Towing Path Topics - September 2023

Towing Path Topics

DISCLAIMER

The views expressed in Towing Path Topics are not necessarily those of The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) or of its North West Region or of the Lancs and Cumbria Branch. They are, however published as being of interest to our members and readers. Nothing printed may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless so stated. The Association accepts no liability for any matter in this newsletter. No reproduction is permitted without acknowledgment.

Cover: Red Wheel at Wigan Flight, L&L Canal. See page 16

Photograph acknowledgements (All others by the editor)

Page 7 Facebook

Pages 11,12 John Hewerdine

Pages 10,12 Chris Jones

Page 18 Jim Lonie

Pages 20-25 Andy R Annable

Page 27 CRT

Abbreviations

LCT - The Lancaster Canal Trust

CRT - The Canal and River Trust

LCRP - Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership

L&L - The Leeds & Liverpool Canal

The editor retains the right to edit any article or letter submitted for publication.

Editor: David Faulkner

22 Moorland Road, Langho, Blackburn BB6 8EX

Tel. 01254 249265

Email david.faulkner@waterways.org.uk

Contents

5 Branch chair's report

10 Country Fest

14 Notts leaving

16 Red Wheel at Wigan

19 Canal Societies

26 Lancaster Canal

30 Branch social programme

8 Region Chair’s report

13 Balsam Bash

15 Navigation problems

17 Linlithgow Red Wheel

20 Purchasing a narrowboat

28 CRT news

31 Branch committee

We have changed the venue for our monthly social meetings to the Preston North Ibis Hotel.

Close to junction 1 of the M55.

See page 31 for directions.

First meeting is 7.30pm Wednesday 20 September

Please notify membership@waterways.org.uk or the editor if you would prefer to receive your copy of ‘Towing Path Topics’ by email rather than a printed copy, thus saving IWA money.

Editor’s comments

Welcome to our September edition. You should have already seen the notice on page 3 about the new venue for our monthly social meetings. We hope that more will attend now that it is closer to more of you, although we realise that we are a widely scattered branch.

I have had some responses to our previous edition. Who knew there were so many grenades lurking in our local canals? Especially the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, but I suppose it’s an obvious place to dispose of something like that and it’s the magnet fishermen that seem to be finding them.

It was good to hear from one of our Scottish readers, see page 17 for Jim Lonie’s comments about the Red Wheel awarded to Linlithgow Basin. Our latest NW canal Red Wheel was unveiled at Wigan (p16). Your editor joined the great and the good for a very pleasant occasion including a CRT buffet lunch next to the canal. Given CRT’s impending reduction in funding that will probably be the last of those.

I am not going to harp on about the reduction in CRT’s funding here, there is plenty about the government’s decision elsewhere in the newsletter. At page 28 I have included an extract from a recent post on CRT’s website about their planned programme of work to show that there will be plenty happening in the next 12 months. Just not enough, judging by the problems that boaters are encountering.

Talking of boaters, I hope that you find Mike Moon’s article about their new boat interesting (p20). Details of the interior will be in our January edition. I had planned to take photographs but Mike supplied those taken for the magazine ‘Canal Boat’. Sandra and Mike joined us on land at Country Fest in June.

Country Fest was held over a very hot June weekend. The following 2 months have been very wet of course, record breaking in fact. The effect of wet weather on a canal towpath can be seen on page 27, one of the reasons that LCRP are keen to improve the towpath to increase its use by all potential users. Long term it is hoped that such use will encourage people to support restoration of the canal to a navigable waterway.

Please let me know how you got on over the summer, whatever you were doing on or near the water. David

Branch chairman’s report

I hope you have been able to go boating and/or walking/running/ cycling along a towpath. We may have had a lousy July and August but don’t forget flaming June.

I am trying to remain cheerful despite some of the gloomy canal news. The reduction in CRT’s budget and the already parlous state of our canals, especially the Leeds and Liverpool is depressing. We will have to get back into campaigning mode, which after all is why the IWA was founded back in 1946. As a campaigning organisation we have achieved a lot over the years and will need to do so again.

Simply by remaining a member of IWA you are making an important contribution to the ‘Protect our Waterways’ campaign. Any extra financial support and physical help with branch activities can make a big difference.

At the moment the branch is not well equipped to undertake many activities in support of IWA’s objectives. We are still recovering from the sudden death of our chair, Wendy Humphreys and our committee has lost a further 4 active members Maralyn & Jim Nott who are moving away and Janet & Tony Dunning for health reasons (although Janet continues as membership secretary from home). We are grateful for all they have done for the branch over the years.

We need a new secretary and more committee members. It is not a great commitment, we meet on Zoom every 2 months . Even if you are not willing to join the committee, keep an eye out for our emails giving details of forthcoming activities and please offer to help if you are able.

We have changed the venue of our monthly social meetings to the Ibis Hotel in North Preston. It’s very close to the motorway network and the A6 out of Preston, so it is very easy to get to. It is closer to more of our members than Chorley, our previous venue, so we hope that more of you will join us. We will have access to the hotel bar if you fancy a drink, otherwise it’s a free evening.

If you have never been to one of our social evenings I would like to hear why not. Do the subjects of the talks not appeal? Can you suggest a speaker? I appreciate that it is simply too far for some, especially our Scottish members. Should we arrange an event further north? We have been to Kendal before now.

On the subject of our Scottish members I have not had any recent news about the proposal to create a Region or Branch in Scotland. CRT’s remit does not extend to Scotland so the politics are complicated. IWA members living in Scotland are currently allocated to this branch unless they opt for another one. It won’t have escaped their notice that we have not been able to organise any events up there and I struggle to find Scottish news to include in the newsletter. Hopefully that will change before long and you will have your own branch or whatever it becomes.

I was very pleased as Editor to be contacted by Jim Lonie about the Linlithgow Basin (see page 17). He has promised to give me a guided tour if I call in when I next visit my friend who lives further north in Fife.

We have not done a lot as a branch this year for reasons already mentioned. We attended Country Fest on a very hot weekend in June (I know, it’s hard to remember that we were crying out for rain). It’s an opportunity to publicise the IWA and tell people about the canal system, helped by the eye-catching IWA gazebo. We are wondering whether a show more closely linked to transport and/or heritage might be more suitable. If you have any suggestions please let me know.

Our only other event so far was the Haslam Park Balsam Bash. By then the unsettled weather was with us, which may partly explain why only 2 of us were there.

My thanks to the committee members for their valuable contributions. Special mention of Maralyn and Audrey who continued to help after their hip operations. Nigel Hardacre continues to be very active organising and leading walks, mainly in the vicinity of Preston. He has also been giving talks to WI groups and others.

Nigel is very good at spotting items on social media and elsewhere. There has been publicity about the problems with the lock gates at Glasson Dock which indirectly have affected the Glasson flight on the Lancaster Canal. He found the photographs opposite on Facebook about the culvert collapse on the Leeds & Liverpool canal near Burscough. If you spot similar items please email me (see page 2).

Best wishes for the rest of the year, let’s hope we get an ‘Indian Summer’, and hope to see you at the Ibis Hotel.

David Faulkner

The culvert collapse near Burscough

A big job repairing the collapse. Unfortunately the contractors left rock and clay in the middle of the canal causing boats to ground. A dredger had been despatched as I write this. Ed

It has not been a great summer so far, weatherwise, although I imagine that many of us accept the weather as it is in Britain and just get on with whatever it is. I rather like steering the boat in the rainproviding I am wearing my excellent wet-weather kit and have a glass of whisky to fortify me! You see wildlife and hear sounds that normally might be missed and I find it most therapeutic.

It has also not been a great summer financially - at least so far as CRT funds are concerned. Your National Trustees spent considerable time at our meeting last month discussing the whys and wherefores, the implications thereof and what we can and should be doing to fight the “waterways corner”. It will not be easy.

In a difficult economic climate, everyone is experiencing threats to the basic essentials and it will not surprise you to learn that more money for canals is not at the top of most people’s lists - indeed, way down. That, of course, does not make a campaign for maintaining the funding, let alone increasing it, any the less important. But the present Government will not be very receptive and nor, if we are to believe the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, will be a Labour Government.

So - we have a battle on our hands and we must use every weapon and every body to help us. There is a General Election forthcoming and we should, individually and collectively, be contacting MPs and aspiring candidates to put the case. And, equally, to Parish, District, Unitary and County councils and all the other users of waterways.

The IWA will be doing this at national level but localism is sometimes as - or more - effective. And any effective campaign could well help to boost our membership as the general public see what we are about. Any ideas or thoughts gratefully accepted!

We have just appointed a new Chief Executive and she is Professor Sarah Niblock. An experienced academic in the university and charity sectors, she is a narrowboater and qualified helmswoman. She comes to us in the IWA at a time when economic, environmental and membership problems are at the forefront of our considerations and we wish her every success.

As ever, thank you for your continuing commitment and enthusiasm.

Enjoy Autumn on The Cut.

Barrowford reservoir still out of use adding to water supply problems

One of many reservoir projects being undertaken by the Canal and River Trust. See page 28 for a list of their current projects. Ed

Evangelist for the Northern Reaches

Our attendance at the Crosslands County Festival (Country Fest Ed) gives our local IWA branch the opportunity to engage with a wide range of people from the immediate area who value their environment and wish to make the best possible use of the opportunities it has to offer. Our attendance as a group can only be a move in the right direction, in terms of engaging with the people who can help us move forward with watering the whole of the Northern Reaches, however big a hill we feel that is to climb.

As a busy Grandad, with family birthdays and other charitable groups to support, I decided to attend for one day, and chose the Saturday of the first weekend in June to give it my support. Saturday is probably the busiest day of the event and so I got to the showground early, along with all the other stall-holders. Three of us formed the local IWA team for the day and I have to thank David Faulkner for coordinating the event. We are also grateful to our friends The Lancaster Canal Society for helping with assembly of the IWA Gazebo tent, on the Friday, to give us a little shade.

We forgot to bring the ‘drowning man’ so had to improvise

It was a hot day, and even though the county showground was full of folk, many with young children, we could have been nearer the (mostly passing) crowd. Although the position of our stalls allowed room for planned children's games to proceed at the front of our location, we were just too far away for the public eye to be attracted to the idea of maybe strolling over, to read more about our attendance.

Having put David's theory in to practice, regarding the likely improvement in flavour of coffee from a nearby stall, if consumed from one of the IWA mugs (which were incidentally on special offer at the time), I decided that we must be more proactive and employ some evangelical zeal, in our promotion of the canal project which was top of my list. As a Unitarian, I am not great at telling folks what to believe but, half way through the day, I suddenly picked up a stack of IWA leaflets and started approaching people, as they walked by, with, "Did you know that there is a canal, just behind those trees?".

What surprised me most, was that nobody ignored me and walked by. Many folk knew of the nearby watered section of canal, although it is not visible from the showground. Several of them, in their programme for the day, were including a visit to the towing-path and some, a trip on the regular half-hour sample cruises which "Waterwitch" had on offer. After my two-minute intervention into their stroll, in amazingly hot sunshine (many with loaded pushchairs), several were keeping me talking about the issues, five minutes later.

David educating the children whilst Malcolm engages with their Dad part of our ‘modus operandi’

Opposite: Retreating into the shade

Yes David, it might be difficult to assess the value of our presence at such events, but thank you for going ahead with this one. Apart from it being a great marketing opportunity for the Northern Reaches Restoration, I quite enjoyed enlightening a few people on the values I hold dear, as an IWA member

John Hewerdine

We were blessed with glorious weather but it was too hot! We were right at the back of the gazebo by late afternoon.

Many thanks for their help to John, Jim Nott, Nigel Hardacre, Malcolm Sterratt, Ian Treanor and Sandra & Mike Moon.

Rescuing the drowning man, always popular with children.

Balsam Bash 1st July

Malcolm Sterratt and your editor joined the Friends of Haslam Park for what has become our annual event to try to eradicate the invasive species Himalayan Balsam.

The reason for choosing the park is to prevent the seeds entering the Savick Brook and moving into the Ribble Link.

By wearing our high viz tabards prominently proclaiming that we are IWA volunteers we help to publicise IWA to the many users of the park who pass by, usually walking their dogs.

The tabards are also very useful in spotting people in the lush undergrowth.

Loyal servants of the branch, Maralyn and Jim Nott have sold their narrowboat and are moving down south to be nearer their family. Maralyn was our branch secretary and Jim was on the committee. For some time he dealt with planning applications.

Both of them regularly helped at branch events, most notably running the branch stand on their own in the pouring rain at a festival in Bolton -le-Sands. Our September 2019 edition not only featured a picture of the IWA gazebo in action but one of it drying on their washing line afterwards!

Thanks both, we will miss you, keep in touch.

Farewell to Maralyn and Jim

Maralyn & Jim leaving their boat ‘Muckle’ at Scarisbrick marina

Navigation problems

In early July, Sue O’Hare, Chair of IWA’s Navigation Committee, wrote to say that all three TransPennine routes were currently closed by various stoppages, 11 as of 3rd July. Nick Roberts from the Trentlink Facebook group had raised his concern that people heading for the Pennine rings (which Trentlink promotes) were turning back. The situation on the Leeds & Liverpool was particularly bad.

Sue sent a link to the following letter in the Craven Hearld newspaper.

“FURTHER to your article, and comment on: The Canal and River Trust has announced its intention to remove 12 waste bins along the towpath of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal from near Gargrave to Kildwick.

So that will mean more poo bags thrown into our hedges and over walls into my livestock, hurrah for the penny-pinchers.

The quite ridiculous statement that the Canal and River Trust (CART) carry out any maintenance is absurd. At best, at least on the Silsden to Skipton branch, there is little evidence to support their claim. Indeed, there are bridges out of action, leaks, a towpath that exists in name only and, if anything does break, it’s merely patched up.

That’s not maintenance, that’s negligence. I’ve earned a reputation for assisting boaters through bridge 188 as it is, invariably, off its bearing. Moreover, if I’m not around, boaters take it upon themselves to ‘counterbalance’ the bridge by dismantling my farm wall.

This hasn’t happened once or twice, this is a weekly occurrence and, despite informing CART multiple times, nothing but platitudes. Considering boaters fees have increased twice in as many years, it would be interesting to obtain a Freedom Of Information (FOI) request to assess exactly where the money is being spent, because it certainly isn’t here.

Phil Baptiste, Kildwick”

It’s easy to criticise CRT but we all know that maintenance is not happening to the level it should, creating problems now and even more in the future. The letter illustrates that it is not just boaters who are affected. The particular stretch of the L&L Canal is not in our patch but we have similar tales to tell. Ed

Red Wheel Presentation Wigan Flight of L&L Canal

8th June, a prestigious Red Wheel plaque was unveiled at Henhurst Lock 86 by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester Melanie Bryan OBE DL, with Richard Parry CRT Chief Executive and NTT Chair Stuart Wilkinson.

An introduction was given by Bill Froggatt, CRT Heritage Officer in which he explained the importance of the Wigan Flight, the enormous size of the project and the work done by the 2 firms that were the actual contractors.

Jim Lonie, one of our Scottish members writes:

“The piece in the last issue about the Red Wheels at Hincaster tunnel and the Lune Aqueduct prompts mention of another, within broadly speaking, the Lancashire & Cumbria branch area—the Red Wheel at Linlithgow on the Edinburgh & Glasgow Union Canal in Scotland.

The basin at Linlithgow preserves a number of canal features. The stables (2 stables, each accommodating 2 horses) were originally part of a building also containing 2 cottages for canal workers. In 1829, 7 years after the opening of the canal, the two were converted to a single dwelling for the assistant to the Collector of canal dues. (The Collector himself already had a company house of somewhat more generous proportions.)

There was also a separate collector’s office depicted on early postcards but of which nothing is visible today. The remains can still be seen of the gate which forced boats to stop for their cargoes to be checked and charges levied.

Today the basin is the base for the Linlithgow Union Canal Society. The former stables and cottages are now a museum and tearoom. The wharves serve as moorings for the society’s boats (which offer canal trips and charters throughout the summer months) and for the hire boats whose occupants find Linlithgow a convenient and interesting stop between the Falkirk Wheel and Edinburgh.“

For photographs of the basin see next page.

Linlithgow Basin showing stables and (inset) remains of toll gate

The Lancaster Canal Trust

News from the August monthly bulletin: the working parties have been busy clearing the overgrown vegetation in the section from the first furlong to Wellheads Lane. We are looking at developing the canal banks and land adjacent to the towpath between bridges 172 & 173, making it more environmentally friendly for wildlife, insects and flora, and providing seating for people to relax and enjoy their surroundings. One possibility is to do this midweek for those of you who want to volunteer but can't do weekends. Another possibility is working from home, growing plants or making bird and bat boxes or homes for hedgehogs - watch this space.

If you want to keep up to date and receive the bulletin contact chair@lctrust.co.uk which is where you can volunteer too.

‘Kennett’ and her crew have been out and about. The season started in April with a flotilla cruising from Bingley to Skipton to mark the 250th anniversary of the opening of the first stretch of canal. Later that month was the Saltaire Heritage Day.

The Worsley Cruising Club welcomed them to the Federation Rally on the Bridgewater in May. In June they were at the Red Wheel unveiling at Henhurst Lock. Later that month saw them moored in Burscough for the Raft Race Weekend. They were due to be at Crooke for the beer, boat and folk festival on the first weekend in September but like everyone else may be affected by L&L stoppages.

Like everyone else, Kennet has suffered from a shortage of volunteers. Their onboard displays are an effective way of bringing the history of the canal alive, especially to children. If you can help, please email friendsofkennet@gmail.com

Before I enter into the details, I think it is necessary to know where we come from!

Sandra and I have hired canal boats for years, starting with Anglo Welsh in 1976, cruising the Staffs and Worcestershire from Great Heywood to Stourport in the company of two other young couples. We always had an interest in canals having part ownership of a “war boat” which had concrete bottom and elm sides, built in 1939.

During our first years of marriage in London, over the weekend, we used to take wood plank from Little Venice up to Slough Sawmills, because the access bridge, an old canal bridge, was no longer fit to take the ever-increasing size and weight of lorries. In any case the long trailers used to ground in the middle!

But I loved the history, the architecture and the philosophy of canals, and when we came North, we moved to Radcliffe, beside the derelict Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal. Much of our time was spent with Waterway Recovery Group, working at Buxsworth Basin (Bugsworth as it was then!) and then later at Ellesmere Port, working alongside Tony Hurst. I became a useful barrow boy and tipper truck driver.

So, over the years we explored most of middle England on a succession of hired narrow boats, and then later on we had a succession of timeshare boats as well. The furthest South and East we have been is the Aylesbury Canal just off the Grand Union, and Sharpness is the furthest South-West. We have been to Llangollen,

but not Chester, and we have been to Soar Junction and then westwards along The Trent and Mersey. We have been beyond Bingley going East, and into Liverpool going West, and most places in between. Plus many a visit to Gas Street Basin in Birmingham. Oh, we also cruised the Monmouth & Brecon, which is a beautiful canal; the Leek & Caldon and parts of the Kennett & Avon.

But to explore Yorkshire and beyond, we needed a smaller boat (most of the time we had two of us on a 66-footer) and we also needed suitably placed hire boats which are few and far between.

We looked at a 55-footer in Nelson, private sale which had an excellent hull, but the rest of the boat was basically condemned. We also lost our deposit! And then a chance conversation with Andy Young, the boat builders at Wheelton, made us realise that for not much more, and to have what we wanted, we might as well buy new. So, we looked at a few of their boats and decided to go ahead.

The first decision was narrow or wide. As things have panned out, I sometimes wish we had gone semi-wide, but we decided to stay narrow. Next was the overall style. We knew we did not want a cruiser stern, but it was very 50/50 whether to go trad or semi-trad. The final remit was traditional, comfortable and functional, an end we largely achieved.

The next discussion centred around the hull. We decided to splash out on a Jonathon Wilson hull, 57 feet with josher style bow and recessed panels. What we did not realise was that a josher bow came in at 58½’! More of that later. The other major decision at this stage was the engine, and because we were planning for the Trent and the Ouse and other rivers, we opted for a 43hp Beta marine.

We chose a simple internal design with bedroom at the stern, but also a hatch. Ample storage including cupboards over our feet, a fulllength wardrobe, followed by bathroom with shower and separator loo. Then the U-shaped galley with dinette for 4, next to another hatch and finally saloon at the front.

We paid a deposit on 11 November 2019, giving us time to sort out the specifics of the internal design and electrics. We were lucky that the people in front of us in the queue for boats wished to delay their build.

glazed windows with a thermal break. We literally have no condensation in any weather.

We have portholes to the stern and rectangular windows at the front. We kept the windows to a minimum, which bestows beautiful lines to the boat, but means that at times it can be a tad on the dim side, particularly for reading. The side hatch floods the boat with light, but obviously cannot be used in certain weather conditions.

For details and photos of the interior please see part 2 of this article which will be in our January 2024 edition, Ed

The hull arrived in April, and we missed that because of restrictions on visiting. Everything else had largely to be done by phone or email. We were allowed occasional visits, but it was a bit frustrating for everybody. We went to the large industrial estate at Leyland to choose the bathroom fittings and finishings, but they were in short supply. The wood for the flooring came in 2 batches. Andy had problems sourcing ballast and had to use something different to usual. But slowly the boat took shape.

We had originally chosen the name Brindley James. The canal engineer had always been one of my heroes, along with Brunel and Rennie. But with time, it fell out of favour. During lockdown we had time on our hands to read and research. One day I was watching a blue banded demoiselle damselfly flit along the canal edge, with wings rotating and flashing in slow motion. The Latin name is Calopteryx, so in a flash we solved the name and the colour scheme.

As we live so near to Tewitfield, that is where she was registered, and one day will probably end up near there. So slowly, everything came together, but with a minor problem. We had designed for a boat of 57 feet. The windows were not quite in the right place! So Andy had to make some adjustments, which he did with aplomb. But it does mean we will have to go diagonal on the Aire and Calder locks.

Launch day arrived October 13th 2020. The Chorley Guardian gave us a write up and video. We must have been on North-West News, because people in Silverdale, where we live, saw it on TV. A few days later we took Calopteryx for a maiden cruise, after which it was formally handed over and we made the final payment. However, it stayed at Wheelton for some final touches. So we had day trips and weekends out to Feniscowles and down through Johnsons Hillock Locks. We had a memorable day exploring Withnell Fold.

Calopteryx moved to Adlington for winter, enjoying the kingfishers along the stretch above Wigan flight top lock. But once lockdown struck again, because we were next to a residential mooring with vulnerable people aboard, we were not allowed to visit. I think it pretty well ruined the batteries. But in Spring 2021 we moved back up to Wheelton to have the solar fitted, eventually moving onto Reedley Marina near Brierfield. I cannot fault the marina, the facilities and the lovely people we met, plus the view across to Pendle, but it was expensive. Whilst there we put on new fenders front and rear with better anchoring points, particularly up front.

Canal Boat Magazine came and did a wonderful review of the boat. Next door to us was a brand new Bickerstaffe boat, all mod cons and not painted to my tastes. The couple came on board and the wife sat in our saloon and said “oh this is cosy”. The husband was quite upset to find that our boat was £40,000 less than his. I said nothing, just remembered our original remit! (Cosy, comfortable and functional.) Under gunnel lighting may be nice to have but is an unnecessary expense in my opinion.

We eventually removed ourselves to Lower Park Marina, near Barnoldswick, on the summit pound of The Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Basic, down to earth, but you have all you need, and once again good neighbours. That was in Autumn 2021. And there we stayed, because you could not travel far because of the water shortages and lock repairs of 2022. However, we did manage a trip to Gargrave, but spent many a weekend tootling between Barrowford Locks and Greenberfield Locks. There is a pub at Salterforth, café at Foulridge and café at Greenberfield during summer.

We fitted a better solar controller (MPPT), added a connection to the calorifier so we could heat water from hook up and connected the starter battery to the solar system. We found a local boat engineer to do all this.

The only real problem we have had is with one glass panel on the shower, and that needs refitting. I wish we had specified deep cycle AGM batteries; it is a pain to keep the lead acids topped up. When they finally expire, I may well go down the lithium route.

The hull was well worth the extra pennies. Calopteryx cleaves through the water beautifully and almost turns in her own length. Being so silent people keep asking if she has an electric engine. We bought some posh side fenders, but a couple of tyres on moveable clips is a far more effective solution. Wi Fi is provided by using my phone as a portable hot spot, and it has not let me down yet.

There you have it. The biggest problems have been Covid 19 lockdowns and water restrictions! But at least we bought her before prices escalated. The plan now is to head East to York and Ripon. We would like to make it up to Pocklington and then hopefully Lincoln and Boston. Time will tell.

Sandra & Mike Noon nb Calopteryx

(There will be details about the interior next time and maybe we will hear about the travels (hopefully not travails) of Calopteryx during the summer of 2023. Ed)

Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership

Canal & River Trust, IWA, Kendal Town Council, Lancs County Council, Lancaster Canal Trust, Lancaster City Council and Westmorland & Furness Council

At the July executive meeting a more formal structure for the partnership was agreed, splitting the work into 4 main priority areas –Towpath Trail Improvements; Funding; Biodiversity; Publicity & Promotion. Each group reporting back to the board quarterly with an annual general meeting to which the public would be invited.

This is the branding for the Towpath Trail which eventually will extend from Kendal to Lancaster. It will feature on signage and the new interpretation boards which should be installed shortly. We are hoping to generate some publicity when the first board is unveiled, probably at Kendal

We await the outcome of our bid to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. If that is successful CRT can go ahead with extending the towpath from Stainton to the same standard as achieved with the Sports England funding. How far depends on how much we get.

For those people who do not consider any improvements to the towpath are necessary they have probably not walked it in winter. The photographs opposite were part of the funding bid illustrating the dire nature of parts of the towpath after bad weather. The plan is a multi-user, all–weather path needing minimal maintenance.

The towpath of the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal south of Stainton. Below is the towpath west of Stainton to the proposed standard for all the trail.

New CRTprogrammeofworkto help protect ourwaterways Ensuring safe canals

Against a backdrop of the government announcing sweeping cuts to the future funding of canals, in the current financial year, we will complete more than 450 separate engineering projects across our network, including manufacturing and installing 123 lock gates. We will also carry out over 1,000 reactive repairs and will continue the vital programme of works to our canal-feeding reservoirs.

With the network used and enjoyed by more boats and people than ever before, our continued work over the current financial year will help ensure canals are safe and available as they face up to the challenges brought about by climate change.

Works in need of investment

All this work requires investment, and we are planning to spend £89m on this year’s programme of repairs and maintenance. The cost of maintaining the network year on year is increasing due to its age, the effects of inflation and the additional expense of responding to more frequent and extreme weather events. This is why we have expressed concern over the scale of funding available to ensure an adequate works programme in the years ahead.

Central to the 2023/24 programme is the ongoing work to help ensure the resilience of the water needed to keep canals topped up, with continued investment to safeguard the water supply from our reservoirs – the oldest in the country.

£26.5m of the programme is earmarked for 37 of our 71 reservoirs, with works including spillway replacements, upgrading the capacity to ‘draw down’ water levels, improving access and reducing leaks. 19 reservoir projects will be on site during the year including ongoing activity at Toddbrook (Peak Forest & Macclesfield canals), Harthill (Chesterfield Canal), Barrowford (Leeds & Liverpool Canal), March Haigh and Swellands (both Huddersfield Narrow Canal). A further 18 reservoir projects are being developed, with construction works planned for future years. In addition, repairs along canal beds, canal walls and at locks will help ensure millions of litres of water aren’t lost from the network’s ageing structures.

We are continuing to invest in further works to improve navigation, carrying out a £6.5m dredging programme including 11 routine maintenance projects, three national programmes, spot dredging and

dredging to canal feeders. £1.8m is allocated to dredging at Gloucester and Sharpness docks to tackle high levels of silt.

In addition, £2m is planned for stabilisation and leak sealing on four embankments, £2m for improvements to five mechanical and electrical structures, £1.4m for the refurbishment of seven bridges and £1m to repair six culverts. Two programmes focus on reducing leaks in critical areas and two on the resilience of river sluices supporting water control on river navigations. External funding is supporting the continued restoration of the Montgomery Canal and a programme of works to the iconic Anderton Boat Lift following recent repairs.

From the ‘Burnley Express’

Six-week road closure in Burnley for aqueduct repairs

Yorkshire Street is due to be closed from Monday, June 5, for essential maintenance to the aqueduct which carries the Leeds and

Branch Social Programme

Date Speaker Topic

Wednesday 20 September Nigel Hardacre

Wed 18 October Paul Hindle

The tram road of the Lancaster Canal and the bridge across the River Ribble

Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal: History and restoration— latest update

Wed 15 November Daniel Crowther Preston Basin; History and the campaign for its restoration

Wed 20 December Videos

“Jacob’s Join”, bring some food to share, followed by some canal videos

Wed 24 January To be confirmed A meeting on Zoom or Teams

A new venue, see opposite, we hope that it is closer to more of our branch members and easy to find.

The meetings are on the 3rd Wednesday of the month starting at 7.30pm but we will be there from 7.00pm for a chat.

The usual format is that the talk is in two halves with a break in the middle for tea or coffee and a biscuit. There is a bar at the hotel if you would prefer to use that. We finish between 9.30 and 10.00.

There is no charge but we hold a raffle to help pay the cost of the room and speaker (if they charge).

We are having a change at Christmas this year. Rather than meeting for a meal out, we are having a Jacob’s Join which should be just as convivial and save some money at an expensive time of the year. Bring along something to share, savoury or sweet.

With the prospect of bad weather, we are meeting remotely in January via either Zoom or maybe Teams as IWA is moving to that system.

Venue for social meetings

Ibis Hotel Preston North

Garstang Road, Preston PR3 5JE

It’s next to junction 1 of the M55. If using the M6, northbound or southbound, leave at junction 32 to join the M55 and immediately take the left lane signposted Preston/Garstang.

At the lights at the roundabout turn left onto the A6 then after 50 yards turn left onto Eastway, B6241. Down the hill, cross over the roundabout into the car park of the Ibis Hotel and Phantom Winger pub.

If travelling east on the M55 leave at junction 1; 3rd exit from the roundabout towards Preston then left onto Eastway as above.

From Preston probably easiest to use the A6, Garstang Road, go round the M55 roundabout and join Eastway as above.

The Garstang Road, A6 is a bus route. Get off at the fire station, cross the road and make your way down Eastway.

When you enter the hotel reception please register your car number

BRANCH COMMITTEE