The K&A Canal — 200 years old in 2010
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Butty No.189 Winter 2009 £2.50
The K&A Canal’s own magazine
The work of artist and blacksmith Brian Greaves
Mike Lee concludes his series on water supply for the K&A
More Kennet & Avon Canal ghost stories Working to protect, to enhance and to promote The Kennet & Avon Canal
Newbury Boat Company Please note our new Business Address Ham Manor Marina, London Road, Newbury, RG14 2BP Moorings
Permanent non-residential and temporary cruising moorings with good security at two locations in Newbury both within walking distance of Newbury town centre. Resident staff at both locations Tel: 01635 42884 email: enquiries@newburyboatco.co.uk www.newburyboatco.co.uk Ham Manor Marina from the river
Greenham Canal Services At Greenham Island Between Greenham Lock and Newbury Lock
Boat Services/Chandlery Diesel, Pumpout, Calor Gas, Coal etc Souvenirs and ice cream Tel: 01635 31672
Greenham Island
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Butty The magazine for the Kennet & Avon Canal
Cover photograph: The Kennet Barge Harriett on the banks of the River Severn at Puton.
contents
No.189 Winter 2009 Picture by Bob Naylor The Trust and its aims The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust has three separate but complementary objectives: • To protect the newly restored Canal from neglect, abuse and inappropriate developments. • To enhance the Canal, either by the direct application of Trust funds or, more likely, to unlock larger amounts through matched funding. • To promote the Canal as a magnificent national amenity that is freely available for the enjoyment of all.
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13 pages of K&A news
It was The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust (through its predecessor organisations) that fought successfully to save the Canal from formal abandonment in the mid-1950s. Through physical effort, innovative fund-raising and persistent political pressure, the Trust led the campaign that resulted in the Canal’s reopening for through navigation in 1990 and the subsequent £30 million restoration project from 1996 to 2003. The Canal’s infrastructure is now in a condition that will support sustained operations for many decades ahead.
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Ghosts on the K&A
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Water management on the K&A
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K&A 200 events
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Brian Greaves blacksmith artist/
The Trust’s membership reflects the wide range of leisure activities – boating, walking, cycling, fishing, pursuit of wildlife and heritage interests – that the public can enjoy along the length of the 87 miles of Canal.
The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Devizes Wharf Couch Lane Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 1EB. 01380 721279 01380 727870 (fax) www.katrust.org.uk President Michael Ancram MP Vice Presidents Richard Benyon MP Sir William Benyon David Bruce Peter Collins Donald Collinson Michael Corfield Sir Anthony Durant Michael Goodenough David Lamb Admiral Sir William O'Brien Philip Ogden Brian Oram Sir Frank Price Prunella Scales Timothy West General Manager Mike Rodd gm@katrust.org.uk Treasurer & Company Secretary Neil Lethby secretary@katrust.org.uk Office Manager Katherine Culverhouse office.manager@katrust. org.uk Finance finance@katrust.org.uk Retail Manager retail.manager@katrustent.org.uk Hon Engineer Mike Lee
Museum Curator Terry Mundy Trust Council Alice Boyd David Copley Peter Dunn Bill Fisher David Inight Terry Kemp Neil Lethby John Maciver Terry Mundy Charles Reiss Roy Smedley Kennet & Avon Canal Trust (Enterprise) Ltd Directors Mike Rodd Alice Boyd Tim Jones Neil Lethby (Director & Company Secretary) Butty Editor Di Harris Pear Tree Studio High Street, Urchfont Devizes SN10 4QH 01380 840584 07711 367124 di@thebutty.co.uk Butty News Editor Design & Layout Bob Naylor 01380 840584 07788 134901 bob@thebutty.co.uk For Advertising Contact Di Harris or Bob Naylor Printers BAS Printers Unit 2B Minton Distribution Park London Road Amesbury Salisbury Wilts SP4 7RT 01980 592 950
Contributions Articles and photographs are welcome. Please contact the Editor to discuss your ideas before submitting them. Whilst every care is taken with all material submitted, neither the Editor nor the publisher can take responsibility for loss or damage. Disclaimer Views expressed in The Butty are not necessarily those of the Editor nor of the Trust. Registered Charity The Trust is a registered charity (No CC209206) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England (No 726331) at the above address. The Butty is published by The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust of the same address. Data Protection Act The Trust is registered under the Data Protection Act 1984, reference SO46307X. Subject access requests should be directed to the Trust office in Devizes.
Plus regular features 17 BW Briefing, 23 Letters, 23 French connections, 26 Page for younger readers, 27 Reviews, 28 Branch reports, 34 Obituary, 35 Safety Matters and Museum news, 37 Wildlife, 38 What’s on and Unclassified Ads
Copy deadline for The Butty No 190, Spring 2010 27th Jan 2010
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No.189 Winter 2009
Selling off the family silver? peculation about government plans to sell off British Waterways property have appeared in the papers once again and the BBC TV programme “The Politics Show” on 15th November used the Kennet & Avon Canal to highlight the problems of funding canals. The BW property portfolio has been under threat in the past and K&A Canal Trust Vice President, Sir Frank Price successfully fought plans to sell off the canals to the water boards during his years as Chairman of the British Waterways Board . Sir Frank told the Butty, “I got very angry watching the Politics Show. “I was Chairman of British Waterways Board for 16 years and it took me three years to stop them transferring the canals to the water authorities, which were private companies. Some of the people working for BWB at that time were very happy with the prospect of being transferred to a private business, but if Mrs Thatcher had got her way we’d have lost all our canals. “I stopped it then and I’ve decided to start fighting for the canals again.” Earlier in the year, following a Treasury-led review, the
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Terry Kemp, former K&A Canal Waterway Manager and now a K&A Canal Trust board member speaking on The Politics Show.
Government decided that BW’s 1,400 canalside properties should not be sold — although the Government has also said that it keeps all assets under review in the light of current public finances. BW Chairman, Tony Hales, said “We were comforted by the Government’s report in April. We generate almost half of our annual maintenance budget through property-related activities which have been fundamental to the renaissance of our 200-year-old waterways over the last decade. “Without it the public cost of caring for the waterways would increase significantly. With the
reduction in grant funding in recent years, the income we have generated from property and other sources has been crucial to the funding and revival of the 2,200-mile network. “Britain’s historic waterway network is one of the finest examples of industrial heritage anywhere in the world,” he continued “and it deserves a long-term plan for its future.” Earlier this year BW proposed setting up a ‘national trust’ for the waterways, to safeguard their future and lessen the call on the public purse. BW say that the proposal,
which received widespread support, would only be possible with the income generated from its property — and with longterm government funding agreements. Speaking at the BW AGM, Waterways World Editor, Richard Fairhurst summarised the points made by people at the meeting, saying that many would like things to happen before 2020 and that people are more likely to give to their local waterways. He asked, “Have you therefore thought about having a pilot project? Perhaps getting all of this started on the Kennet & Avon, the Mon & Brec, or the Rochdale?” In reply, BW Chief Executive Robin Evans said, “I can say yes I have — and we are already in discussions with some people. I would hope that we will be able to make rapid progress in some areas where there are clearly very capable organisations who could rapidly join with us to experiment and pilot how we could engage differently — and join our sources differently.” “So I think this is all part of the debate, to join with others, experiment, and as you say have some pilots. We are absolutely on to that.”
Waterways fact file • 11 million people visit the waterways each year • There are 31,500 licensed boats on the network — more than at the height of the Industrial Revolution • £1½ billion is spent by visitors to the waterways each year on goods and services • 22,000 jobs are supported by the waterways • Half the population of the UK lives within five miles of a BW waterway • British Waterways cares for the third largest estate of listed buildings in the UK • A survey has shown that
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95% of people say that waterways are an important part of the nation’s heritage • BW has a funding shortfall of approximately £30 m a year • This year BW is undertaking an internal restructure and efficiency review, including a pay freeze and redundancies — expected to save around £10m a year. • BW’s 2010/11 grant settlement from Defra for England and Wales will reduce by £4.6 m. The grant will have reduced by 47% in real
terms from between 2003 and 2010. • BW say that it has maintained its waterways in a safe and functional condition because of its commercial income (mainly property) which rose by 60% over the same period. • A decade ago BW’s inland waterway network was in decline. BW’s figures show it now generates over £500 m of public benefit every year (assessed using Treasury Green Book methodology). • In April 2009 the Government announced that
BW should retain its property endowment. The decision followed a detailed study as part of the Operational Efficiency Programme, which assessed there was not a good financial or economic case to sell off the property assets. • BW owns approximately 1,400 individual properties ranging from major urban regeneration sites to important listed buildings and humble lock cottages.
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BW to trial mooring plans on K&A he Kennet & Avon Canal will be used to pilot a new mooring strategy say British Waterways. The western end of the K&A will be the first of two or three projects to develop local mooring strategies during 2010. The lessons learned from these will inform the wider use of this approach in other parts of the BW network. Local consultation has been taking place and a nominated steering committee will meet in March. They will agree on a strategy and consult on it over the summer. The plan is to begin the pilot scheme in October 2010. British Waterways’ national policy on leisure and residential moorings is also the subject of a major review and a threemonth consultation ends on January 31st 2010. It aims to get the views of all interested parties. Boat owners, particularly residential boaters, the boating trade, anglers, waterside businesses, local residents and local authorities are being asked to comment. The consultation seeks views on: • Where and for how long boats should be permitted to moor in areas of particularly high usage.
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This consultation identifies policies which promote harmony and protection of the waterway environment as intensity of use BW Chief Executive, Robin Evans increases. • The levying of daily charges for boats that
overstay at congested shortterm moorings. • BW’s commitment to control expansion of long term mooring along the line of the canal and to reduce it when new offline marinas are opened. • The encouragement, by BW, of further official residential moorings at suitably located and well-managed mooring sites.
“There is no question that boats are good for both local economies and the wider network,” said BW Chief Executive, Robin Evans. “And this consultation considers mooring policy in the context of an ever increasing number of boats.” He continued, “The consultation looks at how we best manage the limited space
by Bob Naylor
along the line of the canals to protect the qualities that make them so special, not only to boaters but to the public at large. It identifies policies which promote harmony and protection of the waterway environment as intensity of use increases, and how such rules can be efficiently applied.” BW say that the proposals in the consultation have been shaped and developed with input from national boating organisations and policy on residential moorings has been underpinned by primary research amongst existing and potential residential boaters conducted in collaboration with the Residential Boat Owners Association. Robin concluded, “We are most grateful to the many representatives of national boating organisations for the time and expertise they have given us over the past 12 months. “We have modified our thinking considerably as a result of their input and hope very much that the resulting fresh proposals will meet with general support.” Comments are invited by 31st January 2010. Go to: www.britishwaterways.co.uk/moorin gconsultation09.
Killer weed threatens the River Kennet
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and because it takes up space in the water channel, in some circumstances, it can add to the risk of flooding. Like the Japanese Knotweed it can grow from a tiny fragment so it is incredibly difficult and expensive to clear. It was first found in Foundry Brook near Fobney Lock and then in the River Kennet. Environment Agency contractors are removing the weed and it is being left on the bank for a week or so to dry before it can be safely removed. So far this year the Environment Agency spent about £20,000 clearing up the weed in Berkshire.
Picture by Granny Buttons/www.grannybuttons.com
he Environment Agency has mounted a battle to remove an invasive and environmentally damaging water plant that has been found in the River Kennet in Reading. Floating Pennywort is a native of North America that has been on sale as an ornamental pond plant since the 1980s and it has now found its way into rivers. It grows at an alarming rate — up to 20 cm (8 inches) in a day — and it weaves its roots into a floating mat of lush foliage that can take over a waterway. If left untreated it will deplete oxygen levels, threatening fish and plants —
Floating Pennywort grows rapidly and forms a dense blanket on the water
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Celebration for Sir Anthony by Di Harris: pictures by Bob Naylor warm reception welcomed former Trust President Sir Anthony Durant and his wife, Lady Audrey, when they arrived at a party at Reading Civic Offices, hosted by Reading Branch in October. Sir Anthony, who was President from 1995 until May 2009, has agreed to continue to be active in the Trust as a Vice President. Terry Kemp entertained the assembled crowd with a lively commentary to a slide show covering Tony’s participation in major K&A events throughout his time as President — and even before. From Courage’s delivery by boat of the ten millionth barrel of beer in 1987 and the audience with the Queen in 2003 to his farewell speech at this year’s AGM, the presentation covered all the highlights and showed how Sir Anthony has been quietly guiding Trust matters for longer even than his years as President. Sir Anthony’s successor, Michael Ancram MP, was unable to attend in person, but he sent a speech, which was read by Terry Kemp, in which he paid
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Lady Audrey and Sir Anthony Durant.
tribute to his former parliamentary colleague’s work to promote the interests of the K&A and its users during his years of office. “He has a genuine love of inland waterways in general and of the K&A in particular,” he said. “He never missed an opportunity to speak up for the interests of the canal whenever the right moment arose, and when he did, he spoke with feeling and warmth. All those of us who love the K&A have much to thank Tony for. “I happily pay the warmest tribute, tinged with a touch of trepidation at the knowledge that he will be a hard act to follow. There is much work to be done. So as we say our heartfelt farewell and thank you to Tony Durant tonight we must make no mistake. The going from here will be challenging to say the least. We must all show that we are ready to meet that challenge.” The evening was organised by Mike and Audrey Wyatt and fellow Reading Branch members who all ensured that it was a memorable, enjoyable and well-organised evening. Sir Anthony Durant under the picture showing him taking part in the delivery of the 10 millionth barrel of Courage beer in 1987.
Mike Wyatt welcomes Sir Anthony Durant.
Reading Mayor, Fred Pugh, presents a watercolour of Sir Anthony’s boat, painted by John Blunden.
Terry Kemp gave a lively commentary to the slide show
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Newbury canalside plans revealed
Ethel Giles visits Crofton
Picture by Bob Naylor
Former Crofton resident, Ethel Giles, pictured with Ray Knowles when she visited the Pumping Station in August.
thel Giles lived as a child in Pumphouse Cottage at Crofton where her father was in charge of the engines. In 1978 she wrote a booklet of her life at that time called ‘Crofton in the twenties’, which she donated to be sold at the shop at Crofton. She has returned to Crofton each summer to meet up with the volunteers and talk to people about her memories.
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Looking across from Victoria Park Bridge to the proposed pavilion in the park.
mbitious plans to redevelop Victoria Park and re-instate a boat basin on the site of the car park in the centre of Newbury went on show in the town’s library early in November. It is predicted that the proposed new pavilion development would cost between six and seven million pounds. It would include a 110seat arts venue, a youth cyber café, youth counselling services, a large café for park users, dance, drama and music studios and a replacement boating pond set further back into Victoria Park. The Waterside Centre would be demolished to make way for apartments and the water sport facilities for young people would be moved to Northcroft. Two footbridges would be built, one to link the pavilion with the library side of the basin and the other near to the present site of The Waterside Centre. There would be a basin for visiting boats and an inner, shallower basin with a fountain. In a report in the Newbury Weekly News after the exhibition, West Berks Councillor, Pamela Bale, the councillor responsible for the project, is quoted as saying that residents’ views expressed at the three-day exhibition would be taken into account “where possible”, but consultation results showed most people wanted a building in the park.
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Boating Pond
Proposed pavilion
Trust office manager weds
Waterside Inn Restaurant Stone Footbridge Building
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Apartments
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Boat Basin
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Public Space
Victoria Park Extension
Library
Plans for the proposed development.
&A Canal Trust Office Manager Katherine Culverhouse and her husband Michael pictured with guests at their wedding at Bath Register Office on Saturday 21st November.
K The view to the pavilion across the proposed replacement boating pond.
email address appeal
The view towards the basin from one of the proposed footbridges.
egular e-news bulletins are being sent out to keep K&A Canal Trust members up to date. If you are not receiving them it may be because there is no record of your email address. Send an email with your name in the subject line to: membership@katrust.org.uk
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Crofton steam gala
Boaters gather in the pound below Crofton.
Mike and Lynn Bassett brought their 1929 Morris Cowley Flatnose model to the gala. The previous owner bought it new in 1929 and owned it until his Crofton Branch Chairman, Harry death in 1996 — it was the only car he ever Willis, gets the chance to drive a traction engine through the lanes. owned.
rofton’s last steaming weekend of the season at the end of September was the setting for a steam gala for the third successive year. Boats, including those of Pewsey Wharf and Devizes Boat Clubs moored opposite the pumping station — with many of the crews in traditional boaters’ costume. There were steam rollers, stationary engines, a fairground organ, a wooden steam boat, stalls, food and drink. There was even the chance to
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Steam rollers demonstrated their worth over the weekend, working on the track beside the canal.
learn how to make rope fenders or throw a rope. Aldbrickham Clog and Step Dancers from Reading provided music and dance.
Aldbrickham Clog and Step Dancers from Reading entertained over the weekend.
Canalside trees hit by gales Picture by Mike Bassett
High winds in November blew down two trees — blocking the canal and causing damage to two boats on the Pewey Wharf Boat club moorings.
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Hungerford footbridge consultation
The choice of railings
The bridge style proposed by Hungerford Wharf resident, Nick Furr.
Picture by Nick Furr
Architects’ option 1.
ollowing a consultation with the people of Hungerford, architects Turley Associates came up with two proposals for the footbridge to cross the canal in the High Street. They presented their ideas in Hungerford Town Hall and then with a display in the Library. Local wharfside resident and boater, Nick Furr, was not taken with either of the proposed
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bridges and produced his own design. His kitchen window looks onto the bridge so it is a familiar sight to him. He said, “If you want something to blend in then it helps if it looks as if it has always been there.” His design went on show alongside the architects’ and it received massive support. A West Berks Council
spokesman said, “It has certainly caught the imagination of the town and it is very much in sympathy with the style of the High Street.” There will be a further meeting with the architects before the final design is chosen and the public will be consulted, either through the media or a display in the Library.
Architects’ option 2.
Nick Furr’s railings
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NEWSNo.189 Winter 2009
Commemorative badge information
e showed this picture of a badge, bought by Chris Gibson, in the Autumn issue of The Butty asking if anyone had information about it. Bob Scudamore contacted us and told us all about it. He recalls that the badge was presented to participants in a fundraising sponsored canoe paddle from Bristol Harbour to the bottom of Caen Hill locks, in May 1973. St Ivel, part of Unigate Foods, was the major sponsor of the event that raised money for restoration of the West Wilts section of the canal. About 100 people took part in the event. They had to carry their canoes round the dry section from Limpley Stoke to Avoncliff and they spent the first night at Bradford on Avon before continuing the following day. As well as the commemorative medals, participants also received a certificate and a plaque. If anyone has either of these lying around then the Trust Museum Archivist would love to see it.
Experts examine Harriett hulk
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n response to the media speculation that the UK government is to sell British Waterways’ property endowment in England and Wales, the IWA is calling on canal lovers to sign a Downing Street e-petition.
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http://petitions.number10 .gov.uk/protectourcanals/
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Pictures by Bob Naylor
Downing Street e-petition
arriett is the last remaining Kennet barge built by Robbins, Lane and Pinnegar at Honeystreet. She was built in 1894 and was finally beached at Purton on the banks of the River Severn in 1964 to help protect the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal from the ravages of the fierce currents and huge tidal range of the Bristol Channel. The Friends of Purton and the Nautical Archaeological Society mounted a major dig in October to excavate across the full beam of the vessel and towards the stern from the mast tabernacle. Once exposed the timbers
K&A Canal Trust Museum Curator, Terry Mundy, front, working at the dig.
were examined and the data recorded before the trench was backfilled by hand. K&A Canal Trust Museum Curator, Terry Mundy, who took
part in the dig, said, “It was very successful — but I think it showed that Purton is likely to be the final resting place of Harriett.”
Pollution costs farmer £9000 olluting streams that flow into the River Avon has cost a family farming business £9000. Chippenham Magistrates heard how Environment Agency officers visited Manor Farm, Langley Burrell, run by JD Spencer and sons, on five separate occasions between 17th April and 21st December 2008 after complaints from neighbouring farmers. Each time, they found the business had allowed slurry to pollute brooks on its land. On one occasion dirty water slurry had heavily polluted a stretch of the Chissell Brook, which runs into the River Avon. The partnership was told to put dams across the ditches so the dirty standing water could
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be pumped out. But on a separate visit to Manor Farm an Environment Agency officer spotted that these had been removed, and pollution was again entering the ditches. During another visit an Environment Agency Officer found dirty water in a second stream in the area, this time Stein Brook — again, the source was traced back to Manor Farm. A drain at the end of one of the ditches was leaking dirty water straight into the watercourse. They pleaded guilty to three separate offences of causing polluted water to enter a controlled watercourse and Magistrates fined them £5,300 with £3,732 costs. Elizabeth Spiller of the
Environment Agency said, "There is a message from this case to all farmers in the South West. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t mean to do it, polluting watercourses is illegal and you could be brought to court if the pollution comes from your farm. Farming the land is a huge responsibility and farmers have a special obligation to ensure their businesses don’t harm our environment" JD Spencer and Sons has now undertaken building work to improve their dirty water system. New regulations that came into force earlier this year mean that many farmers will need extra storage capacity for dirty water and slurry if they are to comply.
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K&A Canal Trust launches new campaign embers of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust are being asked to support K&A Members Plus, a new campaign to raise £100,000 over the next year so that the Trust can make a significant difference to the canal in the way that it always has. Explaining the need for the funding Terry Kemp said, “The K&A is still a healthy and marvellous waterway, offering great opportunities for boaters, walkers, cyclists and the many others who use it, but the credit crunch and cuts in public funding — with the threat of worse to come — could put all that in peril.” Money raised will be used to make the Trust and its members more organised and even more active. Plans are in place and new ones are developing for volunteers to work alongside British Waterways and the Environment Agency — current
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It was The Kennet and Avon Canal Trust that saved the canal from destruction — now there is a new and equally urgent challenge. and new members, old and young, there will be opportunities for all. Terry said, “We need more members and additional funds to support and deliver the work to help our canal now. “Every member counts, every penny counts, every volunteer day counts if we are to look after our favourite waterway.” BW is looking at its own structures and coping with ever more cuts in their funding. Mike Rodd, the K&A Canal Trust General Manager, said, “There is no point in simply wringing our hands and saying that it is all BW’s fault and nothing to do with us — they do
not have the resources to meet the ever-increasing challenges of keeping our living, breathing waterway up to scratch.” Mike believes that this will continue to be the case, “The only sensible way forward is for us to work alongside BW to find a future path for both them and the Trust, so that together we can ‘preserve, protect and enhance’ the K&A”, he said. “To do all this we need to increase our membership, excite the youth, fund the necessary training, obtain the equipment required, plan new projects — and then get out there and redouble our efforts to keep this wonderful waterway open.”
How to help the campaign Make a donation These funds will be used to provide the project funding, training and management to deliver projects on the waterway — and do not forget that if you are a UK tax payer this donation can be increased by 28% at no cost to you if it is ‘Gift Aided’. Offer your skills If you can help in any way at all — just just let the Trust know. Recruit more members The Trust’s membership is its strength — and new members will bring new skills and support for the K&A.
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Mooring tendering abandoned by BW W has abandoned the controversial ‘blindtendering’ process they have been using to let their moorings in favour of an eBaystyle auction. Moorings will now have a published reserve price, bidders will know the highest bid and be able to increase their bid during the auction. Sally Ash, BW’s head of boating development, said, “The new auction system has taken the guesswork out of the process for anyone looking for
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a BW mooring. This means that boaters don’t have to worry about paying over the odds by submitting a bid that’s way above any other. Just like eBay, the site is user friendly, it shows the reserve price for the mooring and it allows the system to make automatic bids up to each person’s theoretical maximum. “If the mooring is secured at a price below their maximum then that is great news for the boater concerned.”
Trust will be at Beale Park he K&A Canal Trust will be at the IWA National Festival at Beale Park near Reading in August 2010. It is planned to take the restored Burbage Crane there on the Trust’s work boat, Avon Vale, and the event is being opened by K&A Canal Trust Vice President, Timothy West. Contact the Trust office if you want to help.
K&A burgee returns
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he K&A Canal Trust’s popular burgee, designed by John Gould, is back on sale for £19.95. Look out for it in Trust shops and cafés or ring the shop on 01380 729489.
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Cross Guns visit by Gary Oldman
ilm star Gary Oldman popped in to The Cross Guns at Avoncliff while enjoying a canal boat holiday on the Kennet & Avon Canal with friends and family recently — and he enjoyed the pub so much that he returned a few days later and left a signed note saying, “Ahhh, life on the river! Thank you for the FANTASTIC GRUB!! All best wishes, Gary Oldman” Gary first found fame in the role of Sid Vicious in the 1980s film “Sid & Nancy” before going on to feature in Air Force One, JFK, Batman Begins and, more
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recently, the Harry Potter films. Although he is often cast as a villain, staff at The Cross Guns said that they found him to be charming and extremely friendly. The party enjoyed sampling the range of ales from the Box Steam Brewery including the multi award-winning Tunnel Vision and the 2009 Chippenham CAMRA Champion Ale, Vanilla Porter. The Cross Guns staff are well used to meeting celebrities — in 2009 visitors included Harry Enfield, Ruby Wax and Kevin Spacey.
A moving story from Murhill he K&A Canal Trust work boat, Avon Vale, was called into service recently when Bill and Stephanie Laslett moved from their cottage at Murhill near Limpley Stoke to Bradford on Avon. Because the road access is very bad, when the couple moved in 20 years ago
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they were moved by Chris Gibson of Honeystreet using his barge. Their move out coincided with the proving trials for the Avon Vale which had just been returned to the water after a refit, repaint and a compete overhaul of the engine. Picture by Bob Naylor
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French success for Theale vineyard
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commercial vineyards. They produce around 1000 bottles of Theale Vineyard Founder’s Reserve Chardonnay, classified as English Quality Sparkling Wine, from their Chardonnay grape harvest. The wine regularly wins awards and this year it was one of only ten wines to receive the Gold medal at the Effervescents du Monde held in Dijon, France.
Kintbury pollution kills Kennet fish by Bob Naylor eports of pollution with dead and distressed fish in a mill stream that runs into the River Kennet at Kintbury went unheeded by the Environment Agency for four days. On the 24th and 25th of August 2009 the EA received reports to their incident hotline that a storm drain was discharging dirty water into a mill stream at Kintbury. At the time, no dead fish had been reported and the incident was assessed as a category 3 incident which does not require immediate attendance. An Environment Officer was due to attend the next day but because of other priorities was unable to go to the site. On 27th August a further call
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was received saying that there were dead fish in the mill stream and the pollution had escalated. Immediate action was taken on this new information and EA and Thames Water were on site within two hours. A blocked sewer that was causing the pollution was found in Kintbury and dealt with by EA and Thames Water staff. Between 30 and 50 fish (mixed coarse species including roach, dace and chub) had died, but 50 fish were rescued. EA officers remained at the site until 11pm on 27th August. They returned the next day and found that the water quality was much improved so no further remedial action was required.
EA spokesman, Howard Timberlake, said, “We have to take a risk-based approach to our work as we handle over 2000 reports of incidents each year via the EA hotline in the West Area. We have to prioritise our response to incidents and we are reliant on the information provided by members of the public to help us make that decision. “Occasionally, and with the benefit of hindsight, we get that initial response wrong. We believe that happened in this case. “Having said that, we are satisfied, in the light of the further information we received indicating the pollution had escalated, that we acted promptly and effectively.”
BW fined for diver lock death ritish Waterways was fined a total of £87,000 and ordered to pay £75,000 costs at Gloucester Crown Court in September when they pleaded guilty to three charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act. In October 2004, David Moore, 29, was fatally injured at Upper Lode Lock, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.
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While Mr Moore was carrying out construction work on the upstream side of a temporary dam, a seal failed and he was sucked against the wall of the dam because of the immense pressure. The force prevented him from breathing or from being pulled to safety by colleagues. After some minutes he was finally pulled out of the lock and
taken to hospital, but was later declared dead. In handing down the fine, Judge Mark Horton described the accident as “so obviously avoidable”. He said British Waterways would have appreciated that the dam was ineffective had they carried out a full structural survey before starting the maintenance work.
Picture by Bob Naylor
n the middle of an industrial estate, between a main road and the railway line, only a few hundred yards from the K&A Canal — next to the carpark at Laithwaites Wine head office in Theale, is one of England’s smallest
Goodbye Gail
ail Wilkes, who was known to many canal users as the one constant in the ever changing organisation of British Waterways has opted to take voluntary redundancy following the recent re-organisation. Gale worked for BW for 11 years and along with all her other work she provided the admininstrative support for The Kennet & Avon Canal Partnership, The K&A Canal Users Forum and the K&A 200 Steering Committee. She also kept boaters up to date with emails about stoppages and navigation notices — her calm, quiet efficiency will be missed by all who had contact with her.
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Avon Vale 100 winners June: 1st Devizes Boat Club £39, 2nd Rob Wright £19.50. July: 1st Devizes Boat Club £39, 2nd Rob Hannah £19.50. August: 1st L Gibney £38, 2nd S Buer £19. September: 1st L Gibney £38, 2nd Devizes Boat Club £19. October: 1st Devizes Boat Club £39, 2nd R Wright £19.50. November: 1st Alice Boyd £39.00, 2nd Devizes Boat Club £19.50.
Join the Avon Vale 100 Club At just £3 a month, it’s a great way to help fund the Trust’s work boat. Winning first prize will pay back your annual membership fee — and the more members we have, the better the prizes! Contact the Trust office for an application form.
13
the
Butty NEWS
No.189 Winter 2009
New marina planned for Lower Foxhangers
he developers who have submitted plans for a new 248-berth marina at Lower Foxhangers near Devizes say that it will be environmentally friendly. Land & Water say that it will incorporate soft edges and marginal reed beds to encourage fish, birds and insects, and not be just a boat park. Their spokesman, Neil Warren said, “We have adopted
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14
this style at other marinas and it works to attract more wild life than was present in the first place.” The plans include a shower and facilities block for moorers, an office and a fuel and pumpout dock. The drainage for the site will use a bio disc and polishing reed bed, the lighting will be with low wattage LEDs and future heating will be with a biomass wood chip boiler or
ground source heat pump. Neil went on to say, “The marina will add much needed facilities for this part of the canal. “Because of the canal’s growing popularity there is pressure for more off-line moorings and facilities and British Waterways New Marinas unit have been supportive”. The site has had planning consent for a marina in the past. “But”, said Neil, “That
scheme attracted larger developers with more ambitious, built up schemes — whereas our proposal is smaller with a canal boat and environmental focus.” Land & Waters have built 15 marinas in the last 10 years. The two latest were their own 284-berth Saul Junction Marina, at Frampton on Severn, and Mercia Marina, a 580-berth marina near Derby for a client.
the
Butty NEWS
No.189 Winter 2009
Inferno destroys canal boat home Couple and child escape, but dog dies in Hilperton blaze
Picture by Bob Naylor
couple lost their home and all their possessions in a fire that destroyed their narrowboat and killed their dog. Fire fighters were called to the boat moored near Whaddon Lane Bridge, Hilperton on the evening of 21st November to
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find nb Eliza Louise engulfed in flames and the owner, Rod Heavens, with burns to his hands. Crews from Trowbridge and Bradford on Avon, supported by a control unit from Devizes, water rescue specialists from Trowbridge and Chippenham, a
Land Rover pump from Westbury and a lighting unit from Salisbury tackled the blaze and paramedics treated Mr Heavens’ injuries. Mr Heavens had left the boat to pick up his 12-year-old son Jake, leaving his girlfriend Abigail North on board. When
they returned, the boat was engulfed in flames and, fearing that Ms North was still on the boat, Mr Heavens tried to get in by breaking a window. It was then that he received his injuries. His dog is believed to have been overcome by smoke and died in the blaze.
Stop at the one-stop service
HONEYSTREET Visit our Wharf on the Long Pound by Honeystreet Bridge for diesel, Calor Gas & coal
Boat builders and repairers
water & 240 volt electrics
Bespoke built narrow and wide beam boats
overnight moorings pump-out & ‘Porta Potti’ disposal
Holiday hire 2-12 berth Full weeks and short breaks 2 fully equipped and built for disabled use Full mechanical and electrical services Break down service Agents for Shire and Beta engines Mastervolt energy shop 3M thinsulate insulation Webasto heaters
Quality work by quality craftsman Reading Marine Company Ltd Aldermaston Wharf, Padworth, Reading RG7 4JS 0118 9713666
Gibson’s Boat Services Telephone 01672 851232
CATLEYS CALOR GAS CENTRE Appliance sales & installations
Bring your boat up to Boat Safety Scheme standards Repairs, servicing and installation Corgi Reg: 50508
Beechfield Road Hopton Trading Estate, Devizes Telephone 01380 727266
15
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Butty
No.189 Winter 2009
K&A CANAL TRUST NEWS
New trustees join K&A Canal Trust Council Charles Reiss have lived alongside the Kennet and Avon Canal, at Honeystreet, on and off for almost the past 30 years and have been a member of the K&A Canal Trust, with my family, since 1982. When we arrived,
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Foxhangers Marine
the re-opening of the canal was still a decade away and a boat on the Long Pound was quite a rare event. My background is in journalism. I worked for more than thirty years at the House of Commons, for most of that time as Political Editor of the London Evening Standard. Since I retired in 2004 I have been able to play a more active part in local issues, most recently as a
Modern Narrowboat fleet all built by Foxhangers. 12 boats, 4 luxury semi-trads introduced. Full engineering/maintenance base BETA and ISUZU engine sales/fitting WEBASTO central heating dealers Covered narrowboat painting dock Based at the bottom of Caen Hill Locks
email: marineservices@foxhangers.co.uk
Tel: 01380 827801 www.foxhangers.co.uk
DAY BOATING
member of the BW steering group planning to mark the canal’s bicentenary next year. As a new Trustee I feel something of a “canal amateur” among experts. But I hope my knowledge of media, and of politics, will be useful to help the Trust communicate, win friends and achieve its aims.
David Inight am delighted to be co-opted as a trustee, I hope members will want to elect me at the next AGM. My waterways credentials are all recreational, firstly skippering a Youth Service 70ft narrowboat on the Grand Union, for a short time owning my own cruiser and more lately being able to crew on Trust boats, The Rose about 12 years ago and for the last 12 months on the Barbara McLellan. I moved to Corsham with my
I
on the beautiful
Kennet & Avon Canal self-drive and skippered boats canadian canoes & cycle hire The Bath & Dundas Canal Co. Brass Knocker Basin Monkton Combe, Bath, BA2 7JD Telephone: 01225 722292 Web: www.bathcanal.com
wife Jane last year after retiring from health and social care after 35 years. Looking for something to do with my spare time I volunteered to join the West Wilts Branch Committee and following encouragement from fellow committee members I became Chair of the Branch in March and now a trustee as well, so no more spare time! As a trustee I hope I can use some of my experience to help the Trust implement clear policies and procedures for volunteers. I strongly believe that the Trust needs to develop its partnership arrangements with other canal users and organisations and needs to constantly review its activities and priorities. I don’t see myself as just a ‘Bradford on Avon rep’ on Trust Council and I would welcome the opportunity to meet other members and volunteers along the canal and to see the work of other branches. inight@btinternet.com 0779 901 0219
The Barge Inn Honeystreet Historic Canalside Inn serving home cooked food from noon — 2.30pm and 7 — 9pm
Tel: 01672 851705
Real Ales Campsite Marquee for parties
www.the-barge-inn.com
Crop circle venue with notice boards
Moonraker Narrowboat Company Ltd Once in a while we all deserve the 5 star treatment. Whether a romantic escape, family holiday or just some time out from the stresses and demands of life, your relaxation and enjoyment is paramount. Our aim at Moonraker Narrowboat Company is to help you unwind by providing high quality, luxurious boats and a personal service second to none. Please visit our website at
www.moonboats.co.uk for up to date information, prices & availability
Alternatively please telephone
07973 876891 or email enquiries@moonboats.co.uk with your requirements
16
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Butty
No.189 Winter 2009
British Waterways briefing by Kennet & Avon Waterway Manager, Mark Stephens, s I write this I’m only three days into my new job as Waterway Manager for the Kennet & Avon Waterways; I guess that all I can do this month is share some of my initial impressions of the canal and start to outline some of our immediate aims for the future. Firstly I’d like to thank those who’ve already made me feel very welcome on my return to the Kennet & Avon Canal. I’ve received many emails and telephone calls from past acquaintances and look forward to working with you all again very soon. Similarly, there appears to be an optimistic feeling around the yard in Devizes; British Waterways has just completed an extensive reorganisation, one of the results being that the Kennet & Avon is now being managed by a dedicated team. I’m looking forward to a new chapter in the way that we can work together with the Trust. With respect to the canal, I’ll be going through a period of ‘intensive refamiliarisation’; in other words, getting out there in my walking boots or on my bike.
I’m intending to take a very hands-on approach to my new role and need to get a first hand appreciation of current canal issues. It is also my intention to see the whole of the canal from the water; a venture in which the K&A Trust has already offered assistance that I am delighted to accept. It’s probably too early for me to share an objective view of the current condition of the canal and too soon to draw up a list of priorities for the next few months. I am however already under no illusion that there is a lot of work to be done here and there is key infrastructure that requires attention almost immediately. Obvious areas of concern are our pumping stations and just as fundamentally, our lock gates. The condition of our structures means that a lot of time is currently spent reactively repairing breakdowns and collapses, leaving little time to undertake day-to-day maintenance tasks. It will take an enormous effort with the limited resources available to reverse this trend, but this is British Waterways’
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Waterway Manager Mark Stephens
The Kennet & Avon Waterway
Senior Waterway Engineer David Berezynskyj
Waterway Engineer
Contracts Manager Richard Harrison
Works Planner Dale Marshall
Finance and Administration Manager Miles Shaw
Administration Support Jenny Maxwell
Customer Service Supervisor Steve Manzi
M&E (Fixed Assets; Pump Houses, Bridges etc) Robert Simmonds
longer term aspiration and one of my key objectives for this waterway. You’ll hopefully be aware that stoppage works have commenced; the Kennet & Avon is benefiting from British Waterways’ national approach to lock gate assessment and replacement and consequently of the 200 lock gate leaves being replaced nationally this winter, nearly a quarter of them are on the Kennet & Avon Canal. Finally, I should report that the results of British Waterways’ most recent Wildlife Survey have been released and it will hopefully be of no surprise to find that the K&A remains a rich and varied environment for wildlife. Of particular interest, special efforts to install vole friendly bank protection work where appropriate appear to have been rewarded. Sightings of water voles have doubled since last year, most of these being on the Kennet & Avon Canal. You can find out more about the sightings and this year’s survey on page 37 and at: www.waterscape.com/wildifesurvey
Telephone: 01380 722859
Customer Service Supervisor Alistair Ogden
Construction Supervisor Nick Lewis
Works Engineer Phil White
Some services will be provided regionally Boating trade Susie Mercer: 01452 318012 Moorings Maria Nash: 07917 585011
Length Inspector Rob Labus
Administration Support
M&E (Mobile Assets: Plant and Equipment) Steve Richings
Licence enforcement Russell Bennett: 07917 186576 Marketing & Communications Gill Owen: 0207 985 7227 Volunteering Karen Fishwick: 07917 424590
Length Inspector Robert Stephens
Length Inspector
Regeneration Tavo Cazni & James Young: (07775 800320 British Waterways Kennet & Avon Waterways The Locks Devizes SN10 1QR enquiries.kennetavon@britishwaterways.co.uk
Environment Leela O’Dea & Oda Dijksterhuis: Engineering Manager John Ward: 01926 626100 Heritage David Viner & Florence Flaverter
17
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Butty
No.189 Winter 2009
Ghosts of the Kennet & Avon Canal Mrs Sloper never left ince Nikki and Adrian Softley moved into The Bridge Inn at Horton near Devizes they have witnessed some strange happenings there. Adrian has sensed that someone was walking through the lower bar and Stuart, their son-in-law, has seen a woman in the bar on several occasions — and when he went to serve her one day she just vanished. Nikki has seen a shadow out of the corner of her eye in the lower bar, the cellar and the kitchen as have the kitchen staff, Joe and Mary. The dustbin lid in the kitchen has flown off — seemingly on its own — and the chopping boards regularly come out of their rack for no apparent reason. Recently a customer, a psychic known as Mystic Ruth, was in the pub. She said that she sensed a small space in the pub that had been blocked off. And she said that the space was at the end of the spirit line of a lady who has something to do with a mill — she sensed water and a wheel. She was sure that the spirit of the lady desperately wanted this space to be opened up because the space is of great concern to her. The Bridge Inn is believed to have been a mill at one time and there is a blocked-off space off the corridor leading
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18
into the bars. Nikki is sure that Mystic Ruth could not have known that it was there. Mystic Ruth asked to see the wall where the space is and she put her hand on it for a minute or two, then suddenly she said, “I've got it!” Ruth said the spirit was a nice lady who was very weak willed and in her life she was overpowered by something or somebody. The lady was telling her that she needed the space to be opened up. At this point Adrian came in and said he thought the lady was Jane Sloper, who was the first licensee of the pub and whose picture hangs on the wall in the bar. Nikki said, “You can only be guessing that”. But then he showed Mystic Ruth the photo, and straight away she said, “That's her, that is definitely her!” and she said that she was freezing cold and could feel her presence. Perhaps this explains why Nikki has developed the habit of saying “Go away Mrs Sloper and leave them alone!” every time something happens in the kitchen with the chopping boards or the dustbin lid. What is making Mrs Sloper so restless? Perhaps all will be revealed when Adrian opens up the blocked up space.
A vigil for Nan A regular contributor to The Butty sent us this account of happenings in her cottage. efore I renovated my house it was owned by a very old lady who had divided it up into three sections. I lived in one half of the house. She lived downstairs in the other half and she rented the floor above her as a flat. On the top floor, in the attic, she stored all her belongings that she couldn’t fit into the one room she lived and slept in and from time to time she would ask me to go to the attic to bring something down for her — a piece of clothing or bedding perhaps. Sometimes a handbag or a mirror. Even in her late 90s she remembered exactly what she had stored there 30 years before. I used to love going into the attic for her. As I walked up the stairs it felt as though I was climbing on my grandfather’s knees as a child. It was warm and protective and a welcome escape from an otherwise hectic life. One day Nan was taken to hospital and ten days later she died. I had been into her part of the house each day, to feed her cat. On the day that she died I knew — because as I walked through the front door the house felt empty. I ran to the attic and then stood stock still — and I heard myself saying “Oh no — not you too”. But it was no good. The warmth of the attic had gone. It was then I knew for certain that Nan’s husband had been there
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waiting for her for the 30 years since he died. And once she had died too he had no reason to stay. I miss him to this day. But he had more to him than a warm feeling. It wasn’t until much later that I realised that he had opinions about the people who lived in the house — or I assume he did. There was a young couple living in the village with their daughter. They had no money to buy their own home so they lived with his mother. It wasn’t a happy arrangement and one evening I suggested that they should take the flat above Nan, which was not being lived in at the time. “Never”, came the immediate reply. “Why ever not”, I asked. “It is so cheap”. “But it’s haunted”. “Well of course it is” I said, “but by a very friendly ghost”. “Oh no, it’s not”, they answered. Apparently some young friends had rented the flat and been plagued by what they described as a poltergeist. Pictures were thrown across the room and chairs turned over. One night they had a friend stay over, sleeping in the lounge. He got up at 4am and drove home, refusing to enter the flat ever again. So what was all this about? Why did they have bad experiences and I have comforting ones? I like to think that it’s because Nan’s late husband had decided who he wanted to live in the house — and he’d decided that I was the one — and he did his best to turn away anyone else. He did a very good job!
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the
Butty
No.189 Winter 2009
In the fourth and final part of his study Mike Lee looks at the situation up to the present day
Water supply for the Kennet & Avon Canal
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The K&A Canal was re-opened by HM The Queen in 1990, but after the euphoria of the ceremony the harsh reality of the need for enough water to maintain the navigation had to be faced water losses due to bed loss, evaporation and transpiration were made by me and British Waterways staff, so that by the spring of 1992 we were in a position to demonstrate that additional pumping capacity was required at Bradford Lock and at both Semington and Seend lock flights. The new works required were a major pumping station at Caen Hill and back-pumps at Bath to supply the Widcombe Flight and at Wootton Rivers.
The Queen on board the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust tripboat Rose of Hungerford at the re-opening ceremony
The first improvement in the water supply was made by dredging and improving the pumping arrangements at Crofton. This was undertaken in 1993, partly funded by the Trust, and produced a maximum availability in midsummer of about 8 million litres a day (Ml/d). The Trust embarked on a major fundraising appeal in 1993, co-ordinated by Terry Kemp, who had been seconded
Picture b y Bob Nay lor
lthough the canal was re-opened in 1990, the Caen Hill Locks could only be used for a few hours on three days a week — the pumps already installed were pumping water to the bottom of Caen Hill, but there was not a lot of it. Even though the losses from the Bath to Bradford pound had been halved, it was still losing water at an alarming rate. And Crofton was not able to meet the demand to supply both the Long Pound and the eastern section of the canal during a large part of the summer. Within a few weeks of the reopening, a series of design discussions took place between Water Resources Engineer, John Taylor, and the Trust to confirm the requirements for a pumped supply for the whole of the West end of the canal, including the summit pound, using Claverton water. Measurements to assess the
from BW. This was the start of the Canal Partnership, which involved eight of the local authorities with interests in the canal joining with the Trust and BW to fund and supervise improvements to the canal that could not be legally funded by BW. This group eventually oversaw the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Project that finally produced a sound working canal.
The work done he first requirement for funds was Caen Hill pumping station and rising main. The pumping station was built at Lower Foxhangers, funded by the Trust at a cost of £140,000. The 3600 m long x 600 mm diameter pipeline has three manually controlled outfalls along its length and contains 1,000,000 litres (225,260 gallons) of water. This was funded by the local Councils and the Trust at a cost of £333,000. The two pumps can deliver a maximum of 28.5 Ml/d (6.5 million gallons a day) raising the water 72 m (235 ft) to discharge above Devizes Top Lock. It is a tiny pumping station, but much more powerful than either Crofton or Claverton — John Rennie would have been delighted to have had this equipment available to him. The pumps were formally commissioned in September 1996, a few weeks after the installation of new, bigger
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pumps at Semington and Seend. Some of the water loss was further reduced by piling the embankment at Widbrook and by smallscale repuddling. But a detailed study of the Long Pound carried out by myself and Ian Rose of Halcrows was very discouraging.
Caen Hill Back-Pumping Station at Lower Foxhangers
Pictures by Bob Naylor
Our study followed a prolonged period of rain, as a result of which the water rose to its correct working level. We found very serious losses through the embankments, some so serious that they produced a considerable flow into the headwaters of the Hampshire Avon. Some lengths of embankments were clearly unsafe and the level could not be raised without rebuilding and sealing. Levels fell back to what had become the normal level within three days and then remained stable with very low losses — mainly due to evaporation. During 1994 a joint assessment detailed the minimum engineering works required to bring the canal up to Cruiseway standard. This was published in 1995 and projected a minimum completion period of 10 years. How fortunate that this was the time when the Heritage
provide under-drainage to contain uplift pressures was fully justified. Many leaks were found and some sections were potentially unstable and could have slipped down onto the railway if an exceptionally heavy rainstorm had occurred — even without rain a serious slip occurred at Bathampton in 1998, which required extensive piling to the embankment.
Lottery Fund was just starting. The bid by the Partnership, an immense undertaking, was successful and work started in late 1997 and was completed in 2002. The cost of the engineering works was £18.5 m. By far the largest expenditure was £8 m on the Bath to Bradford pound. The decision to completely re-line this pound with impermeable membrane and
Today’s supply he result of all this expenditure is that water losses have been reduced on all pounds, particularly the Bath pound, with the highest losses now on the Bradford to Seend Bottom lock section.
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No detailed checks have so far been carried out, but my assessment is that the losses on the Bath pound are equal to, or better than, BW’s target of 1.75 million litres per kilometer a week.
Where the water comes from The total available supply of water on the K&A Canal is approximately 78 million litres a day Bath 24 Ml/d maximum from the River Avon, used for back pumping on Widcombe flight only
Claverton Pumping Station: 35.9 Ml/d from the River Avon Seend Cleeve Bradford on Avon
Semington
Water source
Froxfield feeder, Bagshot stream, springs and inflows: 10 Ml/d (very approximately)
From Kintbury to the Thames the supply position has not changed — the water supply on this stretch comes mostly from the River Kennet.
Crofton
Caen Hill
Wilton Water: summer 5 – 8 Ml/d
Wootton Rivers
Seend feeder: 3 Ml/d
The major sources of supply are from the River Avon and Wilton Water. All this water is pumped and expensive to operate. In 2008 British Waterways spent £249,000 in pumping costs alone with Caen Hill accounting for 35% of this cost.
Pumping Station
Pump performance n in-depth analysis of water supply and the behaviour of the canal requires analysis of the pumped supply, rainfall, usage, and canal condition. However a reasonable estimate has been made based on the average quantity pumped by each pump for the busiest period of July and August in 2008. Bath pumps had very little use, with no pumping from the Avon on six days and on the 6th August a maximum of 1.89 Ml/d. This indicates that Claverton is easily meeting the required demand and that bed losses are very low. Claverton has operated at 70% of maximum licence quantity. Bradford on Avon back pump use has been excessive, having operated between 23 and 24 hours a day for the whole of the period, except for a 2-day breakdown. The amount of water pumped, 56 Ml/d, is more than the rated output of the pumps. There are a number of possible reasons for this: • The recorder may be inaccurate • The gates leak badly, with the loss estimated as at
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Quantity pumped
Bath
Ml/d
0.56
MG/d
0.12
Claverton 24.9 5.38
Bradford on Avon 56.1 12.36
Semington 25.1 5.53
Seend Cleeve
Caen Hill
Wootton Rivers
18.2
14.9
13.7
4.54
3.28
Crofton
3.03
8.0 1.7
Ml/d= million litres per day MG/d= million gallons per day
least 2.25 Ml/d. • The lock use is at least twice that of Bath locks. If the locks are used to maximum capacity for 12 hours a day the water requirement is 16.3 Ml/d. • Losses on the Bradford on Avon to Semington pound could be as high as 12 Ml/d, mostly around the lock and the first few hundred metres of the pound. • Claverton and Semington are pumping approximately the same amount, indicating that water loss and use are in balance; confirming a serious loss around Bradford. The pumping rate at Semington is in line with the 1992 projections, but Claverton is operating at well below the expected demand. A large part of the 7 Ml/d (approx) difference between Semington and Seend could be due to local traffic.
Caen Hill back pumps are operating at well below the 1992 projection and the losses on the Long Pound are below those expected, allowing nearly twice as much water to be pumped up the Wootton Rivers
flight than expected. The total input of 21.7 Ml/d pumped to the summit should be enough for 30 locks/day over the summit and projected losses. Actual use of locks for this period is not known.
Conclusion •
The pumped water supply is working well with the exception of Bradford on Avon.
•
Losses on the Bath pounds and the Long Pound are now low, but they are serious around Bradford Lock.
•
Leaking lock gates, due in part to boat damage on gate mitre posts, and incorrect use of paddles cause considerable water loss which is difficult to quantify but could be reduced by boaters taking more care.
•
The requirements of the Water Resources Act 1991, the Water Framework Directive, the Floods and Water Bill, as well as climate change are all going to give rise to changes to water use in the future. References: BW pumping records, KACT Museum and personal archives
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No.189 Winter 2009
A year of celebrations in 2010 The Kennet & Avon Canal was finally opened in 1810 and the celebrations to mark the opening will soon begin. Villages are working on local destination boards with walks and information about attractions near the canal. Individuals and groups are fundraising and finding ways to celebrate the inland link that in 1810 finally connected Bristol and Reading and the River Thames — and from there on to London
K&A 200 events Events are being planned along the length of the canal throughout 2010. The events confirmed so far are: February to March: K&A 200 exhibition, Frenchay Museum, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol May 8th to 15th: A rambler’s relay from Reading to Hanham May 22nd: Devizes Branch celebrations at Devizes Wharf May 30th: RNLI Fun Day at Caen Hill June 5th: 1799 canal opening re-enactment at Great Bedwyn Wharf June 13th: Widcombe Rising Street Party in Bath June 19th: Reading WaterFest July 15th to September 30th: K&A Canal Exhibition at West Berks Museum July 25th: Newbury Waterways Festival Picture by Nez
August 30th: Devizes Street Festival September 4th: Devizes Carnival October 9 to 16th: Thatcham Festival of Arts and Leisure December 28th: Fire Sculpture and Lantern Parade on Caen Hill. If you have organized something else or know of anything else happening during the year, please get in touch. If you haven’t got anything planned yet, it’s not too late to start thinking about it. We want the whole of the canal corridor to be buzzing with news of the bicentenary. We need to talk to other people holding events – carnivals, festivals and so on. If you know anyone involved with an event, please contact the Trust office in Devizes.
Celebration beer on sale Devizes brewers, Wadworths have now got their special K&A 200 celebration beer on sale — it is £2.50 a bottle and there is a special pack of 3 bottles at £6. Picture by Nikki Softley
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idcombe is one of Bath’s liveliest ‘villages’ and on Sunday 13th June 2010 it will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Kennet and Avon canal with a massive free street party called Widcombe Rising. The normally traffic filled trunk road that divides the area will be closed to provide space for a giant picnic, three music stages, hog roasts, beer gardens, a huge Ferris wheel (the Widcombe Eye) and suitably themed street theatre. The history of the area is inseparably linked to the development of the canal, though many people passing through the lock system probably don’t realise that just a hundred yards away there are cafes, pubs, interesting shops and a real sense of community. A host of canal themed activities will be included in the
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programme, from heritage trails to a canal history exhibition, all with the aim of getting people off their boats and into the funfilled streets. This is the forth Widcombe Rising and as usual around 8000 people are expected. The event, which is organised with the support of Bath’s famous Natural Theatre Company and the Widcombe Association is invariably blessed with glorious weather and is a wonderful day out for the whole family. Potential entertainers, stallholders and programme advertisers are invited to phone the co-organiser Ralph Oswick on 01225 469131 Widcombe Rising 2010 1.30pm -7.30pm Sunday 13th June. Entrance free is free but the purchase of a programme is encouraged!
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
No.189 Winter 2009
DON'T EXAGGERATE THE STATE OF THE K&A
PUTTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
This letter from Rob Dean was in response to a posting to an online discussion group that claimed that a large number of locks on the eastern end of the K&A are faulty. artin Turner’s point about maintenance and the vulnerability of the Kennet & Avon would have been made better if he were less prone to exaggeration. 40% of top paddles not working? Hardly. 40% of failed top paddles suggests that most locks have only one working top paddle. Simply not true. I travelled last week from Newbury down to the Thames at Reading. There was a failed top paddle at Midgham and a bottom paddle not working at Heales. Neither did any of the locks take 30 minutes to fill. Fobney takes a few minutes because it is so large. And poor old Garston is in need of new gates and a bit slow. Where users are asked to leave locks empty it is nothing to do with leaks. Rather it is because these locks lack bywashes and drain excess water over the top paddles and into the chamber. Pounds above Newbury sometimes flood because users cannot seem to follow this simple instruction.
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The K&A is vulnerable. Its structures and maintenance were never well funded throughout its 200 year life. Restoration was a major achievement and better funding is needed if we are to keep it navigable. The most important step would be for the waterway to achieve ‘cruiseway’ status. 40 years after most of the canal was designated ‘remaindered’ waterway in the 1968 Transport Act, 20 years after restoration, and 200 years into the life of the canal, it is time to upgrade its status and funding. The K&A is quirky and sometimes challenging (the Kennet section can be lively after rain). But it passes through varied and beautiful countryside. No two days cruising are ever the same. It is definitely worth a visit; a relaxed and paced visit. Readers should not let Mr Turner’s overstatement put them off. Rob Dean nb Pukeko Frouds Bridge, K&A
LOW IMPACT LIFESTYLE hat are BW’s movement rules supposed to achieve? Don't we want colourful boats and community life along the banks? Boats are usually a lowimpact way of living and we all need to cut carbon emissions. People need homes and we need to be less restrictive
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about how that happens. I am worried that someone who lives on the canal might find themselves homeless when they have been making out more or less satisfactorily. Life is hard enough for some already. Afrel Pounds Bath
PLAQUE PLEA n 1975 Mike Wyatt of Reading took a hire boat to Tyle Mill — the head of navigation at that time. He was unable to get one of the plaques produced by Reading Branch for those who achieved the trip and he has been looking for one ever since. His letter in the Autumn
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Butty asking if anyone had one that he could have was answered by Peter Northway of Southampton, a former Commodore of Burghfield Island Boat Club, who has offered his to Mike.
LIONEL MUNK’S CAMPAIGN CRUISE hesitate to question anything that Mike Lee says about the K&A, since his involvement with the canal over the years has been immeasurably greater than mine. However, referring to the inset picture in his article in last month’s Butty, Captain Munk never got his fleet to Newbury. The picture was taken at High Bridge Wharf, Reading at Easter 1956 and my wife Ann and I are on one of the boats near the tail of the convoy. We were waiting for Reading Water Department to lower the pound to get us under the infamous girders at County Bridge. Of course a hire fleet without hirers cannot travel far, so members from all of the cruising clubs on the Thames were invited to crew the boats. Who could resist the opportunity to take on the Kennet in such overwhelming force that the river gremlins would be hopelessly outnumbered - not to mention
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fighting that relentless current with someone else’s fuel! The destination of the cruise was Burghfield; navigation to Newbury had been closed since 1951 and the nominal head of navigation was the tail of Sulhamstead lock. Unfortunately, during a Reading Branch/Wey Cruising Club campaign cruise at Whitsun 1955, the bottom cill of Burghfield lock had blown. It had been patched up and the lock was useable on an “own risk” basis, but of course Lionel could not afford to risk his fleet. We wound a token punt up through the lock although I cannot recollect whether it went up to Sulhamstead. The next day the fleet returned to Reading with rather less fanfare but the feeling that a point had been made, though it took a long time to sink in. I still have the toll docket for 19 shillings! Michael and Ann Hawkins Farnborough Hants
Thank you Michael, for putting the record straight and for your memories of the events. Mike Lee is definitely not guilty — the fault lies squarely with Bob Naylor — who designed the page and wrongly thought that the picture he had sourced from the K&A Canal Museum archives to illustrate the feature was taken at Newbury. Letters on any subject related to the canal are welcome. We want to encourage debate about canal issues. This is your forum to voice your views. Requests for anonymity will be honoured, but no letter will be published unless it arrives with contact details. Letters should be not more than 300 words and may be edited for reasons of space or clarity. Send letters to the Editor: contact details on page 3.
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French Connections
No.189 Winter 2009
Threat to small French waterways lans to close many of the smaller canals in France, along with massive staff cuts, have been revealed in a recently leaked report. French waterways magazine, Fluvial, has obtained a confidential internal discussion document that shows that 27 waterways and 1,350km of mainly small canals, popular with pleasure boats, are under threat of closure. This is approximately 19% of the network currently managed by Voies Navigables de France (VNF), and it would result in the loss of the equivalent of 454 fulltime employees. There is growing opposition to these plans among the boating community and the situation of the Digion to Roanne branch of the Canal Lateral a la Loire highlights the problems. The Roanne basin is normally one of the busiest winter moorings in the middle of France
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but because the VNF has been slow to repair an embankment failure, there is little traffic on this canal. There are many boats in the Roanne basin that are unable to move and the Mairie is very angry because he has had to waive the considerable mooring income from the trapped boats in the basin and turn away potential new bookings. Objectors say that the VNF’s attitude towards almost all of the Freycinet-gauge (and smaller) waterways is that if almost noone is using them, why keep them? The counter-argument made is that these waterways have huge potential value and it makes sense to achieve the greater use that would justify their retention with proper maintenance. This will not be with freight, because their gauge is too small, but by increasing pleasure
HAMS TRANSPORT HOPTON INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, DEVIZES, WILTS
cruising. Useable waterways provide a huge amenity to the communities they pass through in terms of tourist revenue and increased property values. Trust Hon Engineer Mike Lee, who keeps his boat in France, said, “Unfortunately the VNF’s proposals are a typically short sighted approach. It will get 450 civil servants off their books, but put several thousand rural French people onto the unemployed list — which is paid for by a different Government Department. “This is where we came in when the K&A Canal Trust first twinned with the Canal du Nivernais. Lessons from the past have not been learned.”
VNF to hive off Canal du Nivernais In a separate move, the VNF are about to hand over the Canal du
Nivernais completely to the two local Departments, Yonne and Nièvre. No firm date for the handover will be made until they have finalised the details.
Wider EU twinning proposed The K&A’s twinned French waterway, the Canal du Nivernais in Burgundy, is a member of the Entente, a group of seven waterways in central France. They are looking for ways of twinning under the umbrella of the Entente. There is also a separate proposal to start a new European Canal Twinning Association. Anyone who is interested in these proposals should get in touch with Di Harris: di@thebutty.co.uk or Mike Lee: mike.margaretlee@btinternet.com to find out more.
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No.189 Winter 2009
Making waves He was reluctant to scrap some long thin triangular strips of metal left over from building a boatman’s cabin on a butty so he sat down and doodled. That led to the wave the Oxford Canal and into Leeds & Liverpool Canal, they design of the tall candlestick London. simply unhitch Bronte and the holder (pictured left). Brian says that having his boats fit in side by side. From then on the studio on the canal is ideal Brian says that about 75% of wave form has because his his work is on boats — from featured in art is inspired re-plating hulls to stove much of by the beauty chimneys and sliding Brian’s of his hatches. If something on work, surroundings. a boat needs to be creating a Recently he made or mended in metal distinctive style has particularly — then Brian can that Brian has Ripple Candlestick enjoyed working probably do it. made his own. Height: 35cm [14"] on larger pieces Emily & of landscape Bronte are art. often on Two examples the K&A Canal Serpentine Table are pictured Height: 45cm (18”) below. around Bath, Bradford on Avon and Devizes. In the summer they travel further afield. This year they travelled on Serpentine Dining Table the River Thames,
Bob Naylor meets up with canal-based artist blacksmith Brian Greaves who has developed his own very distinctive style of metal art. rian Greaves started working with metal when he was apprenticed as a turner and miller in Skipton, Yorkshire. After buying his narrowboat Emily, he decided to build a floating blacksmith’s forge that would also be a tug to push Emily. In 1992 he built Bronte, a tug that he powered with the engine from Emily. This gave him, his wife, Jane and their two children Lewis and Frances more living space — and what is effectively a 70-foot narrowboat that can go anywhere in the canal system. In shorter, wider locks, such as those on the
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Height: 80 cm (32”) Length: 200 cm (80”) Width: 90 cm (36”)
As well as his metal sculpture Brian makes a range of handles, hooks, wrought irons letters, wall lights and fire tools. His work can be seen at galleries across the South West including Fisherton Mill in Salisbury and examples of his work are on sale in Fat Hen in Bradford on Avon. Contact Brian on: 07968 019203 or visit his website at: www.briangreaves.com Brian onboard his floating blacksmith’s forge
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Canals for kids with Terry Kemp
Annie and Kenny’s Canal Tales
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The Badger If you look behind the towpath you could see large holes — much bigger than burrows made by rabbits. These could be badger homes called setts. You would have to be lucky to see a badger in the daytime but have a look in the soil around the sett and you may see their paw prints.
We haven’t caught anything yet but I feel something big will happen soon!
The Mousehole Boat Company
Canals for kids competition winner
ROWAN
nnie was walking home to her house by the canal. As she walked she began to think about all the things she had to do before the week was over. As she walked she realised that she needed to create a ‘to do’ list when she got home so that she wouldn’t forget anything important. At home she found a piece of paper and a pencil and began listing the things that had to be done. Of course Kenny wanted to help — so did Maurice the Moorhen, Jenny Wren and the ducklings too. And Norman the Narrowboat called out from his moorings that he too had some jobs for her list. Annie’s ‘’to do’ list grew and grew as more tasks were added to it. Jobs like – read comics, put up new posters, and more and more and more. Annie wrote so much that she had to add to her list that she would need to buy a new pencil, because the one she was using had worn out. As the evening approached they all realised that they had spent so much time producing Annie’s list of things to do that they had done nothing but the list. Now they were all very hungry and they had not made their supper — in fact it was not even on their list. So they put away the huge list and organised some supper and while they were eating they started to cross things off the list that they realised were not really very important after all. In the end, Annie had a ‘to do’ list that was short and sweet and included only the jobs that they all knew they needed to be reminded about. That made her much happier.
Freddie’s canal knowledge quiz in Butty 186 was won by Grace Brooks, 11 of Trowbridge. She came to the Canal Centre in Devizes to receive her prize from K&A Canal Trust General Manager, Mike Rodd. Grace is pictured as she receives her prize — a signed print of the Kid’s Page Gang and £5.
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No.189 Winter 2009
Book Reviews
Leonard Pearcey KEEPING AFLOAT By John Liley First published in 2009 by Loose Chipping Books ISBN 978 0 9554217 5 4 212 pages. £8.99 soft cover hen one of our Vice-Presidents beats me to a review, I bow deeply in respect. The back cover of this particular book tells us that Timothy West found it ‘very entertaining reading’. Well, I could simply say ‘I agree’ and leave it at that, but that would hardly be helpful.So let me tell you that this is all about adventures on French canals. The author was with ‘Motor Boats and Yachting’ magazine when he was bitten by the bug of owning and operating a hotel-barge in France. Now, some thirty years on, he shares with us the trails and tribulations of ‘setting up a business that would keep afloat’ (nice one that, blurb writer). The cover bears a sub-title: ‘Up a French canal… without a paddle’, the Dedication is ‘To all those who thought it should be fun’, and there are four wonderfully atmospheric photos inside front and back covers. Yes, I did agree with our VP, my only complaint is that I’d have loved more photos.
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Tim Wheeldon THE THUMBNAIL CIRCUMNAVIGATION by Paul Packwood First published in 2006 by Seafarer Books ISBN 0-9550243-4-x 136 pages £8.95 soft cover his book is about a voyage — English Channel, Bristol Channel, K&A, River Thames — that perhaps the nuttier amongst us dream of doing before we wake up and realise, thankfully, that our narrowboat is completely unsuitable. But the boat that author Paul Packwood did it in should be equally unsuitable as it was an outboard powered sailing cruiser, 18 feet long (and loo-less). Not only that but, at the time of his voyage, 2005, he was in his eighties, only twice as old as his boat! His cruise along the south coast and up the Bristol Channel leaves one breathless (and slightly seasick) but his troubles were not over when he was safely inland. The K&A proved pretty tough going for a little plywood craft and he found mixing with steel boats in locks quite hazardous. It was good to read, however, that he received much assistance and friendliness from other boaters going his way. Although his entire voyage was single-handed he writes, somewhat endearingly, of “we” throughout. His companion? His boat! An excellent read if you have an ounce of water — fresh or salt — in your veins. I can easily forgive his reference to the Avon Valley aqueducts as “small”!
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BRISTOL & BATH WHODUNNIT? By David Kidd-Hewitt First published in 2007 by Countryside Books ISBN 978 1 84674 052 7 158 pages. £9.99 soft cover he author is a professional criminologist, lecturer and writer. In this book he explores 20th century murder cases taken from all parts of the area. In my Spring reviews this year I mentioned that they do say that you can’t beat the flickering light of a narrowboat for hearing ghost stories; I’m not so sure that it will apply to murder, so read this intriguing book in plenty of light. Being Bath-based I naturally began by cherry-picking those chapters dealing particularly with that city: ‘The Chocolate Box Murder’, ‘How Not To Murder Your Father-in-law’, ‘The Terrible Deeds of John Straffen’ and ‘It’s A Puzzler’. As my late father was a senior police officer I was particularly interested in that angle of the accounts, and have no complaints about the lack of photos this time. The author recommends that when you’ve read this book you should take Nick Ross’s advice at the end of his ‘Crimewatch’ programme: ‘Don’t have nightmares, do sleep well’.
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COOL CANALS by Phillippa Greenwood and Martine O’Callaghan. First published in 2009 by Coolcanals Guides ISBN 978-0-9560699-0-0 255 pages £14.99 soft cover s I am a really old, old codger the word “cool” doesn’t, to me, sit easily with “canals”. My grandchildren, to whom everything is “cool”, would certainly not describe canals thus. However as, according to the back cover, “Britain’s canals have come out of their fuddyduddy closet” I suppose, in this “brave cool world”, our beloved, 18th century waterways, have leaped, at warp speed, into the 21st. So what is cool about canals? This book certainly gives them an edge which I never suspected they had and it alerts one to the way our waterways have become such an enormous leisure resource. It is blatantly a tourism guide and, as such, is very well done — every possible way to enjoy canals is covered. But herein lies the book’s weakness. Whilst it is a veritable “potpourri” of information — inviting one to dip in and marvel at the wealth of canal enjoyment — like the Llangollen it lacks depth. If you have a family member or friend to “convert” then this is a good start but be sure to emphasise to them that there is more to the K&A than they will find here.
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The Trust Shop in the Canal Centre on Devizes Wharf carries an extensive range of canal books — including many of the books reviewed in The Butty 27
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Butty BRANCH REPORTS
Reading ocial events were fewer in the summer, but we had a very enjoyable evening barbecue in the Aldermaston garden in September with Pat Bennett providing the food and Mike Bennett and Andy James cooking it.
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Sir Anthony Durant The Branch was pleased to host the party at Reading Civic Offices to mark the retirement of Sir Anthony Durant as Trust President. The excellent archive slide
No.189 Winter 2009
David Copley: 0118 9598247
show prepared by Di Harris and Bob Naylor and Terry Kemp’s lively commentary brought back good memories of past Trust and Branch events and reminded us that Sir Anthony has been quietly guiding Trust matters for longer than many of us can remember. We know that his interest in the canal continues and congratulate him on his appointment as a Vice President. Congratulations to Mike and Audrey Wyatt for their big part in ensuring a very enjoyable and well-organised event.
Changing Times at the Trust by K&A Canal Trust General Manager Mike Rodd
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The only sensible way forward is for us to work alongside them to find a future path for both them and the Trust, so that together we can “preserve, protect and enhance” the K&A. Already, in the short time that I have been with the Trust, I have seen volunteers achieving amazing things — just look at the hundreds of members who work at Crofton and Claverton, or operate the three trip boats, or keep the museum going in Devizes. What we need now, however, are many additional members to work with us — in harmony with BW — to help maintain the waterway, and to work on a host of new projects (like restoring our Headquarters in Devizes). To do all this we need to increase the membership, excite the youth, fund the necessary training, obtain the equipment required, plan new projects — and then get out there and redouble our efforts to keep this wonderful waterway open!
The shop has had a good year. Tracy, our manager, has put in a lot of work and we have gained extra volunteers to help her. We plan to open again next year, weekends from mid February, moving to daily opening (except Mondays) shortly before Easter, and will be happy to train more volunteers to spread the load or even allow 7-day-a-week operation. We also expect to have a new volunteer gardener in place to keep up the attractive flower beds.
Groceries Our experiment with stocking grocery items for local sale has not been as successful as we hoped, although the fresh farm eggs are selling like hot cakes. We are still talking with the
Parish Council on ways to develop use of the shop and garden by the local community, whilst continuing our successful role as a Canal Visitor and Information Centre.
Meetings Winter meetings resumed in September when Derek Cann gave an interesting show mixing photos of the canal taken 30 plus years ago with their modern equivalents. Meetings continue on the last Friday of most months (not December) as shown in the “What’s On” section.
Future events Reading Waterfest takes place on 19th June in central Reading. There will be lots of stalls and lots of people. We need lots of visiting boats to celebrate 200 years of the K&A. Please phone for more details.
Picture by Alison Colebrook, BW
hese are pivotal times in the life of the Trust: the K&A is a truly amazing waterway, but the under-funding of BW over the past few years has undoubtedly led to a position where we are starting to see the first signs of serious deterioration from the standards that were achieved by our members, and the work, funded by the Heritage Lottery Grant, undertaken by BW in partnership with the Trust and the riparian authorities. There is no point in simply wringing our hands and saying that this is all BW’s fault, and nothing to do with us — they have simply not had the resources to meet the everincreasing challenges of keeping this living, breathing waterway up to scratch. If we are being realistic, we have to accept that this is likely to continue to be the case. All this is happening at a time when BW is looking at its own structures and having to cope with evermore-swingeing cuts in their funding.
Aldermaston Shop
Just a small part of the haul from the last Reading RESCUE
Reading RESCUE mission The next RESCUE (Reading Environmental Spaces Clean Up Event) takes place on the weekend of 20th and 21st March. Our role is removal of shopping trolleys and allied debris from the waterway plus bankside litter clearance. Protective and safety equipment is provided as are boats and vehicles to remove the rubbish.
What we need is more volunteers to make the 2010 event special so that we can attract boaters attending the IWA rally on the Thames at Beale Park to venture onto the K&A. Please put the date into your diaries and let me or a member of the Branch Committee know if you think you will be able to come and join us.
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Butty BRANCH REPORTS
Newbury his part of the year is, as usual, the quietest for Newbury. Looking back at 2009 we have had a few changes, the major one being the opening of the ‘Teashop by the canal’. Have you had a chance to visit and see for yourself how cosy the teashop is? Just the ticket for a cold wintery day!
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Discover Newbury We were pleased at the number of people who visited the Stone Building for the ‘Discover Newbury’ Heritage open days in September. By opening up the building we have introduced some new people to the K&A by chatting to them about the building and showing off the museum displays. We are currently working with the Museum team to upgrade the museum displays to make it a flexible display and learning resource that will
No.189 Winter 2009
Julie Dean: 01962 883939
support Trust information work in Newbury.
Crofton steaming Well done to Crofton for the very successful steaming weekend at the end of September. We came along on the Sunday to man the Trust information tent but it was no effort as it was such a glorious day.
Newbury Waterways Festival — 2010 Looking ahead to next year, we are planning to hold the 2010 Newbury Waterways Festival on 25th July. The Festival raised in the region of £2500 for the Trust in 2009, so as well as being a wonderful Trust event it is important in terms of raising funds. The Festival will be part of the K&A 200 celebration so we
Hungerford
hope to get all key players in place so that we can make this the best ever. Mike Hall is stepping down as Safety Officer after 5 years of effective service. We are very grateful to Mike for his expertise and advice which has given the Festival an excellent safety record — we are, therefore, in desperate need of a safety officer to take over from Mike. If any member has H&S skills and would be willing to devote a little time to advising the committee and overseeing safety on the day, please give us a call.
Band call On a different tack, we are also looking for an affordable band to play at both the Boaters Barbecue on the Saturday evening and also at the main Festival on the Sunday. If you have any ideas, or know of a band we could approach,
Rose break-in
To make matters worse we were due to have a wedding
We are sorry to say goodbye to Mike Jennings who leaves the committee after many years of active service. His expertise on all things ‘K&A’ will be missed and we wish him well on his retirement. Thanks Mike – and Mo too! We will miss you both.
Talks Our illustrated talks are proving to be popular again this year and we have a full programme to interest you. Take a look at the ‘What’s On’ section at the back of the Butty for more details. If you haven’t been to one before, do come along; all are welcome. We wish you a happy Christmas and peaceful New Year.
the present financial situation. Public trips, however, were well supported particularly when the weather was kind to us. By the time this Butty drops onto your doormat the Advent “Cruise with Santa” season will be almost over and I hope that Santa and his helpers will be able to have a well-earned rest.
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Aldermaston wedding cruise
Mike Jennings retires
Richard Snook: 01635 253446
he summer is well and truly past us now and even the “Indian Summer” which we enjoyed during September and October are just pleasant memories.
The August Bank Holiday weekend was marred by the Rose being broken into and the galley vandalised over night. Much of the alcohol on board was either stolen or thrown into the canal as were some of the souvenirs from the onboard gift shop. The tea urn was last spotted floating down the canal in an easterly direction but unfortunately sank without trace before it could be retrieved.
please get in touch. We would be very glad to hear from you.
Gill and Martin Penman on board the Rose of Hungerford after their wedding at Aldersmaston Old Mill on September 1st.
reception onboard at Aldermaston a few days later, which did cause a slight panic. It was a truly busy day to get the broken glass cleared, window mended and galley restocked. Following a normal weekend of public trips there followed a fourteen hour trip to Aldermaston Old Mill for the wedding reception which went off admirably; the Bride and groom were delighted with their reception on the Rose on their
special day and, in the words of our illustrious bard, “all’s well that ends well”. Our thanks go to the crews who made the extra effort over those days and which meant so much to the happy couple.
Charter & Santa trips As predicted, charter trip numbers were down a little on last year and less catering was required, definitely a result of
Preparing for a new season Steve has arranged a couple of crew training days for the 16th and 30th January. It is very important that as many crew as possible attend one of these days; please let him know if you can attend. We have a list of “things to do” on the Rose in the new year, all to be fitted in around the out of water inspection so that we will be ready to take the 2010 season by storm.
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Butty BRANCH REPORTS
No.189 Winter 2009
Crofton by Jon Willis: 0118 9712897
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We are sorry that our usual correspondent Ray Knowles is off sick at the moment so Jon Willis has stepped in with the report for this edition. We all wish Ray a speedy recovery. season. Our two first major tasks were unplanned. Just like your engine in your car, the first thing you notice that something might be amiss is a change in the familiar sound of the engine. Over the last two or three steamings there had been a distinct whistle emanating from the No.1 pump. Aside from the possibility that it was the ghost of an engineman past — we suspected that something was trapped in the valve causing air to escape. To open up the pump for examination requires the removal of some 24 x 1½ inch bolts holding the door weighing around a ton. Very careful use of chain blocks is required. Once the door was off the problem was quickly spotted — a section of a plastic sack about 2ft across had somehow got into the valve. The No.2 pump was also in need of help. Earlier in the year we had found a small piece of wood in the condenser top-up valve. Those in the know immediately recognised it as one of the oak ‘teeth’ from the valve seating. So as soon as we had shut No.1 pump up we opened up No.2
discharge valve — another door —this time weighing around 2 tons. Here we found a couple of other teeth loose and a number of the others were found to be disintegrating. There was no question, the whole valve had to come out. It now sits on the café floor waiting a supply of green oak and some skilled carpentry to replace the wooden seating. Apparently it was last done 35 years ago. So with those jobs well under way our thoughts have turned to the 37 other items on Harry’s Winter Work list — but we will leave describing most of them for another time. However one major task we are planning is to survey the 65 metre long culvert that links the canal to the foot of the pumps. Detailed planning of this is well under way with BW as it will require a 7-day stoppage and drainage of the canal in January 2010. The idea is to remove the remains of the old sluice (apparently ‘penstock’ is the correct term) at the end of the culvert and undertake a structural survey of this and the brick-lined culvert tunnel. At the same time we will be clearing all the debris from the pump end of the culvert —
where we know we will find many hammers, spanners etc dropped over the years by nameless Crofton staff and volunteers! We think the culvert has not been examined in this way for around 70 years. This time we have to prepare a full Method Statement and Risk Assessment, and some of us will need to be trained in Confined Spaces Working. I wonder what the workers all those years ago would have thought of all that! We hope to replace the penstock during the 2010/11 winter, which will allow us to drain the culvert for more regular inspection without requiring a canal stoppage. Our Conservation Plan is also progressing. The main building structural survey is complete. Additional surveys are now scheduled for the chimney and flues and the key wooden beams within the building, many of which are carrying considerable loads. On completion of the surveys we aim to bring together estimates for all the work required to enable Crofton to go on working for at least another 25 years. Much more about this in future Butty editions.
Picture by Harry Willis
here is always a little sadness when the driver gives the final command to end the last steaming of the engines of the summer, but our third steam gala had been a great success with good weather over both days, bringing in the crowds. In fact the whole summer has been pretty good. We fired the engines on 22 days, including the three days when both BW electric pumps failed and we stepped into the breach and ran the engines. A total of 6500 visitors came to Crofton over the year and they saw around 50 million gallons of water pumped using about 40 tons of coal. OK the engines are very inefficient compared with the modern electric pumps but no one disagrees that they are a lot more fun to watch! Before leaving this season I must not forget the amazing work Maxine and her volunteers have done in running the café, which just goes from strength to strength — with nearly 10,000 customers this year. The engines will now be rested up until the trial steamings just before Easter next year but there is no rest for our volunteers, as now the real work starts with another major winter work programme to clean, maintain and conserve these magnificent machines ready for the 2010
The new window being lifted into place on Crofton Boiler House.
Boat Trips
From the Cunning Man, Burghfield Bridge Public trips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .May to September Private party hire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A range of cruises Day boat hire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Self-drive for up to 12 people Holiday hire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 & 6 Berth Narrowboats Flexible weekly or short break periods Moorings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Permanent or temporary
Picture by Harry Willis
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Nigel Barnwell and Terry Gray remove the old seat segments from the valve
Enquiries: 14 Beech Lane, Earley, Reading, RG6 5PT Tel: 0118 987 1115 Fax: 0118 921 0604
www.kennetcruises.co.uk
the
Butty
BRANCH REPORTS
Devizes
No.189 Winter 2009
Alice Boyde: 01380 724701
f there’s one thing that I hate as Chairman of the branch, it’s how quickly “Butty report time” comes round! I’m sure I only wrote the previous one last week...
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Mixed fortunes
about his car rally to the Sahara was very well received; and the quizzes provided by Mike for our October social evening were great fun. Those who didn’t attend either or both events missed 2 very enjoyable evenings.
Looking back, it’s been a quarter of mixed fortunes. Our garden-party-cum-BBQ had to be called off due to a combination of poor weather and poor response: August is clearly a difficult month on both counts. And our participation at the Autumn Country Fair locally in aid of the Rowdeford Trust was also a washout, although this time due to poor location: lessons have been learned; but a huge thank you to Mike Messam who put so much effort into organising the treasure hunt.
Skittles
Sahara talk
In December we are organising a Carols at the Wharf evening on Saturday 12th December. The necessary permissions have been granted by the now-
But we’ve had our successes too: Pete Potter’s talk at our September social evening
Looking forward, Rob and Helen Wright are organising our annual skittles challenge vs Wilts & Berks Canal Trust at the end of November. Mailshots have gone out to those of you who have supplied your email address and receive copies of the branch programme. This event is very popular, and I hope in the next Butty to be able to report that we’ve won back the trophy!
Carols
not-so-new Wiltshire Council, and we look forward to welcoming the Salvation Army Band from Trowbridge, Canon Richardson from St John’s Church and Michael Ancram, MP (and more importantly our President) as well as as many of you as can join us.
Santa cruises December is also a very busy month for Santa, and his presence at our four Santa cruises is part of his busy schedule. Again, thanks to Mike Messam for organising these so ably.
2010 And then we’re into 2010 and 200 years of the K&A. We are trying to base a few of our regular events on this theme. Our branch’s major celebration in 2010 will take place on Saturday 22nd May with an all-day event at the Devizes Wharf. Full details will follow, but the
Avon Vale Restoration Group he last few weeks have been eventful for the Avon Vale team — the outside painting is complete and Dale Marshall of BW arranged to put the boat back in the water — thank you Dale for arranging it. The last Butty had only been out for 24 hours before we had
Towpath tidy On Saturday 27th March we have our annual Towpath Tidy in conjunction with BW and in the evening our AGM. Please consider joining our committee — it’s really not onerous, and can even be enjoyable!
No Noggin & Natter Our monthly Noggin & Natter on the first Tuesday of the month at The Black Horse pub in Devizes has been suspended for the winter months, we hope to reinstate it next spring.
John Kirby
to ask us if we could help someone from the Limply Stoke Valley near Bradford on Avon to move his furniture. His house had no road access and the only way to move it was on the canal by boat. This fitted in very well with the engine trials we had
planned after refurbishing the engine. I am pleased to say both went very well and the Gift Aided donation made for our help with moving the furniture will be a great help towards the rest of the restoration project on the Avon Vale.
Picture by Elaine Kirby
Picture by Bob Naylor
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two phone calls in response to our request for a stove. One was brand new and that will go on the boat and we will think of Ben and Helen Spraggon — and thank them both in the winter when the stove is keeping us warm. Then we had a call from BW
event should include music, filmshows, entertainment for all age groups and much more. We also intend putting a float into the Devizes Carnival procession on Saturday 4th September so we are going to need all the help we can get. Please give us your support.
The Avon Vale is craned back into the water — and right, the crew from left, John Peters, Adrian Softley, John Kirby and Rodd Hannah on board If you are interested in helping with the Avon Vale contact either Adrian Softley at: adrian.softley@bridgeinnhorton.co.uk or John Kirby: JHKoneaonly@aol.com or tel: Tel:07748 873 280
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the
Butty
BRANCH REPORTS
No.189 Winter 2009
West Wilts Gill Milner: 01225 762051 s I sit writing this report on behalf of the West Wilts Branch the season is drawing to a close. Our public trips will soon be finished, with only our Autumn Tints Trips and Santa Cruises to come.
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to fulfil. Bookings will be made for next season, much of the major boat maintenance will be carried out during the winter months and training of the crews and skippers undertaken before the next season commences. And after all this the boat has to undergo a thorough clean — a volunteer’s work is never done!
Extra public trips It has been a successful season despite the weather and economic situation. Our new skippers and volunteers have all settled in with great enthusiasm. Sometimes skippers and crews ran extra public trips to avoid disappointing the public who wished to take a boat trip. However, most of our trips have been the shorter ones, mainly two and three hours. We have had a few school trips. The children are always a delight, very well behaved and always ask interesting and quite awkward questions.
Roy Gould Roy Gould has decided not to renew his skipper’s licence, but wishes to carry on as a volunteer. Roy joined the West Wilts Branch in 1998 and served on the Ladywood, but was tested with the Barbara Mac. We are grateful for his commitment and look forward to seeing him during the next season.
2000 scones Another valued volunteer, Wendy Olver, has decided to
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Members of West Wilts Branch on their away-day to Claverton
step down. Wendy joined the Branch in 2000. She reckons that she has prepared over 2000 scones for our special trips and charters that required a cream tea, sometimes producing 100 scones per trip — that is a lot of scones! We wish her well for in the future.
Away Day On 12th September the crews of the Barbara Mac and shop took a day off and were treated to a trip to Claverton pumping station. The volunteers at the pumping station made us all welcome and provided a very interesting and enjoyable day out. Many thanks from us all.
MCA audit We have to undertake a twiceyearly audit with the MCA and we were very relieved that we passed this time with no
problems. Thank you to all concerned.
Prop fouling Many crews this season have reported incidents of rubbish wrapping around the prop. To date we have had sheets, rope, bicycle tyre, sweatshirts, T-shirts, jeans and numerous polythene bags — where does it all come from? Unfortunately, as the boaters among our readers know, someone has the unpleasant task of getting into the weedhatch to remove the articles.
Dog fouling Dogs mess continues to be a problem, especially by the lock. People like to watch the boats and take no notice of what their dogs are getting up to.
Winter works Although the season has come to an end, we still have duties
Thanks all round On behalf of the committee I must thank all the volunteers who have made cakes, provided cream teas, including making scones, and prepared ploughman’s lunches for all of our special trips. A special thank you must be given to Carol Doel for helping Father Christmas with his present buying. Thank you also to Barbara for all her hard work during the season in the shop. Our Booking Manager, Bernard, reports a record year for charters, 110 altogether, and bookings have already started to come in for next year. Interestingly, we have carried over 6000 passengers on approximately 235 trips, which is an improvement on last year. This means that we have had to fill in the region of 1000 crew places. This is a huge achievement for our volunteers to undertake and shows great commitment. Well done everyone! On behalf of our committee we wish you a Happy New Year.
the
Butty BRANCH REPORTS
No.189 Winter 2009
Claverton and Bath & Bristol
Pete Dunn: 01761 432811
ath & Bristol Chairman Roy Smedley is currently unwell and not able to provide a report for this Butty. I am sure that you will join me in wishing Roy a speedy and full recovery as well as thanking him for all his efforts at Claverton and as branch chair.
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Piston broke at Claverton We had a good season, which ended with a flourish of visitors, but unfortunately mechanical problems prevented us from running on our last advertised date. If you read my last Butty report you may recall that we had some strange noises within the delivery pipes. We were unable to find the source of the noises at the time, and a test run showed nothing wrong so we carried on running as normal. On the morning of the last
Mike Rodgers spruces up the lock opening mechanism donated by our friends on the Canal du Nivernais
Close inspection is needed to find the problem with the piston
day the pump would not prime at all so no water could be delivered. As usual, the team rallied round to find the problem and by late afternoon it was apparent that we had a problem with one or both of the pistons. The only way to identify the
Burbage Crane project
problem accurately was to undertake the major job of removing the pistons for inspection. As I write we have one out and this has revealed that its rope packing is badly worn, to the extent that it will need to be replaced — after that the
second piston will be removed. This unexpected work has certainly set the maintenance season off with a bang... and there is a lot of other work to do as well.
Winter opening The Pump House will be manned on every Saturday and Wednesday until Easter, so if you’re in the area and want to drop in to see progress, you will be most welcome.
A joint IWA, K&A Canal Trust and The Crown Estate project
New oak jib timbers delivered and fitted uring the early autumn we took delivery of the 28ft long 12in x 6in oak jib timbers. They were dropped off in Tony Sage’s local farm yard and then Tony took on the job of
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getting them down the narrow and twisting Ferry Lane approach to Claverton. This was achieved without hitch — many thanks to you, Tony. We are now working to fit
Boring? — clearly not to Ian Wills, John Chutte, Neville Levitte and Blair Murray, who are enthralled as Patrick Lawrence uses an auger to make a hole in timber for the Burbage crane
these timbers in place. They are the last of the major structural components that make up the crane’s frame. Other works connected to this project have included some repairs to the crane’s base at
Burbage Wharf, which has been undertaken by our team on a series of away days. The project is well on course for its planned completion in the summer of 2010.
The first Burbage Crane jib timber in place. — from left to right Ian Wills, Patrick Larwence and Blair Murray admire their work
Pictures by Maurice Pullin
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the
Butty BRANCH REPORTS
Jubilee
Sue Thomson: 01225 753119
iven the economic circumstances the year has been very good for Jubilee with a 42% increase in fares from public trips and almost the same number of charters as last year but people tended to book the lower priced trips and to bring their own drink — opting to pay corkage. The Jubilee Committee is
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No.189 Winter 2009
currently without a chairman. We said goodbye with a big thank you to Rob Slade in July. Rob saw the Jubilee through the upheaval of early 2008 when he ensured that the documentation and procedures were brought up to Marine and Coastguard Agency requirements for the beginning
of that season — followed by Jubilee's best season ever. Rob extends his thanks to all Jubilee volunteers and we believe that Rob will resume his Trainee Skipper position when time allows — everyone on the Jubilee looks forward to welcoming him back. In July this year when full time work and health meant he
Obituary
Captian John Anthony Scott M.N. 1926 – 2009
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Murmansk. After the war John joined Union Castle Line’s prestigious mail ships sailing between Southampton and South Africa. In 1950 he emigrated to Canada and he worked for the Aluminum Company of Canada. They had a fleet of Canadian built Liberty ships carrying bauxite from the Caribbean to Quebec which was very dirty stuff — but the wages were very good. In 1956 John moved to Corpus Christi, Texas and joined the Caribbean Steamship Company where he got his first command at the age of 29. In 1959 he took command of the Carl Schmedeman, the first self-discharging bulk carrier for bauxite and he made voyages to many parts of the Caribbean, Guinea in West Africa and Marseille. On one voyage to Nova Scotia, John’s ship went to the rescue of survivors of the passenger ships “Andrea Doria” of Italian Lines and “Stockholm” of Swedish Lloyd after they collided in dense fog off New York with the loss of 53 lives. In 1963 John returned to the UK and worked for a short period with the General Steam Navigation Company and then for
Tel: 01380 725300 Quality maintenance, repair & refurbishment Engine sales & servicing Shot blasting Painting & sign-writing Steelwork from small jobs to hull extensions Hull blacking plus Boat sales — Chandlery & narrowboat day hire
www.devizesmarina.co.uk
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Picture by John Shaw
ohn Scott was a former Chairman of the K&A Canal Trust tripboat “Jubilee” and at the age of 80 he took on the marketing for the boat. He took great safisfaction in increasing the charter business — and in continuing to use his 40-year-old Imperial typewriter. John would would send out over a thousand direct mail shots to groups and organisations and everyone who had chartered the boat in the previous 5 years. He delivered brochures to all the local Tourist Information Offices and he helped with the wording for the branch presence on the internet. When asked if he would get computerised he said, “Why? There is another 20 years left in this typewriter — although whether I have is another matter!” John was born in Millwall, East London and from an early age he wanted to go to sea. On leaving City of London School he joined the Training Ship ‘Worcester” for two years at Greenhithe between Dartford and Gravesend — rising to the rank of Chief Cadet Captain. On leaving ‘Worcester’ in 1944, John joined the Union Castle Line as an apprentice and took part in a Russian convoy to
had to stand down Chris Jones stepped in as Acting Chair but he too stood down in October due the the pressures of other commitments. Chris will continue to oversee the maintenance of Jubilee with help from other volunteers, for which the rest of the crew are very grateful.
John Scott with his faithful Imperial typewriter
Selection Trust — a group of mining companies setting up an integrated transport system to deliver material to mines in Sierra Leone, Ghana and Zambia. It was in Sierra Leone that he met his wife Julia, who was with Voluntary Services Overseas there. Early in the1970s John changed career completely and joined a small family horticultural business and settled in Saltford and he threw himself into local activities. He was a District Councillor, Chairman of the Saltford Parish Council, Chairman of the Community Association, a Governor of the local comprehensive school and Chairman of the Bristol Shiplovers Society — and all this alongside his activities with the K&A Canal Trust and the tripboat ‘Jubilee’.
OOL E M A R I NE SE RVICE P D R A S L TD at Frouds Bridge R IC H Tel: 01189710069
Quality Narrowboat maintenance Repair & Refurbishment Engine installation & Servicing 24 hour call-out Black Barn, Unit C1 Fronds Park, Frouds Lane, Woolhampton RG74LH
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No.189 Winter 2009
Museum news
by Elaine Kirby
he Trust museum recently received a most interesting mixture of canal literature and slides — the collection of former Reading Branch Chairman, Douglas Redstone. His collection was brought to the museum by Derek and Jenny Cann with the permission of Doug’s family. It includes copies of several canal association magazines, canal maps, canal guide books and many colour slides of the K&A and other canals. The real gem in the collection is Charles Vallancy’s ‘A Treatise on Inland Navigation’ printed in Dublin for George and Alexander Ewing in 1763. We believe that the signature on the title page is that of John Ward, agent to the Earl of Ailsbury and clerk to The Kennet and Avon Canal Company. The book explains how canals were built in France and Belgium and includes brilliant descriptive plates at the end of the book.
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Pictures by Elaine Kirby
Safety matters he nights are getting darker and longer as Christmas draws near. Time to start wrapping up presents and come up with last minute shopping ideas as we prepare for what most of us regard as the Family time of year. So let’s get shopping! Unfortunately, there are those in our society who take a different slant on Christmas shopping; to them searching for a bargain involves looking through other people’s house and car windows and then stealing the best of what they
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by Ben Woodman
see! It’s a sad but true fact that house thefts tend to be at their highest on the run up to and immediately after Christmas. It’s not necessarily the less well off who steal; the majority of thieves are habitual criminals who regard larceny as a normal way of life. Have a look at your local police statistics to see what I mean. So, what can we do to protect ourselves? As with most other precautions, health and safety included, it’s a matter of common sense. It may look
lovely to you to see your pressies stacked under the Christmas tree — just make sure that they can’t be seen from the other side of the window! If you scrap the wrapping from delivered items, tear off and destroy the address labels first — that way you won’t be advertising your purchase to all and sundry at the rubbish dump. Sheds and garages are favourite targets too; power tools, bikes etc are often there for the taking. Make it difficult
for the thief! Criminals like to work quickly and in darkness; security lights and improved locks will make the would be burglar think twice. It’s all pretty obvious really, so obvious that we often forget when we dash out for last minute items; remember, the potential thief will be doing the same! Have a super Christmas; stay secure and safe, and make sure your Christmas presents go to the ones you love, not to those who just love themselves!
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THE INN AT FRESHFORD “Inn a league of its own” The Inn is renowned for its good food and real ales. An impressive outlook, ample car park and picturesque beer garden ensure this unique family owned freehouse is always popular with visitors and regulars alike. Book now on 01225 722250 www.theinnatfreshford.co.uk
THE CROSS GUNS AT AVONCLIFF "A world away" This 17th Century Inn boasts stunning views of the Avoncliff aqueduct, period inglenook fireplace, priests hole, garden bar, weekend BBQ's and allday Sunday roasts. We are children and dog friendly with B&B accommodation too. Book now on 01225 862335 www.crossguns.net 35
Trip Boats Butty the
No.189 Winter 2009
‘Jubilee’ A 30 seat converted traditional narrowboat operating from Brassknocker Basin, opposite Viaduct Inn, Limpley Stoke on the A36 East of Bath Public trips: • Good Friday to October Sundays and Bank Holidays (and Tuesdays in July and August) 12.00 – 2.00pm 2.30pm – 6.00pm Charter trips are available Booking Manager: 0800 121 4682
The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust attractions Claverton
Cafés & shops
Bradford on Avon Wharf shop & café Tel: 01225 868683
Pumping Station Claverton Pumping Station is a waterwheelpowered beam engine built in 1813 to raise water from the river Avon to the Kennet and Avon Canal. It has been restored by volunteers and is now open to the public. Claverton is five miles south of Bath off the A36 Warminster Road, 400 yards down Ferry Lane across the uncontrolled level crossing. The pump is approximately 25 minutes’ walk from Dundas Aqueduct. Free admission for children under 16 (must be accompanied by an adult).
Open days 2010 Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday until October 27th Opening times: Wednesdays 10am – 4pm, other days 10am – 5pm
Devizes Wharf museum & shop Tel: 01380 729489
Running days
‘Barbara McLellan’ 65ft wide-beam boat for 51 passengersoperating from Bradford on Avon Wharf Cottage Public trips: • Every Wed, Sat, Sun and Public Holidays from Apr to Oct - 2.30pm, 2hr to Avoncliff and return. • Every Sat and Sun in July and August 11.30am, 1hr to Meadows Bridge and return. • Special Trips including Cream Teas, Bath, Autumn Tints. Christmas Santa Trips Wh eel c h ai r /di sa b le d a c c es s Charter trips: from 1 hour to a whole day.
Booking Manager: 0800 121 4679
April 4th and 5th, May 3rd, 30th and 31st June 13th and 27th, July 11th and 25th August 8th, 29th and 30th September 12th and 26th, October 24th
Phone: 01225 483001 Email: enquiries@claverton.org
Museum Devizes Wharf The museum is housed in the historic bonded warehouse on Devizes Wharf. Its exhibits chronicle the rise and fall of the canal as a commercial waterway and its subsequent restoration by volunteers.
Crofton Pumping Station shop & café Tel: 01672 870300
Opening times: 10am — 4pm, 7days a week
Crofton Beam Engines ‘Rose of Hungerford’ A wide-beam boat seating 50, operating from just off Hungerford High Street. Public trips: • Every Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday from Easter until the end of October 2.30pm: 2.5 hours • Every Wednesday from June until the end of September 2.30pm: 2.5 hours • Every Wednesday during July and August 11.30am: 1.5 hours • Every Sunday during August 11.30am: 1.5 hours • Special Santa Trips at Christmas Charter trips available for all your special occasions Wheelchair/disabled access Booking Manager: 0800 121 4674
All boats have a licensed bar and refreshments are available. There is a public address system or you can use your own sound system.
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1812 Boulton & Watt and 1846 Harvey beam engines regularly steamed from hand stoked, coal fired Lancashire Boiler. Amazing industrial archaeology in a rural setting
Newbury Wharf shop & café Tel: 01635 522609
From Marlborough, either take the A346 to Burbage and then follow the brown 'Beam Engines' sign, or take the A4 towards Hungerford, turn right, 'Beam Engines' sign before Froxfield, and continue to follow the brown signs, through Great Bedwyn, to the pumping station. From Hungerford, take the A338 towards Salisbury, turn right at Shalbourne following the signs to Great Bedwyn, then follow the brown signs. From Salisbury, follow the signs to Hungerford on the A338, then turn left at East Grafton and follow the brown signs.
Open days 2010 Open daily, except Wednesdays, 10.30am to 5pm from April 2nd to September 26th
Steaming days April 3rd, 4th and 5th (Easter) May 1st, 2nd and 3rd, May 29th, 30th and 31st June 26th and 27th July 31st – August 1st August 28th, 29th and 30th September 25th and 26th
Phone: 01672 870300
General enquiries: 01380 721279
Website: katrust.org.uk
Aldermaston visitor centre, shop & café Tel: 01189 712868
the
Butty
No.189 Winter 2009
The British Waterways 2009 wildlife survey was supported by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
Waterways buzzing with wildlife he bumblebee was the focus of the 2009 British Waterways wildlife survey and a warm start to summer this year meant that a healthy number were spotted on waterside wild flowers. There were also many sightings of kingfishers — an indicator of good water quality and a healthy ecosystem. The British Waterways national ecology manager, Dr Mark Robinson, said, “Canals and rivers are ideal wildlife corridors that support a vast array of wildlife, including bats, newts and otters and it is particularly encouraging to note the number of water voles spotted this year. Each recorded sighting helps us to monitor, protect and preserve the amazing biodiversity found on our waterways.” More water voles were spotted on the Kennet & Avon Canal than any other waterway in this year’s survey which is an encouraging sign that the sympathetic maintenance work by BW and their partnership activity with the Wiltshire and Berkshire Wildlife Trust’s water vole projects is helping to support water vole populations along the canal. A variety of water vole-
There were 27 different species of butterflies recorded, including brimstones, small blues and speckled woods and the number of frogs seen was three times up on 2008.
Water voles are rare, but this year 89 were spotted — twice the number recorded in 2008 — and most of those were seen on the Kennet & Avon Canal Picture by Darin Smith encouraged the population. On the K&A there were sightings of kingfishers, water voles, lapwings, buzzards and bats and nationally the survey recorded 127 different species of birds, including woodpeckers, reed warblers, little owls and almost 200 kingfishers.
The most unusual of the 42,500 sightings recorded was a porpoise, a close relation of the dolphin, which was seen in the River Ouse near Selby and a large alligator snapping turtle — a non-native species from North America — was spotted at Earlswood Reservoir, Solihull.
Picture by Bob Naylor
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friendly designs and techniques such as coir rolls, woven hazel faggots and vegetation shelves have been used in restoration and maintenance over the last 10 years and this has
Richard Palmer’s picture of an Early Bumblebee, so named because if flies early (from March to July) won him first prize in the British Waterways ‘Wonderfully Wild’ photography competition
The top-twenty sightings across the country in 2009 Mallard . . . . . . . . Canada goose . . . Swan . . . . . . . . . Moorhen . . . . . . . Starling . . . . . . . . Bumblebee . . . . . Rabbit . . . . . . . . . House sparrow . . Coot . . . . . . . . . . Stickleback . . . . . Roach . . . . . . . . . Frog . . . . . . . . . . Perch . . . . . . . . . Damselfly . . . . . . Robin . . . . . . . . . Heron . . . . . . . . . Grey squirrel . . . . Cormorant . . . . . Dragonfly . . . . . . Pond skater . . . .
7,037 2,550 2,482 2,019 1,693 1,664 1,403 1,329 1,312 780 750 696 674 573 540 495 390 326 324 286
For more information on this year’s survey sightings or to find out the best places to spot bugs and beasties near you, visit: www.waterscape.com/ wildifesurvey
Hazel branches woven between driven stakes protect the bank, allowing the plant and animal life to flourish.
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No.189 Winter 2009
What’s on January 2010 Saturday 23rd January 2010 Devizes Branch Navvies’ Dinner. Celebrating the 200th anniversary year of the K&A Canal with a Navvies-inspired Dinner. Contact Alan West on 01380-725527 or west@compasspoint.wanadoo.co.uk. Wednesday 27th January Newbury Branch A Racy Victorian Lady Restored: the restoration of the Goring-built Thames steam umpiring launch Consuta, by Derek Brown of the Consuta Trust, The Stone Building, Newbury Wharf, 7:45pm Friday 29th January Reading Branch. All Saints Hall, Downshire Square, Reading RG1 6NH. 7.30 for 8.00pm. £2.50
February February to March K&A 200 exhibition, Frenchay Museum, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol. Saturday 20th February Devizes Branch pancake social evening. We’ll provide the pancakes, you bring your own fillings! 7.30pm at The Wharf. Details from Pete Jordan on 01380 720780 or email jordan422@btinternet.com Wednesday 24th February Newbury Branch The Cotswold Canals Restoration by Liz Payne, chairman of the Cotswold Canals Trust. This key restoration project in the South of England will provide a 36-mile scenic link between the River Thames at Lechlade and the River Severn (strictly the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal) near Gloucester. The Trust suffered something of a setback when financial pressures forced BW to withdraw from the restoration partnership in early 2008, but it has picked itself up and dusted
itself down and is forging ahead again. 7.45pm at the Stone building, Newbury Wharf. Friday 26th February Reading Branch. All Saints Hall, Downshire Square, Reading RG1 6NH. 7.30 for 8.00pm. £2.50
March Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th Reading Branch RESCUE (the annual clean up event). For more information, contact David Copley on 0118 959 8247 or d.copley247@btinternet.com Friday 26th March Reading Branch. All Saints Hall, Downshire Square, Reading RG1 6NH. 7.30 for 8.00pm. £2.50 Saturday 27th March Devizes Branch. Annual BW canal clear-up and towpath tidy. Meet at The Wharf at 10.00am. Contact Alice Boyd on 01380-724701 or email alice@3pplus.co.uk for further details. And in the evening, Branch AGM followed by a talk. 7.30pm at the Canal Centre, Devizes Wharf. Refreshments available. Contact Helen Wright on 01225-793267. Saturday 27th March Claverton AGM. 2.00pm at the Pumping Station. Wednesday 31st March Newbury Branch Boat Building and Industry at Honeystreet by Adrian Softley. 7.45 pm at the Stone Building, Newbury Wharf.
April Wednesday 28th April Newbury Branch AGM followed by The K&A 50 years on: a review based on photographs from 1960s canoeing trips by Ray Denyer. 7.45pm at the Stone Building, Newbury Wharf. Friday 30th April Reading Branch. All Saints Hall, Downshire Square, Reading RG1 6NH. 7.30 for 8.00pm. £2.50
ALL-ABOARD MARINE SERVICES & NEWBURY DRY DOCK
All boat maintenance services Boat Safety Examinations Anywhere on the K&A and Thames
Corgi Reg:
189616 Tel: 01635 37606 Mobile: 07940 583361 & 07703 235779
GREENHAM LOCK COTTAGE, AMPERE ROAD, NEWBURY RG14 5SN
www.aamarine.co.uk
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Unclassified advertisments Mike Price Boat Safety Examiner Tel: 01225 703747 Mobile: 07736 837968 Sundial Marine Services For gas, oil, solid fuel heating servicing & installation, plumbing and electrical work. Eddie Belston Tel: 01373 302765 or 07518 057447. Wilderness Boats For repairs, refits and new and used craft. Call: 01666 577773. Holiday Cottage to let Port Isaac North Cornwall. Creel Cottage is a beautiful, warm cottage in this ancient fishing village. Available throughout the year. For information contact Derek Bullen 01380 828413. Explore the Dorset & Somerset Canal. We offer B&B, a packed lunch, drop off and collect anywhere on the canal. £80 a night for 2 people inclusive plus £60 for additional night. Contact Howard or Jane Smith on 01749 814930 or 07831 738753 www.barefootsorchard.co.uk Jane Crowe Traditional Signwriter and Decorator Experienced in roses & castles, scrolling, lining, graining, signwriting. Craftmaster Paints. Local to K&A. 01380 860969, 07833 931364, jctraditionalart@aol.com Chronic back pain? Research proves that lessons in the Alexander Technique ease pain. Workshop in Newbury 28th Nov. for more information telephone Tanya Whannell (Registered Teacher) 01635 866409. Email tanya@whannell.co.uk
DEVON – Narrowboat Holidays Luxury 4/5 berth Narrowboat, Grand Western Canal Country Park & Local Nature Reserve. Combine cruising with days out in the West Country. 01884 252178 www.middevonhireboats.co.uk Holiday Mews to Let Central Bath, quiet location. Sleeps 4. Available throughout year. Owner continuously cruising. £25 donated to K&A Canal Trust for each booking. Call: Peter 07905 9053337. Burghfield Island Boat Club is currently looking for new members to join the waiting list. Please phone Vicky on 07703 722102 for further details Narrowboat enthusiasts needed to help run a Trust dedicated to giving youngsters experience on the canals. Any skills welcome to maintain our narrowboat based at Aldermaston. Ring Julie on: 0118 9618450. Meeting room available for rent The Stone Building, Newbury Wharf, seats up to 30. Enquiries Graham Smith 01635 580356. Holiday House to let Thurlestone, South Devon. Spacious and comfortable, sleeps 5/7, with views over the pretty village to the coastal path and beaches. Telephone 01373 812654. Boat equipment Thetford casette £35, Waste container £4, Mooring chains £3, HD mooring hooks £2, New rope £4, New paint £3, 12v fan £2, Rechargable dehumidifiers £4 — Can deliver. Tel: 01380 739433
Unclassified ads are free for members of The K&A Canal Trust for up to 30 words — subject to available space For ads to run in the next issue of The Butty email: ads@thebutty.co.uk
David Owen & Co Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors 17 Market Place Devizes Wiltshire 01380 722211
126 High Street Marlborough Wiltshire 01672 512163
Auditors to The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust
Bicentenary celebration gifts The full-colour calendar includes 15 gorgeous views of your favourite canal and a whole host of dates for events throughout the year. The 100% cotton T-shirts are just the thing for those spring and summer days out.
T-Shirts Size
Price each
Number required
Kids Age 1 – 2
£5.00
Age 2 – 3
£5.00
Age 3 – 4
£5.00
Age 5 – 6
£5.00
Age 7 – 8
£5.00
Age 9 – 11
£5.00
Age 12 – 13
£5.00
Order Form
Cost
Please make cheques payable to The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust and send to: The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, Canal Centre, Couch Lane, Devizes, SN10 1EB Name and address to which items should be sent: Name: .............................................................. Address: ...........................................................
Adults ........................................................... Small
£7.00
Medium
£7.00
Large
£7.00
X Large
£7.00
XX Large
£7.00
Town: ................................................................ Postcode: ........................
Calendar Price each
Number required
Total cost
£5.00 Post and package — per order
£1.50
Total value of order
£
40