Canalboat092016 by read_m1144

WELCOME

For everyone who enjoys the waterways

Canal Boat Magazine, Archant Specialist Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, RG40 2EG

EDITORIAL Editor Nick Wall Deputy Editor Martin Ludgate Assistant Editor Alison James Technical Consultant Tony Brooks Art Editor Louise Walker Email: editor@canalboat.co.uk Web: canalboat.co.uk Editorial: 0118 974 2507

ADVERTISING Acting Sales Manager Benjamin Jones Tel: 01934 422559 Classiﬁed Advertising ads@canalboat.co.uk Ofﬁce Manager Sharon Wells

he headlines on this month’s CB cover are enough to make you think we’ve been spending too much time in the pub – Glass class, A canal of two halves, Pub of the Year... Actually, much as we’d like to be relaxing in a pub garden now that summer has ﬁnally arrived, we’ve been looking at all sorts of boats. In particular I’ve been looking at Betty, the subject of this month’s boat test – it is simply fabulous. Betty is innovative, beautifully built and designed, and when you sit inside, the years of history impregnated in the wood exude a feeling of solidity and permanence – rather like absorbing the peace of a grand old house’s library. And if you’re wondering about all those windows, all I can say is that it’s rather like being in a garden room,

so the outside comes inside, and no, I didn’t feel like a goldﬁsh at all. It’s simply a superb boat that’s a wonderful culmination of one man’s dream. I’m delighted for him and hope to see many more dreams like it. Also this month we’re delighted to unveil our new magazine app. Packed with 50 issues of the magazine, it’s a great way to take CB with you wherever you go. Search for Canal Boat magazine in the App Store and you can ﬁnd out more on page 13. I’ll drink to that.

NICK WALL Editor

PUBLISHING Content Director Bob Crawley Commercial Director Peter Timperley PRODUCTION Publishing Production Manager Kevin Shelcott Production Team Leader Mikey Godden Reprographics Manager Neil Puttnam Creative Designers Andy Crafter and Brendan Allis Printing William Gibbons Ltd, Willenhall, WV13 3XT Distribution Seymour, London, W1T 3EX Subscriptions and back issues enquiries 01858 438840 (UK) +0044 1858 438 840 (Overseas) © Canal Boat 2016. The world copyright of the editorial matter, both illustration and text, is strictly reserved. Readers are welcome to submit articles and photographs for publication. While the publishers will take every care with such submissions, they reserve the right to amend them and cannot accept responsibility for any loss. Unless previously agreed, any submissions published will be paid for at our normal rates ISSN 1362-0312

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20 TOP BOATS REVIEW – CRICK SHOW SPECIAL

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Canal Boat and its journalists are committed to abiding by the Society of Editors Code of Practice. If you have a complaint which can’t be resolved by Canal Boat Editor Nick Wall (nick.wall@archant.co.uk) please contact the Independent Press Standards Organisation, c/o Halton House, 20-23 Holborn, London, EC1 2JD, or via complaints@ipso.co.uk. More information about IPSO and its regulations can be found at ipso.co.uk

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For everyone who enjoys the waterways

CRUISE GUIDE

UPPER THAMES

8-PAG PULL-O E GUIDEUT

STEAMING PASSION

Enjoy the river from Reading to the Cotswolds

Days out in the age of steam

CANAL WALKS

Enjoy a FREE issue trial of our digital edition Subscribe to the digital edition today on your device and also enjoy the back issue archive

Discover ﬁve mesmeric miles

PLUS!

20 TOP BOATS REVIEW – CRICK SHOW SPECIAL

Canal Boat August 2016 £4.99 canalboat.co.uk

AVAILABLE FROM

For everyone who enjoys the waterways

CRUISE GUIDE

UPPER THAMES

BOAT TEST

8-PAGE PULL-OUT GUIDE

Enjoy the river from Reading to the Cotswolds

Triple champ

CANAL WALKS

STEAMING PASSION

Days out in the age of steam

Discover ﬁve mesmeric miles

The smart boat that made a hat-trick of Crick wins PLUS

Used boats Life on Mars

Find a bargain for your family

Getting to grips with being a liveaboard

Expert advice Got a boating issue? Ask our team to help

BOAT TEST

Triple champ The smart boat that made a hat-trick of Crick wins

Canal Boat September 2016 3

THIS MONTH 57 COVER STORY

42 36 FEATURES

Vote now for your Pub of the Year!

BOAT TEST: JIM BIRCH 57FT It might be styled on a working boat, but there’s plenty of surprises in eye-catching Betty

BRUM, IT’S MY KIND OF TOWN Our new liveaboard enjoys the city life, then veers off to discover the delights of the Saltisford Arm

COVER STORY NARROWBOAT OR CRUISER? It’s a controversial question – stand by with sharpened quills (whichever is your choice!)

PU ANDLL OUT KEEP

CRUISE GUIDE YOUR COMPREHENSIVE

COVER STORY

YS AROUND THE UK GUIDE TO THE WATERWA guide

• Easy-to-follow route map

• Information for boaters

CANAL BOAT PUB OF THE YEAR We did it last year and it was so successful, we’re doing it again. Make sure to cast your vote!

• Ten top pubs

CRUISE GUIDE: WORCS & BRUM Come with us along a canal of two halves from countryside and locks, to tunnels and city

THE CRUISE GUIDE

Worcester & Birmingham Canal

Passing through Worcester’s

northern outskirts

am Canal & Birmingh Worcester with 58 locks in 14 miles of a canal of two halves starting We explore of holding the level and continuing with 16 miles Worcestershire countryside Birmingham. four tunnels and into central as it winds its way through TEXT & PICTURES BY DEREK

PRATT

Worcester’s Diglis Basin

canalboat.co.uk

Canal Boat September 2016

is now a marina

MUST SEE

a marina for and timber yards is now – but even by modern journey south to Worcester pleasure craft, surrounded Norton to he Worcester & Birmingham a floating café, a the length from King’s its housing. Diglis also has green. Canal does exactly what makes a Birmingham is surprisingly the pub and a boatyard, and carried timber, name suggests: it connects the many In its heyday the canal to the pleasant base for visiting Porcelain River Severn at Worcester grain, coal for the Worcester attractions of the city. But the 30-mile crumb and sugar enter Sidbury centre of Birmingham. works, and chocolate Leaving Diglis you soon two halves’: its 58 today it’s long route is a ‘canal of narrow locks on to Cadbury’s at Bournville; Lock, first of the many between and forms out to visit the locks are all in the 16 miles popular with leisure boaters this waterway. Take time while the Rings. Tardebigge; Avon and and Worcester a lovely timberpart of the Stourport adjacent Commandery, to Birmingham is to the section from Tardebigge back to the 15th The canal begins its journey framed building dating where it leaves lock-free but has four tunnels. Midlands at Worcester Century (see inset). two miles in through two Wast Hill Tunnel, almost passage out of the River Severn and climbs The canal continues its line between Basin. This area, lock. A length, acts as a dividing wide locks into Diglis Worcester with the occasional at King’s flour mills the Birmingham suburbs once lined with warehouses, for the Norton and beautiful countryside

JOURNEY PLANNER Distances/locks between pins

Follow the route with our map

Direction of locks

Tunnel

showing distances, locks and Waterway junction

pubs Our top ten pubs see panel overleaf

TO STOURPORT

WORCESTER

THE COMMANDERY became the headquarters for Charles II before the Battle of Worcester it was a print in 1651, while at other times hospital. It now works, a church and a monastic the story of the houses a museum that features based on building and the city via six displays It’s open Tuesdays different times in its history. all year. to Saturdays and Sunday afternoons

6 MILES 16 LOCKS

there is a inside), beyond which two miles boatyard and pub. A pleasant leads to of open countryside then has a boatyard Hanbury Wharf which the with all boaters requirements, Canal, and junction with the Droitwich also a good pub and restaurant. (see inset) can Hanbury Hall and park footpath from the be reached via a public bottom lock of the next lock which is the village is Astwood Flight. Hanbury for the ﬁctional reputed to be the basis long running Ambridge, home of the Archers. radio programme The

RESTORATION

JOINED-UP THINKING How things are starting to come together on the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal

REGULARS

EDITORIAL Cheers to a fabulous boat, and our new app

03 06

NEWS CRT annual report; Olympic cruise; HS2 latest; £200k legacy up for grabs; boaters’ survey results; WRG’s new vans in action; new CB app

LETTERS Saving on fuel; lock names; help for singles; speed damage; ghostly tales

DUNHAMPSTEAD TUNNEL

Canal Boat September 2016

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GREAT CANAL WALKS: SCOTLAND Join us on a foray to Falkirk, taking in the great waterways icons of the Kelpies and the Wheel

HANBURY 3 MILES / NO LOCKS

TIBBERTON

TO GLOUCESTER

canalboat.co.uk Boat 48 September 2016 Canal

overlooks the handsome railway viaduct Basin’s boatyard entrance to Lowesmoor then takes a with hire base. The canal leaving the city long right hand curve, of which are via a series of locks, most Six set in attractive surroundings. the climb, Offerton Locks continue there are two where Tibberton to leading 25. welcoming pubs by Bridge well behind as Worcester has been left northward to a the waterway continues (built, like short tunnel at Dunhampstead canal, to a width all the tunnels on the to pass that allows two narrowboats

VERY GRAND TOURS You might think leisure boating is a modern idea but, actually, it goes back to the 18th Century

WIN THE LATEST DIGITAL TV AERIAL Don’t miss your chance to win an aerial that will give you more digital channels in more locations

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THREE TO BE WON!

COVER STORY

These are the places we‘re visiting in this issue

ME & MY BOATS If you live in Australia, how do you make your dream of owning a boat in the UK come true?

CANAL COLUMNS In and outs of the baseplate debate; going up the Wigan ﬂight is like mountain climbing

BOATER’S BREAK Growing vegetables and herbs; witness some celestial magic; our acrostic quiz

WATERSIDE WILDLIFE How butterﬂies engage in aerial warfare

CHOCOLATE FRIDGE CAKE Great for summer - it’s ‘cooked’ in the fridge! SECOND-HAND BOATS Trad-sterns for maximum inside space

20 QUESTIONS One of the Lock-Keepers of the Year, John Lobley, on what it’s like to work at Bingley Five Rise WIN!

THIS MONTH’S COVER

Betty, from this month’s boat test, is an eye-catching sight at Weedon in Northamptonshire on the Grand Union

ASK THE EXPERTS We get to grips with your boating issues – keep your questions coming

64 canalboat.co.uk

36 82

READERS’ OFFERS From holidays to fuel monitoring

For everyone who enjoys the waterways

CRUISE GUIDE

WORCS & BRUM

WHAT WE DID IN THE HOLIDAYS...

8-PA PULL GE -OUT GUID E

It actually all started centuries ago

A fascinating trip of two halves

CANAL WALKS Great sights in Scotland

Glass class

You’ve never seen a new boat like this PLUS

Expert advice Which boat?

We help you sort out your boating issues canalboat.co.uk

WHEN CORROSION STARTS TO BITE A salutary tale of how hull corrosion can catch you unawares and prove to be expensive

BOAT

September 2016 £3.99 canalboat.co.uk

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Picture by Andy R Annable

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EDITORIAL: 0118 974 2507 ADVERTISING: 01934 422559 EMAIL: editor@canalboat.co.uk WEBSITE: canalboat.co.uk ADDRESS: Canal Boat Magazine, Archant Specialist, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Rd, Wokingham, RG40 2EG

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NEWS

■ Olympic cruise ■ The latest on HS2 ■ £200k legacy on offer ■ WRG at work ■ Boaters’ survey results ■ New CB app If you have any news email editor@canalboat.co.uk or call 0118 974 2507

CRT: ‘A good year despite ﬂoods’

DESPITE THE WINTER FLOODS and other emergency calls on its resources, the Canal & River Trust increased its spending on waterway maintenance and reduced unscheduled stoppages, according to its annual report for 2015-16. It helps that this was the year that the £10m of extra annual government funding kicked in. The cash boost was partly offset by an expected reduction in commercial income after a one-off major property deal boosted last year’s figures. But, even after £3.8m went into emergency work including dealing with Pennine floods, culvert collapses and the Caen Hill towpath washout, there was still more than £5m extra spent on the rest of the network. In addition to work on the navigations themselves, £10m went into towpath upgrades, thanks mainly to funding from partners. This spending was reflected in an overall reduction in ‘assets’ (structures) in the worst two categories (D and E) for condition from 14.1 to 13.8 percent; while the proportion of towpaths in categories A, B or C rose from 76.1 to 78.45 percent. Total unplanned stoppage days fell by almost

300 to 630, with the Trust setting itself a target for 2016-17 of cutting this below 570. The only slight disappointment was a small reduction in the percentage of heritage assets in good or adequate condition, from 98.6 to 96.9. A success story of the year was said to be community adoptions of sections of canal, which rose by 50 percent to 147 – with a target of 180 for next year. The number of Friends of CRT donating regularly rose from 10,000 to 16,000 (target for 2016-17: 22,500) and there were 482,000 volunteer hours worked (target 520,000). Out of a modest increase in staff numbers (up 56 to 1,660), more than half the new jobs were on waterways maintenance and repair. Meanwhile, at the top, another three of the ‘old guard’ of former British Waterways directors departed, leaving Chief Executive Richard Parry with an almost all-new team. Looking to the future, Mr Parry said in his report that “the potential transfer of the Environment Agency’s navigations to the Trust has been reinvigorated, with a joint project team formed”, and while sounding a note of caution about the need for CRT to fully

Rochdale ﬁnally set to open

THE ROCHDALE CANAL ﬁnally has a target for complete reopening – nine months after the Boxing Day ﬂoods closed its

eastern length and the adjacent Calder & Hebble Navigation. A reopening in early July saw the ﬁrst boats through the partially completed Elland Bridge (pictured) which had been damaged so badly that it needed to be demolished and rebuilt. This opened up the ﬁnal section of the Calder & Hebble but left two remaining closures on the Rochdale. Where the canal breached

between locks 16 and 17 near Todmorden, a Canal & River Trust spokesman told Canal Boat that the breach would be reﬁlled in the coming weeks, with completion on schedule for mid to late August. As we went to press, work on the landslip that blocked the canal between locks 17 and 18 had just begun, with CRT hoping to reopen the section by the end of September. .

EA acts on licence evasion THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY continues to crack down on boat owners keeping craft on the Thames without valid registration, as two Reading boaters found out to the tune of £1,800. As the river’s navigation authority, the Agency requires boats used or kept on the Thames to be

6 September 2016 Canal Boat

registered – or face prosecution. In Reading Magistrates Court, Rowan Newey pleaded guilty of not registering two craft and was required to pay £1,349.96. While, Jeff Hunt, was found guilty in his absence, which cost him £471.95 in ﬁne, compensation and prosecution costs.

Annual Report Trustees’ Annual

Report & Accounts 2015/16

meet its responsibilities, he reported “renewed conﬁdence that a single combined navigation authority may be deliverable”. The year also saw a new Chairman appointed: Allan Leighton also looked to the future, declaring that “talk of decline is in the past”, and setting a challenge of getting the waterways “woven into the hearts, minds and lives of the public” so they “never again face the threat of closure” and instead fulﬁl their “incredible” potential for greater public good.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

Months to go to CRT’s next Council meeting We want your concerns raised at the top, so send the four elected boater representatives on the Canal & River Trust’s Council a note of your major issues (not day-to-day ones, which should go through the usual channels). YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE: Andrew Phasey (andrew.phasey@canalrivertrust. org.uk); Phil Prettyman (phil.prettyman@ canalrivertrust.org.uk); Stella Ridgway (stella.ridgway@canalrivertrust.org.uk); Vaughan Welch (vwelch@canalrivertrust.org.uk)

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Olympic re-awakening AS THE COUNTDOWN to the Rio Olympics entered its ﬁnal few weeks, East London looked back four years to its own Games, and forward to the reopening of the Olympic Park waterways with a special cruise around the Bow Back Rivers following their redevelopment since 2012. More than 70 boats attended the event on Saturday 9 July, organised by the Inland Waterways Association’s North & East London Branch, the Canal & River Trust, London Legacy and the St Pancras Cruising Club. Because of the number of boats taking part, plus a length of the Bow Back Rivers Loop still being unavailable following Crossrail works, the boats were split

into two groups for the trip. One began with an out-and-back trip into the Olympic Park from Old Ford via the Old River Lee and City Mill River; the other approached via St Thomas’ Creek, City Mill Lock, Waterworks River and return – before the two convoys swapped over. Afterwards, they returned to Bromley-by-Bow for an event hosted by London Legacy and CRT at the local brewery to celebrate. “It was fantastic to be on board one of the boats on this special cruise,” said IWA National Chairman Les Etheridge. “IWA London Region is helping to ﬁnancially support the restoration of Carpenters Road Lock and everyone looks forward to the day when it is open and the full Bow Back Rivers can be explored.”

CRT’s Midlands team in reshufﬂe

Boater in fatal fall

Broads deaths conﬁrmed as CO

IN THE FIRST major change to the Canal & River Trust’s regional structure since it took over from British Waterways in 2012, the Central Shires Waterway teams, their roles and responsibilities, are being absorbed into the neighbouring East Midlands, West Midlands and Manchester & Pennine waterways. CRT says the change will have little impact on operational and customer service staff in Central Shires and adjacent waterways, with teams continuing as before. The change, due to take effect on 1 August, is planned to be followed early next year by closure of the Fazeley ofﬁce and opening of a new base in central Birmingham. Volunteer members of the Waterways Partnership are being offered places on neighbouring ones. “Birmingham has the greatest concentrations of canals in the country; and yet we have limited presence in Britain’s ‘canal capital’,” said Stuart Mills, CRT’s Property Director. “Moving our main Midlands base into central Birmingham will give us greater ﬂexibility, more connectivity and the opportunity to create a new national base – for both our Midlands and central teams.”

AN 80-YEAR-OLD woman has died following a boating accident on the Macclesﬁeld Canal. Margaret Sanderson from Southport was boating with her husband on their narrowboat. They were between bridges 46 and 47 near Lyme Green when she fell from the back deck of the boat into the water and became trapped underneath the hull. She was pulled free by a member of the public, the emergency services were called, and she was transported to Macclesﬁeld District General Hospital by air ambulance. However, she died the following day.

A COUPLE AND their dog, whose bodies were found by police on a boat on the Norfolk Broads (see CB, July) had, as suspected, been killed by carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. At the initial inquest hearing it was conﬁrmed that the ‘silent killer’ had been responsible for the deaths. Although the source of the CO has yet to be identiﬁed (it can come from engines, generators, barbecues or any other fuel-burning appliance), the Boat Safety Scheme has responded by re-issuing its CO safety advice, which includes: ■ All engines and appliances should be installed, maintained and used in line with makers’ instructions. ■ Generators should not be run near cabins. ■ Ventilation should never be blocked. ■ Boaters should be familiar with the symptoms of poisoning and how to react. ■ CO alarms should be installed and tested often.

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Canal Boat September 2016 7

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NEWS To Sheffield and Leeds

To Leeds

CHESTERFIELD FOUR YEARS OF blight on the Chesterfield Canal restoration could be lifted if proposals to re-route the planned HS2 railway go ahead – but, at the same time, the change could add a new complication. As detailed in our four-page feature in CB, May, five miles of canal currently under restoration from Staveley to Killamarsh would be affected by the new high speed line and a siding serving a depot, including the destruction of well over a mile of currently well-preserved channel. However, changes have been proposed involving: ■ Moving the new main line further east, avoiding the Staveley to Killamarsh section entirely. ■ Serving Sheffield instead via connections to existing lines, which wouldn’t affect the canal.

Kiveton

Navigable to the Trent

Proposed canal diversion replaces western part of Norwood Tunnel

prop

osed

new

route

restoraiton

Killamarsh

Hollingwood HS2 depot

HISTORIC TRIP RECREATED

Hollingwood Tapton Lock Chesterfield

New Staveley Town Lock and Basin Canal restored from Chesterfield to Staveley

To London

The proposed new HS2 route shown in red

■ An alternative route to the depot based on an existing out-of-use freight line, which wouldn’t affect the canal. The only ﬂy in the ointment is that the new route of the HS2 is shown crossing the western part of Norwood Tunnel. As HS2 Ltd says: “The canal is in an existing tunnel with the new route passing over the top, so it should be manageable.” Unfortunately, as Chesterﬁeld Canal Trust points out, that part of the tunnel has been destroyed by coal mining, and is planned to be bypassed by a new canal length running at ground level – so it isn’t quite so simple. However CCT will be meeting with HS2 Ltd and has “no doubt” that a solution can be found. Finally, although to a certain extent all plans are up in the air following the EU referendum, the new Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, has said he has “no plans to back away from” HS2.

Bids sought for £200,000 legacy WATERWAYS GROUPS ARE being invited to bid for funding of up to £200,000 to support their projects, as a result of a bequest left to the Inland Waterways Association by its former honorary consultant engineer Tony Harrison. Mr Harrison, who died in 2014, had served on the Association’s Restoration Committee for 20 years, chaired it for ﬁve years, and provided expert advice from his professional career in hydraulics and hydrology to many waterway restoration projects. IWA’s aim is that his legacy will continue his long association with canals and is inviting applications. The successful bid or bids will be decided on the basis

of “the maximum amount of good that could be achieved for the inland waterways”. Bids could be for canal restoration, as was the case with the earlier IWA legacies which paid for work on the Wendover Arm and the Droitwich Canal’s Hanbury Locks, but this is not stipulated: the only condition is that they must be “consistent with IWA’s charitable objectives”. Indeed, Chairman Les Etheridge hoped they would be “of very broad scope” to reﬂect Mr Harrison’s interests in everything from canoeing to economics. Applications are invited by email neil.edwards@ waterways.org.uk to by 1 October, with a view to making a decision in April 2017.

New head for British Marine BRITISH MARINE, the trade body for the marine industry, has a new president. David Pougher’s 35 years in the industry include the position of Divisional Manager (marine and all-terrain) at Yamaha, running his own

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TOWPATH TELEGRAPH

HS2

HS2 restoration blight lifted?

Canal under

HS2 origin al plann ed route

Norwood Tunnel 13

business consultancy, committee membership at BM, and involvement in its Boat Shows board. Mr Pougher succeeds Fiona Pankhurst, who has stood down after two years in the role.

A re-enactment of the first full transit of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal will be made to celebrate the its bicentenary. The Leeds & Liverpool Trust’s heritage boat and floating museum Kennet will lead a flotilla from Leeds on 15 October. Celebratory events at towns along the route will include the first ever Bingley Canal Festival on 16 October, Skipton (17 October), Burnley (18 October), Blackburn (19 October), Wigan (21 October) and Burscough (22 October), with a grand arrival at the Eldonian Basin in Liverpool on October 23. To join the flotilla, email friendsofkennet@gmail.com.

WHEELS FOR MARPLE Two examples of 1790s engineering at Marple have been awarded Transport Trust Red Wheel plaques. The aqueduct and the ﬂight of 16 locks have been recognised by the scheme which commemorates Britain’s rich legacy in the development of transport. Marple Aqueduct has recently beneﬁtted from a major restoration scheme as part of the £2.3 million Revealing Oldknow’s Legacy Project. This links three sites connected with Samuel Oldknow, who was instrumental in the construction of the canal.

A JUMBO-SIZED DIGGING JOB Some 2,472 tonnes of silt – the same weight as 32 jumbo jets – has been dredged from the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal between Tixall Lock and Falling Sands Lock. The Canal & River Trust is half way through the eight-month £1m project, and is focusing on areas along the canal where boaters have been having difﬁculty mooring, navigating through bridges or approaching locks. “We’re trying to recycle as much of the silt as possible,” said CRT’s Paul Fox, “using it to backﬁll gaps in the canal bank and also to create new homes for water voles.”

Canal Boat September 2016 9

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NEWS

Water marked? THIS UNLIKELY LOOKING vessel is a 16ft-long paper boat which took to the Forth & Clyde Canal in Glasgow’s Maryhill area recently. It was launched

Our lock’s van-ished! THIS PICTURE, TAKEN on a Waterway Recovery Group canal camp on the Grantham Canal, captures the essence of just how much demolition sometimes has to be done to get down to a solid base before beginning the construction phase of a canal lock restoration. The volunteers were supporting the Grantham Canal Society’s Lottery-funded project to rebuild Lock 15 at Woolsthorpe as part of the long-term scheme to reopen the canal all the way from Grantham to the Trent – see CB, Nov 15 for the full restoration story. Also visible in the background are two new nine-seater van/ minibuses which WRG is now

as part of the Speirs Lock Summer Party day of events, arts, music and activities supported by Scottish Canals. The ‘origami paper boat’ was the brainchild of German artist Frank Bölter who specialises in origami projects. A team of 15 assembled from the local community put it together in a couple of hours, added a water resistant coating, carried it 500 metres, launched it and cruised off down the Glasgow Arm of the canal.

A new beginning at Woolsthorpe

TOWPATH TELEGRAPH FOXTON’S IN THE BAG A project to create a new nature reserve and orchard at Foxton Locks has been given a £12,000 funding boost thanks to Tesco’s Bags of Help campaign, which uses the proceeds from the sale of carrier bags for green spaces in communities. Once the site is cleared of brambles and overgrown bushes, volunteers working with the Canal & River Trust plan to construct a new pond-dipping platform, install benches, and work with the Apple Association to plant native apple trees.

WAR RELICS PUT TO NEW USE

the proud owner of, having reached halfway to the target of its £120,000 appeal for four new vehicles. The vans play a vital role transporting volunteers, equipment, and tools on weeklong Canal Camps and weekend digs across England and Wales.

Mike Palmer MBE, Chairman of WRG, said “Thank you to everyone who has donated, and to everyone who has taken part in the amazing fundraising activities.” With £13,000 still left to raise, WRG hopes to have the other two vans for next year.

The iconic pillboxes that were built in World War II along the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal are to be tidied up and put to use. Despite their age, they have survived because of their very solid construction. Now the Friends of the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal, with support from the Canal & River Trust, are to clean them up and make them safe for reuse as a resting place with seats for walkers, to house information boards and as wildlife habitats. The Friends welcome new volunteers: see friendsofthebridgwaterandtauntoncanal. btck.co.uk for more.

VAUGHAN WELCH LEAVES IWA

Canal writer takes to the water FIRST IT WAS the canal Poet Laureate. Next it was artists in residence on the Welsh and Scottish waterways. Now, the latest link between the waterways network and the arts is the appointment of author, photographer and broadcaster Jasper Winn as the ﬁrst ‘Writer in Residence’ for the Canal & River Trust, who aims to spend two years building up material for a book of “captivating stories behind life on the canals”. From a background of three decades’ travel including roller-skating through Holland, sheep-herding his way around Morocco, and – perhaps more relevantly – canoeing

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the Danube, Mr Winn aims to continue his journeying by covering the canal network on everything from a traditional canal boat to a stand-up paddle board. “I’m looking forward to exploring the corridors of wilderness and the cities’ hidden waterways in all their diversity,” he enthuses. The result in the short term will be a monthly blog on canalrivertrust.org.uk, as part of CRT’s two-year Arts on the Waterways initiative; for the longer term, his book aims to be “a classic account of Britain’s canals and their culture and wildlife” as well as reﬂecting the author’s “passion for the quirkier side of canal life”.

Canal & River Trust Council elected boater representative and former Inland Waterways Association Deputy Chairman Vaughan Welch has left the Association. An IWA statement said that he had been asked to stand down from his national committee positions (including Restoration Committee Chairman), following what IWA considered ‘inappropriate’ communications with the family of a deceased supporter. Mr Welch defended his communications and maintained that he had resigned from the Association (and thus the committee positions) rather than being ‘removed’.

Canal Boat September 2016 11

NEWS

Braunston celebrates history DESPITE POOR WEATHER, 67 historic narrowboats and some 7,000 visitors attended the recent 14th Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally, which celebrated the 80th birthday of the Inland Waterways Association. The Rally was opened by Les Etheridge, IWA Chairman, who donned traditional working boatman’s costume to helm the Nutﬁeld, also 80 years old this year, towing its butty Raymond, from the Grand Union Canal into the marina. The Raymond was steered by Richard Parry, Chief Executive of the Canal & River Trust, who opened last year’s rally. Organiser

Poirot gets clued-up on restoration LICHFIELD CANAL WATERWAYS SUPPORTER AND actor David Suchet (pictured, centre) unveiled a BCN boundary post alongside the Lichﬁeld Canal and took the opportunity to catch up on a decade of progress of the canal’s restoration since his last visit. Mr Suchet, a Vice President of the Lichﬁeld & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust, met the Trust’s volunteers and was given a tour

12 September 2016 Canal Boat

Tim Coghlan of Braunston Marina said: “For me what was most pleasing was the number of boats that came which had never been before, and the comments from so many owners that it is events like the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally, which inspires them to restore and maintain

of its achievements, at Lichfield’s Darnford Park, Borrowcop Locks Canal Park and the Crane Brook crossing (near the aqueduct over the M6 Toll, which the Trust’s David Suchet Appeal helped to fund in 2003). The final site visited, by the Boat Inn on Walsall Road, was the setting for the unveiling of the refurbished post, one of many which were used on the Birmingham Canal Navigations system (of which the Lichfield formed a part) to indicate the edge of the company’s land. The Poirot star declared himself “astonished” at the progress made, and vowed to continue to “do all I can to help the canals be put back to their former glory”.

their boats which are such an important living and moving part of our canal heritage. Each year I hear the same gratifying story, which makes organising the Rally so worthwhile.” All proﬁts from the event, which exceeded £6,000, were donated, as usual, to canal causes.

Leisure boating is down as living on board rises VERY NEARLY HALF of all the boat owners on the Canal & River Trust’s waterways now use them for residential purposes of some kind – and in London, that rises to three-quarters. This is one of the findings of a boater survey which has also shown that younger boaters are more critical of CRT, and that overall satisfaction with the waterways has risen but a quarter of boaters still give it a less than five out of ten rating. The survey responses have been compared to earlier studies in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2014 – and one key change in recent years is that compared to 64 percent in 2009, just 50 percent of boaters now use the canals for leisure cruising (with the remainder divided between full-time living afloat, second homes for extended living, holiday homes, and temporary homes for working). And over three times as many under-45s as 45-and-overs have their boat as their permanent home. Boaters’ opinions of it have become more polarised – 54 percent now view CRT favourably, and 19 percent unfavourably, with the ‘neutrals’ dropping each year. Those with home moorings, those aged over 55, males and leisure boaters are much less critical than continuous cruisers, liveaboards, women and under-45s. More people trust CRT to look after the waterways than two years ago, and more believe it prioritises its spending well (albeit from a low start), and overall satisfaction with the waterways experience is up. Boaters in London and the North East are the least satisfied, while those from North Wales and the Borders are happiest, followed by the Midlands. Lack of maintenance (dredging, vegetation and towpaths) is cited by almost half of those critical of upkeep. And ‘dealing with non-compliant boaters’ is seen as something CRT is worst at – although the survey doesn’t distinguish whether they think CRT is too lenient or too heavy-handed. Finally, a significant minority have a problem finding moorings, especially in London. Matthew Symonds, CRT’s Boating Strategy & Engagement Manager, said: “Boaters and boating organisations have told us that they are put off visiting London because they don’t think they will be able to find anywhere to moor.” This has led to a separate survey currently under way to help gauge demand for pre-bookable, short-stay moorings in the capital. To take part in the online survey, go to surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Londonbookablemooringsurvey.

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NEWS TOWPATH TELEGRAPH ABNB CELEBRATES

Free veg pledge... A COMMUNAL VEGETABLE plot has been created at Lock 4 on the Ashton Canal in Greater Manchester for the enjoyment of the local community, boaters, cyclists and walkers. The Inland Waterways Association’s Manchester Branch teamed up with Incredible Edible, a network of local groups around the country, which encourages communities to come together by growing food and supporting local food businesses. The garden was completed at a work party in late June, when 12 volunteers constructed a raised bed and planted it with strawberries, beetroot, chives, onions, parsley and peas. As well as creating the garden, the volunteers also found time to collect

five bags of litter, clear vegetation and sow wild flower seeds as the first part of a “bee highway”. “We’re encouraging everyone who uses the Ashton Canal to tend the garden and to pick some vegetables and herbs once they have grown,” said Steve Connolly of IWA Manchester Branch. “We have recently adopted this section of the Ashton Canal and think that this is a great way to bring the canal and community together through food for the benefit of all.” The project was supported by Canal & River Trust, which provided the timber for the raised bed (in the form of old lock gates), gravel and top soil. Other IWA branches are now investigating possible Incredible Edible patches in their areas.

Did everyone see that? Because I won’t do it again...

COLIN OGDEN, HEAD of the Lanky Boaters Group, pulled off a spectacular event on 26 June by towing his historic Windermere boat Whimbrel into Kendal over the ﬁlled in Lancaster canal, the ﬁrst boat to ‘travel’ this part for around 70 years. The journey started at Bridge House Marina in Garstang and, when Colin reached Larkhall Bridge, photographer Laurraine Smith took over, dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow to recreate a scene from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, where a boat was hauled overland by the captain. The event in Kendal was aimed at highlighting the canal’s restoration.

Out now – the new Canal Boat app NOW YOU CAN get even more Canal Boat with the release of our new magazine app. It brings you a massive 50 issues of the magazine and you’ll ﬁnd more than four years’ worth of great cruise guides, boat tests and technical advice. Together with the newest reviews, gear and guides from our website, it’s the perfect way to keep up to date with all the latest boating news. We think you’ll really enjoy using the app – but don’t take our word for

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it, download it now and have a free full issue of the magazine on us. It’s available now from the Apple, Google Play and Amazon App Stores, simply search for ‘Canal Boat Magazine’.

Boat brokerage ABNB, based at Crick Wharf in Northamptonshire, celebrated its 21st birthday at the beginning of July. Current owners Paul and Sheila Smith welcomed previous owners Andy and Christine Burnett and Paul Mudie, plus past and present customers and staff to a weekend which included demonstrations of fender making, signwriting and how to reverse a narrowboat, plus a barbecue.

BASINGSTOKE CELEBRATIONS Head for Woking on 6 and 7 August to see around 50 historic boats – it’s not only the Woking Canal Festival, it will also celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Basingstoke Canal being reopened, the 50th anniversary of the Basingstoke Canal Society, and the 50th anniversary of the Historic Narrow Boat Club.

EREWASH TOWPATH UPGRADE A stretch of the Erewash’s towpath has been reopened after a £500,000 project by the Canal & River Trust to improve the route for walkers and cyclists. The path, from Potters Lock to Awsworth Road Bridge, was narrow in places and suffered from puddles and mud. The improvement works have strengthened the canal bank and seen a new wider, smoother path that will be more accessible for walkers, cyclists, boaters, wheelchairs and buggies.

THE WEY TO RAISE MONEY Over 150 walkers raised around £10,000 towards the restoration of the Wey & Arun Canal on the Wey & Arun Canal Trust’s annual Poddle sponsored walk. “The proceeds are a fantastic result for our restoration fund,” said walk organiser Margaret Darvill. The trust has started a ‘final push’ appeal for £120,000 to finish the Compasses Bridge project, a new bridge replacing a 1930s concrete causeway at one of the entrances to the Dunsfold Park aerodrome and business complex. Members of the public are invited to watch Dame Penelope Keith officially open the bridge on Sunday 2 October.

Canal Boat September 2016 13

NEWS

Wet wildlife LADYBIRDS ARE AMONG farmers’ and gardeners’ best friends with the ability to eat up to 5,000 aphids in their short life. Having just faced the wettest June on record, however, the ladybirds of Britain are facing a difficult time, with many recently hatched larvae (pictured right) likely to have been washed away. Another species likely to be affected by June’s unseasonably wet weather is dragonfly larvae (or nymphs). Fluctuating river levels and fast currents are known to wash away dragonfly larvae and, as they live underwater for up to three years, the heavy rain may also have a long-term effect on the population. Additionally, species such as birds, butterflies, bees and bats do not fly in heavy rain and it could impact upon the amount of food they forage for themselves and their young. The weather may also affect water voles, Britain’s fastest declining mammal. Too much rain increases the level of the water table and can

ﬂood their burrows. On a positive note, the higher water table does provide better habitats for frogs and toads. The Canal & River Trust is asking people to help monitor all wildlife they see as part of its Great Nature Watch campaign, visit canalrivertrust.org.uk/great-nature-watch to ﬁnd out how to take part.

REVIEWS SAILING’S STRANGEST TALES It’s often been said, when things aren’t going terribly well, that “worse things happen at sea” – and if the stories in this book are anything to go by, most inland boaters will sincerely hope that it’s true when compared to the canals. There are tales of shipwrecks (including one which was the inspiration for a Shakespeare play), ghost ships, disappearances, piracy, desperate crew cast adrift on the ocean, attacks by killer whales and worse. Take a copy to read and be thankful that such things don’t happen on the waterways, and that not many shipwrecked canal boaters have ever resorted to cannibalism (even on the northern BCN).

Sailing’s Strangest Tales, John Harding, Portico, pavilionbooks.com, £7.99, 978-1-911042-25-9

WATERWAYS OF BRITAIN Subtitled An Illustrated Guide to Britain’s Best Waterways, this is a new softback edition published by Collins Nicholson of

The Times Waterways of Britain. It doesn’t set out to be an exhaustive guide – rather, it picks a selection of 25 routes to illustrate the diversity of the network. These include James Brindley’s ‘grand cross’ canals linking the Thames, Severn, Trent and Mersey and other well-known waterways including the Llangollen and Leeds & Liverpool, but also less well-known routes including the Chesterﬁeld and the Bridgwater & Taunton. For each one there is a detailed route description, a history, a fact box and a page of points of interest. Plus, interspersed among them, there are 25 ‘mileposts’ – descriptions of individual historical developments which the author sees as representative of waterways development, from Brindley’s birth via the restoration of the Ashton Canal and on to the building of the Falkirk Wheel.

Waterways of Britain, Jonathan Mosse, Collins Nicholson, harpercollins.co.uk, £16.99, 978-0-00819547-2

APP OF THE MONTH DOGS HAVE ALWAYS been man’s best friend and there’s nothing better then taking your four-legged pal on trip along the cut. The trouble is that when you stop to wet your whistle with a nice pint, not all of the pubs along the waterways are doggie friendly. DoggiePubs is a non-

14 September 2016 Canal Boat

WHILE WE’RE SURE there are lots of contented fishermen enjoying a quiet day by the water, it has to be said that the occasional one lives up to the stereotype of the grumpy angler. Spare a thought, then, for those fishing the Hampshire Avon who have a novel reason to feel miserable – too many fish! Some 60,000 rainbow trout have escaped from a fish farm, and the anglers can’t help catching them. One chap pulled out 52 in a morning – and, as a nonnative species, they’re not allowed to throw them back in. Some anglers are sick of eating trout! Still, the local cats are doing well out of it…

DOGGIEPUBS – 79p commercial private site run by human parents of Border terrier Millie. On it you will ﬁnd nearly 6,000 pubs throughout the UK that are dog friendly. Pubs cannot pay to be listed; they are there by recommendations submitted by pub-goers. The app will guide you to

simple country drinking establishments and to awardwinning foodie pubs. Buy this app and you’ll never have to leave a good dog behind. It’s compatible with both iOS and Android. Cheers!

Clearly the Best! Now in our 37th year, we are the longest established window manufacturers in the industry. If you are looking for a company that believes in customer service and satisfaction with your best interests at heart, then come to our family business and beneﬁt from our vast amount of experience in ﬁtting and replacing boat windows. IN A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY, 100% OF CUSTOMERS SAID THEY WOULD RECOMMEND CHANNELGLAZE AND OUR DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOWS. Source: Channelglaze Ltd, 2013 Customer Survey http://www.clarity-marketing.com [ref:7525d261-f7a1-42e4-b4a2-35cd045baa12] (closed 22/09/13)

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Canal Boat September 2016 15

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16 September 2016 Canal Boat

A H pt nn enl em ua ey be l Ev -on r. en -T Ap t ha po 17t me in h/ s tm 18 en th to nl y.

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LETTERS TELL US YOUR VIEWS and you could win a Collins Nicholson Waterways Guide of your choice. With their detailed maps, they are an essential part of planning your trips around the canals and rivers.

EMAIL editor@canalboat.co.uk WRITE Editor, Canal Boat, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham RG40 2EG LETTERS that are kept short are more likely to be published in full

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Percentage saving WITH REGARD TO the article on how much duty to pay on fuel ( CB, July), I used a much simpler method of calculation when I had a boat. ■ I noted the engine hours at the start and end of each year, enabling me to calculate how long the engine had run in the year ■ I also logged where I went, so I knew how far I’d gone that year ■ I then calculated how many hours I had been cruising (assuming a conservative speed – say 2.5mph) ■ I then calculated the cruising time as a percentage of total engine hours to give my propulsion percentage, which I used throughout the following year ■ I carried copies of my calculations to show the fuel vendor (generally they weren’t interested, though) Although crude, it was simple and gave some support to my percentage ﬁgure, should it ever be challenged (it wasn’t). As boaters who tended to cruise relatively short distances and

TECHNICAL

Fuel for thought

TECHNICAL How well does your engine actually perform?

What do you do when buying diesel? Many people simply go for the 60/40 split, but how accurate is it and could you be losing out? CB reader Simon Birt got out his physics book and calculator to ﬁnd out

WORDS BY SIMON BIRT

hatting to a fellow boater while waiting for a particularly slow lock to ﬁll, the conversation turned to fuel duty on red diesel, something I had never given a great deal of thought to. My lock companion was outraged by the policy of a local boatyard and its insistence that it would be the one to determine the split between propulsion and domestic use. Apparently, the policy of this

particular fuel supplier was only to supply fuel to boaters who were prepared to sign a declaration stating a 60/40 propulsion to domestic split. When challenged, they cited guidance by HMRC, saying that this was the correct split. That evening, I remembered the earlier conversation and it occurred to me that I had absolutely no idea what my actual fuel use split was, or even how to

calculate it. I should perhaps say at this point that I have owned, hired and messed about in boats all my life but have only been a narrowboat owner for just over a year. I made a few tentative jottings in a notebook and vowed to ﬁnd out the truth before the next time I needed to buy fuel. My ﬁrst discovery was that HMRC publish guidance (Excise notice 554) about fuel duty. This is a long and

detailed document, and if you find yourself with nothing to do for an hour or two, you might like to read it. The two main points are: (1) it is the purchaser not the seller who is making the declaration (2) the seller is simply required to record the customer’s details and work out the split based on the buyer’s declaration. If the buyer declares 100 percent domestic use then the seller is supposed to make a note in his records. Nowhere does HMRC suggest that fuel sellers should dictate the split. What HMRC does say is that it (HRMC) has consulted with the industry and come up with a figure of 40 percent domestic and 60 percent propulsion; it suggests that this is a figure that ‘many users will use’. This seemed a bit arbitrary to me, bearing in mind that this figure is for all private leisure craft using red diesel: river cruisers, offshore powerboats and, of course, narrowboats. While a 40/60 split may be perfectly reasonable for some, I was suspicious that this ‘one size fits all’ approach would not work for everyone. Before going on we should perhaps define what is meant by propulsion and domestic use. Propulsion is defined as pushing forward. From that we can say that when the boat is tied up at a mooring or waiting at a lock with the engine running, it is not being propelled. Domestic is defined as relating to the

running of the home. Duty is only payable on fuel used in propulsion, ie, only fuel used to actually move the boat. How do we calculate the correct proportion of fuel used for propulsion? Calculations. The ﬁrst problem is that energy and power tend to be measured in a variety of units; engines in horsepower, electricity in kilowatts and so on. The standard unit is the Joule, but there have to be a few conversions along the way. The next thing we need to know is how much power is required for a given

It's a money lever, really

‘If our boat engine was 100 percent efficient, we would need just under half a litre of fuel to cover three miles in one hour’ speed. A 60ft boat needs around 6hp to achieve canal cruising speed (this estimate is given in several sources including Hybrid Marine). Generally, it is accepted that ‘canal cruising speed’ is 3mph rather than 4mph, so this is the figure I will use. Six horsepower would seem to make sense as working boats fitted with a 9hp Bolinder seem to get along fine. Using this figure, we now need to know how much fuel is needed to provide 6hp. The energy density of diesel fuel is around 38 Megajoules (MJ) per litre. 1 MJ is 0.2777 Kilowatt hours, therefore, one litre of diesel produces 38 x 0.2777 = 10.5 kilowatt hours. One horsepower equals 746 Watts, therefore, 10.5 kilowatt hours is equivalent to 10500/746 =14hp. If our engine was 100 percent efficient, we would need just under half a litre of fuel to cover three miles in one hour. A diesel engine has an efficiency of only around 45%, so that means it takes about one litre of fuel to propel our boat for three miles in one hour. The problem

al Canal Boat July 2016 69

then spend time looking around the town/village we’d reached, the calculation resulted in quite a low propulsion percentage – typically around 15%, which we rounded up to a 20:80 split – still, a lot better than 60:40! KEN PRAGNELL, via email

A lock by any other name, but which? Help for singles JUST RECENTLY, WE were on a trip around the Northern BCN when we came upon a stoppage notice that mentioned Saltley Locks on the Birmingham & Warwick Junction Canal. In the years that I’ve been boating (35 plus) I have always believed that they were called Garrison Locks and that they were on the Grand Union Canal. My current Nicholson’s Guide (published 2014) refers to them thus, but my older Nicholson’s (published 1995) still refers to Garrison Locks, but this time they are on the Birmingham & Warwick Junction Canal. I assume that the Canal & River Trust is responsible for the naming of the components of the canal system, but are we to revert to the original names from when the actual waterway was built or stick with the names they ended up with when it was run by British Waterways? I think we should be told what the ofﬁcial designation of each canal is so that we don’t get confused by new/old alternative names. PETER ALLEN, via email Martin says: “The length of canal in question has at least three names. Its original name was the Birmingham & Warwick Junction Canal, it became part of the Grand Union in the amalgamation of the

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late 1920s / early 1930s, and it was known to working boat people as the Saltley Cut. As for the locks, I’ve heard them referred to as Garrison more often than Saltley, and personally I’d use Garrison. I’m not sure there’s a ‘bible’ that can be trusted as a reference. Bradshaw’s Canals & Navigable Rivers (1904) gives some idea of what was used during the canals’ working life, but I suspect that, at times, he made things up (particularly lock numbers). Also several canals changed names as a result of amalgamations and takeovers. And anyway, there were often ofﬁcial company names which were different from those used by the working boat community. I’ve seen a list of GU locks with two or three names for each one. I don’t see any great need for an ofﬁcial set of standard names – to me, part of the charm of the waterways is its complicated history, its lack of standardisation, and its general quirkiness. And if a discussion about the correct name leads to a lesson in waterways heritage, that’s a good thing. Do beware of the perils of using the term ‘Llangollen Canal’, though. Every time you call it anything other than ‘Ellesmere Canal’, you’re directly contravening the 1793 Act of Parliament. And I’ve seen a letter to a magazine suggesting that BWB (it was a few years back) should be “reminded of its duty to obey the law of the land”. Yes, really!”

REGARDING THE RECENT letters about single boating, I have the same dilemma. How to go about teaming-up with a like-minded person, male or female, to share a canal boat holiday or even an extended cruise. I can’t imagine using social media, ie Facebook etc is a horror story! Having done a considerable amount of sailing in my younger years, I feel conﬁdent in skippering a canal boat, but feel it would be more sensible to have some assistance, preferably with someone with experience. PHILIP MORTON, via email

Canal Boat September 2016 17

LETTERS

Speedy damage THIS IS A timely reminder about the dangers of speeding past moored boats – and especially boats that are in the process of mooring. In June, we were mooring up at the end of the visitor moorings above Fradley Locks on the Trent & Mersey. A boat was just exiting the top lock, but he had the lock landing and ﬁve moored boats to pass before he got to us. I was along the gunwale with the centre line about to step off, but the boat that had come out of the lock had absolutely gunned it and came past us at very high speed. Our boat’s stern was sucked out into the cut, our tiller swung out to starboard and caught on his roof rails – he made absolutely no attempt to slow, merely swore profusely, and barged past us off up the canal. The result was that our tiller arm and swan-neck were very badly twisted and bent, and our stern had continued to be sucked over to the offside in his wake, and was ﬁrmly aground.

The boat was a very distinctive style and, thanks to friends on social media, we tracked its course and a friend took photographs – including the licence disc, which had expired in May. A friend also overheard the steerer, who was apparently delivering the boat for someone, admit to his customer that he had hit a narrowboat and bent its tiller, but did not stop because “I didn’t want to get involved with insurance”! Thanks to the staff at Streethay Wharf, we managed to get the swan neck more-or-less straightened, but the rudder bottom bearing is obviously damaged and our boat will have to be taken out of water for repair. We contacted Canal & River Trust’s customer services and asked that he was reported to enforcement ofﬁcers. They said they could trace the owner from the licence document number in the photograph and pass that information on to our insurers, so we have a faint hope that we will regain our excess and no claims bonus. ROB PEARSON, via email

Missing Thames services WE REALLY ENJOYED the recent two-part cruise guide to the River Thames. It’s a trip we’ve done several times. However, we noticed you included Park End Wharf in Lechlade in the Waterways Factﬁle for the guide to the Upper Thames ( CB, Aug).

This has been derelict for over a year, and boaters have been turning up there only to ﬁnd no services and nowhere to fuel up. KAREN, via email Thank you very much for pointing that out – we were unaware it had closed down.

JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION

5.30am. Quality morning time spent by the canal #priceless @CLIVE MASON

I haven’t been on a canal boat for over 30 years, and I still get ridiculously excited when my copy of @Canal_Boat magazine arrives :-) TIM @THROWING_PIXIES

Eerie goings-on at Claydon Top AT THE END of the 70s, the old workshops at Claydon Top Lock on the southern Oxford canal were falling into rack and ruin, which presented me with an opportunity to start a woodworking business. My builder brother-inlaw, Roger, had offered to help out and we stayed on a boat moored up beside the workshops. One evening, I found Roger looking very shaky, and jokingly said: ‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost!’ His reply took me aback. “I think I just have.” Roger said he saw a man in what he described as old-fashioned trousers and just a short-sleeved shirt. A week or two later, I was in the galley when I heard a splash outside. I raced to the cockpit and there was Roger’s head disappearing under the water. Grabbing the bow line, I managed to drag him out. He had fallen in just above the top gate where the water is deep. Having changed into dry clothes, he thawed out in front of the ﬁre, and I asked him how he had managed to fall in. “I didn’t fall in. I was pushed!” he stated. Time passed and one day, a young woman friend, who was something of an artist, set up her easel at

18 September 2016 Canal Boat

the Top Lock. She produced a beautiful rendition of the lock and workshops but for some reason, she included a man, up to his shoulders in the water, just above the top gate. When asked why she had drawn him, her response was “it just felt right”. I became friendly a local farmer and broached the strange tales with him. He came back to see me a few days later. He told me he had been to have a look at the parish records. He went on to tell me that a lock-keeper had been drowned in the 1930s, in summer, just above the top lock gate at Claydon Top. PAUL STRUTT, via email Claydon Top nowadays

Bathe in the beauty of the UK’s canals with this excellent series of photos from @canal_boat’s readers! @INSURE4BOATS

The NEW Canal Boat app is now live! 50 issues + the latest news from our website! Download & read an issue @CANAL_BOAT

Like us on Facebook, join in the discussions, see some great waterways videos and pictures and win prizes at facebook.com/canalboat

Keep up to date with the latest from Canal Boat and the waterways, follow us on on Twitter @canal_boat

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Canal Boat September 2016 19

ME & MY BOATS

Long-distance dream Visiting Britain, an Australian couple spotted canal boats and fell in love – but how could they make their dream come true and own their own narrowboat? WORDS & PICTURES BY CAROLYN EASDALE

wenty-two years in the making, ten years in the planning and now we have purchased our very own boat – the realisation of a long term and certainly a long-distance dream. Wanting to purchase our own narrowboat when we live 11,000 miles from the nearest narrow canal seemed rather absurd to us, and even ‘crazy’ to some of our Australian friends. The embryo for this unusual plan was ﬁrst hatched back in 1993, when my husband Steve and I were on our ﬁrst ever trip to Europe and the UK. It was the ‘trip of a lifetime’ and given the

distance and cost, we weren’t sure if we would ever be back. Among the blur of 20 different countries in just over a month, we took time out for a long walk along the beautiful River Avon in Bath. It was here that we saw canal boats for the very ﬁrst time and fell instantly and hopelessly in love. I was envious of the owners as they sat on their sterns in the sunshine sipping wine before preparing their dinners. There and then we decided we had to come back to the UK and hire a canal boat one day but, at that early stage, we never imagined that we would ever be owners. We returned in

1998 for our first hire experience and, over the next 17 years, we hired a number of times, sometimes for several weeks, as we explored more of the canal network and fell more and more in love. This love grew in spite of a few adventures. In our very first days we had difficulty working out how to actually stop the boat as opposed to slowing down, leaping and hoping for the best and I had a panic attack sailing through my very first lock. After Steve drove through our first flight of 12 at Bosley, I quickly decided that locks require muscles, a job much more suited to men, so I needed to learn

Dream realised – Emmaus on the Droitwich Canal

20 September 2016 Canal Boat

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WIN0 £10

Flying the ﬂag from home

on the Our hire boat in 2004 at Wilmcote al Can Stratford-upon- Avon to drive and learn fast. I had my ‘nervous moment’ as I waited to descend that ﬁrst lock – I waved my arms around, squealed like a child and decided it would be best to abandon ship and leave the boat to its own devices! Luckily, a nearby lady driver heard my squeals of terror, came over and told me “women can do anything”! That was all I needed, along with a few friendly tips and I was off. Now

‘I waved my arms around, squealed like a child and decided it would be best to abandon ship and leave the boat to its own devices’ canalboat.co.uk

ME & MY BOATS Tell us about your boat and your boating – email editor@canalboat.co.uk

ping wine Now we’ve joined the boaters supsha m Eve at on the stern, this time

Atmospheric shadows on

I have more than 700 locks under my belt and have never felt the urge to abandon ship again. We have also been ‘stuck’ a few times in awkward places. We found we had a duvet stuck around our propeller just as we entered the lovely Ashby canal and without power we blocked the entire intersection. We were rescued by a friendly stranger in a ﬁbreglass cruiser with a hacksaw. Another time we became wedged in the public moorings at Loughborough and were again rescued by a friendly stranger in a GRP cruiser, this time armed with a towrope. As you can imagine, we now never refer to ﬁbreglass boats as ‘Tupperware’. We also created some interest more

the Pontcysyllte

recently when we missed a good overnight mooring at Kilby then realised that there was no winding area; Steve decided to reverse 750ft to the missed spot. As we all know, there is not a lot of steering going on in reverse on a narrowboat and 750ft felt more like 750 miles. We managed it without crashing into anything and created some predinner entertainment for the locals. But none of these incidents were enough to put us off. We have had so many wonderful experiences, squeezing up the Llangollen to Wales; gliding across the amazing Pontcysyllte aqueduct 126ft above the river below; being carried up and down the Anderton Boat Lift to experience the River Weaver; spending Easter in Bancroft basin in

Canal Boat September 2016 21

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ME & MY BOATS If you want your story to be featured EMAIL editor@canalboat.co.uk Stratford-upon-Avon with hundreds of tourists; being dwarfed by the imposing walls of the city of Chester, trying to outrun whole trees as we sailed down the fast-moving Severn towards the safety of the lock at Gloucester; conquering the very difﬁcult Hatton 21 at Warwick four times now, and staying several times at the incredibly atmospheric Kingswood Junction at Lapworth. By 2005, now hopelessly addicted, we hatched the serious ten-year plan to buy our own boat. We did our saving, and rearranged our ﬁnancial, work and housing arrangements over that period to make it happen. Many happy hours were spent trawling advertisements and doing our research. We were pretty sure we knew what we wanted and tried

WHAT’S IN

the name Moored up at Vines Park on the Droitwich

CHRISTINE TWIST EMAILED TO TELL US: “On retirement and moving to a lovely house on the river, we decided to fulﬁl my husband’s dream and buy a motor cruiser. The name on the boat wasn’t relevant to us so we thought about a new name. When buying the boat we decided it would not only be for our use but also for use by our children and grandchildren – a family boat – so decided to use the initials of the grandchildren’s names – Joshua, Ella-Sophie, Sophie & Amy. So Jessa it was, much to their delight.”

different sizes of boats when hiring just to be sure. We had booked our flights to arrive in the UK in mid-June 2015 and had accommodation and a hire car booked for four weeks only. If we didn’t find a boat and move onto it in that time, it was going to be a bench in the park. When we touched down we had eight boats on our short list. All were secondhand between 57 and 60ft, cruiser stern, non-reverse layout with Pullman style dining tables. Amazingly, the first one we inspected was the one we bought, but we checked most of the others to be sure. Within our allocated four weeks nb Emmaus was ours and we were off and

cruising from north of Leicester on the River Soar where she was located to our winter marina at Droitwich Spa. We allowed five weeks to do this and had a wonderful time. It is so exciting to finally have our very own boat. We love the way you don’t have to rush to return the boat to the hire yard by a set time. We can’t wait to come back for summer 2016 and as many summers after that as we can manage, to enjoy our lovely boat and the gorgeous canals of England again. So look out for us with our Aussie flag on the back and ‘Kangaroos for the next 14 kms’ sign in the window!

IT’S YOUR TURN: TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOAT Why not write in to tell us how your boat was named? Email: editor@canalboat.co.uk Write: Canal Boat Magazine, Archant Specialist, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Rd, Wokingham RG40 2EG.

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TELL US ABOUT the boats – or just the boat – in your life. Your story should be about 1,000 words and must have suitable photographs. They can be prints, transparencies or high quality digital (that means at least a 5 megapixel camera set on its highest

resolution). Write in or email to editor@ canalboat.co.uk. All photos will be returned. What’s more, we pay £100 for every story used.

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Canal Boat September 2016 23

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KEVIN BLICK

From car journalism to the canals was a change of pace, but living on board tug Harry is a constant eye-opener

Is it like climbing a mountain?

hy do we do this? I asked myself this question as I wrestled with the fifth lock on the Wigan flight, looked at my watch, saw we’d been going for an hour and realised that there could be another four hours of this to go. Worse, I had just felt the first spits of rain on my head. By lock 20 of the 21, it was getting dark and the rain was now pouring down. Five hours had passed since we started up the flight and the vision of pie and chips and a pint at the Kirkless Hall, that had been keeping me going as I got ever wetter, was suddenly dashed when I discovered that the pub had stopped serving food at seven. It was now eight! Thoroughly soaked, Mrs B and me finished the last two locks in something similar to the state of depression England fans must have felt after watching Iceland beat them at the Euros. We rounded the corner at the top of the locks, moored instantly, dropped wet clothes in the bath and opened two tins of curry. (There are times when even Canal Boat’s cookery columnist feels beyond preparing anything more than a saucepan of rice!) So why on earth do we do this? Clearly not many other people were doing it – we hadn’t passed a single soul going either way on the entire flight. I suppose, for us, it’s partly the old mountain

It’s worth it for this scenery

climber’s answer: “because it’s there.” A tough lock flight is a challenge – and we’ve done ’em all. But it’s not just that: in fact we’d done the Leeds & Liverpool Canal twice already though this was the first time we’d done the LiverpoolLeeds version. Or, to be more exact, the Wigan-Leeds version. And, in case you’re wondering, going up the Wigan flight is a whole lot harder than it ever was coming down. A bit like climbing the North face of the Eiger instead of the south one. The real story is that, quite simply, we like it ‘oop north’. All that effort on the locks is worthwhile when you get out of the town and gaze at that spectacular Pennine country. The views are breathtaking – and as I write this, we haven’t even reached the best of them,

‘Going up the Wigan ﬂight is a lot harder than coming down, a bit like climbing the north face of the Eiger instead of the south’ canalboat.co.uk

where the canal weaves its way sinuously around the contours of the dramatic landscape near Gargrave. And after that we have Skipton, then the Bingley Five Rise locks, the remarkable Saltaire and ﬁnally Leeds itself. What’s not to like? The canals up here are much less busy than those down south, too. This year even more so: in the 40 miles since Wigan I doubt we have seen more than a dozen boats on the move. I’ve been wondering why; I suppose some of the reason is the ﬂooding problems that have closed the Rochdale and (until recently) the Calder & Hebble, narrowing down people’s boating options. But I don’t think that’s the only reason. I think people are easily frightened off and, sadly, some of these areas have reputations that go before them. Yes, the Wigan locks are hard work – harder than they should be, to be honest, if they

had better maintenance – but bandit country? We’ve never met anything but friendliness and offers of help from passers-by on the towpath. The dreaded Blackburn is much cleaner and tidier now; Burnley likewise. I’d rather be going through these places than some of the backwaters we’ve travelled in Birmingham. Two years ago we did the Rochdale Canal, another of those that provokes much sucking in of breath and shaking of heads. So much so, in fact, that many boaters go up the pretty Yorkshire side, turn and come back down for fear of what they might come across heading down to Manchester. Again, it’s hard work in places, rough in others, but always fascinating and nothing that a bit of commonsense won’t get you through. I would deﬁnitely say, give the Northern waterways a try. If for no other reason than: the next time we are here we might ﬁnd a boat or two to CB share the wide locks with.

Canal Boat September 2016 27

THE BOAT TEST

WINDOWS ON

the world

Betty is quite extraordinary – it’s taken 23 years for this particular dream to become a reality and the result is a stunning and most unusual boat WORDS ADAM PORTER PICTURES ANDY R ANNABLE

he old saying ‘good things come to those who wait’ extols the virtue of patience – and here’s a boat that proves it’s true. This boat is deﬁnitely a good thing: it was probably the most eye-catching of those at the Crick Boat Show this year, and came second in the vote for Favourite Boat. But its owner, Phil Butler, hasn’t

28 September 2016 Canal Boat

exactly rushed into anything. “I went on a canal holiday with some friends in 1993, and said then that I’d have my own boat,” he says. But it wasn’t until 2010 that he started looking into having one built, and it was only this year that his project was ﬁnally ﬁnished. One reason it’s taken a long time from dream to reality is that it’s a very unusual

boat. On the outside, it’s styled like an old working boat, but on the inside, there’s reclaimed timber, a vintage engine, and a sprinkling of technology. If any Crick boat is worth a closer look, it’s this one.

EXTERIOR

The ﬁrst thing you notice is that Betty looks a lot longer than it actually is.

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Betty £200,000+

LENGTH: STYLE: BERTHS: LAYOUT: POWER:

Maybe it’s because the eye is tricked by the front half of the boat, which is the shape of a clothed working boat, or perhaps it’s because you expect a working boat to be in the 70ft-plus range. Whatever the reason, it comes as a surprise to ﬁnd that it’s only 57ft long. The shell is by Mel Davis, known for his handsome and elegant steelwork. Phil chose him for a number of reasons. Firstly, he liked the quality of Mel’s workmanship, particularly the welds, on previous boats, and secondly, Mel was also on board for the challenge of

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building a boat inspired by a working boat. “When I told him what I wanted, he just stopped,” says Phil. “I thought he was going to throw me out of his yard – but then said he’d always wanted to build a boat like that.” The shell provides plenty to admire. The bow is exceptionally pretty, and the top bends have a lovely seamless curve into the stem post. The whole bow is quite long, mainly because Phil wanted enough room in the nose for a washing machine; aesthetics may not have been top of the agenda here, but they’ve won

57ft Trad-stern 2+2 Standard Gardner 3LW

anyway. The gunwales are slightly higher than usual, to emphasise the working boat look, and rather than the more normal rolled edges these gunwales come to a sharp angle. There’s relatively little decoration; the handrails, for example, don’t have scrolls, just nicely angled ends. The recessed panels at the stern, though, have a pleasing planking effect. On the roof there are a couple of pigeon boxes, and the riveted panel over the engine room is real – the engine really did go in through that hole. Mel Davis had already

Canal Boat September 2016 29

THE BOAT TEST begun building solid sides to the clothed section of the boat when Phil decided that huge windows would be better. This decision is surely one of the great successes of this boat, but he says it presented some challenges. The shell needed to be rigid, but without all the usual bracing. That problem was solved by using 40mm box sections as the main framework, with angle irons to hold the windows. And to make sure the windows didn’t crack, everything had to be very precise. The top plank is made from folded steel, and at 18 inches it’s wider than a real plank would have been. The windows themselves are also high spec. They’re argon-ﬁlled sealed doubled glazed units, using laminated glass on the outside and toughened glass inside. The boat is painted with a classic green colour scheme, but with orange used as an accent colour, used just enough to brighten things up without becoming over-powering. It’s a combination that works very well. It was painted by Steve Furniss, whose

Before: Fabricating the hull took some thought

Grand Union Narrowboat Services is based at the same yard in Northamptonshire as Jim Birch, who ﬁtted-out the boat; the sign-writing is by Colin Dundas, based just a couple of miles along the Grand Union. The words on the boat all have meaning. Betty was Phil’s mother, while Butler Bros really did exist: they were Phil’s grandfather and his brothers, who were coal merchants in Hawkhurst in Kent.

FIT-OUT AND LAYOUT

L‘ ckeo ser made from the wooden ﬂoor of a pub in Rugby. You get the impression the wood could tell a few tales’ 30 September 2016 Canal Boat

Jim Birch has built up a reputation for fitting-out boats with reclaimed timber and this boat is no exception, with wood from both a pub and a church. The character exuding from this old timber is exceptional. The other thing you notice immediately is the range of different woods and colours on show; the fashion for uniformity is firmly rejected, showing that you can achieve harmony without having everything the same. Reclaimed timber often arrives in a bit of a state and takes a significant amount of time to restore. It’s pressure washed before being lightly sanded and then either waxed or varnished, depending on where it will be used. The boat itself has a standard layout, with the saloon at the bow under the glass. The galley is open plan to the saloon, then a corridor takes you past a shower and a separate loo. Next comes the engine room, followed by a back cabin.

ach

WELL DECK Normally, the well deck would be included as part of the exterior, but in this boat it’s really an extension of the interior. That’s partly because the cover over the

deck is a continuation of the cloths that cover the ‘hold’ windows, and partly because this really is like another room. There are substantial lockers each side of the deck, made from the wooden ﬂoor of a pub in Rugby. You get the impression the wood could tell more than a few tales. The water tank is under this part of the deck, which explains why there’s a step up. Between the lockers a door provides access to what would normally be the gas locker; this is a gas-free boat though, and the locker is where the washing machine is hidden. There’s a choice of tables to go between the lockers, making this a great al fresco eating area. And the whole thing converts into a guest bed, providing the boat’s extra berths.

SALOON More of the Rugby pub flooring is used for the floor of the saloon and galley. It’s set in a keelson fashion, with the keelson plank itself from a different source, the former Hyatt hotel in Birmingham. The boards are fixed to ply, to make sure they don’t move. There’s more reclaimed timber on the hull sides, beautiful panels from church pews and the skirting board is the hymnbook shelf. Jim Birch had had this wood for some time, and been waiting for the right project to make use of it. “This boat just called out for it,” he says. Above the pew panels and below the windows there is a run of cubby holes and drawers in the style of a toolmaker’s chest along both sides of the boat. It’s a great way of filling the gap left because the panels weren’t quite tall enough; so one of the saloon’s most endearing

ides

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THE BOAT TEST

‘The other great woodworking feat here is the curved beams between the windows. Each one was steam bent and shaped using a form’ canalboat.co.uk

THE BOAT TEST features happened almost by accident. The other great woodworking feat here is the curved beams between the windows. Each one was steam bent and shaped using a form. Jim Birch also went to Ely cathedral to look at how the joints in such beams should be made. Each one is like a mini sculpture. At ﬁrst sight, the small amount of ceiling in the saloon, on the underside of the top plank, looks fairly straightforward. But it hides a secret. There are ducts inside connected to individually switched fans; some are designed to bring fresh air in, while others take cabin air out. In this way, it’s possible to regulate the temperature.

well as providing cooking facilities also provides heating and hot water) has serious competition from some beautiful worktops. They’re made from chunky reclaimed pieces of black American walnut and you can’t help but touch them. The cupboard doors are also made from reclaimed wood, pine in this case. One of them hides a 240-volt fridge. The very traditional look of this galley is complemented by a Belfast sink. A set of side doors provides an extra way in and out of the boat, and the steps slice though the units in a very organic way. Each step also has a drawer, for extra storage.

GALLEY

There isn’t a shower room as such; instead, there’s a corridor with a door to a shower cubicle, and another to a separate loo. Phil was keen that he’d be able to walk through the boat, even if someone else was using either facility. Along the corridor, all the light switches are made from Bakelite; these ones are reproductions, but there are proper vintage ones in the back cabin. The shower is set up like a wet room. A made-to-measure polypropylene tray takes up the entire ﬂoor and it’s covered in Altro marine ﬂooring. There’s a basin in the corner, cubby holes built into the walls and a copper pipe radiator.

Usually, when a galley has a range, it’s the star of the show. But the blue Heritage Compact Duette in this galley (which as It might not be ultra-modern, but it’s a great galley – imagine the pleasure of cooking on that range

SHOWER ROOM

Just look at that tiling, a great match for the boat’s style

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THE BOAT TEST

No, it’s not a ‘standard’ cabin, but on a boat such as this, what would you expect..? A pigeon box in the roof lets out the steam. The tiles are bevelled and set in a brick pattern, to continue to traditional look. The toilet compartment is next door, and currently contains a Porta-Potti. There’s a black water holding tank under the ﬂoor, so a pump-out loo could be ﬁtted, but Phil hasn’t yet decided exactly what he wants; he’s considering a composting toilet. This small space uses a combination of reclaimed wooden panels and painted tongue and groove. Phil’s love of railways comes through, with a notice about not using the toilet while in the station!

ENGINE ROOM Wood gives way to paint on the walls in the engine room, a mix of grey panels and white tongue and groove. Plus, there are plenty of cupboards made from reclaimed oak hiding the modern electrics. The centrepiece of the room is the magniﬁcent Gardner engine, of which more later. There are yards of copper pipes to polish, as well as pierced brass on the exhaust. The use of brass vents and bulkhead lights, and another copper pipe radiator looks just right.

BACK CABIN The layout of the back cabin is very traditional, with a bench seat down one

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Three cylinders, so there’s power to spare

‘The centrepiece is the magniﬁcent Gardner engine. There are yards of copper pipe to polish as well as brass on the exhaust’

side and a big unit opposite, containing all the usual cupboards. They include a pull-down ﬂap to create a cross bed and a table and knife drawer. There are also some high level units over the bench seat, including an eyebrow cupboard over a porthole. What’s not so traditional is that the oak is left unpainted; there’s no scumbling or other decoration. Jim Birch says that in the days when working boats were built they used scumbling to make cheap materials look better. Today, we can afford to use real oak in a cabin like this and it looks great – it would have been a shame to cover it up. A reclaimed and reconditioned Premier stove sits in the corner and ladder-style steps lead up to the rear deck. These are removable and a door behind gives access to the weed hatch.

TECHNICAL One of the joys of having a vintage engine is finding out when it was built, and how it’s spent most of its life. The Gardner in this boat was built in 1959, and was fitted into a fishing boat in the West Country. It was restored by Joe McCool from Tangent Engineering in County Tyrone. It’s a 3LW – the three-cylinder version of the Gardner – chosen because Phil

Canal Boat September 2016 33

THE BOAT TEST THE OWNER AND THE BUILDER PHIL BUTLER, WHO OWNS BETTY, has recently retired from a job as an engineer working on diesel fuel injection systems at a research centre in Kent. He sees the boat as something to keep him active and ﬁll his retirement. Strangely, although that boating holiday back in 1993 was the inspiration for getting a boat, he hasn’t done any boating in the meantime. But now he’s planning to spend some time exploring the canals, but may then take his boat back around the

coast to the Medway again. Jim Birch, who carried out the fit-out, has a reputation for working with reclaimed timber. He used to work at William Piper, which twice won Crick with a similarly fitted out boat; when the company folded, he set up Oakcraft Narrowboats. Now he operates as a sole trader, at the same busy yard in Weedon. Jim is about to start work on fitting out his next boat on another Mel Davis shell. And his success at Crick means his order book is filling up fast.

intends to spend much of his time on rivers and thought he needed a bit more grunt than the twin-cylinder engine would have provided. Indeed, even before being completely ﬁnished, this boat has already done the challenging run down the Thames and around the coast to the River Medway and back. The electrical system is 24 volts, which Phil prefers to 12-volt. There are four 120Ah AGM batteries and a Victron 3kW inverter/charger for a 240-volt supply. Cabling has been installed for a yet-tobe-connected digital music system.

when you wind the speed wheel, it’s clear there’s a lot of power available. There are traditional controls, with a handle to push or pull for forward and reverse gears, and a wheel to increase or reduce revs. This is clearly a heavy boat with a deep draught, but it handles really well. It turns very easily, as you might expect from a Mel Davis shell, with nice long swims; perhaps more surprising is how light the steering is, there’s no sense of having to struggle with the tiller to turn. In short, we couldn’t fault the handling.

ON THE WATER

CONCLUSION

This is a boat that looks great on the water and sounds just as good. The engine is quite happy ticking over, but

This is an outstanding boat, although you have to acknowledge that it wouldn’t be for everyone. All the glass in the

DESIGN

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

saloon means privacy is (quite literally) out of the window, and some people wouldn’t want the task of rolling up and folding down the covers all the time. And it has cost a lot of money. Phil reckons he’s spent something over £200,000 on Betty, although he admits that if he’d been more efﬁcient in some of his decision-making, it could have been done for less money and in less time. But the result is a truly individual boat, with top quality workmanship. It has a stunning shell that looks fantastic, while the interior is a one off. The reclaimed timber and the craftsmanship which has given it a new purpose are both superb. Betty might have taken a long time to get from idea to execution, but as we said at the beginning, good things come to those who wait.

Verdict: ‘Brilliant. It works as a boat and yet has wonderful character’

Betty

£200,000+

AND DECOR ■ Range: Heritage Compact Duette heritagecookers.co.uk £7,310 ■ Shower ﬂoor: Altro Marine altro.co.uk around £28 sqm All prices are approximate and may depend on supplier and any discounts obtained

LENGTH: BEAM: SHELL:

STYLE: LAYOUT: BERTHS:

34 September 2016 Canal Boat

57ft FIT-OUT: Reclaimed, 6ft 10in various timbers Mel Davis ENGINE: Gardner 3LW 01623 748592 Tangent Engineering meldavis.com tangentengineering.co.uk Trad INVERTER: Victron 3kw Standard with victronenergy.com engine room 2+2

JIM BIRCH The Boat Yard High Street Weedon Northants NN7 4QD 07963 416833

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Canal Boat September 2016 35

LIVEABOARD

Brum, it’s my KIND OF TOWN

After an enjoyable 48 hours in Birmingham, our liveaboard veers off on to the North Stratford Canal and discovers the Saltisford Arm is a lovely place to moor – but loses a part of the boat en route WORDS AND PICTURES BY DAVID JOHNS

ou might not be aware but, amid the millions of hilarious cat videos to be found on YouTube, there are some (other) terriﬁc items. One of these is a splendid documentary narrated by Telly Savalas, made in 1981 and all about Birmingham. From a tower block, whose outlook is mainly of concrete city centre monstrosities, he says it’s “a view that nearly took my breath away”. Over a nasty Eighties soundtrack he waxes

lyrical about “tree-lined boulevards” and being “projected into the 21st Century”. Birmingham’s roads “are revolutionary!” he exclaims, yet why not “arrive the Venetian way?” he also ponders over shots of a narrowboat going past Cambrian Wharf; “it’s my kind of town”! With such ringing endorsements ﬁrmly in mind, I found myself moored smack in the middle of England’s second city, opposite the National Indoor Arena and just a few yards from the Sea Life Centre. Clearly it’s time for someone to re-make that video; 30-odd years has turned Birmingham into a bustling modern city that’s oft derided but I like it (though the canals

themselves seem a bit grim, with apologies to the BCN Society). A 48-hour mooring is not really long enough to explore much but I enjoyed my stay despite disappointingly slow service with a cold burger and chips at a supposedly premium burger specialist near Gas Street. Mr Savalas would not have approved. My mooring time then expired, it was time to head through the ‘burbs with all the advice being, just as on the way in, to get out of town in one hit rather than risk the werewolves, vampires and Dementors, all of whom apparently lurk in the shadows waiting for unsuspecting novice narrowboaters to moor for the night. At least, that’s what I hear. First, a slightly awkward re-ﬁll of the

The many locks of the Hatton ﬂight 36 September 2016 Canal Boat

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LIVEABOARD ‘A wedding party was, bizarrely, taking photos beside the Elsan. It’s hard to make yourself invisible lugging a cassette of poo’

Not a ﬂower but a carrier bag

Sunset near Bridge 10 on the Stratford

water tank just along from the Mailbox where a wedding party was, bizarrely, taking photos beside the Elsan and water points. Oh, the glamour! It’s hard to make yourself invisible when lugging a cassette of poo around and the trip hazard of my hose across their path prompted visions of the happy couple plunging head ﬁrst into the chilly depths but, fortunately, no-one came to any harm. The plan had been to head to Worcester and visit family who live over

that way but, after tackling so many locks coming into Birmingham, the 30-plus at Tardebigge seemed likely to kill me. The 2.5km Wast Hills Tunnel didn’t sound like an awful lot of fun either so at Kings Norton, I turned left and began a journey along the North Stratford Canal instead. There’s a disused but preserved guillotine lock almost immediately. Sadly grafﬁti-strewn like everything else on the canals, it’s an amazing contraption that feels terrifying to go under. The posh bit

Phew, looking back at the Hatton Flight

canalboat.co.uk

of the Birmingham outskirts is Solihull, which is where the canal starts to run through countryside again so I moored there for a few days. It was a delightful, quiet spot near a winding hole with only one other boater nearby. He was a friendly chap who was taking his newly acquired craft to have its front hull cut off and replaced in its entirety having discovered the metal was now so thin that water was streaming in almost to the point of sinking the craft. After an excellent haircut at Clippers of Shirley, who insisted I take their loyalty card even though I’ll ‘shirley’ never see them again – boom, boom – the canal journey resumed until interrupted by two liftbridges in quick succession. Who on earth designed liftbridges to have the lift mechanism on the nontowpath side, eh? For solo boaters such as myself, an infuriating hiccup in otherwise smooth progress. Thank goodness for crews coming the other way who operated them for me despite one of their boats subsequently running me aground as they came round a corner too fast and too tight. Lapworth loomed and lots of lovely locking. I moored for the night after the ﬁrst four then kudos to not one, not two, not three but four lock-keepers who sailed me through the rest of the ﬂight in just a couple of hours or so the following day. I said I’d walk back up and buy them

Canal Boat September 2016 37

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LIVEABOARD

Moored at Lapworth

all coffee and cake but, by the time I’d moored at Kingswood Junction, they’d ﬁnished and gone back to work. Sorry, chaps; I ate your cake for you. May I pass on a valuable tip here? Don’t catch your brand new stove chimney roof with the ropes lest you ﬂing it overboard. I did. Two days and it was irretrievable despite the magnet’s best efforts. Might as well just throw money in the canal. A week was spent at Lapworth listening to the Intercity trains hurtling past mere

yards from my mooring. So close were they that the canal water itself trembled in fear as they screamed along the tracks; an odd sensation. I’d love to have a cat on board but could never do it, the notion that my pet could wander out and straight on to busy lines like that would have me constantly anxious. Hatton beckoned next. Twenty-one double-width locks in quick succession but a challenge made substantially easier by teaming with another boat bearing a lovely couple who were on their The delightful Saltisford Arm

canalboat.co.uk

‘Two days later and my new stove chimney roof was irretrievable despite the Sea Searcher magnet’s best efforts’ honeymoon. Plus there was a chap from the Canal & River Trust who was charged with checking the paddle gear and gates on every lock, that task coinciding splendidly with our ﬁrst few descents. A week followed at the Saltisford Arm which nestles into Warwick’s western side. It’s run by a charitable Trust and is a lovely place to stop, heartily recommended. There’s water, electricity if you need it, Elsan and laundry facilities and it’s very reasonably priced. I have quite literally been there and bought the t-shirt (they were on sale for a ﬁver). Why on earth am I telling you this? I should keep it secret or everyone’ll go there! You can follow my adventures in video at CruisingTheCut.co.uk, on Twitter (@CruisingTheCut) or here in the pages of Canal Boat magazine.

Canal Boat September 2016 39

WHICH BOAT?

Narrowboat

OR CRUISER?

We like all boats at CB and here reader John Williams poses an interesting and perhaps controversial question about getting more out of boating WORDS AND PICTURES BY JOHN WILLIAMS

o many narrowboat users, the function of a boat is to own or rent an enclosed living space which moves from place to place by water. At the same time, peace, freedom, nature, human companionship and comfort can come with a narrowboat. But why does it have to be a narrowboat? Why can it not be a glass reinforced plastic or wooden hull in the form of a cruiser or launch? It could still achieve these same objectives. It does, of course, boil down to aesthetics, size, shape and tradition. The narrowboat provides tradition in abundance for friends and

42 September 2016 Canal Boat

bystanders to admire. No one is going to argue with that. But what if you wanted something more from your boat, like adventure? Adventure comes with unfamiliarity. Same old, same old, kills adventure. Can a narrowboat facilitate adventure? Adventure is best when it is controlled, and with a narrowboat on the canal network, the degree of adventure can be ﬁnely tuned to a point where comfort ﬂirts with stimulation. The tipping point when adventure irreversibly becomes danger should never be contemplated. Suppose, however, that you wanted to dream a little

more and think of venturing farther aﬁeld than the canal and river network. Some people almost certainly would never go, but it would be gratifying to know that you could. I am referring to the psychology of the possible, even though our satisfaction with the status quo means that the purely possible will never be sought. That is where narrowboats lose out to other craft because the possibility of venturing much further than the UK canal network presents such unreasonable ﬁction that even the biggest dreamers cannot imagine themselves at the helm of their narrowboat on unfamiliar waters.

canalboat.co.uk

Try closing your eyes the next time you are on your narrowboat and imagining you are in foreign marinas, handling rapids and fending off crocodiles. That degree of dreaming is beyond most of us. However, it would be good to dream about being able to dream. Dream about a craft that will satisfy your requirements on the UK canal network and yet be possible to go further aďŹ eld when conditions allow. And that is why river craft other than narrowboats should be considered not as inferior second cousins but because they can have the ability to take dreams further.

canalboat.co.uk

It has been said that the best science ďŹ ction includes ten percent reality. The best marine dreaming includes a proportion of reality. The reality for long distance adventure comes closer in hull forms other than narrowboats. Therefore, cruisers stimulate some dreams better than narrowboats. I hate people who make comparisons between boats and cars. Often they are the same people in my experience who draw comparisons to nearly all personal challenges in life to running a Premiership football team. However, to illustrate my defence of

dreams in a tangible way, consider how many people have bought cross-over cars. Most of these vehicles will never see a muddy track and come equipped with road tyres and four-wheel drive which do not even get the owners to the station when there is more than a dusting of snow. A cross-over car allows the owner to dream of traversing the snowy Alps and steamy South American jungle swamps. A canal or river crossover vessel would allow the skipper and crew the privilege to dream of crossing the seas and following the rivers and canals across Europe and beyond.

Canal Boat September 2016 43

WHICH BOAT?

The dream of going further?

Boat designers and marketing personnel please take note. Get your river and canal craft to the international boat shows to blur the distinctions between marine and inland waterways. There is an opportunity not to be missed. Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) is an excellent material for vessels of all sizes. It is strong and easy to repair. Wood offers comfort and stimulates the senses. GRP vessels can be beautiful and, when combined with other materials, can highlight the beauty of wooden, brass and stainless steel components. Small previously-owned GRP vessels can be purchased at affordable prices. As such, they can get their owners on the water so an initial and uncertain interest in canals and rivers can be investigated further, or sold on without huge ﬁnancial implications. Anyone like me who gains pleasure Go to wilder places

44 September 2016 Canal Boat

Take your pick...

It doesn’t cost a lot to get going

‘To sit on your canal boat and rustle through the pages of this book with the aid of an oil lamp could invoke a dream like no other’

from dreaming about boats, wherever they are, should read The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow by A. J. MacKinnon. The author travelled the canals and rivers from Shropshire to the Black Sea in a Mirror dinghy. By his own admission, practical elements of his delightful prose were exaggerated, but to sit on your canal boat and rustle through the pages of this book with the aid of the light of an oil lamp could invoke a dream like no other. After I read his book I reached for my charts of the European canals and sought advice from The Cruising Association on the feasibility of taking my ten-metre yacht with a 1.75-metre draft to the Black Sea following MacKinnon’s route. It will probably never happen due to draft constraints, but sometimes the dreaming is better than the reality. You never know, a dream could tease your boating reality to the point of no return... Let us know your thoughts on the subject, drop us a line at CB editor@canalboat.co.uk

canalboat.co.uk

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927( IRU \RXU IDYRXULWH ZDWHUVLGH ZDWHULQJ VSRW ur Pub of the Year Awards 2015 were such a great success we thought we’d do them again this year – and just like last year we want you to vote for your favourites. To enter, go to canalboat.co.uk and click on the Pub of the Year tab then tell us which watering hole you’re nominating, its location and why it should win our prestigious prize: is it the beer, the food, the 46 September 2016 Canal Boat

atmosphere, the company, the landlord/landlady? Entries will close on 2 November and we’re looking forward to hearing from you. The winner will be announced in the New Year and receive our coveted Canal Boat Pub of the Year plaque to hang on their wall – and because we believe good things come in threes, as last year, we’ll also be selecting two runners-up who will receive one of our special plaques as well. canalboat.co.uk

PU AN LL OU DK T EEP

CRUISE GUIDE

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THE WATERWAYS AROUND THE UK • Easy-to-follow route map • Information for boaters • Ten top pubs guide

Worcester & Birmingham Canal We explore a canal of two halves starting with 58 locks in 14 miles of Worcestershire countryside and continuing with 16 miles of holding the level as it winds its way through four tunnels and into central Birmingham. TEXT & PICTURES BY DEREK PRATT

canalboat.co.uk

Canal Boat September 2016 47

Passing through Worcester’s northern outskirts

Worcester’s Diglis Basin is now a marina

he Worcester & Birmingham Canal does exactly what its name suggests: it connects the River Severn at Worcester to the centre of Birmingham. But the 30-mile long route is a ‘canal of two halves’: its 58 locks are all in the 16 miles between Worcester and Tardebigge; while the section from Tardebigge to Birmingham is lock-free but has four tunnels. Wast Hill Tunnel, almost two miles in length, acts as a dividing line between the Birmingham suburbs at King’s Norton and beautiful countryside for the

JOURNEY PLANNER Distances/locks between pins

and timber yards is now a marina for pleasure craft, surrounded by modern housing. Diglis also has a ﬂoating café, a pub and a boatyard, and makes a pleasant base for visiting the many attractions of the city. Leaving Diglis you soon enter Sidbury Lock, ﬁrst of the many narrow locks on this waterway. Take time out to visit the adjacent Commandery, a lovely timberframed building dating back to the 15th Century (see inset). The canal continues its passage out of Worcester with the occasional lock.

Follow the route with our map showing distances, locks and pubs

Direction of locks

48 September 2016 Canal Boat

journey south to Worcester – but even the length from King’s Norton to Birmingham is surprisingly green. In its heyday the canal carried timber, grain, coal for the Worcester Porcelain works, and chocolate crumb and sugar to Cadbury’s at Bournville; today it’s popular with leisure boaters and forms part of the Stourport and Avon Rings. The canal begins its journey to the Midlands at Worcester where it leaves the River Severn and climbs through two wide locks into Diglis Basin. This area, once lined with warehouses, ﬂour mills

Tunnel

Waterway junction

Our top ten pubs see panel overleaf

TO STOURPORT

WORCESTER TO GLOUCESTER

canalboat.co.uk

THE CRUISE GUIDE

Worcester & Birmingham Canal

A handsome railway viaduct overlooks the entrance to Lowesmoor Basin’s boatyard with hire base. The canal then takes a long right hand curve, leaving the city via a series of locks, most of which are set in attractive surroundings. Six Offerton Locks continue the climb, leading to Tibberton where there are two welcoming pubs by Bridge 25. Worcester has been left well behind as the waterway continues northward to a short tunnel at Dunhampstead (built, like all the tunnels on the canal, to a width that allows two narrowboats to pass

MUST SEE THE COMMANDERY became the headquarters for Charles II before the Battle of Worcester in 1651, while at other times it was a print works, a church and a monastic hospital. It now houses a museum that features the story of the building and the city via six displays based on different times in its history. It’s open Tuesdays to Saturdays and Sunday afternoons all year.

inside), beyond which there is a boatyard and pub. A pleasant two miles of open countryside then leads to Hanbury Wharf which has a boatyard with all boaters requirements, the junction with the Droitwich Canal, and also a good pub and restaurant. Hanbury Hall and park (see inset) can be reached via a public footpath from the next lock which is the bottom lock of the Astwood Flight. Hanbury village is reputed to be the basis for the ﬁctional Ambridge, home of the long running radio programme The Archers. Five of HANBURY

TIBBERTON

6 MILES 16 LOCKS

canalboat.co.uk

3 MILES / NO LOCKS

DUNHAMPSTEAD TUNNEL

Canal Boat September 2016 49

THE CRUISE GUIDE

Worcester & Birmingham Canal

10 PUBS WATERSIDE

Canal Boat’s pick of watering holes on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal

Anchor Worcester. 01905 351094. Waterside at Diglis Basin. Cosy traditional boaters’ pub with real ale, food, waterside garden and skittle alley. Breakfast served 1

2 Speed the Plough Plough Road, Tibberton. 01905 345146. 5 mins south of Bridge 25. Village pub with real ale, reasonably priced bar food (pies a speciality), garden Eagle & Sun Hanbury Wharf. 01905 799266. By Bridge 35. Restaurant and bar food including carvery and steaks, real ale, garden 3

Boat & Railway Stoke Works. 01527 831065. At Bridge 42. Red brick canalside pub, real ale, good value food, canalside terrace 4

5 Navigation Stoke Wharf. 01527 870194. Just north of Bridge 44. Recently refurbished under new management, with generous helpings of reasonably priced food, real ale and garden Queen’s Head Stoke Pound. 01527 557007. At Bridge 48. Smart pub, emphasis on restaurant food (booking advised), real ales from small breweries, garden, canalside terrace 6

the six locks at Astwood are closely grouped, and lead to Stoke Works. One of the biggest salt works in Europe was developed here in the mid-19th Century by John Corbett, the ‘Salt King’, but today this has long gone. Stoke Works now has a very popular waterside pub and restaurant just a short distance from Stoke Wharf, where a boatyard is the base for a hire fleet. Yet another six-lock flight leads to Stoke Pound, with another handy pub – and that’s where the hard work really starts, at the bottom of Tardebigge. Thirty locks loom ahead, forming the longest continuous flight in Britain. But they are beautifully situated, with lovely views to enjoy while the chambers are filling up. The locks are particularly attractive in late springtime when the canal is lined with white flowering blossom from the hawthorn hedges.

‘Thirty locks loom ahead, forming the longest ﬂight in Britain. But they are beautifully situated with lovely views to enjoy’

Six locks at Astwood continue the climb

Weighbridge Alvechurch. 0121 445 5111. Just west of Bridge 60. Traditional style pub with small rooms, CAMRA award-winning real ales, home made food (not Tue or Wed), garden 7

Hopwood House Hopwood. 0121 445 1716. Canalside at Bridge 67. Large family-friendly pub with food (including children’s menu), real ale, garden and play area 8

Navigation Wharf Road, King’s Norton. 0121 458 1652. 5 mins west of Bridge 71. Large town pub, part of Flaming Grill chain with reasonably priced food and emphasis on steaks and burgers, real ale and garden 9

Tap & Spile Birmingham. 0121 632 5602. Canalside at Gas Street Basin. Converted from former canal buildings with bars on different levels, real ale and food 10

Pub details are likely to change at short notice: you are advised to phone ahead to be sure

50 September 2016 Canal Boat

Attractive countryside surrounding Offerton Locks

HANBURY

DROITWICH CANALS

3 MILES / 6 LOCKS

canalboat.co.uk

SEE ALSO

Heron keeps watch over Hopwood

Fine junction house at King’s Norton

of interest is the former junction of the Dudley Number 2 Canal at Selly Oak. At present it’s hard to spot any visible sign of the junction – but that may change. This once highly industrialised area is now the subject of a huge development including a superstore. In 1990, the Lapal Canal Trust was formed to promote the restoration of the Dudley Number 2 Canal – and hopes to see some provision made for reinstating the ﬁrst section as a result of the development. IWA founder Robert Aickman must have been inspired by the Worcester & Birmingham when he commented that canals stretch their green ﬁngers into

cities and towns. Despite the proximity of the railway, the ﬁnal three miles to central Birmingham are wonderfully green. One side is bordered by the grounds of the University of Birmingham at Edgbaston; while on the opposite bank, are Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens with glasshouses and 15 acres of gardens. The short Edgbaston Tunnel marks the end of the wooded cutting as the canal approaches its terminus. Beyond Holliday Wharf is a sharp left turn which was known to the working boatmen as Salvage Turn. It is overlooked by a towering modern building called the Cube. Beyond that is the more conventional Mailbox complex which opened in 2000 on the site of a former post ofﬁce sorting centre.

HANBURY HALL: Built in 1701, this ﬁne country house was home to the MP for Worcester and is now owned by the National Trust. Restored to their historical appearance, the interiors include ﬁne staircase wall-paintings by Sir James Thornhill. It’s set in 20 acres of early 18th Century gardens and 400 acres of park. It’s open mid-February to October, gardens all year

Looking down Tardebigge Locks ALVECHURCH

KING’S NORTON

5 MILES / NO LOCKS

WAST HILL TUNNEL

52 September 2016 Canal Boat

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BACK CABIN: DIARY AUGUST Derbys/Notts: Cruises with chesterﬁeld-canal-trust.org.uk Cheshire: Regular trips on the Anderton Boat Lift book on 01606 786777 canalrivertrust.org.uk Sussex: Regular cruises from Loxwood book on weyandarun.co.uk Beds: Regular trips from Bedford johnbunyanboat.org Every Wednesday Bucks: Run along the canal in Aylesbury, 12.30-1.15pm canalrivertrust.org.uk Until 31 Oct Lancs: Burnley’s Canal Exhibition, 2-4pm at Weaver Triangle Visitor Centre canalrivertrust.org.uk Until 6 Aug Birmingham: WRG Canal Camp at Selly Oak 01494 783 453 ext 604 jenny.black@waterways.org.uk Until 6 Aug Glos: WRG Canal Camp at Stroud 01494 783 453 ext 604 jenny.black@ waterways.org.uk Until 7 Aug London: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, daily at the Puppet Barge puppetbarge.com Until 20 Aug Cheshire: Canal art by Eric Gaskell audlemmill.co.uk 3, 10, 17 & 24 Weds London: Watery Wednesday at the London Canal canalmuseum.org.uk 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 Weds Suffolk: Work party on the River Gipping in Ipswich 01394 380765 restoration@ rivergippingtrust.org.uk 4-7 Co. Durham: Stocktonon-Tees International Riverside Festival in Preston Park sirf.co.uk 5-7 Notts: Nottingham Riverside Festival experiencenottinghamshire.com 5-7 Derbys: The Borders Cheese Boat is at Mercia Marina 6-7 Surrey: Woking Canal Festival, 10am-5pm wcf2016@btinternet.com

6-13 Leics: WRG Canal Camp at Snarestone 01494 783 453 ext 604 6-13 W Mids: WRG Canal Camp at Sellyoak 01494 783 453 ext 604 6-13 Devon: WRG Canal Camp at Newton Abbot 01494 783 453 ext 604 6 Sat & 23 Tue Staffs: Work party at Middleport 07976 805858 steve.wood@ waterways.org.uk 7 Sun Northants: Open day at White Mills Marina in Earls Barton whitemillsmarina.co.uk 10 Wed W Mids: Work party on the Staffs & Worcs 07976 746225 david.struckett@ waterways.org.uk 10 Aug-4 Sep London: Brer Rabbit Visits Africa, daily at the Puppet Barge 11 Thu Staffs: Himalayan balsam bash at Crumpwood 07743 628091 robert.frost@ waterways.org.uk 13 Sat Co. Durham Open day at the Tees Barrage, 10am4pm canalrivertrust.org.uk 13 Sat Suffolk: Work party on the River Gipping in Ipswich 01394 380765 13-14 Notts: Longeaton Canal Festival, 10am-5pm FMCTrout@btinternet.com (plus the Borders Cheese boat moors up) 13-14 Northants: Blisworth Canal Festival, 11am-7pm blisworthcanalpartnership@ hotmail.co.uk (plus the Cheese Boat moors up) 13-14 Worcs: Work party at Tardebigge Lime Kilns 024 76 726 924 volunteers@wbdcs. org.uk 13-20 Yorks: WRG Canal Camp at Pocklington 01494 783 453 ext 604 13-20 Devon: WRG Canal Camp at Newton Abbot 01494 783 453 ext 604 14 Sun Yorks: Over & Under Adventure at Standedge Tunnel book on 01484 844298 canalrivertrust.org.uk 14 Sun Warwicks:

56 September 2016 Canal Boat

Himalayan Balsam clearance in Warwick info.warwickshire @waterways.org.uk 14 Sun Lancs: Bi-Centenary raft race at Foulridge Wharf, 1-4pm canalrivertrust.org.uk 14 Sun Cheshire: Horses at Work and at War, 10am-5pm at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port canalrivertrust.org.uk 14 Sun Lincs: Work party on the Sleaford Navigation 01522689460 workparties@ sleafordnavigation.co.uk 14 Sun & 23 Tue Northants: Work party on the Northampton Arm geoff. wood@waterways.org.uk 18 Thu Staffs: Work party at Cheshire Locks 0780 887317 john.brighouse@waterways. org.uk 19-21 Staffs: The Borders Cheese Boat is at Fradley Junction 20 Sat Co. Durham: Stockton River Rat Race at the Tees Barrage ratrace.com 20 Sat Gtr Man: Work party in Greater Manchester 07710 554602 secretary@ manchester-iwa.co.uk 20 Sat Lancs: Himalayan balsam bash wendy. humphries@waterways.org.uk 20-21 Glos: Festival on the Canal at Over, 11am-5pm thewharfhouse@yahoo.co.uk 20-21 Glos: Brighouse Canal & Music Festival brighousecanalfestival.co.uk 23 Tue Oxon: Work party supporting Banbury Canal Partnership bcpontheoxford@ gmail.com 24 Wed Worcs: Work party at Tardebigge Lime Kilns 024 76 726 924 volunteers@ wbdcs.org.uk 25 Thu Lancs: Work party around Congleton railway station 07710 054848 bob. luscombe@waterways.org.uk 26-28 W Mids: Alvecote Historic Boat Gathering hnbc.org.uk (plus the Cheese Boat moors up)

26-29 W Mids: Merry Hill Floating Traders Market, 10am-5pm rcta.org.uk 27 Sat Salop: Ellesmere Rocks, 1-11pm canalrivertrust.org.uk 27 Sat Cheshire: Work party in Chester 07795 617803 mike.carter@waterways.org.uk 27-28 Lancs: Burnley Canal Festival, 11am-4pm mail@ burnleycanalfestival.org 27-29 W Mids: IWA Festival of Water at Pelsall, 10am-4pm event.enquiries@waterways. org.uk (plus the Borders Cheese Boat moors up) 28 Sun Yorks: Over & Under Adventure at Standedge Tunnel book on 01484 844298 canalrivertrust.org.uk 28 Sun Berks: Newbury Artisan Market, 10am-4pm 28 Sun London: Boat trips from the London Canal Museum book on canalmuseum.org.uk 29-29 Lancs: Canal Fest at Canal Mill in Chorley botanybay.co.uk 31 Mon Powys: Annual duck race outside The Coach & Horses, Llangynidr

AUGUST WALKS 4 Thu London: London Canal Museum to Camden, meet at 6.30pm canalmuseum.org.uk 7 Sun London: Little Venice to Camden, meet at 2.30pm at Warwick Avenue tube 020 3612 9624 21 Sun London: Regent’s Park to Little Venice, meet at 2.30pm at Baker Street tube (Lord’s Exit) 020 3612 9624 28 Sun London: Explore the Regent’s, meet at 10am at Angel Station regentsbowler@ gmail.com

2-4 W Mids: Withymoor Boat Gathering in Dudley, 9am-4pm drewheeler@aol.com 2-4 Worcs: Floating market plus Stourport Festival on the Saturday stourporttown.co.uk 2-4 Birmingham: The Borders Cheese Boat moors up in the centre of Birmingham 3 Sat Yorks: Open day at Stanley Ferry Workshops, 10am-4pm canalrivertrust.org.uk 3-4 London: Open day at Hampstead Rd lock, 10am4pm canalrivertrust.org.uk 3-4 Cheshire: Autumn Boat Share Show (held in conjunction with RNLI Festival) at Overwater Marina 01270 812677 3-4 Warwicks: The Cheese Boat is at Hawkesbury Junction 3-10 Glos: WRG Canal Camp at Lechlade 01494 783 453 ext 604 4 Sun London: Angel Canal Festival, 10am-5pm beryl@angelcanalfestival.org 4 Sun Bucks: Restoration Open Day for the Wendover Arm Trust, 12.30-4pm at Drayton Beauchamp Church 01844 353927 WPvaluers@aol.com 4 Sun Northants: Open day at White Mills Marina in Earls Barton whitemillsmarina.co.uk

SEPTEMBER WALKS 4 Sun London: King’s Cross to Camden, meet at 2.30pm at King’s Cross tube taxi rank 020 3612 9624 6 Tue W Mids: Walk, meet at 10.15pm at Hay Head Wood Nature Reserve, Longwood Lane, Aldridge, Walsal 07866 201873 clive.walker@ waterways.org.uk

SEPTEMBER

MIKRON

1 Thu London: Gunpowder on the Lee, 7.30pm at the London Canal Museum, King’s Cross canalmuseum.org.uk

This year Mikron Theatre Company will be performing Canary Girls and Pure see mikron.org.uk for details

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HISTORY

Very grand tours You might think that leisure boating is a modern idea but the ﬁrst passenger boats were introduced in the late 18th Century and various types of pleasure boating soon followed WORDS BY ANTHONY BURTON

oday the only traffic to be seen on the majority of the canals in Britain comes in the form of holidaymakers, but this has only been true for a little more than half a century. However, that does not mean that people only discovered the delights of canal travel in the 20th Century: it was considered a possibility right at the beginning of the Canal Age. The promoters of the Trent & Mersey Canal produced a pamphlet as early as 1766 to describe the benefits a canal would bring that included this passage: “And if we add the amusements of a pleasure boat that may enable us to change the prospect, imagination can scarcely conceive the variety of such a landscape. Verdant lawns, waving fields of grain, pleasant groves, sequestered woods, regular canals to different towns, orchards whose trees are bending beneath their fruit, large towns and pleasant villages, will all together present to the eye a grateful intermixture of objects, and feast the fancy with ideas equal to the most romantic illusions.” It was to be many

years before anyone saw pleasure boats on the Trent & Mersey, but passenger boats were soon at work on many of the other canals. The first passenger boats were introduced on the Bridgewater Canal in 1766. Sir George Head, who travelled in one of these boats in 1835, found the experience to be, at first, just as delightful as the pamphleteer had promised: “basking in the sunshine, and gliding through a continuous panorama of cows, cottages and green fields, the latter gaily sparkling in the season with buttercups and daisies”. But things changed as they neared Manchester: “the water of the canal is as black as the Styx, and absolutely pestiferous, from the gas and refuse of the many factories with which it is impregnated”. It is not perhaps too surprising that, in the early days, when canals were mostly used for commerce and served industries, most passengers took the packet boats because they needed to make the journey rather than for pleasure.

There were, however, areas where the delights of the scenery proved rather more tempting than a background of mills and factories. The Lancaster Canal gave access to Kendal and the Lake District and fast, narrow-hulled boats, with comfortable accommodation proved very popular. The Victorians developed a great passion for all things Highland, and Scottish and canal travel was given a boost when Queen Victoria took a trip on the Caledonian Canal in 1873 on the pleasure steamer Gondolier. The daily service on the canal soon became very popular with tourists and the other Scottish canals also found that pleasure cruises were a popular business. Not everyone wanted simply to buy a ticket and join a crowd of strangers on an organised trip. There was a thriving trade in private boating in the late 19th Century, especially on the Thames – a scene captured with great good humour in Jerome K. Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat, published in 1889. But canal boating had not yet really become popular. A magazine article of 1885 about a trip down the Regent’s described the canal as

A lively scene at Llangollen in the early 20th Century, with a horse-drawn excursion boat

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Canal Boat September 2016 57

HISTORY

One of the illustrations from Two Girls and a Barge, showing the travellers at Watford staircase

London’s “unknown river”, though it did mention some leisure use. It read: “Small pleasure boats are allowed to ply on parts of the canal, and has given life to the scene. A large barge is anchored in front of a green ﬁeld, and its owner informs us by a sign that he has ‘boats to let for school and picnic parties’.” There were other canals where day boats were available for hire, but anyone looking for a longer trip had to make their own arrangements. Two Girls on a Barge written by V. Cecil Coates does exactly what the name suggests, describes the adventures of two young women on a canal trip. They hired a working narrow boat, and had the hold partitioned to make cabins, which they hung with exotic curtains from Liberty’s. Unlike modern holidaymakers, they did not work the boat themselves, but left that to “Mr and Mrs Bargee”. Their trip took them from London to explore the Grand Union, and they found the whole experience very exciting, particularly when they had to go through Blisworth tunnel. They were not the only travellers by narrow boat. E. Temple Thurston travelled in the Flower of Gloster on a far

‘P. Boutheron seems rather like some modern travellers, more interested in recording how quickly he could shoot round the system’ 58 September 2016 Canal Boat

more extensive trip that he described in his book of 1911. Unlike the ladies, he took a keen interest in the life of the canal and the boat people. Canal cruising was ﬁrst popularised by George Westall, who wrote a guide to the rivers and canals of England and Wales in 1908. This encouraged the more adventurous to take their own boats on canal cruises. P. Boutheron described his canal holiday in a book of 1915, and he seems rather like some modern travellers, more interested in recording how quickly he could shoot round the system than in pausing to enjoy the journey. He typically records leaving Hockley Heath at 9am and covering 25 miles and

A typical page from a British Waterways guide

passing 66 locks in the day. He and his friends travelled in a motor launch, but took a crew along to do the hard work. Over the next few years there was a slow increase in people making canal journeys, culminating in the most famous of them all – L.T.C. Rolt’s journey in Cressy described in what is probably the most inﬂuential canal book ever written Narrow Boat. Travel was, of course, curtailed in the war years and after the war, there was a dramatic change in the whole canal world. Commercial trafﬁc went into a rapid decline, and several companies, including the famous Fellows, Morton & Clayton withdrew altogether from commercial carrying, while others tried

A Water Baby hire boat – but not with the author and his wife on board

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HISTORY

P. Bonthron and friends on their motor launch in the early 20th Century

The boatwoman always referred to by “the two girls” as Mrs Bargee

to ﬁnd a new market by converting their narrow boats into hotel boats. But the biggest change of all was the nationalisation of the British canals. This coincided with an increased interest in the whole idea of canals for leisure. The man in charge of the Waterways section of British Transport was Sir Reginald Kerr and he realised that the future of the canals was as likely, if not a good deal more likely, to depend on leisure rather than commercial carrying. More and more people were turning to canals: in 1950 just 1,500 licences had been issued for canal cruising: ten years later the ﬁgure had reached 10,500. There were also a growing number of companies offering boats for hire for

week-long holidays. Initially, most of these were the cabin cruisers already familiar on rivers such as the Thames and on the Norfolk Broads. The official Waterways Board decided that it, too, would go into the hire business. In 1956 a small fleet of hire cruisers was based at Chester, later moving to a new base on the Middlewich Arm. It also offered traditional cruisers, including little fibreglass two-berth boats with outboard motors, known as Water Babies. It was in one of these little vessels that my wife and I made our first tentative and rather nervous excursion on to the canals, beginning as so many others have done with a trip to Llangollen and back. We rapidly

The Thames was hugely popular before World War I – Boulter’s Lock in 1890

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‘More and more people were turning to canals. In 1950 just 1,500 licences were issued for canal cruising, ten years later that was 10,500’ discovered the disadvantage of small, light craft that skittered across the water in the lightest breeze and bounced alarmingly around locks. Soon alternatives were available. Among the new hire ﬂeets was MidEngland Narrow Boats, begun in the early 1960s, and it started building steel-hulled craft, based on traditional narrow boat design at its base in Market Harborough. It later changed its name to Anglo Welsh and it set a pattern for the hire boats that now dominate the scene. The Waterways Board was also responsible for another valuable help for the holiday trade. It began publishing a series of guides to individual canals, with linear maps that gave the impression that every canal ran in a dead straight line. But they gave all the information you needed: distance scale alongside the map, bridges and locks etc clearly marked and a brief description of the route. The guides may have been basic but, combined with hire boats that were perfectly suited to canal travel, the holiday makers now had everything they needed for a successful holiday – apart from any guarantee of what weather the CB British climate would provide.

Canal Boat September 2016 59

COMPETITION

THREE TO BE WON!

The latest digital TV aerial for your boat erial and satellite TV manufacturer Maxview has just launched the latest Omnimax Pro omni-directional mobile TV aerial – and thanks to the folks there, we have three to be won in this month’s competition. You’ll recognise the aerial from its unusual shape because Maxview launched its first omni-directional aerial at the Boat Show in 1986, and it soon became the best selling aerial throughout Europe. Because of its design it’s capable of receiving signals from 360 degrees so there’s no aerial gymnastics needed to find the best TV signal each time you moor up. Now it’s just been redesigned and enhanced even further to provide better digital terrestrial TV reception, so it will receive even more channels in more locations. For a chance of winning one of these great new aerials, simply answer the question below and email your answer to editor@canalboat.co.uk or send your entries marked Aerial Competition to Canal Boat magazine, Archant, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 2EG. The first three correct answers selected after the closing date of 1 September will win an aerial each. The Omnimax Pro has a retail price of £86.99 and is available now. For more information go to its brand new website maxview. co.uk also visit facebook.com/Maxviewlimited

Q: What does omni-directional mean? ANSWER

Postcode

Address

Telephone

✁

Your details Mr/Mrs/Ms

Email RULES The prize is an Omnimax Pro omni-directional mobile TV aerial. There is no cash alternative. Entrants must be over 18. Entries are limited to one per household. The Editor’s decision is ﬁnal and no correspondence can be entered into. For full T&Cs go to canalboat.co.uk. Employees or agents of Archant Specialist and Maxview are not eligible to enter. At times Archant may contact you with details of speciﬁc competitions or promotions. Please tick here if you would rather not hear from us by post [ ] or phone [ ]. We’ve teamed up with some great partners who would like to contact you occasionally but if you would prefer not to receive these messages tick here for post [ ] and phone [ ]. If you’d like to hear from them by email tick here [ ] or SMS tick here [ ].

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Canal Boat September 2016 63

The restored Ell Brook Aqueduct, and (inset) what it looked like before restoration began

Joined-up thinking After many years of working on whichever lengths became available, things are starting to come together on the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal... WORDS BY MARTIN LUDGATE & PICTURES BY HGCT

here comes a time in many of our more challenging, longerterm canal restoration projects when a gradual change becomes apparent: from what might seem like a ‘scattergun’ approach to choosing worksites, to something that looks more obviously like a plan. Note the words ‘might seem’ and ‘looks’. I’m not saying that there isn’t lots

64 September 2016 Canal Boat

of planning going on. It’s just that, in the early years, with a derelict canal that was sold off to dozens of different landowners after it closed, most of whom will be frankly pretty sceptical about the prospects of a bunch of amateurs reopening a waterway that was abandoned before their grandparents were born, it isn’t easy to persuade them to even let the canal society on to their

land to do some initial clearance work. But that changes. From a mere handful of available worksites, necessitating a ‘work where you can’ attitude with volunteers clearing the odd lock or patching the odd bridge at what looks like random selection, a successful canal restoration group gradually gains the conﬁdence of more landowners and local authorities through successful early projects, and

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RESTORATION ‘The former railway station’s platforms still survive – and will form the wharf walls when the canal is reinstated’ gets to the point where it can act more strategically. Seldom to the point of being able to start at one end of the canal and work through to the other (that would be too much to wish for!) but at least a chance of stringing together some longer lengths of reopened waterway. We’ve seen it happen on the Wey & Arun Canal, with the Loxwood Link section now stretching to several miles; we’re starting to see it on the Wilts & Berks with a number of projects in the Swindon and Wootton Basset area; and in the four years since we last reported, it looks like it’s starting to happen on the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal. A railway line (now itself long abandoned) which used parts of the old canal route from Gloucester to Ledbury; missing bridges, locks, aqueducts and other structures; and around 100 landowners, made this a challenging restoration. But, at the same time, the quiet countryside that it passed through meant that many sections remained restorable, and that the ﬁnished waterway would be a popular one.

So as we looked back in 2012 on the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust’s successes to date – restored lengths at Yarkhill, on the edge of Hereford, in Oxenhall, and back at Over (the Gloucester end of the canal) where volunteers had recently returned to extend their 2000 project to recreate the canal’s entrance basin – the Trust’s ‘work where you can’ approach was clear. But we also looked forward to several new projects just beginning, which have started to build some momentum on the middle sections of the canal. The ﬁrst of these is at Newent, where the railway was built on the line of the canal. The former railway station’s platforms still survive – and will form the wharf walls when the canal is reinstated. A section has recently been cleared and proﬁled to show where the canal will go, Waterway Recovery Group’s Forestry Team have carried out tree clearance, and H&GCT work parties continue. There’s plenty to do (including raising the platforms by a foot or so), but good prospects for completing this length and linking up with a section already restored which includes the Ell Brook Aqueduct and House Lock, Oxenhall. In the medium term, the missing metal span railway bridge over the B4215 just east of the station will be replaced by an aqueduct using the railway abutments, a pair of new locks will bring the canal back down to its historic level, and a

Recently restored length at Moat Farm

further mile and a half of reinstated channel will extend it from there to the Malswick House, a pub which the Canal Trust has recently taken over. Meanwhile, heading north westwards from House Lock, half a mile of channel including one surviving road bridge will bring the canal to the portal of Oxenhall Tunnel. A second site where we looked forward to some progress was another couple of miles beyond Malswick at Moat Farm. Here a length of former railway trackbed (complete with a reusable bridge) and a surviving fragment of canal bypassed by

Progress at Kymin East, where WRG’s 2012 Reunion helped move things on

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Canal Boat September 2016 65

RESTORATION Startling vision for the former Newent railway station and (below) the site today

the railway combine to make a half-mile restorable section, now mostly in water. The third site that was getting under way in 2012 was at Dymock, and here there’s been a great deal of progress on the ground. A short length of canal and basin has been recreated as part of the planning arrangements for a small new

66 September 2016 Canal Boat

‘The inclusion of the canal helped to achieve the consent for the housing, so there has been assistance in both directions’

housing scheme – indeed, the inclusion of the canal helped to achieve the necessary planning consent for the housing, so there has been assistance in both directions. It still looks a little raw, but a water supply borehole and planting of trees and wildflowers by H&GCT volunteers are turning it into an attractive length of canal, linked by a footpath to the village pub and church. And as part of the deal, one of the houses has been made available at cost to the Canal Trust, and will provide rental income towards the next stage of canal restoration – either south towards Oxenhall or north towards Ledbury. Finally at Ledbury, a scheme which was only just on the radar in 2012 has moved on a long way. A masterplan to build 625 new homes to the north west of the town, unveiled in May, includes the creation of half a mile of the new canal route around the west side of the town (the old route through Ledbury having been lost), including a new flight of locks. All these four projects are important in their own right; between them they add up to a significant proportion of the middle section of the canal. There are

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RESTORATION

If you want your project to be featured EMAIL editor@canalboat.co.uk

River Lugg ay 65

Aylestone Tunnel

Newtown Loddon Aqueduct Barrs Lock Withington Yarkhill Frome Aqueduct Monkhide Lock Ashperton Tunnel A4103

Gloucester to Hereford originally 34 miles,23 locks (eventual number may vary). Prior’s Court

Aylestone Park

Hereford Railway Proposed diversion

Ledbury Ledbury Locks Wharf Lock Hazle Lock Leather Lock Railway (disused) built on line of canal from Ledbury to Gloucester

B4215 Windcross Dymock Railway diverges from line of canal 50 M Coal Branch

River Leadon Oxenhall Tunnel Oxenhall Locks Newent Lock Ell Brook Newent Philip’s Road Lock Lock Double Locks Coneybury Lock River Severn to Stourport Moat Farm Over Basin and entrance lock Maisemore Lock Tibberton (disused) and weir Rudford Lock

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DISTANCE Thingwell Lock

ilw

Newly completed length and basin reinstated as part of a housing scheme in Dymock

THE ROUTE

various obstructions in the way of linking them together (the ﬁnal job will probably be repairing the Oxenhall Tunnel), but things are moving in the right direction. Moving to the Hereford end of the canal, it’s possible to see a similar situation developing. Plans for a new canal terminus basin are still on hold pending a revival of city regeneration plans, but a development is going ahead on the edge of Hereford including reinstatement of an important length of (currently seriously polluted) canal. With the adjacent Aylestone Park length already restored, a short length in Hereford recreated as part of a retail scheme some years ago, and the Aylestone Tunnel still in good condition, there could be a restored length leading from the city out into the countryside in the medium term. A few miles east of Hereford, the Kymin East length of canal has been cleared of a century-plus worth of trees and undergrowth (with support from WRG Forestry and the 2012 WRG Reunion major working party) and will – when a means can be found to reinstate a road bridge – link up to the Yarkhill restored section. Finally at the Gloucester end, following completion of the 2012 scheme to extend the Over Basin section into Vineyard Hill there are no immediate plans for further extension (which will require negotiations and decisions on how to

LOCATION The canal connected the River Severn at Gloucester via Ledbury to Hereford

deal with a former rubbish tip on the line); however, there are moves which will eventually lead towards connecting the canal to the navigable network. Currently access to the River Severn’s Western Channel (which was connected to Over Basin by the presently very derelict entrance lock) is difﬁcult,

Highnam A40

Gloucester

To the Severn estuary Llanthony Lock (disused) and weir

Railw

ay Gloucester Docks

To Sharpness

requiring boats to take advantage of very high tides to cross Llanthony or Maismore weir into tricky tidal channels. But, in a scheme which combines flood control, hydro electric generation and tackling of silting in the river above the weirs, it is proposed to install modern inflatable weirs making the river above Gloucester completely non-tidal. A new lock (which would double up as a flood relief channel) would provide access to the tidal river – and ultimately to the H&G via a restored Over Basin entrance lock. The development of the scheme has been supported in a voluntary capacity by former British Waterways head of legal services Nigel Johnson, and is backed by Gloucester’s MP Richard Graham – who has expressed his hope that it will be “approved and maybe even functioning” by 2020. There remain, of course, some long and tricky sections of unrestored canal to be tackled along the 34-mile route. But the restoration is showing signs of being able to develop a ‘join-the-dots’ approach that will bring eventual CB reopening nearer.

Canal Boat September 2016 67

WATERSIDE WILDLIFE They look so gentle, but Speckled Wood butterﬂies are prepared to do battle, explains Pip Webster

utterflies seem such delicate creatures, but the aerial skirmishes of male Speckled Woods enliven many a saunter alongside woodland margins and hedgerows by the towpath. Perching on a leaf in a pool of sunshine amid the dappled shade, any intruder is attacked, the two male butterflies spiralling round each other, bumping and clashing wings as they ascend, until the winner returns to the same patch of sunlight, his rival ejected from his few square metres of territory. Their chocolate and cream markings are unmistakable: on the wing from March to October, they have one of the longest seasons of any British butterfly, though individual adults seldom live longer than a week. After overwintering as either a hibernating caterpillar or chrysalis, two or three overlapping broods of adults emerge throughout the year, later broods being darker coloured. They are the only “brown” butterfly (a family that lay their eggs on grasses) with three small cream-ringed black and white eyespots on each hindwing and one on each forewing. The caterpillars chomp away on mundane grass, but the adults fly to the treetops in the summer, drinking sweet honeydew which coats the leaves. They descend to sup nectar from flowers in autumn and – since the second brood peaks in late August or early September – they also take

68 September 2016 Canal Boat

A ﬁercely territorial Speckled Wood

Butterflies’ aerial warfare advantage of the brambles in woodland or hedgerow, supping the blackberry juices (particularly if the fruit is beginning to ferment). There are about 400 microspecies of wild blackberry growing in the UK. A member of the rose family, each has a distinctive flower and flavour to the fruit. Blackberries are compound fruits rather than berries: many tiny drupes (a seed encased in a hard shell surrounded by a fleshy coating, such as a plum) are arranged around a swollen stalk. Butterflies have no mouth to eat with; instead they have a long straw-like proboscis to suck up juices and nectar, which they keep coiled up when they are not feeding. They are reliant on other animals to breach the skin of the drupes. Wasps have stronger jaws than most

insects, designed for chewing wood into paper-like nest material, and they also love blackberries. Other insects can then access the oozing juices, the butterﬂies including the ragged orange Comma and handsome Red Admiral, as well as the Speckled Woods. You may notice serpentinelike white tracks on the bramble leaves. These are formed by the caterpillars of pygmy moths ( Nepticula aurella), one of a number of insect larvae that live within the leaves, tunnelling between the upper and lower layers. The track gets wider as the caterpillars grow. Our ancestors used a concoction of boiled bramble leaves, with added ingredients, as a lotion and for fastening teeth back in! Brambles produce long, thorny, arching shoots that

root easily where they reach the ground and flower in the second year of growth. The strong, backward-pointing thorns enable the plant to scramble through vegetation and make it very difficult to detach from other plants or clothes. In parts of England the stems are called ‘lawyers’ because, “when once they get a hold on you, you don’t easily get rid of them”. The bramble usually flowers in July and August and the blackberries, ripening from mid-August to October, provide a feast for, among others, blackbirds, chaffinches, bullfinches, starlings, robins, foxes, wood mice, and we humans. Pick the big, juicy black ones – they are delicious straight off the bramble or eaten with icing sugar and cream – but get them before the frost does. According to tradition, it is unsafe to gather them after Michaelmas (29 September) for that was when the devil was kicked out of heaven and spat on the blackberry bush in his rage. Enjoy sharing the fruits of early autumn. CB

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GREAT CANAL WALK

Fal k ir Fo r

Come with us on a walk that combines the Scottish lowlands’ two restored historic canals and Scotland’s two newest and greatest waterway icons – the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel TEXT AND PICTURES BY MARTIN LUDGATE

e begin at the Helix Park: more than a square mile of formerly industrial land between Falkirk and Grangemouth which has been reclaimed and turned into woodland, wetland, children’s play areas, over 15 miles of pathways, a new eastern entrance to the Forth & Clyde Canal from the River Carron… and, of course, the Kelpies. These two huge horses’ head sculptures stand guard over the canal’s new Lock 2: you can take a Kelpies Tour (including going inside one to see their construction); there’s a visitor centre; or you can just gaze at them before setting off westwards along the towpath. Well, actually southwards for a short way: the canal does a bit of a dog-leg

The locks climb through Falkirk town

here. That’s because a diversion had to be built during the Millennium project to restore and reopen the canal, to bypass a section that had been blocked while it was closed. Cross over the footbridge at Lock 3, before a sharp right turn returns the canal to its original line.

The Helix Park is left behind as the canal begins to climb a ﬂight of locks passing through the industrial outskirts of Falkirk. You can see where a couple of the locks had to be re-sited when the canal was restored – it still passes through the gateless original chambers. Above Lock 8 there’s a short missing length of towpath where a railway crosses. The path diverges to the right to meet the adjacent road: turn left along the pavement to cross the railway, then left again to re-join the canal by Lock 9. Incidentally, speaking of railways, if you’re visiting the canal by train rather than road, you’ll ﬁnd it easier to start and end your walk in this area rather than at the Helix, as Falkirk Grahamston and Camelon stations are both nearby.

The Kelpies stand guard over Lock 2

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Canal Boat September 2016 69

Forth & Clyde and Union canals

Here, the Union Canal once branched off left

The locks now come in quick succession as the canal rises steeply through Falkirk, before the climb comes to an end at Lock 16, with the impressive Union Inn building on your left. This marks the site of the original junction with the Union Canal – of which more later. Continue along the level towpath, with housing to your right and a wooded hillside on the left, until you reach the new junction with the Union Canal. Turn

left and you are facing our second waterways icon – the Falkirk Wheel. Built to create a new connection to the Union Canal (to replace the original connecting ﬂight of locks, which had largely been destroyed), the Falkirk Wheel rotating boat lift was also intended as a major attraction. So pause here to visit the exhibition, to ride on one of the trip-boats which take passengers up and down the 80ft rise, or simply to watch the lift in operation from one of

the many good vantage points. If you want to end your walk here after four miles, you can return to the Kelpies by the hourly ‘The Loop’ tourist bus or the frequent No 3 bus (Sundays excepted) to Falkirk Football Club Stadium for a mile’s walk through the Helix Park back to the Kelpies. Those continuing on foot can return the way they came – or by a more interesting alternative… Climb the path leading to the far end of the approach embankment above the

Walking from Lock 16 towards the Wheel

‘Built to create a new connection to the Union Canal, the Falkirk Wheel was also intended as a major attraction’ 70 September 2016 Canal Boat

Falkirk’s ﬁrst canal icon, the Wheel

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The staircase locks above the Wheel...

...and the new length of canal beyond

The top of the Wheel, from Rough Castle Tunnel

Wheel. There, you re-join the towpath for the rest of the mile and a half of new canal built the same time as the Wheel. This continues through Scotland’s newest canal tunnel, Rough Castle, passing under a ridge of high ground, a railway, and the remains of the Roman Antonine Wall. The canal then turns sharp left, climbs a pair of staircase locks, and continues east along a hillside, crossing a road on a new aqueduct. Not far beyond the aqueduct, there’s a slight widening where it looks like an old arm may once have joined the canal on the left. This was the original route of the

THE ROUTE

Union Canal. Until the 1930s, a ﬂight of locks led down the hillside to meet the Forth & Clyde Canal by the Union Inn. There’s a dirt-track leading off, but don’t follow this: take a small woodchip path to its left. This passes through what was clearly an old lock chamber, recently excavated, before rejoining the wider track and meeting Greenbank Road. Turn right, following the road downhill as it changes its name to Glenfuir Road. Try to picture the ﬂight of locks which occupied what is now the road and its verge, as you return to the Union Inn and Lock 16 CB for the walk back to the Kelpies.

EAT AND DRINK

■ The Helix Park Visitor Centre café, Falkirk FK2 7ZT. 01324 590600 ■ Gambero Rosso (Italian), Burnbank Road, Falkirk FK2 7PE. 01324 613311 ■ Canal Inn, Canal Street, Falkirk FK1 4QU. 01324 612597 ■ Union Inn, Portdownie, Falkirk FK1 4QU. 01324 626697 ■ The Falkirk Wheel Visitor Centre café, Falkirk FK1 4RS. 01324 620244 There are plenty of other places to eat and drink in Falkirk

5, 8 or 9 miles We recommend the Ordnance Survey’s Landranger map 65 Falkirk & Linlithgow to accompany this walk.

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Canal Boat September 2016 71

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IF CORROSION BITES If a hole is discovered in your hull, it’s not the end of the world, but it can prove to be expensive

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ASK THE EXPERTS Squeaky belt; tiling for a stove; underﬂoor leak; topping up with solar; getting a prescription

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COOKING AFLOAT A chocolate cake that’s just right for the summer – it’s ‘cooked’ and kept in the fridge

TECHNICAL

When corrosion starts to bite

Discovering that you have a hole in the hull is bad enough, but when you ďŹ nd the true extent of the problem is worse than expected it can turn out to be expensive WORDS AND PICTURES BY JOHN RYAN

purchased Pip, a 35-footer with a cruiser stern in July 2000, and we had known for about four years that there had been corrosion to both sides of the bow and some pitting to both sides. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d booked Pip in for blacking in May and, when it was out of the water, we quickly discovered that a puncture in the bow was causing water to leak from inside the water tank into the canal. It was a bit of a problem and the best solution seemed to be to carry out a full hull inspection to determine what repairs were needed. The hull survey took around three hours to complete and recommended a number of essential repairs: The marine surveyor said that, for a boat of its age, the side plating was showing excessive pitting, and there were also signs of heavy pitting and

74 September 2016 Canal Boat

corrosion scouring along and below the waterline. In places, pits of some 2mm were discovered and he felt that areas of deeper pitting would exist beneath the blacking, but to examine it in detail, the hull would need to be shot-blasted back to bare metal. The good news was that the nominal metal thickness on the hull sides is around 5.2mm to 5.9mm and, in spite of

Saloon had to be taken apart

the deep pitting, the main hull retained structural integrity. The exception was the areas on each side of the bow section. An ultrasonic point thickness reading from these areas indicated very thin metal of 2.9mm, heavy scouring and deep pitting. As we already knew, one area had, in fact, perforated (approx 2mm) through into the fresh water tank. His recommendation was that the bow should be over-plated in at least 5mm steel for a distance of 88 inches back from the stem and to a height of 21 inches or just below the rubbing strake. Over-plating should not, apparently, be welded to the actual rubbing strake. Then a new wear edge would need to be attached to the baseplate at the turn of the bow on each side, allowing for a protrusion of some 25mm. Because of the amount of pitting on

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TECHNICAL ‘The extent of the damage it can cause when not kept in check on a regular basis should be a warning to other boat owners’ The size of the new plate

Damage is plain to see

the hull, he recommended that four new 2.5kg anodes should also be ﬁtted. He also suggested that the rudder blade through-bolts should be inspected and replaced, and wear pads ﬁtted at points where the rudder blade had abraded the uxter at the stern. Interestingly, he commented that the degree of corrosion was more akin with a boat of 30 years old and advised that Pip should be examined by a marine electrician to investigate the possibility that stray electrical currents might be the cause of the excessive pitting. The boat has been moored on the

Bridgewater Canal for 15 years and been blacked as often as possible, but there was a period for about four years when it wasn’t. And, although the boat doesn’t have a shoreline, I did use a generator for many years until I installed solar panels in 2011. Thankfully, Nigel Hamilton of Thorn Marine, Warrington provided valuable help and advice, including stripping out the saloon interior which needed to be done to allow the work to take place. From start to ﬁnish it took approximately a month to complete the welding and blacking and then it

d ob

e on

was a case of reassembling the saloon. The repairs cost £295 for the hull survey, the welding and anodes – by Darren Minjoot and his team at Hesford Marine, Lymm – was £1,650 and the blacking was a further £350 – almost £2,300 for the total job. Although we are not exactly sure what caused such extensive corrosion, the true extent of what damage it can cause and what can happen when it is not kept in check on a regular basis, every two or three years for example, should perhaps serve as a warning to other boat owners.

d an

The ﬁnished plating

Repairs to the rear

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Canal Boat September 2016 75

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ASK THE EXPERTS

TONY BROOKS What he doesn’t know about canal boats just isn’t worth knowing

PHIL SPEIGHT The country’s leading canal painter and an expert on paint processes as well

TERRY ROBERTSON TR Training’s man really knows how to handle a boat

MARTIN LUDGATE Our Deputy Ed is a guru on all things to do with canals

If you have a boating query our team of experts are here to answer it – ask your question online at canalboat.co.uk Alternatively, you can EMAIL: editor@canalboat.co.uk or WRITE TO Canal Boat, Archant Specialist, Evolution House, 2-6 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, RG40 2EG

TONY BROOKS

Technical Consultant

‘Such amp-hour counting gauges have no idea how much battery capacity is lost as the batteries age’ NOW THAT THE main cruising season has started I have been hearing about problems with batteries and charging regimes. In far too many cases it comes down to not charging for long enough, leaving the batteries partially charged, and then believing the state of charge shown by amp-hour counting gauges. Such gauges accurately count the amp hours ﬂowing into or out of the batteries but they can only guess at how many of those amp hours are converted to stored electricity – and they have no idea how much battery capacity is lost as batteries age. Over time this leads to gauges overstating the state of charge, so charging is stopped long before it ought to be. So make sure you read the gauge’s instructions, set it up properly and regularly re-synchronise it. When charging, use the ‘amps’ function and keep going until the charging current has dropped to about one percent of the battery capacity.

Rats! The belt’s so squeaky Q

I have had an irritating intermittent high-pitched squeak from the alternator/water pump on my three-cylinder Beta engine for virtually the whole of the six years I have owned my boat, despite ﬁtting a new water pump and belt. It is worst when I switch the inverter on, but sometimes it squeaks when we are just cruising while charging the starter battery plus two 110Ah batteries. Sometimes it doesn’t squeak at all, other time it starts then fades and disappears and on other occasions it squeals like a demented rat. I have noticed sticky, almost powdery fragments of rubbery residue near the belt. My engine runs quite cool and my batteries charge. Any ideas? ANDREW MALKIN, via email

TONY REPLIES… The rubber granules, plus symptoms indicating it is worse with a large electrical load, point to a slipping belt. A single ‘V’ type belt should not be relied upon to drive an alternator over 70-90 amps maximum (although some people seem to get away with driving larger alternators). If your alternator output is higher, investigate

fitting a wide flat poly-V belt or twin V belts. Boats usually use the smallest alternator pulley diameter possible and that requires a notched or cogged belt. The rubber powder could be a symptom of the alternator pulley being out of alignment with the crankshaft and water pump pulleys. That would quickly wear the belt so it would tend to slip. Use a straight edge on the engine pulley to ensure the belt run to the alternator is parallel to the straight edge. There are two belt profiles that most people call ‘V belts’ (the ‘V’ profile and the ‘wedge’ profile) and different dimensions in each group. In the past, someone might have fitted a pulley that does not match the other two, or the wrong belt may have been fitted: to check, take the belt off, twist it inside out and push it into each pulley in turn. The belt profile should exactly match the pulley profile, with a clear air gap between belt and pulley bottom. Finally, try a quality belt like Fenner or Brammer rather than whatever the local source has in stock. Tension to just 10mm deflection in the middle of the longest run under moderate finger pressure.

Ask online... Ask your questions and get the answers online at Canal Boat’s website – what’s more, you can read other people’s questions and answers by simply clicking on to canalboat.co.uk

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Canal Boat September 2016 77

BACK CABIN: EXPERTS

Sticky issue… Q

What adhesive should I use to stick ceramic tiles to super-Isol calcium silicate board for a fire surround and plinth for a multi-fuel stove, and what should I grout the joints with? ANDY OXLEY, via email TONY REPLIES… For the surround: If it will not flex or vibrate, I would use a bathroom/kitchen tile adhesive. Otherwise some swear by cork tile adhesive, but I would use a polyurethane sealer adhesive using the five-blob method or something like Marineflex/ Sikaflex. I would use a waterproof, flexible grout but you still might need to rake out and replace every few years if it falls out with vibration. For the plinth: it depends on what standard the stove has been tested to. You might need concrete slabs or concrete cast into a mould built up from the baseplate to give a thickness of 225mm. See BS 8511. It all depends upon how much heat can radiate from the bottom of the stove.

Underﬂoor pipes are an issue pipes – but I would have thought that a mechanic, probably testing pressure drops around the system, would be able to locate the length of pipe that has the problem. GLYN WHITE, via email

We have a leak in our central heating system. After we switch it off, it takes about two hours to lose five litres. The piping is under the floor, so it is not simple to find. One suggestion that’s been made is that we simply replace all the

78 September 2016 Canal Boat

TONY REPLIES… Firstly, water expands when heated, so if you fill it to the brim when cold it will leak out as it expands when warming up, then the level will drop as it cools down. Pascal’s law says that pressure is equal throughout an enclosed system, so there is no way one could use pressure to locate a leak. If it really is a leak then you should find plenty of water with antifreeze in it in the boat’s bilge – do you? It could also be in the boiler’s heat exchanger. I don’t understand why boat-fitters try to hide all the services under the floor: it makes fault finding so much more difficult. If I was sure there was a pipe leak, I would do as suggested and re-pipe the system above the floor (box in if you like, but make sure the boxing unscrews and lifts away).

Keeping the tank’s cool Q

I have a stainless steel water tank under my front well deck, accessed by removing furniture and the lower front bulkhead lining. When the air is warm and the water cold, the tank sweats causing mould in the adjacent cupboards. I rotate a dehumidifier and the rooms are well ventilated. What is the best product and method for insulating the tank? Rockwool? PUPPIES, via the CB website TONY REPLIES… : The tank sweats because it is surrounded by warm damp air. Keeping the warm air away from it, and the accommodation bilge water-free, should minimise this problem – even more if you can fit external vents to get airflow throughout the bilge. Fit a vapour barrier behind the cabin lining whatever else you do. The easiest method would be to make cardboard templates for each flat surface of the tank to cut polystyrene sheets (say 25mm thick) glued to a dry tank with suitable adhesive. Make either the top sheet or the side sheets oversize so the side of one sheet butts up against the edge of the other. Tape the joints with aluminium tape to complete the vapour barrier. Unless you take the tank out, you will not be able to insulate the bottom. Don’t just push Rockwool into the cavity because such products can absorb water. But if you can get some large polythene bags, fill them with Rockwool, seal them and pack the void with them.

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I’m blowing my fuse… Our narrowboat’s bow thruster fuse blows if we run it for more than a few seconds. The motor has been replaced but we still have the problem. One suggestion is that the pitch of the propeller could be wrong. Any thoughts? GLYN WHITE, via email

TONY REPLIES… I suspect you are feeding the bow thruster from batteries at the back of the boat or at least some distance away. First some electrical theory. Cables are sized in two ways: the conductor cross-sectional area and the current rating. Far too many people ignore the first of these. When current flows, some of the voltage gets ‘used up’ in pushing the current through the cable. On long runs with high currents, the loss (called ‘volt-drop’) can be a few volts, leaving insufficient volts to push sufficient current through the motor. The absolute maximum volt-drop I would like to see on a bow thruster supply is 1v, and 0.5v or less would be much better. The resistance of an electric motor varies with its speed. So at a lowerthan-design voltage, the slower the motor runs, the more current (amps) will flow. This can and sometimes does burn motors out. Fitting a smaller propeller will reduce the load and allow it to turn faster (and so draw less current) but this will only cover up the underlying fault. I think your cable size is too small. The volt-drop prevents the motor running up to speed so it draws too much current and the fuse blows.

To measure volt-drop, connect a long length of cable to one voltmeter lead. Then connect the voltmeter, using the extended cable, between the battery positive and bow thruster positive. Operate the bow thruster and take a reading. Repeat for the negative side. I would like to see no more than 0.25 volt on either side, but up to about 0.5 will do: more than that, and you need larger cables. The volt-drop for a given cable size can be calculated. Take the total run length in metres times the current ﬂow (amps) times 0.164, and divide by the conductor cross sectional area (CCSA) in millimetres. This will give you the volt-drop along the cable length. If it is higher than one volt in total (0.5 volt in each side) try a larger conductor cross sectional area in the equation until you get an acceptable ﬁgure.

Keeping things tip-topped up I go to my boat most weekends and use my battery charger to charge the (3 x 110Ah) batteries. I have been given a 2.4W solar panel that the instructions say will keep a 12v battery charged: will it keep mine topped-up between visits? ANDY OXLEY, via email

Q A

TONY REPLIES… If it’s the panel I’m thinking of, the rated output is 0.138mA – but that’s probably at the equator, with the panel perpendicular to the sun’s rays… In the UK it will produce half that or less, so a true output of 0.07mA. They are sold as ‘battery maintainers’, aimed at cars, and can probably keep up with the selfdischarge of a 30 to 40Ah car battery, not boats with 330Ah. Modern lead calcium batteries lose about 0.5% of their charge per day: about 1.5Ah for your 330 Ah bank. It would take around 21 hours to make that up with a constant

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0.07mA – but you will not get that, because in winter there are well over 12 hours of darkness and clouds often obscure the sun. So long as it has diodes, it will do no harm – but I suspect little good either. It would be far

better to leave your proper multi-stage marine charger running (using an isolation transformer or galvanic isolator) when not on the boat – unless you have any inkling that a battery cell might be failing.

Canal Boat September 2016 79

BACK CABIN: EXPERTS

WEB Q&As THE SCALE TWO-PACK PREP

I am having a new boat painted with two-pack epoxy. Should the hull be shot-blasted first? I have been advised it doesn’t need it as it adheres better to the surface if not blasted. BILLYBOYLE, from the CB website TONY REPLIES... If the manufacturer’s instructions say the steel should be blasted in some way (probably quoting a BS or ISO number defining the preparation) that trumps anything anyone else may claim. Much UK steel has a film of mill scale on the surface, and when water gets underneath and starts rusting, the scale falls off with the blacking. Some form of blasting is usually recommended to remove the scale.

PRESCRIPTION FOR HELP

I will be out on the cut soon, how do you get repeat medical prescriptions? DACABR, from the CB website

TONY REPLIES... I understand it is now possible for your doctor to electronically send repeat prescriptions to a chemist local to you at any time. However, it is also said you can sometimes have difﬁculty proving your identity. It might be worth checking with the NHS to ask what you might need to do to prove your identity.

Ask online... Ask your questions

80 September 2016 Canal Boat

As narrowboats are quite long they must have a relatively high (theoretical) hull speed. How much power would be necessary and do other problems prevent reaching the hull speed? HORNBLOWER, via the CB website TONY REPLIES… The website frontierpower. com/library/hulltypes.htm gives the hull constant for a barge as 1 (WLL in feet). This gives the maximum speed for a 55ft boat of about 7.4kt which is close to what my boat will achieve. References suggest the boat’s weight has an effect and I suspect that narrowboats tend to be far more heavily ballasted than, say,

a GRP cruiser or yacht. If you built a narrowboat with a V bottom and sacrificed the flat floor right to the sides then I suspect you would improve the prop efficiency and make a whole lot lighter boat. Website youboat.net/ boatpower3.aspx suggests that for a 55ft hull maybe 100hp or more may be required. I suspect the propshaft combined with the baseplate’s upsweep at the bow on many

narrowboats will force the boat into a bow up-position as speed increases. This will limit the maximum speed. Also, the prop efﬁciency achievable with a 20in vertical stern post plus the stern swim shape will also limit the maximum thrust developed by the prop whatever the shaft horsepower. A narrowboat is designed for a speciﬁc job where the environment normally severely limits the speed.

My boat whines in reverse Q

I’ve had my boat a year and there is a whining noise when reverse is engaged on the Lister LH150 gearbox. I have checked the oil levels and it all seems clean and viscous. The box is quiet in forward and neutral. One thing confuses me: the Lister handbook states: “The external ends of the reverse gear operating shaft must be oiled frequently to prevent rust formation that may stiffen the shaft. To lubricate the port side of the shaft, the locating screw should be removed and a few drops of oil pored down the hole.” BRENDAN MULLIGAN, via email TONY REPLIES… Is it definitely the LH150 (pictured), not the mechanical L100? If you have a single lever control, it’s definitely an LH150 but the bit about the reverse gear operating shaft seems to be for an L100 mechanical box with a great big lever through the floor. Are you sure it isn’t just normal noise? The LH150 uses a sun gear and planet gears in a drum to provide reverse gear, and it’s a lot of moving and meshing gears, which will create a noise like you describe. The bearings might be worn, but it all sounds normal to me. Just make sure that you are using SAE80 gear oil

in the gear and reduction box, not engine oil or AFT. An LH150 implies a older boat, so consider the cost / beneﬁt of stripping the box just to see if there are worn gears or bearings: even it there is wear, reverse gear is not usually used for long at any one time.

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82 September 2016 Canal Boat

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COOKING :BACK CABIN

Vicky Blick

Calling all chocoholics You don’t need to change into a pretty dress and lipstick to serve this cool cake

he Captain surprised me with his new signature dish for lunch. A speedy little number and tasty, too, as long as you are not monitoring your cholesterol intake – cheese on toast. I can give you the recipe in a sentence. Make toast, cut lashings of cheese, butter toast, top with cheese and pickle, heat under grill or ping for a few minutes in the microwave. Job’s a good’un! (I’m writing this with tongue in cheek – it’s actually very good.) I must stop being mean to

my Captain. My problem is that I’m ‘The Number One’ in the galley and that’s the law. It’s what I’ve always done and will do. You see, I’m almost of that generation when, once a women took her wedding vows, she became her husband’s willing unpaid slave. We look back through recent history and see what has been achieved: man on the moon, heart transplants, the world wide web, but one area that can be backstaged is the long, hard struggle to put women equally next to men in the workplace.

‘A fridge cake is great for hot, sunny days when the last thing you want is the oven on. But, be warned, it’s calorie-packed’

Some would argue that’s there’s still a way to go yet. We stepped into our men’s shoes as they went off to war and showed the world that we were as good if not better at keeping the nation’s wheels turning. Gone then were the days of changing into a pretty dress and applying some lipstick for the return of the spouse for his three-course meal. The canal still seems one place, though, where women often take the back seat when it comes to equality. It’s rare to see a woman at the helm, navigating the ship on its journey and into locks. I love being at the tiller. It’s a real sense of achievement to glide perfectly into a difﬁcult space, moor up and be the skipper,

Method

400g dark chocolate

Handful of ﬁnely chopped almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts

125g butter

150g sponge ﬁngers

75ml double cream

Cocoa power for dusting

Ingredients

175g sultanas

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touch otherwise it will raise the temperature of the fridge and that will start the motor whirring. Place in the top of the fridge until set. Remove and dust the top with a few teaspoons of cocoa powder through a sieve, and then cut into tiny squares. And here is the sting in the tail ladies, the lock operator is allowed an extra portion as he’s been burning off the calories... unless you think you deserve a congratulatory second piece to celebrate your day at the helm.

CELEBRATION FRIDGE CAKE

Line a flat tin of around 13 x 27 cm with tin foil or baking parchment. Then break up the chocolate and dice the butter into a small bowl and gently melt it in the microwave or, if you use the hob, add the butter to a saucepan and melt it on your lowest flame and then add the thoroughly broken up pieces of chocolate. Keep a low heat under the pan and stir until the chocolate has melted and then remove the pan from the heat. Do not let the mixture boil. Give the contents a good stir. Add the sultanas, chopped nuts and cream and combine well. Cut the sponge fingers into small pieces and add these to the chocolate mixture. Tip two thirds of the mix onto the baking sheet and, using the back of a fork or a potato masher, squash it into the base of the tray paying particular attention to the corners. Pour over the remaining chocolate. Cover and set aside until cool. Don’t put it in the fridge until it is cold to

instead of struggling with heavy lock gates and winding gear. So come on ladies, have a go. Take strength from the ‘idle women’ who took over on working boats during the war, loaded and unloaded 70 footers with cargoes and kept the waterways open. The downside of being busy at the helm is that the cake tin suffers. But not this month as I have the perfect solution. A fridge cake. It’s also great for those hot sunny days when the last thing you want is the oven on. A word of warning though, it’s calorie-packed, so remember to take some exercise before you eat it if you have become a ‘tiller hog’ in your new work schedule. CB

Canal Boat September 2016 83

BACK CABIN: BUYING SECONDHAND

Trad-stern boats If you want to get the maximum space inside your boat, a trad-stern could be a good choice 2004 62FT HUFF ‘N’ PUFF A BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED trad-stern built for the present owners, with steel work by Tyler/Wilson and a ﬁt-out by Fernwood. The interior (and the exterior paintwork) follows an Art Deco theme with ﬂowing curves and intricate joinery throughout. The layout is traditional with a comfortable saloon at the front with a TV/DVD, cinema sound and CD player. The well

84 September 2016 Canal Boat

£83,950 equipped galley has a gas hob, electric oven, microwave, dishwasher, fridge and freezer, while a washing machine is installed in the stern cabin. There’s a ﬁxed double berth in the bedroom and a luxury walk-though bathroom with a roll-top bath, macerator wc and a washbasin. There’s also central heating, a diesel stove, a Beta Marine engine and a bow thruster.

Contact: 01283 707 357 newandusedboat.co.uk

Verdict: Comfortable cruising for two in a stylish and well equipped boat

canalboat.co.uk

BUYING SECONDHAND :BACK

CABIN TRAD-STERNS

2001 58FT ETHEL

£64,995 A TRAD-STERN built by Piper Boats and ﬁtted out by Brayzel Narrowboats. There’s a decent sized saloon at the bow with a multi-fuel stove. The open-plan galley follows which features a gas hob with a separate oven and grill, a fridge and a washing machine. Beyond that is a centre cabin with a built-in bench seat. This room could become an ofﬁce, a utility room or a guest bedroom – the built-in seating could be easily adapted to make a pull-out double berth. The shower room is next followed by the bedroom with its permanent double berth. Finally there is an aft cabin, with a Beta Marine 43hp diesel engine; there is also a bow thruster.

Contact: 01327 342211 rugbyboats.co.uk

Verdict: Versatile accommodation and a go-anywhere length

2004 65FT JERSEY LILY

£67,997 WITH STEELWORK BY Wessex Narrowboats Ltd, this trad-stern has a ﬁt-out by the owner to a two-bedroom, six-berth traditional layout. The forward saloon has a solid fuel stove, two armchairs that convert to single beds, and a drop-leaf table with four folding chairs. The galley is equipped with a four-burner hob with a separate grill and oven, a fridge with a separate freezer, and a microwave. The mid cabin has a ﬁxed double bed and storage; the rear cabin has two single bunk beds. The bathroom has a bath with shower over, washbasin and pump-out wc, while the rear trad area, containing the Barrus Shire 40hp engine, also has a compact washing machine. The boat was repainted in May 2016.

Contact: 01270 760799 boatﬁnderbrokerage.co.uk

Verdict: Modern and with six-berths, this would be an ideal leisure boat

1990 60FT ALBERT

£34,995 BUILT BY CHAPPELL & WRIGHT LIMITED and refurbished internally by the current owner, this is a well-presented, two-berth trad-stern. Offering a light and airy look, the white panelling below the gunwales reﬂects light throughout the cabin. The saloon, which has parquet ﬂooring, has two captain’s chairs and two folding chairs. There’s also a solid fuel stove with a back boiler. The galley is equipped with a gas cooker and a fridge/freezer, while the bathroom has a tiled shower cubicle, a pump-out wc and a hand basin in a vanity unit. It has a 38hp BMC engine which was serviced this July and the boat was blacked in June of this year.

Contact: 01270 525046 aqueductbrokerage.co.uk

Verdict: A well loved boat that could become your home-from-home

1996 60FT ALBION

£45,950 THIS TRAD-STERN has a Jonathan Wilson hull and a top quality ﬁt-out in light oak tongue & groove and panelling with solid oak furniture. The 43hp Beta diesel has twin alternators, and a 2.1kW inverter and solar panels are among many other features. There’s good storage in the bedroom and ofﬁce/dressing room. The walk-through bathroom has a bath with shower and macerator wc. The quality galley has exceptional storage, granite tops, new fridge-freezer and washing machine. The saloon has a new solid-fuel stove, glazed cupboards, fold-down table and new armchairs with footstools. Heavy oak doors lead to the covered foredeck with side-lockers and table.

Contact: 01788 891373 braunstonmarina.co.uk

Verdict: A ﬁne example of a modern two-berth, trad-stern narrowboat

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Canal Boat September 2016 85

B R OA G H E Q TS VO U I R U R LU ED GEN M DU T E O E LY F S TO AL ES HI

Telephone: 01788 891373 Website: www.braunstonmarina.co.uk

At the Heart of England’s Waterways

Email: sales@braunstonmarina.co.uk Fax: 01788 891436 Braunston Marina Limited, Braunston, Nr Daventry, Northants NN11 7JH

ALBION 60ft (18.29m) Traditional Style Narrowboat 1996 Hull Jonathan Wilson/FO Phoenix Beta Marine Diesel Engine 43HP Fixed Double £45,950

THEODORA 58ft (17.68m) Trad Style Narrowboat 2002 Built by Heron Boats Isuzu 37HP diesel Six Berths £44,950

SARAH LOUISE 57ft (17.38m) Trad - Style Narrowboat 2007 Hull Mercia Marine/ Fit Out Lime Farm Beta 38 Diesel Engine Fixed Double £47,950

AURORA 56ft (17.07m) Cruiser Style Narrowboat 2006 Hull: CM Boat Builders/FO J O’Dowd Vetus Marine Diesel Engine 33HP Four Berths £34,950

HELVETIA 52ft (15.85m) Trad-style Narrowboat 1982 Built by Braunston Canal Services BMC 1500 diesel engine c.35HP rebuilt in 2006 Four Berths £34,950

THE OWL AND THE PUSSY CAT 50ft (15.24m) Cruiser Style Narrowboat 1978 Built by Calcutt Boats /Recent Owners refit Canaline 42 Diesel Engine (new 2014) Four Berths £27,950

RAMBLERS 40ft (12.20m) Trad Steel Narrowboat 2005 Hull Andycraft / FO Owner/professional BMC 1.8 Diesel Engine Two Berth £24,950

KINGFISHER 38ft (11.59m) Cruiser Style Narrowboat Built by Stenson Narrowboats Shire 3Cyl Diesel Engine 30Hp Four Berths £34,950

WOODRUSH 35ft (10.67m) Cruiser Style Narrowboat 2000 Hull by Pinder / Fit - Out Owner Yanmar Shire 1202 Diesel Engine 30HP Four Berths £26,950

HARMONY 30ft (9.15) Cruiser Style Narrowboat 1991 Built by TT Marine Beta (Kubota) Marine Diesel Four Berths £21,950

MOORINGS ~ NARROWBOAT SALES ~ SERVICING ~ DRY AND WET DOCKS ~ BLACKING

Virginia Currer Marine Ltd Inland Waterway Specialists

WWW.VCMARINE.CO.UK

T. 01753 652 502 M. 07860 480079 E. cbad@vcmarine.co.uk

G & J REEVES 17m (55ft) NARROW BOAT STYLE WIDEBEAM Built in 2008. Fitted by Hawthorn Marine Ltd. Barrus Shire 40hp diesel engine. 2 berth - Free standing double in own cabin. Reﬂeks diesel ﬁred stove with back boiler and Solid fuel stove. Therford cassette toilet. BSC to 01/2017. Ref: Hogwarts Lying on residential mooring at High Line Yachting,Iver. ............................£75,000

MIKE HEYWOOD 18m (60ft) TRADITIONAL STERN NARROWBOAT Built in 1991. Partly ﬁtted by owners. BMC 1.8 40hp diesel engine. 3 berth - ﬁxed double in own cabin plus single convertible in saloon. Solid fuel stove and radiators heated by Webasto. Pump out toilet. BSC to 03-2019. Ref: Silver Fox. Lying High Line Yachting, Iver......... £32,000

DRAGON BOATS 17m (55ft) TRADITIONAL STERN NARROWBOAT Built in 1999. Fitted by Previous owner. Barus Shanks 38hp diesel engine. 2 berth - ﬁxed double in own cabin. Solid fuel stove and Eberspacher (radiators). Thetford electric ﬂush cassette toilet. BSC to 02/2019. Ref: Simba. Lying High Line Yachting, Iver ......................... £36,000

LIVERPOOL BOATS 14M (45FT) TRADITIONAL STERN NARROWBOAT Built in 1993. BMC 1.5 diesel engine. 4 berth - ﬁxed double in own cabin and convertible double in saloon. Solid fuel stove. Chemical toilet. BSC to 07-2018. Ref: Damaris Lying High Line Yachting, Iver.......................................................... £26,000

LES ALLEN & SONS 21M (70FT) TRADITIONAL STERN NARROWBOAT Built in 1973. Fitted by Paul King & Previous owners. Lister HR2 29.5hp diesel engine. 2 berth - ﬁxed double in own cabin. Kabula old English boiler. Porta Potti toilet but all conections and tank are there for pump out toilet. BSC to 09/2017. Ref: Nonsuch. Lying High Line Yachting,Iver . £33,000

HERITAGE BOATS 17m (57ft) TRADITIONAL STERN NARROWBOAT Built in 1994. Fitted by Heritage Boats. 3HD Perkins 46hp diesel engine. 6 berth - ﬁxed double in own cabin, cross double in Boatman’s cabin plus convertible sofa in saloon. Alde gas boiler. Porta Potti casstte toilet. BSC to 04/2017. Ref: His Lordship Corbiere. Lying High Line Yachting, Northolt .................................... £38,000

HANCOCK & LANE 15m (50ft) TRADITIONAL STERN NARROWBOAT Built in 1980. Fitted Not known. BMC 1.5 diesel engine. 5 berth - ﬁxed double in own cabin, single cabin and convertible in dinnette. Bubble diesel ﬁred stove. Thetford cassette toilet. BSC to 06/2017. Ref: Martlet. Lying High Line Yachting, Iver ................ £27,000

STEELCRAFT 15m (50ft) CRUISER STERN NARROWBOAT Built in 1994. Fitted by G.H Bryant. BMC 4cyl diesel engine. 4 berth - ﬁxed double in own cabin and convertible in saloon.. Alde gas boiler. Pump out toilet. BSC to 5/2016. Ref: Meander. Lying Newbury, Kennet & Avon Canal ...................................................... £35,000

LIVERPOOL BOATS 18m (58ft) CRUISER STERN NARROWBOAT Built in 2006. Fitted by Liverpool Boats. Izusu 4cyl twin alternator 35hp diesel engine. 2 berth - ﬁxed double in own cabin. Solid fuel stove and Webasto.Thetford cassette toilet. BSC to 06/2018. Ref: The Duchess. Lying Gran Union Canal, Uxbridge .................................... £44,500

DEVIZES NARROWBOATS 15M (50FT) CRUISER STERN NARROWBOAT Built in 1999. Fitted by Not known. Lister LPWS4 36hp diesel engine. 4 berth - two double convertible sofas. Webasto diesel CH and pot belly stove. Pump out toilet. BSC to Nov-18. Ref: Thetis. Lying Newbury Marina ..................................... £28,000

Here is a small selection of the boats that we have for sale.

REPLICA DUTCH BARGE - D M BOOTH ENGINEERING 57FT (17.4M) X 13FT 6IN (4.1M) Built in 1998 and ﬁtted by the owner. Leyland 698 diesel engine. 4 berth - 2 x double cabins. Eberspacher diesel central heating and solid fuel stove. Pump out and sea toilet. BSC to 07/2017. Ref: Toggenberg. Lying – High Line Yachting, Cowley ........................... £98,000

For a full up-to-date listing please give us a call or visit our website.

NARROWBOATS ~ WIDEBEAM ~ LONDON RESIDENTIAL ~ COMMERCIAL

THE BOATYARD, MANSION LANE, IVER, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, SL0 9RG 86 September 2016 Canal Boat

canalboat.co.uk

DIRECTORY HOLIDAY HIRE CAMBRIDGESHIRE

To advertise on these pages contact our sales team on Tel: 0118 974 2522 or Email: benjamin.jones@archant.co.uk

BRIDGE BOATYARD Bridge Road, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 4DY Tel: 01353 663726 Email: chris.wenn@btconnect.com Web: www.bridgeboatyard.com

National

Start your boating holiday from Bridge Boatyard in the very heart of the peaceful and picturesque Fenland waterways. We have a range of holiday cruisers from 2 to 6 berth, plus two narrow boats for hire which can accommodate up to 4 people. A holiday afloat on the Cambridgeshire waterways opens up a whole new world of relaxed pleasure as 150 miles of tranquil, unspoilt rivers wind gently through lush meadowland and lowlying fens, passing some of Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s loveliest cities and towns.

WORCESTERSHIRE SALTWAY NARROWBOAT HIRE Droitwich Spa Marina, Hanbury Road, Droitwich, Worcs, WR9 7DU. Tel: 07968 491258 Email: chris@saltwaynarrowboathire.co.uk Web: www.saltwaynarrowboathire.co.uk

Scotland

We are based in the beautiful Droitwich Spa Marina, which gives you a choice of a variety of routes and access to the Birmingham & Worcester Canal. Offering you a personal service we have 3 unique boats to hire for short breaks or longer with a choice of different start days. Contact us to book a relaxing break away from the hustle and bustle of every day life. We look forward to welcoming you aboard.

SHROPS UNION & OXFORD NAPTON NARROWBOATS

North

Napton Marina, Stockton, Southam, CV47 8HX Tel: 01926 813644 Email: enquiries@napton-marina.co.uk Web: www.napton-marina.co.uk

Ireland

Central

Wales

East

SHROPS UNION & OXFORD

South West

London & South East

Isle of Wight

Services Offered... Romantic Breaks

Short Breaks

Skippered Hire

Family Holidays

Try Before You Hire

Last Minute

Stag & Hen Do's

Visit Britain

Hotel Boat

Christmas / New Year

Assessed Luxury

Pets Allowed

Lock Free Cruising

Group Bookings (6+)

Hire Abroad

Flexible Booking

Wheelchair Friendly

Private Boat Livery

Weekly Hire

Day Hire

90 June 2016 Canal Boat

Our family-run fleet now gives you the best choice in style of Narrowboat to suit your requirements and holiday budget. Napton Narrowboats offers a wide choice in style of boats from their Explorer fleet to the superb Edwardian Elite fleet. Famous for their innovative design and quality, Napton Narrowboats is one of the most modern fleets on the canals. KING Size double beds on some boats and FREE Mobile Wifi on all boats - two unique Napton Narrowboats features.

THE WYVERN SHIPPING CO. Rothschild Road, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard, Beds, LU7 2TF. Tel: 01525 372355 Email: wyvern@canalholidays.co.uk Web: www.canalholidays.co.uk

Choice of 35 luxury 3 to 5 star boats maintained to the highest standards and inspected by Visit Britain. Based at Linslade on the beautiful southern Grand Union Canal just 40 miles North of London with a good train service from Euston. Take a weekend cruise through the Chiltern Hills and along the pictures Ouzel valley to the canal museum and Blisworth tunnel at Stoke Bruerne. The Grand Union is famous for itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many delightful canal side pubs and local villages.Longer cruises can include the Oxford canals, London and the River Thames. All inclusive prices like diesel, gas and damage waiver. No essential extras. Phone 01525 372355 to make a booking.

LEEDS & LIVERPOOL CANAL PENNINE CRUISERS OF SKIPTON 19 Coach Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1LH Tel: 01756 795478 Email: info@penninecruisers.com

A short break, holiday or extended holiday on board one of Pennine Cruisers' narrowboats includes a top class and specially built boat with full headroom throughout. Complete with a fully equipped galley. Also included in our tariff for narrowboat holidays are hot and cold running water, full central heating, flushing fresh water toilets, shower, full size berths with pillows, quilts and fresh linen.

canalboat.co.uk

HOLIDAY HIRE DIRECTORY LANCASTER CANAL

NATIONAL

CANAL BOAT CRUISES

CRABTREE NARROWBOAT HIRE

DISCOUNT BOAT HIRE

Riley Green Marina, Bolton Road, Hoghton PR5 0SP Tel: 01254 202967 Email: info@canalboatcruises.co.uk Web: www.canalboatcruises.co.uk

Crabtree Farm, Hagg Lane, St Michaels-OnWyre, Preston, Lancashire, PR3 0UJ Tel: 07572 664949 & 01995 671712 Email: info@crabtreenarrowboathire.com Web: www.crabtreenarrowboathire.com

Tel: 0330 3330599 Email: bookings@discountboathire.com Web: www.discountboathire.com

Canal Boat Cruises is an award winning family business offering canal boat holidays, canal trips, restaurant cruises, moorings & marina facilities on the Leeds Liverpool Canal in the heart of the idyllic Lancashire Countryside. Choose from 5 boats ranging from 4 to 8 berth for short breaks, weekly hire or one way cruising. 2 new Tyler Wilson boats. Full tuition, beginners and novices welcome.

LLANGOLLEN CANAL CHAS HARDERN BOATS LTD Beeston Castle Wharf, Beeston, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 9NH Tel: 01829 732 595 Email: chasboats@aol.com Web: www.chashardern.co.uk We started our narrow boat holiday hire base over 25 years ago having cruised almost all of the canal system ourselves. Its still a small family concern whose aim is to give you a relaxing enjoyable narrow boat hire holiday. Canal holiday hire on UK canals is quite unlike any other experience. Both in the variety of the surroundings and in actually having time to look at them, canal holiday hire provides an escape from the rush and monotony of ordinary life.

LEEDS & LIVERPOOL CANAL BEAR BOATING Apperley Bridge Marina, Waterfront Mews Apperley Bridge, Bradford, BD10 0UR Tel: 07969 901383 Web: www.bearboating.co.uk Email: admin@bearboating.co.uk

"Boatique Holidays" by bearBOATING offer a truly luxurious canal boat experience cruising the waterways of the Yorkshire Dales on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. All our boats are equipped with TV, DVD, Wii Games Consoles and Ipod docking music systems, solid oak interiors, full size double bed and fully equipped kitchens with granite worktops. bearBOATING offer a comprehensive handover and as an RYA approved Training Centre we can include RYA training courses as part of your holiday. New to 2014 bearBOATING are offering City Break Training Cruises with overnight stays in the centre of Leeds.

LEEDS & LIVERPOOL CANAL JUST CANAL BOATS Greenfield Marina, Greenfield. Next to the Kingfisher Pub Tel: 07854 062726 Email: holly@justcanalboats.co.uk Web: www.justcanalboats.co.uk

The Huddersfield Narrow Canal runs for 20 miles between Huddersfield in West Yorkshire and Ashton under Lyne in Greater Manchester, UK. We are a small family business, who is here to cater for the perfect break away. We can do any type of break from day hire to 2 week breaks. Flexibility for the customer is a top priority. We are moored in the beautiful village of Greenfield which is surrounded by vast greenery and hills. You will find local pubs and just hop off the boat in the middle of the village. Saddleworth has many events going on in the year where everyone joins together and celebrations are held in the villages. A must see!!

TRENT & MERSEY CANAL CANAL CRUISING CO Crown Street, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 8QN Tel: 01785 813982 Email: KWyatt5745@aol.com Web: www.canalcruising.co.uk

Situated in the heart of England, Canal Cruising Co Ltd is the ideal starting point for a different type of Holiday. Canal Boating in the slow lane, an adventure, seeing England from a different view point. From Stone you have several choices of routes - Four Counties Ring, the Cauldon, the Cheshire Ring, Llangollen, Stourport and Burton-on-Trent naming but a few, each offering different aspects of boating.

canalboat.co.uk

Crabtree Narrowboat Hire is a small and friendly family-run narrowboat hire company based on the idyllic Lancaster Canal. We currently operate 4 boats from our base at Barton Grange Marina near Garstang – each of our boats have been assessed and awarded 5 stars by Enjoy England - the national tourist board for England. We have also been awarded a 2015 VisitEngland ROSE Award in Recognition Of Service Excellence. Awarded annually to only 100 VisitEngland quality assessed accommodation businesses that go the extra mile to provide excellent customer service, we are the only Narrowboat Hire Company in the country to receive the award. We offer full instruction on the operation and handling of the boats at the start of your holiday thus enabling the expert or complete novice to enjoy their boating experience.

RIVER WEY FARNCOMBE BOAT HOUSE

Enjoy a short break in one of our superbly equipped narrowboats. Choose from over 200 boats from 14 start locations, with 2 - 12 berths available. Visit www.discountboathire.com for more details.

MONMOUTHSHIRE & BRECON BEACON PARK BOATS The Boathouse, Llanfoist Wharf, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 9NG Tel:01873 858277 Email: enquiries@beaconparkboats.com Web: www.beaconparkboats.com

Catteshall Lock, Catteshall Road, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1MH. Tel: 01483 421306 Email: info@farncombeboats.co.uk Web: www.farncombeboats.co.uk

A family run business offering narrowboat holidays on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal which meanders through the Brecon Beacon National Park. We aim to offer you the best narrowboats and the highest level of service you’ll find on any of Britain’s waterways. A luxurious fleet of narrow and wide beam boats each designed and built by us to enable you to have a holiday you’ll remember for all the right reasons.

The River Wey holds untold delights at every bend, and a narrow boat offers the perfect opportunity to have a relaxing holiday, enabling you to unwind from the pressures of everyday living. It offers the chance to experience the lovely county of Surrey from a very different angle. Feel free to explore local villages, discover riverside pubs, see the ruins of Newark Priory and the world famous horticultural gardens at Wisley.

MONMOUTHSHIRE & BRECON CAMBRIAN CRUISERS

OXFORD CANAL COLLEGE CRUISERS College Cruisers, Combe Road Wharf, Oxford OX2 6BL Tel: 01865 554343 Email: info@collegecruisers.com Web: www.collegecruisers.com

We are based on the Oxford canal in the centre of the romantic and vibrant city of Oxford which makes us very easy to get to. A canal holiday is the perfect way to relax and enjoy the company of friends or family. Party boats available.

Cambrian Cruisers, Ty Newydd, Pencelli, Brecon, LD3 7LJ Tel: 01874 665315 Email: info@cambriancruisers.co.uk Web: www.cambriancruisers.co.uk

Our luxury holiday canal boats are specifically designed to operate on the Mon and Brec Canal and are easy to handle. One of our experienced handover team will come with you for a short cruise to ensure that you are able to handle the canal boat with confidence before we bid you farewell to enjoy your relaxing canal boat holiday afloat. You can rest assured in the knowledge that should you need our help during your Wales canal boat holiday, we are never far away and we provide a 24 hour telephone number for you to contact us for any assistance that you may require.

MONMOUTHSHIRE & BRECON

LANCASTER CANAL

CASTLE NARROWBOATS

DUCK ISLAND BOAT COMPANY

Church Road Wharf, Gilwern, Monmouthshire, NP7 OEP Tel: 01873 858277 Email: info@castlenarrowboats.co.uk Web: www.castlenarrowboats.co.uk

Tel: 07925 23 66 21 Email: duckislandboats@yahoo.co.uk Web: www.lancastercanalboathire.com

The fastest way to slow down. Cruising in superior style aboard a luxurious bespoke Wide Beam Canal Boat. If this is your idea of unique holiday heaven then join us at Duck Island Boat Company and enjoy the best canal boat experience you have ever had. Situated on the beautiful 41 mile lock free canal we offer an intriguing opportunity for a spot of pure relaxation and self indulgence.Whether you are looking for a relaxing break, an exclusive romantic retreat or celebrating a special occasion we offer all the perks of 5 star with non of the draw backs.

NATIONAL MARINE CRUISES

The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal winds its way through some of the most beautiful scenery in South Wales. Now its industrial life is over, it offers the opportunity to see the countryside from a unique perspective on your very own self drive narrow boat holiday. Choose from our fleet of modern, comfortable and extremely well equipped canal boats, which are perfect for cruising the canal, whether you’re looking for an involving family holiday or a quiet break with friends. Visit our website to find out more about bookings in 2014.

MONMOUTHSHIRE & BRECON ROAD HOUSE NARROWBOATS

Nursery Cottage, Liverpool, CH2 4BA Tel: 01244 373911 Email: info@marinecruises.co.uk Web: www.marinecruises.co.uk

Road House Narrowboats, 50 Main Road, Gilwern, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 0AS Tel: 01873 830240 Email: info@narrowboats-wales.co.uk Web: www.narrowboats-wales.co.uk

Marine Cruises operates from three great canal holiday bases, each ideally suited to explore some of the finest canal holiday routes in the UK! The Llangollen Canal with its famous aqueducts and tunnels is probably the most beautiful canal in Britain, from our new Trent & Mersey Canal base you can explore lots of fascinating canal holiday rings, and our Falkirk base allows you to cross Scotland coast to coast, including a breathtaking journey on the world famous Falkirk Wheel! Visit our website for special offers and discounts for 2014.

We are a small and friendly family run business operating four narrowboats on the peaceful and scenic Mon & Brec. Our boats have been especially designed for stress free cruising on this canal, and are both comfortable & fully equipped to ensure your holiday is the relaxing experience you deserve.

Canal Boat June 2016 91

To advertise on these pages contact our sales team on Tel: 0118 974 2522 or Email: benjamin.jones@archant.co.uk

LEEDS & LIVERPOOL CANAL

CLASSIFIEDS

To advertise on these pages contact our sales team on 01934 422559 or ads@canalboat.co.uk

BOAT BUILDERS

BOAT HIRE

Chas Hardern Boats

Est. 1972 Family Run

Individual warm & comfortable 2-6 berth narrowboats for cruising on the Shropshire Union, LLANGOLLEN & adjoining canals. Excellent central heating for all year cruising. Short breaks available out of main season. Pets welcome. Comprehensive instruction given. • 24hr breakdown & repair service. • Gas Safe Registered. • All canalside services plus gift shop.

Lengthen, Re-bottom, Re-fit your boat at

BRINKLOW BOAT SERVICES

★ Boat Fitting undertaken 01788 833789 ★ Repairs ★ Paintwork ★ New and Replica boats built to order. ★

THE INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION

Chas Hardern Boats T: (01829) 732595 E: chasboats@aol.com W: www.chashardern.co.uk Beeston Castle Wharf, Beeston, Near Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 9NH.

Visit our yard at Stretton-under-Fosse Steel Work Tel: 01788 833331 info@brinklowboatservices.co.uk www.brinklowboatservices.co.uk

BOAT COVERS

John's Boat Canopies All canopies tailor-made to your boat. Repairs & framework. Mobile services covering the Midlands.

Tel:0121 6861888 Mobile:07837 489632

www.johnsboatcanopies.co.uk

BOAT HANDLING

We offer lock free cruising on our well appointed 2-7 berth narrowboats

For more information visit our website at www.arlen-hireboats.co.uk or send for a free colour brochure from Arlen Hire Boats, Ashton Baisn, Tulketh Brow, Preston, Lancs PR2 2SD Email: enquires@arlen-hireboats.co.uk Tel/Fax: 01772 769183

Luxury Trad style narrowboat available for hire, based on the Macclesﬁeld Canal For further details visit our website at

www.braidbarboats.co.uk

or contact Susan on 01625 873471

NORTHERN DELIGHTS Start from the heart of the northern waterways, and discover a new Yorkshire. Tourist Board assessed boats. Comprehensive training.

Tel: (01422) 832712 www.shirecruisers.co.uk VisitBritain Assessed

LUXURY CRUISING AT REASONABLE PRICES Inland waterway helmsman & crew courses. Intro to waterways, ICC & CEVNI training and assessments, VHF SRC, diesel maintenance and ﬁrst aid.

07860 354890 | watercraft.org.uk | training@watercraft.org.uk Based at Jct of South Oxford & Grand Union canal and on the River Thames at Marlow

92 September 2016 Canal Boat

Meander through peaceful, rolling countryside on the beautiful Chesterfield Canal on our luxurious, modern narrowboats. Spacious, centrally heated, 4 to 8 berth boats at reasonable rates.

For details/brochure contact: CHESTERFIELD CANAL BOAT COMPANY (01522) 514774. Fax: (01522) 538893

canalboat.co.uk

To advertise on these pages contact our sales team on 01934 422559 or ads@canalboat.co.uk

BOAT HIRE ABROAD

CLASSIFIEDS

BOAT STOVES

COMMUNICATIONS

BOATMAN STOVES CAST IRON STOVES Tel: 01925 757979 or 07831 624822

www.boatmanstove.co.uk eddie.brooke@btopenworld.com

COURSES

Harworth Heating Ltd T: 01302 742 520 E: contact@bubbleproducts.co.uk

www.bubbleproducts.co.uk

BOATS WANTED

ENGINEERS MOBILE MARINE ENGINEER Specialising in Diesel engine - service and repair. Operating on the Grand Union, Oxford and Thames. Contact Ed Boden 07941 048847

EQUIPMENT

TANK SPECIALISTS

CHANDLERY

Polypropylene water or sewage holding tanks, battery boxes, etc. Made to your requirements. Telephone, fax or email for a quotation anytime.

BOAT NAMES

GOODWIN PLASTICS LTD Come and see our extensive chandlery offering: Large range of solid fuel and diesel stoves, Thetford cookers and hobs. Shoreline refrigeration, Victron solar panels, Balance flue water heaters, Epifanes paint, Thetford range of toilets and chemicals. ALL ON DISPLAY Plus many more items at a competitive price.

Tel: (01270) 582 516

Fax: (01270) 251 221 | Mobile: 07740 404 938 Email: sales@goodwinplastics.co.uk | www.goodwinplastics.co.uk Unit 1 Winterley House, Haslington, Crewe, Cheshire CW1 5RU

100 Acres, Sanderson Road, Uxbridge, Middx UB8 1NB Tel/Fax No 01895 239811 Email: office@denham-marina.co.uk Bridge 184 on the Grand Union Canal. Est Since 1969. Moorings Diesel Calor gas Pumpout Coal Boat repairs Beta engine centre

VERSATILE NON-SLIP PLASTIC FLOORING 300MM SQUARE EASY TO CUT AND FIT GREAT RANGE OF COLOURS Buy online at:

QUOFF OT ALL E ONL AU INE GU OR ST DERS 16

www.versatile-flooring.co.uk Why pay high imported prices when you can buy British made from a British company

Industrial Plastics Supplies Limited

0113 2579000

GENERATORS SEALS + DIRECT Solve your sealing problems. Products include door seals, window rubbers, extrusions, fenders, hoses, adhesives, etc. Free Catalogue. Unit 6 Milton Business Centre. Wick Drive, New Milton, Hants. BH25 6RH Tel: 01425 617722 www.sealsplusdirect.co.uk

canalboat.co.uk

edgetechnology.co.uk call: 01270 509 296 LPG petrol

FREE

Quote: ‘Canalboat’ when ordering for a free Service kit

Canal Boat September 2016 93

CLASSIFIEDS

To advertise on these pages contact our sales team on 01934 422559 or ads@canalboat.co.uk

EQUIPMENT

INSURANCE

STEEL BALLAST

200% heavier than bricks! We have various sizes and normally cut to 12” length, which weigh 10–15 kilos depending on section. We deliver or you can collect ex West Midlands.

100s O F HA CUSTOPPY M NO SAERS, D ONES!

Ring Bill Mann Buck Steels Ltd 01277 364344 email: mannbuckandco@aol.com

FLEXIBLE TANKS & LINERS FOR INTEGRAL TANKS High Quality – expertly tailor-made

Maintenance-free, hygienicwater storage without losing capacity. We also make ﬂexible tanks for efﬂuent WWW.DURATANK.COM 8 HAZEL ROAD, WOOLSTON, SOUTHAMPTON SO19 7GA T: 02380 686666 | F: 02380 686686 | E: sales@duratank.com

Our Comprehensive policy features: ■

■ ■

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INSULATION

stating reference GP2425

COSY BOATS USE WEBSTERS... FOAM INSULATION...When re-fitting or ordering your new boat remember your comfort. Foam insulation sprayed by Websters, backed by 20 years experience. PREVENTS CONDENSATION, REDUCES NOISE and helps keep you COSY!

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Email: info@webstersinsulation.com See also: www.webstersinsulation.com

PAINTING Chris Weston of the Oxon Boat Painting Co LTD and Beccy Roberts proudly present `a course in traditional canal art and craft’

ers ! ch le ou lab t v vai Gif w a no

94 September 2016 Canal Boat

BRINKLON, NEAR RUGBY, WARKS CONTACT MR C WESTON FOR COURSE DATES TEL 07977 504766 OR SEARCH FACEBOOK FOR OXON BOAT PAINTING CO LTD

0345 2607 888 Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

canalboat.co.uk

To advertise on these pages contact our sales team on 01934 422559 or ads@canalboat.co.uk

CLASSIFIEDS

INSURANCE

COLLIDGE & PARTNERS NARROWBOAT & INLAND WATERWAYS CRAFT

INSURANCE Wide policy cover £3,000,000 T.P.L Specialist Inland Waterways Scheme

Get a Quote at

www.collidgeandpartners.co.uk

BASIC BOAT LIABILITY COMPANY UK’S NUMBER 1 MARKET LEADER IN BOAT LIABILITY INSURANCE

THIRD PARTY LIABILITY NO EXCESS £5M LIABILITY £50K WRECK REMOVAL

03333 219 430 WWW.BASIC-BOAT.COM

THIS COMPANY IS PART OF HOWE MAXTED GROUP LIMITED WHO ARE AUTHORISED AND REGULATED BY THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY

MOORINGS

Call us for a quote 01843-295925 Fax 01843 290063 COLLIDGE & PARTNERS 15-16 HAWLEY SQUARE, MARGATE, KENT CT9 1PF Email: enquiries@collidgeandpartners.co.uk www.collidgeandpartners.co.uk Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

MAIL FORWARDING WWW.BOATMAIL.CO.UK The boaters mail forwarding company. Unique ‘pay as you go’ service. Tel: 07984 215873 Email: info@boatmail.co.uk

canalboat.co.uk

01225 872226 info@saltfordmarina.co.uk www.saltfordmarina.co.uk River Avon between Bristol & Bath Easy access to K & A Secure marina with all facilities Narrowboats, Widebeams, Cruisers welcome Live aboard & non live aboard

Canal Boat September 2016 95

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To advertise on these pages contact our sales team on 01934 422559 or ads@canalboat.co.uk

MOORINGS

HAREFIELD MARINA BRIDGE 180

MOORHALL ROAD HAREFIELD, MIDDX UB9 6PD

SERVICES

TRANSPORT

NORTH KILWORTH WHARF LTD - Grand Union (Leicester Section)

GRAND UNION

Rural non-residential moorings in secluded countryside setting 5 minutes from M25/M40. Only 1 days cruising from R. Thames. All marina facilities inc. chandlery, crane, slipway, wet dock, elec. diesel p/out, gas, coal, boat sales.

Tel: 01895 822036 Fax: 01895 825729

PERSONAL SEEKING COMFORTABLE 58” NARROWBOAT FOR MULTI-MONTH RENTAL

Newly retired Brits, resident in Canada, nautical and marine eng. backgrounds, experienced nb handlers. Sept–Nov ’17, (potential annual). 58’max, 2+2 occasional, c.h.+ solid fuel stove. Any location England/Wales. Refs available. Shared ownership or house swap considered. Can meet in UK.

Please contact narrowboatdream@gmail.com

CPL TRANSPORT

SERVICES (UK) LTD

All boat services available including: • • • • • •

Boat painting Hull blacking (up to 70 foot) Slipways Hard standing Steelwork & fabrication Boat sales

• Boat building • Engineering (electrical & mechanical) • Hire boats • Day boats • Moorings available

Shop open including groceries, chandlery and off licence

Tel: 01858 881723 Mob: 07977 909806 Email: northkilworthwharf@tiscali.co.uk www.northkilworthwharf.com

The Specialists in Moving Dutch Barges and Narrowboats throughout the UK and Europe

BRAUNSTON BOATS LTD

A reputation for service, excellence & delivery. Located 30 miles from Dover - the gateway of Europe

Hull blacking from £7.80+vat per foot plus VAT. Diesel, gas, coal, anodes, hardstanding, moorings, slipway. Other services on site include: Steel boatbuilding and repairs. Boat fit-out and chandlery. Gas safe installation/servicing and engine servicing. Surveying available.

Tel: 01233 758126 Fax: 01233 758127 Email: info@cpltrans.com

www.cpltrans.com

Contact: 01788 891079 Email: braunstonboats@hotmail.co.uk

SURVEYORS

There is only one name for narrowboat transport With over 40 years experience, we are here to help. With just one call we can organise a personal package – just for you.

SELF STORAGE

A45 Self Storage 8ft, 10ft and 20ft secure lock up units available for short/long term lets

AB Tuckey.co.uk

www.A45selfstorage.co.uk

01926 812134

canalboat.co.uk

Stephenson Close, Daventry NN11 8RF 01327 877 130 | A45@gersonrelocation.com

PROPERTY

Just one of our stunning holiday cottages Wrenbury Mill Holiday Apartment Situated on the Llangollen Canal in rural Wales,this holiday home gives you a base to explore the surrounding countryside and attractions. A modern two bedroom ﬁrst ﬂoor apartment within a historic building available for short break and weekly self-catering holiday hire. The apartment consists of an open plan fully equipped Kitchen/lounge/dinner, 2 double bedrooms that can have either a double bed or two singles, bathroom with toilet, hand basin and shower. Located in the historic grain store within Wrenbury Mill Marina on the outskirts of Wrenbury Village and adjacent to the Llangollen canal. It has two pubs serving food within a short walk and access across a bridge to the canal towpath.

Tel: 0330 3330 590

Email: info@abclg.com

ABC holiday Cottages Wrenbury Mill, Wrenbury, Near Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8HG

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VIRTUAL TOURS AVAILABLE

96 September 2016 Canal Boat

canalboat.co.uk

BUSINESS WEBSITES DIRECTORY BOAT YARDS ■ CANAL TRANSPORT SERVICES www.canaltransportservices.co.uk

■ WHARF HOUSE www.wharfhouse.co.uk

■ OXFORD CRUISERS LTD www.oxfordcruisers.com

BOAT FITTERS ■ WOODWORKS BOAT FITTING www.boat-fitting.co.uk

BOAT HEATING ■ HARWORTH HEATING www.oilstoves.co.uk

BOAT HIRE & HOLIDAY ■ ANDERSEN BOATS www.andersenboats.com ■ COLLEGE CRUISERS www.collegecruisers.com ■ CRABTREE NARROWBOAT HIRE www.crabtreenarrowboathire.com ■ FARNCOMBE BOAT HOUSE www.farncombeboats.co.uk ■ THE TIMESHARE SHOP LTD www.timeshareshopresales.com

BOAT NAMES ■ FUNKY MONKEY www.funkymonkeyboatnames.co.uk

BOAT SHARE ■ boatshare www.boatshare.co.uk

BOAT SURVEYORS ■ STEVE MOFFATT www.moffattmarine.com ■ BLUE STAR SURVEYS www.bluestarsurveys.co.uk

BOAT TRANSPORT ■ A B TUCKEY www.abtuckey.co.uk

BOOKS AND GIFTS ■ CANAL BOOK SHOP www.canalbookshop.co.uk ■ CANAL CARGO BOOK SHOP www.canalcargo.co.uk

INSULATION ■ WEBSTERS INSULATION www.webstersinsulation.com

INSURANCE ■ BASIC BOAT LIABILTY COMPANY www.basic-boat.com ■ CRAFTINSURE LTD www.craftinsure.com

MAGAZINES ■ CANAL BOAT MAGAZINE www.canalboat.co.uk

BROKERAGE ■ VIRGINIA CURRER MARINE www.vcmarine.co.uk

CANAL SHOPS ■ CANAL SHOP CO www.canalshop.co.uk

CHANDLERY ■ CENTRAL WATERWAYS SUPPLIES www.centralwaterways.uk

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES ■ CABINCARE www.cabincare.co.uk ■ TRADLINE ROPES & FENDERS www.tradline.co.uk

HULL BLACKING ■ MAINLINE www.rylardboats.com

INLAND WATERWAYS ORGANISATIONS ■ CANAL BOAT BUILDERS ASSOCIATION www.c-b-a.co.uk ■ THE BRITISH MARINE FEDERATION www.britishmarine.co.uk

MARINAS ■ BWML www.bwml.co.uk ■ HIGH LINE YACHTING LTD www.high-line.co.uk ■ MERCIA MARINA www.merciamarina.co.uk ■ NORTH KILWORTH WHARF www.nortkilworthwharf.com ■ OVERWATER MARINA www.overwatermarina.co.uk ■ SWANLEY BRIDGE MARINA www.swanleybridgemarina.com ■ TINGDENE MARINAS www.tingdene.net

TRAINING ■ BISHAM ABBEY SAILING AND NAVIGATION SCHOOL www.bishamabbeysailing.co.uk ■ WILLOW WREN TRAINING www.willowwrentraining.co.uk

WINDOWS

■ THE CANAL AND RIVER TRUST www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

■ CALDWELLS NARROWBOAT WINDOWS LTD www.caldwellswindows.co.uk

■ THE INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION www.waterways.org.uk

■ CHANNEL GLAZE www.channelglaze.com

ADVERTISE YOUR WEBSITE HERE & ON OUR WEBSITE FOR ONLY £15! Encourage new business to your website by advertising your company, both above and on our popular website www.canalboat.co.uk by contacting us at: ads@canalboat.co.uk canalboat.co.uk

Canal Boat September 2016 97

To advertise on these pages contact our sales team at: ads@canalboat.co.uk

BOAT BUILDERS ■ COLECRAFT ENGINEERING www.colecraft.co.uk

‘Most people are friendly and good natured’ JOHN LOBLEY Bingley lock-keeper

What’s the best thing about working at the locks? As so many people say, ‘It keeps you ﬁt!’. It’s also great to have such an iconic job, you do really feel part of the history, and being able to say hello to all my four-legged friends is lovely, being a dog-lover who doesn’t own one myself....

An amazing place to work

Questions

John Lobley, one of the Lock-keepers of the Year, tells us what it’s like to work at the iconic Bingley Five-Rise

What ﬁrst attracted you to the waterways? I’ve always enjoyed the peace and quiet, and the fact that most people are in a good mood when using them. They’re a haven for wildlife and recently I was lucky enough to see a pair of migrating ospreys at Saltaire.

Which is your favourite waterway? I’ve got to say Leeds & Liverpool. The big staircases are impressive and, to some people, a bit scary, so we lock-keepers are much appreciated and it’s nice to feel appreciated.

What do the waterways have to offer the country? A local, free space in which to relax, unwind and have fun. It’s great that they’re in safe hands and form an important tourist destination for overseas visitors. We have a lot of visitors from all over the world.

98 September 2016 Canal Boat

Tell us about your boating experience… I ﬁrst went on the Lllangollen for a holiday, aged about ﬁve. Much more recently I had friends who owned a narrowboat, and then a lovely Pickwell & Arnold Dutch barge, but that’s in southern France now, so no easily accessible boating holidays for me now.

Have you ever fallen in? No, thank goodness, and in ten years, I’ve only seen one boater take the plunge. (No harm was done.)

And, is there anything you don’t like? ...However, I did recently end up at the local medical centre after being bitten by a dog. It wasn’t too bad but I was on antibiotics as a precaution. Also, although I love working outside, as I write, it’s forecast to be 30° tomorrow, so I hope there aren’t too many boaters in a hurry to get through Bingley.

How did you feel about winning the Lock-Keeper of the Year Award? Nick, Richard and I are very proud. We’d all like to thank Barry Whitelock under whose tutelage we all learnt the idiosyncrasies of Bingley Five Rise. Barry was a ﬁxture there for some 35 years, and many boaters and tourists still ask after him.

What do you think makes a winning lock? It’s pretty, well-cared-for, and staffed by competent, helpful keepers. The team at Bingley always go the extra mile, and customers are thankful of the efﬁcient service and our local knowledge, for pointing out attractions which may otherwise go undiscovered.

What do the waterways need most? Care, respect and a lot of hard work!

What are you reading at present? Alexander McCall Smith’s 44 Scotland Street series.

How long have you been at Bingley Five Rise? It’s my tenth season. I have worked on other staircase locks, but Bingley Five is where I have always been based in my BW and now CRT career.

Who would be your ideal cruising companion? Anyone who’s bright and breezy would do for me, although if it were, say, Anita Rani (a local girl made good), then we could do a One Show feature on it.

12 13

What did you want to be aged 12? All I wanted to do aged 12 was to go rock climbing, and that’s pretty much all I did until my late 30s.

What is your proudest achievement? It’s got to be winning Lock-Keeper of the Year, along with my colleagues Nick Stead and Richard Moore. I’m so proud to be in such a supportive and hard-working team.

What is the best time of day on the waterways? First thing in the morning, mist hovering over the canal and no crowds... it’s the best time to see a kingﬁsher, for example, and to appreciate fully the peace and tranquillity.

What do you think of people on our rivers and canals? It’s an eclectic bunch but most people are friendly and good natured. Boaters can be right characters, so there’s never a dull moment.

What do you do in your spare time? I love music both to listen to and to play. Like many other workers on the canal, I like spotting wildlife, so my days off may often include walks to see what interesting birds and animals I can spot. I also brew my own beer, of course!

Where would you go on your dream cruise? My dream cruise would be catching up with my friends Sam and Jude and their Dutch barge on the Canal du Nivernais in southern France.

What superpower would you most like to have? Being able to jump tall buildings with a single bound, that would be handy at the Five Rise!

Bingley Five-Rise Lock-Keepers John Lobley, Nick Stead and Richard Moore have all been named as Lock-Keepers of the Year by the Hotel Boat section of British Marine Inland Boating.

canalboat.co.uk