Branch Calendar 2014 This A4 calendar is full of fantastic photographs of local scenes from the Shropshire Union, Llangollen and Montgomery Canals and the River Severn. You can see it before you buy on w a t e r w a y s . o r g . u k / shrewsbury/2014_calendar. The perfect Christmas present or stocking filler for all canal enthusiasts and nature lovers. The calendar is now on sale at Aqueduct and OverWater Marinas and at the Shrewsbury Christmas Card Shop in November for ÂŁ4.50. If you are unable to visit one of these outlets then please send a cheque for ÂŁ6.10 (including P&P) made payable to IWA Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch to: Wyndcliff, Pen-y-Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry, SY10 8JS. However it might be advisable to phone first (01691 830403) to check copies are still available. The 2013 calendar sold out very quickly and next year's calendar has much improved picture quality so is proving much more popular. Please support the sponsors who have made it possible to keep the price down: Anglo Welsh Narrowboat Holidays, Aqueduct Marina, Bluerhodfa Consulting, web design and hosting, Cheshire Cat Narrowboat Holidays, Maestermyn Group (Canal Holidays and Narrowboat Inn), M & L Canal Services and Mobile Marine Engineer, Mercia Marine (boat insurance), Midway Boats Ltd, Moors Farm B&B and Holiday Cottages, Morris Lubricants, OverWater Marina, Venetian Marina. If you visit or use one of the services provided by our sponsors please mention the calendar and hopefully they might sponsor again in the future. Front cover: Bridge 31, New Mills Lift Bridge at Whitchurch in early July
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Photo: Michael Haig
Autumn 2013
The Editor's cut... After a summer indulging in the unfamiliar application of sun cream, your editor finds himself once more contemplating the inner workings of desktop publishing software and marshalling his diligent correspondents as we launch into this autumn edition of your branch magazine. We have excellent news in this issue. Long-awaited announcements from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) have confirmed that three of the restoration projects in our area are to benefit from development grants. Details of the Montgomery Canal, Shrewsbury Flax Mill and Llangollen Chain Bridge awards are on pages 8, 13 and 15. These Monty and Flax Mill grants represent significant progress towards a decision by HLF to allocate the full funding requested for the projects. Meanwhile the events team has been busy. The first of our upcoming events, announced on page 12, is our Autumn Talk on November 11. In the absence of the estimable Julia Bradbury (our friends at Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust seem to have secured the bragging rights to her membership), we have turned to another TV presenter and documentary maker – the almost equally elegant though follicly differentiated Richard Vobes, a.k.a. The Bald Explorer. Whether or not you have seen Richard’s entertaining and informative documentary on the restoration of the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals, his stories about the making of the film promise to make this a ‘don’t miss’ evening. Details of our March AGM are also in this issue on page 7 – at Chirk Marina in Wales on St David’s Day, no less! As well as the essential business of reporting to you, our members, on your branch’s affairs, we have lined up another fine speaker and will be able to enjoy the entertainments at Chirk Marina’s annual Open Day. Do try to make the time to join us. In a different vein, next spring we are planning our very own private brewery visit (sorry, it’s the visit that is exclusive to us, not the brewery!). See page 22 for the Social Secretary’s call to action. There is much more as well, including our Valentine's Night Quiz, but for the rest, as they say, Please Turn Over.
Next Copy Date: March 1, 2014 Autumn 2013
Printed by Downstream Print, Nantwich
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The Branch Committee President Chairman Vice Chairman Region Chairman Secretary & Membership Sec. Treasurer Heritage & Planning Officer Navigation Officer Webmaster Newsletter Editor Social Secretary Committee Members
Branch Web pages
Michael Limbrey, Greenfields, Weston Lane, Oswestry SY11 2BD 01691 654081 michael@limbrey.net Position Vacant David Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk Alan Platt, Argoed, Pen y Cefn Road, Caerwys, Flintshire CH7 5BH 01352 720649 alanplatt@hotmail.co.uk Dawn Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk Denis Farmer, 8 Kingbur Place, Audlem, Crewe CW3 0DL 01270 811157 janden1@btinternet.com Peter Brown, 34 Waterside Drive, Market Drayton TF9 1HU 01630 652567 iwa@peter-quita.demon.co.uk Carolyn Theobold, nb Albion, The Wharf, Norbury Junction ST20 0PN 07976 250681 carolyn_t@mac.com Alan Wilding, Priory Lodge, 154 Longden Road, Shrewsbury SY3 9ED 01743 359 650 alan.wilding@waterways.org.uk Michael Haig, 17 Nantwich Road, Woore, Crewe CW3 9SB 01630 647517 iwa@3-cm.co.uk Val Haig, 17 Nantwich Road, Woore, Crewe CW3 9SB 01630 647517 iwa@3-cm.co.uk Hugh Appleton, Ann Appleton, 1 Maes Dinas, Llanfechain, SY22 6YR 01691 828124 annandhugh@btinternet.com Janet Farmer, 8 Kingbur Place, Audlem, Crewe CW3 0DL 01270 811157 janden1@btinternet.com Gerallt Hughes (General Secretary Committee for Wales) Ty’n y Coed, Arthog, Gwynedd LL39 1YS 01341 250631 gerallt.hughes@waterways.org.uk Susan Wilding, Priory Lodge, 154 Longden Road, Shrewsbury SY3 9ED 01743 359 650 alan.wilding@waterways.org.uk www.waterways.org.uk/shrewsbury www.facebook.com/pages/IWA-Shrewsbury-Branch/388651831206061
Shroppie Fly Paper The Shroppie Fly Paper is the newsletter of the Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch of The Inland Waterways Association with a membership of about 390. Nationally the IWA has about 18,000 members and campaigns for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the inland waterways. For further information contact any committee member. Copy for the Shroppie Fly Paper is welcome by email, on disk or in manuscript form. Photographs may be in any common computer format or as prints. Please supply a stamped addressed envelope if you require photographs to be returned. ‘Letters to the Editor’ intended for publication are invited, as are comments for the Editor’s private guidance. Copy and letters submitted for publication may be edited. The Inland Waterways Association may not agree with the opinions expressed in this Branch newsletter but encourages publicity as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as official policy unless stated otherwise. The Association accepts no liability for any matter in this newsletter. Any reproduction must be acknowledged. The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No 612245. Registered as a charity No 212342.
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Autumn 2013
Rudderless... It is fantastic news that plans to restore the Montgomery Canal have taken another positive step with the award of £160,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This is the first stage of a £3.7m bid prepared by the Montgomery Canal Partnership. The bid includes match funding provided by several organisations including the Inland Waterways Association, Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch. If the second stage is successful the funds raised by our members selling cards, calendars* and organising 'lock-winds’ will help to restore this beautiful waterway. I am also pleased that the National AGM in September decided not to increase IWA membership fees for at least another year. The Association had originally put forward a plan to apply an increase for 2014 level with inflation. Members, however, conscious of above-inflation rise in many other areas including costs of boating, determined that IWA should show a lead and do better. That was the good news now here is the bad. It is with great regret that the committee has accepted Carolyn Theobold's resignation as Branch Chairman. We were very pleased to welcome her back to committee meetings after her stroke (see 'From the Steerer' page 4 in the Summer edition) and understand that her health must come first. However, we are not letting her go completely! Carolyn will still stay on the committee and has agreed to take on the role of Navigation Officer. On behalf of the branch committee, I thank Carolyn for all her hard work and enthusiasm while in office. I have agreed to act as chairman until the AGM next March. Elsewhere in this edition are details of the Maesbury Canal Festival 2014. Yes, work has started already and the web-site maesburycanalfestival.co.uk will soon be up and running. Anyone that attended the previous festivals will soon be receiving application forms. David Aylwin - Branch Vice Chairman • Talking of calendars, have you bought yours yet?
Autumn 2013
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Region Chairman writes... There are two issues of national political importance currently exercising the Association. The first is the effect of the proposed HS2 rail development on the canals. We are not a transport group as such and therefore have no view on the merits or otherwise of the scheme as whole. Although there are a number of questions being asked about its financial viability, while it is still an ongoing project we will continue to investigate and campaign on the relevant points. The proposed line has a crossing of the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union and there is a potential impact on some restorations. The other national issue concerns the postponement of the planned transfer of Environment Agency navigations to CRT. This had been scheduled for 2015 and was initially welcomed by the IWA as taking the national structure nearer to the Robert Aickman idea of a National Waterways Conservancy. It would also of course expand CRT more into an overall navigation authority as opposed to a restructuring of the old British Waterways. The transfer is stated to be postponed rather than abandoned and we are campaigning to try to keep the idea in place as we consider there is much merit in a national system. On an internal note, you may well have read reports in the waterways press regarding the IWA National Festival at Cassiobury Park in Watford. Despite being held in fine weather and in a picturesque location the event was not a success. There may be any number of reasons but in terms of the number of people attending and the financial outcome (announced at the National AGM on September 28 as a loss of some ÂŁ40,000) it was more than disappointing. Since then, your Trustees and the Festivals Committee have been taking a long hard look at the future of the event, and in particular at the proposed National at Stratfordupon-Avon in 2014, about which there was a very lively discussion at the AGM. The current proposals are that there will be a substantial IWA presence at Stratford, butthere will not be a National Festival as such in 2014. Options such as holding a boaters rally over the August Bank Holiday weekend are being looked at, and the long term future is under review but it was agreed that the 'traditional' model is no longer fit for purpose. More positively, I am pleased to report that, despite the meetings and events that have happened, I have managed to get out and about during the summer and have had a couple of weeks boating (in September, when the weather was mixed) which included a trip down the Monty and the Whitchurch rally. Shroppie Fly Paper
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We have experienced our best summer for quite some time and apparently without the water shortages that seem to traditionally accompany sunny weather. I trust you have all been able to take advantage of the waterways and, as the evenings draw in, will manage to attend the events organised by your hard working committee. Alan Platt
IWA Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch Invite you to a talk on Saturday, March 1, 2014 by
Bob Williams Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust entitled "Lichfield & Hatherton Canals - Where are we now?" at The Boathouse, Chirk Marina, Chirk, Wrexham LL14 5AD Programme:
10.30am 10.45am 11.30am
Coffee Branch AGM Talk by Bob Williams
Followed by an optional lunch and the opportunity to enjoy the marina's Open Day.
IWA Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch Notice is hereby given for the 2014 Annual General Meeting of the Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch of the Inland Waterways Association to be held at The Boathouse, Chirk Marina, Chirk LL14 5AD on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at 10.45am AGENDA Apologies for absence Minutes of the 2013 AGM Matters arising from the minutes Branch Report Treasurer's Report Adoption of Accounts Election of Committee Members Region Chairman's Report (including a question and answer session) The meeting will be followed by a talk by Bob Williams. We welcome all Branch members , particularly anyone who is interested in joining the committee or helping out at any of the events. If you are unable to attend the AGM but would like to join the committee or would like further information, please contact the Secretary, Dawn Aylwin, or any committee member. Contact details on page 4.
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Membership Matters We are delighted to welcome the following new members who have joined the branch since the summer edition of this magazine and look forward to meeting you all at one of the forthcoming events: Mr & Mrs Clayton from Porthmadog, Mr Cotton & family from Whitchurch, Mrs Cross from Tarporley, Mr & Mrs Dawson from Rhyl, Mr & Mrs Dickinson from Nantwich, Mr & Mrs Fowler from Norbury Junction, Mr & Mrs Hill from Pontcysyllte, Mr Hynes from Church Stretton, Mrs Morton & Miss Gordon from Bala, and Mr & Mrs Wilbraham from Shrewsbury. I recently discovered that at least one member did not receive the summer edition of this magazine. The Shroppie Fly Paper is sent out three times a year and if you miss one please get in touch and I will post you a copy. The branch uses the address labels that are sent from Head Office, is indebted to Clwyd Transport who very generously stamp and subsidise the postage and finally reliant on Royal Mail for delivery. So at which stage copies go missing is anyone's guess. Dawn Aylwin
HLF Award Unlocks Further Monty Restoration Seasoned supporters of the Montgomery Canal restoration have waited a very long time for such good news as the recent announcement by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) that it will support a full bid worth almost £4million for restoration work with a so-called ‘Phase 1’ award of £160,000. The bid, put together by Canal & River Trust on behalf of the Montgomery Canal Partnership, an umbrella group comprising 14 partner organisations including the IWA and Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust, will enable the reopening of a 1¼ mile stretch of navigable waterway from Maesbury to Crickheath, towpath improvements from Welshpool to Llanymynech and the extension of the nature reserve at Aston Locks. The significance of the Phase 1 award is that, without it, favourable consideration of full bids is unlikely whereas, having achieved a Phase 1 grant, the prospects of securing the total bid application are immensely improved. The £160,000 development funding will, amongst other work, enable CRT to employ a temporary project manager and a community development officer to manage a range of
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volunteering and educational opportunities. Following the latest announcement, Reyahn King, Head of HLF West Midlands, said: “This project will help bring the canal back to life as well as preserving rare natural habitats found along its course. This is a great first step.” Long-time restoration campaigner and our branch president Michael Limbrey commented: “Over previous years, grants from many sources together with direct voluntary work have enabled improvements to much of the towpath and the reopening of half the canal. “Since the canal has been restored to the main road at Redwith, volunteers have been coming from all over the country to work on the next length. This lottery project includes extending the restoration to Crickheath, the next point at which boats can turn. It will be very exciting to see boats there nearly 80 years after the canal breached.”
The current scene at Crickheath north of Bridge 85 Photo: Alan Wilding
Previous contract restoration work ended at Redwith Bridge a few years ago and the subsequent section to Bridge 84, Pryce’s Bridge, has been under restoration by volunteers from the Shropshire Union Canal Society with re-watering planned for May 2014. In addition, in recent years IWA Waterway Recovery Group (WRG) volunteers have been working on the next length, rebuilding wharf walling, clearing the channel and testing experimental relining. The extension to Crickheath will leave less than two miles of further restoration to reach the Welsh border. The line of the Montgomery Canal extends 35 miles from Welsh Frankton in North Shropshire to Newtown in mid-Wales through the picturesque Severn valley. It was abandoned after a breach in 1936, near its junction with the Llangollen canal, was not repaired due to low usage. Restoration has been underway for the past 45 years, beginning in 1969 with the work of WRG (before it was formally named that), as well as SUCS and local residents. Readers may recall a 1986 move to ’Unlock the Montgomery’ at a total cost of £14.5million for the whole length including rebuilding 13 bridges and off-line nature reserves! Alan Wilding
Autumn 2013
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Shrewsbury and North Wales hit century at Hurleston Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch held its annual lock wind on July 27-28, choosing Hurleston Locks for the second successive year. In mainly sunny and hot conditions, branch volunteers assisted more than 100 boats to transit the locks in the course of the weekend. And much to the relief of all on such a busy weekend, no boats got stuck – a regular hazard in the very narrow bottom lock! Our lockside gazebo did a brisk trade selling homemade cakes and preserves as well as the branch’s Photo: Michael Haig pictorial calendar for 2014, sponsored by canal businesses in the branch area. Fresh local strawberries with cream proved particularly popular, especially with the passing holiday boats. A busy scene at the junction below Lock 4 Photo: Michael Haig
Wendy Capelle, Waterway Manager for CRT’s North Wales and Borders Waterways, visited the lock wind over the weekend and the IWA volunteers were ably assisted throughout by CRT’s seasonal and volunteer lock keepers on site.
We are very grateful to all those who made such generous donations during the event, enabling us to raise almost £500 for branch funds. Unfortunately our stocks of items for sale ran low well before the close on Sunday evening, otherwise our fund-raising would have been even more successful! We would also like to thank all the IWA members who contributed time, produce and bric-a-brac for sale and we would love even more support next year. Even if you did not have the opportunity to be there this year, we hope you will be able to come and join us on a future occasion for this very sociable and fun event. Michael Haig Shroppie Fly Paper
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Tugboat Ted It has been an eventful summer for bears and humans. The last time I wrote we were all desperate for some warmer weather as well as getting used to the idea of selling Leo. The cold spring was putting potential buyers off but, in June, we suddenly had offers and Leo was sold! Being boatless takes some getting used to for all of us but trips in the campervan in this summer's weather have helped to compensate. We think that the branch outing to the Ellesmere Boat Museum with the Friends of the Montgomery Canal started the heat wave. We couldn't believe our luck when about 20 canal enthusiasts met on July 7 - the most "perfect" day for a long time. Volunteers at the Museum pulled out all the stops to make the visit good and guides told us about the buildings and some of the boats as well as opening the archives. It was disappointing that the steam engine couldn't operate as planned but the company and the weather made it a good day out.
Some of Leo's bears head for a happy new home. Photo: Denis Farmer
Ethelted and I were proud of our knitted friends who were present at the lock wind and the Whitchurch Gathering of Boats to help raise funds for the branch. They were willing to re-locate for 50p a time. A bonus for us was when Leo's new owners turned up and bought a bear to go and live on the boat - we know he will be happy! Audlem has had a busy summer as usual. With music festivals, open gardens and the transport festival, which this year had about 40 working boats present - the village was buzzing! The Shroppie Fly, which has one of the prime positions on the wharf, valiantly supplied a limited menu under difficult circumstances. Its kitchen is due for an update very soon and we wish the new managers, Mandy and Jordan, good luck for the future. The improvements are due to be finished by October in time for the humans to enjoy the pub’s open fire and improved facilities over the winter.
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Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch Presents
"Making a TV Film About an Abandoned Canal" A talk by film producer and TV presenter
Richard Vobes 'The Bald Explorer'
Join us on Monday, November 11, 2013 at 7.30pm at
The Narrowboat Inn, Whittington SY11 4NU next to Maestermyn Marina on the A495 between Welsh Frankton and Whittington If you wish to eat at the pub before the talk please contact The Narrowboat Inn on 01691 661051 for table reservations - food service begins at 6.00pm
“For my latest film, the biggest challenge was trying to tell the complicated story of the Shrewsbury canal network in as simple a way as possible for a lay audience, but without alienating the enthusiasts.” Richard Vobes - 'The Bald Explorer'
“Richard Vobes' enthusiasm for heritage and history is obvious. His films include a visit to Welshpool Lock and a longer feature on the restoration of the Shrewsbury & Newport Canal : with such an enthusiastic speaker we are in for a good evening!” Michael Limbrey - IWA Branch President 'The Bald Explorer' appears on the Community Channel (Sky 359, Virgin Media 233, Freeview 87 and BT Vision) and online at www.BaldExplorer.com
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Heritage Lottery Funding for Shrewsbury Flax Mill A first phase of redevelopment work is about to get underway on the historic Flax Mill/Maltings complex in north Shrewsbury thanks to nearly £13 million of HLF funding. The Flax Mill opened in 1797, the same year as the Shrewsbury Canal, and ‘tub boats’ brought coal to the county town, being much more reliable than the earlier river boats, and they carried away goods from the mill. The mill building was a revolutionary ‘fireproof’ cast iron framed construction – the forerunner to today’s sky scrapers. After nearly a hundred years as a flax mill the premises became a maltings for a similar period. The Shrewsbury Canal was linked to the national network in 1835 but abandoned in 1944.
Above - The Flax Mill in a popular period postcard (courtesy of Peter Brown), and below - a montage impression of how the restored scene could look (courtesy of Alan Wilding)
The redevelopment will concentrate on renovations to the buildings to include a heritage centre and commercial accommodation but a subsequent phase will provide landscape works in front of the main building including along the line of the former canal. Published artist’s impressions show a ‘water feature‘ but local enthusiasts, including the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust, are determined that this should be nothing short of a restored section of fully navigable canal. Progress can be followed on: www.flaxmill-maltings.co.uk Alan Wilding
Autumn 2013
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Tyrley Tattle In the last Shroppie Fly Paper I gave details of the new cesspit which the Trust had been installing by the top lock at Tyrley. This had not been in use long before the drain from the Elsan disposal unit was blocked, probably by someone flushing something like a disposable nappy. However, this was soon cleared by contractors and the new system now appears to be working well. A new problem then arose, just when our esteemed editor was taking on water from the Tyrley water point one Sunday in late August. A whistling noise was heard which was especially loud near the old waterways cabin and we surmised that it might be the new alarm for the cesspit to indicate that it was full. I was able to speak to the duty manager at the Trust and he gave me permission to investigate inside the cabin. It was indeed the alarm and it had a mute button, which enabled me to avoid having our sleep disturbed by the alarm sounding all night. The tank was checked next day and was found to be above the level of the alarm and a contractor was called to empty it, all the way from Essex! A week later another tanker appeared and prepared to pump out the tank, this one came from Preston and had to go twice to Manchester to empty its loads. It transpired that it actually takes three tankers to empty the cesspit and the alarm will not turn off until it has been fully emptied. It is a pity that the residents here weren’t told about the alarm as none of us really knew what the noise was about and it could have sounded for several days if the Trust hadn’t been notified. Another more serious incident occurred here when a lady skidded on the slippery wet step at the bottom of the lock and landed in the cut instead of on her boat. Fortunately, she didn’t suffer serous injury and the Trust quickly installed a non-slip grating on the offending step to prevent a repetition of the accident. Water leakage from the locks on to adjacent walkways appears to be getting a more widespread problem as the system gets ever older. I’m told that the Trust do try to minimise it by pressure grouting the area but although this sometimes works it is by no means a guaranteed cure. The week preceding the August Bank Holiday, a peak time for pleasure boating, saw the 48-hour moorings here completely occupied by boats that stayed for far in excess of the 48-hour limit. Too bad for those expecting to stop here overnight and unsurprisingly just when the enforcement officer was on holiday - how did they know? As mentioned last time, my new neighbours’ narrowboat Armadillo has now been moored on the Wharf which, as predicted, has produced some interesting manoeuvres by boats trying to turn. Now we are also looking to move house in the Shroppie Fly Paper
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not too distant future so perhaps our boat may not be replaced on the Wharf. The late spring has had some unusual consequences in the garden with most of the produce later than normal. There is a huge crop of apples but very few pears and the old damson trees too have borne a large crop. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of the much newer “Merryweather” tree which only managed four fruits. It seems unlikely that it was due to poor pollination as the bees have been out in force and have produced a very good quantity of honey, in marked contrast to last year when they had almost none. On the wildlife front, we are getting a lot of fox activity and we hope that this will help to keep the mice under control. As usual, the grey squirrels have stripped the walnut tree before the nuts are fully grown. The only consolation is that we did pick a good number of the immature fruits to pickle. They also cleared our Mirabelle tree but fortunately we had picked most of them before the squirrels noticed the fruit. We now await the winter and look forward to seeing the bottom gates of the lock replaced, as the existing pair are rapidly approaching the end of their life. They must have been made with a bad batch of timber as remedial work had to be carried out to replace rotten wood on one of the balance beams only a few months after they were installed. Richard Hall
Lottery Funding for Llangollen Restoration of the historic Llangollen Chain Bridge has been given the go ahead thanks to a £350,000 grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The funding will allow for refurbishment work to begin on the bridge and reopen it to the public after being closed for 30 years.
The Chain Bridge
Photo: Peter Brown
The current bridge was constructed in 1929, although the original was built in 1817 by a local coal merchant looking to open a cheap transport route across the River Dee and it enabled the passage of coal from the Llangollen canal across the river. The grant has been awarded to Llangollen Town Council and Llantysilio Community Council who have been seeking funds to carry out the bridge's repairs since 2007. Following the completion of development work, made possible through HLF funding, a 12 month restoration project will now commence.
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IWA Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch Diary 2013 November 3
Rag Rugging course at Audlem Mill. For details and to book call Audlem Mill on 01270 811059.
November 11
Autumn Talk at 7.30pm the Narrowboat Inn, Whittington. Richard Vobes (The Bald Explorer) on "Making A TV Film about an Abandoned Canal" (The Shrewsbury & Newport). See page 12.
December 1
Winter Fair at Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina, 11.00am 4.00pm. Call Aqueduct on 01270 525041 for details.
December 7
Welshpool Winter Festival - Christmas street market, charity and craft stalls.
December 9
Branch Business Meeting at 7.00pm at the Narrowboat Inn, Whittington. Members are very welcome to attend but please reconfirm the date and time with any Committee member in advance.
Diary 2014 January 4
Branch Winter Walk from Nantwich to Barbridge. See page 25.
February 10
Branch Business Meeting at 7.00pm at the Narrowboat Inn, Whittington. Members are very welcome to attend but please reconfirm the date and time with any Committee member in advance.
February 14
Valentine's Quiz Night at the Narrowboat Inn, Whittington. Come and pit your wits against the other teams. See page 23.
March 1
Branch AGM and Talk at Chirk Marina. See details on page 7.
March 8-9
Boat Fender Making course at Audlem Mill (2 day course). For details and to book call Audlem Mill on 01270 811059.
March 23
Rag Rugging course at Audlem Mill. For details and to book call Audlem Mill on 01270 811059.
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April 6 - May 4 Canal Art Exhibition at Audlem Mill. www.audlemmill.co.uk. April 14
Branch Business Meeting at 7.00pm at the Narrowboat Inn, Whittington. Members are very welcome to attend but please reconfirm the date and time with any Committee member in advance.
April 17-21
Nantwich Jazz, Blues & Music Festival. www.nantwichjazz.com for details.
May 2-5
Norbury Canals Festival. All boats welcome - boaters' meal and goodie bags. For boat bookings contact harbourmaster Ray Buss at ray.buss@virgin.net or 07981 334282.
May 6
Branch private tour of Joule's Brewery, Market Drayton. See page 22 for more details and to find out how to book your places for a fascinating and fun evening.
May 23-26
Audlem Festival - music and arts events across the village. www.audlemfestival.com.
May 24-26
Crick Boat Show, Crick Marina, Northants. www.crickboatshow.com.
June 6-8
IWA National Campaign Festival, Tower Wharf, Chester. Details from Rally Secretary, Lesley Taylor on lesley.taylor@waterways.org.uk.
June 13-15
Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival. www.midfest.org.uk for details.
July 26-27
Audlem Festival of Transport and Gathering of Historic Narrow Boats. For boat bookings call Peter Silvester at Audlem Mill on 01270 811059. Space is limited to 40-45 historic boats.
September 6-7 Maesbury Festival. Can you help? Please see the appeal for volunteers on page 29. Branch Treasurer We still seek an enthusiastic and numerate volunteer to work with the existing Treasurer preparing and keeping accounts for branch meetings and head office records with a view to eventually taking over full responsibility. Call Denis on 01270 811157 for details.
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CRT Stoppage and Repair Plan 2013-14 Canal & River Trust has announced its planned programme of repair works for the winter period, requiring a number of stoppages across our branch area as listed opposite. For enquiries and information updates consult the stoppages pages at www.canalrivertrust.org.uk or call the North Wales & Borders Waterways regional office through CRT’s central telephone number, 0303 040 4040. On the Shropshire Union Main Line – there are no planned stoppages on the Middlewich Branch – all stoppages will take place before Christmas for the second year running. This has caused understandable concern, especially among some canalside businesses. In response, CRT has explained: “Our stoppage rationale has been to maintain a North-South route whilst accommodating major work schemes. Our major works team requested the maximum number of weeks possible to undertake repairs to both Chirk and Whitehouse's tunnels on the Llalngollen Canal. This necessitated moving the Shropshire Union stoppages to before Christmas and coordinating with our neighbouring waterway units to plan their stoppages to maintain the NorthSouth route. Next year we will commit to undertaking stoppages on the Shropshire Union Canal post Christmas.” Readers concerned about width issues at Hurleston Lock 4 (which is well known as one of the narrowest locks on the entire system) may be interested in this comment from CRT: “Our Central Engineering Team are monitoring the bottom lock to fully understand the reasons for any current movement. We are also working with a number of user groups and will be discussing our findings and engineering solutions with them in December 2013.” In fact, the meeting is scheduled for December 10 and a representative from the branch will be present. Lock mooring below Hack Green bottom lock, October 7, 2014.
On a positive note, the repairs at Hack Green to Bridge 86 and the lock moorings below Lock 2 are almost complete! Apparently there are still some 'snagging issues' that need to be addressed by the contractors, one of which is the surfacing around the bollards at the lock mooring (see photo). Shroppie Fly Paper
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Shropshire Union Canal Stoppage: Tyrley Lock 1 04 - 29 Nov 2013 Replacement of bottom gates. Stoppage: Adderley Locks 1 to 5 11 Nov 2013 - 15 Dec 2013 Repairs to washwall between locks 2 and 3. Repairs to washwall between locks 3 and 4. Stoppage: Marsh Lane Bridge 91 Safety Gate 09 - 15 Dec 2013 Replacement of safety gate. Stoppage: Nantwich Junction Bridge 92 Safety Gate 02 - 08 Dec 2013 Replacement of safety gate.
Llangollen Canal Stoppage: Pontcysyllte Aqueduct 20 - 29 Jan 2014 Repair to cast iron handrails. The towpath is also closed Stoppage: Grindley Brook Locks 1 to 6 03 Jan 2014 - 07 Feb 2014 Replacement of Grindley Brook Lock 1 top gate. Replacement of Grindley Brook Lock 4 top gate. General repairs through lock flight. Stoppage: Hurleston Locks 1 to 4 10 Feb 2014 - 07 Mar 2014 Refurbishment of bottom gates lock 4. Replacement of bottom gates lock 2. Replacement of top gate lock 1. General repairs within lock flight. Stoppage: Red Bridge 58 06 Jan 2014 - 07 Feb 2014 Shropshire County Council to undertake brick work repairs to arch barrel. The towpath is also closed Stoppage: Chirk Tunnel 20 - 22 Jan 2014 Undertake Principal Inspection of tunnel. Stoppage: Whitehouses Tunnel 20 - 22 Jan 2014 Undertake Principal Inspection of tunnel. Stoppage: Siambra-Wen Bridge 45W 06 - 31 Jan 2014 Denbighshire County Council to undertake repairs to bridge. The towpath is also closed Stoppage: Val Hill No3 Bridge 66 06 - 31 Jan 2014 Brickwork repairs below waterline on the wet abutment. The towpath is also closed
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Contrasting Cruising on the Monty We took Tamarind on the Montgomery twice this year, in early July and again in early September on our annual voyage with our friend Bryan, alias The Cabin Boy. I have some wonderful memories of our July trip, of the tranquility and the feeling of being a part of nature. I also remember a lovely evening when we sat out with a chilled white wine and watched the canoeists for over an hour at Queens Head. Paddlesport canoeists at Queens Head
Our September trip started well. Amy, the lock keeper, had done a sterling job painting and planting over the summer and the area around Frankton Locks was looking good. But we were warned by a boater coming up the locks to watch out for the weed and we soon found out what he meant! Entering Aston middle lock, Tamarind’s propeller became completely fouled with weed. There was nothing for it but to go down the weed hatch before we could proceed. Twenty minutes later, after a lot of effort by my two companions, we were on our way again. Photo: Michael Haig
On our way back up we had to clear weed out of Aston bottom lock before we could empty it and then clear an island of floating weed from in front of the top gate before exiting the lock. And, sadly, Tamarind shows the marks from the overgrown towpath and offside vegetation, which I am reminded of each time we clean her.
Frustrating weed at Aston Locks!
(Val Haig)
We heard quite a few of our fellow boaters complaining of the same thing and a couple of them said that they would not be back on the Monty again, which is sad to hear. Alan Platt also reported a few grumbles about the state of the Monty from his late September cruise. The problem has been drawn to CRT's attention so let us hope for improvement. Val Haig Shroppie Fly Paper
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All in a Day's Work… …albeit an unusual one, even by the standards of the locks at Hurleston. On this particular day in early September, Martin, the regular lock keeper, was walking up from the junction with the Shropshire Union when he noticed something sticking out of the bottom gates of the next lock. The lock was full and the hire boat inside was almost ready to leave the lock to continue its journey. But on closer inspection Martin realised the object sticking out between the gates was a rudder! So, obviously, the boat was not going anywhere. How the crew did not notice the weird angle of the boat as they filled the lock, or the creaking crunching sound as the trapped rudder snapped, or the turbulence caused by the boat readjusting its equilibrium in the water, is anyone's guess. It was just lucky the boat did not sink in the lock. Smart thinking solved the potentially tricky problem of how to remove the rudder without it falling into the canal and causing a blockage. Martin emptied the lock, lowering the boat to a level where he could manoeuvre the broken rudder onto the back of the boat, before hauling the craft by hand up the remaining locks in the flight. The moral of the story? Experienced lock keepers like Martin are worth their weight in gold and long may CRT continue to employ them to keep our waterways working. Dawn Aylwin
From the archives - An incline for milk churns? In 1922 Cadburys asked permission to make a wharf of one boat’s length, on the off-side of the canal in Grub Street Cutting, to the north of High Bridge. The company also wanted to construct an inclined lift upon the slope of the cutting to enable full milk churns to be transferred from motor lorries standing on the roadway to canal boats, and the empty churns in the opposite direction. The milk was to be taken to their Knighton factory, 3¼ miles away. The Shropshire Union’s Executive Committee agreed, providing Cadburys undertook to erect and maintain the wharf, including dredging the canal there, and to pay a rental of £3.10s a year. But was the wharf and incline ever built? There doesn’t seem to be any remaining physical evidence. Peter Brown
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Visit to Joule’s Brewery, Market Drayton Tuesday, May 6, 2014 7.00pm Next spring we have an exciting and original social event for you. We have arranged a private visit for IWA members and their guests to Joule’s Brewery in Market Drayton on Tuesday, May 6, 2014. For some of you this may coincide with your return journey from the Norbury Festival or indeed form a welcome extension to it. The Joule’s Brewery is at The Red Lion pub in Great Hales Street in the centre of Market Drayton, about 15 minutes walk from Bridges 62 or 63 (and is well regarded for its Slumbering Monk, Joule’s Pale Ale and Joule’s Blonde – Ed.). The evening will begin at 7pm when we gather in The Mouse Room for registration and an ale tasting.
Joule's Brewery, dominated by the malt tower Photo: Peter Brown
The Brew House tour will begin at 7.45 and the Brewery requests that you wear flat shoes because of the mesh flooring. There are five flights of stairs to climb to the top of the malt tower so probably best to keep the sampling to a minimum until after the tour! The Brewery does say that alternative arrangements can be made for anyone unable to climb the stairs, so please let me know in advance of any disabilities so that I can arrange this with them.
After the 35-minute tour you will be invited to sample the ale from the Brewery Handpulls followed by a Brewer’s Supper which consists of a giant soft white bap, filled with roast pork from the Joule’s herd at Fordhill Farm, with homemade stuffing, apple sauce and Joule’s Ale gravy. The Mouse Room will be ours for the evening and the Brewery Tap bar will remain open until 11pm for puddings, coffee, drinks or more ale. The tour will cost £8 per person, which includes ale sampling and the Brewers Supper. Any puddings or additional drinks will be at your own expense.
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Ladies, if you (like me) are not a beer drinker, don’t be put off. Female friends who have been on the tour tell me that it is very interesting and the Brewer’s Supper is delicious. And, of course, being attached to The Red Lion pub, there are plenty of alternative drinks available (though you will have to pay). Please let me know as soon as possible if you would like to join us as we have to achieve a minimum of 30 people attending for the event to go ahead. The £8 is payable before April 1, 2014 and cannot be paid on the night. Please make cheques payable to IWA Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch and send them to our Treasurer, Denis Farmer, at 8 Kingbur Place, Audlem, Crewe CW3 0DL. To reserve your places at what promises to be a very informative and enjoyable evening, please e-mail me at iwa@3-cm.co.uk. If you don’t have access to email you can phone me on 07976 280174. I hope to see you on the night. Val Haig
St Valentine’s Quiz Night Friday, February 14, 2014 7.30pm As usual, The Narrowboat Inn at Whittington will be the venue for the Branch Quiz Night. No excuses for forgetting the date! As you will know by now, Val Haig has agreed to take over from me as the branch social secretary. However, Val and Michael will (very sensibly) be away for some of the winter months in sunnier climes so Denis and I have agreed to organise and set the quiz. This year, in addition to the usual mix of challenging and not-so-challenging general knowledge questions, we have decided to include a speciality round on… Wimbledon! This will be an individual round set by our resident Wimbledon ace, David Aylwin, and he is offering as a prize a tube of three of the finest tennis balls. It will be the usual format with a meal beforehand from 6.30pm - prior notice of those wishing to eat would be helpful. The quiz follows at 7.30pm. It is a long way ahead so make a note in your 2014 Branch calendar and join us for a fun social evening. Contact Janet Farmer on 01270 811157 or email janden1@btinternet.com. Autumn 2013
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Top Award For Canal Leader Bernie Jones Shrewsbury and Newport Canals Trust (SNCT) chairman Bernie Jones has been awarded the IWA Christopher Power Prize 2013. The citation reads: “The Christopher Power Prize for the most significant contribution to the restoration of an inland waterway went to Bernie Jones who was elected chairman of the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust in 2011, and since then has led this challenging restoration which covers former canals of about 40 miles length running through three local authorities. The Shrewsbury Canal and Newport Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal run from Norbury Junction through Newport and Wappenshall to Shrewsbury, and include the first cast iron aqueduct at Longden-on-Tern and pass alongside Shrewsbury Flaxmill, the world’s first iron-framed building.”
Bernie Jones Photo: Alan Wilding
SNCT has over 1,100 members with active support groups centred at Newport, Wappenshall and Shrewsbury. In September 2013 the Trust submitted a Heritage Lottery Fund bid for renovations to the historic warehouse buildings at Wappenshall. Match funding support has been committed by the IWA. Christopher Power was a young waterways restoration volunteer who died tragically. The award comes from a cash fund set up by his family and presented to the Association. The annual prize is accompanied by a cheque for £985 and the Otter Trophy. It is planned to make a formal presentation at the start of a SNCT members’ boat trip at Norbury Junction on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 2 pm but meanwhile Bernie has already decided to use the money to buy a new winch for tree removals along the canal. Alan Wilding Erratum - Ellesmere marina plans In the Summer 2013 issue we stated (page 14, 'Marinas Update') that the proposed complex was "pending a planning decision". We are pleased to be corrected - no planning application has been made. The reference on the Shropshire Council website has the suffix 'SCO', which means 'scoping opinion'. We shall be more careful in seeking the guidance of our heritage & planning officer in future!
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Winter Walk : Saturday, January 4, 2014 This year the annual Winter Walk will be from Nantwich Basin to Barbridge, a distance of about four miles. The towpath, which has a reasonable surface but can be a bit muddy in places, takes us from the original terminus of the Chester Canal out into the South Cheshire countryside, past Henhull and Hurleston Junction before arriving at Barbridge, where the Middlewich Branch parts company from what is now the Shropshire Union Main Line. This section includes plenty of interest, with four canals built by three different companies. As usual, historical notes will be provided. We shall park at the Olde Barbridge Inn, which is just off the A51 (CW5 6AY for sat-nav users), then take the 10.40am Arriva service 84 bus towards Nantwich. The bus stop is on the main A51 road, some 300 yards from the inn, Barbridge Junction in 1959, showing the elegant so allow plenty of time. The pub’s warehouse that used to straddle the canal. toilets will be available from about Photo: Edwin Shearing 10.15 before taking the bus. When assembled at Nantwich Basin we will aim to start the walk by 11.00am. We will arrive back at the Olde Barbridge Inn, which has a good selection of aboveaverage pub food and good cask beers from the local Woodlands Brewery, in time for lunch. Peter Brown
“Camera, Action!” Emma emailed from Spun Gold TV. They were producing a canal programme with Timothy West and Prunella Scales and were looking for a local historian: would I be interested? I proposed Chirk Aqueduct as a good location — an attractive site on the EnglandWales border with plenty of visual history. We exchanged more emails as I tried to agree with her what I should talk about but after three times round in circles, still we could not reach a conclusion. Autumn 2013
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I was given the date and time, and it was agreed I’d be picked up at the Poacher’s Pocket. Then everything went quiet for a fortnight until the due date, when we drew into the car park, met cast and crew by their Chirk Marina hire boat and I was equipped with a concealed radio microphone. Instructions followed: first I had to pretend to arrive and be greeted, then while the boat was going along, I was to chat naturally to Timothy (steering) and Pru (sitting) about anything that might be of interest. All very vague.
Above: Timothy West and Peter Brown stare down the local wildlife (courtesy Quita Brown) Below: Unusual sights at Frankton Locks (courtesy Alan Platt)
Anyway, chat I did, trying hard to be natural, only to be told that I was talking too much to Timothy and ignoring Pru. This was difficult to correct, as he was giving me cues and she wasn’t! The biggest problem came when Mike, the director, said: “That was interesting — could you do it again?” I couldn’t remember what I’d been saying, and certainly found it difficult to resume a natural flow! With several stops, we went along Chirk Bank and over the aqueduct, tying up at the far end. Then I had to walk away (twice) waving at the appropriate point and finally say goodbye (three times, with a change of lens).
Impressions? The size of the team: six in all, plus the man from the boatyard; Timothy West’s concerns about continuity (was Pru sitting or standing in the last shot, were his trousers a different colour shade when he changed them?); how easy it was to ignore the camera and its operator; the vagueness of what was wanted from me. Later, thoughts about what I didn’t say, or didn’t say clearly. And the knowledge that my three hours will finish up as one minute at most. Peter Brown Four hour-long programmes will be broadcast on Channel 4, probably in spring. One will cover the Llangollen and Montgomery Canals, the others the Rochdale and Huddersfield, the Kennet & Avon, and a French canal.
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Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina summer events raise over £1,100 for charity Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina held two very successful events over the weekend of July 20-21 and raised over £1,100 for its chosen charities, The Powered Wheelchair Appeal and the Shropshire Union Fly-Boat Project. The money was raised through a ‘Boaters’ Bash’, attended by over 150, featuring a fish and chip supper and a live band on Saturday evening followed by a ’Family Fun Day’ at the marina on the Sunday. The Fun Day was also strongly supported and included a dog show, the everpopular Cheese Boat and radio controlled model boats in the marina, courtesy of Crewe Model Boat Club. The 107-year old Shroppie fly-boat, Saturn was also present, giving an opportunity to view the last purpose-built fly-boat afloat. IWA Shrewsbury & North Wales Branch were among the other stalls on site during the day, explaining the work of the IWA to visitors and launching sales of the Branch’s 2014 calendar (see also page 2).
Ceremonial Opening of Upgraded Towpath at Welshpool Over £1 million has been invested to transform 14 miles of towpath along the Montgomery Canal between Welshpool and Newtown, connecting the communities of Berriew, Abermule and Llanllwchaiarn and benefiting the large number of walkers, cyclists, joggers and anglers who use the towpath every day. The improvements have been completed through a Photo: Maggie Ellis partnership between Glandŵr Cymru - the Canal & River Trust in Wales, Powys County Council and Sustrans with the majority of funding coming from the Welsh Government. The route was formally opened on September 30, 2013 by Rebecca Evans AM. Autumn 2013
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Come with the Wind It bloweth where it listeth, and quite a lot of that is over the Welsh hills. The proposal to harvest that wind has been the cause of much controversy (not to mention the subsidy in our bills, or what we do when the wind doesn't bloweth!). Of course, IWA is only concerned about the impact on the canal, and we leave the larger questions to others. The hearings into the proposals for five onshore wind farms in mid-Wales continue in Welshpool. It is the UK's biggest ever such inquiry and is expected to last until next May at the earliest. Powys County Council, thousands of residents and an Alliance representing 21 local groups oppose the schemes, arguing that the turbines and pylons will disfigure the landscape and have an adverse © Ed Isaacs | Dreamstime Stock Photos impact on tourism. Of course, with the wind farms comes the connection to the national grid. The objectors tried to get the inquiry to consider that proposal too, but for some reason it is acceptable to consider the impact of the mid-Wales wind farms without taking account of the connection without which they cannot work. So National Grid – the conveniently named company which runs the national grid – has carried on planning the connection from mid-Wales to existing power lines at Lower Frankton: you will remember that they cross the Montgomery Canal below the Graham Palmer Lock. It is over two years since the pylon proposals first came to our attention. Then we had a preferred corridor. Now National Grid has announced its preferred route within that corridor. From the north, it would run south-west from a connection some 300 yards west of Lockgate Bridge, moving away from the canal, perhaps half-a-mile at the greatest. Pylons and canal would converge south of the A5, and the line would be near the edge of the nature reserve at Aston Bottom Lock, crossing the canal by Park Mill Bridge and then going south along the foot of Woolston Bank. National Grid says that the route seeks to limit effects on the canal and to reduce the effect on Maesbury Marsh as much as possible. From this point the pylons would keep away from the canal until they come to curve round Llanymynech Hill to a second crossing by Williams Bridge, where the canal is on an embankment between Carreghofa Locks and the Vyrnwy Aqueduct. (We Shroppie Fly Paper
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are concerned about this crossing. This is a very special area of the canal, with views up to the quarries of Llanymynech Hill, the very reason for its existence, so we will be making more representations in the consultation which follows.) One last observation, that National Grid remains very interested in the newly developed T-pylon. This is lower than the conventional lattice tower, and as the name implies has a simple T shape. National Grid is looking at how the pylon might be coated (camouflaged?) and has recently announced that they will be used on a new line in Somerset. Of course, whatever the outcome of National Grid's plans, the project will only proceed if the mid-Wales wind farms get the green light. Michael Limbrey
Volunteers Needed for Maesbury Canal Festival September 6-7, 2014
The magnificent support from our volunteer helpers in previous years has been a major factor in making the Maesbury Festival such a resounding success. To build on that, we now need our volunteers' skills again, to take over the responsibility for various tasks at the 2014 festival such as: Road management: control the access to and from the site, which is over a very narrow hump-backed bridge. Car parking: there are two sites to co-ordinate and unfortunately all the scout and guide groups in the area have camps during that weekend! Stalls: welcome stall holders on the day, show them where to go and check safety, risk assessments and insurance cover. Boat trips: collect and redeliver the CRT trip boat from and to Ellesmere and run the trips. Volunteer(s) will have to have a helmsman's certificate. Raffle: Collect prizes and organise the raffle during the weekend. Contact Dawn Aylwin 01691 830403 or email shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk
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Whitchurch Boat Gathering September 2013 The Whitchurch Boat Gathering held on September 21-22 was a very enjoyable event. It felt a 'happy' event but that may be because I was happy, as the weather was glorious. I thank all the kind people who arranged that for us. Several have claimed the credit. The spaces for stalls on the towpath were full up quickly this year and we resorted to shoe-horning stalls in on the plan. In the event, a couple of stalls didn't show up which gave us some breathing space. It can be chaotic when everyone is trying to unload gazebos and get the stalls set up, as the entrance to the towpath is restricted. All adds to the fun! Thank you to the IWA stalwarts for bringing your stall, it was good to see you all again. Jigsmith played for us all weekend, which was a lovely sound to accompany the buyers and sellers and gongoozlers. We were very fortunate, thanks to members of the Boat Museum Society, to have nb Ilkeston from the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, very capably towed by nb Canis Major. Fortunately Ilkeston had no problem going down through Hurleston though the less said about coming up, the better. The Shropshire Union Fly-boat Restoration Project also kindly attended, with Saturn ably manned by Bob Jervis. I know that all the working boats had a lot of interested visitors. For the first time, thanks to a few hot and sweaty volunteers, we were able to offer free boat trips and they proved a great hit with the public. Many thanks go to Canal & River Trust for the loan of their boat. We also did a 'bridge wind' and provided a donation bucket for grateful boaters to express their relief at not having to wind it themselves. The lift bridge used to be incredibly stiff but after many visits by CRT, it seems much improved. The dog show was well attended with many dogs sporting rosettes and gnawing balls after the event. It is good that visiting boaters as well as locals enter their dogs for the show. It was a good-humoured event with all dogs on their best behaviour. The theme for the Best Dressed Boat competition was 'the Romans', as Whitchurch was once a Roman settlement known as Mediolanum. The contest was won by nb Plover, ably assisted by Iain MacTavish and Clair Butler. Iain had gone to town with a phalanx of Roman oarsmen complete with shields and oars. Very fetching! Sadly only one other boat had joined in with the theme with a huge mosaic of all things Roman, which must have taken ages to complete and was excellent as well. Our quiz, held during the boaters’ social evening and always enjoyable, also tied in with the ‘Romans” theme. Lindsay Green Shroppie Fly Paper
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Whitchurch Gathering of Boats 2013 Photos courtesy of IJM Images
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Audlem Festival of Transport 2013 The pounds were full at Audlem as 38 boats attended this year's Gathering of Historic Boats on July 28, held to coincide with the Festival of Transport in the village. Audlem's gathering is unique, being the only such event held in the middle of a flight of locks. Photos by David Williams, captions from "Historic Working Narrow Boats Today" by David Williams and Peter Silvester.
From left: Electra, Ant, Jake, The North and Elizabeth. Electra and Jake were both Thomas Bantock boats. Ant was built in 1959 by E C Jones of Brentford and The North in 1925 by Yarwoods. Elizabeth, built as a butty for carrying coal in Birmingham, was converted in 1936 with the addition of a mahogony and iroko passenger cabin.
Cowburn & Cowpar boats Swallow, left, built in 1934 and operated until 1948 and Swan, breasted up, built in 1933 and operated until 1955. Swan entered private ownership in 1964 and Swallow in 1982.
Ibex, built in 1926 by W J Yarwood & Sons of Northwich