THE Anderton Boat Lift Visitor Centre remains open, despite the lift being closed to boats for the rest of the season. A fall in visitor numbers since the closure was announced for repairs on the caisson gates prompted the Canal & River Trust to stress that it is still business as usual at the centre near Northwich. Boat trips are now available along the River Weaver between the lift and town centre twice a day.
BOATERS BATTLE WEED INVASION P8P11P5
IWA meeting date
Licence fee rise CANAL & River Trust boat licences will rise by a further 4% from October 1. e second increase this year, following a 4% rise in April, it is in conjunction with cost-saving measures and actions to increase income from other sources. According to the trust this will still be some way below current in ation of 9.4% which is predicted to rise further. Full story and reaction from IWA and NABO, turn to page 77. Business as usual
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Boaters urged to save water as restrictions bite
By Phil Pickin BOATERS are being urged to conser ve water after drought conditions left the canal system struggling to cope. Already di cult situations have been made worse by the lack of water due to weeks without rain, resulting in Canal & River Trust having to impose restrictions on a number of stretches of water way. While navigation closures currently mostly affect northern wate rw ay s, the nationwide drought means that restricted opening times are now being introduced in some parts of the South, on the Grand Union Leicester Line, the north and south Oxford and Coventr y canals. To help canal users CRT has a page on its website to provide up-to-date information to boaters on the situation, which will hopefully improve after some signi cant rainfall. CRT chief operating officer Julie Sharman said: “ e heatwave is the last thing we wanted. We’re incredibly disappointed that we are having to introduce further restrictions. “Unfortunately, the ongoing essential re pair w orks at o ur re se rv oirs to safeguard them for the extreme weather that is likely to become more common due to climate change, coupled with far less rainfall than we needed, have meant that there just isn’t enough water for navigation. We will be carefully watching how the reservoirs re ll and will open the locks as soon as possible. Sh e continued: “While this is currently mainly a ecting our northern water ways, we’re asking boaters across the country, with the help of volunteer lock keepers, to be even more careful than usual to conser ve water. Boaters can help by sharing locks where possible and making sure gates and paddles are fully closed after use. “We appreciate what an impact this has on boaters in the area and we are sorr y that this will a ect cruising plans this summer. If anyone is experiencing any problems please get in touch.” Stoppage information is available at www.canalrivertrust.org.uk and drought information can be found using the search facility.
THE Inland Waterways Association’s 63rd Annual General Meeting is on Saturday, September 24 at e Guildhall in Lich eld. A presentation on Waterways for Today – IWA’s comprehensive vision for the water ways – at 10.30am will be followed by presentation of awards before the AGM at 11.30am. Members will be able to attend the sessions remotely (Zoom link), as well as in person. For more details visit www.water ways.org.uk
Continued on page 2
Reflection…
On a warm August evening – Foxwell’s Bridge No 26 on the Ashby Canal in the heart of England. PHOTO: GRAHAM NUTTALL
He continued: “While navigation closures are currently predominantly a ecting our northern water ways, the low rainfall is hitting hardest in the south of the country and we’re asking all boaters, with the help of volunteer lock keepers, to be even more careful than usual to conser ve water.”
Boaters urged to save water as restrictions bite update on August 15, the Canal & River Trust introduced what it called ‘water saving measures’. ese a ect various locations but CRT pointed out that more than 80% of the network remained open and fully navigable. A map of these areas can be found on the CRT website Chief executive Richard Parr y said: “ e drought declared across many parts of the country, coupled with essential maintenance works, means that we are experiencing shortages of water supplies on a number of canals. “ e restrictions on other canals, which limit the times lock ights are open, will help to save water, meaning that the water available will last longer in the boating season. We will be carefully watching reservoir levels and will open the locks as soon as there’s been enough rain to do so.”
Thames plan e Environment Agency has also been issuing statements to keep users up to date on the latest information relating to its water ways. A spokesman explained: “We have issued advisory notices to boaters advising them to conser ve water where possible, e.g. by sharing locks and w e have deploye d low level boards at lock sites in East Anglia. “We have activated our Waterways Drought Plan in the ames area. is sees voluntary navigation restrictions in place along the length of the ames and mandatory restrictions in hotspot areas (Oxford) are under consideration. We are also staunching weirs around Oxford to reduce leakage and planning improvements at other sites following a review of current asset performance. We have circulated a dry weather protocol for navigation on the River Wye to canoe company operators and governing bodies such as British Canoeing and Canoe Wales.”
Continued from page 1 IN AN
Th e drou ght conditions h av e a ected everyone including the Middle Level Navigation Commissioners who The empty canal between the two Poolstock locks on the Leigh branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Wigan. On the days when there is no boat passage the pound seems to drain quite rapidly. In the background is the church of St James and St Thomas at Poolstock.
A padlock prevents anyone raising the paddle at Kings Lock on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Middlewich.
PHOTO: COLIN WAREING
Mr Garnham-Edge noted that the vegetation in his area, which is usually cut four times per year, hasn’t been cut more than a couple of times is, he feels, indicates that CRT is unable to organise even the simplest of contracts let alone deal with major issues such as drought. Su ch is the se ve ri ty of the problems Colin is experiencing he fears for the future of his business. He told us that unless he sees some evidence that CRT is going to address these water management issues, he will have little option but to close at the end of the year. On e of the large st hire eet operators is Black Prince, who, as of August 8, ceased selling holidays from its base in Stoke-on-Trent. Its Etruria location is in the midst of the closures on the Trent & Mersey and the Caldon canals. Operations manager Leighton Jones told us that they’ve had to move some bookings to other bases within the group. As he put it: “ is is one advantage to being part of a large organisation.” He also prais ed t he help and support from other hire eets who’ve stepped in when Black Prince hasn’t been able to o er suitable alternative dates to those who’ve booked with the company. Despite being able to move many bookings to alternative locations and dates, he feels the company has still lost around £22,000 during this period – but he doesn’t blame CRT for the situation. He feels the charity has a di cult job to do but would have liked more notice of the closures to allow the business to prepare. With many businesses trying to recover from two years of lockdowns followed by sky-high fuel bills and a looming recession, a drought could be t he last st raw for so me. With academics suggesting that we will have to get used to hotter and drier weather in the future it would seem an e ective strategy to mitigate the e ects of these changes is urgently needed.
Hire fleets Alth ough many b oaters have b een impacted by t he ‘s ummer of 22’, businesses too have su ered w ith a number of hire eets having to try and work around the closures. An ABC Leisure Group spokeswoman told us: “At the moment the only impact it has had on ABC Boat Hire customers is that they have had to do alternative routes to the ones they may have wanted to do. We are advising customers to adhere to lock restrictions, share locks etc.” However some other eets are taking more drastic action to overcome the problems such as moving their boats to other bases to avoid restrictions such as on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. But the impact on a small, singlelocation business can be worse as there is no alternative location. One such business is Twyford Wharf Narrowboats whic h finds itself in this difficult situation. Colin Garnham-Edge, who has run the business for 12 years, said that the current situation is the “worst he has seen” and lays much of the blame at the door of the Canal & River Trust who, he feels, are “reactive rather than proactive” He told us that many of the boaters he has spoken to are very disappointed in the state of the water ways in general.
PHOTO: COLIN WAREING During the restrictions the Canal & River Trust has taken the opportunity to do some maintenance work including the fitting of new bottom gates to the top lock, No 1 on the Bosley lock flight on the Macclesfield Canal.
The only boat on this section of the Caldon Canal.
2 NEWS September 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk TOWPATH Janet Independently proven pick up: 34,450 copies Independent publisher since 1885 Conditions: Editorial is accepted subject to availability of space, and editorial policy on content and insertion cannot be guaranteed. The publisher retains the right o edit material submitted. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy through accurate and clear copy, but the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. WELC OME Editor Janet jrichardson@mortons.co.ukRichardson Publisher Tim Hartley Group advertising manager Sue Keily Advertising sales team leader Tania Shaw – 01507 tshaw@mortons.co.uk529489 Editorial design Chris Abrams Production editor Pauline Hawkins Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Contact Customerusservices 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: MondayFriday www.classicmagazines.co.ukhelp@classicmagazines.co.uk8.30am-5pm. News & editorial Tel: 01507 529466. Fax: 01507 529495 editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk Published by Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 523456. Fax: 01507 529301 Printed by Mortons Print Ltd. Tel. 01507 523456 Next issue – September 22, 2022
PHOTO: PHIL PICKIN
PHOTO: COLIN WAREING look after the link between the rivers Nene and Great Ouse ey recently said: “A second month with almost no rainfall is putting our system under extreme pressure. We keep levels up at this time of year, and in these conditions, by taking water from the River Nene. “However, as ows in the Nene fall the Environment Agency is also forced to reduce what we are allowed to take as our share of the residual ow. So far this year we have been able to keep levels above the point where we would expect navigators to be experiencing signi cant issues, but it is a ne line and a few inches either way can make all the di erence to this.” With our climate changing, and events like this likely to become increasingly common, plans need to be made to mitigate the changes that are happening. With this in mind the commissioners stated: “Over the next few years it is our intention to explore options for dredging the shallowest lengths of the old river courses as we have done so with much success in the Well Creek – for example we are currently looking at the whole of March and sections in Benwick.”
THE three Cs continue to dominate our daily lives: Climate, Cost of living and Covid – a return to normality. By the time you read this we will hopefully have had so me mu chneeded rain but the water sources are not going to re ll overnight so I expect we will see restrictions for some weeks to come in the drier areas. As far as costs are concerned, a second rise in Canal & River Trust licence fees prompted immediate responses from boaters’ representative organisations, the Inland Water ways Association and National Association of Boat Owners – see page 77. We have also ha d a va riety of comments on ou r To wp at h Ta lk Facebook page including a question ab ou t wh at ’s h ap pe ned to the millions earmarked for the Toddbrook Reservoir repairs – see page 4 for an update on work at the reser voirs feeding the Maccles eld and Peak Forest Canals. It is heartening to see our What’s On pages at their busiest since before the pandemic; turn to pages 18 and 19 for news of the Shardlow and Oxford festivals this month as well as the Southampton International Boat Show about which we also have items in our Technical feature, page 50. Marine surveyor Ben Sutcli e-Davies, who this month gives some timely warnings about battery safety, will be hosting the Foredeck Stage at the show and looks for ward to meeting readers. Nicola Lisle visits the Riverside Museum in Reading – see page 16 –and this month’s anniversary reports include an event to mark 100 years since the closure of the Bradford Canal, page 10; the Chester 250 gathering, page 12 and 20 years since the restoration of the Rochdale Canal, page 15. I enjoyed a trip across the Humber to Paull Boatyard where I met Rolly Hudson and his team, see page 46 and, returning to our first theme this month, Phil Pickin asks if the waterways can help combat climate change, see page 47.
WITH water shortages and low water levels causing closures in some parts of the inland water way network, River Canal Rescue is urging boat owners to take care to avoid grounding. In one week, RCR engineers were called to the same spot on the River Severn on the approach to Bevere Island from the north. is is a direct navigation to the lock, and due to a build-up of silt in the navigation channel, it’s resulted in three boats becoming grounded, requiring assistance. RCR managing director Stephanie Horton said the situation is equally perilous elsewhere from the north to the south of England: “We are getting calls for grounded boats on sections we have never previously had issues with. Groundings are occurring at least twice a week compared to once a month in a typical year.” To reduce the risk of grounding, RCR recommends keeping to the deeper channels, do not cut corners and only travel where there is adequate water Stephanie continued: “If you do become grounded, empty your tanks, move ballast or people to the oating section and always reverse out the way you came in. And the same goes for other boats tying to help you, always pull back the way you came and use your own engines at the same time.” To nd out more about River Canal Rescue visit www. rivercanalrescue.co.uk
With increasing frequency of ooding and drought, and the rising costs of materials we need support now more thanWiever.”llHumpington, climate change and environment advisor at People’s Postcode Lottery said: “We are delighted that funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery will allow this vital preser vation work to take place. “Our players have now raised more than £16 million for Canal & River Trust and it’s great to see those funds being used to safeguard the future of Britain’s industrial heritage, improve people’s health and well-being, and protect the wildlife living on our water ways.”
Th e ca na l and towpath will be closed for the duration of the works which are due to be completed by the end of the year. For more information on the Canal & River Trust, including how you can volunteer or donate money to support its work, visit www. canalrivertrust.org.uk
David Orr comme nt ed : “T he canal system across England and Wa les i s the finest network of industrial heritage in the world, still navigated by boats 250 years after it was built. e creation of the Canal & River Trust 10 years ago has been transformational in the way the water ways are cared for – with more people and more diverse communities using them and involved in their care and upkeep than ever before. “I am delighte d to be joining the trust at this critical stage in its development and look for ward to working with fellow trustees and all the employees and volunteers at the trust to ful l the water ways’ huge potential to shape society, bringing nat ure int o cities , improving community well-being and tackling health inequalities, as well as supporting jobs and local economies. ese special places are vulnerable to the changing climate and we will be working tirelessly to secure their future and maximise the bene t they provide.”
Next Canal & River Trust chairman proposed
Grounding warning from River Canal Rescue
Black Cock Bridge will undergo a major repair.
THE Canal & River Trust is proposing to appoint David Orr CBE as its new chairman subject to formal approval at the meeting of its council in Se ptemb er a nd su bs eq uen t endorsement by f ellow bo ard members the following day. David will join the trust for an initial term of three years in the unpaid ro le and, alongside the charity’s other vo lunt ee r bo ard directors, will lead its decisions on policy and strategy, legal oversight of the trust’s wide range of statutory duties and provide direction to the chief executive and his team. Th is move f or David f ollows a 30-year care er w orking in the housing association sector at chief executive level where he lobbied for, and worked to provide, good quality homes and great neighbourhoods for people on low incomes, rst at t he Sc ottish Fe der at ion of Housing As so ciations and then as chief executive of the National Housing Federation. Si nce re ti ri ng f ro m exec uti ve po sitio ns i n 2018, David ha s continued in non-executive roles, including chairing the Cl arion Housing Association. An enthusiast for the nation’s canal network, David often takes daily walks along the network and has enjoyed many canal boat holidays. He will replace Allan Leighton, who steps down having completed his three terms on the Canal & River Trust Board, including serving as chairman since 2015. Dame Jenny Abramsky, deputy chairman of the trust and chairman of the its Joint Council & Trustees Ap poi nt ments Commi tt ee, sa id: “We are delighte d to w elcome David to the trust and thank Allan for his pow erful leadership and unwavering commitment over the past eight years which has seen the trust take great strides for ward as a new“Hcharity.isunderstanding of the trust’s pu rpose and value t o so ciety, t oge ther wi th h is passion for campaigning and experience of engagement in political circles, will be vitally important as w e work alongside our partners in government to secure the support and funding needed to protect and preserve the canal network and t he ra ng e of si gn ifican t be nefits it prov ides to peop le and communities.”
THE Canal & River Trust has started work to replace Black Cock Bridge on the Daw End Branch Canal in Walsall Wood. Thanks to support from players of Pe ople’s Postcode Lo ttery, t his Victorian road bridge, which carries Camden Street over the Daw End Branch Canal and is named after the nearby public house, will undergo a major repair. e bridge, which was built in around 1880, needs a complete refurbishment having su ered from severe corrosion during its near 150 years of service. e existing steel structure will be removed and replaced with a new arched shap ed b ri dg e. T he s tee l beams will be manufactured o site and delivered and lifted straight into place then a concrete deck and new steel parapets will be built on to them. e original historic brick abutments and cast-iron rope guides will be saved and reused in the construction of a new bridgeCompleteddeck in 1800 the Daw End Branch Canal – pronounced locally as Doe End – is one of the most rural of the Birmingham Canal Navigations e canal was originally built to carr y limestone to Black Country furnaces and links the Rushall Canal to the Wyrley & Essington Canal and is now used by local people and boaters as a place to relax and unwind. Daniel Bailey, from Canal & River Trust, said: “It’s great to be able to complete the works at Black Cock Bridge anks to the generous support from the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery the project will allow us to sensitively replace the bridge and ensure this important canal crossing can be used for many more years to come.
David Orr: Looking forward to becoming the Canal & River Trust’s new chairman following formal approval. PHOTO: CRT
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PHOTO: CRT
“Our canals are enjoying a second golden age – used by more people and in more ways than the great canal engineers of the Industrial Revolution could e ve r have e nv is ag ed Ou r 250-year-old historic network is home to much-loved wildlife and is a vital green space used by millions of people in our towns and cities. It has an important role to play in the decades ahead, for the well-being of communities, protecting biodiversity and mitigating the e ects of a changing climate. “To protec t and pres er ve t he se special places and ensure they don’t fall back into the dark days of dereliction and decline that was the story of the early and mid-20th century, we need Government, partners, funders and the community to join us and raise the money and resources required to care for this amazing historic network.
Ma lcolm Ho rne , chief infrastructure and programmes officer at Canal & River Trust, said: “T he on go ing task of caring for the thousands of historic as se ts th at make up this outowiBetheamprogrammereinfrastructureextraordinarynetworkquiresasubstantialofworkIdelightedtowelcomeappointmentofJNntleyandKier,whollbeworkingwithusprotectandpreserverwaterways.“Wearealsostriving to ens ur e th at t he network is as resilient as possible to more extreme we at her in the face of a changing cli mat e, inve sting in re se rv oirs and other ke y assets to strengthen infrastructure for the benefit of canal users and neighbouring com mu nities. Ou r contractors wi ll play a vital role in ensuring the safety of the water ways and s af eg uarding their future, while enabling us to improve value for money and continuing to deliver an effective emerge nc y response when required.” Historic assets e trust is the third largest owner of listed structures in the UK, including 46 Scheduled Monuments The new contracts will cover its 1582 locks, 55 tu nnels, 2970 brid ge s, 281 aqueducts and 71 re se rv oirs. Th e ma in te na nce of thes e historic assets re quires a hu ge a mount of kno wl ed ge , te chn ical expertise and sensitivity. Ian Bester, operations direc tor at JN Be ntley, sa id: “JN Be nt ley is delighted to be appointed to the Civil Engineering Contract Framework with the Canal & River Trust –an important new client for us and providing a fantastic opportunity to be involved with preserving and enhancing the industrial a nd nat ural heritage of the country. “Securing the framework wi ll allow us t o b ri ng ou r transfer ab le skills developed from 50 years of experience in the water and environment sectors We’ll focus on collaborating with the trust and its partners to deliver safe, sustainable, high quality and innovative so lutions for users of water ways across the UK .” Eddie Quinn, director at K ier In frastructur e Regional Civil Engineering, said: “We are incredibly pr ou d of o ur longstanding partnership with the Canal & River Trust, carr ying out maintenance wo rk s and emer ge nc y response services at times when the trust, and local communities, have needed it most. We are delighted to have been appointed to the new Civil Engineering Co nt ra ct Framewor k, where we will continue to work collaboratively with the trust to deliver vital infrastructure projects.”
Low water levels at the Bosley Reservoir where essential safety works have been carried out.
In the foreground is the reservoir bypass channel that is flowing with water after a couple of days of recent rain, down on its way to the River Goyt in the valley below. When the reservoir is back in use this water’s first course off the hills will be into the reservoir. If the reservoir is full the excess will again flow this way, down to a new channel that will be constructed across the park and out into the Goyt.
4 NEWS September 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk
THE Canal & River Trust to ok the di cult decision to temporarily close locks, restricting navigation on the Peak Forest and Maccles eld canals from late June as a combination of essential reservoir repairs and lack of rainfall caused water supplies in the North West to drop to historically low levels. e two canals are usually supplied with water by four reservoirs. However, essential maintenance works at Bosley Reservoir over the winter requiring the reservoir to be drawn down, coupled wi th the ongoi ng repair wo rk s at Toddbrook Reservoir, resulted in the main boating season starting with much less stored water than normal. North West regional director Daniel Greenhalgh said: “ e Peak Forest and Maccles eld canals have had more than their fair share of troubles over recent years and we’ve put every e ort into keeping them open for boaters. “Unfortunately the ongoing repair wo rks at Tod dbroo k Re se rvoir as well as emergenc y works at Bosley Reservoir, coupled with far less rainfall than we needed, have meant that there just isn’t enough water for navigation and we’ve taken the incredibly hard decision to close the locks to boat tra c until water levels recover. We will be carefully watching how the reservoirs re ll and will open the locks as soon as possible. “We’ve been carr ying out a signi cant amount of water savings maintenance work over the past few years and in the longer ter m, once all our reservoirs CRT has put up this notice to reassure people that the lodge is safe. are back open. is will improve the resilience of the canals, which is more important than ever as climate change shows us long dry spells are becoming the new normal.” e trust is continuing the ongoing water-saving repair works to increase all available water ows into the canal network. While essential safety works were carried out at Bosley Reservoir it took the opportunity to dredge and remove vegetation on all the feeders, increasing water ows and reducing losses. At Sutton Re se rv oir re pair a nd improvement work is under way to improve control of feeds, allowing the trust to maximis e water ows, and dredging and ve ge tation clearance works have been completed Repair works are being carried out at Combs Reservoir along the feeder channel, while at Marple Lock Flight recent works have been completed to dredge and reduce water losses. e trust is also pumping water from Combs Reservoir via the River G oyt into the canal until the feeder is fully operational.
Reservoir work and droughtcause canal closures
PHOTOS: COLIN WAREING
Right: Near the reservoir is the Todd’s Brook Lodge which was used by the reservoir keeper at one time. It was completed in 1881, a year after the Peak Forest Canal which the reservoir feeds water into. As the Canal & River Trust was working on a plan for the repair of the reservoir local concerns were raised as to the future of the lodge. Now CRT has acquired the lodge and it will be used as the improvement project headquarters. It is interesting that nowadays it is called Toddbrook compared with the original name of Todd’s Brook. New contracts awarded for civil engineering projects FROM ights of locks, to re se rvoirs, tu nnels and aqueducts, the Canal & River Trust has awarded contracts to JN B entley and Kier t o ca rr y ou t large-scale construction and engineering projects across its waterways over the next decade. Th e new contracts , re placing the cur re nt nat ional c ontract wi th Ki er, have a p otential total value of around £500 million and are the trust’s largest award of water way engineering works Playing a pivotal role in helping to protect and preser ve t he nat ion’s canals, reservoirs and river navigations, the contracts are awarded for a period of up to 10 years from August 2022, with an initial term of four y ears, followe d by extension options of a further six years. A rigorous six-stage tender process wa s ca rri ed out over a 20-month period. e canal network has be en re discove re d and is today us ed by more people than at any point in its history. As well as being navigated by boats in the same way as during the Industrial Revolution, the network is also gearing up to play a pivotal role in the resilience of towns and cities, helping them to mitigate the e ects of climate change Co ve ri ng t he north and south of the network re sp ectively, JN B entle y and Kier will carr y out the lar ge st re sto ra tion and repair projects and will work on the trust’s most complex assets such as reservoirs, embankments, cu lverts, tu nnels and aqueducts – i ncludi ng re sp onding to d ynamic situations, such as ooding or canal breaches. Later this month, a ra ng e of contractors will also be appointed for delivering less complex works.
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G R E A AT T B R I T I S H P R O D U C T S 5September2022
Workshop format for October NCA meeting
Pennywort on the Soar. Pennywort completely blocking Silebybrook below the bridge where it enters themarina.
www.towpathtalk.co.uk September 2022 NEWS 5
Battle is on to free marina from pennywort invasion
SHOVEL readiness wi ll be t he f oc us of the Northern Canals diTrusChesterHoOcmeetingAssociationonSunday,tober9atthellingwoodHub.HostedbytheeldCanalt,itwillbeerentinformatfrommostpreviousmeetingsinthatthemainpresentationswillbeworkshopbased.Thetrust’sdevelopmentmanagerGeorge ger s wi ll b e leading the day. He explained: “In particular, we will be discussing Levelling Up and d eli ve ry o f you r projects –learning from the Chester eld Canal Trus t’s su ccessful application to the Towns sothasprogrammesPM,whogocolour“WhicheverFund.ofvernmentandeverthegovernmentaresessedthrougheGreenBook,beassuredthecontentwillremainrelevantlongerthan the current turmoil of British politics.” Green Book uses a ‘Five Case Model’, wi th the proj ec t examin ed f ro m a Strategic, Economic, Fi na ncial, Comme rc ial and Ma na ge men t per sp ec tiv e. T he Stra tegic an d Ec onomic ca se s broadly set out why the project should bePadeliveredtrick Mo ss , from Mo ss Na ylor Yo un g, wi ll be l eading a presentation and workshop on these elements. e other cases broadly cover how the project wi ll be d elivered and George Rogers wi ll be l eading a presentation and workshop on these elements.Alongside the wo rk shops, there wi ll be t he usual update on the progress of the Chester eld Canal Trus t, p ro gres s updates from other soc ieties a nd a chance t o visit the re cent wo rk s complet ed a t Staveley Town Basin and the route of the Towns Fund scheme beyond.As55 gr ou ps are represented by the NC A, demand is ex pec te d to be ke en for the 45 av ailable places so e arly boo kin g is advised; contact the NCA at cahostgrCaBo8andretheis12Sufornortherncanals.orgwww.Dateshavealreadybeenxedmeetingsin2023:nday,Februarywillbehosted,ithoped,byoneofBlackCountrystorationgroupsSunday,OctoberbytheManchester,ltonandBurynalSociety.AnyoupwishingtofuturemeetingsnletNCAknow.
Words & photos: Les Heath BO AT ER S on the Ri ve r So ar have joined the fight ag ain st inva siv e oating pennywort which is choking the na vi gat ion and thre at eni ng Sileby Marina. Th e problem has re ce nt ly be en highlighted on local TV and radio after a brook from the village running into the marina became completely blocked wi no sign of the water beneath. e pennywort, which grows at a rat of 20cm a day, is now encroaching on the marina where boaters are ghtin an ongoing battle to clear the weed fro around their boats. Th e non- nat ive plant wa s fir identi ed in Leicestershire in 2004, thought to be an escapee from a garden. Si nce then t he pen ny wo rt h spread rapidly despite spraying. Environment Agency said they we aware of the problem at Sileby and we Boater and Canal & River Trust volunteer John Rush clearing pennywort in the marina.
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Funds and other similar programmesprogrammes.government“AllofthesehavetomeetthecriteriasetoutintheHMTreasury‘GreenBook’,sowewillbeinvestigatinghowschemescomplyandwhatthismeansforplanning
putting for ward a plan to solve it. Earlier this year the agency introduced a South American weevil at certain sites which it hopes will eventually get rid of theExpennywort.tensivetrials have already taken place to study how the weevils eat the leaves and the lar vae eat the stems, reducing its ability to grow.
By Tim Coghlan A SAYING of the 18th century lit-wit Dr Samuel Johnson and much quoted by Churchill was: ‘“Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.” While our predicament at Braunston Marina was not that bad, in June this year – and despite our best endeavours – we still had little more than that fortnight to go to our historic narrowboat rally in terms of resolving the problem we had been trying
Sarah is pictured receiving the Nurser Best In Show award from Tim Coghlan of Braunston Marina.
PHOTO: NICK PRITCHARD COLLECTION
However in recent times we noticed that the rock seemed to have got closer to the surface, making the draft even less. Maybe it was rotating and with that presumably it was moving, therefore not xed to the culvert brickwork. e clearance now was a problem even for modern shallowdrafted narrowboats and impossible for the deep-drafted historic ones. It was time to throw everything at it, including the wonders of modern technology.
Raising the rock by the dock: the remaining bit of the 18th century quayside wall is finally removed from the Old Oxford Arm.
PHOTO: TIM COGHLAN As it was: the quayside in June 1958 at the time of the launch of the Raymond. One of the rollers for the boat launches – at the bottom right of the picture – was recovered in the rebuilding of the wall in 1995 and is now incorporated into the new adjoining concrete walkway, with its pair.
The quayside in the mid-60s: in the new world of leisure boating under the ownership of Blue Line Cruisers. The quayside wall was already deteriorating and a quick fix was made by building a scaffold-supported wooden pontoon.
Stop rocking the boat!
PHOTO: AUBREY BERRIMAN COLLECTION
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Between a rock and a hard place: Sarah Malcolm on the Princess Anne, unintentionally well stuck on the notorious rock at the 2019 Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally.
Underwater survey We commissioned an under water camera survey of the rock, which revealed to our astonishment that it was some 2.5m long – we thought it was just a metre or so en we employed the services of Midlands water ways specialist Ambion Contractors, with its team headed by David Saunders. A lot of work had to go into the waterside site preparations before the team had its rst go at a lift out, using a conventional JCB, with the intention of breaking up the rock under water rst, before lifting it out. But this ‘rock of ages’ would not break beyond a few token pieces round theItedges.was time for Ambion Contractors
6 NEWS September 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk
Diana Monaghan – a retired school teacher and co-owner of the historic narrowboat Madeley, a converted Fellow, Morton & Clayton butty which regularly attends our rallies – had found an astonishing advertisement in a 1788 copy of the Northampton Mercury. It o ered coal for sale at the wharf at Braunston, where the new canal crossed underneath the turnpike road from London to Birmingham. e coal came via the newly opened canal from the Warwickshire coal elds. So the coal wharf was in place then, with the connection opened further south to the ames at Oxford still two years away on January 1, 1790. at rock must have been made around 1788. With a lot of running around, the quayside where that rock had been lifted out was made shipshape in the remaining two weeks before the rally. But old habits die hard and I noticed the historic boaters, who had attended our rallies in the past, seemed to give a wide berth to where the rock had been. As for the Princess Anne, she attended the rally, but was moored safely out on the Grand Union Canal. It would seem that the good lady would now not touch that Old Oxford Arm with a barge pole!
PHOTO: GRAHAM NEWMAN to deal with for some years. It was the large lump of rock that lay only a couple of feet beneath the surface of what we call the Old Oxford Arm and which during Covid had got much worse. at lump would be in the very heart of where the visiting historic narrowboats would be mooring when not parading, unless we somehow sorted it. At the last rally we held in 2019, the rock had caught a number of these canal leviathans, requiring much muscle and sweat to get them o One of the boats that got stuck on that rock – in a dramatic style reminiscent of an unsuccessful attempt at the water jump at Badminton Horse Trials – was the Princess Anne e boat had only recently enjoyed a magni cent restoration completed by its new owner Sarah Malcolm – and was now the winner of the Best Historic Narrowboat in Show as voted by the boat owners. In true Princess Anne style, Sarah was not amused e boat was built by Harland & Wol in Woolwich in 1935 and rst named the Plato With the birth of Princess Anne in 1950, it was renamed in her honour and has kept the name ever since. e o ending rock seemed to be the last remaining part of the old wharf wall that had collapsed through neglect in the 1980s. In the mid-1990s, after I had acquired the marina, we rebuilt that wall through the use of a co er dam. In so doing we removed all of that old collapsed wall, bar one section that de ed all e orts on our part. It just wouldn’t move and as it was located immediately above the culvert that drained our dry docks and ran under the arm, we took the view that it was best left alone, as we could live with it. to call in its canal cavalry – a 16-tonne tracked excavator, delivered by low loader. e skilled operator soon proved that the rock could move, which he gingerly showed by dragging it to a position where its sausage shape could be more centrally located in the scoop bucket. en, to the astonishment of the onlookers, this Jawsmonster of Braunston Marina was at last gingerly lifted clear of the water, the excavator straining itself to hold it in position in the bucket. Much careful manoeuvring was then needed to reverse the excavator and its estimated ve-tonne load well clear of the waterside, where the stone could be unloaded in the car park. Even now, the rock would not break up and Ambion Contractors had to rush in a special JCB with a breaker to reduce the rock to small lumps, after which it could be taken away for disposal. But before that, there was something of a mortar postmortem as to why that rock had proved so hard On close inspection, it proved not to have been a solid rock or large lump of concrete, but in fact nothing more than the remains of a wall built of rough hewn limestone bonded in burnt lime cement – both probably from the ancient quarry on nearby Barby Hill – as the canal builders sourced materials locally wherever possible. By the time the wharf wall was constructed in the mid to late 1780s, the canal was probably already built, so the wall would have set under water – the best way for the cement to set extra-hard.Today, information from more and more ancient newspapers is being put on to the internet, unearthing many fascinating facts.
The ever-alert Jackie Chan listens in when hearing about his parentage.
Words & photos: Alison Alderton THIS summer Ba rg e Be ag le ha s be en keeping cool with the aid of a cooling mat. Th ere are ma ny different types and desi gn s of thes e available on the market, some of which require placing in the freezer or refr igerator before us e. How ev er, the PawPride cooling mat is acti vated by you r dog ’s weight so there is no need to plan ahead, your pooch can simply flop out on the mat whenever he likes and be instantly provided with up to four hours of blissful coolness. e cooling gel inside the mat is non-toxic but not all cooling mats are the same. When considering a purchase, bear this in mind –especially if your dog is a chewer! e bluecoloured outer nylon covering can be easily wi pe d clean wi th a warm cloth and the mat f olds u p neatl y into quite a small size. is makes it ideal for boating dogs (and their huma ns – great for cooling down hot feet!) when stowing space is at a premium. e cooling mat can be used both inside and out and your dog will quickly come to realise that lying on it provides relief in hot weather. If your dog has been crate trained the cooling mat will slide directly inside and, on the hottest of days, consider covering the crate with a cloth or blanket to stop any penetrating sunlight to create a personal chillout zone for your dog. Th e Pa wPride cooling mat c omes in sizes small (£18.99) to extralarge (£29.99). Barge Beagle, considered a medium-siz ed d og , ha s a large v ersion but this is rather short to accommodate his complete body length – so becoming handy with a tape measure be fore ordering is recommended! Barge Beagle chills out on his cooling mat. The PawPride range of cooling mats is available from Amazon and pet stores. The coolingPawPridemat.
www.towpathtalk.co.uk September 2022 PETS 7
Pets on the Cut Lorraine and Jackie Chan
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Just chilling!
Given that Jackie Chan was sitting alongside me on the couch and watching me intently while I was chat ting to Lo rraine, I didn’t embarrass him by bu rsting into laughter after hearing abou t his parentage. What ’s more important is he’s adapted well to narrowboat life and like all pups he’s growing up q ui ck ly. He’s al so proving friendly towards other marina dogs when they stop by at the marina o ce and he’s also cat friendly. Bo th thes e at tributes are definit e pluses in the re la ti ve con nes of a marina. Dy ed -in-the-w oo l Brist olian L or ra ine ha s been a dog lover since girlhood and a few years back, before she became Caen Hill Marina manager, she ha d a love ly fluffy little dog called Lucky. He too was a dedicated narrowboat dweller and when I rst met Lorraine, she informed me Lucky was a Jack Russell terrier-cross. Seemingly, the JR genetics weren’t the dominant gene in Lucky’s DNA because to me he appeared to be a ‘cuddly’ sort of u y dog rather than wiry-haired as in ToJR. that end and hazarding a guess I’m sure Lucky’s father was a soft curlycoated travelling salesman of the canine sort, who had stopped by to woo Lucky’s mother. Folk who knew the narrowboat loving Lucky said he reminded them a lot of puppeteer Bob Carolgees’ canine puppet Spit the Dog Sadly, around two years ago and after 12-years of being a devoted canine friend to Lorraine, Lucky passed away due to cancer. In the wake of Lucky’s passing
Lorraine Howe, Caen Hill Marina manager,lovingly holds her new canine acquisition,Jackie Chan. Lorraine understandably felt she wasn’t quite ready for another canine companion Howe ve r, a nd ov er t he ensuin g months those of us who know Lorraine well always felt something was missing, more particularly so whenever we saw her out and about while busying herself with marina management issues. It just wasn’t the same seeing her without a dog of her own close by, although we often saw her walking dogs belonging to various friends of hers. And then, suddenly, one morning a few months back the persistent yapping of a six-week-old puppy could be heard emanat ing from the office. When entering, one could see Lorraine had a mischievous smile on her face, and it wasn’t long before we all knew Jackie Chan had arrived. And was de nitely here to stay.
Words & photos: Kevin Thomas A FEW months bac k, d og -lovin g Lorraine Howe, the Caen Hill Marina manager, invested in a new canine companion. It’s a male, predominantly grey in colour with blue eyes and he goes by the name of Jackie Chan. Already, and as young as he is, wherever one sees Lorraine they can be sure Jackie Chan will be close by He’s not a big dog and due to his lineage, I doubt he’ll ever grow into a big dog; however, and even now at his young age, he’s displaying a ‘big dog’ attitude. His devotion to L orraine is already noticeable, which is noble. I guess at this point too, it’s worth noting Jackie Chan’s lineage because it’s interesting. Lorraine informed me his mother was a Jack Russell x Sta e which is ne, but then the mental image became a bit confusing as to how Jackie Chan and his siblings were conceived when Lorraine informed me his father was a Chihuahua!
Th e mo st e njo yab le activity of the day was a collective gathering at the end of the various sessions to just sit together, enjoy the glorious village views and the sunshine and re ect on the day’s work over a cup of tea or co ee and biscuits. anks go to local Tesco Commun ity Champion Greg Barratt, who regularly su pports and joins in UC AN ’s a ctivities, for providing refreshments.
PHOTOS: DAVE STANDLEY The Army team celebrate their victory.
More volunteers will be very welcome for the w ork parties to be held in September and October when work will take place in earnest to put down 300m of wooden edging, to frame the resurfacing of the towpath. Interested people should visit shropshireunion. org.uk for details of dates and contacts. Advanced planning is taking place for the next project beyond Crickheath Bridge which will begin in 2023.
Celebrating Green Flag status at Blue Bank Lock on the River Soar in Leicestershire are, from left: Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire; Alan Leather, enterprise manager and Richard Bennett, heritage and environment manager for Canal & River Trust. The Birmingham city centre stretch from the Sea Life Centre to Selly Oak. now holding the international quality mark for parks and green spaces. e Midlands saw seven new sites being awarded Green Flags, including sites i n central Bi rm ingham and Walsall. In Manchester and She eld, once unloved stretches of urban canal have been transformed into pleasant, wildlife-rich places for the surrounding communities to spend time. More rural stretches along the River Soar and Calder & Hebble Navigation were also recognised. Th e Ke nnet & Av on Ca na l, Ma cclesfield Ca na l and Mo nmouthshire & Brec on Canal, together with Royal Albert Dock in Liverpool, the rst marina in England to hold a Blue Flag, retained their status, along with 35 other sites.
Dragon boats are long, elaborately decorated canoes with a dragon’s head and tail attached. ere are wooden benches for the crew of up to 16 paddlers as well as room at the bow for the drummer and a space at the stern for the steers person, known as a helmsman, to stand. It caters for a wide range of ages and abilities in one crew. e sport dates back more than 2000 years and today, with more than one million teams competing worldwide, it is the second most popular watersport on the planet. On the water – the team in front is from Chichester College. Two youth teams from the Scouts neck and neck.
Massive step forward on the Monty ANOTHER massive step for ward to the Montgomery Canal near Crickheath has been achieved with more than 3000 building blocks put on top of blankets of waterproof lining material to weight them down. The narrowing blocking gap. PHOTOS: SU PUBLICITY is has resulted in a further 50m of completed channel. Some detailed work was done to bring the top edge into line, with a hefty session of angle grinding. Heritage Lottery Fund money that has nanced the project will end in October, so all work needs to be completed by the end of that month. e nal few metres of untreated channel were shaped to the precise angle, so the next work party will see a change of emphasis. Lining and blocking will continue to cover this last 60m section. Stone riprap and soil will also be added to a hundred metres of lining material between the top of the blocking and the towpath edge, using power barrows to transport the material. Riprap is put down at water level to break up the wash from passing boats and prevent erosion. Angle grinding the top edge.
Litter picking and balsam bashing
e Rotary Club of Chichester Priory, in partnership with the local charity CancerWise, has been organising the challenge since 2012 to raise funds.
MORE than a quarter of the Canal & River Trust’s navigations have been awarded Green Flag status by Keep Britain Tidy. Th ese include u rban ca na ls in Ma nches te r, S heffield and Birmingham as well as semi-rural stretches of river in Leicestershire and a navigation in Yorkshire. CRT chief executive Richard Parr y said: “We’re delighted that more than a quarter of our network now holds Green Flag Awards. It’s a testament to everyone who works or volunteers with the trust, including those in the community who play such a vital part in helping to look after their local canal.
PHOTO: UCAN Work parties will take place in September on Saturday 10 and Thursday 29. UCAN is always pleased to welcome new volunteers and anyone who would like further information should contact Peter Killan on 01457 878361 or email peterkillan@ hotmail.com
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Dragon boats return to the Chichester Canal
THE Uppermill Community Action Ne tw ork (U CA N) vo lunteers ha ve b ee n wo rk ing in partnership with a range of agencies and people committed to helping keep the canalside village clean and tidy and protecting the local wildlife. UC AN and Ol dham Me tropolitan Bo ro ugh Council (OMBC ) worked alongside one another as pa rt o f the Don't Trash Oldham campaign which see s Ol dham Counci l sta out and about across the b orou gh, includi ng Saddleworth, conducting additional cleaning up of litter and y-tipping. Other activities saw UCAN wo rk ing in partnership with the volunteers from Green eld Street Scene on a combined ‘balsam bash’ Covid restrictions prevented clearance for nearly three years with the result that the balsam h as sp re ad extensively over the period and now presents a much bigger problem. Th e combined efforts achieved excellent results and the vo lunteers managed to clear two large areas and hopefully restrict future growth.
A pleasant end to a day’s activities: volunteers from UCAN and other community groups.
More Green Flags for CRT waterways
“ e ve million hours of time our volunteers have given has helped us achieve incredible feats like the Green Flags that now grace 50 stretches of our water ways, making life better for the communities they run through.” As the trust celebrated its 10th anniversary it secured a further 125 miles of Green Flag water ways across England and Wales, with 565 miles Leicester’s Deputy City Mayor Coun Adam Clarke, second from left, celebrates with members of the Canal & River Trust, Leicester City Council, local volunteers and young people from National Citizens Service. PHOTOS: CRT
CHICHE ST ER Priory Rotary’s popular Dragon Boat Challenge recently returned to the Chichester Ship Canal to bring the community together and raise money for local charities. is well-established annual event, combined with ne weather, led to large crowds ocking to the canal. e atmosphere was vibrant with competitors and visitors cheering along the water’s edge from the Canal Basin to Poyntz Bridge. Racing proved to be highly competitive with teams from, among others, Chichester College, the Scouts and the Chichester Ship Canal Trust taking part. e Army team completed the course in an unprecedented 56 seconds – surely a new record! Chichester Mayor Coun Julian Joy presented the prizes at the end and town crier, Coun Richard Plowman, was also in attendance. With so many people enjoying what the canal has to o er, canal trust volunteers did a sterling job, especially those in the cafe, which was very popular.
8 NEWS September 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk
Hannah Bodsworth beside her floating home.
Hannah’s oating home, a 1989 42ft cruiser stern narrowboat with a V-bottom hull, is shared with nine-year-old George, their dog Frida and new puppy, Leto. Hannah has certainly had to roll up her sleeves and get stuck in with this project. “I was lucky to get the boat for a very good price at £18.5k but it did need a lot of work to make it comfortable for my little family and I was on a very tight budget.”
Specific challenges Matthew explained: “From the conversations we have on the towpath, we know that some boaters face speci c challenges, for example raising a family on the water, boating with a disability, or di culty accessing services such as doctors’ surgeries. “We will use the information to nd common themes and identify areas where we can help. It will also add weight to the work we do with other organisations who may not be familiar with the practicalities of life a oat.”
By Alice Griffin WHEN freelance photographer Ha nnah Bod sw orth found herself exploring home options following a break-up in 2017, all roads led to the water. “Liv ing on a boat wa s something I’d been looking at for around three years, inspired by my eldest brother who lives on a sail boat in Bristol.” However, it was desperation that gave her the nal push. “I needed somewhere to live and also needed to slow my life down signi cantly as I was struggling with symptoms of Moburnout.”ving o n to the wa te r re duc ed Hannah’s m onthly outgoings considerably, which meant she could give up her job in ma rketing and invest herself into her side hustle as a photographer. “I now had time for stillness, to take stock of a di cult few years of my life, and to reconnect with nature. But perhaps most of all, to really enjoy being a parent.”
aboardwandersandbringwellnessyogaAlicehannahbodsworth.comWe@narrowboatmamaInstagram:bsite:Grifnisawriterandteacherwholeadse-coursestousbacktonatureourselves.Shethewaterwayshernarrowboat, Melody n. co.uk
. www.alicegrif
THE Canal & River Trust has launched its rst Boater Census and is asking every licence holder to take part and help paint a picture of who boats on its water ways. De si gned w ith in pu t from bo at er representatives on the CRT council, the census aims to help understand the di erent needs of those who live on or who use their boats for leisure on the network in England and Wales. e anonymous data will be available to share with other organisations, such as local authorities and health service providers, to help them understand boaters’ needs and ensure they are met. Matthew Symonds, CRT head of customer service, said: “While we know quite a lot about the boats that are on our network, for example the size, type and even their age, we know much less about the people on board and their circumstances. “T he Bo at er Cen su s wi ll give us a comprehensive overview of the people who boat on our waterways, what they are using their boats for, and the challenges that they might face.”
PHOTOS SUPPLIED Boaters urged to fill in new census survey
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Diverse community Tracey Clarke, co-opted boater representative to represent the views of disabled boaters on the council, said: “ ose of us who live on the water know that there’s a huge diversity of people in the boating community. “However, very little infor mation about them is formally recorded and that makes it much harder to provide evidence to those who make decisions about the services that boatersAnotherneed.”bo at er re presentativ e, D av e Mendes da Costa, added: “Spending time on the water is a great experience, but life on a boat is not without its challenges. “I know how hard it can be to access basic services like a GP and have seen the obstacles which many face when bringing up children aboard or acting as carers. “ is census provides the rst opportunity for boaters to give the Canal & River Trust a full picture of these challenges, whether that’s nding places to maintain our boats, access to health services or barriers to claiming bene ts.
One thing that remains the same whether continuously cruising or moor ed u p, though, is the ab ility to immerse herself in nature. “I love the light re ecting o the water – double the sunrise and sunset! It makes winters so much more enjoyable.” But perhaps most of all, it’s knowing that if she needs to move again, she can untie her ropes and take her home along for the ride.
“ e more boaters who complete the census, the better the trust can understand our needs so I’d encourage ever yone to take part.” e census is short, easy to complete and completely anonymous, with no data attached to any boater. In phases during August the trust has been sending a unique e-link to the census to every boat licence holder who has provided an email or mobile phone number. Boaters are encouraged to complete the census survey by Friday, September 30, 2022, and the trust will send out reminders ahead of that date.
Hannah Bodsworth and son George in their inspiring space.
Narrowboat Mama, Hannah Bodsworth
www.towpathtalk.co.uk September 2022 CHARACTER/NEWS 9
Characters of the Cut
One of Hannah’s dogs takes a seat at her desk.
He r enthusiasm and excitement to tackle this project shone t hrou gh – and wi th umpteen epis odes of Ge orge Clarke’s Amazing Spaces under her belt, along with very willing friends and family, Hannah has turned her rather tired-looking boat into a beautifully inspiring space that radiates a sense of calm. ere is even space for yoga and as a fellow yogi on a narrowboat, I know what an achievement that is! “With the help of my brother and a carpenter I gutted the Hannah’s 42ft narrowboat. lounge area and made it into a ma ster bed ro om/diner/office all in one. e original bedroom was also gutted and made into George’s bedroom, with a cabin bed so he had space for his Lego and train tracks underneath.” Hannah’s kitchen and bathroom we re g iven an aesthetic makeover, and in time she had the engine refurbished and the pram cover replaced. Big trip Having travelled a lot it ’s no su rprise that Hannah enj oy s getting out on her boat. “I generally like slumming it with a backpack, getting o the beaten track, but when I had to give up my studio because of Covid it made sense to me to explore the world at my feet instead.” is led to a big trip from Leicestershire to London in 2021 where Hannah and George enjoyed much of the canal. “Most stretches have lovely scenery or nu ances, bu t I got really excited reaching Cosgrove on my trip down the Grand U nion. Th e bo at c om mu nity felt ve ry welcoming and there were lots more young boaters and children than there had been further north. I guess as much as I love t he ou tstanding natural environment on the rural waterways, it’s the people that are the most important thing for me day to day.” As Cosgrove is my own home ground, I was pleased that Hannah received such a warm welcome. Hannah also can’t believe how many solo female boaters she met on the River Lea in London. “I felt like I’d found my tribe and weirdly, I have met seven other solo female boaters named Hannah on the water there!” However, while continuously cruising offers a chea pe r option for Hannah, as well as more variety, the downside is that it’s physically demanding. “You can’t always find a mooring in po pu la r spot s, es pec ially in L ondon. I’ve sailed until it ’s dark before now and had to give up and moor somewhere prohibited for a night.” is means that for now Hannah is sub-letting a mooring in London while another boat is out of the water “I’ve spent some of the last ve years continuous cruising but I’ve managed to get the luxury of a mooring with hook up for a lot of it, which is especially welcome in mid-winter!”
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ONE hundred years to the day since the last commercial boat descended the Bradford Canal to Shipley, the anniversary of its closure was marked on July 15, 2022.ecanal had a chequered early history, from being central to the development of the town in the late 18th century, to being blamed for a cholera epidemic in the 1850s. is resulted in the canal’s rst closure in 1866. However, this was not the end of the story, with the canal reopening on April 16, 1873 and continuing to provide transport facilities for the town until 1922. Originally proposed by Bradford merchants as an integral part of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, it was actually built by a separate company, though the two canals had a joint o ce on Moor Row until around 1850. e canal was to prove even more important than those merchants could have wi shed for in su pporting the development of Bradford. During the next century and a half, the woollen and worsted industries came to rely upon raw materials delivered by boat from Liverpool and Hull. e ca nal also ca rri ed limestone from Craven for purifying the products of the world-famous iron works at Bowling and Low Moor, as well as building stone; Bradford’s industries and o ces relied upon the canal. e very last boat to make its way down the canal in July 1922 was the steamer Beta, recently purchased by Benjamin C Walls after he se t up his ca rr ying company in 1921. De sp ite the closure, the Walls family continued to be involved with ca na l ca rr ying until ca na ls we re n at ion alis ed i n 19 48 e company then turned to ro ads as the Ke ig hley-bas ed Walls Shipping Company, an international carrier until 1972. To commemorate the nal closure of the canal, the Leeds & Li ve rp oo l Ca na l So ciet y opened its heritage boat Kennet to the public at Gallows Bridge, Shipley, close to the old junction with the Bradford Canal. e Lord Mayor of Bradford, Coun Martin Love and local councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, members of the Walls family and other guests were given a short trip up to the Lord Mayor of Bradford Coun Martin Love with members of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Society and guests. PHOTOS: L&LCS junction. Sean McGinley and Bill Froggatt represented CRT and there were members of several local-interest groups including Yo rk shi re A rc ha eo logical Society, Friends of Saltaire and the Friends of Bradford Beck. e event went o very well, L&LCS president Mike Clarke reported “Gallows Bridge Marina was a big help with tidying up the visitor moorings and allowing us to moor overnight. Despite the hot weather, about 15 people took part in a guided walk up the remains of the canal and we w ill probably re peat this next year, which w ill be the 150th anniversary of the canal reopening in 1873.”
Centenary of Bradford Canal closure marked at Shipley
Leeds & Liverpool Canal Society ‘chairmum’ Freda Childs addresses guests from Kennet at Gallows Bridge.
MORE than 1200 visitors recently supported the inaugural Standedge Pride event hosted by the Canal & River Trust. e event featured a drag DJ set by Gypsy Darling and a reading of Rab and his Lucky Shell by Andrea Bowker. Stallholders included local LGBTQ+ organisation e Brunswick Centre. UNISON and West Yorkshire Police also joined in the celebrations. Luke Clark from CRT helped to organise and host the event. He said: “I’m hugely proud to have helped bring the rst ever Pride event to Standedge. It’s been amazing to see so many people coming along to support and show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. “People never thought they would see a Pride event in Marsden and have been full of thanks for putting this on and creating a safe, friendly space to celebrate and relax.” is year the trust is celebrating 21 years since the rebirth of the Hudders eld Narrow Canal and the grand reopening of Standedge Tunnel. A thumbs up from visitors to the Standedge Pride event.
Marcus Trower, NBTA London branch secretary and one of the event ’s organisers, said: “London’s boater community have endured years of attacks on their way of life. is protest picnic was an opportunity to not only draw attention to the issues that boaters are facing from the Canal & River Trust, but to also celebrate our unique community, way of life and contribution to Hackney’s own rich public life. “ ose of us that have moored in Hackney consider spending time here to be an essential part of London’s boating culture and one of the joys of making our lives on water.” e protest picnic came at a time of uncertainty for many and was the latest in a series of campaigning events. NBTA London branch chairman Ian Mc Dowe ll explained: “T his continued disregard for the people who live and work in these new ‘no mooring’ and propos ed p aid-for m oo ri ng areas drives boaters away from their livelihoods and out of their homes.” Painting a Boats are Homes mural.
Trust hosts first Standedge Pride event
PHOTO: JADE WRIGHT www.towpathtalk.co.uk
10 NEWS September 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk
PHOTOS: CANAL & RIVER TRUST Luke Clark helped to host Standedge Pride for the Canal & River Trust. Hundreds attend NBTA Hackney Protest Picnic
BOAT ER S, local residents and land-based supporters turned out in force to attend the National Bargee Travellers Association’s (NBTA) Hackney Protest Picnic. It was held on Walthamstow Marshes opposite the Anchor and Hope pub. On a day lit by glorious summer sun, the capital’s boating community came together in a joyous show of solidarity and celebrated their life on the water with conversation, live music, mural painting, refreshments and a vegan barbecue. With hundreds in attendance, the event was a chance for local, land-based residents to learn more about boaters and to hear about the lively and ongoing campaigns to preser ve their way of life.
www.towpathtalk.co.uk September 2022 NEWS 11
Left: ‘Narrowcaster’ Richard Goode.
Above: Richard preparing his next episode.
Nighttime on Still Waters can be downloaded from all of the major streaming services or accessed directly via noswpod.comhttps://www. www.towpathtalk.co.uk WW W. CANALCENTRE. COM Youcanfindallofourcompaniesat KingsLockBoatyard,Middlewich.CW100JJ MiddlewichCanal Centreishometothefollowingfamily ofcompanies PA RT OF MID DL EWICHCANALCENTRE AskAboutOur Lu xury Li ve -A boar dB oats! EltonMossBoatbuilder@EltonMossBoats Outstandingbuildquality Demoboatsavailabletoview 0% VATl ive-aboardw idebeamsavailable Wh yn otcallus for details 01270 76 01 60 www.eltonmoss.com 11September2022
Words & photos: Phil Pickin FOR those of you who’ve never heard of Nighttime on Still Waters (NoSW), it can best be described as a podcast like no other and probably best described by its creator Richard Goode. On his website, he explains : “NoSW is a na rrow bo atbas ed a udio j ou rnal on ca na l life, l iving ab oard, the elements and the night. Perfect late-night listening for dreamers, insomniacs, night owls, nocturnalists, drifters andFnomads.”ormany, the wee kl y epis odes are something of a well-kept secret, but one that is quickly spreading. At the time of writing, there are around 90 freely ava ilabl e episodes providing about 40 hours of listening. Each lasting around half an hour, the episodes have a cosy and embracing feel to them, a feeling Richard was looking to convey. With so many p odcast s, blogs and vlogs available covering the water ways, NoSW is di erent. Ye s, i t is produc ed o n a narrowboat, but, as Richard explains, the boat is almost a backdrop.Richardand his wife Donna live aboard a 58ft narrowboat ca lled Er ica , na med after Richard’s mother. ey have only lived aboard since 2019, but life a oat is not unusual for the university lecturer who was born on the canal. His family lived on a converted ship’s lifeboat in the south of England for many years before moving on land, something his mother found ha rd to acclimatise to. Despite this, the move to live on the system wasn’t one that Richard initially found appealing. With memories of a canal system that had fallen into disrepair, he needed a couple of holiday hires to convince him. Eventually, the couple bought Erica, had a few alterations made and moved aboard. Home for them is in the Wa rw ickshire area, falling, as it does, conveniently betwee n Ri ch ar d’s and Donna’s work locations. Richard has always written journals and although he wa nt ed t o ma ke h is wo rk available to a wider audience, he didn’t want to create just another blo g. He also feels that producing just words is “restrictive as you can convey so much more with audio”. As a result, he ‘narrowcasts’ episodes ev ery Su nday, includin g observations of the environment surrounding them. e weather too features prominently, as it does to anyone who lives or spends time a oat. He deliberately leaves any background sounds to give a more authentic feel, enriching his descriptions of life on the canal system. For Ri cha rd , late-night ra dio listening has always had a special place in his a ections. He long remembers the nights searching across the wavelengths to listen to broadcasts from far-flun g places. He remembers this often happening when, as a youngster, he should have been in bed asleep. As a result, these radio scans w ere done usi ng a small ra dio t ucke d under the blankets, often with the rain beating on the window or the wind blowing through adjacent trees. It is this feel he set out to convey and one he has been very successful in producing. He even includes a weather report at the end of each one as a homage to the shipping forecasts many of us grew up with. Despite NoSW primarily be ing a j ou rnal using the sp oken wo rd , there is a little music. Music that, as you might expect given my description, is so othin g andBugentle.tifyou are looking for poetry, excerpts of descriptive writing and soundscapes of the past week’s activities, you have come to the right place and won’t be alone. Despite no de nitive podcast listener fi gu re s be ing av ailable , this naturally modest man mentioned that a p odca st ag gre gat or pu t No SW i n the t op 5% o f down loads at o ne point! Qu ite an achievement for something that is not commercial, has no advertising and never will, according to Richard. e narrowcast now has listeners in ever y country, ma ny o f whom contact Richard to thank him for what he does and describe how his relaxing and soothing voice helps them. As a result of these interactions, he has noted that many come from men, many of whom may never have been exposed to poetry in the past. He also notes that many of the locations from which he receives correspondence have no waterways in the way we do. No doubt a signi cant amount of online searching goes o n by t ho se w ho’v e never heard of a canal lock! Despite this, Richard told me he visualises talking to just two listeners; these listeners are based on real people but are an amalgam of a far more signi cant number of people. Describing NoSW is not easy; something you can’t say of Richard Goode, who is wonderfully descriptive when talking about the environment he nds himself in. But despite what I’ve mentioned earlier, this is not a poetry podcast e best thing to do is to listen for yourself but to do so when you are in a position to relax and appreciate it, and I don't think Richard would be at all insulted if you drifted o during an episode!
Possibly the most relaxing podcast you’ll ever hear
Clearing Himalayan balsam at Haslam Park
Blessed with improving weather and based around Tower Wharf close to the city centre, the opening ceremony featured Louise Gittins, leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council. e event had a waterways education programme for children, trade boats , live music and most popular of all was the local Aspara dance troupe and their pole-dancing routine.Experts were on hand both to take visitors on guided tours of the historic inland port and to explain the role of the Chester Canal in the water way network, especially the Shropshire Union canal system from its opening in 1772 to present day.
Visitors flock to Chester Canal’s 250th-year celebration
The boats at Tower Wharf. Coun Louise Gittins and Jim Forkin open the event.
PHOTO: EMILY SYRED Campaigners win battle to protect boaters’ facilities
Thursday September 15 IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and Trent & Mersey Canal Society: Monthly work party on the Cheshire Locks (Trent & Mersey Ca na l, Ki dsgrov e to Wheelo ck ). 10am-3pm. Painting and vegetation clearance.
Ge t involved – work par ty dates
Decision makers impressed e event, possibly coming so soon after Chester was named as the rst Historic Inland Port in the UK, attracted a number of senior people from Canal & River Trust while councillors and the local MP, Chris Matheson, were also in attendance. Jim Forkin, chairman of the IWA Chester & Merseyside branch, said: “As so many towns across the nation seek ways of nding a new purpose for their town centres and envy those with a canal or want their derelict canal restoring, Chester is incredibly fortunate having both a canal and a navigable river within the city centre. “ e problem is that they are not joined up, but with a relatively small amount of capital providing a lock within the weir and maintenance of the Dee branch, boats could once again navigate out on to the Dee and up the river almost to the Welsh border with the economic bene ts that would bring.”
PHOTO: CRT
The boaters’ facilities block on the Middle Level at March.
FACED with a plethora of events in the area as the nation tries to catch up after Covid, organisers of the weekend celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the opening of the Chester Canal were concerned that the public may goHoelsewhere.wever,after an intense publicity campaign by IWA volunteers, all fears were dispelled when more than 1000 visitors rolled up to enjoy the free event on July 30-31. ere were nine trading boats at the event which pleased the organisers – the Chester & Merseyside branch of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) – and they were all well patronised by the public. So much so that the pizza and cake stand trade boats sold out by Saturday evening and had to completely restock for the Sunday visitors. e Saturday evening commercial barbecue stall holder was also delighted, having only one burger and three sausages left at the close of the evening!
Monday September 19 IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust: Monthly work party on the Uttoxeter Canal wo rk ing betwe en Alton and Crumpw ood 1 0am-3pm. Th is month w e will be car rying out vegetation management along the former towpath near Alton. e meeting point is across the road from Alton Station on Farley Lane ST10 4BY. Contact: Alison Smedley 01538 3 85388, allie.smedley@ water ways.org.uk
12 IWA ROUND-UP September 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk
Contact: John Lawson 07940 878923, j ohn.l aw so n@ water ways.org.uk
Himalayan balsam outcompetes the native plants, creating a monoculture which is bad for insects and other wildlife. It likes watercourses and when it dies back in winter its shallow roots do not bind the soil, leading to erosion. e technique is to pull up the alien invader, roots and all, snap the hollow stems, put them on a pile and stamp on them. e piles are then left to quickly rot down It’s very easy to pull up as the roots are so shallow. By this date many of the plants were well grown and easy to spot but had not yet owered and produced seeds.
Smiles as a job worth doing is done in good time.
THANK S to campaigning from IWA, Fox Boats and the Middle Level Commissioners, Fenland District Council has reversed its decision to remove the important boaters’ facilities block on March Riverside. Wh en l oc al IWA members rst learned about the March Future High Street Fund, they were delighted that it recognised the potential of the water way passing through the town and so ught to impr ov e visitor moorings and facilities. However, they then discovered that the proposed moorings had been cut and the vital bo aters’ s ervices ha d beenIWAditched.wroteto Fenland District Council in April 2022 to make the case for the retention of these services, emphasising th at i f the to wn o f Ma rc h is to at tract visiting boaters to stop and contribute to the lo ca l ec onomy, the y ne ed t hese facilities, which also bene t local ri ve r user s. A n IWA spokesman said: “We argued that there was a proven need for water, re fuse disposal and pump-out services, as the only other facilities in the area, at Fox ’s Marina, may not be able to provide these services to the anticipated rises in boater numbers. We encouraged the district council to commit to waterside regeneration for all the benefits it brings to the area. “Rece nt ly we h ad confir mat ion th at Fenland District Council wi ll be retaining the bo at ers’ facilities and i nv esti ng i n a new pump-out in the coming months.”
Volunteers collect two awards
AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH IWA’S AMY TILLSON
North FridaysWestSeptember 2 and 16 IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and Burslem Port Trust: Work party on the Burslem Arm, Stoke-on-Trent. 10.30am-2.30pm Painting and vegetation clearance Contact: Dave Broome 07974 966253, dave.broome45@gmail.com
THE volunteers of IWA’s West Country Branch have recently been presented with two awards, which together amount to a signi cant endorsement of the work they have been undertaking on the local water ways over many years. As reported in last month’s edition, the rst award was presented by the chairman of Sedgemoor District Council at a Keep Sedgemoor Tidy event. e second award was from Canal & River Trust and was presented by Steve Manzi, CRT volunteer development co-ordinator for Wales and the South West, at a ceremony on July 20 at the Victoria Park Community Centre in Bridgwater.isrecognised the completion of 25,000 hours of volunteer activity on the Bridgwater & Taunton canal under the two ve-mile adoption agreements between IWA and CRT and was attended by several volunteers and CRT sta as well. Congratulations go to all the volunteers, past and present, on these great achievements. Volunteers from IWA West Country branch with their Canal & River Trust award.
TuesdaysIWAMilton K eynes B ranch: Re gu lar w ork par ty a t Fe nn y Lock on the Grand Union Canal. 9.30am-1.30pm. Work can include vegetation clearance, gardening, litter picking and painting. Work parties are dependent on weather. Contact Pat Durham on 07510 195918 or email pat.durham@water ways.org.uk
TuWestesdays & Saturdays
PLEASE contact the branch to register an interest if you would like to attend one of these work parties. It is advisable to wear stout shoes, old clothing and take a waterproof. You may also want to take a packed lunch and any refreshments.
SundayEast September 4 and Tuesday September 20 IWA Northampton Branch: Work parties are usually held one weekday and one Sunday a month, along the Arm, 10am-2pm. e tasks usually include ve ge tation clearanc e, weeding, litter picking and painting at locks Contact Geo Wood geo wood@water ways.org.uk
Volunteers worked tirelessly at the event, safely mooring more than 30 narrowboats on the Friday afternoon and erecting gazebos, banners and marquees on Saturday morning.Unfortunately, several narrowboats failed to arrive as the route they were taking via the Anderton Boat lift, River Weaver and Manchester Ship Canal to Ellesmere Port became impassable due to the closure of the boat lift on the day they were expecting to be lowered on to the RiverAlthoughWeaver.primarily a celebration for Che st er, thr ee w at er wa y re sto ration s ocieti es had st alls, with members of the Montgomery, Sankey and Manchester & Stockport ca na l so cieties m ee ting ma ny members of the public. Jim added: “ ere were many other events in the area t hat weekend to compete with Chester’s celebration and we were delighted with the visitor numbers to help make the event such a success. Once again, the public have demonstrated the popularity of the nat ion’s water way system.”
NINETEEN volunteers recently turned up at Haslam Park, Preston, for what has become an annual event – the Balsam Bash. It was a record turnout with members of IWA Lancashire & Cumbria Branch, Lancaster Canal Trust and Friends of Haslam Park taking part. e Lancaster Canal borders the park and so far, not a lot of balsam has reached the edges of the canal from the park. e plan was to prevent seeds moving down Savick Brook which passes through the park into the Millennium Li nk between the canal and the River Ribble.
IWA West Country Branch (Taunton & Bridgwater): Work parties in the Somerset area. 10am-1pm. Contact Mike Slade: mike.slade@waterways. org.uk on 07977 263840. Branch talks and socials: IWA branches also host local water way talks, walks and socials to share the wonder of the water ways Many of these are open to anyone who wants to go along. Find something that’s on near you at water ways.org.uk/events
PHOTO: IWA
www.towpathtalk.co.uk Did you know? GJWDirect Na rrowboatinsurance includesRiverCanal Re sc ue (RCR )m em bership. *A ppliestoannualpolicypremiums over£100 subjecttostatus GJWDirectis at ra dingnameofMunichReSpecialtyInsurance(UK)Limited,registered inEngland:01262636,TheExchange, 3N ew Yo rkStreet,Manchester,M14 HN. Authoris edandregulated by th eF in ancialConductAuthority(FRN310539)andacting as am anaginggeneralagentonbehalfofcertaininsurers. Get aq uotetoday www.gjwdirect.com 0151 47 38 000 0%* Interest available 13September2022
PHOTO: PLA A skip loaded with stationery arrives at Woods Quay.
Cutting emissions Obstacles to achieving fuller integration for barge and coastal maritime operators across the di erent freight channels include the closure of whar ves, delays in planning permission to allow new ri ve rside loading and unloadin g facilities and a lack of understanding, at ministerial level, of how waterway tra c can increase safety and reduce harmful emissions when compared with lorry transport. Th e Go ve rnmen t’s Mo de Sh ift Revenue Support (MSRS) scheme aims to remove short-term nancial barriers preventing companies moving away from road transportation and helping cut CO2 emissions. As such, it provides a potential mechanism in realising GPS Marine’s ambitions. Due for review in 2024, one of the shortcomings of the current funding criteria is to inadvertently disadvantage light freight, resulting in extremely low numbers of successful applications. e MSRS – Light Freight Analysis Report, commissioned by the ames Estuary Growth Board, sets out the current barriers and o ers solutions which could help unlock better use of the ames to move freight, alongside other water ways across the country. e analysis considers both light and heavy freight and highlights a number of impediments as well as enablers e study adds to a growing body of evid ence and gu idance produce d by wat er way operat ors s upporting movement of freight from roads on to inland water ways, and recommends: Changing the assessment criteria for river freight funding applications to take account of the additional barriers faced by waterborne operators; Encouraging innovation, particularly for light freight, through either adapting criteria or pr ov iding altern at iv e funding avenues; Development of a pilot study to support light freight operat ions f or sp ec ifi c movements to test alternative mode shift support mechanisms or initiatives; and Allowing grant funding for the purposes of capital expenditure, rather than purely for operating costs, particularly to unlock innovative light freight solutions. Hopefully, Robert Courts – the relevant Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Transport – is listening! KM Otter loading stationery at the Dartford International Ferry Terminal – a facility now in Port of London Authority ownership.
Jonathan Mosse continues his monthly look at freight developments on the inland waterways.
Zero-emission cargo bikes distribute the stationery and cleaning products that have arrived at Woods Quay aboard KM Otter PHOTO: CRP incorporated into urban logistics and also aims to collect general waste which will be carried, on the return journey down river, for disposal at Belvedere. e ‘last mile’ journey for these goods will be undertaken by zero-emission cargo bikes, from the city’s piers on to the roads of Central London. Currently ru nning on 90% ca rbon-neutr al hy drotreate d ve ge table oil (H VO ), the river freight industry continues to explore alternative fuels for vessels to further reduce its carbon footprint. GPS Marine is also in the news having just taken over Bennett’s Barges. e three tugs and 10 barges of Alan C Bennett and Sons Ltd will join the GPS eet with a view to ‘o ering a more exible UK and EU operation for the bene t of customers on both sides of theAsChannel’.thedriving force in the campaign to get more freight o roads and on to water ways, GPS Marine wants the Government to take a closer look at how water ways can contribute to the freight sector, with shorter journeys for lorry drivers thanks to barge tra c also able to take the load o long haul road journeys, while helping decarbonise the sector Earlier this month the Department for Transport published its Future of Freight plan. Campaigners say the inclusion of water freight, for what is believed to be the rst time, is an important step but it doesn’t go far enough. ey support the vision of Transport Minister Judy Harrison for a ‘world-class, seamless ow of freight across our roads, railways, seas, skies and water ways’ and say the strategy is a welcome attempt to deliver a long-term strategy for freight. But they add that ‘if the Government does not commit to water ways, including funding for navigation authorities, the bene ts for people across skills, jobs, health and the environment will not be delivered.’
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Throw a pebble into a pond and watch the ripples radiate out…
JULY’S Towp at h Talk f re ig ht p iece featured DHL and Livett’s pioneering ‘last mile’, light freight movements on the tidal ames and already, not two months later GPS Marine, in conjunction with the Cross River Partnership (CRP) is trialling a mix of washroom supplies and stationery deliveries into the heart of the Launchedcapital.on July 26 and backed by the Port of London Authority (PLA) this weekly ow represents a new era of opportunity for the river: one that it is hoped will be emulated across other UK urban navigations. With deliveries into the capital set to hit one billion per year by 2030 –spurred on by changing shopping habits, largely triggered by the pandemic – river freight has the potential to reduce both congestion and pollution in London. e pilot aims to assess how goods delivered by river and handled outside normal trading hours at Woods Quay (lo ca ted at Emb ankment) ca n be
14 FREIGHT September 2022 www.towpathtalk.co.uk
PHOTO: PLA KM Otter arrives at Woods Quay, next to Waterloo Bridge. PHOTO: PLA Unloading skips of stationery and cleaning products from KM Otter at Woods Quay. PHOTO: PLA
