Aegre Summer 2020

Quiz: What is the collective noun for five Chairs in a row?

See page 8 for an answer.

From the East Midlands Region of the Aegre 157 - Summer 2020 Page 1

Aegre is published Š 2020 by the East Midlands Region Committee of the Inland Waterways Association for members of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branches.

Chairman

David Pullen, 43 Howell Road, Heckington, Sleaford.

Lincs NG34 9RX Tel: 01529 460547

Vice-Chairman

Dave Carnell, Conifer Cottage, North End, Goxhill DN19 7JX Tel: 01469 530138

Leicestershire Branch Chairman

Andrew Shephard, 41 Roman Road, Birstall, Leicester, LE4 4BB. E: andrewshephard1946@gmail.com

Lincolnshire Branch Chairman

Contact Dave Carnell (as above).

Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Branch Chairman

Graham Jeffery, Mercia Marina, Findern Lane, Willington, Derbyshire DE65 6DW E: graham.jeffery@hotmail.co.uk

Member & WRG rep.

John Baylis, 215 Clipstone Rd West, Forest Town, Mansfield NG19 0HJ Tel: 01623 621208

Secretary and Editor for Aegre: Peter Hill, 7 Lock Keeper’s Way, Louth LN11 0GQ E-mail: aegre@waterways.org.uk Printing: Colour Image Loudwater. Despatch: Branch Volunteers.

Picture credits: Front cover, Five Chairs at Leicester. Others; see page 8.

Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA. Registered as a Charity No: 212342.

Tel: 01494 783453. Website:

http://www.waterways.org.uk Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Inland Waterways Association or of the East Midlands Region. They are published as being of interest to our members and other readers.

The inclusion of any advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the IWA East Midlands Region or any of its Branches. Dates and times of events may change and should be checked before travelling.

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Boston Haven Progress - Photo Environment Agency

Aegre

No. 157 Summer 2020 Contents

Canal Societies and Trusts in the EM Region The Editor’s Flotsam and Jetsam From the Region Chair Boston to Peterborough (B2P) Wetland Corridor News from Leicestershire Branch Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branch Picture Credits Boston Progress Lincolnshire Branch The Wainfleet Flood Report Shallows on the Trent Journals Received Around the Societies and Trusts

Aegre 157 - Summer 2020 Page 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 10 12 13 14 15

Canal Societies and Trusts in the EM Region

Ancholme Rivers Trust

Gail Copson, 21 Maple Close, Brigg, North Lincs.

DN20 9JE. Tel: 07769 950589.

Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society

Chris Madge, c/o 62 Broadway, Duffield, Derby DE56 4BU Tel: 07827 946444 www.derbycanal.org.uk

Erewash Canal P & D Association

Norman Cornwell, 38 Millfield Road, Kimberley, Notts.

NG16 2LJ Tel: 0115 8544155 Mobile 07854 451183 www.erewashcanalpreservationanddevelopmentassoc.org.uk

Foxton Inclined Plane Trust

Friends of Charnwood Forest Canal

Foxton Canal Museum, Middle Lock, Gumley Road, Market Harborough LE16 7RA Tel: 0116 2792657 www.fipt.org.uk

Mike Handford, 1 Sheepy Close, Hinckley, LE10 1JL Tel: 01455 611508 mahandford@gmail.com

Friends of the Cromford Canal

Judy Berry, 5 Hambling Close, Nottingham NG6 7DX Tel: 0115 854 9852. www.cromfordcanal.org

Grantham Canal Society

Mike Stone, 7, Crow Park Drive, Burton Joyce, Nottingham NG14 5AS; Tel: 0115 931 3375 www.granthamcanal.com

Louth Navigation Trust

Paula Hunt, Navigation Warehouse, Riverhead, Louth LN11 0DA Tel: 01507 605496 www.louthcanal.org.uk

Melton & Oakham Waterways Society

Michael Clowes, tel: 01509 414140, e-mail: lindandmick@btinternet.com www.meltonwaterways.co.uk

Old Union Canals Society

Jean Bourne, 2 Nithsdale Crescent, Market Harborough, LE16 9HA tel: 01858 461483

Sleaford Navigation Trust

Steve Hayes, 10 Chelmer Close, N. Hykeham, Lincoln LN6 8TH Tel: 01522 689460 www.sleafordnavigation.co.uk

Trent and Mersey Canal Society

Margaret English, 10 Long Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire CW10 0BL. Tel: 01606 834471 www.tamcs.org.uk

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The Editor’s Flotsam and Jetsam First of all, I promise not to use the words “unprecedented times” apart from just this once. But your copy of Aegre this time is a bit thinner than usual - in fact I wondered whether it was going to be worth publishing at all bearing in mind all the cancelled events. But much has in fact been happening apart from actual boating events on the water, and we have tried to bring you a broad survey of things like planning permissions progressed; some building work done; new schemes devised around the Region; and also mentioning some events still planned (with hope). So I should emphasise that even if a forthcoming event is mentioned here, always best to check before travelling on the day.

CRT are announcing some relaxation of their rules about getting moving on the water. I also see their announcements of various boats aground on shallows on the Trent and the Soar, for example - presumably deposits from the heavy rains earlier in the year. Remember those? But now we are almost

sure to run into shortages of water because of the lack of rainfall, which will bring the bottom up nearer to the top.

We can’t win!

Just to add confusion, I am writing this as it has started bucketing with rain outside, and from the growers point of view this is welcome. I can’t avoid thinking back to 2007 and 2013 when June rain storms caused various degrees of havoc around the country, so I am exercising caution. We have also seen the formal report on the Wainfleet floods of 2019, and as this is in our area, there is a short summary on page 12 for those who may not have seen it.

Instead of our usual arrangement of articles, we have a broad summary of canal and river news going around the Region more or less geographically, perhaps even trespassing a bit outside where things look interesting.

Hoping for some calm and equable weather, Best wishes, Peter

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From the Region Chair

By the time this edition of Aegre hits your in-box or doormat, boaters will be able to move their boats and stay overnight or maybe take an even longer break? What is clear is that it will be very late this year, or more probably next spring before we will be able to return to the full unfettered enjoyment of our waterways.

For me “Love Your Waterway” is all about the freedom to walk, sit, cycle or boat on or beside water.

Some of those have only been partially restricted during lockdown, but for me it is the absolute freedom beside waterways that I cherish most. Work parties and work camps are, I am sure, popular for exactly the same reasons. Work and exercise in a beautiful tranquil setting, what could be better?

Why the regretful tone of this piece? Well, alongside the peace, tranquility and freedom of an extended break by the water, for boating in particular we still need local services. It is looking unlikely that there will be unrestricted access to local shops, pubs and public transport for several months. Having to plan forward, like a military exercise, for me takes the edge off boating in particular.

My solution will be to do more walking and cycling beside water.

Whether it be from a moored boat, from home, or from a parked car, will depend on the progress with C-19 unlocking.

I am always calmer and more relaxed by water, whichever way I am able to be there to enjoy it.

Water reflects the season, the weather, wildlife, natural vegetation and the smells of the countryside. Long hot summer spells or long unsettled spells, all these moods and seasons reflect the rhythm of our planet. So my message is, be flexible and continue to “Love Your Waterway(s)” in whichever way you can.

Stop Press Almost as I had finished penning my piece for Aegre we have learnt that there is a C-19 “spike” in Leicester. Our huge sympathies and thoughts are with the citizens of Leicester and the surrounding urban communities. We await news from Government as to exact extent of the extended lockdown but it is a fair guess that boating through Leicester will not be allowed any time soon.

Continued on next page.

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Boston to Peterborough (B2P) Wetland Corridor

The updated B2P business case report is being delivered by Stantec (formerly PBA – “Bretts”). The revised costings will allow for the projects already delivered through Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership (LWP) and Fens Waterways Link (FWL), e.g. Black Sluice Lock, Four Mile Bar Bridge (River Welland). New route options to link to the River Glen and the River Welland as part of open channel water transfer to the new South Lincs Reservoir (SLR) are being evaluated and costed. Initial economic modelling indicates a very positive cost benefit ratio, especially if some of the costs can be mitigated by incorporation in the SLR project being planned by Water Resources East (WRE).

Work on the SLR project continues to be aimed at finalising the multisector concept design by July 2021. Sourcing water to fill and supply the new reservoir is a major consideration. A full hydrology review is assessing licensed water availability in the River Trent, via the TrentWitham-Ancholme scheme (TAWS) and existing licence utilisation on the River Nene upstream of Peterborough. Further measurement and monitoring studies on the Black Sluice catchment will assess how much water can be harvested from the South Forty Foot drain (aka Black Sluice Navigation). All of this catchment currently discharges into the Wash. Virtual monthly meetings and workshops, hosted by Black Sluice Internal Drainage Board, continue through lock-down WRE’s commitment to a multi-sector water supply solution is further shown by their invitation to IWA to formally join the WRE Strategic Board. I have agreed to take on this role for IWA. David Pullen

Apart from boaters’ interests, this will be a further huge body blow to marine business up and down the River Soar and Grand Union Canal Leicester Section. Hopefully the spike will be controlled fairly quickly and some semblance of normal business on the waterways can return.

David

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News from Leicestershire Branch Our AGM was held in February, and we were lucky to have as our guest speaker the new IWA National Chairman Paul Rodgers.

I think his guest appearance may have boosted the number of attendees, as we had a quite good turn-out. Paul spoke with great enthusiasm about the future aims and objectives of the IWA, and he was very well received.

We cancelled the March social gathering a couple of weeks before the official lock-down, which turned out to be a sound decision .

The main reason for this decision was, I am embarrassed to admit, not out of concern for the potential for cross-infection, but because people were already becoming concerned about the virus and we feared that a poor turnout would leave us making quite a loss on the night! Doing the right thing for the wrong reasons?

We have not arranged any branch social gatherings for October, November or December. We fear another spike, and in any case we do not know yet when our meeting venue will re-open. But, fingers crossed, things may change, and maybe the “new normal” will let us review this.

All being well, CRT will be reopening the system in July, and the Government will hopefully have lifted the absurd restriction with regard to not staying on boats, so that we boaters can do some boating again. Looking forward to that.

Andrew Shephard, Chairman IWA Leicestershire Branch M: 07710 362952 Front page picture, from the left:

● David Stevenson, past IWA National Chairman.

On the same theme, we also can● John Evans, past Chairman of celled an expedition up to Sawley the IWA Leicestershire Branch. to fit a new Leicester Line leaflet ● Paul Rodgers, current IWA box, which Mike Dixon and I were National Chairman. down for, with Mo Murray. Not ● David Pullen, IWA East Midsure now when we will return to lands Region Chairman. this task. The closure of the system ● Andrew Shephard, Chairman has, amongst other things, IWA Leicestershire Branch. resulted in a dramatic drop in the take-up of leaflets, and we curIn answer to the quiz question, we rently have what seems like a five don’t think there is one. Suggesyear supply awaiting distribution! tions welcome (polite please!) Ed.

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Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branch

The February meeting at Shardlow Clock Warehouse was a presentation by Derby & Sandiacre Canal Trust (D&SCT) by Chris Madge.

Around 30 members were inspired by the continuing progress and support that D&SCT are achieving. Recent notable successes include 300m of new canal at Spondon and a major donation for the canal continuation at Draycott. Significant proposals going forward include establishment of a new multiuser path in partnership with Derby City Council. See D&SCT reports on page 19 and page 24 of Aegre 156.

The AGM planned for 18 March was cancelled due to the imminent C-19 lock-down.

The previously healthy attendances for Branch meetings at “The Clock� over winter 2019/20 had been immensely encouraging, with the expectation that at the AGM new committee members would come forward. It is now looking as if re-building a branch committee structure will have to wait until the Autumn.

Please do come forward with ideas for future branch activities and we look forward to seeing you at Shardlow from October onwards.

Picture Credits We are most grateful to all of the following, who have contributed photographs or other illustrations to enhance this edition of Aegre: Andrew Shephard; Michelle Hill, Eddie Case, Archie Roberts, Dave Carnell; David Collin; Mike Snaith; Rod Auton; Mel and Sue Sowerby; David Pullen; Jane Pollard; Mick Clowes; Malcolm Fielding, and as noted for specific articles.

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Lincolnshire Branch

Using Zoom, provided by IWA at Chesham, we conducted the Lincolnshire Branch AGM on 23 April. The Branch Committee has changed a little with Adrian and Chris Dann joining and Chris Hayes, Steve Hayes and Pat Taylor electing not to stand for re-election. Very many thanks to all three staunch IWA members for everything they have done for the Branch over the years.

Committee members for 2020 are: Dave Carnell, Penny Carnell, Adrian Dann, Chris Dann, Mel Sowerby, David Pullen Very many thanks to Adrian and Chris Dann for joining the committee.

Specific posts have not yet been decided.

Following the normal AGM business, Paul Rodgers, IWA National Chairman, presented his thoughts and vision for IWA over the near and longer term future. Paul’s leadership comes with relatively little baggage, and a wide perspective of IWA opportunities, bringing added impetus to IWA both as an unparalleled independent advocate for the waterways and also as an active campaigning and hands-on restoration charity.

Boston Progress On 1st June another major milestone for the Barrier project was reached. With the Barrier gate now resting in its recess on the bed of the Haven, boats can safely navigate through the intended channel for the first time since construction began (picture page 3).

Work has now started on closing the construction by-pass channel. The site team have installed the piling gate and are using the biggest crane on site so far, 300 tonnes, to lift and drive the piles into position.

(Pictures opposite and on page 3 from EA and BAM Nuttall. In both pictures the two hydraulic rams can be seen; opposite at right centre; page 3 left and centre, behind the channel structures.)

There was also a local “Notice to Mariners� about works further upstream, on the Town Bridge. Quote:

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Mariners are advised that commencing 10th June 2020 works will be carried out on the metal structure of the Town Bridge and are expected to be complete on 1st September 2020. These works will restrict navigation to craft passing below the bridge and it is therefore imperative that all Mariners requiring to pass should check the suitability of their vessels as part of their voyage plan, prior to commencing their voyage.

Attached to this NTM are drawings showing the extent of the works and associated restriction to navigation.

End quote.

For fuller details of the limitations, the more detailed drawings of the NTM should be consulted.

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The Wainfleet Flood Report It seems a long time ago, but it is almost exactly a year ago from writing this to the sudden flooding in and around Wainfleet. The formal report, by Norfolk County Council, only came out in February this year, but it seems still worth while to give a summary here, as lessons were there to be learnt. Ed. The Steeping River catchment area is about 200km2, extending inland as far as Tetford. After a flood in 1968, a relief channel was built downstream from about Thorpe Culvert to near Haven House station, in part to provide flood water storage during periods of tide lock at Gibraltar sluice.

Heavy rainfall in the area led to a flood alert for the Steeping River on 11th June 2019 at 8:20. This was upgraded to flood warnings at 23:36 the same day, and at 23:12 on the 12th for Great Steeping.

Thorpe Culvert pump had to be turned off for an hour on the 12th.

There was a breach in the bank of the relief channel on the 12th leading to a request for helicopter assistance to drop blocking material.

About 580 homes were evacuated involving about 1000 people.

Most of these were in Wainfleet

All Saints, the Thorpe St Peter area and Great Steeping.

The inquiry identified several principal causes, firstly that the banks along the relief channel were built with spoil from the excavation of the channel. This is not current practice.

Earlier in 2019 there had been work at the breach location to remove vegetation and to fill in rutting caused by grazing cattle and vehicles. The heavy rain over 10th and 11th June caused overtopping, which eroded the outer bank side until it gave no support.

The river system has a number of obstructions such as syphons and sluice gates, tending to siltation.

Further, water levels in the system are kept higher in the summer to allow for abstraction.

A number of the flood incidents were caused by surface water rather than river water.

Of course the inquiry has no power to direct any particular activity, but emphasis is put on partnership working of all the agencies involved.

The recommendations can be grouped into three main actions:

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● EA to assess the condition of embankments and consider replacement. ● EA to monitor silt levels and dredging regimes. ● IDBs to review the performance of pumping stations or other relevant assets.

For a fuller report, see: https://www.ada.org.uk/2019/06/wainfleet-flooding/ Picture from Richard Hardesty.

Shallows on the Trent At the beginning of May 2013 a boat `Little Nell` got stranded on the downstream bank entrance to Torksey Cut. The lock keeper, Adrian Wood, stayed on duty until the incoming tide floated the boat off and escorted it into the Torksey Lock. The boat`s owner, David Tomlinson, sent a letter to Sean McGinley congratulating the staff for their assistance.

Several more boats did get stuck here in 2013, following the flood flows on the Trent over 2012/13 winter, so there will definitely be a problem again this year.

Until it is investigated we have suggested to CRT that lock keepers at Cromwell, Torksey, West Stockwith and Keadby advise boaters to navigate with extreme caution, especially at low water (low tide).

David Pullen and Dave Carnell Aegre 157 - Summer 2020 Page 13

Journals Received We are very pleased to acknowledge copies of journals from various canal and river societies and trusts.

They include “The Portal” from Friends of the Cromford Canal; “The Packet” from the Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society; “The Cuckoo”, from the Chesterfield Canal Trust; “Sleaford Navigation Trust” journal; the “Melton and Oakham Newsletter”; “The Wharfinger” from Louth Navigation Trust; “The Bridge” from Grantham Canal Society; “Grand Trunk” from the Trent and Mersey Canal Society; “Union” from the Old Union Canal Society, and the “Easterling” from our Eastern neighbours the EAWA. Anyone interested in receiving a copy of one of these journals should contact the relevant address given on page 4. For “The Cuckoo” contact the editor at 22 Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield S43 2PF.

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Around the Societies and Trusts Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs plan a boat gathering at Soar Boat Club on the 11th - 13th September. Contact Sarah Sturgeon at silkmill23@aol.com to check.

Chesterfield Canal Trust Peter Hardy reports: the Festival this year had to be cancelled, however the good news is that we will be holding it next May together with the IWA, as the IWA Trail Boat Festival (North). If our last IWA Festival was anything to go by, then next year’s should be something special to look forward to.

Behind the scenes the Trust continues to function. The Trustees and sub-committees ‘meet’ via internet meetings. The Charity has increased in size over the last few years and our turnover has increased. This means that we have to register for VAT. The result will be that on a few boat trips we will charge VAT (not many) and some sales will have VAT added.

It also means that we can recoup VAT spent on restoration, which will help enormously.

George Rogers reports: at Renishaw, the required information has been submitted to the IWA with regard to the ‘Waterways in Progress’ grant application, and we await further news on that. With the current pandemic, the scheme has been delayed although we hope to be able to start later in the year.

For Doe Lea, the planning application has also suffered delays, as it is proving more difficult to coordinate completion of the final documentation and drawings. All of the supporting reports are now complete bar the final ecology surveys, for which site survey work has been able to continue throughout the lock-down period.

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One of the jobs that has been simmering away in the background for ages is the gathering and cataloguing of land registry data. Jill Hardy has worked through the entire route, recording the basic details, and the lock-down ‘hiatus’ has given time to complete the next phase of this. We now have up-todate details of all registered land ownership for the route, and this is allowing us to develop a strategy for where the key land parcels are that we need to secure for the restoration – basically identifying where the biggest problems are so that we can address them early.

On the work party front, four members did some chainsaw training. The training was done by James from A&J Arb Training. This was paid for by a Waterway Recovery Group grant from the IWA, for which we are very grateful.

Killamarsh Houses Many of you will know that there is a pair of semi-de-

tached houses on Sheffield Road at the bottom of Quarry Lane that will have to be demolished when the canal restoration arrives. In their place will be Killamarsh Bottom Double Locks which will then lead into the culvert under Sheffield Road.

After long discussions and negotiations, the Trust bought one house in January.

In the meantime, the lady in the other house had bought a property very nearby and she moved out in March, selling her house to the Trust.

We put the properties up for rent and both were occupied in April, thus we will have a steady income until the time comes to demolish them.

This is very likely to be for at least five years, maybe longer, because this will probably be the last section to be restored.

Waterways World If you can get to a newsagent, the July edition (July, sent out in May!), has a four page feature on the beautiful canal.

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Katey’s Coffee Shop at Hollingwood Hub will reopen on Saturday 4th July, assuming the advice from H M Government does not change. She will be doing a Take Away service only. The toilets will not be open.

Hollingwood Hub car park will be open.

Planning permission We hope to submit our planning permission application for the remaining 1.6 miles of canal within Chesterfield Borough shortly. As soon as it appears on the CBC Planning Portal, we will put a link on our website.

Trust sales You may not know that we have a sales page on the website as well as the merchandise in our shop. This is the perfect time to catch up on the delights of our canal and its history and plan for excursions when we are all free again. Failing that you might just need a Tea Towel!

Walking Festival cancelled It is with great regret that the Chesterfield Canal Trust has cancelled its Walking Festival, yet another victim of Covid 19.

This would have been the third edition of the very popular Festival which had been due to take place in September. It is the largest Walking Festival based around a single waterway.

Over 40 walks had been arranged and the Trust was about to start designing and printing the brochure and setting up the booking system with the Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre.

This would have incurred substantial costs.

The continued uncertainty about whether the brochures could be distributed properly and the fact that a good proportion of the walk leaders and walkers are in the clinically vulnerable groups led the Trust to the conclusion that it would be irresponsible to commit to this expenditure.

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Cromford Canal.

All Birdswood boat operations have been cancelled until further notice. The Weighbridge Office Shop will also remain closed and all work parties have been cancelled. This is particularly necessary as many of our volunteers are in the critical age group and/or have long term illnesses.

Birdswood will not operate until the national situation has improved. In the meantime the Boat Operations Manager has been designated as a 'furloughed worker' under the Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Consequently, the Boat Operations phone line will not be taking messages or enquiries on bookings.

The social meetings at Ironville Church Hall, Casson Street, NG16 5NN would normally continue on the third Monday of the month at 7.30 pm. Admission is £2.50 and there is a bar, tea,

coffee, and raffle. At the moment these also are postponed.

FCC work parties are planning (post lock-down) to work at various locations along the canal including Brown’s Bridge, Lower Hartshay sluice and Pinxton weir.

J.C. Balls have already cut back lots of self-set trees around Hartshay, Sawmills, and Bullbridge. DCC has also been busy dredging in the Ambergate area from Poyser’s Bridge through to the end of the canal, and resurfacing the towpath.

Beggarlee Planning Application: Our project team has responded to questions from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Wildlife Trusts and we have agreed an extension of the determination date to 31st May. Browns Bridge: Following granting of Scheduled Monument Consent, DCC have agreed the Approval in Principle document. This lays out the tech-

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nical details of the design and allows us to move into detailed design through to construction. Previous timescales were to look at bearing replacement this autumn, however that date may slip.

A project team is being formed to undertake the works, so if you have relevant Civil Engineering experience and would like to assist please get in contact (Doug Readle is the lead on this).

The Derby and Sandiacre Trust In their recent Packet there is an article by Paul Turner about the early days of the restoration project, tracing it back to a talk by Janet Honey of the Erewash Groundwork Trust, given in 1992 to Long Eaton Rotary.

The follow-on was gradual, and seemed to depend very much on “knowing someone” who could help, as often as having a good case. A very instructive article, especially for those involved in restoration projects elsewhere.

There is now planning permission for the restoration at the cottages, we are just waiting for the all clear to resume work on site. This has put us back a little, but the well-being of all our helpers is paramount and will not be risked.

Also on the news front is that we have planning permission for the dig-out at Draycott – yes, it is going to happen this year! We are about £5,000 short at the moment due to extra costs that we need to incur regarding our little friends the water voles. We must check first if they are there, and then if they are, how to make sure they are safe during construction. Help can be by phone by texting “CANAL 5” to 70085 to donate £5, for example. This can be up to £20. Alternatively go to http://www.derbycanal.org. uk/donations.

The trip boat should be ready for launch, subject to the usual delays affecting everything. Passengers will board at Exeter Bridge and make a return trip up to Darley

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Abbey. It is all electric and there is a hoist for wheel chairs.

Erewash CP&DA Norman Cornwell reports some very good news in that they have now received confirmation from Erewash Borough Council that there is approval for the plan to install modern sanitary facilities at Sandiacre Lock Cottages. Building Regulations approval was needed for the plan, which is to install, in part of the storage area, a waste holding tank which could be emptied as necessary by a small vehicle. A new ceramic macerator type toilet will be installed in the same area as the current Porta Potti. The application was dealt with sympathetically by EBC’s very helpful Building Control officer, who said he had never come across a similar application.

This is definitely top of the list when the lock-down is lifted.

Back in October 2017 ECP&DA was invited to

become a member of the Derbyshire Museums & Heritage Forum, an organisation which had previously only included professional sites, rather than those run by volunteers. The Association joined and immediately benefited from excellent advice from the professionals, later receiving £1000 under the Stanford Award for Informal Learning (SAIL) banner run

by Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. Glyn Stenson has been very involved and helpful advice has always been forthcoming.

Several members have been involved in interviews on local radio about living on a boat during lock down - the reactions were very good and positive.

Sandiacre Lock Cottage is looking forward to its own connection to electricity in the autumn. If all goes well the Association’s meetings will be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 7.30pm at The Lock Cottage, Lock Lane, Sandiacre. All

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members and non-members are welcome. Admission is free. Due to the historic nature of the cottages, access for disabled people is limited.

For more details and information contact Glyn Stenson: 07809 251441 or e-mail: glynstenson@hotmail.com.

Grantham Canal Society Tony Osbond reports: they have decided to re-start maintaining the canal. Members of the Committee had a Zoom meeting (not without some teething troubles) and have put together a set of proposals and risk assessments to get us back working safely. Thanks to Roger Charles our Health and Safety Advisor for putting all this in place together with Jane Grylls for obtaining all the necessary PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to enable a start. We have shared this information with CRT, detailing our intentions to mobilise our teams. There was a briefing for teams on the 12th June.

Lock 14 is due to open again in the not too distant future.

We have emailed our construction teams to whet their appetite and establish availability for a return to work. A start date will then be agreed depending on our volunteers’ response and when the site will be in a safe state in respect of the necessary precautions.

We hope to see our new weed boat in action later this year.

Louth Navigation Trust

The launch of Stuart Sizer’s new book ‘Shipbuilders of Louth’ had been a wonderful start to the Canal@250 celebrations. Over 40 people came to the book signing on 7 March 2020.

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Our picture shows Paula Hunt, LNT Secretary, with Stuart Sizer at the launch.

Due to the Covid 19 virus most of the canal@250 events are now on hold. However, people are making good use of the towpath for their daily exercise.

“Awards for All” funding had been granted and work was in progress for a variety of events throughout the year. Riverhead Theatre, Louth Museum, Canoe Clubs, Cleethorpes Model Boat Association, and local Scouts are all on board.

Three walks, a Boules tournament and “Culture at the Canal” arts events were also planned.

The finale event would be on 12/13 September 2020 with a Riverhead Basin Festival of music and on-the-water activities, plus a two month long exhibition at Louth Museum until the end of October.

At Keddington Lock, an EA permit was granted on time in February. However some people saw the changing flow as an environmental enhancement:

the fallen masonry was changing the water level and mechanical lifting of material would cause loss of habitats.

Therefore the Drainage Board were not permitted to recover material washed out from the embankment and need another source of infill. This has now been found and is free but will need transporting and storing.

The planned Canoe Trail will have three pontoons or landing stages and run from Tetney Lock to Fire Beacon and Austen Fen. Funding is available via the Canoeing Foundation (BCF), who promote ‘Places to Paddle’ to increase the visitor footfall to the area.

Melton and Oakham Waterways Society Last time we reported on the sinking of their work boat Mole during very heavy rain back in September and her resurrection from her watery tomb.

Now Mole’s rebuild has come on in leaps and bounds, thanks to the help of several dedicated individuals.

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Faced with a sea of mud and a (literally) flooded engine, electrics, battery and diesel and hydraulic tanks, the restoration group set to with gusto and cleaned out the boat’s interior.

The engine was emptied of water and stripped to its basic parts whilst new spares were obtained ready to refit. The whole of the mechanical parts, be it engine, HIAB arm and bucket, or controls, were doused in protective spray to avoid rusting and drive out the water. The hydraulic tank was pumped dry and wiped clean internally and all the electrics dried out, tested and made good.

Strangely, the battery, completely under water for a week, was still reading 12.7 volts and could be re-used, but other electrical parts have been replaced as necessary.

The engine was rebuilt, tanks refilled with the appropriate fluids and the whole fuel system was bled from end to end, and then the key was turned in anger for the first time in several weeks and the sound of

Mole’s sweetly ticking over engine arose.

Old Union Canals Society normally hold their monthly meetings in Great Bowden village hall (LE16 7EU) on the last Friday of the month at 7.30pm.

For current information call Mary Matts on 0116 2792188.

The 2020 Welford Canal Festival is provisionally rescheduled to 19th/20th September.

To book a mooring, email HarbourMasterWelford@gmail .com Further planned events are on Friday September 25th, 7.30pm at Great Bowden Village Hall, on Cromford Canal Restoration, with Mick and Carol Golds, and on Friday October 30th the Annual Supper Night and Social with Quiz Trent and Mersey.

Development work by the Joule’s Brewery company on the long-disused Crown Wharf site in Stone just north of Wyatt's Canal Cruising Co.'s

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docks and boatyard, is well in hand with the steel-work of the new pub and theatre being finished and the cladding and roofing expected to be completed now. The large site will incorporate a large "Taphouse" pub and a multi-function 140-seat theatre plus a Heritage Centre for Stone Town Council and will be of substantial benefit to the town and become a much-liked canal-side attraction to boaters.

Their social programme, if you are near enough, is at The Red Bull Public House, Congleton Road South, Stoke-on-Trent, ST7 3AJ and the planned programme will hopefully continue this year on: ● 16/10/2020 A Canal & River Trust update by Liam Cooper ● 20/11/2020 Spot the Locks take 2 by Peter Scott ● 15/01/2021 The changing scene and history of the Shropshire Union canal by Ian Wilson ● 19/02/2021 Warrington Transporter Bridge by Margaret Ingham ● 19/03/2021 Ampère in Ireland by Malcolm Bridge ● Sleaford Navigation Trust The work parties will hopefully continue, usually on the second Sunday of the month. Call Mel Sowerby on 01522 856810 for details. Picture below, boats at South Kyme Mooring.

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