Endeavour Northampton Branch Newsletter — August 2020
Vandalism on the Northampton Arm There was a graffiti attack on the Northampton Arm in the early part July. Lock gates and lock walls, fences, bridge walls and the murals, that primary school children have painted under the motorway bridges, have all been defaced. Geoff Wood has been in contact with Adrian Lole from CRT who has been looking at methods to remove graffiti at Watford, so we may have some help there. Some can be over painted. The murals had an anti graffiti coating applied so we may be able to wash that off. The biggest problem is that on the brickwork.
Some of the graffiti on the mural under the motorway
More pictures from Geoff Wood on page 9
waterways.org.uk/northampton Printed by Colour Image. Phone 07821 894521 email colourimage@aol.com
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As things start to get back to the new normal, the printers are now back working! I hope you were all able to read the May edition of Endeavour online. If you enjoyed it that way, just send Geoff Wood an email and he will put you on the list and you will receive an email when its live on line (this also saves the Branch money in postage and is environmentally friendly). Now we are allowed to sleep on our boats and boat hire is open again, the canals are getting busy again so take your time and remember the 2 metre distancing, keeping safe to avoid another local lock-down like in Leicester. Hopefully this will help the canal side businesses including pubs, restaurants and the local community to get back to normal whatever that will be now! The Government announced in its Budget 2020 that ‘red’ diesel will be banned for use on boats from April 2022, with only ‘white’ fully taxed diesel available on the waterways. A final consultation has been launched by the Government for views on their proposals and whether they have overlooked reasons why other sectors (ie.boating?) should be able to continue using ‘red’ diesel. The consultation ends on 1st October, so you have the opportunity now to make your views known! Will boaters be obliged to flush out their fuel tanks to remove all traces of ‘red’ diesel? Fines for misuse will be in line with road vehicles which are £250 for an initial offence. This change is something brought about by the EU some time ago but, as we are leaving the EU, why is this necessary? I guess now the government sees this as a way of increasing it’s tax income. I cannot see how it will encourage us boaters to switch to a cleaner, more environmentally friendly fuel. IWA Northampton Branch has a Facebook page. It’s at https://www.facebook.com/IWANorthamptonBranch Members will find posts there about our talks, Task Party dates and much more, as well as being able to use it for discussion purposes. We’d like to hear your views. We also have a Twitter account @northamptoniwa where you can leave us a message or engage in discussion on what’s happening. The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this magazine, but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless so stated, otherwise the Association accepts no liability for any matter in the magazine. Neither the editor nor IWA can accept responsibility for any errors or omissions in the magazine, and opinions stated are those of individual contributors. We will, however, gladly publish corrections if notified. The editor reserves the right to shorten or modify articles published in the interests of clarity or space.
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DIARY DATES
ALL MEETINGS SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENT GUIDLINES
October 13th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Walnut Tree, Blisworth, Speaker: John Pomfret — River waterways of NE England November 10th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Walnut Tree, Blisworth, Speaker: Neil Owen, Regional Engineer CRT December 1st 8pm IWA Northampton Branch Christmas Quiz at The Walnut Tree, Blisworth, with John Pomfret Please not this is the 1st Tuesday a week earliere than normal.
NORTHAMPTON ARM TASK PARTIES DATES
August 18th. September 6th, 15th. October 4th, 20th. November 1st, 17th. December 6th, 15th.
Contact: geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk or phone 01604 453932 BUCKINGHAM CANAL SOCIETY WORK PARTY DATES August 20th. September 3rd, 13th, 17th. October 1st, 11th, 15th, 29th. November 8th, 12th, 26th. December 10th 13th, 25th. Contact athinabec@aol.com or phone 01908 661217/07721 319404 STOKE BRUERNE CANAL PARTNERSHIP WORK PARTY DATES September 9th. October 14th. November 11th. December 9th. Contact: stokebruernecanalpartnership.org.uk BRAUNSTON CANAL SOCIETY TASK PARTY DATES August 13th, 29th. September 10th, 29th. October 8th, 31st November 12th, 28th. December 10th, 26th Contact Clive at braunstoncanalsociety@gmail.com or phone/text Clive on 07817 435911.
Due to Covid19 please check before attending that the task/work parties have not been cancelled
IWA Northampton Branch web site www.waterways.org.uk/northampton Please visit it regularly to see any updates
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GRAND JUNCTION BOAT COMPANY GAYTON JUNCTION BLISWORTH ARM NORTHAMPTON NN7 3EF
01604 858043 www.narrowboat-repairsnorthampton.co.uk Email: info@boatrepairs.uk.com
MARINE ENGINEERS ELECTRICAL MECHANICAL PLUMBING & HEATING CRANE OUT HULL BLACKING & SPRAYING IF PREFERRED DIY SLOTS AVAILABLE HULL GRIT BLASTING WITH QUILL MACHINE OVERPLATING & STEEL WORK STERN GEAR BARRUS SHIRE AGENTS BETA AGENTS WEBASTO AGENTS CHANDLERY
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Branch Chairman’s Jottings by Bernard Morton Hooray - we can boat again AND sleepover! It is so good to see our waterways gradually coming back to life and just in time for the summer holiday season. I am sure our waterside businesses (whether they are involved in hospitality, boat hire/sales, supplying boating equipment or sustenance to boaters) have all breathed a huge sigh of relief. VOLUNTEERING. It is not only water side businesses that have suffer ed dur ing lockdown, volunteer efforts have been seriously curtailed across the country. How many valuable volunteer hours have been lost during the spring and summer and what detrimental effects has this had I wonder? Our Branch volunteers have been forced to tend their own gardens and paint their own homes rather than spend their time on the towpaths and locks. Our Volunteer Co-ordinators, Geoff Wood and Mick Butler, have not been idle during lockdown but have been busy working out new socially distanced ways of working in conjunction with CRT and compiling Risk Assessments. Their efforts were rewarded with approval for the first Task Party (since lockdown) to be held on 21st July. The new measures worked well, and a start has been made on catching up on the litter and overgrown vegetation that has accumulated over recent months. Other volunteer groups on our patch have also eagerly returned to work after the enforced break. Buckingham Canal Society were quick off the mark to continue work on the rebuilding of Bridge 1 at Cosgrove with the installation of some smart new metal railings, along with removal of trees that had fallen onto towpaths at their other locations. The Stoke Bruerne Volunteer Group have also been back in action and hard at work clearing up after the influx of people visiting for their “one hour of permitted exercise”. Sadly, the very people that enjoyed their time in the village couldn’t manage to take their litter home with them, or even put it in the skip, to ensure the environment was inviting for others who followed! The Whilton & Buckby Locks Association are also back in action and have been planning with CRT for further towpath improvement works. By the time you read this, their two days of hard work should have the towpath looking very smart. Last, but not least, the Braunston Canal Society have restarted their volunteer activities with lock painting and vegetation tidying. I cannot commend these volunteers highly enough. Whichever group they belong to, they are a dedicated bunch who turn out in all weathers and tackle a myriad of tasks, all of which help keep our waterways looking good, safe and pleasant to pass along – thank you all. BRANCH DINNER. A date has been set for our annual Br anch Dinner – Saturday 14th November 2020. We have been in talks with The Boat Inn at Stoke Bruerne and have devised a tasty menu with four courses at a reasonable price of £21 per
8 head (not including optional supplements). The Boat Inn has worked hard during lockdown to find ways to operate alongside current social distancing rules. They have been assessed and accredited under the AA’s “COVID 19 Confident Scheme”. To achieve this, they have had to carry out risk assessments, install safety measures and undertake special staff training. I have witnessed these in operation – from having my temperature taken, to leaving basic “track and trace” details, to following the one-way system and being served at my table rather than queuing at the Bar. We understand that these remain somewhat uncertain times – will we still be social distancing in November? Having consulted with The Boat Inn, we feel that we can go ahead with our Branch Dinner. Normally, we can accommodate 50-55 people seated in the upstairs dining room. If social distancing is still in operation, this number will be reduced to 30. Sandie and I have just attended a “socially distanced” dinner for 30 people in the upstairs dining room and I can report that the arrangements worked well, and we felt very safe. So, I do hope that you will support this event (one of the few times we will be able to get together this year now that the Village at War and our mini boat gathering has been cancelled). You will find menu on page 18, details and booking form enclosed, and on our website. Bookings will be numbered as they are received and, in the event of our numbers being limited to 30, it will be the first 30 that secure a place. Hopefully, we will be able to accommodate our usual numbers. BOATING PLANS. Sandie and I wer e planning on heading up nor th again this summer to visit Liverpool and the Lancaster Canal but abandoned this idea when the system was shutdown. As things have turned out, this was just as well as there would appear to be a shortage of water and a variety of restrictions in place now. We have decided instead to head east and revisit the Nene, Middle Levels, the Cam and Great Ouse where, hopefully, we will find plenty of water! We used to moor on the Nene near Thrapston but it is some years since we moved up onto the canal system. I will enjoy travelling down the Northampton Arm and seeing the results of all our hard work over the years. Sandie says she will insist I follow the Mosaic Nature Trail and I might earn a Certificate of Achievement if I do! ENJOY YOUR SUMMER. Whatever you plan on doing - going abroad or staying in UK or staying at home - I hope you have a really good time … I think we deserve it, don’t you? Stay safe everyone.
We extend a warm welcome to the following who have joined Northampton Branch since the last issue of Endeavour
NEW MEMBER Mr P Morgan
9 More pictures of the graffiti on the Arm
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Paul Rogers IWA National Chairman:- Building the foundations of the next 75 years Delivering in the ‘new-normal’
In the past four months the world has changed dramatically! Much of the work of the Association, however, continues unabated across a very wide front thanks to the resourcefulness and determination of our volunteers and staff team. The sheer breadth of activities underpins the need for us to work together and coordinate our activities more than ever before. IWA is active at national, regional, and local levels, dealing with a diverse a range of issues such as national infrastructure projects, the sustainability of the waterways network, the need for support for waterways businesses due to the impact of Covid-19, the pressures on restoration programmes, planning and heritage matters, and the environment. We have also been driving forward on many internal developments such as our new website, accounting systems and of course the appointment of a new CEO for the Association. All these issues demonstrate the diversity of IWA’s interests and our ability to make a positive impact on the waterways. I would like to applaud our teams of experts in restoration, planning and heritage for their tireless work in responding to the continuing threat to the waterways and that of our activists who provide strong, coherent leadership both within the Association and across the waterways ecosystem as a whole.
Covid-19 response
It is becoming clear that the effects of the pandemic will be far-reaching and persistent. In the past four months, the Association has continued to respond well to the everchanging circumstances, but we should be prepared for further impact in the coming months as the full effect of the new-normal becomes apparent. The AGM, due to take place on Saturday 26th September will need to be presented differently. We are fortunate in the timing of our AGM in that the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 which recently came into force applies to members’ meetings held before 30th September 2020. Whilst Covid-19 will prevent us gathering together physically, the opportunity to have an online meeting will allow us to attract a much larger number of members and volunteers who may not have been able, or willing, to attend our face to face meetings in the past. I hope I will have the chance to ‘meet’ you there!
Governance
Trustees are overhauling the Association’s governance capabilities in line with the Charity Commission’s guidelines. At the April trustees’ meeting, we finalised the process by which we planned to select new trustees. The request for members to apply to be trustees was met with widespread interest and resulted in 17 candidates ap
11 plying, all of whom brought incredible skills, passion, and commitment to the Association. I was delighted to see so many people applying and it certainly gave the selection panel a huge challenge in selecting those who would fill the six vacancies. I was delighted to have been re-appointed as a trustee and be joined by a fresh cohort of new trustees, all of whom bring a wide range of skills and experience that will be invaluable to the governance of the Association. I will also be looking forward to working with all those applicants who weren’t selected but who will, equally, be able to contribute greatly to our work.
Building on our strong foundations
Since becoming National Chairman, I have made a point of emphasising the vision of our founding fathers 75 years ago in forming an association to campaign for the regeneration of the waterways. At this challenging time, I think we should reflect on what being an ‘association’ means. I think it calls for us to be welcoming, engaging, collaborative, supportive, participative and part of a community that is working together for a common cause. I would like to thank you for your continued support of the Association and its work which is even more vital in these uncertain times. I urge you to keep safe and stay healthy and spend some time thinking about how, even in the midst of the current situation, our Association can continue to be as vital as it has always been. The past 75 years has shown us what we can achieve; I’m enthusiastic about what lies in store as we venture into the next 75 years.
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New pedestrian canal bridge at Crick Wharf - completed in time for the No-Show Crick Boat Show! Tim Coghlan writes: Since the former Braunston Boat Show was moved in 2000 - to the new larger site offered by Crick Marina and its neighbouring farmer - there has been the health and safety issue of the dramatically increased number of pedestrians and vehicles using the old small canal bridge at the nearby Crick Wharf, which during the event, provided the main access route to the site. The bridge had only the narrowest of pavements for the pedestrians, who felt they were taking their lives in their hands in using it. The bridge therefore discouraged visitors to the show from cycling to it, or walking up across the canal to the village to use its shops, pubs and an Indian restaurant. In addition, traffic on the road was increasing generally, added to by the expansion of Crick Marina to its present size of 270 boats. In response to much lobbying over a number of years, Northants County Council finally was able to allocate funds to build a pedestrian bridge over the canal, to lie alongside the existing one. Nearing completion, it ironically would have been ready in good time for this year’s now cancelled Crick Boat Show. Regardless of its disappointing timing for completion, the bridge under-construction has already received a pleasing response - both from Crick villagers and canal users. It is seen as well designed in steel, in such a way that its curved shape and balustrades carry echoes of the early 19th century Horseley Iron Works cast-iron canal bridges, examples of which can be found at Braunston, on the North Oxford Canal, Coventry, Birmingham, and elsewhere. They were the first mass-produced cast-iron bridges in the world, and two hundred years later, they form an important part of our canal heritage. Canal author Anthony Burton - one of the leading authorities on waterways heritage, including bridges - is full of praise: ‘It is good to see a modern bridge that respects its environment and fits in so well with the old. That gentle curve makes all the difference.’ Villagers have spoken well of the bridge as being very user and disabled-friendly –
The new pedestrian canal foot bridge nearing completion— the view from the road
13 low sloping, with inner grab-handrails to assist mobility. It is also seen as well as being ‘kiddy-proof’ for the young ones, and giving plenty of room for bicycles and wheelchairs to pass. And it will considerably improve villager- access to the canal towpath and the café facilities at Crick Wharf. But for some, the most pleasing thing of all will be to be able to stand and stare in safety - to enjoy the view from the bridge of the old Crick Wharf – one of very few canal wharfs that survive much as they were in the working days – and with it the variety of life going on on the canal. Richard Parry, CEO of the Canal & River Trust, has also welcomed the new bridge, but is keen to give praise were praise is due. He said, ‘The bridge at Crick was actually delivered by Northants County Council, with our planners and third party works engineers supporting the scheme in terms of development and delivery.’ Attention now turns to that other unfriendly canal bridge, the high 1965-built Ladder Bridge across the eastern entrance to Braunston Marina, which bars all but the most agile, and is now the only barrier to wheelchairs on the Grand Union Canal between London and Birmingham. The late Peter Andrews, an enthusiastic Braunston canal walker, died in 2018, leaving a very generous residue donation in his will, to the CRT, of £164,400. The money is to be used to replace the Ladder Bridge – which he used to have to carry his aging dog over - with one that was well designed and pram and disabled-friendly. With the agreement of the CRT, it is to be named ‘Peter’s Bridge.’ The scheme is going well in the design and development stage – with nothing yet announced. Peter Andrews’ co-executor and trustee John Harding said he would be very happy to see a bridge that was like the new one at Crick. Work is planned to start in March 2021, with completion ready for next year’s Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally at the end of June which, like this year’s Crick Boat Show, had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus. So both these major canal events in 2021 will be celebrating with their new bridges.
Same bridge viewed from Crick Wharf
Photos by Tim Coghlan
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VISIT STOWE HILL WHARF FOR ALL Y
Proprietor Robert Gudgeon welcomes you to Stowe Hill Workshop
Full Repaints Hull Blacking/Stern Gear Inspection and Repairs Engine Repairs and Maintenance Complete Fit-Out and Woodwork Alterations Plumbing Installations and Repairs Electrical Installations and Repairs NEW — Fuel Polishing Service Stockists of Morris Oils and Grease Full range of Batteries always available (please let us know your requirements) By road we are easily found, a few yards off the A5 at Stowe Hill towards Nether Heyford. By boat close to Bridge 26
ALL WORK UNDERTAKEN, FROM SIMPLE TASKS TO COMPLETE FIT-OUTS
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YOUR ESSENTIAL BOATING SERVICES
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Blisworth Arm
This is from The Old Union Canal Society December 1972
Notes from Round & About the Blisworth Parish Magazine by George Freeston (In the November/December issue of Round and About George notes that the northern area of the parish-Blisworth Arm as it is signposted, has in the past been crisscrossed in turn by canals, a horse – drawn tramway, new roads and full-scale railways. The County Planners now have their sights set on turning one of the derelict sections of railway into another road. George is to be the speaker at the IWA Northampton Branch Annual Dinner, so I print the following in an attempt to forestall embarrassment about getting the name wrong. David Goodwin) George writes … I shall continue to use the correct naming of the area under review, which according to the Parliamentary Register is THE ARM – on Ordnance maps it is ARM. The postal code is NN7 (Blisworth) and on the surrounding signposts it is plainly BLISWORTH ARM. We old yokels often say “Blis’oth” Arm – others say “Arm End” and it is recorded that boat-folk from yesteryear said ‘A' men’!
Mr. T.W. Millner, the Assistant (Northern) Engineer to the Grand Junction Canal (1886 - 1929), resided at Canal House (now the residence of Mr. & Mrs. Brian Cross) and he declared under oath in a court case “I live at Blisworth Arm” - good enough evidence for me to continue the battle against the ever-increasing usage of the term “Gayton Arm”. I am not crossing swords with our Gayton friends on the hill – I am only trying to put matters in true perspective. Admittedly the Canal Company labelled their original small wharf on the Northampton Branch Canal – Gayton Wharf — this was their general practice of naming the wharfage nearest to the existing road, but it did not mean that the wharf so named was in the Parish carrying the name. From then on that ‘label’ stayed put and with the development of that early wharf to a major maintenance depot their sign board clearly states ‘Gayton Maintenance Yard’ BLISWORTH, which is accepted. The junction of the main canal and the Northampton Branch, together with the first ½ mile of the branch canal is within Blisworth Parish, as is the road between bridges 2 & 3. On the east side of which road is the so named ‘Gayton Marina’ - BLISWORTH ARM, BLISWORTH. By letter they stated ‘We are anxious to uphold local traditions, and do not wish to upset local inhabitants by incorrect wording – we do however, have a slight problem in that waterway maps do call the area ‘Gayton Junction’. The Marina was originally a clay-pit and brick making yard but not having direct contact with the canal branch until the recent construction as a Marina. Further northwards along the branch canal is a splendid waterside citadel built up with hundreds of sheets of corrugated iron, the surmounting walls topped by impregnable saw-toothed edges – what may surprise many readers is the fact that it was built in 1931 to the order of Russian Petrol Importers under the direction of S.L.Naguinsky and P.Bytchkoff - their petrol was sold under the label R.O.P. which letters were painted on the exterior walls. Petrol came by canal. Around 1940 Water-
17 ways bought back the property and it became a reserve store of food as a War Time emergency supply. The following firms took the premises over during the next 40 years or so – Derngate Motor Co, for storage of ex-W.D.Vehicles; ‘Pool’ petrol depot; Regent Oils; Northampton Farmers as a fuel depot; Texaco Petrols; Watson Petroleums and to date Peter Stock – Metal Construction Engineer. Not a bad record, which also proves the value of galvanised sheet metal - still much as originally erected in 1931. We now press on over Bridge No.3 and the old railway bridge which brings us on the road to Milton Malsor. Next appears the large establishment (once a sand pit) on the right-hand side. At the entrance the notice boards carry the name Kottler & Heron, Chorley Plant, Peter Brown and DAF Trucks – all of which, and the lands around on the east, south and west are also BLISWORTH PARISH. Please remember the facts – we hear of modern County Boundaries being moved around; it could happen to us?? So please use the correct terminology when referring to the northern area of our Paris which is BLISWORTH ARM.
JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL BRANCH DINNER – socially distanced if necessary!
As mentioned in Chairman’s Jottings, arrangements have been made to hold our annual Branch Dinner at The Boat Inn on Saturday 14th November 2020 at the same cost per head as last year (£21 excluding optional supplements). Details of the menu are on page 18 and booking details are enclosed in this issue of Endeavour and on our webpage and social media pages. We understand that these remain somewhat uncertain times – will we still be social distancing in November? Having consulted with The Boat Inn and been appraised of all the safety measures they have brought into play, we feel that we can go ahead with our Branch Dinner. Normally, we can accommodate 50-55 people seated in the upstairs dining room. If social distancing is still in operation, this number will be reduced to 30 to allow appropriate spacing of tables. Bookings will be numbered as they are received and, in the event of our numbers being limited to 30, it will be the first 30 that secure a place. If you wish to be seated with people you know, please indicate their names on the back of the booking form. We hope you will join us. Don’t forget there will be the second draw for the 100 Club during the course of the evening … it could be you (if you are a member of course).
18 Our Annual Branch Dinner will be at 7pm on Saturday 14th November 2020 at The Boat Inn, Stoke Bruerne, NN12 7SB
MENU Home-made Tomato & Basil Soup (v) Chef’s Pate with Baguette Croutes Creamy Garlic Mushrooms on Ciabatta (v) Cod & Pancetta Fishcake with Lemon Mayonnaise ********************************************* Fillet of Loch Fyne Salmon with Chilli & Lime Butter Grilled Rib-Eye Steak with Mushrooms & Tomato (£3 supplement) Twice Cooked Belly of Pork with Crackling and Barbeque Sauce Supreme of Chicken with Mushroom & Brandy Sauce Goat’s Cheese & Vegetable Nut Roast (v) (All the above served with a selection of Fresh Vegetables & Potatoes)
************************ French Apple Tartlette with Ice Cream Hot Blackcurrant Sponge with Crème Anglaise Fresh Fruit Salad with Cream Salted Caramel & Chocolate Torte Cheese and Biscuits (£2 supplement)
Coffee or Tea and Mints MEAL PRICE (3 COURSES) IS £21.00 (includes coffee/tea & mints) (v) = Vegetarian
Any other dietary requirements, please contact Sandie on 07917 163860 before booking.
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SUPPLIES We are a family run, customer friendly business based adjacent to Bridge 32 at Nether Heyford. Our service point is clear of moored boats making your stop quick and easy. We offer the following services:
DIESEL – always competively priced PUMP OUT – no meter clock here BLUE TOILET FLUID ODORLOS – organic waste tank treatment CALOR GAS – all sizes of bottled gas including Camping Gaz. SOLID FUELS – all types of smokeless fuel or coal. Plus firelighters, sticks and logs. CHARNWOOD STOVES – all sizes of multi-fuel stoves with or without boilers MORRIS OILS – popular grades of engine oil plus water resistant grease FUEL SET FUEL CONDITIONER
Most Major Credit Cards Accepted. Open: 8.00am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 1.00pm on Saturdays
Fred Tarry
Bridge Cottage Furnace Lane Nether Heyford Northampton, NN7 3JY
Telephone/Fax: 01327-341202 Email : rhigginbottom@btconnect.com
Northamptonshire RESTAURANT º BARS º TRIP BOAT DINE IN STYLE IN WOODWARD’S CANALSIDE RESTAURANT 01604 862428 www.boatinn.co.uk SAVE THE BRANCH MONEY! Stop receiving Endeavour by post and instead get it electronically. You will be notified by email when it’s published on-line. This will save in postage and printing costs. The printed version will be available at Branch meetings. Contact Geoff Wood at geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk and he will organise it. Editor
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AN UNUSUAL FUNDRAISER Some time ago, a David Blagrove painting was donated anonymously to the Branch to be used as a fundraiser. Exactly how this could be done has been discussed and the Committee have decided to hold a Sealed Bid Auction for the painting, with proceeds going into Branch funds. David’s daughters have confirmed its authenticity and thought the setting was probably Stoke Bruerne locks, but with some artistic licence! It has the initials DRB and 76 (date created?) in one corner. It measures 65 cm in width and 42 cm in height and has a simple gilt frame. .
As you can see in the photo, there are two working boats, named Dunlin and Tern, about to exit a double lock. The painting was displayed at the Branch AGM in March and aroused quite a bit of interest amongst those present, including Paul Rodgers (IWA National Chairman). The consensus was that it depicts a Grand Union lock and that the boats, Dunlin and Tern, were once operated by Willow Wren Canal Carrying Company. If you can throw any further light on the subject matter, we would be delighted to find out more. If you would like to own this painting, we are inviting sealed bids to be submitted to Branch Treasurer, Paul Lynam, before 1st March 2021. We originally intended this to happen on 1st November 2020 but have decided to postpone the deadline because our plans for publicity of the auction were curtailed by Covid 19. Paul’s email address is paul.lynam@waterways.org.uk and his postal address is 2 Dalestones, Northampton, NN4 9UU. The bids will be opened at the AGM in March 2021 and the winner announced on the night. Good luck! Sandie Morton
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Now fully open
WHILTON MARINA CHANDLERY
Diesel
Pump out
Well stocked chandlery Groceries
Pay us a visit, just browse and see what we have to offer Open daily 9am –6pm ALL YEAR ROUND Tel 01327 844639 E-mail: marinachandlery@gmail.com
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RICHARD GILL
BSc, MABSE
30 YEARS WORKING ON THE WATERWAYS
Grand Union, Oxford & Leics Canals Rivers Nene and Thames RING: 07889 10 99 39 rgbarcos70@btinternet.com
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BUCKINGHAM CANAL SOCIETY Because of the Coronavirus our work parties have been on lockdown but we have just started up again with a small work party at Cosgrove. On Thursday 9th and Sunday 12th July we ran two parties at our Bourton Meadow site which had got very overgrown We had a very good turnout of volunteers on both days with four new people joining us and with our own volunteers made a total of eleven people on Thursday and 3 new volunteers making a total of fourteen people on Sunday. It is always very disappointing when you have worked hard on a site and go back to find it very overgrown and see how much work is needed to get the site back to looking attractive again but thanks to all the hard work of the volunteers on both days the whole of the hedge from along the towpath up to the lock keeper's cottage has been strimmed. The towpath has also been strimmed and a very large overgrown area as you enter the site has been completely cleared. Our Sunday work parties will continue at Bourton Meadow but most of the Thursday ones will be at Cosgrove completing the work on the bridge. The bridge work is coming along well and metal railings have been installed along each side of the bridge to replace wooden ones which are much safer and look more attractive. There is also a long dry stone wall by the bridge which needs plenty of attention and our volunteers are enjoying the experience of learning a new skill. Louise, our work boat working with CRT', has been helping volunteers on the Buckby flight of locks by carrying stone for the volunteer to lay on the towpath. Because Louise is a wide beam boat this meant two trips through Blisworth tunnel with the tunnel closed to other traffic and a very early start for our volunteers. We will be repeating the towpath work at Cosgrove with our volunteers improving the towpath near the trip boat along the Grand Union Canal.
All IWA members would be very welcome to come and see the progress being made at Bridge One, Cosgrove and at our other sites. Athina Beckett, Buckingham Canal Society
New railings at Cosgrove bridge
25 All advertisements must comply with the requirements of the Trades Descriptions Act and avoid misrepresentation of goods offered for sale. The Business Advertisements (Disclosure) Order 1977 requires that businesses seeking to sell goods must clearly indicate this in an advertisement.
COMMERCIAL RATES 1/4 Page (box) £12.00 +VAT 1/2 Page (box) £25.00 +VAT Full Page £40.00 +VAT Other sizes by arrangement 10% discount for 4 issues paid yearly in advance 5% discount for 4 issues paid quarterly
CLASSIFIEDS (suggested donations) £1.50 for 22 words, 15p each additional word £3.50 for box around classified advertisement (nb. telephone numbers count as one word) £3.50 for photographs
Regular Branch Social Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month from October to May inclusive at
THE WALNUT TREE INN, BLISWORTH, at 8pm All members and non-members welcome Food and drink available
NEXT MEETINGS
(Subject to Government guide lines)
13th October
Speaker: John Pomfret — River waterways of NE England
10th November
Speaker: Neil Owen CRT, Regional Engineer — Innovations in CRT
1st December Christmas Quiz With John Pomfret
The next edition of Endeavour will be published in November 2020
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Branch Chairman Bernard Morton
07785 375787/ 01604 858294 E-mail: bernard.morton @waterways.org.uk
Vice Chairman, Joint Task Party Organiser & Membership Secretary Geoff Wood
E-mail: geoff.wood @waterways.org.uk
Branch Secretary Sandie Morton 01604 858294
E-mail: sandie.morton @waterways.org.uk
Joint Task Party Organiser Michael Butler E-mail: michael.butler @waterways.org.uk
Planning Officer Helen Westlake
E-mail: helen.westlake @waterways.org.uk
Branch Meetings
Catriona Butler E-mail: catriona butler @waterways.org.uk
Treasurer
Paul Lynam
E-mail: paul.lynam @waterways.org.uk
Newsletter & Archivist Tony Clarke
Non-Committee post Website and Media Officer Gail Anscombe E-mail gail.anscombe @waterways.org.uk
07305 893924
E-mail: tony.clarke @waterways.org.uk
Committee Member John Pomfret
E-mail: john.pomfret @waterways.org.uk
Vacancies Publicity and Grants Officers Committee Member
The Inland Waterways Association is a membership charity that works to protect and restore the country's 6,500 miles of canals and rivers .
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