Aegre March 2012

AEGRE

March 2012

With Volunteering Case Studies from Langley and Staveley

A Journal from the

No.131

East Midlands Region of

Aegre 131 - March 2012 Page 1

Aegre is published Š 2012 by the East Midlands Region Committee of the Inland Waterways Association for members of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Branches.

Northampton members receive their own publication.

Chairman

John Pomfret, db Drijfhuis, Braunston Boats Ltd, Bottom Lock, Dark Lane, Braunston, Daventry NN11 7HJ Tel 01788 891027

Vice-Chairman

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

Leicestershire Branch Acting Chairman

John Evans, Highfields Farm, Woodhouse Road, Quorn, Loughborough LE12 8AL Tel 01509 416647

Lincolnshire Branch Chairman

Dave Carnell (as above)

Notts. & Derbys Branch Chairman

Vacant. Contact Mike Snaith, below.

Northampton Branch Chairman

Bernard Morton, Yew Tree House, 14 Baker Street Gayton, Northants. NN7 3EZ Tel: 07785 375787

Region Planning Officer & Notts & Derbys Branch

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

Secretary & WRG

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

Member

Ian McDonald, 68 Leicester Road, Thurcaston, Leicester LE7 7JG Mobile: 07950 003383

Editor for Aegre: Peter Hill, 7 Lock Keeper’s Way, Louth, Lincolnshire LN11 0GQ Tel: 01507 602713; e-mail: aegre@humbhony.demon.co.uk This is the web version with 96dpi pictures, unsuitable for printing, but with active URLs. Picture credits: Page 10. Cover picture: Langley Mill Bridge Initial Inspection.

Page 3: Staveley Basin and Church. Pages 16/17 background: Staveley Basin.

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

Tel: 0845 4501146 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.

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AEGRE March 2012

No. 131

Contents Canal Societies and Trusts in the EM Region.............................4 The Big CRT Funding Picture - Details........................................5 The Editor’s Flotsam and Jetsam.................................................7 News from Lincolnshire Branch...................................................8 Picture Credits..............................................................................10 Volunteers at the Erewash Canal................................................11 News from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire............................15 Festival at New Chesterfield Canal Basin..................................19 Melton and Oakham Waterways Society....................................21 Moira Canal Festival ...................................................................22 Timber for the Wooden Canal Boat Society..............................23 News from Leicestershire............................................................24 Journals Received........................................................................25 Obituary – John Booth.................................................................26 David Stevenson retires from IWA Committee..........................27 A Matter of Bridges......................................................................28 Regional Diary Dates 2011/12.....................................................29 Notts & Derby Branch Programme.............................................29 Leicestershire Branch Programme.............................................30 Lincolnshire Events.....................................................................31 Northampton Branch Programme..............................................31

Next issue probably to be published in June 2012. Contributions to the editor by the end of April 2012 please.

The space on the right is for local contact information.

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Canal Societies and Trusts in the EM Region Buckingham Canal Society

Helen Preston, 16 Mallard Drive, Buckingham MK18 1GJ Tel: 01280 821232 www.buckinghamcanal.org.uk

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

Howard Smith, 1 Millfield, Kimberley, Nottingham NG16 2LJ Tel: 0115 9384129

Association Foxton Inclined Plane Trust

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

Friends of the Canal Museum

C/o The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne, Towcester NN12 7SE www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk

Friends of the Cromford Canal

Patrick Morriss, The Shieling, Dukes Road, Lower Hartshay, Ripley, Derby DE5 3RP Tel: 01773 742895 www.cromfordcanal.org.uk

Friends of Raymond

c/o Braunston Marina, Braunston, Daventry, NN11 7JH www.thefriendsofraymond.org.uk

Grantham Canal Society

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

Louth Navigation Trust

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

Melton & Oakham Waterways Society

Richard Booth, Sysonby Knoll, Asfordby Road, Melton Mowbray LE13 0HP Tel: 01664 503330 http://www.meltonwaterways.org.uk

Old Union Canals Society

36 The Ridings, Desborough, Kettering NN14 2LP Tel: 07010 705103. www.fipt.org.uk/Local.htm

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.trentandmerseycanalsociety.co.uk

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The Big CRT Funding Picture - Details The IWA reaction On Tuesday 31st January, the Waterways Minister Richard Benyon MP announced that his Department had reached a negotiated settlement with the transition trustees of the Canal & River Trust over the amount of Government funding that it will receive when it takes over responsibility for the management of the waterways currently run by British Waterways in England and Wales.

The original settlement has been substantially increased from £390 million over ten years to potentially £800m over 15 years, according to Defra if you add indexation. There is also the full property portfolio of commercial premises and land worth an additional £460m.

The ‘core deal’ is for a payment of £39 million per year, however; Ÿ Starting in 2015/16, there is also an extra £10 million per year conditional grant (with a capping arrangement for the last 5 years). Ÿ There is now indexation on the core grant. Ÿ The contract term has now been increased by a half, giving financial certainty for 15 years. Ÿ On service pension liabilities -an additional £25m this year with a government guarantee of last resort (i.e. should the charity become insolvent) for 19 years. Ÿ A one-off payment of £6.2m this year to cover repayment of national loans.

The IWA campaign strategy has clearly been effective. This year’s funding offer from government has been raised from £39 million to over £70 million, and much of what we asked for in our lobbying and submissions has resulted in concessions being made.

IWA has lobbied hard for a sensible deal from government. The Defra consultation – A New Era for the Waterways – was issued in March 2011. IWA analysed these proposals and it was clear from the outset that the £39 m per annum from Government wasn’t going to give the CRT a fighting chance. IWA came up with a package of measures for Government to consider and submitted these early so that all stakeholders could fully reflect on the suggestions. IWA’s Preliminary Analysis was submitted in May last year. Elements that we believed should be incorporated into a sustainable funding package for Government to:

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Ÿ Meet the past service pension liabilities of British Waterways. Ÿ Provide a transition fund both to cover the increased costs needed for a successful launch of the charity and the costs of promoting broad-based local ownership of our waterways, including finance to pump-prime locally determined projects. Ÿ Index the indicative funding. Ÿ Provide certainty of funding beyond 10 years. Ÿ Find funding for the cost of bridge repairs which have risen exponentially for British Waterways, given the nature and axle weight of today’s commercial traffic, including the option of transferring responsibility for maintenance of road bridges to the relevant local highway authorities.

In the autumn these representations were followed up by a well-supported IWA members’ campaign, under which members wrote to their MPs raising key issues for them to take up with Richard Benyon. He received a pretty full mailbox. Centrally IWA made sure that big-ticket funding issues were given a public airing – in Parliament through Parliamentary Questions and through the media – and these included pension liabilities, inadequate dredging, the deterioration in the waterways as navigations, and British Waterways inability to fund bridge repair and maintenance properly.

Moving forward, IWA will continue to remain vigilant. We need to ensure that any early teething problems are no more than that, and not symptoms of greater problems, and we will want to convey any issues of substance arising to Government before it conducts its 2 year review in 2014. We will also keep an eye on progress towards the absorption of the EA navigations in 2015/16 to ensure that no last minute hitches derail the transfer.

It is always possible to look for more, but in times of tight fiscal restraint a substantial increase on the original settlement together with retention of the full property portfolio of commercial premises and land has to be regarded as a relatively good deal.

Thanks to all of our supporters who have played an important part in this negotiation process, and we sincerely hope that all waterway supporters will now continue to support the CRT by providing volunteer assistance at local and national level, especially in the critical first three years before much of the additional funding kicks in.

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The Editor’s Flotsam and Jetsam

If not money shortage, then a water shortage Even if the financial outlook seems a bit brighter following the DEFRA announcement, we now hear cautionary words from many sources about water and drought after a very dry winter. These two “elements” are difficult to do without for boats on waterways, so we need to think and act carefully. Our colleagues in West Midlands have an article in their magazine by Ian Fletcher about being more sensible about lock usage and the like, and the sad demise of side ponds. No doubt it is all current “good practice” but not always actually done. Do look at his article if you can on page 14 of their 2011-4 edition.

The Trent Aegre in 2012 Normally we give the Environment Agency forecasts in this issue of Aegre.

However this year the occurrences are almost all low, with none at all in June.

If you would like to check, please look at: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/37905.aspx Narrow Boats from long ago The journal Current Archaeology reports that excavations on an old course of the River Nene have revealed six ancient boats dating from around 1300 to 700 BC. Not only are these boats, made from hollowed-out tree trunks, very similar in proportion to our current narrow boats, but some show carved decorations on the outside of the hulls. Not roses and castles, admittedly, but maybe their precursors. More details www.archaeology.co.uk Learn boat painting in Northamptonshire You can learn current boat decoration techniques at Knuston. There are courses on 27th – 29th April and 26th – 28th October 2012 looking at Canal Art, Flowers and Castles. There is time for painting your own projects.

Knuston Hall Residential College, an elegant 17th century building, is in rural East Northamptonshire between Rushden and Irchester. Information is available from: Knuston Hall, Irchester, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN29 7EU. Tel: 01933 312104 , web: www.knustonhall.org.uk Leawood Pumping Station Our friends at Cromford say that the engine will be in steam on April 8 and 9, May 6 and 7, June 2 and 3, July 1, and August 4, 5, 26 and 27. All being well and no leaks, from noon to 5 each day.

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Go Canoeing Our friends in canoes (and kayaks of course) are having a ten day week from 6th to 15th April when there will be opportunities all over the country for anyone who would like to have a go at paddling one of these. They are mostly arranged by local clubs, but details should be on: www.canoe-england.org.uk/clubs-i-centres/national-go-canoeing-week

News from Lincolnshire Branch River Witham In the November Aegre I mentioned the weed problems and their effects on the rowing activities and Olympic trials on the river. Due to a large financial input of ÂŁ80,000 from British Waterways and use of their manpower and equipment the weed was controlled to the extent that the trials were a great success. Efforts to use a vacuum system to remove weed in the Bardney Lock area were unsuccessful, the weed proving so dense that the suction pipes could not cope.

Further meetings between user groups, BW and the EA have resulted in identifying the sources of the weed entering the main river. A draft weed management proposal is being drawn up and possible sources of funding sought to purchase a larger weed machine, suitable for river work.

BW have completed the replacement of Anton`s Gowt Lock, giving access to the Witham Navigable Drains.

Other works include the removal of a large willow tree that made mooring to the upstream pontoon landing difficult. In Boston the old finger moorings have been removed. These were past their sell-by date, and too short to cater for the increased number of narAegre 131 - March 2012 Page 8

row boats now visiting Boston and the Fenland Link.

The existing pontoon moorings are to be extended, with a free 5 day maximum stay to cater for people wishing to explore Boston.

On the Witham Navigable Drains damage has been caused to Cow Bridge Lock guillotine gate winding gear. The padlock and retaining bracket were smashed, and with the mitre gates open the guillotine was raised causing a flood of water from the Maud Foster Drain through the lock chamber. Signs of fish nets in the chamber indicate this was done to catch fish as they were swept through.

Falling water levels in the town raised the alarm. The Internal Drainage Board have repaired the damage and are to put a cover over the padlock.

This will also be secured with a BW Watermate lock.

A similar situation on the River Nene has been reported to the EA. Prior to the spring they are also renewing the main head beam of the guillotine, due to corrosion. This work will be completed in time for the boating season.

Louth Navigation.

To allay the fears of flooding to people and property, the Environment Agency are to spend £60,000 dredging the waterway to its original profile in the Tetney Lock and Austen Fen areas.

The Louth Navigation Trust are drawing up contracts and tender forms for consultants to ascertain the costs of Newark Moorings. arresting the damage caused to AlvIn the last Aegre I mentioned the ingham Lock by flood waters and notice prohibiting mooring to the piles winter weather. An “expression of upstream of the BW pontoons. At the interest” funding application is being User Group meeting it was explained prepared. that this was an old notice from when large commercial craft used the river. Sleaford Navigation.

There is also a question with Newark Enquiries to ascertain the ownership Town Council regarding the mainteof land in South Kyme are still awaitnance of the footpath and vegetation ing a reply from the Land Registry. at the head of the ladders. This situa- The aim is to create an access to water tion will be monitored. for canoeists and visiting boats.

The possibility of creating a winding River Ancholme. hole for larger craft is also being The Tourism and Leisure departments examined. of Brigg Town and North Lincs.

Councils are creating a Heritage Trail Monthly volunteer work parties have for the river which will encompass been clearing willow trees from the ideas suggested at the Ancholme User channel at Haverholme Lock and vegGroup meetings. This will see the etation from the banks within Sleafreturn of the historic “Brigg Boat” ord. This work received many from the maritime museum at Green- compliments from the public who use wich to Brigg and a display in the the riverside paths. Anyone interested newly created Heritage Centre in the in helping the Trust can contact the Market Place. Some monies from work party organiser Mel Sowerby on super-market developments within the 01522 856810. town are being used, plus an application for a Stage One Heritage Lottery Grantham Canal Society bid. continue to make improvements in the Vale of Belvoir. Funding for new lock gates on the top lock at Woolsthorpe The EA have indicated their navigation charges will increase at 6.4% per year for the next three years. The Region Navigation Forum had suggested a maximum of 5% and in reply to criticism undertook to monitor any impact on reductions in craft numbers being licensed.

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will see them fitted early this year, allowing the trip boats to pass through three locks adjacent to the Pub and travel the top four miles of waterway.

A Stage One Heritage Lottery award will allow them to get structural surveys and costings carried out on the next two locks. They intend to run Heritage Skills courses to re-instate the two locks.

The society publish a monthly news letter on e-mail at membership@granthamcanal.com for those following their activities.

Welches Dam Lock has been closed for six years. The EA had been resistant to any initiative to re-open the lock since it is not a current funding priority for them. Their focus locally is the development of the Fenland Link. IWA has now been able to discuss with the EA the possible use of volunteers.

This discussion has provided greater insight into the problems at the lock.

We now know that one option for restoring navigation may be to reline at least some of the Forty Foot River Notification of another body, the Marine Management Organisation has to prevent leakage, along with renovations at the lock, with a view to been received. They aim to plan for keeping the gates permanently open. the marine environment in tidal waters. Their area “East Inshore�

The EA is open to proposals for IWA extends from Flamborough Head to take on the lock under a leasing down to Landguard Point at Felixarrangement. Whilst the detail has to stowe, and includes all the tidal be developed, this may be a way reaches of rivers flowing into these coastal waters. Trent, Humber, Nene, round the EA current priorities SubWelland and so on southwards. Some ject to a satisfactory outcome on leaslocal briefing sessions have been held ing, the next step would be for IWA to set up a local restoration team to for the public in places like Grimsby lead this initiative. and Boston, and we will try to keep Dave Carnell you in touch.

Picture Credits We are most grateful to all of the following, who have contributed photographs or other illustrations to enhance this or earlier editions of Aegre: Paul King; Paul Birtles; Tony Pitman; John Lower; Peter Stone; Ian McDonald; Dave Carnell; Brian Dominic; Beryl McDowall; Nancy Johnson; Norman Osborne; David Pullen; Dave Scott; Mike Snaith; John Baylis; Bill Joyce, Lynda Payton; Colin Crofts; Rod Auton, Linda Hulme, Harry Arnold, BW Newark, Highways Agency, Barrow Hill Roundhouse, and as noted for specific articles.

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Volunteers at the Erewash Canal: Refurbishment of Langley Mill Swing Bridge From Mick Golds and John Baylis During a four week period last October, members of the Erewash Canal Preservation & Development Association stripped, re-planked and repaired the swing bridge at the entrance to the Great Northern Basin. British Waterways provided the finance for materials and the work was done by our volunteer members. This involved stripping off all the old planking, derusting, repairing and re-painting metal work as well as cleaning and greasing the bearings.

ber of suitable size was not only very difficult to obtain but also frightfully expensive. The Association, who at that time leased this part of the canal from British Waterways, re-built the bridge with steel channel and girders crossing the canal. This was basically to carry the weight, as most of the timber deck was incorporated along with the timber handrails.

The bridge and lock area were taken back by British Waterways in 2000 but volunteers from the ECP&DA continued to carry out maintenance This swing bridge is the last remainwork on this part of the canal and furing working one on the Nottingham ther restoration of the Cromford Canal, which originally had seven.

Canal, eventually becoming a BW “Self Supervising Group”. The timber The technical background story deck of the swing bridge was now Langley Mill swing bridge crosses the showing serious deterioration, and Nottingham Canal at its junction with BW suggested that the ECP&DA volthe Cromford Canal. It was originally unteers might re-deck the bridge. This was agreed. built about 1795 to carry a tramway from the Duke of Newcastle’s Brinsley Collieries to the Erewash Canal, as (See “before and after” pictures on our outer cover pages.) the original route had been disrupted by construction of the Nottingham Canal. The original timber bridge had BW offered some redundant stop planks to re-cycle for the timber deckprobably been repaired several times ing. The 250 x 250 x 5000 mm timpreviously but when the ECP&DA bers were cut into planks by Charles restored the Great Northern Basin of the Nottingham Canal in 1972-3 it had Gregory Ltd. at Tansley near Matlock.

The cut planks, each 250 x 80 mm (10 to partly rebuild the bridge. By 1984 x 3¼ inches) were sorted and the best the timber beams which crossed the canal were deteriorating rapidly. Tim- 2.7 metre (9 feet) lengths cut off each Aegre 131 - March 2012 Page 11

plank. These were to be the new deck of the bridge. After treating with preservative they were stacked ready for use. Once the deck planks had been cut, this left various lengths, some of which were selected to make into the longitudinal runners to bolt along the top of the steel bridge beams. Slight variations in thickness of the deck timber could be accommodated during re-fitting, but the runners were brought down to a standard thickness.

This was accomplished by running the planks through Clive Gerrard’s “thicknesser�. These were then cut in half down the length to give 125 x 75 mm planks. Alan Woodhouse then cut lap joints at both ends to give four lengths about 12 metres long. These were finally treated with more preservative.

On the existing bridge, the curved planks at each end suffer most wear and movement due to traffic running on and off the bridge. The worst part of the original runners was the short section at both ends. In order to reduce this damage Mick Golds suggested short steel sections at each end so that the new curved planks could be bolted down. Unfortunately 75 x 75 mm channel section steel is not available and so Ernie Boddy welded these up from angle iron and heavy steel strip. The finished items were then well painted before final fitting.

Before work started to re-deck the bridge the two new end timbers were cut and shaped to match the stone work. As these needed to be wider Aegre 131 - March 2012 Page 12

than the standard planks they were made up of two planks bolted together.

Then, on Friday October 14th, work started by placing diversion signs so that all road traffic to the boatyard went via the rear of the Great Northern and the ends of the abutments were fenced off. The end timbers were removed so that the new curved end timbers could be fitted and drilled through the steel channel to the top web of the longitudinal steels. With this completed the bridge was opened and work started to remove the old planks and timber runners. When the runners had been removed the bridge was jacked up and the steel chassis packed level on timber so that the ball race at the centre point of the bridge could be cleaned out and the concrete counter weights removed.

Scraping and cleaning the steel started off at the swinging end. The steel was in good condition with little rust, but

done and went away to produce a design for the repair. We had planned to do the work in eight days but waiting for an answer on the steel made that an impossibility. However Alan and the joiners started laying the deck on the swinging end.

First of all the new curved plank was bolted through the previously drilled holes, and the runners were bolted to the longitudinal steels with 100 x 12 mm galvanised coach bolts. In order to keep the timber drier a plastic damp when we got to the counter-weight end the only way to clean the rubbish proof course was laid above and off was to lift out all the weights. This below the runners. Before starting the work we had found and bought 300 revealed far more deterioration than we had imagined, with the angle irons off 150 x 8 mm stainless steel screws at a cost of ÂŁ320 for fastening the supporting the counter-weights and planks to the runners, and with these two of the steel cross beams rusted the planks were screwed down with through in parts. By now it was late an expansion gap of 12 mm between Friday afternoon, but we decided to each plank. By Friday we had cut out some of the steel so that we received no reply from BW, so we could clean the remainder properly with a view to replacing the removed redesigned the counterweight carriers beams. On Saturday and Sunday most for better concrete weights, carrying them lower and away from the strucof the steel on the swinging end was tural steel. The original problem had cleaned and given two coats of bitubeen caused by welding steel angle minous paint. between the steel beams to carry the counterweights, but fitting the conHowever, a phone call to British crete too close to the steel so that mud Waterways on the Monday morning and rubbish falling through the planks brought them running with a bridge had filled the space between - not engineer from Leeds. We were chasallowing drying winds to get through. tised for cutting out the rusted steel and going beyond the work specified Three new carriers were made of 75 x 75 x 8 mm steel angle welded at the in the “Method Statementâ€? we had corners but bolted to and underneath prepared, and that we should have consulted them first. The engineer the cross girders. The steel was then took numerous measurements, made thoroughly coated with bituminous some suggestions as to what could be paint.

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Several of us were away in the last week in October so work was called off and the bridge stayed closed, but on our return there was no reply from BW. The bridge had by now been out of action for three weeks and so we decided to repair the steelwork by fitting three cross beams instead of the two we removed and by plating the longitudinal girders as originally suggested by BW. These three cross beams were made from 127 x 76 x 13 kg/metre universal beams, drilled in the workshop to take the counterweight carriers and then welded in position by Ernie. The longitudinal beams were plated with 100 x 6 mm steel plates about 4 metres long, welded all round. This involved working the full four days until dark on some nights, with the steelwork finally painted on the Friday afternoon and Saturday.

soil bank on one side and laid a brick kerb above the bearing to deflect the water. Then, on November 8th, the counter-weights were lowered in by Peter Newman’s crane and the last planks re-fitted. We had a meeting with Sean McGinley, who told us the error of our ways in going beyond the agreed Method Statement but agreed to pay for the additional work. The total cost of the estimated work was £1100 with the additional steelwork £426; a good repair at far less than what contractors would have charged.

The sting in the tail is that BW wanted a full survey of the bridge and Hyder Consultants planned this on January 18th. This is probably the first major project of this type carried out by volunteers since the announcement of BW’s proposed changeover to the Canal & River Trust and it will, I hope, provide lessons in how volunteers and the new charity will both need to change their ways.

After cleaning out the ball race Mick Golds decided to try to stop mud and grit washing down the stone paving under the bridge and flooding the ball Postscript. Two engineers from race. He built a stone wall to retain the Hyder Consultants completed the survey with less dismantling than BW initially requested and were generally pleased. We now await their report and advised weight loading. The bridge has been also been accepted into the Volunteer Section of The Waterways Renaissance Awards 2012,. The first judging was scheduled for early February.

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News from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Now the shorter days of the winter period are starting to rescind we can look forward to the joys of Spring and Summer. Over the winter we had some excellent monthly Social gatherings, a talk on the successes, trials and tribulations of work on the restoration of the Sleaford Navigation as well as one on the joys (and frustrations!) of travelling the new Liverpool Link being particular highlights. Thank you to Steve Hayes and John Wilkinson for their time and effort to enlighten us all.

Butterley Engineering Remaining with the theme of Social gatherings and inspired by a previous article in this magazine by John Baylis, we were most fortunate to host a presentation on the 200 year history of the Butterley Engineering company.

It is sometimes amazing to look back on what was initially achieved in the 19th century and then further developed in the 20th by a determined group of skilled engineers. Many will know the history of the Butterley tunnel on the Cromford Canal, with its wide section and internal wharf for loading and unloading via vertical shafts to the factory above, but how many are also aware of the further subterranean canal and tramway networks linking various remote sectors of the sites and ironstone works.

duce steel fabrications for the world.

From canal and railway bridges across Britain, India and the world to the great roof arches of St Pancras station to the present-day Falkirk Wheel. All were produced at Butterley before being shipped worldwide. Just the problems of getting the larger finished products out of the factory alone was something to be seen. If you missed this presentation you missed a treat; thank you to Brian Key for a very enlightening evening and I hope those reading this are encouraged to come to future meetings.

Grantham Canal There were also festivities along the Grantham Canal where we joined the Discovery Day activities. Our exhibition stand was blowing in the wind in more ways than one but it was an excellent day of fun at the Woolsthorpe depot. The purpose of the day was to put on a show to educate, enlighten and inspire local communities about the Grantham Canal in particular, but also waterways in general.

From the history of the canal in pictures to the plans for the future; from bric-a-brac stalls to commissions for intricate models; from canal folk costumes to duck races, all adjacent to the picturesque Grantham canal in the heart of the Vale of Belvoir. It was a very enjoyable and successful day.

All these tunnels were linked to a factory above that grew and grew to proAegre 131 - March 2012 Page 15

Planning Our Branch Planning Officer has also been active. A planning application was received for converting two Edwardian houses alongside the R. Trent in Nottingham, by the embankment adjacent to the County Hall offices in West Bridgford. For those who don’t know the area, it is populated by large Edwardian houses and the river frontage is noted for the same period Freemasons Hall. The application proposed demolishing two houses along the river front adjacent to the Hall and replacing them with nine apartments, or more often described in the application as “pods”.

The two houses would become a block of nine pods, three wide and three high. Each pod would be a high tech, eco-friendly living space, but it was difficult to get past one man’s nine eco-friendly living space pods being another man’s scaled-up block of freightliner containers stacked 3 wide and 3 high. The planning application was turned down by the Authorities and we now await a revised application.

Saturday 23rd June sees us at the North Muskham Riverside Festival, the village fete and family day out with craft stalls, games and cake stalls. Last time out there was a ferry across the river and the opposing villages put on additional exhibitions in the local churches for the other side to see what the other side was doing!

North Muskham is on the west bank of the R. Trent just north of Newark.

Saturday and Sunday 7th and 8th July sees us at the Elvaston Castle Steam Rally. Traction engines, static steam engines, vintage tractors and classic cars, its got the lot. Come and help us promote the joys of the waterways to steam enthusiasts from all over the country. Elvaston Castle is near Breaston, just south of Derby.

Saturday and Sunday 3rd and 4th November sees us at the Derwent Valley Mills Discovery Days, at the side of the Cromford Canal adjacent to Cromford Mill. The weekend is part of the ten day Discovery Days festival to promote the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage site and will be Waterways Events As the Olympic Games will be a part packed with lots of things to see and do to understand the unique history of the calendar for many this year and heritage of the move from a world there are a number of annual Waterways events, including the IWA Festi- of cottage industry to one of industrial mass production. val, which are not taking place so I thought it would be useful to look forward here to Branch activities that are We also plan to do what we can to taking place over the summer/autumn support the Chesterfield Canal Trust who will be holding their Festival at period. the new Staveley Town Basin near Aegre 131 - March 2012 Page 16

Chesterfield on 30th June and 1st July 2012. (see page 19). The main attraction will be a round tour by boat, vintage bus and a steam train ride at Barrow Hill Roundhouse. There will be all the usual attractions such as stalls, canal societies, children’s rides, canoeing and a clown; but there will also be a miniature train ride and the chance to try a Segway. (If you don’t know what a Segway is, now you know where to go to find out). There will also be Trail boats, so if you want to explore this 5 mile isolated section of the Chesterfield canal, take your Trail boat to the new Staveley Town Basin and a crane will be on hand to lift it in.

share next year (2012-13). This puts the whole future of the Partnership in doubt along with that of the Development Manager and future plans for Staveley Town Basin and the rest of the restoration. A fully restored canal would give a huge boost to Nottinghamshire. Although the final section of the canal near Chesterfield is in Derbyshire, all the boats going there would have to pass through 28 miles of Nottinghamshire before reaching the terminus.

To put this whole matter into context requires a few more details. The Chesterfield Canal Trust is in the process of changing its legal status but at present it is an unincorporated PartRegarding the Chesterfield Canal, the nership with no legal form, and as recent successes surrounding the res- such cannot seek funding for itself. toration of Staveley Town Lock and Any shortfall from partners cannot the creation of the nearby new basin therefore be made good by fundraishave been dulled by a disappointment ing elsewhere. Whilst you can fully concerning future funding. The Ches- understand the pressures that local terfield Canal Partnership is made up authorities are under, the cutting of of the six local authorities along its £13,000 (the County’s annual share of route, plus British Waterways, the Funding for the Trust) from a county Inland Waterways Association, the with an entire budget of [still] £400 Environment Agency, the Wildlife million is extremely shortsighted, Trusts, Natural England and Ground- given the overall potential for ecowork. For many years, all the partners nomic and social regeneration of the have put money into the Partnership Chesterfield Canal. You can clearly fund which pays for the Development see that this £13000 is a miniscule Manager’s salary and the work that he proportion of Nottinghamshire does, not least obtaining grants worth County Council’s budget but it is an millions of pounds to improve and enormous proportion of the annual restore the canal for the benefit of all. budget for the Chesterfield Canal However, as a cost cutting measure, Trust and such a cut would have a Nottinghamshire County Council hugely significant and detrimental have said they will not pay their effect.

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What can you do? Send a letter (details further below) or an email to Cllr Kay Cutts, the Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council on cllr.kathrine.cutts@nottscc.gov.uk .

Please ask her to reconsider the decision to cut their funding to the Chesterfield Canal Partnership. If you live in Nottinghamshire, you could also send a letter or email your local councillor. You can find the correct email address by accessing the website at http://bit.ly/vKtRmI. For correspondence by letter, please address them to Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP. Looking ahead to the Social calendar there is a little gem coming up on Friday April 20th. The developments of railways and canals over the last 250 years have been intertwined and understanding the history of one sheds light on the history of the other. The history of railways brings to mind the evocative era of steam locomotives powering up a steady incline, the pulsing smoke, the trail behind and the glow from the fire box. But can you imagine building a new steam engine in the 21st century? Well, come and join us for “From Dream to Steam” the story of the steam locomotive “Tornado”. A presentation by Alexa Stott of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, the story of a volunteer group of enthusiasts that took the 1940’s plans of an A1 Pacific steam engine and recreated a brand new Aegre 131 - March 2012 Page 18

steam loco, with all the necessary 21st century electrical wiring fitted onboard (3 miles of it!) to enable full operation of the latest (and future) safety warning systems, radio communications, and digital monitoring equipment (similar to an aircraft’s ‘black box’ recorder).

Steam locomotive Number 60163 made her first public mainline run from York to Newcastle on 31 January 2009, and was officially named ‘Tornado’ in February 2009 at York,

by TRH the Prince of Wales, and the Duchess of Cornwall. The first new main line steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost 50 years. Come and see how it was done, from dream to steam. Wow! On May 18th we are outward bound with a walk planned along the Chesterfield canal, starting from Staveley and hosted by John Lower of the Chesterfield Canal Trust; followed on June 15th by a walk along the Cromford canal, starting at Cromford Wharf and hosted by Mike Kelly of the Friends of Cromford Canal.

So put the evening of the third Friday in the month in your diaries and see the calendar of events at the back of this magazine. Do come and join us, everyone is most welcome, I look forward to seeing you there.

Mike Snaith

A Festival at New Chesterfield Canal Basin A volunteering co-operation case study

including a Real Ale bar. A concert on the Saturday night will feature “The Swing Commanders”.

As it is on this isolated stretch of the canal, it will essentially be a trail-boat festival, but there is the possibility of craning larger boats into the water. All three trip-boats will be in action.

First boat on the basin Some months earlier, dozens of delighted spectators had welcomed the NB John Varley onto the new basin. It was the first canal boat on this stretch for over fifty years. The canal had been derelict for years and then open cast mining had taken place on the site. It was partly recovered Attractions will include a canal boat - when the new Staveley Relief Road vintage bus - steam train round tour in was completed two years ago. Over association with Barrow Hill Round- the last eleven months, contractors have been building the basin itself. house which is a mile away.

On 30th June and 1st July, the Chesterfield Canal Trust will hold a Festival on the site of their newly watered Staveley Town Basin as part of Staveley Feast; open 10.00 to 17.00 both days; free parking nearby; entrance £3; under 12s free.

There will be an entertainment marquee, children’s rides, canoeing, the Urban Gypsies, miniature railway rides, Woodhouse Prize Band, a ropemaker, Segway Rides, Carlo the Clown, birds of prey flying, the New Orleans Strollers, dozens of stalls and of course lots of food and drink

Barrow Hill Aegre 131 - March 2012 Page 19

Midlands Development Agency, with some from Derbyshire County Council. The Council’s engineers directed the project.

Letting in the last water For many years, the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s volunteer Work Party have given up their free time to build a wash-wall nearly 600 metres long to link the basin to Mill Green.

The contractors, Killingley’s, did the final excavations just before Christmas and it took nearly three weeks to fill with water. Most of the money came through a grant from the East

The basin has already proved to be a massive attraction for walkers, cyclists and those who just stand and stare in amazement.

Over the next months nearly two miles of the towpath all the way back to Bilby Lane will be resurfaced. This will make an already hugely popular walk even more pleasant.

There is still much to be done on the basin site. Volunteers will be building the new lock all summer. The lock is needed to lower the level of the canal to get under the railway line on the other side of Eckington Road.

There are plans for buildings on the site; firstly a bunkhouse and training centre. This will house volunteers

New lock site Aegre 131 - March 2012 Page 20

who come to do further work as the canal is restored towards Renishaw and Killamarsh. It will also be used by Guides and Scouts. Later, several cottages will be built. It is hoped to do all this work in partnership with Chesterfield College so that their apprentices can get experience of a real project.

To get more information about the Chesterfield Canal Trust or the Festival, email publicity@chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk or ring 01246 477569.

Melton and Oakham Waterways Society Work Parties: Regular work parties are held during the Winter months, on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. Meet at Sysonby Knoll hotel, Asfordby Road, Melton at 10.00am.

Working in the area of the Asfordby Road rainwater outfall recently produced foul smelling black silt, which made us curious as to what was going on. A local householder informed us that he has regularly seen evidence of raw sewage in the river to the extent that he now refuses to allow his daughters to play at that end of the garden.

We immediately made further enquiries and a letter was sent to the Environment Agency who manage the river. Their reply was somewhat perturbing as it informed us that at times of high rainfall, they are allowed to discharge sewage through this and several other local outfall drains.

The wider implications of this were not apparent initially, but given some thought, they do affect a rather large section of the population. Firstly, the Rivers Wreake and Eye flow into the River Soar at Cossington, the Soar in turn flows into the River Trent which enters the sea at the Humber estuary. The area affected by this polluted water must be at least a linear 100 miles.

The AGM 2011 was at Sysonby Knoll Hotel, Melton on 26 November. The Chairman described 2011 as a year in which the society had spread its wings, attending festivals and meetings far and wide, whilst working extensively in Melton and on two sections of the Oakham Canal. The Melton ring was important as, once cleared, the basics were then in place to apply to stage the Inland Waterways Association's annual Trail Boat Rally, sometime in the future.

New Website The society has a new website. Take a look: www.meltonwaterways.co.uk.

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Moira Canal Festival 19, 20 May. The site will be open from 10 to 5.30 both days at Furnace Lane, Moira, DE12 6AT. For further information, visit www.moiracanalfestival.co.uk, or call 01530 515273

Festival site

Trail-boaters are invited to bring their boats and enjoy the event with us. There are two permanent slipways available for launching, and water and Elsan disposal will be available on site. Launching on the Friday is available; at other times by arrangement with the harbour-master, Paul Johnson. For an application form or if you have any questions, call him on 01530 274968.

Ashby Canal Trust will be holding this year’s Moira Canal Festival and trailboat rally on the restored isolated section of the Ashby Canal. We are welcoming Zero Gravity, a bike stunt team, and they will be showing off their mountain bike stunt skills, A boat booking form is downloadable including a jump across the Ashby from www.moiracanalfestival.co.uk, Canal – probably the first! Plus the as are charity and trade stand forms. chance to watch their amazing perProceeds go towards the Ashby Canal. formance close up on the main site.

We welcome back Tommy Atkins, with their WW II re-enactment - they are practicing with the firepower already. A ten piece swing band will entertain, as well as Morris dancing and children’s entertainment. We also plan to have live steam and classic cars, and a bar of course.

There will be demonstrations, vintage engines and a variety of refreshments – all at the Heart of the National Forest, in the surTightrope walk at a previous event. – roundings of the Grade II listed Let’s see if the Mountain Bikers can Moira Furnace. do even better!

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Timber for the Wooden Canal Boat Society.

North Lincolnshire Saw Millers, Somerscales of Keelby, supplied oak planks to the Wooden Canal Boat Society to be fitted to their boat “Hazel”. The mill is one of a very few that can provide suitable sized timbers, up to 35 feet long, for such projects. In the past they also provided long timbers for the Frankton staircase locks on the Montgomery Canal.

Having sourced the supply of planks, the WCBS decided to move them by water to their workshops at Stalybridge. Their wooden motor boat “Southam”, built in 1936, and a butty “Lilith” of 1901 vintage travelled via Marple, Macclesfield, Stoke Moving a plank on board and Nottingham to the Fossdyke.

This was the first ever tidal trip for “Lilith” and the River Trent was a rare opportunity to blow the cobwebs out of Southam`s 3.8 litre Commodore engine.

The planks were transferred from Somerscales’ lorry to “Lilith” at the BW visitor moorings in Lincoln on June 13th and they set off for the five day return trip that evening .

The Society now owns six heritage craft. “Hazel” is a rare example of a “Wooden Header” looking like a scaled down barge and built in 1914.

The cost of her restoration is in the region of £130,000, depending on the amount of volunteer input, of which £26,000 is in hand.

Further details of the WCBS can be found on their web site, by e-mail to theboatman@mail.com or by speaking to the founder Chris Leah on 07931 952037.

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News from Leicestershire It was a pity that, once again, inclement weather (and the forecast of more) limited attendance to about twenty members at the Branch AGM on February 9th. Regrettably, two of the three Committee Members who retired by rotation were unable to offer themselves for re-election.

Mick Clowes, who has been a committee member for about fourteen years, is also Chairman of The Melton and Oakham Waterway Society (MOWS). As progress on restoration of that waterway gathers momentum he understandably wants to devote more of his time and energy to that cause. Until recently Mick also chaired the ever popular Loughborough Canal and Boat Festival.

The other retirement was a particularly poignant one as it was David Stevenson (pictured right at Foxton in 2010, courtesy of Ian McDonald) who, along with John Croot, brought the Leicestershire Branch into being in 1994 and has been a guiding light ever since. David’s long and illustrious association with IWA is well known by many but I hope that a tribute by a fellow founding member of the Branch will appear elsewhere in this issue. The Branch as a whole and I in particular are indebted to both David and Mick for all their support over the years and whilst endorsing the vote of thanks that they received at the meeting, we offer them both our Aegre 131 - March 2012 Page 24

very best wishes for the future.

Herbert Eppel had been co-opted to the committee during the year and we were pleased to formalise his appointment by election.

We are currently without a Secretary and it is probable that our Treasurer, David Brewer will be moving away from the area in the coming months.

In my Chairman’s report I made a plea for members to come forward to play a more active role in the Branch and we would particularly welcome anyone able to fill these two important positions.

Our Region Chairman boosted our morale by pointing out that we aren’t

the only branch that is struggling and that we are to be congratulated on running a full programme of activities, keeping our balance sheet in the black and coming high in the membership recruitment league! The AGM was followed by a pictorial presentation reviewing our activities during the past twelve months by our ever resourceful Social Secretary Beryl McDowall with photographic contributions from other members.

What we really need is someone who can store the equipment, transport it to site and head up the weekend rota of volunteers. I might be persuaded to extend my ‘acting’ career if relieved of this and similar duties. There are many other events, throughout the county, that an energetic enthusiast could attend with the stand to the furtherance of our cause. Well there’s no harm in dreaming !

I’ve received two communications whilst preparing these notes: firstly I am pleased to say that I have from BW to the effect that in order to received one or two offers of help to carry out water conservation measures support our stand at the Loughborthe Leicester Line will be closed to ough (May 5th/6th ), Foxton navigation between Kings Lock (38) (June 30th/July 1st) and Leicester and Double Rail Lock (31) from (June 9th/10th) Festivals but our 17th March until 1st April. involvement at any of them remains in And finally, an enquiry from someone doubt without further promises of asking if there would be support for assistance. We have now been invited the formation of a Charnwood Forest to take space at a proposed Boat Show Canal Society. (Now that would need at Redhill (on the site of the 2009 a working party!) If you would be National) over August Bank Holiday interested in such a challenge please and there is talk of a Jubilee Rally of let me know and I’ll pass your details Boats at Barrow on Soar. to the person concerned.

John Evans.

Journals Received We are very pleased to acknowledge copies of journals from various canal and river societies and trusts. They include “Endeavour” from Northampton Branch; “The Portal” from Friends of the Cromford Canal; “The Cuckoo”, from the Chesterfield Canal Trust; “The Bridge”, from Grantham Canal Society; the “Melton and Oakham Newsletter”; and “The Wharfinger”, from Louth Navigation Trust, as well as “Navigation” from our regional neighbours at West Midlands. Also “North Yorkshire Waterways” from Richlow.

Anyone interested in receiving a copy of one of these journals should contact the relevant address given in our page 4 directory. For “The Cuckoo” contact the editor John Lower at 92a Tapton View Road, Chesterfield S41 7JY. Aegre 131 - March 2012 Page 25

Obituary – John Booth I am sorry to belatedly report the death in January 2011 of John Booth, who was Chairman of the old Sheffield Branch Committee in the 1970s. Christine and I first met John and Gillian Booth in 1969 when we cruised the Leeds & Liverpool Canal from Apperley Bridge, near Bingley in boats from the same hire firm. Following discussion with John and the late Phillip Osborn, whom we met at Johnson’s Hillock Locks, we decided to join the IWA. In those days a list of new members was printed in the branch magazine and following a call from Mike Briggs, who also lived in Mansfield and joined at the same time, we agreed to travel together to meetings in Sheffield.

John was born in Sheffield in July 1937 and following education at Manchester University he came to work with the Yorkshire Electricity Board in Sheffield. John became chairman of the old North East Midlands (Sheffield) Branch in 1970, and then Sheffield Branch following the IWA re-organisation in 1974, until 1975 when he was transferred to YEB in Leeds. John’s first wife Gillian, who helped him at Sheffield, passed away in 1978 and John subsequently married Mary in 1993. However, John continued to take an interest in the East Midlands Region through Aegre and came to the Sheffield Branch reunion in 2005. We offer our sympathies to Mary and his son and daughter.

The old North East Midlands, or Sheffield Branch, covered north Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, what became South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, and was formed in 1955 when commercial traffic was still abundant in Sheffield Basin and the Chesterfield Canal was moribund. The founding NEM Branch Chairman, Cyril Styring, died in office at a time when money being saved towards a narrow boat as a club room in Sheffield Basin. However, the boat was damaged and sunk twice by commercial craft and the money saved was used to purchase the Cyril Styring Trophy. This was given to IWA Council and is now the premier IWA trophy.

With the demise of commercial traffic to Sheffield and to relatively successfully retaining the Chesterfield Canal to Worksop, the current branch officers were retiring with few new members volunteering. Ron Stainton became chairman in 1968, but in 1969 he was moved to Kent and Gerald Smith took over. Captain Lionel Munk, IWA National Chairman came to the November committee meeting and by the March meeting plans were drawn up to close the NEM branch and amalgamate with North East Branch, pending approval of members at the AGM. Over those last few months the postponed Branch Dinner was being rearranged at Abbeydale Sports Club by Mike Oxley, who had become an elected member of IWA Council and joined the committee. At the dinner John Booth asked Mike and myself if we would be at the AGM in April and come on the Committee, if still in existence. We both agreed and at the May committee John became chairman of a revitalised Sheffield Branch. The first major project was the rally in Sheffield Basin at the end of August 1971 attended by over 100 boats. John continued as chairman until his move to Leeds in 1975 but in the meantime he formed the Lincolnshire Branch with the aid of Ted Banks and Ken Ambrose. After burning much oil at a committee meeting in 1973, we sold to Council the idea of an East Midlands Region in addition to six already proposed.

John Baylis and Ruth Lister née Booth

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David Stevenson retires from IWA Committee At the IWA Leicestershire Branch AGM David Stevenson advised us that, as he will be 80 before another 3-year term expired, he would not therefore be offering himself for re-election to the Branch Committee. In 1994 David’s term as National Chairman had recently ended and he considered that there was a sufficiently large number of IWA members in Leicestershire for it to have its own branch rather than require members to journey to Nottingham for meetings. He worked with that other IWA stalwart John Croot to arrange two very well-attended open meetings in Leicester, and despite having the door takings stolen from one of the meetings, they put into motion actions that led to a preliminary committee meeting in John’s lounge some weeks later at which some 8 people came along and “volunteered” for certain tasks.

I had first seen David at the National in Peterborough in 1993 as he opened the event with Ed “Stewpot” Stewart and some months later passed him peering out of Black Swan at her mooring in Shardlow, but am pleased to be able to consider David and Janet good friends since the Section & later Branch was formed.

Since we got started David has been an indefatigable supporter and worker. He always provided the committee with the latest news from HO garnered through his positions within the hierarchy and his contacts there. At Festivals we have always been able to depend on help from him, and usually Janet came along too. At our first 1996 Golden Jubilee Rally in Market Harborough he acted as treasurer and provided much needed seeding funding for this incredibly successful event.

I believe that without David we would have no Leicestershire Branch. He has been on our committee from the first day and his retirement leaves just one remaining founder member of the committee, who can claim to have done little for the Branch in comparison to David. David had previously been active in the establishment of the Ipswich branch, which also continues successfully. It is sad that he feels that advancing years mean he needs to stand down, but we rejoice in the fact that he will continue to be our membership secretary.

From all in Leicestershire Branch, David, we give you our sincere thanks and look forward to seeing you & Janet at our meetings for many years to come.

From Ian McDonald Aegre 131 - March 2012 Page 27

A Matter of Bridges

New A46 Bridge Bridges are key to the restoration of the Grantham Canal. Some seventy bridges have crossed its 33 miles at one time or another and many of the original ones were flattened and/or culverted post-WWll. Since then, the canal has been cut by the A52 and A1 dual carriageways. But all is not lost.

Right now, no fewer than six bridges are in the news. From west to east along the canal, they are:

open up a mile of canal, between Bridges 12 and 15, to navigation.

A mile further east, past a section of canal bed being cleared of substantial trees by the ‘Bit in the Middle’ Group of WRG, is the Highways Agency’s £300 million ‘A46 Improvement Project’’ – the brand new Fosse Way. First, there is Bridge 16 – the site of the ‘Battle of Mann’s Bridge’ – about which we have reported before. The restoration options for this site are now longer-term and restricted to a lifting bridge.

Yet only half a mile further on, no less than £2 million has been spent on a splendid crossing of the canal by the new dual-carriageway A46! (Picture at the left). Historic but graffiti-covered Fosse Bridge 18 will remain for local access, whilst alongside it, the new bridge crosses the canal, its towpath with multi-user trail and a diverted bridleway.

In Nottinghamshire, within Cotgrave Country Park, a brand new bridge for Eleven miles due east (or 21 miles by Jessop’s contour route) into Lincolnpedestrians, riders and park mainteshire is the final ‘bridge in the news’ – nance vehicles is being constructed across the footings of long-lost Brown’s Bridge 14. On completion of this, the massive water-level concrete Colliery Bridge 14a will be removed, together with some other obstructions in the canal bed. Locks 6 and 7 on this section were fully restored in 2000 so, while there remain issues of water supply and the need for dredging, these developments will Under the Fosse

Longmoor Bridge

hump-backed, 200-year old Longmoor Bridge 62, where the canal is crossed by long-distance footpath ‘The Viking Way’. Restoration has been unintentionally forced on British Waterways by vandals who, in 2011, suddenly chose to demolish its brick parapets and tip them into the canal, at the same time preventing navigation by the Grantham Canal Society’s trip boat ‘The Three Shires’. ‘It’s an ill wind …’ though, because the current rebuilding of Longmoor Bridge will mean that all 4 historic bridges on the navigable section between Woolsthorpe and the A1 will have been fully restored in the last 5 years.

Only another four dozen bridges to go!

Peter R. Stone, January 2012

Regional Diary Dates 2011/12 All members of any branch, visitors, and non-members are all welcome to attend.

Notts & Derby Branch Programme The Notts and Derby branch of the IWA organises a series of public meetings. We are hoping to attract lots of new faces to the meetings and have arranged a very interesting and varied group of speakers. Non IWA members will be very welcome to attend. You will find us a friendly bunch! We meet on the third Friday of the month throughout most of the year. See also page 16 of this Aegre.

Meetings are held at 7.30 pm at Rushcliffe Arena, Rugby Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7HY. This is not far from the A60 (Loughborough Road) and the Arena entrance road is roughly opposite Greythorn Drive. It would take about 25 minutes from M1 Junction 24 up the A453. Don’t be alarmed by a barrier at the entrance - they will let you out again.

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For SatNav equipped vehicles try 52° 55.328’ N, 01° 08.673’ W, or SK 57610 36424. Note that Rushcliffe Leisure Centre is a different place. Further information about meetings can be obtained from Mavis White on 01636 671726.

March 16th 2012 John Lower will talk about Lincolnshire Waterways; this was postponed from January 2012..

April 20th 2012 Alexa Stott from the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust will present “From Dream to Steam - The Tornado Story”. Tornado was the first new main line steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost 50 years.

May 18th 2012 Guided walk along the Chesterfield Canal. Starting at 7pm from Staveley and finishing at the Hollingwood Hub, the new visitor centre. Leader John Lower.

June 15th 2012 Guided walk along the Cromford Canal. Meeting at 7pm at Cromford Wharf to walk to Leawood pump and back. Approximately 3 miles, leader Mike Kelly.

Leicestershire Branch Programme Meetings will normally be held at The Gate Hangs Well pub at Lewin Bridge, Fosse Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1NH (in the Function Room). The pub is not far from the "Hobby Horse" roundabout on the A46.

We start our meetings at 7.30 p.m., unless specified otherwise. If you are coming to hear a specific speaker, please contact the Social Secretary, Beryl McDowall phone 07710-029247 or email beryl@nbwasp.co.uk near the time, as changes to speakers do occasionally have to be made at short notice.

Thursday, 8th March, 2012 John Pomfret, IWA Regional Chairman, will tell us about the New Waterways Charity, and how it will affect our waterways for all users.

Thursday, 12th April, 2012 Illustrated talk by Ivor Caplan: “The Droitwich Canals Finally Reopen”.

Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th May, 2012 Loughborough Canal and Boat Festival. Offers of help on our stand would be welcome.

Thursday, 10th May, 2012 Bell-boating - a repeat of the very successful event reported in the last Aegre, but in daylight. Meet at the Boat House, Aegre 131 - March 2012 Page 30

Bridge Street, Barrow-on-Soar for a 7 pm start. Wear flat shoes and old clothes; life-jackets provided. Cost £3 per head. Call Maggie on 07894 214759 or e-mail maggie3751@hotmail.com to book.

Saturday/Sunday 9th / 10th June, 2012 Riverside Festival/Boat Rally on the Mile Straight, in Leicester. Many attractions, both on and off the water, with something for everyone. Help on the IWA stand would be welcome.

Lincolnshire Events River Slea. South Kyme Festival and Boat Gathering 5 - 7 May. Full programme of village events, scarecrow trail, historic re-enactments, arts, crafts and waterway charity stalls. Contact Steve Hayes at 01522 689460.

River Ancholme. Brigg; Glanford Boat Club Regatta. June 2 - 4.

Humber Yawl Club on the River Humber have moorings on the south bank at Winteringham Haven and the North Bank at Brough. Over the weekend of the Diamond Jubilee June 2 - 4, social and sailing events are being held.

River Ancholme. Brandy Wharf Leisure Park, 8 - 10 June. Moorings for visiting boats, slipway, raft race and trip boat. Call 01673 818010.

Louth Navigation. Canal walk June 9; meet Tetney Lock pub., 1.30 pm

Northampton Branch Programme Meetings are at the Walnut Tree, Blisworth, at 8 pm. Unless otherwise statedFor more information on Northampton events contact Graham Treagus on 01604 870515.

13th March 2012 Annual General Meeting Boat Gathering, Friday 4th – Monday 7th May 2012 Annual Boat Gathering on the River Nene at Becket’s Park, Northampton.

Events include boat handling competitions, day/evening entertainments, real ale bar, bbq and fish and chips van. Entry details from Eric Young on 07973 739833 or 01604 862988 or email eric.young@waterways.org.uk .

See also the boat painting courses at Knuston, page 7.

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Langley Mill Bridge - Job Done

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