Aegre November 2016

Aegre 146, November 2016

Which would you prefer?

From the East Midlands Region of Aegre 146 - November 2016 Page 1

Kingfisher Narrowboats Ltd For DIY or Serviced Blacking at our covered dry dock at Trent Lock on the junction of the River Trent and the Erewash Canal. We are able to take two narrow boats together, or boats up to 75ft x 13ft Specialist narrow boat fitters for alterations and re-fits, including painting, electrical and mechanical work.

Tel: 0115 972 7936 www.kingfishernarrowboats.co.uk E-mail: enquiry@kingfishernarrowboats.co.uk Aegre 146 - November 2016 Page 2

Aegre is published Š 2016 by the East Midlands Region Committee of the Inland Waterways Association for members of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branches.

Chairman

David Pullen, 16 Church Street, Scothern, Lincoln LN2 2UA. Tel: 01673 862278

Vice-Chairman

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

Leicestershire Branch Chairman

Ian McDonald, 1 Goodheart Way, Thorpe Astley, Leicester LE3 3RX. Tel: 0116 3321534

Lincolnshire Branch Chairman

Dave Carnell (as above)

Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Branch Chairman

Mike Snaith, Hawthorne Cottage, 70 Main Street, Gunthorpe, Nottingham NG14 7EU

Secretary & WRG

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

Editor for Aegre: Peter Hill, 7 Lock Keeper’s Way, Louth, LN11 0GQ E-mail: aegre@waterways.org.uk Advertisement Manager for Aegre: Ian Mc Donald, see above. E-mail: aegre.adverts@waterways.org.uk Printing: Colour Image Loudwater. Despatch: Branch Volunteers.

Picture credits: Front cover, Focus Consultants; Page 5, Mike Snaith; Other credits, page 27.

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

Tel: 01494 783453. Website: http://www.waterways.org.uk The 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 of events should be checked before travelling.

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Canal Societies and Trusts in the EM Region

Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society Erewash Canal P & D Association

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

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

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

Canal

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

Friends of the Cromford Canal

John Baylis, see page 3.

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

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

Waterways Society

www.cromfordcanal.org.uk

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

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

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Aegre Notts and Derby team pulling Dawn Rose

No. 146 November 2016 Contents Canal Societies and Trusts in the EM Region.........................4 The Editor’s Flotsam and Jetsam............................................6 From David Pullen...................................................................7 Volunteer Rescue Team in East Midlands............................10 Underground Exploration......................................................11 Boston Barrier Reactions......................................................12 News from Leicestershire......................................................13 Visitor Moorings.....................................................................17 Lincolnshire Happenings.......................................................20 Lock-keeper Rescues His Grandson....................................22 Ilkeston Festival.....................................................................23 News from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire........................24 Picture Credits.......................................................................27 Annual General Meetings......................................................28 Around the Societies and Trusts...........................................29 News from Grantham Restoration.........................................30 Journals Received.................................................................31 Next issue probably to be published in March 2017. Contributions to the editor (see page 3 ) by the end of January 2017 please.

The space on the right is for local contact information.

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The Editor’s Flotsam and Jetsam Our cover this time reflects two possibilities for the water front in Boston, taken from our account in 2008 (Aegre no. 120) on the consultants’ report at that time. Optimistically, it quoted 2013 for a much improved Boston image. Not a long time ago in terms of planning processes. Reviews later in this issue bring you up to date as far as possible.

We had a look at Boston waterfront earlier this year, when a holiday gave the chance. We imagined we had arrived by boat and moored at Custom House Quay, and then walked around the town. Many grand Georgian buildings, but rather run down in appearance when you looked closer. Many shops on their ground floor levels empty, or offering e-cigarettes, mobile phone unlocking, tattooing, or a chance to place a bet. Having heard that there was a strong European presence in the town, we looked for a café offering a galão and some pasteis de nata. No luck, just a mug of tea and a butty. So we spent time to admire the noble building of St Botolph and then sailed away again.

There is encouragement around, however. Our local news talks about possible modernisation of Goole Docks, while on a smaller scale Louth Navigation Trust have received positive encouragement in the East Lindsey DC Economic Development Plan.

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But not all schemes get completed, alas. I came across one which failed somewhere along the line, even with ecclesiastical backing: September 1669. The work of making the River Avon navigable from Salisbury to Christ Church has commenced. Seth Ward, Bishop of Salisbury, dug the first spit of earth and pushed the first wheelbarrow. His lordship has given at least a hundred pounds of his own money to finance the digging.

From John Aubrey - My own life.

A short course for those working to restore canal and river navigations is being held by CRT. The speaker will be Dr Geraint Coles. The next session will be about “Managing Restoration Delivery” on 28th January 2017 in the Sleaford area (venue TBC). The last part, about “Keeping the Lights On”, will be on 18th March 2017 at the CRT offices in Gloucester.

For further information contact Kate.langley@canalrivertrust.org.uk Last time I mentioned the possibility of having a video about the IWA cruise to Spalding in May. This is now available to members on: https://www.waterways.org.uk/ branches_regions/east_midlands/ east_midlands_videos Best wishes for the rest of the season, Peter

From David Pullen Increasing and developing IWA branch profile and activities is a key part of continuing to strengthen IWA by “keeping our waterways alive”. In this respect I commend the article by Mike Snaith about our Notts/Derbys branch which will be in the next edition of Waterways. It exemplifies how a small committee can still achieve a lot and maintain a high profile. IWA’s Festival of Water at Ilkeston on the Erewash Canal in Derbyshire in 2017 is an excellent opportunity to get involved. Local members in all three of our branch areas, please come forward and give IWA some of your time – the main strength of IWA is within the branches.

A particular area where we need much higher input is in “social media” such as Facebook, Twitter etc. An IWA marketing team is available to support and advise on this.

Our branches urgently need members who are active in and enthused by social media. Typically, these may be younger members or family members, but even “elders” can do it very effectively!

As a result of the recent CRT re-organisation, two-thirds of the Grand Union Leicester Line that was previously in the “Central Shires” area is now rightly back with CRT East Midlands at Newark. IWA and CRT East Midlands regions are now much

better aligned. There is further ongoing discussion about the rest of the canal down to Foxton and Market Harborough coming into East Midlands - where it should be! On a similar vein within IWA we still have the anomaly where the Chesterfield Canal area, which is nearly all within Notts and Derbys, is in IWA Yorkshire region. This is not so straightforward as that area is covered by the Sheffield Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). However, without additional help IWA Notts/Derbys branch are not confident that they have the resources within their committee to become active on any wider scale.

And once more my take on the Boston Barrier! IWA made three submissions to the Transport and Works Act Order consultation. Our main submission was made by Gren Messham, Chairman of IWA Navigation Committee, based on significantly increased navigation risks, both during construction of the barrier and subsequently due to high flow velocities through the barrier. (The full text is on the IWA web site). Despite IWA being a statutory consultee, the Environment Agency did not at any time formally consult or ask us for a meeting; a point we made strongly to the Secretary of State. We also helped several other parties with their submissions, including a former Port of Boston Harbourmaster and the fishing fleet and their supporters. It

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remains to be seen if we have done enough to get a public hearing. In addition to the stuff on navigation we made the following key points to DEFRA: ● Significant financial benefits for Port of Boston ● No prospect of water level management through Boston ever happening ● No prospect of a parallel sea lock ever happening ● No prospect of waterfront improvements in Boston ever happening ● A massive missed opportunity to transform Boston and generate up to £19m extra per year in the local economy. ● The barrier will just be a tidal gate lying in the bottom of the river which will only be used in anger about 1 in 50 years!

Following some engine issues on our way back to Sileby Mill after the Spalding cruise, our summer boating season was constrained wholly to our own region following an unexpected invitation to join my sister on a two week river/canal/reservoir/lakes cruise in Russia from Moscow to St Petersburg. It was a truly memorable experience, and I was amazed at the changes to that country in the 20 years since I had last visited on business matters. The VolgaBaltic waterway was completed in 1964, and it was good to see plenty of commercial traffic together with a healthy river cruising industry. Theirs is truly a seasonal boating season as the whole 1500-mile system freezes solid from November to April!

Finally, in early September we did manage a gentle cruise to Market Harborough and back, spending two nights in Leicester. The new CRT moorings, in partnership with Leicester City Council, are excellent, offering secure floating pontoons and … water at last in Leicester! Including Castle Gardens, there is now secure mooring capacity for up to 11 narrow boats right in the city centre.

No excuse now not to visit and linger in Leicester!

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Grantham Canal Society held their annual Discovery Day on 9th October and enjoyed a good turnout of canal enthusiasts and public.

Guided tours of the restoration project at lock 15 were popular and it was good to see the solid progress that 4 weeks of Waterway Recovery Group work camps had achieved during July, with a further 1 week camp at the end of October.

During a trip across the fens in early October I was also pleased to see the marina at Sutton Bridge taking shape – some four years after I was involved in purchasing pontoons for it in 2012! Land ownership issues forced the delay.

The new marina will be called Cross Keys Marina, which is the correct name for the swing bridge at Sutton Bridge. It will principally serve North Sea Gas and wind turbine service vessels. IFCA (Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority) East Coast research and enforcement vessels will also work from there. David

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Volunteer Rescue Team in East Midlands

Back in 2009 DEFRA set up a “Flood Enhancement Project”. This was not to enhance floods, of course, but aimed to register all resources around the country capable of helping in the case of serious flooding. In response to this, enthusiasts in Derbyshire started a small voluntary group, now called WUKSART, or “Watersafe UK Search and Rescue Team”.

They say: “Our purpose and aim is to provide response and support to the official Emergency Services in a range of situations, including water rescues, flood relief and support during times of adverse weather conditions, natural disaster or civil emergency, searches for missing people and to be able to provide support at incidents as required.”

Since then the team has developed to have some 30 volunteer members, trained in the necessary skills, as well as two vehicles and several RIB type boats on trailers ready for deployment at short notice. They helped, for example, in floods at Carlisle and York, as well as helping Nottinghamshire police in searches for missing people in the Trent. In addition to usual communication equipment, one boat is equipped with side-looking sonar to help detect objects below the surface of murky water.

They use a base near Trent Lock, and have regular exercises on the river to practise the necessary skills and train new volunteers.

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Underground Exploration Engineers from the Canal & River Trust carried out a ten-yearly inspection at Norwood Tunnel near Kiveton and, for the first time, invited a limited number of people into the tunnel to see it for themselves.

At 2.6km long, Norwood Tunnel was the longest canal tunnel in Britain when it was officially opened in May 1775. However subsidence from nearby mining works led to sections of the tunnel sinking and, despite efforts to raise the roof, it finally collapsed completely after heavy rain in October 1907.

The collapse effectively cut the Chesterfield Canal into two sections and trade on the western section of the canal ceased between 1914 and 1918, but continued between Kiveton Park and West Stockwith until 1955.

Today the eastern portal of the tunnel is bricked up for safety reasons and before the inspection could take place, engineers had to break through the brick wall. Once through they used a small dinghy to inspect the 475m stretch between the eastern portal and the collapsed section, looking for signs of cracks and leaks and to assess the overall condition of the tunnel.

As part of the project the CRT took the opportunity to give a small number of guests the chance to see

for themselves (pictures on back cover).

Sean McGinley, waterway manager for the Canal & River Trust said; “This is a really exciting opportunity and it’s like opening up a giant brick time-capsule.

“It’s going to be fascinating to get in there for the first time in a decade and see how the tunnel’s looking. It will be particularly special for local volunteers from the Chesterfield Canal Trust who have been working for years on plans to restore the canal and link the two sections either side of Norwood.

“We think giving them the opportunity to explore is a fitting reward for all their dedication and hard work over the years but it will also hopefully create some wider interest and inspire more people to get involved and support the restoration of the Chesterfield Canal.”

One of the nation’s most celebrated engineers James Brindley was working on the tunnel at the time of his death in 1772. The project then passed to John Varley and latterly Hugh Henshall. At just 3m wide the tunnel doesn’t have a towpath and so boats would have been propelled through by legging, where boatmen would lie on the roof of the boat and walk along the tunnel’s ceiling.

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Boston Barrier Reactions There have been many reactions to the latest variations on the Barrier plan. Here are some from two experienced people who know the Haven very well, Terry Despicht and Rodney Bowles. Ed.

Cllr Peter Bedford, leader of Boston Borough Council, said, ‘I have every confidence in the experts and professionals from the Environment Agency who tell us that the multi-million pound tidal flood alleviation barrier is the best it can be for Boston at this time’.

There are a growing number of concerned individuals who do not have the same confidence as Peter Bedford and others in those experts and professionals.

One reason to have a barrier is as part of the Fens Waterways Link, a flagship project of The Environment Agency designed to connect the Cathedral Cities of the East of England from Lincoln through Boston and Spalding to Peterborough and on to Ely and Cambridge, and beyond. It would appear that the flagship project, which so many in Boston were welcoming considering the huge regeneration prospects for the town, has been shelved until a later date, with a lock alongside the barrier “pencilled in” for the future.

A report to Boston’s Corporate & Community Committee dated 5th September 2016 highlights the opening sentence which reads, ‘The barrier will be built to full height straight away to avoid a double impact on the port and river users. It would be very complex to return to increase the height of ‘hard defences’, concrete walls and a steel gate, in the future; it is easier and more efficient to do the extra work now, rather than in 30 to 40 years. The current scheme makes allowances for how water level management can be implemented in the future and a lock or other structure constructed as part of that’.

Our local experts have got that bit right. It would be very complex to return to increase the height of hard defences, concrete walls and a steel gate, in the future. It would also be too costly. The reality is, despite all the promises, because of the above logic, the lock will never be put in, Water Level Management will never be achieved, the Fenland Waterways Link will have a link missing, there will be an increased threat of fluvial flooding on the Witham, the current safe navigation on the Haven will be compromised, Boston will never benefit from the estimated £19 million annual income mentioned in the Richard Glenn report and the £100 million barrier gate will lie in the muddy bottom of the Haven to be raised on a few occasions during the next 100 years when the need arises.

Unless? Is it too optimistic to hope that the Secretary of State’s team of experts and professionals will take a different view than our local experts and professionals?

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News from Leicestershire From Ian McDonald

Autumn must be here, I’ve put away the garden furniture and the hostas are withering, and CRT has closed down the Leicester Line, and our evening socials have started on the second Thursday of the month at The Gate Hangs Well.

Rangers team in its various guises for very many years and many people who have volunteered on the Green Life Boat will have met him. He has a great love of the waters through the city but in the end I rather think “ The b.....s got him down”.

During the summer Leicestershire Branch moved! Well as far as CRT are concerned as they have disbanded Central Shires and moved us under the wing of Sean McGinley, save for the bit to the south of Kilby Bridge where we remain in South East region. One thing that this change has done is that our dear friend Beryl McDowall decided she did not wish to continue with the work she was doing with Central Shires, which saw her travel to Fradley regularly for mostly daytime meetings. Travel to Newark for evening meetings did not appeal. Understandable as many of us find that driving in the dark becomes less attractive as we age. She has put an awful lot of effort into the waterways over a very long period and still organises a group that looks after Mountsorrel lock. It is because of people like Beryl that our waterways are treasured.

Leicester Line travel I received an email from two of our newer members relating their findings of a trip down into Leicester from Foxton, the first time they had made the trip. Sadly their experience made them think they are unlikely to repeat it in a hurry. I was very upset about this as ever since I have been in the branch, since it started, we have tried to encourage more to enjoy our waters, and to overcome the “bandit country” reports that used to circulate.

This was the prime reason for the creation and continuation of our very popular “Guide to the Leicester Line”.

They had no bandit trouble, but hated the heavy locks, ones that wouldn’t open reasonably easily, others that refused to stay shut, and shallow pounds. Then as a special treat the pound below Lime Kiln gave them smelly water with grot and rubbish, submerged items that rubbed the hull and about half a mile of bad boating.

They also said there seemed little near the water in the city to make them want to linger.

The other sad loss in Leicester is that Adrian Lane has taken early retirement. Adrian had led the Riverside

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I know that Adrian, see above, has had his waterside rangers and volunteers working to clean up the waterway. Also the water below Lime Kiln is from Willow Brook which flows for some miles through the suburbs, often in an open concrete channel, sadly often passing under roads where the side of the pavement is a wall ideal for throwing things over.

Yet the city council volunteer effort has a dedicated team that works its way upstream from Lime Kiln very regularly and still there is a problem.

I will make the boating message known to the council and CRT and raise the matter at the next meeting of the River Soar Grand Union Partnership. The problem with shallow water was puzzling to me as I understood that CRT had done some dredging along there in the previous 18 months.

Having received this the committee decided that we needed to get Sean to do the trip and set up a selection of dates when we would work Andrew and Debbie’s boat down from Kilby to Birstall, aiming for a date in late October when they could have their boat around. Sadly this was not possible with Sean as it was half term and he had made family arrangements, but then he brought forward lock closures through the section we would have travelled to coincide with work downstream. This is therefore deferred but we hope to be able to report on it later. Interestingly enough our Region Chairman had travelled from Foxton back to his home mooring at Sileby and said he thought it all seemed much as normal (page xa) but negative reports such as we received need to be acted upon.

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The new moorings at Friars Mill seem to be popular with boaters and users speak of it being a lovely quiet mooring, whereas the Castle Gardens ones are said to be noisy (I must say I never noticed that). It seems that the developers of the remaining site alongside the Mill have stopped working. It is to be hoped that the work will recommence shortly and finish off the work and enhance the water space suitably. It does not seem to me that there is any information at the moorings about how boaters can visit the city and its attractions. I have passed this comment on to the council, recommending that at the very least they should urgently provide temporary laminated notices until proper permanent ones can be erected.

The picture on the previous page shows the new Friars Mill mooring

and on this page a view from downstream of the Mill, showing the “glorious� land currently alongside our river.

On both these secure moorings there are no signs setting a maximum mooring stay, so it must be 14 days currently, but on the new moorings part of the pontoon has to be used to access the services (water and rubbish only). I trust that boaters will moor sensibly and that people will expect that if they are moored adjacent to the water point, then other boaters wishing to take water or tip rubbish will need to breast up. I have to say that when we were boating, if we found a boat so moored we would always breast up, and we never had any objections from the people. As for people stopping too long it will need to be monitored and CRT encouraged to establish a regime that

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permits the maximum number of visitors to stop.

BUT something occurred to me recently though. Why on earth do people generally not moor along the towpath on the Mile Straight? All over the country we moor pretty much anywhere, sharing the towpath with walkers, cyclists, runners, commuters and all, but in Leicester boaters don’t. It is time we did. We moor alongside the clubbers and stag/hen parties in central Birmingham, in the Paddington Basin/Little Venice in London, in the centre of Chester, in Liverpool. All over the country we stop, tie up and go shopping, sight seeing, whatever, but not in Leicester. Do tell me why please? Will some of you tie up along the Mile Straight in Leicester, enjoy the city, then tell me and others? I have done so in the past. Please let us get it accepted that boaters should do so and that it is safe to so do.

These are smaller concerns compared with something that is concerning the committee. The city mayor has many plans for Leicester. Getting Friars Mill restored was something, and I for one am grateful that he stepped in after many years of neglect and saved what is said to be the oldest factory building in the city, especially as it is alongside our waterway. Some time ago we became aware of a consultation document created by the city for the area immediately downstream of Friars Mill and through to North

Lock. The mayor had addressed one of our meetings about his plans, yet we were not sent the consultation document directly. We responded anyway and made detailed observations, significantly that the development should enhance the water space, not create a canyon through which boaters, walkers, cyclists etc must pass rather than enjoy. We were assured that we would be added to the list of consultees for future plans, yet recently our treasurer came across another document about future plans through his membership of another group. So despite having been assured that the IWA would be consulted, only through our contacts with other groups that had been notified were we able to see this latest document.

We are convinced that the IWA must start campaigning over the issue of how our waterway is incorporated into the new Leicester and the county. Two of our committee are attending an IWA Planning Workshop to get help and guidance and I must ask you all to be vigilant. If you hear or see any planned developments that are going to impact on our waterway then please investigate and let the committee know. We intend to create a presentation about our view of what can and should happen to our waterways and to then make sure that councillors are aware of our views.

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Ian

Visitor Moorings From Robert Aspey.

Following the article about the new visitor moorings at Mountsorrel Staithe in the July 2016 edition of Aegre, I thought members might like to know more about my role as IWA Branch Moorings Officer.

This is a new post created to help drive forward any potential new visitor mooring opportunities. It follows on from the recent CRT strategy for attracting more boaters onto the River Trent, which identified the lack of visitor moorings as one of the main reasons many boaters avoid using the Trent. CRT indicated that a dedicated Moorings Officer, who could identify potential mooring sites and work with CRT to progress matters, would be the best way forward as they only had limited resources for this work. As there is also a lack of visitor moorings on the River Soar, I have included both the Soar and Trent in my remit. However I am more than happy to accept help for covering parts of or all of these rivers (plus the Witham) by others who wish to act as additional mooring officers. I would share any best practice I have learned so far.

My background in boating dates back to 2002 when I and my wife Lesley decided to buy a boat to live on, following a week’s hire boating. We joined the IWA and RBOA and helped out from time to time over the following years. We were initially moored in the West Midlands, and while there I identified a potential visitor mooring on the Shroppie near Bilbrook. This was my first attempt at establishing a visitor mooring. CRT (BW as it was then) supplied a work boat, Bilbrook Parish Council agreed to pay for the mooring rings and signs, and along with my brother (a Bilbrook Parish Councillor) and a few members of the Shropshire Union Canal Society we installed them. The picture shows us at work. (I am the one with the spade). This is the area where the infamous “Shroppie Ledge”, a submerged concrete shelf, projects out the least, allowing boats to moor within about 300mm from the towAegre 146 - November 2016 Page 17

path edge. Later, along with a change of my job, we moved to Shardlow where we are today, and started to get to know the local waterways.

When I agreed to act as the Branch Moorings Officer a number of potential visitor mooring locations had been identified. I decided to concentrate on the most promising location first to get a quick win if possible. This I achieved with help from others in May this year. This was at Mountsorrel Staithe, a ready-made mooring with mooring rings and water taps. We are building up a good relationship with the developers (who know very little about boating), and hopefully over time they may include additional signs to make it very clear to passing boaters that visitor moorings are available. There is a fuller account in the last Aegre.

The Environment Agency (EA) are encouraging off-line moorings in lagoons that can help reduce the impact of flooding by accepting flood waters from the river and slowing down the progress of flood waters. This was a requirement at Mountsorrel Staithe to secure planning permission for the housing development. These offline moorings can also be in very attractive locations and extend the area of navigable water.

So far we have identified several potential mooring locations: 1.

Stoke Bardolph, River Trent: Improving the existing dilapidated pub moorings at the Ferry Boat Inn at Stoke Bardolph, possibly with funding from the pub brewery & parish council. This I think probably has good potential as the moorings already exist in a poor state, they just need renovating.

2.

Burton Joyce, River Trent - Where Trent Lane runs alongside the river.

Seek funding from the Parish Council, as it would increase trade from boaters at local shops.

3.

Trent Basin – The old dock in Nottingham on the north bank of the River Trent. Contact would need to be made with the developer.

4.

Attenborough Nature Reserve – A riverside mooring or in one of the adjacent lagoons by the River Trent (such as that provided by Peterborough City Council at Overton Lake in Ferry Meadows Country Park, with a short connection onto the River Nene Navigation, see picture on the next page), which would allow boaters to visit the reserve.

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I have already had discussions with Attenborough Nature Reserve, asking if they could include visitor moorings in their development strategy, but they have declined to commit to this at present. If anyone is a member of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and has some influence, I could with their help pursue this location again.

Visitor Moorings on Overton Lake 5.

There are many flooded gravel pits (man-made lakes) along the edge of the Trent (not all used for fishing and sailing) and within the flood protection area, which could be fairly easily connected to the river and would provide attractive & safe off-line casual visitor moorings. These locations include small lakes between the Trent and Polser Brook near Holme Pierrepont – which could also possibly provide a link to the Grantham Canal, and the proposed gravel extraction at Shelford on the opposite bank of the River Trent to Stoke Bardolph. This would leave man-made lakes.

6.

Watermead Country Park, River Soar. Possible link to one of the underused lakes and/or improved moorings along the navigation south of the Hope and Anchor pub by cutting back some of the high hedge to open up views over the adjacent lakes.

To help me pursue the above leads further, it would be very helpful if any members with relevant contacts or knowledge, or with any other potential mooring locations, could email details to me at robert.aspey@derby.gov.uk.

I have cruised the Trent from Shardlow to Torksey and along the full length of the Soar and the Witham. In doing so I have discovered what a wonderful boating resource these rivers are. The Trent especially is largely underused, but has a huge potential to increase usage if more visitor moorings could be developed. I look forward to receiving any feedback and offers of help members are able to provide. Robert Aspey, IWA Branch Moorings Officer Aegre 146 - November 2016 Page 19

Lincolnshire Happenings Boston Grand Sluice.

This year sees the 250th anniversary of the Grand Sluice. Built to improve the navigation of the River Witham from Boston to Lincoln, an act of Parliament was obtained in 1761.

Following a number of objections by two local drainage engineers, Mr Elstob and Mr Chapman, based on the effects such a structure would have on the silting of the tidal Haven, work commenced in 1764 and was completed in 1766. At the opening some 10,000 people from far and wide were present, but the sluice did not live up to expectations.

For the Boston Flood Barrier, a number of works that would be to the benefit of developing Boston Town from Grand Sluice to the Black Sluice, the Fenland Link, and inclusion of a sea lock have been dropped from the project. See pages 7 and 12, Because the project will impact on navigation the Secretary of State has to sanction the works in a Transport and Works Act Order. It is within her power to order that a Public Enquiry examine any detrimental effects that are raised. These concerns have been raised with the Boston Borough Council Scrutiny Committee who have made recommendations to the BBC Cabinet that they take note and act accordingly. Will history be repeated?

Grantham Canal To acknowledge the help Grantham Canal Society have received from other organisations in achieving their aims, presentations were held at the Hickling canal warehouse.

John Baylis is IWA East Midlands Secretary and long term IWA representative on the Grantham Canal Trust; he was instrumental in the repair of Lock 18. Mike Snaith is Notts and Derby IWA Branch Chairman, and they have supported GCS for many years and contributed financially to the purchase of the “Three

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Shires” boat. Sir David White presented both these gentlemen with a digitised framed picture of Longmoor Bridge on the canal.

At a later date at Lock 15, an on-site presentation (above) was made to myself as Lincs Branch Chairman for the many years of support and financial contribution by the Branch to new lock gates for Lock 18. I attended the first GCS volunteer working party in 1984, to clear fallen trees from Harlaxton Cutting and again some years later with a RAF Cranwell Volunteers Group the work was repeated. BW, as was, became more enlightened in their attitude towards volunteer workers and regular parties began in the Woolsthorpe area.

Brayford Trust finally submitted their Planning Application for another “over the water” restaurant on the north side of the pool. Following objections the plans were unanimously rejected.

A recent attempt by Guy Martin to create a pedal-powered water speed record on the pool was cancelled due to excessive amounts of weed and silt. The silt build-up is also causing problems for boats using the Trust’s

berths, and funding sources for dredging are being explored.

The new University accommodation blocks to the south of the pool are now rising with safety hoarding bearing an artist`s impressions of the finished works, to be known as “Cygnet Wharf”. The impact on moorings is not yet apparent.

Sleaford Navigation Trust. The funding application to the Leader programme for works at the winding hole and water access in South Kyme has passed round one application; now a more detailed application is being submitted for a decision towards the end of the year. Further coir-roll bank protection can also be carried out in Sleaford.

The issue about the access road to Cogglesford Lock and water mill is now being supported by Lincolnshire C.C Rights of Way officer for inclusion on the Definitive Map. South Kyme Boat Gathering for 2017 is on May Day Bank holiday.

River Ancholme. There is little to report about the bank erosion issues or a meeting with the Lincolnshire Rivers Trust. A computer malfunction at South Ferriby tide lock led to a dramatic drop of the river level, causing many mooring problems.

This was rectified by putting the control on to manual. The tide lock also provided a “safe haven” for the Coast Guard to bring in a boat from the Humber that had suffered from engine problems and a fire.

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Lock-keeper Rescues His Grandson.

In August 1919, Harold Hackford, Lock-keeper at the Black Sluice Locks in Boston, was at his home in Black Sluice House when a friend of his grandson called to see if 11-year-old Reggie was at home. Knowing his grandson, who lived with him, had only just left the house, he went outside and noticed that one of the lock-gates had been tampered with. As he approached, he heard faint cries for help coming from the bottom of the lock. Looking down, he could see something lying on the surface, some 15 feet below. After telling the boy to fetch a rope, being a strong swimmer himself, he dived into the six feet of water. He swam towards the object and only then realized it was an unconscious body. Meanwhile, the rope had been lowered so he was able to tie it round the body. Only then did he realize it was his own grandson. The boy was pulled to the lock-side and then recovered consciousness, suffering from cuts and bruises. Whilst the boy was being attended to, his grandfather was able to swim through the open sea-doors and climb an iron ladder fixed to the wall of the lock-pit.

It transpired that Harold Hackford had been the “hero of the hour” on numerous occasions. Three years previously he retrieved the body of a young lad at the larger Grand Sluice Locks during an early air raid.

At the beginning of the First World War he had also attended a plane crash and rescued the pilot, who later succumbed to his injuries. Prior to rescuing his grandson, he had saved the lives of no fewer than eight people in various incidents.

DEATH OF LOCK-KEEPER In October 1927, Harold Hackford went out one night to check the water levels at the Black Sluice Lock, as it had been raining heavily. As usual, his dog went with him and it was when the barking dog returned to the house without his master that grandson Reggie, now aged 19, was alerted to a problem. He quickly grabbed a light, went over to the locks and saw something lying on the surface of the water – where he, himself, had been lying some eight years earlier.

When the body of the grandfather was recovered, the post-mortem found that the only significant injury was a broken nose. At the subsequent inquest it was decided that he had slipped on the slimy walkway by the gates and had fallen into the lock, hitting his face on the way down. After being knocked unconscious, this well known lock-keeper, who had saved nine others from drowning in his lifetime (including his own grandson) was unable to save himself.

The family refused to accept this version of events, not least because a local eel-fisherman had had regular altercations with him, as the fisherman was in the habit of tampering with the lock-gates in order to boost his catch. When Harold went out that night to check on the gates, the family believes he came across the fisherman and he had an argument which led to a fight, during which Harold sustained a broken nose.

Hence, the family believed that a verdict of “Manslaughter” would have been more appropriate than “Accidental Death” for Harold Rowland Hackford.

Richard Hackford

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Ilkeston Festival

The annual IWA Festival of Water is coming to Ilkeston over the 2017 August Bank Holiday weekend, Saturday 26th to Monday 28th August 2017. It will be along the Erewash Canal and on the adjacent Gallows Inn playing field. The field postal address is Nottingham Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 5BP. Although the M1 and a railway line are not far away, they do not provide close access. The site is really in between Ilkeston and Trowell, on the A609. There is a bus service (MY15) from Long Eaton to Ilkeston which goes past.

The Festival will be free to attend for the public and will have an array of attractions on and off the water providing a fun day out for all the family.

Many boats, including leisure, trade, heritage and working narrow-boats, are expected and there will be a wide range of craft stalls and activities on site.

There will also be a market and fundraising stalls, and IWA would like to hear from boaters, charities and local groups who are interested in having a stall and fundraising for their chosen group.

We need a team of volunteers to help organise one of the most highly anticipated inland waterways events in the country. For more information about helping please contact: Jane Elwell, Events Committee Chairman. Email: jane.elwell@waterways.org.uk or call 01635 414567 We are also looking for general event volunteers between Wednesday 23rd August and Wednesday 30th August 2017, to help with directing car park traffic, litter picking, erecting marquees, distributing programmes, making PA announcements, and assisting with site information points and activities. For more information about this please contact Pat Barton. Email: pat.barton@waterways.org.uk. Thank you.

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News from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire

What an interesting summer, lots of good weather and lots of things to do so where do we start. On Saturday June 11th a small group of intrepid members travelled to West Stockwith Basin on the Chesterfield Canal to take on the Boat Pull challenge. You will recall that Chesterfield Canal supporters have built a replica full dimension working narrow boat (often referred to by Boat people as a “Cuckoo”). In order to raise funds to operate and maintain it they organised a sponsored Boat Pull relay over a two-week period in early June. Our section was from the Basin to Shaw Lock near Gringley-on-the-Hill, a distance of 4 miles and 2 locks.

There were four people in the pulling team, with the youngsters carrying their donations tins, either on the towing path or gleefully aboard the boat, “Dawn Rose”.

Thankfully the initial clouds and drizzle soon cleared and the dry weather lasted for the duration. Four miles may not sound much, but it was the longest section of all throughout the whole two-week relay and was much harder than the pullers anticipated.

Just get the momentum started and then the boat’s weight carries it forward, right? Wrong! The old British Waterways’ so called “Veg Pledge” does not seem to apply to the Chesterfield Canal. Although the towing path was cut near the hedge to a one metre width, the remaining metre or so to the water’s edge was a jungle of the best wilderness you can imagine.

Hauling the boat and dragging the long line through this jungle of vegetation was therefore no mean feat and what started as twenty minute stints in the duo of pulling harnesses was ten minutes by the end of the pull!

Un-harnessing and passing the line

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around the intervening trees and over moored boats (complete with TV aerials) also added to the spice of life.

In days gone by these obstacles were unlikely to be there, but anyone traditional horse boating these days has my full admiration.

The Boat Pull was both an enlightening experience and much fun for all involved; a great fund-raising idea from the Friends of Dawn Rose and a big thank you to all volunteers participating in the event and all the sponsors who so kindly donated. When the donations were counted we raised a magnificent £230 towards waterways causes – see the next edition of Aegre for where it is destined for use.

Our next activity took place on a thankfully dry Saturday 16th July when nine volunteers made their way to Derwent Mouth Lock on the Trent and Mersey Canal armed with windlasses, cakes and the wherewithal to produce the most tasty bacon butties on the Cut. We operated the lock, provided cakes for most of the day and bacon sandwiches for the morning boat crews. It seemed to be a great success even though there were fewer boats through this year than last, 30 compared to 40. Like last year we were raising money for the WRG Van Appeal and many seemed interested in learning about IWA and Waterway Recovery Group’s purpose and activities.

A big thank you therefore goes to a number of people: the volunteers on the day; those who made the cakes and the bacon sandwiches, CRT who supported the activity and provided relevant protective equipment and most of all, to all the boaters and their crews who donated so generously.

When the final count was complete £180 had been raised for the WRG vans. Thank you very much to all concerned.

More recently on 1st October we attended the Nottingham Canal Festival to promote IWA and waterways in the local area. The event took place on the towing path of the Nottingham Canal outside the Magistrates’ Court in the centre of Nottingham. It was graced by the presence of historic working boats, trip boats, and morris dancers plus a variety of crafts, environmental and heritage groups and canal society stalls. For the more active there was also the opportunity to try taster sessions of canoeing and angling. In all there were about 2400 visitors and our marquee was also visited by the Sheriff of Nottingham, Cllr. Jackie Morris and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Tom Huggon, after they opened proceedings by cutting the tape. The latter in particular being keen on our waterways as he was a narrow boater himself with fond memories of his times on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

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The Festival and our stock of IWA Christmas cards and merchandise went well up to the point where the thunder crashed, the lightning flashed and we were almost washed away in the torrents of rain that followed.

Shall we say that the flow of visitors then dried up albeit the weather didn’t. A memorable day. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped man the stand at the Festival, I know it was hard work as there were so few of us.

As well as promoting waterways in general we are also participating in a more local activity to promote the use of the River Trent. As you will no doubt recall we now have a Moorings Officer within the Branch who is actively trying to seek out and gain permission for new moorings along

the river. Please see the more substantive article on page 17, and if you know of any potential mooring sites please get in touch with Rob to let him know. You can contact him by emailing robert.aspey@derby.gov.uk I need to return to a topic briefly mentioned in the Summer Aegre.

With the retirement and non-replacement of long standing committee members at the last AGM in February the remainder are finding it really difficult to keep the show on the road. Sustaining current activities is a challenge in itself and we could do so much more, protecting, promoting, fundraising and doing if we had just a few more hands on deck. If you are interested in helping it need not take up much time but would be of great

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assistance so please get in touch. I stress simple things like emailing Waterways World and Towpath Talk each month with the Social events or writing up the notes from the odd meeting would be such an improvement on our current endeavours!

Looking forward to the season of Social evenings. Our next meeting will be on Thursday 10th November when we have “50+ Years of the RBOA” an illustrated talk by Ivor Caplan about the history and activities of the Residential Boat Owners Association at our now usual venue at the Poppy & Pint in Lady Bay, West Bridgford, Nottingham. On Thursday 10th December it will be our Christmas Social with buffet and illustrated talk by Michael and Carole Golds regarding the Birmingham Canal Navigations from the 1960’s to the present day – complete with anecdotes. Then on Thursday 12th January it will be an illustrated talk by Stephen Flinders “Stanton – Gone but not Forgotten” - the history of the Stanton iron works and dale from the 1840’s to the present day. Thursday February 9th will then be our AGM followed by an illustrated talk which is still to be confirmed.

So put the evening of the second Thursday in the month in your diaries and see the calendar of events above. Do come and join us, everyone is most welcome, I look forward to seeing you there.

Mike Snaith

Picture Credits We are most grateful to all of the following, who have contributed photographs or other illustrations to enhance this edition of Aegre: Ian McDonald; Dave Carnell; Mike Snaith, Rod Auton; Mel and Sue Sowerby; Archie Roberts; Shirley Rogers, David Pullen, and as noted for specific articles. Some photographs in this issue are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. The authors concerned are acknowledged in the relevant articles.

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Annual General Meetings Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meetings of the constituent Branches of the East Midlands Region of the Inland Waterways Association will be held as follows:

Leicestershire Branch: at 7.30 pm on Thursday 9th February 2017 at The Gate Hangs Well, Syston, Leics. LE7 1NH. Lincolnshire Branch: at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 27th February 2017 at Lincoln Boat Club, Brayford Wharf North, Lincoln LN1 1YW. The Club is located adjacent to the Barge Restaurant and the Sea Cadets’ HQ. Nearest car parking is in Lucy Tower Street, about 250 yards E. The speaker after the formal meeting will be Janet Richardson, of “Towpath Talk”.

Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branch: at 7.30 pm on Thursday 9th February 2017 at the Poppy & Pint public house, Pierrepont Road, Lady Bay, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 5DX.

AGENDA 1. Apologies for absence 2. Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting 3. Matters arising.

4. Report of the Chairman.

5. Report of the Treasurer and presentation of accounts.

6. Statement of committee size 7. Election of Committee members.

8. Address by Member of Council or Trustee 9. Any other business.

Nominations for election to the committees must be in writing, signed by the proposer and the seconder and containing the consent of the nominee. They should reach the relevant Branch Secretary not less than 14 days before that meeting.

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Around the Societies and Trusts Cromford Canal. Their social meetings at Ironville Church Hall NG15 5NN continue on the third Monday of the month at 7.30 pm. Admission is £2 and there is a bar and raffle. November 16 will be on “Canal Cruising and Restoration” by Michael Golds. January 16 is on “Times past along the Canal”, and February 20 is on “Bullbridge”.

The Derby and Sandiacre Trust has work parties continuing at Draycott and Borrowash. They are trying to start a Wedneday session; contact Eddy Case on 07523 896645. Indoor meetings are planned to continue on the fourth Tuesday of the month, 8 pm at the Wilmot Arms, 49 Derby Road, Borrowash DE72 3HA. On 22 November there will be a talk on “The Derby as it used to be”. For queries call Chris Madge on 07827 946444.

Erewash CP&DA monthly open days at Sandiacre Lock Cottage, Lock Lane NG10 5LA are on 17 November, 15 (and three Sundays) in December, 19 January and 16 February. As a new venture this year they will be opening 4, 11 and 18 December with Christmas decorations and refreshments. Visitors welcome, but to be sure it is opening call 07747 075114 or 07735 613629. They are already gearing up for their own Golden Anniversary Boat Rally on May Bank Holiday 2018, and for the IWA Festival at Gallows Inn Ilkeston on August 26/28, 2017. More on page 23.

Melton and Oakham Waterways Society have a display at Oakham Museum until the end of January 2017. Their AGM is at Sysonby Knoll Hotel on Saturday November 12 at 10.30 am Sleaford Navigation Trust See also Dave Carnell’s report on page 20. Their work parties continue, usually on the second Sunday of the month. Call 01522 856810 for details.

East Anglian Waterways Association Our colleagues in the east, the EAWA, report that Project Hereward has made a re-inspection of Welches Dam Lock in July. At King’s Lynn Associated British Ports is making major improvements to cargo handling facilities, with an increase in tonnage handled - around 500 ktonnes per year.

A new “Vision Document” has been prepared for the Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Park.

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News from Grantham Restoration

Woolsthorpe Middle Lock, Lock 15, now has two thirds of the walls rebuilt thanks to the efforts of volunteers, both from within the society and from Waterway Recovery Group. It’s beginning to look more like a canal lock now, even though the scaffolding blocks most of the view down. Local suppliers have been particularly helpful, enabling progress to be continued without any delay.

Mike Stone, Chairman of the Grantham Canal Society, was recently asked “Is this volunteer force sustainable?” His answer was, “Well, no it isn’t in the longer term”. Mike went on to explain, “The Society needs to attract younger volunteers to understand the techniques required in restoration and to continue the project long after the current generation of volunteers has retired – for the second time! There are many people in the community who have the opportunity to spend some hours volunteering on the Grantham Canal. They may have recently left formal education; be between jobs; at a loose end once the family has ‘flown the nest’; wanting to improve their fitness instead of just running miles, when volunteering could help shed the pounds. As well, it offers the chance to put something back into the community whilst doing so. If you or someone you know has a few hours to spare and would benefit from training in these skills, why not tell them about the Grantham Canal Society. We would love to hear from them if we are to link the canal to the River Trent once again.” If you feel you could help, then please either email volunteer@granthamcanal.org or visit our website www.granthamcanal.org for further details.

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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; “The Bridge”, from Grantham Canal Society; “Sleaford Navigation Trust” journal; the “Melton and Oakham Newsletter”; and “The Wharfinger” from Louth Navigation Trust, as well as “Navigation” from our neighbours at West Midlands Region, “Grand Trunk” from the Trent and Mersey 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 Chesterfield’s “The Cuckoo” contact the editor at 22 Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield S43 2PF.

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Going Down

Norwood tunnel Explored.

See page 11

Parry (right) and John AegreRichard 146 - November 2016 Page 32 Lower