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L AS T mo n t h I referred to milestone anniversaries in 2022 and we have news of more celebrations in this edition.

On this page are details of the Chichester Ship Canal Trust’s programme of events to mark the bicentenary of the canal’s opening in April 1822 while on page 3 Anderton Boat Lift announces its season of activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary since its millennium restoration.

North of the border both the Union and Forth & Clyde canals have their bicentenaries and Scottish Canals are inviting people to take part in a challenge which incorporates 200 in some way or takes place on or along the two canals at some time during the year.

Other anniversaries include the 30th anniversary of the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Society’s 25th.

As I write, the Government has announced an easing of its Plan B coronavirus restrictions which we all hope augurs well for the year ahead and sees the return of more popular events to the boating calendar.

For the first time in many a month, we have four what’s on pages starting on page 18 and including advertisements for the Boatlife Live event later this month (February) and the Braunston Historic Boat Rally in June. It also includes news about advance tickets for the Crick Boat Show over the Jubilee weekend at the beginning of June.

There are also some heartwarming stories about boaters who have overcome grief to follow their dream such as Ant Savage who is now a successful lino cut artist, see page 9 and octogenarian Norman Woolley who has continued to cruise single-handedly since losing his wife, see page 22.

The days are starting to lengthen and there are already signs of spring to help lift the mood.

Keep cheerful Janet TOWPATH

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All aboard for Chichester Ship Canal’s season of bicentenary celebrations

CHICHESTER Ship Canal’s season of anniversary celebrations will start on Saturday, April 9 – 200 years to the day from its formal opening in 1822.

Alison Golt, 200th Project Team, said: ‘We’re inviting the community to the basin, where the event will begin at 11am with short speeches followed by a gunfire salute from the Fort Cumberland Guard.” The day will culminate in a flotilla along the canal arriving at the basin at 3pm.

She added: “The Chichester Ship Canal Trust is hosting a day of live music, stalls, food, entertainment, children’s activities, water-based displays including the 1950s vintage tugs, canoe club and model boats, and land-based exhibitions which will feature knitted bunting, volunteer stories and our heritage centre display.”

Events will then run through the spring and summer and will feature a historical talk by local author and historian Alan Green at the West Sussex County Record Office, a yearlong curated exhibition at the Chichester District Council Museum The Novium, hosted boat trips along the canal, a photography competition and a pub quiz.

A new sign to mark the location of the famous view painted by JMW Turner will be installed and there will be family-friendly activities through the school holidays, a guided walk with the Friends of

Trip boat Kingfisher is lifted out for its biennial inspection.

PHOTO: JANET OSBORNE the Old Ford to Hunston Canal and an art partnership with a contemporary art group ARTEL.

Trustee Catherine Cannon said: “Recognising the canal’s position at the heart of the cultural, leisure and heritage sector in Chichester city, the trust is really pleased to be a host venue for Chichester District Council’s Spark Culture opening event and a partner host for Chichester University and the Fringe performers through the summer.”

The trust, which is a selffunded charity, will further mark 20 years of formation in September 2022, which coincides with the second formal opening of the canal and Heritage Open Days.

Boat inspections

Volunteers at the trust have been busy making sure everything is shipshape at the canal ahead of the celebrations.

Every January one of the canal trip boats is removed from the water for inspection. Because the trip boats Kingfisher and Richmond carry passengers they must each have an inspection every two years. This time it was Kingfisher’s turn to be lifted out of the water. It is the job of the Marine and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to make sure that everything is in order.

Volunteer director Ian Jackson said: “It was not just Kingfisher that was removed from the water. This year saw an extra three boats lifted: Frisky, a 1950s-built tug, was removed to repair her prop shaft; Cygnet, a glass fibre work boat, required some much-needed TLC and finally the canal’s newly acquired 1960s-built tug was moved to the water after having its hull restored and repainted by canal volunteers.”

Preparation for the lifts started before Christmas and there was much activity on January 4 with the removal of the canal’s popular Christmas lights and decorations. Lifts were performed on January 5.

Kingfisher was lowered on to land-supported trestles and sleepers brought up from Hunston. Specialist Hampshire company Coussen’s Cranes used a 160-ton crane with an attendant lorry, all the necessary equipment and skilled manpower.

Ian continued: “The boat lifts created a lot of interest and members of the public stopped to watch the work as it was happening and canal volunteers were on hand to make sure the spectators were safe. The trust ensured that there were two experienced volunteers on hand to make sure any questions they had were answered.”

Once remedial work has been completed the trust expects to have all the boats back on the basin by the end of January, allowing plenty of time for the start of the boat trips, anticipated to start again at the end of February.

A view of the Chichester Canal close to the location of the

famous view painted by JMW Turner. PHOTO: HOLLY BATESON

Return of the Queen

PS MEDWAY Queen is back in Gillingham, having returned ‘home’ on Friday, January 7 behind her usual tug Christine, aided by the smaller Nipashore.

She was towed to Ramsgate in the summer of 2021, primarily to have the hull inspected and repainted. The Medway Queen Preservation Society (MQPS) board also decided to get other work done while the ship was in a safer working environment, most noticeably the promenade deck rails.

Extra work has meant extra cost and a longer spell in dockyard hands than originally envisaged. That additional cost has been partly alleviated by the Saturday Team.

While she was in Ramsgate Mark and Pam Bathurst, together with other team members, set up an information table near the ship to collect donations, sell books, give out information and recruit new members – with considerable success. In 2022,

Medway Queen approaching Gillingham Pier.

PHOTO: PAUL BABINGTON

however, additional efforts will have to be made to increase revenue and donations from all sources.

Medway Queen now looks magnificent in her new coats of paint, with the signwriting and lining out complete.

The Saturday Team plans to open to the public once more from February onwards, date to be announced. She’ll be open on Saturdays from 11am to 4pm (last admissions 3pm) with the Memories of Dunkirk exhibition in the lower aft saloon. www.medwayqueen.co.uk

Freight traffic suspended following fish deaths

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Richard Parry, chief executive of Canal & River Trust, added: “We appreciate the frustrations of pausing freight operations, but we must remain mindful of the environmental impact this is having. To allow it simply to continue to operate as normal, knowing that it is likely to cause numerous fish deaths, would be wrong. We are working urgently to determine the cause and to identify effective solutions working with the freight operators.”

More on this story from Jonathan Mosse on page 14, written before the CRT announced the suspension of freight movements as we went to press.