Endeavour
1 to attempt (eg the fulfilment of an obligation) by exertion of effort; 2 archaic to strive to achieve or reach ~ vi to make an effort to do something n a serious determined effort
Northampton Branch Newsletter - August 2014
David Blagrove, MBE Local waterway enthusiast, life-long campaigner and IWA Northampton Branch member David Blagrove was appointed an MBE in The Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June. The brief citation reads: “For services to Restoration of the UK Waterways” Lynda Payton writes: For over 60 years David’s life has been dedicated to the restoration and promotion of the waterways, starting in the 50s when, still at school, as a member of the Kennet & Avon Canal Association, he helped set up the Reading Branch and began campaigning Photo: Katherine Dodington for its restoration and eventual re-opening which took place in 1990. In 1961 he became joint owner of the Enterprise, an old working boat converted to run as a passenger boat operating on the remaining navigable section of the River Kennet at Reading and commercial carrying at the same time. The following year he assisted with the setting up of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, formed out of the previous Association, and was an early Council Member of that Trust. Continued on page 8
David Blagrove (left) is congratulated by Richard Parry (CEO CRT) at the Stoke Bruerne Family Festival
The IWA was founded in 1946 to campaign for the retention, restoration and development of Britain’s navigable waterways and for their fullest commercial and recreational use. The IWA is a registered Charity (no. 212342) , whose work is supported by members’ subscriptions.
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EDITORIAL MUSINGS First, apologies for the late appearance of this Endeavour, dated August but actually distributed in early September. I am afraid holidays got in the way, as they do at this time of the year. A lot has been going on this summer on our patch. Notable has been our success with CRT regarding maintenance issues on the Northampton Arm, particularly in view of the “mini national rally” being held at Becket’s Park next August (that’s only 12 months away, folks!). Our Boat Gathering at Braunston Marina in early May, now only a distant memory, saw the summer off to a flying start and was followed by several successful high profile events, among them Crick Boat Show, the Historic Narrowboat Rally at Braunston and then the Family Festival at Stoke Bruerne organised by The Friends of The Canal Museum when numerous Branch members were seen beavering away for the general waterways cause. Now imminent at Stoke Bruerne is the Village at War Weekend, again with a considerable representation from the Branch membership (see page 23) — and to top it all, Branch stalwart and waterways polymath David Blagrove was awarded the MBE in The Queen’s Birthday Honours in June. My plea for “Letters to the Editor” has, I hope, only temporarily fallen on stony ground, but I like to think it did prompt the submission of articles by members (pages 16 and 24). This is a healthy indication of people becoming actively involved — please keep up the good work. Remember my tongue–in–cheek comments in February’s Endeavour about roofing over various sections of the network. Well, it seems it will all come to nought. The starting point for my fantasy was the plan to erect a glazed canopy over the canal at Banbury as part of a canalside development scheme. Objections (almost inevitably, I would say) were lodged by a number of waterway interests, including the IWA Oxfordshire Branch. Now I understand a revised planning application for the development will be submitted in due course, sans the canopy. It did seem at the time to be a rather weird and wonderful vision – even my follow-up idea to roof over The Tunnel at Fenny Compton! Finally, I have recently been from Stoke Bruerne to Oxford and back. Slow work at times, especially south of Banbury. The reason? Yes, you’ve guessed it: the interminable line of moored boats. What is to be done about it?
IWA Northampton Branch now has a Facebook page. It’s at https:// www.facebook.com/IWANorthamptonBranch Members will find posts there about our talks, work 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
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DIARY DATES September 9th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Walnut Tree Inn, Blisworth. Speaker John Pomfret — Freight on the Waterways 13th –14th Stoke Bruerne Village at War (see page 23 or contact www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk) October 14th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Walnut Tree Inn, Blisworth. Speaker Tony Conder — Canals in the 20s and 30s 25th 7.30 IWA Northampton Branch Annual Dinner at The Heart of England, Weedon. See page 22 sandie.morton@waterways.org.uk 01604 858294 November 11th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Walnut Tree Inn, Blisworth. Speaker Kathyrn Dodington — Diamond Jubilee Regatta – The Taking Part December 6th 5pm Christmas Carols and Illuminated Boats at Stoke Bruerne by the Museum (contact www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk) 9th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Walnut Tree Inn, Blisworth. Christmas Quiz with Mick and Catriona Butler January 13th 8pm IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Walnut Tree Inn, Blisworth. Speaker Richard Thomas — The River Lee - Luton to Leyton
Branch Task Party dates on the Northampton Arm September 7th, 23rd. October 12th 28th. November 9th, 25th. December 7th 16th. For details see web site or contact geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk Buckingham Canal Society and Braunston Canal Society work party dates are on page 11
IWA Northampton Branch web site www.waterways.org.uk/northampton Please visit it regularly to see any updates
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Branch Chairman’s Jottings by Bernard Morton ENJOYABLE CRUISING. Well, until August what a glorious summer it’s been. Early
on I reckon you would have to have been very unlucky to have hit a wet and cool spell — actually the only complaints around seemed to be “it’s too dared hot…!” I’ve taken the opportunity this summer to go serious canal boating again as opposed to river cruising. For several years now I have been based on the Nene at Titchmarsh Mill, downstream from Thrapston. Naturally, I wanted to attend our Branch Boat Gathering at Braunston by boat — incidentally, what a success this was and congratulations and thanks again to the organising team — and recently I returned from an extended cruise as far as Llangollen. All round, a really enjoyable and rewarding trip. WELL DESERVED MBE. Meanwhile things have been very busy on our patch. First,I must heartily congratulate David Blagrove on his well deserved MBE. Read all about it elsewhere in Endeavour. David has certainly played a key role in the promotion of waterways generally as well as locally, with his name indelibly linked with Stoke Bruerne. Then there has been the well-publicised achievement by the Branch in persuading CRT to take a more positive and practical approach over maintenance issues on the Northampton Arm, our particular “baby”. Clearly, this is a sensible attitude by CRT, bearing in mind the major rally at Becket’s Park next August (now officially known as Northampton Festival of Water) when it would help no-one if boaters had to indulge in a spot of advanced ditch-crawling to get there and back. My personal thanks to Nick Wolfe, with his working boat Aldgate, for his ready assistance over this exercise. FESTIVAL PREPERATIONS. The Branch now needs to strengthen its organising committee for the 2015 Festival of Water from 29th — 31st August, the Bank Holiday weekend. There are two aspects to this : the main committee with overall responsibility for the event which, as well as IWA, will include representation from Northampton Borough Council, the Environment Agency and CRT. Then there is a sub-committee to organise boaters’ activities based on the Lock Island as an integral part of the Festival. At the moment, this latter committee is down on numbers as two long-standing members, Sam Samuells and Roger Hasdell, have decided to retire as both reach birthdays with an “8” prefix! Sincere thanks to them both for their loyal and hard work over many years. I am sure they will still be around in some shape and form next August but their retiral does open up the way for fresh blood on the committee. There are several new faces around that I would love to see get more involved — please come forward. TIME TO SOCIALISE AGAIN. With darker evenings already here, it is time for our social meetings to start again (details on page 42). Attendances at these were up last season; please come along whenever possible and swell the numbers. They are friendly, sociable get-togethers with first class illustrated talks on a variety of waterway topics. Then, of course, there is the Branch’s Annual Dinner at The Heart of England at Weedon on Saturday 25th October. This is always a well-supported and enjoyable evening. Please see page 22 for details — and book early.
8 DAVID BLAGROVE — from front page On leaving a job in London, David went to work for the Willow Wren Canal Carrying Company, initially as a sub-contractor and later with a pair of boats. During the big freeze of 1962-63 he fetched up in Stoke Bruerne, where he lives now. In the spring of 1963 he joined the Thames Conservancy as a Relief Lock Keeper, finally leaving full time employment on the waterways after marrying Jean in 1964 in order to train as a history teacher. He moved to Stoke Bruerne in 1966 and took up a post at the local secondary school. He continued to carry freight part-time until retirement. Having joined the Inland Waterways Association in 1960, he helped set up the Northampton Branch in 1971-2, serving as its Chairman from 1972-78 during which time the Branch campaigned for the retention of grain traffic to Whitworth’s Mill at Wellingborough, organised a series of boat rallies (including the 1971 “National” in Northampton which saw over 600 boats attending) and gave evidence at a public inquiry into the diversion of the A5 which bisected the line of the Old Stratford Canal making the restoration of the Buckingham Arm more difficult. In 1983 he both gave evidence on behalf of IWA and represented the Association at a public inquiry at Blisworth over the routing of the Blisworth Bypass and its effect on the Northampton Arm. David has held a number of posts, serving as an IWA Council member between 198190 and being appointed as a Vice-President in 1991. In 1990 he was a founding committee member of what is now the Commercial Boat Owners Association, serving as Vice-Chairman until 2006 and frequently represented CBOA at meetings of the Parliamentary Waterways Group at the House of Commons. He is a Vice-President of this Association. He is also an Honorary Life Member of the Narrowboat Trust (set up in 1970) and contributes to a website chat forum for the SMJ Society (Stratford upon Avon Midland Junction Railway) — another interest he champions alongside waterways! More recently, in 2005/6, David co-founded a new volunteer group, The Friends of The Canal Museum, set up to help support the then ailing Canal Museum in Stoke Bruerne, and still serves as its Chairman. At the same time he joined a re-invigorated Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership working on a number of projects including the production of an award winning Conservation Plan in 2008, and currently a Development Plan. He is also responsible for the setting up and operation of the Stoke Bruerne Canal Adoption Group under the auspices of the Partnership. You might well think that all this is enough to be going on with – but any spare time David has left over has enabled him to support a secondary career as an accomplished historian, author of many books about the railways and canals, and as a musician and songwriter keeping the traditions and oral history of the waterways alive. He is also a regular contributor of numerous articles and columns for magazines and newsletters directed at the waterway and railway communities, as well as delivering interesting talks in his own inimitable witty style. I’m sure many of you will agree with me that David’s honour is overdue and a well deserved recognition of 60 years of a life dedicated to our waterways. Well done David!
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Happy 1st Anniversary Northampton Arm Adoption It is a year since the Branch adopted the Arm and the work is getting on at a pace with the following highlights achieved:We have run 19 Task Parties with 50 different volunteers totaling approximately 780 volunteer hours. The Sanitary Station at Gayton Junction has been painted along with the hand rails and bollards, the vegetation around it cleared and generally tidied up. Locks 2,3,4,5,14 and 17 have been painted and the Hut at lock 1 started to be painted. With CRT having painted locks 1,7 and 8, over half the locks have now been done. The Arm has been litter picked from top to bottom with the area from lock 17 up to bridge 13 being done several times. Needless to say that the amount of litter and rubbish collected was considerable. A lot of effort was put into vegetation clearance around lock 17 and the area has now been vastly improved. We hosted a corporate volunteer day for Santander with 11 volunteers attending and they also made a donation to the Branch of ÂŁ250. We have been well supported by CRT with materials and training (strimmer, petrol mower and first aid) with special thanks to John Highmore, Miriam Tedder and Graham Newman. Going forward:Complete the lock painting. We have been asked to help with some hedge laying, sapling planting and coir matting installation in conjunction with the towpath improvements that are planned. Graffiti is a problem and we may get involved in tackling that. The only positive replies we have had are from CRT and Network Rail. All the other agencies are pleading poverty. More vegetation work around lock 17 and lift bridge 5. More litter picking at the bottom end of the Arm. So if you have not tried one of our Task Parties, please come along and give it a go. Geoff Wood
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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CONCERNS ABOUT ARM NAVIGATION ARE EASED Our Branch, in conjunction with the Canal & River Trust, has carried out a navigation conditions survey on the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal between Gayton Junction and Far Cotton, Northampton, where the canal joins the River Nene. There has been growing concern about conditions on the Arm for some time and the Branch asked for boaters’ feedback through its members and the waterways press so that a database could be built and passed on to the Trust. As part of this process the Branch arranged for Nick Wolfe to take his working boat NB Aldgate down and back up the canal arm on Wednesday 9 th July, with engineers from the CRT in attendance to record all issues regarding defects, vegetation works and dredging. The operation was well supported with seven IWA volunteers acting as locking crew. The weather was sunny and dry and the round trip took 7.5 hours The information gathered will now be included in CRT’s work plan for action, mainly during its winter stoppage programme. Branch Chairman Bernard Morton says: ”We are grateful to the Canal & River Trust for taking such a positive stance and agreeing to look at the remedial action needed. We will now have to wait and see what sort of improvements this will make for boaters navigating the Northampton Arm.”
From left: Nick Wolfe, Ian Lindsay, Will Swinburne (CRT), Robert Parkin, Geoff Taylor and Bob and Karin Cotter. Photo: Geoff Wood
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NEW BRANCH MEMBERS ARE WELCOMED We extend a warm welcome to the following who have joined Northampton Branch since the last issue of Endeavour
NEW MEMBERS Mr P Lynam & Miss G Anscombe Northampton Mr & Mrs S & J Tuckwell Daventry Mr R Beadsmore & Ms J Tebbutt Northampton Mr M De Monti Wellingborough Mr G & Mrs S Brass Litchborough, Towcester
MEMBERS WHO HAVE MOVED TO THE BRANCH Revd E Gray-King & Mr P Gray Welton Hythe Mr R & Mrs A Williams Alcester, Warwickshire
We look forward to meeting you all at Branch events BUCKINGHAM AND BRAUNSTON WORK PARTY DATES Buckingham Canal Society September 4th, 14th, 18th. October 2nd, 12th, 16th, 30th. November 9th, 13th, 27th. December 4th, 11th.
Further details contact Athina Beckett on 01908 662127
Braunston Canal Society September 7th, 18th. October 12th, 19th. Other dates to be arranged contact chris.burton7@btinternet.com
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Stoke Bruerne’s Family Festival raises a record sum Rampaging Vikings, historic and model boats, clog and Morris Dancing, displays of traditional canal crafts, music, theatre, a bustling market and much more. June’s Family Festival held in Stoke Bruerne, organised by The Friends of The Canal Museum, raised a record sum of over £4k to help their work in supporting the Canal Museum. Despite rain showers, the Festival had a real celebratory feel this year and there was even more reason to party when the festivities kicked off with the announcement that Chairman of the Friends, David Blagrove, had been awarded a much deserved MBE for services to restoration of the UK Waterways. This year’s Festival was more family orientated than usual featuring a circus workshop with tuition in juggling, clowning and walking a low wire trapeze as well as popular games such as hook-a-duck and a colouring competition. There was huge community involvement also with village gardens open to the public as well as all the usual activities on the water. Over the weekend quite a few visitors dropped by including Canal & River Trust CEO Richard Parry, who was on hand to congratulate David on his award, together with acting SE Waterway Manager Neil Owen and two judges from the Living Waterways Awards
13 2014. Following on from this, we are pleased to be able to report that the Friends have been nominated as finalists in the Tourism and Recreation category for eight years of “Events” staged in Stoke Bruerne since their founding in 2006 as a direct result of which they have raised over £66,000. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Royal Armouries, Clarence Dock, Leeds on 24th September 2014.
BOAT GATHERING DONATIONS MADE The accounts of the Branch Boat Gathering in May have now been finalised and as a result the following donations are being made: £750 to Braunston Canal Society; £650 to Northampton Branch, which will be “ring-fenced” for expenses incurred with the Northampton Arm adoption. Two raffles were also held. The Saturday evening raffle raised £148 for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and the Sunday evening raffle £166 for the Friends of Raymond. Sincere thanks to all those who contributed.
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14 BRANCH COMMITTEE MEETING REVIEW May Urgent Business It was agreed to donate £100 to the Akeman Challenge organised by IWA Head Office staff. Northampton Arm Mick Butler reported that the sanitary station at Gayton Junction had been painted along with railings and bollards around the slipway. Next project would be the Lock Keepers Hut and Lock 1 with repainting of locks starting at Lock 1 and working down the flight. Membership There are currently 299 memberships equalling 476 members. Boat Gathering 2014 Only four questionnaires had been handed in but all of them expressed fulsome praise for the organisation of the event and activities on offer. It was thought more publicity at key points (pubs water points refuse/ loo disposal), rather than just at marinas, was required. Better use of Facebook/Twitter should also be used. Tim Coghlan had been very pleased with the way the Gathering had gone and would be pleased to host the event again. A provisional surplus of £1,200 has been raised. 2015 Festival The Branch is proposing that everything raised on the Island goes to Branch funds to enable the Branch to make its usual donations to local waterway causes. The question of a licence fee discount to cover the event had been raised with EA. The Agency is keen to attract more boaters to the river, so are considering what discount can be offerd . Nene Task Group EA would like to improve the facilities at Thrapston with the possibility of a pump-out/Elsan disposable unit. The major stumbling block is funding — the Agency has had its funding from Central Government cut back quite severely. Planning Matters Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne — a retrospective listed building application covering aspects of recent work has been carried out. Aluminium drain pipes look wrong and should be painted black to be more in keeping.
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16 Karin Cotter asks:
“WILL YOU BE OUR BOATING BUDDY?” In the depths of last winter, one chilly, dark night, Bob and I sat down and planned out our cruising year for 2014. “The Leicester Ring – let’s do the Leicester Ring,” I said, my voice full of excitement and enthusiasm. “Everyone says how lovely the Soar is, although I know it can go up and down a bit. We just need a good run of fine, dry weather....” A couple of weeks clear of football (except for a little tournament going on somewhere else in the world) appeared in June and we began to make plans. I devised an itinerary which covered about 14-15 days and, after some thought and research, we decided to go anticlockwise, in order that we could navigate the river sections first in case the weather didn’t hold. I searched through some old copies of waterways magazines looking for cruising guides. Waterways World June 2013 issue had one and, imagine my surprise when I identified our boat in one of the photographs, with us both at the helm! I watched a cruising guide DVD a couple of times, although the journey was undertaken clockwise, and our overnight mooring stops were selected. Plan B was to cruise the Warwickshire Ring, if the early part of June proved wet, but as D-day approached, the forecast looked good, the higher river levels of early June subsided and we made the decision to head northwards for the rivers Soar and Trent. We checked our anchor, chain and ropes, did a small service on the engine and stocked the cupboards with enough provisions to last us most of the trip. With Nicholson’s and Pearson’s guides opened at the correct pages for the start of our cruise and the helpful little GU Leicester Line guide produced by the IWA Leics Branch covered in highlighter pen marks, we left our moorings and headed north. We moored above Foxton Locks on the first night and, early the next morning, we locked down the pretty pair of staircase locks. We were the second boat down that day and it took us just 50 minutes. At the bottom, we passed a boat that was just leaving its mooring outside the Bridge 61 pub. It was the boat that had gone down the locks just before us and had stopped for a few groceries. “Good morning!” we shouted, and Mile straight in Leicester’s twilight smiled.
17 “Good morning,” came the reply, as the boat was eased out into the canal behind us. It had made me smile, as I noticed the roof was covered in artificial grass. We travel quite slowly – our old Lister engine is no match for more powerful modern engines – and The River Trent is much wider than the canal often wave other boats on. However, the boat now travelling quite closely behind us made no attempt to pass. We travelled together through Saddington Tunnel, pulled over in limited space to allow Mikron’s Tyseley to pass us heading south, a couple of this year’s troupe enjoying the journey from the bows, and then our companions drew alongside us in Kibworth Top Lock. “I love your roof!” I shouted. “It stops the paintwork getting scratched. How far are you going? Can we share the locks?” asked the other steerer. “We are planning to stop tonight at Kilby Bridge,” I replied. “Sounds ok to us,” came the reply. Over the next few days, the wide locks and heavy gates, many with poorly maintained paddle gear, made for hard work and slow progress. How glad we all were to have each other’s company and that feeling continued when we finally reached the Soar, and then the Trent. How wide the Trent seemed after the narrow waterways! Altogether, we spent four days boating together, sharing a few pints in the evenings and lots of boating stories. We finally parted company at Sawley Cut. We had arranged visitor moorings at the marina for a couple of nights so that Bob could get a
The bridge advertising Burton-on-Trent’s famous brewery
18 train to a meeting. We felt a little sad, waving goodbye as the electrically-operated locks gates closed behind their boat. We had exchanged mobile numbers and email addresses and have been in contact since. Boating with another boat was a great experience, especially to help each other with the locks and when boating somewhere new – safety in numbers! We had never boated any great distance on rivers, but our companions were a lot wiser than us and followed behind in case we had a problem. We continued our journey around the Ring alone, spending some time and effort trying to open the top gates of Stenson Lock, dodging the large number of boats manoeuvring round Fradley Junction, and mooring up in front of Phyllis May II at Polesworth. As we chatted on the towpath, Terry Darlington said that the cruise down the Eastern Seaboard had been the biggest adventure of his life, and by comparison I felt the Coventry Canal must have seemed very tame. Ironically, “Narrow Dog to Indian River” was my bedtime reading for this trip. The weather had broken and that evening we had a heavy downpour with thunder and lightning. Jim would have to wait a little longer for his pork scratchings. As our adventure neared its end, Bob and I started talking about taking the boat down the River Nene sometime soon. Bob had always wanted to navigate the Nene, having been born and bred not a mile from its northern bank. I know he would love to take our boat down to Peterborough and back, but we lack experience and information. A quick search on the internet brings up only general notes or information that is four or five years old. So, after my long preamble, here is the point of my writing. I have two requests to make. First, is there someone out there who is prepared to be our boating buddy and help us discover this lovely river, either to take us out for an hour or two in their boat and allow us to pick their brains with regard to boating on the Nene, or to accompany us for a day or two, or even a week, to share locks and moorings, when we finally plan our cruise? This would probably be next year to coincide with the Gathering at the end of August 2015 (weather and water levels permitting) at Becket’s Park. Approaching Fradley Junction Secondly, and not unrelated, I think it would be nice to produce a cruising guide to the Nene as far as Peterborough, updated each year, downloadable from the IWA Northampton site along the lines of the one produced by IWA Leics for the GU Leicester Line. I’m happy to compile this but I would need lots of help from those who cruise the Nene regularly, unless, of course, such a guide exists already. If you can help, please contact me karin.cotter@tiscali.co.uk
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Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally continues to attract the historic narrowboats Tim Coghlan of Braunston Marina looks back on another successful Rally. All pictures by the author A total of 63 historic narrowboats attended the recent 12 th Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally, attracting some five thousand visitors, some coming from as far afield as Canada. The boat numbers were somewhat down on the 87 that had attended the previous year, and the record 104 in 2011. The lower attendance of boats and people was in part due to the poor weather forecast for the Saturday of weekend, which proved extremely correct. There were torrents of rain from shortly after the official opening at 11 am, and these continued off and on for the rest of the day. Also there are an increasing number of canal festivals around the network, perhaps inspired by the success of our rallies. In particular, there was a rally at Foxton the previous weekend and at both Stratford and Audlem the following one – all seeking to attract historic narrowboats. As one owner told me, ‘We are now spoilt for choice.’ This is good for the canals and the preservation of their working-boat heritage, and we can take comfort from the fact that the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally remains by far and away the largest gathering of historic narrowboats anywhere. As David Daines, owner of the 1935 Yarwoods Cyprus told me, ‘Braunston remains the premier event.’ We have come a long way since our first Rally in 2003, when 29 boats attended – which seemed a lot at the time. We have now established a tradition of rotating the theme of the Rally between the surviving Fellow, Morton & Clayton (FMC) fleet and what we have termed the other Braunston Boats – Barlows, Blue Line and Nursers, plus the GUCCC boats, all with Braunston connections. This year it was again the turn of those other boats. In pride of place was the Braunston Marina based pair of historic narrowboats, Nutfield and Raymond – lovingly looked after by the enthusiastic Friends of Raymond. At the end of the boats’ working lives, they were part of the small
20 Blue Line fleet that took part in what transpired to be the last run under regular contract, carrying coal from Atherstone to the ‘Jam ‘Ole’ factory in west London, until the trade collapsed in October 1970. The Rally was officially opened by former working boatmen Alice Lapworth and her brother-in-law Tom Lapworth – the boatmen always called themselves boatmen or boaties, regardless of sex. The couple helmed Raymond and Nutfield respectively as a husband and wife team would have steered a working pair in former times. Both now in their seventies, they have memories of the canals in WWII when, as young children, they travelled them with their parents. Tom has dramatic recall of air raids in London and Birmingham. Joining them in the opening parade were veteran actors and canal enthusiasts Timothy West (currently in EastEnders) on Vulcan and his actress wife Prunella Scales (of Fawlty Towers fame) on Monarch, who both donned traditional working boatmen and women’s costumes. Timothy West quipped, ‘We usually charge to dress up. But to support this unique and wonderful canal event, we will waive our fee in this case!’ The opening parade was fanfared by Daventry Brass, playing popular WWI tunes. There was also be a fine peal of bells from All Saints Church, Braunston, considered to be the Cathedral of the Canals. To encourage the preservation of historic narrowboats, we introduced in 2013 the Nurser Award for the best historic narrowboat in show – as voted for by the boaters. The award was named after the Nurser family who built wooden narrowboats for about seventy years until 1952 in what is today Braunston Marina. In 2014 the award was generously sponsored for the first time by Midland Chandlers, who have a major presence in Braunston. Midland Chandlers presented their gift vouchers of £500 to the winner William and £200 to Southern Cross which came second. To manage the event at its present size, we have made a number of changes in recent years, including having now eleven volunteer harbourmasters to manage the moorings and parades. One of them, John Boswell,
21 was a working boatman in his boyhood in the 1950s and knew some of these boats in their working days. The stewards have much reduced the good-humoured chaos traditionally associated with those parades. We also had invaluable help from the Canal & River Trust in many ways, including closing the visitor moorings on the parade route and making them available for historic narrowboats. We were honoured to have the CRT Chairman Tony Hales joining us on Raymond for the opening parade. On the Sunday, the Chief Executive Richard Parry visited, joining the parade of boats on the Stoke Bruerne Museum’s Sculptor We also had great support from the recently formed Braunston Canal Society - both during the event and in the previous winter when they helped with cutting back the overgrown canalside vegetation along the parade route. This considerably widened the canal for the parades. Its hands-on secretary Chris Burton was full of unqualified praise for the Rally, ‘It is the best canal event anywhere, in my humble opinion!’ Shore-side attractions included a trade marquee and also a number of outside exhibitors and canal societies. There was also the now well established canal artists’ marquee. Entertainments included Morris Dancers, the famous beer tent, with music provided by a number of groups. There were also theatre performance by Mikron and Day Star. All profits were donated as usual to canal causes. The main recipient was the Friends of Raymond which received £2,000. Donations were made to canal societies attending the Rally, including £1,000 to The Friends of The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne for the ongoing restoration of its narrowboat Sculptor. It was seen in the parades steered by the Friends’ Chairman, David Blagrove, newly appointed an MBE for his years of service to the canals. The annual Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally is sponsored by Braunston Marina, Towpath Talk, and the Canal & River Trust. Braunston Marina will be hosting the event again next year on the same last weekend in June, 27th – 28th.
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IWA Northampton Branch ANNUAL DINNER will be held at
THE HEART OF ENGLAND, WEEDON, on Saturday, 25th October 2014 7.00 for 7.30pm Please support this popular annual get–together
Full details, including menu options and prices, are available from Sandie Morton by emailing sandie.morton@waterways.org.uk or phone 01604 858294 Seating is limited and so early booking is advised
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Grab your gas masks – Stoke Bruerne is going to war again For the seventh successive year Stoke Bruerne is all set to return to the 1940s. The Village at War Weekend on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September kicks off early on Friday evening (12th) for boaters with the fabulous Lola Lamour singing nostalgic songs of the 40s in The Navigation pub (table booking advised on 01604 864988) and continues with village hall tea dances, firepower demonstrations and battles, vintage and military vehicle displays, a Black Market (get your nylons here), reenactments from living history groups such as the Pitsford Home Guard, Women’s Land Army, Dogs Army, Allied Assortment, UK Tank Club, Trucks, Troops and Stores and the Tommy Atkins Society and in the skies, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. As usual the canal will be full of working narrowboats many of them decorated in full 1940s style. During the war the canal played an important role in transporting essential supplies from the Midlands to the London area and, story has it, that part of our Gold Reserves were shipped from the Bank of England to Liverpool during the invasion scare of 1940. Stoke Bruerne’s own NB Sculptor moored outside the Canal Museum was even called into service as a fire boat in London during the latter part of the war. The cost of entry is £5 per person + £3 per car for parking. More information can be found at www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk/ village-at-war-2014 Pictures from last year’s Village at War
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Meeting the challenges of cruising the South Pennine Ring Following the talk at our May Branch meeting about the Huddersfield Narrows, Fiona and Roland Rawlings cruised the South Pennine Ring. This is their story. Leaving Sowerby Bridge with a crew of four adults early on a Saturday morning, we planned to do the South Pennine Ring in a clockwise direction. Although we knew we could complete the ring in two weeks, to take it at a more leisurely pace we decided to take three weeks. The challenge would be 197 locks and 75 miles. Calder and Hebble Navigation Apart from learning the trick of using the hand spike at the locks, as well as Waiting to go through Standedge Tunnel – only three boats manoeuvring a 56ft a day in each direction three days a week with an boat through the escort on each boat with booked passage only locks which can accommodate 57ft boats maximum, we had a smooth journey through this combination of canal and river cruising, Huddersfield Broad and Narrow Canals The Huddersfield Broad also needed special attention due to the shortness of their locks whereas the Huddersfield Narrow Canal returned to the longer length single lock size we are used to. We did however have to start using the handcuff keys to unlock the paddle mechanisms on some of these locks. When we were taking on water at Aspley Basin we discovered that in order to travel through lock 24E the next day we would need to phone the Canal & River Trust to book a time for their staff to assist with the guillotine lock which is due for repair this summer. We booked a slot for the next day. Empire Brewery was unfortunately closed at the time we passed it. The excitement of the Huddersfield canals was then arriving at Marsden on the Tuesday afternoon in time to visit the visitor centre by the entrance to the Standedge Tun-
25 nel before it closed at 16.00. The next day we were the first boat through as boats are taken in order of the date they were booked to go through the tunnel. The Canal & River Trust provided a guide to navigate us through the tunnel as well as hard hats and life jackets for those steering the boat. The journey through the tunnel took us 2hrs and 10 mins as the steerers were encouraged to steer the boat at the speed at which they were comfortable. We all enjoyed this experience. The Ashton Canal This canal starts just before the junction where the Peak Forest Canal joins the Ashton Canal in Ashton under Lyne. By the time we had visited Portland Marina for a pump out (£25 for two tanks to be Above: Standedge Tunnel pumped out, 0.5 l bloo in Below: New Islington Marina, Central Manchester each) and returned to the basin to fill up with water at the museum, no charge — the museum had closed. We had already decided that as we had time we would do a detour up the Peak Forest Canal. We moored on our way up at Marple Junction where we could fill up with water and leave rubbish at a waterways site. The next day we went Bugsworth Basin where we moored for the night at no charge and with a water point but no place for rubbish. This venue was an excellent site of historical in-
26 terest worth exploring at one’s leisure. The next day we returned the way we had come and moored for the night in the countryside having shopped in Romiley for provisions. The next day we were able to visit the Portland Basin Industrial Museum, no charge and well worth seeing their street of local shops dating from a bygone age. Moored for the night at Droylsden Marina in Fairfield Junction, cost £6 for a secure mooring. We paid one of the residents and were given a key which gave us access to the marina which is surrounded by a moat and use of the rubbish bin. A water tap had been fitted at the end of each pontoon — this was very easy to use. Having decided this was an ideal place from which to explore Manchester, we all bought off peak travel cards for the Metro the next day and buying them after 09.30 enabled us to buy day travel cards from the ticket machine on the platform at Droylsden for £5 each. We had a great day in the city and extended and stay in the marina to two nights. Although the marina was surrounded by a building site in progress and the facilities were limited we had a comfortable stay there and would recommend it as an ideal site for those wishing secure mooring so close to the city centre. Booking is c/o Portland Basin Marina 01613 330 3133. Cruising in to the centre of Manchester took most of the day due to someone leaving the lock paddles up further up the Rochdale which meant the boat in front of us was stuck on the bottom lock and couldn’t get out due to a lack of water below lock 1. It took several hours for a very fit member of the Canal & River Trust staff to sort out the problem, running up and down between a number of locks, opening paddles, talking to people in all the boats waiting to go through this lock, updating them on progress until eventually the boat ahead was able to get out of the lock and so we duly followed them out, leaving the Ashton Canal and its single locks behind us. Rochdale Canal We only had the first two locks of the Rochdale to get through that night before we found our way in to the New Islington Marina to moor for the night. Mooring here is free of charge, use of the facilities included. This is a semi secure mooring in that the public at the moment can walk through the marina during the day and it is made more secure at night. We moored outside the boaters’ hut which was inaccessible to the public at night and made full use of their facilities including a washing machine at £2 a wash, toilets and showers, rubbish disposal, a water point and a self pump out for £8. Tokens for the washing machine and pump out could be bought from a machine in the boaters’ hut. After the dog walkers and local residents had Road bridge 75A Rochdale Canal stopped their evening walks on
27 the other side of the cut it was a quiet night. Booking can be made by ringing the marina manager Ben Knott on 0782 7951250. We arranged to share the locks going up the Rochdale with the boat that had been stuck in the lock in front of us the previous day. This reduced the work load for all of us and satisfied the Canal & River Trust staff that we were doing as much as we could to conserve water by lock sharing. We had a hard Rochdale Canal Lock 34 after the summit days lock wheeling the next day, eventually stopping for the night just past the Rose of Lancaster pub in Chadderton, a total of 18 locks. This was the day we cleared the most rubbish so far on the trip as the propeller was cleared at least four times and removed masses including a lot of plastic bags, clothes and water weed due to the shallowness of the canal. The day after we continued the lock wheeling in earnest and reached Littleborough having done 16 locks but more distance between them than yesterday. Nigel from Shire Cruisers came out to Littleborough this evening to sort out a leak under the kitchen sink that we had reported. The countryside was getting more frequent with less urbanisation of the canal. The end of the day saw us meet our Canal & River Trust staff member from Manchester again as we struggled over the summit. Due to a lack of water we were helped through these locks and advised to proceed down to moor below lock 34 where we could be guaranteed sufficient water in the pound the next morning to be able to continue uninterrupted. We had Sunday lunch today at the Summit Inn. A pleasant enough meal at a reasonable price with an inexpensive wine to go with it. Couldn’t use the water point at the summit as it apparently hasn’t worked for years! We are nearing the end of our trip as we arrive in Todmorden to moor for the night by the great wall of Tod. In fact an excess of water meant some of the lock gates were overflowing with water as we travel downhill. We awoke to find the boat beached in the shallows but having flushed the pound through with water we floated the boat off. The guillotine lock at lock 19 was straightforward to use. Today we booked our passage through Tuel Lane Lock, originally locks 3 &4, with the Canal & River Trust so that a lock-keeper can supervise our passage through on Thursday. We arrived in Hebden Bridge in the afternoon and stayed in this delightful tourist spot for two nights. The town was preparing for the Tour de France and the bunting and displays helped to add to the festive atmosphere in town. Leaving Hebden Bridge in the morning we were able to travel through the deep lock at Sowerby Bridge early and returned the boat to the marina at midday.
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Buckingham Canal Society Restoration update - Cosgrove On Saturday 17th May 2014 at just after noon, following over 22 years of aspiration and perspiration, the moment came when the first drops of water were taken from the Grand Union Canal and piped into the Buckingham Arm. For those who want the detail, a pump is used to prime 2 x 30m (100ft) 75mm diameter (3″) suction hoses that have been passed through ducts under the deck of old bridge one. Once primed, the hoses are disconnected and the siphon just runs and runs – all very environmentally friendly as well . Over the next few weeks a number of site checks revealed some overtopping of the drain and subsequent early rewatering of pound two. In addition there is some linear movement of water believed to be due to the clay needing to rehydrate. This seepage collected at about 200mm deep as designed in the buffer pound formed between the second bund and the farm crossing flowing through the as designed drain into the rest of the canal bed westwards. We have subsequently (29/May) back pumped the water from the buffer pound into pound two. Overall pound one had dropped some 150mm in 3 weeks which is consistent with the water seen entering the buffer pound. Some seepage through the towpath bank was also seen when the level was higher than intended and we are now exploring the area of towpath were the bank had previously dropped towards the canal channel with a view to identifying fissures or animal burrows as anticipated. We have since then repeated a further cycle of top-up on pound one and the seepage rate has reduced and the rate of loss has reduced. This is aligned with the expectation of the clay rehydrating and sealing both inside the towpath bank and the temporary bunds. We expect to repeat the cycle as water permits over the coming months. Any defects such as burrows or fissures that are found will be remediated before raising the level further to repeat the cycle of wetting and observation. So, in summary, the outcome so far is broadly as expected and overall seepage through the towpath bank is a lot less than expected, which is good news. Our thanks to CRT for all their help and support in achieving this milestone. Water being piped into the Buckingham Arm from the canal
29 Restoration update – Hyde Lane The Hyde Lane nature reserve site has had the old lock gates that had been removed from the chamber converted to form novel seats at the site. Work was done by regular volunteers joined by a team building group from Network Rail.
Restoration update – Bourton Meadow Following work to assess the water top-up needs at the Bourton Meadow section, it has been recognised that the lining is not as watertight as expected. Investigations led by the contractors are now to be undertaken and a plan drawn up to remediate as necessary. The permanent solar powered top-up pumping authorised by the Environment Agency will not be installed until these remedial works are completed.
General update Following the Charity Commission approval of our change of status for BCS from an Unincorporated Charity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), we are completing the transition from current status to a CIO on 1st August 2014. As was highlighted at our AGM and in previous newsletters, there are many advantages to this change. Amongst the key benefits are that BCS now becomes a legal entity that can enter into formal contracts and leases. It also provides additional protection for trustees and members of the Society. As of 1st August 2014, all assets and memberships will transfer to the new CIO. The process will be largely transparent to individual members and will not affect the ongoing operations of the Society. The main difference members will notice is the change of our Registered Charity Number to 1156662 which is shown on our BCS website and documentation. This is an important change for the Society as it opens up a range of potential opportunities for BCS to acquire access rights to the more inaccessible parts of the canal, as well as being able to purchase interests in land to support our renovation work. In addition, formal project plans are now being drawn up by a sub group following a project prioritisation review by the trustees. These will then be presented to various partnerships with County Council and Environment Agency amongst others for further progress. Photos: Ian Matson and Richard Lewis
Checking levels in the Buckingham Arm
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Braunston Revisited
Part 2
Tim Coghlan meets Ian L Wright who reveals, through his fascinating collection of photographs taken en route to the first IWA National Rally in 1950, a Braunston in the dying days of canal carrying From Canals & Rivers, December 2006 The whole canal moved with you… ‘Well, the state of the North Stratford in 1950 had to be seen to be believed. It was like a sort of field of blanket weed stretching from one side of the canal to the other. When you put your paddle in the water, the whole canal moved with you. And this is one of the reasons why the rally took place – to get things moving and try to stop this dereliction.’ ‘We locked down to the Grand Union sharing the slimy lock with the cruiser Sarsden which was owned by the IWA Midlands Branch secretary Mr Bedford who was also going to the rally. Things now got much better. And the interesting thing about this trip with this boat in 1950 was that you could use all the locks like a big boat, waste all that water 56,000 gallons - and you could also go through the tunnels. There were no health and safety rules then. Even now I have vivid memories of tunnels lit by a bicycle lamp and water dripping down my neck as we paddled through Shrewley Tunnel. We did ring up to find out what the traffic was doing and we were only passed once by a boat in a tunnel. We stayed on the right side and were fairly low in the water but we got through alright. What was exciting for me was that the Grand Union was still a working canal and it was my first real experience of this, after all that dereliction in Wales. Also seeing for the first time some of those places mentioned by Tom Rolt in his book Narrow Boat. At night they camped sometimes in lockkeepers’ gardens or farmers fields – all the equipment: tent, sleeping bags, a primus stove, cooking equipment and extra clothes being stowed on-board through the oarsmen’s hatches when underway. ‘We’d both been Scouts so it was like second natureto us. From our bank campsite in Warwick we took a late night trip into the Saltisford Arm and climbed through a hole in the fence to buy fish and chips.’ The arrival at Braunston was another first, as it was the first time that either of the crew had seen a working yard and they decided to explore it the following day. Wright had his camera ready and a dozen or more outstanding photographs survive from that visit, providing a unique insight into Samuel Barlows’ yard on that warm summer’s day in 1950. His years of photographic training were to pay handsome dividends, especially as he now had ‘a much better camera’ than his former Brownie box. The photographs show the yard was very much alive with at least nine Barlow boats in port, and all looking shipshape. In those days, Samuel Barlows still looked after its boats, it being Frank Nurser’s view that if the boats looked good, the boatmen would look after them better. Indeed, Nurser – now retired as general manager but continuing to paint was in the small dock re-sign-writing the motor Tiger which was built at Braunston in 1936 and had just undergone a major overhaul. In the covered wet-dock – into which the
31 young men paddled Cheswardine - was its butty the Jack also built in the same year but not at Braunston. It, likewise, had been overhauled. Wright went into the small dock and spoke to Nurser as well as taking that photograph – with Nurser posing briefly. Wright noticed how Nurser seemed to have a paint brush in one hand and in the other a cigarette on the go almost the whole time. Despite the incessant lead paint fumes and cigarette smoke he still lived on to a good age. No narrow boat building was going on and the photographs show the building shed looked distinctly forlorn, it now being over two years since the last one – the motor Ian – was built. However another four butties were still to be built in the next eight years, the last being the Raymond. Meanwhile, Braunston was turning its head to the new world of leisure boating. In the large dry dock, Wright came upon the former wooden motor the Emscote being converted to this purpose with a new cabin being built over its former hold. Wright photographed Nurser’s floral decorations on the cabin sides. Other scenes of the yard show boatmen in port using the time to do their washing, and beyond the old Fellows, Morton & Clayton (FMC) stables in their final stages of decay before they were finally pulled down about six years later. The stables were in fact two stories, with the storey visible in the picture being where the hay was kept, with the actual stables round the back and down a slope – the wharf being above the natural level of the land. FMC were nationalized in 1948 and its business moved elsewhere, the Braunston lease being taken over by Barlows – which escaped that fate. But the ghost of FMC was still there. Up on the main road on the side of a warehouse – later demolished to allow for road-widening – was its enamelled sign STEAMBOAT SERVICES DAILY TO AND FROM THIS WHARF TO LONDON. The last steamer left in 1929. Also in the yard and bound for the IWA Rally were Sonia Rolt and her then husband George Smith with their pair of boats the motor Cairo and the butty Warwick which were being smartened up to be again used for taking boat trips – as they had been in London the year before on the occasion of the IWA annual dinner where Wright had met them. Sonia was on the IWA national committee having been put up for it by Tom Rolt. By the end of 1950 both Tom and Sonia’s marriages were to collapse – Tom’s wife Angela running off to join a circus - and a few years later they were to marry which was a great happiness to both of them. Intriguingly Tom Rolt’s pre-war Alvis car was also parked in the yard that August day in 1950 and is visible in one of the photographs, although in his autobiography Landscape with Canals Rolt does not mention calling in at Barlows Yard on his way to the rally, but he did pass the enClearing Braunston Top Lock: the boats are now trance. On to the Rally The Smiths were off that very afternoon and offered to give
being un-paired with motor Cairo going ahead being driven by George Smith – just visible a young boatman whom IWA co-founder Robert Aickman referred to as the ‘Dionysus of the Canals’
32 Cheswardine and crew a lift up the Braunston Flight and through the tunnel to Norton Junction an offer they could not refuse – especially as there was now quite heavy traffic on the canal. But before departing they went and had tea on the first floor of Approaching Braunston Top Lock on the way to the first IWA National: The canoe crew hitched a lift with Sonia Rolt and her then husband the Old Ship George Smith up the flight and through the tunnel on the paired-up Inn then at the Cairo & Warwick.They were advised to do this because there was still entrance to the heavy traffic on the flight as seen by the approaching pair of boats. yard. Wright’s Crewman Prosser is enjoying the sights and his pipe. (Ian L Wright) diary records ‘Tea at Ship Inn 2/-’ Having spent much of the day at Braunston, and with some distance still to go, the diary records: Thro’ Braunston Tunnel aboard Cairo & Warwick 5.30 – 5.50. Arr 6.15 Norton Junction. 6.30 cont’d to long Buckby. Dep 7.15. Arr Watford locks 8.20. 6 miles’ That Thursday, 10th August 1950 had been a long and memorable day. On Sunday 13th August at 2.00 pm they finally arrived at Market Harborough, processing in behind Tom and Angela Rolt on the Cressy. They had covered 72 miles and been through 90 locks and five tunnels in eight days. On the Monday they were interviewed by the BBC and the Daily Telegraph, whilst the Leicester Evening Mail headlined, ‘Harborough Goes Gay as Waterways Rally Begins.’The last entry in the diary is later that Monday afternoon: Owen left 3.45 pm bus Market Harborough to Birmingham . Nothing more was recorded. Owen Prosser went back to work and came back late on Friday night for the return run to Kings Norton. This time they did paddle through Braunston Tunnel, but they did not stop at Barlows Yard. It was not until the IWA Banbury Rally of 1954 – to save the South Oxford Canal – that Wright revisited the place, this time bringing Cheswardine on the roof of a Morris 8 Series E – the first car he owned. By this time Nurser had retired and the yard was already on the downward slope that would see the end of the Samuel Barlow Coal Co. Ltd. within eight years. In 1953 Wright organized a rally on the Mon & Brec which, with help from Robert Aickman, succeeded in saving that canal. But his world was moving on and he took a teaching post in eastern Northamptonshire where he was to stay for his working life, somewhat away from the canals. He kept a canoe on the River Nene, but never had an engined boat of his own. He also played an active role in the Cambridge branch of the IWA.
33 Ending by chance This story began by chance and so by chance it ends. Shortly after Wright’s revisit to Braunston in June, 2006, I learnt that i2i Television would be coming to the Braunston
Wright’s neatly kept diary notes of his trip for the week including his visit to Braunston on Thursday the 10th August, 1950. He fortunately found the diary in his shed the morning he was due to revisit Braunston in May 2006. (Tim Coghlan)
Historic Narrowboat Rally at the end of that month to film the event and with them they would be bringing Sonia Rolt. I rang her and asked if she would open it jointly with former working boat-woman Laura Carter, by coming into the marina on the Nutfield towing the Raymond. This she was happy to do, provided she did not have to steer. ‘I’m far too old now for that sort of thing.’ I then rang Wright – and this time there was only an answering machine. So I wrote and days slipped away without an answer. Then on the Thursday before the Rally, I received a message that he was coming. He had been away. So Sonia Rolt and Ian Wright revisited Braunston together and I took a photograph of them on the quayside where the Warwick was moored and where they had met on that memorable day of the 10th August, 1950 – nearly 56 years ago. Then we all went boating.
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Towpath improvements on Northampton Arm CRT’s James Clifton reports that the Trust has secured substantial contributions from the Northampton Borough Council and the County Council to enable the section of towpath on the Northampton Arm between bridges 13 and 17 to be improved. The work is costing approximately £300k and covers a distance of just under 2 kilometres. It is due to start at the end of July/early August and last for three months. It will have an innovative environmentally-friendly surface treatment that has been used successfully elsewhere in the UK and America. This is a mixture of recycled shredded tyres and gravel, held together with a special resin binder. Amongst the benefits are that it doesn’t need timber edges and is self-draining. This section will recycle 7,500 tyres! It can withstand attempts to set it on fire and is relatively easy to repair. This is the final stretch of towpath within the Borough that was waiting for funding. All the other sections have either been improved or had funds identified to do so.
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RECYCLING REMINDER The Branch recycles ink jet cartridges and mobile phones to raise cash to help local projects. Please bring them along to Branch meetings or ring 01604 473756 to arrange collection. Please no Epson ink tanks.
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Buckingham Canal Society NEW CRAFT FAIR A SUCCESS AS COSGROVE CANAL FESTIVAL GROWS This year Buckingham Canal Society (BCS) held its largest canal festival to date in Cosgrove village on the weekend of the 19th and 20th July. The increasingly popular annual event, which included Cosgrove Village Hall craft fair for the first time, raises funds to aid the restoration of the Buckingham Canal. Cosgrove Canal Festival & Craft Fair, as it is now known, is a fun packed family event that attracts trade and historical boats alongside a diverse variety of craft, game and catering stalls. This year the Society was able to secure the village hall for the dedicated craft fair as well as its extra parking. A short walk from the original main attraction at Cosgrove Lock, the hall proved to be a very popular venue. Up on the canal, the Society’s infamous Lock Ransom ran the whole weekend, including during Friday’s Festival set up. Boaters are encouraged to support the Society whilst being assisted by trained volunteers through the lock. It’s a very novel, humorous and yet productive way to interact with the public to get the Society’s message out there whilst raising funds for the restoration project. “This was the first year we have also had the village hall booked, as an experiment,” said BCS Trustee and Festival committee member Athina Beckett. “We have managed to raise somewhere in the region of £1,300 [gross] for BCS.” Although a little quieter than last year, thought to be mainly due to the threat of the forecast thunderstorms that never really happened, there were plenty of positive comments from traders and public alike. Congratulations for a very successful weekend were very welcome from John Highmore of Canal & River Trust. The general feeling is that many traders, if not all, will be back next year. Nevertheless, no sooner was the Festival over, the search for even more new and exciting traders began in earnest. BCS would like to thank all those involved in the Festival for making this year one of the most successful ever. Do you dig canals?...We do! Work parties are held every other Thursday and the second Sunday of each month and are always friendly, welcoming and very rewarding. For further details on the work parties please visit www.buckinghamcanal.org.uk/events-and-news/work-parties/, and for all other aspects of the Society please visit www.buckinghamcanal.org.uk.
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RICHARD GILL BOAT SAFETY TESTING
BSc, MABSE BW AND EA APPROVED
EXPERIENCED EXAMINER WITH 25 YEARS WORKING ON THE WATERWAYS
Grand Union, Oxford & Leics Canals Rivers Nene and Thames RING: 07889 10 99 39 rgbarcos70@btinternet.com
HIGH HOUSE MARINA LTD High House Wharf, Heyford Lane, Weedon, Northants NN7 4SF OUR SMALL MARINA (ONLY 24 BOATS) IS A VERY FRIENDLY PLACE TO BE MOORED, HENCE OUR CLIENTS TEND TO STAY PUT Our car park is quite secure and well hidden from the road WE DO NOW AND AGAIN HAVE A VACANCY, SO WHY NOT GIVE US A CALL? Contact Phil Gardner on 01327 349519, E-mail:phil.h.gardner@btconnect.com
R.NIGHTINGALE
B L AC K S M I T H in Tug Store at tunnel entrance, Stoke Bruerne Wrought Iron Work for Boat or Garden
For further details, either visit or ring O1604 859726 / 07761 833049 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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ADVERTISING 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 (suggested donations) 1/4 Page (box) £12.00 1/2 Page (box) £25.00 Full Page £40.00 Discount of 10% for 4 issues Other sizes by arrangement
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
BRANCH SOCIAL MEETINGS Regular Branch Social Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month from September to May inclusive at
THE WALNUT TREE INN, BLISWORTH, at 8pm All members and non-members welcome. Food and drink available
NEXT MEETINGS Tuesday, 9th September Speaker: John Pomfret — Freight on the Waterways Tuesday, 14th October Speaker: Tony Conder — Canals in the 20s and 30s Tuesday, 11th November Speaker: Kathryn Dodington — Diamond Jubilee Regatta –The Taking Part Tuesday, 9th December Mick and Catriona Butler — Christmas Quiz Tuesday, 13th January Speaker: Richard Thomas — The River Lee, Luton to Leyton The next edition of Endeavour will be published November 2014
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WHO’S WHO IN NORTHAMPTON BRANCH 2014/2015 Branch Chairman Bernard Morton 07785 375787 E-mail: bernard.morton @waterways.org.uk
Branch Secretary Sandie Morton E-mail: sandie.morton @waterways.org.uk
Treasurer Alex Madisons E-mail: alex.madisons @waterways.org.uk
Newsletter & Joint Website Editor Tony Clarke 07939 977859 E-mail: tony.clarke @waterways.org.uk
Publicity Officer & Joint Website Editor Lynda Payton E-mail:lynda.payton @waterways.org.uk
Membership Secretary Geoff Wood E-mail: geoff.wood @waterways.org.uk
Branch Meetings Graham Treagus E-mail: graham.treagus @waterways.org.uk
Boat Gathering Chairman Michael Butler E-mail: michael.butler @waterways.org.uk
Planning Officer Helen Westlake E-mail: helen.westlake @waterways.org.uk
Committee Member David Higgins E-mail: david.higgins @waterways.org.uk
Committee Member John Pomfret E-mail: john.pomfret @waterways.org.uk
Committee Member Steve Miles E-mail: steve.miles @waterways.org.uk
Boat Gathering Non-Committee posts Sales: Catriona Butler 01604 473756 Endeavour Assistant Editor/ Advertising & Distribution, Archivist Roger Hasdell 01604 473756
Sub-Committee members Michael Butler (Chairman), Catriona Butler, Linda Clarke, Tony Clarke, Alex Madisons, Steve Miles, Bernard Morton, Sandie Morton and Eric Young.