Chichester Ship Canal Trust

Celebrating National Heritage day on Saturday, 9 th September

On Saturday 9th September we shared our passion for the history of the canal. Members of the public found out how it all began with an Act of Parliament in 1817. John Rennie built the Portsmouth and Arundel Canal with three sections. Learning about its working origins, gradual disuse and then renovation in the late 1970s was interesting. Visitors were able to read about the restoration work by The Portsmouth and Arundel Canal Society and how the canal is now an important recreational and wil dlife area.

The Heritage Centre brings 200 years of history to life with a model of a narrow boat and canal artefacts. There were also display boards and touch screens with images from the past. Visitors were able to find out about the wildlife and plants that are found in and around the canal and our volunteers were happy to answer questions.

There were a few free activities for children and a canal trail organised by our volunteers.

After visiting the Heritage Centre, visitors could walk along the canal path, or take a canal boat cruise to see how the canal has developed. Imagining the barges loaded with a cargo of building supplies and coal and contrasting it with today’s canal boats, paddle boarders and rowing boats was interesting.

The canal cafe was open for refreshments with visitors able to sit outside in the sunshine or enjoy the views from the balcony. We also had a selection of mementos for sale in the shop.

Be “bewitched”

On Wednesday 25th October, we are offering a Halloween themed family fun day from 10am to 3pm in the Canal Heritage Centre. There will be lots of spooky activities for 3 – 11-year-olds, including decorating masks, frogs and pebbles, hallowe’en colouring, creating scary spiders, word searches and much more.

Please feel free to drop in… in fancy dress if you like. This event is free and no pre-booking is required, although we always welcome donations to the Trust. An accompanying adult must stay with the child(ren). The canal cafe next door will be open for refreshments. Our volunteer community team look forward to welcoming you!

Courtesy of The Chichester Canal Trust website

Kennet & Avon Canal News

Newbury Branch

The Newbury Branch is based at the Stone Building beside the Canal on Newbury’s historic wharf and keeps an eye on the canal from Kintbury to Woolhampton. The Branch’s trip boat Jubilee runs trips from The Wharf throughout the boating season.

Our trip boat Jubilee has operated in Newbury since 2012. The boat is crewed by trained volunteers who enjoy sharing the delights of the Kennet & Avon canal. Jubilee provides public trips throughout the summer months. We particularly enjoy our themed trips aimed at children such as our Pirate, Halloween and Santa trips.

Teashop by the Canal is a Grade II listed Stone Building in Newbury Wharf which is open daily for light refreshments, cakes, sandwiches, ice creams and canal gifts. With outdoor seating overlooking the canal it’s the perfect place to enjoy the waterway, waving to the boats as they pass by.

Most years, we organise the Newbury Waterways Festival, which is held on a weekend in July in Victoria Park by kind permission of Newbury Town Council . The main event is on the Sunday when Victoria Park is filled with trade and charity stalls with entertainment for all the family. We arrange a colourful flotilla of boats to moor alongside the Park. The branch raises a significant amount for Trust fund s through the festival. The next Festival is due to take in 2024. Unfortunately the start of the boating season for MV Jubilee was badly hampered due to very strong flows on the River Kennet rendering it unsafe to operate. It was not until late May that trips were back in full swing. Our regular public trips are on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 12 noon and 2pm and will run until the end of October. For further details and to book online please visit: www.jubilee.katrust.org.uk .

Reading Branch Chairman’s Report

Hello,

What a strange few months it has been. It’s September and I’m looking at a blue sky and a warm sunny day. The summer seemed to pass largely under grey skies. The Swallows have flown south, and we are now hearing the owls and deer at night. I’m still se eing Dragonflies buzz around the water edges, and butterflies still picking up on late blooming flowers. There has been quite a lot of activity at the unfashionable East End of our waterway. In June we had our Annual Water Fest. A popular event which we organise in conjunction with Reading Borough Council. This year was the 300th anniversary of the opening of Kennet Navigation in 1723. I had the pleasure of recreating Robert Blake’s experience (Mayor of Reading 1723). He had led a protest party out to Burghfield to damage the works of the Kennet Navigation being built. He anticipated loss of trade if boats had no need to transfer their loads at his wharf in Reading and could proceed onto Newbury. He was arrested and given the option of 6 years hard labour or to support the Navigation.

At Water Fest I presented the current Mayor with an arrest warrant… charging him as Reading Borough Council with failing to support the waterway, and failing the business community, with the lack of provision of facilities for boats. Our regular blacksmith John Loveluck from Anvil Forge in Farley Hill acted as “police” to put the Mayor behind bars. The Mayor chose to support the waterway, as did his predecessor, and promised a meeting.

This year we had The Trusts’ Newbury trip boat Jubilee run short trips around the Forbury Loop. Our own trip boat Matilda Too carried the Mayoral party to the event, and then ran as an overflow for the popular boat trips.

The winners shield for “Best Dressed Boat” had run out of space for winner names. Last year’s winner Paul Fitt (Nb Lancing) kindly arranged to upgrade it using a piece of elm taken from the base plate of an old working boat. The Bel and Dragon (now renamed “The Narrowboat”) donated the prize. This year the award for Best Dressed boat was presented to John, Tricia and Winnie (the dog) on NB Liquorice Fields together with the updated trophy.

Roy McFarlane the Waterways Poet Laureate talked to visitors and boaters to generate some inspiration. At the end of the day Roy performed a number of pieces of his work to the gathered crowd. He gave a performance to the gathered crowd along Chestnut Walk from Matilda Too before introducing the Duck Race. This year we had prizes donated by ABC boats, London Brasserie and trips from both Jubilee and Matilda Too.

Following the arrest of the Mayor at Water Fest we had an initial meeting with Reading Borough Council to discuss improving the 1 st Mile of the Kennet and Avon Canal from a waterways point of view. We hope that boats will be made to feel more welcome in future. This seemed to go very well, and we were promised a continuation of this discussion after the holiday period and to meet in September with a view to bring in a wider group of interested parties to improve the condition of the area between the Thames / Kennet confluence and County Lock. The Tea Rooms in Aldermaston continue to flourish. The Tea Rooms with Liz and Siobhan at the helm have developed a great friendly feel in a short time, with a bookable “snug” room for small meetings. The gardens are looking neat and welcoming, and the reshaping of the picket fence has meant the boaters’ water point is now freely available from the Towpath.

The Toll /Wash house building has had a full restoration to conservation standards, as a listed building which predated the canal. We have been building the presentation area inside to welcome visitors to an information centre. It has taken longer than hoped waiting for plaster to dry out, and meanwhile we have been gathering the elements to show as the workings of a 19 th century wash house and Toll Office. We are still looking for an old “Copper” to refit, and compiling information and artifacts to provide an interesting display. We have opened the building on request to show the work in progress, but there are still items to be put in place and the counter / barrier across the building is still to be completed. Until this is in place it is not sensible to open to all unsupervised.

We started our 1st full season with Matilda Too our trip boat running on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. We also did Fridays for the school summer holidays. Running midday, 1.00, 2.00, 3.00 for our 45 minute trip around Central Reading. We have also provided a number of charters for the local history group, U3A and some birthday and wedding celebrations. We have received some great Trip Advisor comments and have gained 3 new volunteers. The Trust has a new web site that is now active. The boat booking system is much improved, and Trips can be booked on the new system in a much more user-friendly way. It also has dynamic information about the activities and events, and information about the work the Trust is doing.

We are restarting our “winter” branch meetings again on the 3 rd Tuesday of each month and will be in person at “The Narrowboat” (formally Bel a nd the Dragon) in Reading on the Humber Barge. I will again set up a zoom session so folk can join us over the wire if you can’t get to the meeting in person.

The first meeting was on the 19th of September at 7.30pm. We had David Cliffe talking about “The Town on Two Rivers - History of Reading’s Waterways”.

The speaker at the meeting on October 17 th was Darren Bone, the New KACT Enterprise Chair, talking about his waterborne experiences. Our speakers on November 21st will be Liz and Siobhan. The topic “A year at Aldermaston Tea Rooms”.

Non members please feel free to come along or contact me for the Zoom access.

Keep well and look after each other.

Graham Puddephatt chair.reading@katrust.org.uk

Future Events

Tues 21st Nov: Liz and Siobhan: “A year at the Aldermaston Tea Rooms”.

Sat 8th June 2024: Reading Water Fest

Entry donation to Meetings, including K&A members, £2.50 (to help with expenses). All meeting start at 7.30pm and further details can be found on the Website at www.katrust.org.uk

Crofton Beam Engines

Crofton to the Rescue

Crofton Beam Engines, the Grade 1 listed historic pumping station, at Crofton near Marlborough was called into action to keep the Kennet and Avon Canal in operation. The 200 year old steam powered pumps were be running on the 18th, 19th and 20th of August doing the job they were installed for over 200 years ago. An urgent request for assistance was answered by volunteers at the station to provide pumped water to the summit of the canal on one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year. Normally this need would be fulfilled by the Canal & River Trust electric pumps but due to unforeseen circumstances this was not possible. This was an unexpected bonus for our visitors as the Station was not due to be in steam until the August Bank Holiday weekend. The hastily assembled team of boilermen, drivers and supporting engineers carrying out this task show the commitment that Crofton Beam Engines has to keeping our industrial revolution heritage alive.

Press Release by Crofton Beam Engines

Future Events:

Please visit our website for up to date information on our Open Days: www.katrust.org.uk

Photo and information: Crofton Beam Engines

Maidenhead Waterways

After an on/off summer for boating and the end of the nesting season our volunteers are now focusing on maintenance and enhancement work on the restored waterway through Maidenhead town centre.

Our new 3.9 m heavy duty aluminium Seastrike work boat, with its own bespoke weed rake (pictured in action), is already proving its worth and allowing volunteers to more easily remove excess weed from the channel.

This was followed by another visit from professionals Weedcutter Ltd (pictured) whose hydraulic powered fork lift rake tops our modest efforts!!

Earlier we finally got rid of the ugly grilles that had been disfiguring one of Brunel’s lovely GWR brick arches over the waterway – seen here before and after.

An extended project followed to build a gravel filled “French Drain” behind the timber capping in the town centre channel. Now completed, the drain protects the wood from prematurely rotting where wet vegetation had been laying on it.

Finally, we have enjoyed our first visit of the season from the IWA Waterway Recovery Group’s BITM team. Some 13 volunteers (pictured) worked for the whole weekend in lower Bray Cut, using a tirfor winch and chains, chain saws and a canoe team to remove 5 large fallen trees that were blocking passage. They are booked for two further sessions in Bray Cut this winter as we continue to progressively open up the 3 km long link from the restored town centre channel down to the Thames by Bray Marina.

Richard Davenport Chair of the Trustees

River Wey & Godalming Navigations

As we approach the latter part of the season and looking back over the year, once again it has been a pleasure to have the privilege of working on the Waterway and seeing the enjoyment that so many people get from interacting with it in the variety of ways that we have here.

Updates from along the Wey:

Wey River Festival: After cancelling last years festival, we were all so happy to see its return this September, and what a festival it was! With over 4,000 visitors to the wharf throughout the day and into the evening, more than 40 stalls, live music and entertainment all culminating in the Illuminated Pageant with over 20 boats taking part. This is a highlight of the calendar for us. It was great to welcome so many new faces to the Wharf, along with our more regular visitors, and to get the chance to meet so many of river user community. Thank you to everyone who helped support this event and we hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Emergency Papercourt Cill repair: Unfortunately, the week before the festival, the lower cill at Papercourt Lock was broken causing us to have to close the Navigation for 4 days. The most likely cause of this was improper lock use. We believe that the top paddles were opened whilst the bottom gates were still open causing them to slam closed. This dislodged a piece of concrete large enough that it took more than two people to physically move. In order to get the Navigation opened again in time for the festival the maintenance team, backed up by various lengthspersons and volunteers put in an incredible effort working 14hr days to get the job done.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind our boaters to please treat our locks carefully. They are a heritage asset and so are not as robust as some of the ones found on other canals and waterways. If anyone is unsure of the appropriate method for operating locks on the Wey, please see the information for boaters handbook, speak to a Lengthsperson or call the office/Thames Lock for more information.

Boaters Meeting: This month, we restarted our annual boaters meeting. The idea of this was to firstly update our boating community on future plans for the Navigation, to talk about projects and any potential closures over winter, and to give general updates about the Navigation. But secondly, was to provide the opportunity to give us feedback directly and talk about your views, opinions and wants for the Navigation. It was great to meet those of you who turned up, to hear about your experiences and to hear more first-hand accounts about the day to day life on the Navigation.

Thank you for your input and I hope to see you all again (along with some more of our boating community who weren’t able to make it) next year.

Update on main projects/maintenance:

• Realigning of Stonebridge Mooring and Jetty (completed) – The staging along our Stonebridge mooring line has been flattened with the necessary spot repairs being completed. Evaluation of vegetation at each length and visitor moorings (completed) –Walking the length of the Navigation from Godalming to the Thames, the General Manager and Head Lengthsperson have looked at the vegetation management plan for each section and will be looking to implement changes over the coming months ready for next season.

• Spot dredging of moorings (completed)

• Bank protection, St Catherine’s to Catteshall (completed)

• Rebuild of Godalming Wharf Jetty (Completed) – All staging and piling has been replaced, giving the wharf a fresh lease of life.

• Replacement of main beam across Old Bucks Weir (Delayed) – Due to contractors working in the adjacent field creating the Fish Pass, this project was put on hold but will look to be completed later this year.

• Tow path works Addlestone area (Completed)

• Repair of bridge over Unstead Meadow Weir (Delayed)

• S.106 Tow path repairs Dapdune to Guildford (Pushed to 2024) – These repairs will run from the Railway bridge by Dapdune Wharf up to Walnut Tree Bridge. Disruption to river users will be kept to a minimum.

• Pennywort Removal (Ongoing) – This is an ongoing issue along the Navigation and our field teams continue to work with the Environment Agency to remove the Pennywort before large rafts are formed.

• Godalming Wharf Wall (In progress) – We are very happy to see this wall being repaired after years of temporary fencing impacting the views and feel of being at Godalming Wharf.

• Stoppages and Worsfold Gates (Nov) – Please see our River Conditions page for updates on the expected closure dates (https://riverweyconditionsnt.wordpress.com/ )

• Thames Lock Footbridge replacement (Jan/Feb) – Due to the complexities of this project, this will result in an estimated 10 week closure of Thames Lock

October Events:

Harvest Home: This took place on Sunday 8th October. Families came along to have a go at making and tasting their own freshly-squeezed apple juice, with locally donated apples. All the family was welcome to try our apple scratter and apple press. There was also a family trail and apple printing.

October half-term, Mon 23rd - Fri 27th Oct, 11am-5pm: Follow Hubert the hedgehog’s trail and discover more about his hibernating friends and then enjoy free messy arts and crafts.

Spooktacular fun run, Sat 28th Oct, 4.30-7.45pm: As darkness falls, dress up in your finest Halloween costume and test your fitness and your fears in our 2k night run around the haunted Wharf and island. Look out for a string of spooky surprises on the way! There will also be story-telling and free craft activities. £3 per runner - booking advisable.

Thank you for continued support. As most of you will be aware, the Wey Navigations were gifted to the National Trust with certain restrictions being put in place by the Stevens family. These were namely that any money raised o n the Waterway, stays at the Waterway. As such, the Navigation is one of the few restricted fund properties within the Trust. This means that every penny that you pay for moorings and licences is put back directly into the management and upkeep of the Waterway. Without your support, it would not be possible to keep it running (or I guess I should say flowing) to the standard it is and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for everything that you have contributed.

Please visit our website (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/riverwey ) for up to date information.

Tristan Brown Wey Navigations General Manager

On July 8th members of the Steam Boat Association of Great Britain gathered at Dapdune Wharf, Guildford for the annual Puffing -A-Wey event. Regular attendees this year included Zara Finn, Aurelia, Anna Jayne, Ursula, Gladstone, Mazeppa and Lady Amanda. Also present were newcomers Lollipop, Cutty Wren and Pioneer. An interesting newcomer was Regen II, not strictly a steam launch but a modern twin hull vessel powered by a Stirling engine, a device conceived over 200 years ago as a hot air engine. Regen II's modern engine uses high pressure helium as a working fluid and is externally heated by LPG.

Mark Rudall coordinated the event and brought his electric launch Emerald. As an innovation this year Mark delivered two short talks, the first on the challenge of continuing to use fossil fuels and the second on boat restoration. I attended the second talk in which Mark described the construction and history of his boat Emerald. A wooden boat with copper nails, Emerald had narrowly escaped scrapping and burning on a bonfire. Mark discussed the contrast between using traditional hand tools and

Wey River Festival 2023

A warm and sunny September 16th saw Dapdune Wharf thronged with visitors for the Wey River Festival. Many local waterways organisations were represented and there were also a number of craft stalls selling their wares and exhibiting their skills. There were children's activities on the Island and several refreshment stalls on the wharf. Music and dancing were provided by the Honeysuckle Jazz Band and the Pilgrim Morris Dancers. The National Trust trip boats were operating and of course the National Trust Tearoom was serving teas and snacks. The event was very well attended and our Branch stand was very well supported by visitors.

I was pleased to participate in the Illuminated Pageant in the evening. Around twenty boats were decked with lights and their skippers attended a briefing beforehand. Steve Stewart, River Wey Maintenance Supervisor, gave a safety briefing and Rodney Wardlaw, Festival Harbourmaster, outlined the plan for boat movements. Every skipper was given a red fluorescent safety light stick to be carried at the stern. The boats cruised to Millmead Lock around 6:00 pm and were assembled in order. Some skippers had chosen to proceed directly to the Row Barge near Stoke Bridge for a meal after the Pageant and their boats were placed at the front of the line. The boats at the rear of line were to turn below the A3 bridge and return to Dapdune for the night. The Pageant was led by Dapdune Belle, with the Pantasy Steel Band playing onboard. It was a calm mild night as dusk fell and the marshals gave us the instruction to proceed. Navigating at night requires extra care, even more so when one is dazzled by the lights on one's own boat and is following a boat whose profile is made unclear by flashing and chasing lights. One needs to take care to follow close enough to maintain the continuity of the Pageant while avoiding a collision with the boat in front. Added to this is the stress of knowing that one is steering the boat under the gaze of the public! All the effort is worthwhile however when one sees the crowds of spectators on the bridges and towpath and hears the applause and appreciative comments. Turning the bend approaching Dapdune I was amazed to see that the wharf was crowded to capacity with spectators, and I felt that this was a fitting climax to the event before I returned to my mooring.

Wey and Arun Canal Trust

WACT News Obituary John Wood, Vice-President

We have been sad to learn that our VicePresident John Wood MBE died on 5th September in Didcot, Oxfordshire at the age of 85. We express our sympathy to John's widow Joy and his family.

John Wood was truly a key figure in the early history and development of the Canal Trust. John joined the Wey & Arun Canal Society (which later became the Canal Trust) in December 1971 and remained as an active volunteer for more than 40 years. He served as Hon. Secretary from 1975 to 1997 and as Vice-Chairman from 1989 to 1996, among many other positions. John's enthusiasm and commitment were exceptional and it is largely thanks to him that the Trust grew from a small startup society to the organisation that has now achieved so much.

The early years saw many challenges and John's calm, patient and persistent approach must have been an invaluable asset. In 2000 John was appointed MBE by Her Majesty the Queen for services to Conservation and Canal Restoration in West Sussex. In 2012 John published his book "The Wey-South Project", covering the years 1966 to 2009. This is a fascinating read and an indispensable reference source for current members and future historians.

New section of canal acquired by the Wey & Arun Canal Trust

We are delighted to announce that the Canal Trust has purchased another section of canal. This is the Gennets Farm section near Loxwood in West Sussex and south of Gennets Bridge Lock which was restored by the Trust in 2018.

After the purchase of the Bonfire Hanger section of the canal in May this year and with a section including the lock itself that we already owned (Gennets Bridge Lock), a continuous length of about 1.5 km/1 mile is now in our ownership. This is in addition to the length of about 5 km/3 miles in the centre of Loxwood where we run our public trips boats and have a canal centre and which is leased on a long-term basis.

The latest acquisition is a tribute to the work of our teams, especially our EWG (Eric Walker Group), who have transformed the Gennets Farm section in recent years and continues to open up more restoration opportunities.

Official Opening of Birtley Bridge No. 2 – Saturday 28th October

We are delighted to announce that the official opening of the Birtley Bridge No. 2 will be at 2pm on Saturday, 28th October (about 1 mile south of Bramley village, near to the Downs Link walking and cycling route). The What3Words address is slips.unique.grapes.

Parking in the Birtley area is very limited and if you need a disabled parking space we will make special arrangements, and in this case (only) please email events@weyandarun.co.uk . No need to register if you do NOT need a special parking place.

If you can, please take the opportunity to park in Bramley village and take the traffic-free path along the Downs Link (the old railway route) for about 1 mile to Birtley. We recommend that while you are in the Birtley area you take the time to walk down the towpath to see Birtley Bridge No. 1 and the popular circular walking route we have created. This circular walk from the Downs Link path goes past both bridges and returns to the Downs Link.

Boat Trips. A private boat trip can be a great way to celebrate a special occasion, or a fun outing for your group or society. We provide the boat and the crew and we can also help with refreshments. The best way to book is to use the online enquiry form on our website or you can contact support@weyandarun.co.uk.

For general information on the work of the Trust, please telephone our Northern Office on 01483 505566, or visit www.weyandarun.co.uk

River Thames News

I have to report improved relationships between EA Officers and river users. Elsewhere you will have seen the need for sustainable funding for all waterways and the Thames is a good example of how a lack of funding over time has led to emergency repairs on many locks and bridges. One example is the bridge at Benson Lock which has been closed for many months. The local community has started a daytime ferry service so walkers, boaters etc can cross the river. Another was the closure of Whitchurch Lock for nearly 24 hours due to hydraulic failure, causing at least one hotel boat to change its plans and turn round! This lack of funding coupled with the repercussions from a fatal accident at Shepperton has seen lengthy delays in repairs due to the Defra bidding process. I understand there is a possibility that the former “in-house” arrangement may be reinstated with suitable training and checks. This should speed things up but will not help the impossibility of planning to prevent breakdowns without the assurance of guaranteed money. Casual observers have noted the lack of craft moving which has been reflected nationwide. Exceptions are organised events. One of the outcomes of the lack of especially powered boat movements is more weed!

Verna Smith

British Canoeing

Environment Agency infrastructure for Paddlesport: The Agency has completed projects to commence to improve canoe portages at locks on the River Kennet and River Thames.

Blakes Lock, River Kennet, Reading

The portage route is across the lock island. In July a wider, longer, lower height extension was added to the fixed landing stage on the weir stream side of the lock island. Fitted with a GRP grating deck to aid self-draining it also has a ladder as a deep water safety feature. The portage pontoon in the lock cut was featured previously in Cargoes and has since been balanced to correct a pronounced list. Both landings are suitable for longer kayaks such as a K2.

Improved and extended weir stream landing - Abingdon Lock. Completed in August, the new structure replaces an awkward lower portage point by the lock gates. Similarly fitted with GRP fitted for self-draining it is positioned behind the lock lay-by to provide easier access to launch and land.

River Thames Scheme: The scheme has formed a Community Stakeholders Working Group (CSWG). An initial virtual meeting was held in August attended by British Canoeing along with others from the river user’s sector. RTS explained the purpose of the group, including it to be a collaborative platform, is to tease out issues and to improve our engagement, for example about our next consultation. Hopefully this will lead to British Canoeing receiving information for access and the infrastructure on the new channels. CSWG is scheduled to meet for a second time in October.

British Canoeing and the RNLI launch safety campaign for paddlers: British Canoeing and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) are promoting five key safety messages to help people stay safe while participating in paddlesports. The campaign aims to raise awareness of how to stay safe on the water when planning to Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP), kayak or canoe on any type of waterwhether at the coast or inland. The five key messages are:

• Wear a buoyancy aid / personal floatation device. No matter how strong you think you are at swimming.

• Carry a means of communication on you. If you become separated from your craft, this is when you may need to call for assistance.

• Check the weather. So that you can wear the right clothing and spot any weather that is dangerous to paddle in.

• Tell others of your plans. So they know when you will be returning.

• Paddle within your ability and if you need to, take courses to help level up your skills.

Kevin East

Voluntary Waterways & Environment Project Officer