremindedthat when the canals were builtthelocks were all‘tailor-made’tosuit the canalandproposed level differenceofthe time. There isno such thingasastandard lock gateandtheyare all made tomeasure. Oakisstillthe main material because oftheheritage natureofthelocks. African hardwoodsmight givemore longevity butdonot meet strict sustainabilitycriteria. Iwaspleased to seethat there is someuseofmodern,more long-lastingmaterialsinsome gatepaddlegear. Apparently, this hasbeenallowed because thesepartsareusuallyunseen. Thevisible appearanceof gates must be retainedunder conservationlegislation.

LeedsandLiverpoolcanal NABO’s hopesof ayearwhen the Leedsand Liverpoolcanal

wasopenfromendtoend were dashedbythefailureof aconcretecill structureonthe WiganFlightatthe endofMay, leadingtoalengthyunplanned stoppage. The canalreopened on July 3. Hopefully,this will be thelast. We hadalreadyhadtwo lockbeamfailures resultingin temporarybracing. Thankfullythesetemporary repairsaregettingquicker eventhoughmorecommon, resultinginanavigationclosure foronly afew days.Itisstill enoughtodisrupt someone’s carefullyplannedholidaycruise ifit occurs in acruisingring favouredbyhireboaters. Recent reportsof aboat gettingintodifficulty with the bowfender caughtupon alockgatehavehighlighted that boatingisnot arisk-free activity. It demands attention tothemovementofthe boat in water at alltimesandespecially in alock. The most innocentlookingnarrowlockcan have up to20ft of waterinitand some staircase lockshavemore. No one wantstosee anyone’s home disappearingwithoneend caughtona gateorcill. Keep alertandstay safe.

OllieOwl outonthesystem. PHOTO:SUPPLIED

Theinteriorof OllieOwl. PHOTO:SUPPLIED.

CatherineArmstrong,ownerof CafwinCruises. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

“Wouldn’t it be greattolivesomewhere wherenobodyhelps each otherout.” (saidnoone ever) There’sanother way. Choose freedom, together with Aquavista.