BEAR ESSENTIALS The Newsletter of : -
IWA Warwickshire Branch Issue No. 51 – April 2018.
Welcome, and Welcome Back: At our AGM last month, we not only welcomed the attendance of both our National Chairman - Ivor Caplan, and our Regional Chairman - Helen Whitehouse, but we also welcomed four newly elected committee members:- Ian Lauder, Neil Skerry, Peter Claisse and Philip Spencer.
L to R: (Back Row) Jeff Biddle, Ivor Caplan, Neil Skerry, Ian Lauder, Peter Claisse and Nick Nicholson.(Front Row) Helen Whitehouse, Greta Russell, Sheila Bell and Carole Nicholson
Also at this meeting Muriel Richardson stepped down – after more than 11 years of sterling service as Minutes Secretary, and Carole Nicholson relinquished her role . Chairman. However, Carole will stay on as the committee as our Meetings / Speaker Organiser. Sheila Bell, Greta Russell, and Nick Nicholson continue in their respective roles as Treasurer, Secretary, and Planning Officer. Finally Jeff Biddle and ‘yours truly’ retain roles as ‘corresponding members’- responsible respectively for coordinating our walks programme, and editing our newsletter. All this should help to blend continuity with evolution in our future activities. Our new committee, now comprises 8 members - a strength not seen in the Branch for many years. This can only be a reflection of the enthusiasm with which members have embraced the activities that recent committees have organised, and for which we must thank them. After this meeting Ian Lauder was confirmed as our new Chairman – we offer him our congratulations, and wish him well. We must all now encourage our new committee to continue to provide a programme of varied activities – not just on behalf of branch members, but for all who enjoy Warwickshire’s waterways. Editor: Ian Fletcher.
From the 1930’s onwards our local canal, between Napton and Birmingham, became a single ‘unified’ waterway – part of the Grand Union. In 2009, at the time of BW’s last reorganisation, this unity was severed. Based on a mixture of false premises and bovine excrement, and against the advice of Warwickshire Branch and the wishes of BW-West Midlands, the management of BW-South East persuaded the then BW Chief Executive to move the SE/WM boundary from Napton to Radford Semele. The folly of this move soon became apparent, and as readers may recall, by 2012/13, travelling between the two sections (SE and WM) was akin to travelling between two different worlds. – We used this photo, here on the left, to illustrate the problem in our Dec 2013 edition of BE, and we know that it found its way onto the desk of the then BW-SE manager - but all to no avail. – – Today, the balance-beams on the Stockton flight, are not as bad as that. As this photo shows, they are now in fact four years worse! The problem has mainly been caused by BW/CRT-SE’s inability to find, manage and motivate volunteers at this, the periphery of their region – Milton Keynes is many miles from the midlands. However, our relationship with CRT-WM is in stark contrast, and it yields significant results – as can be seen here at Knowle.
The best waterways news that we’ve received so far this year is that - as part of the current CRT reorganisation, (for those interested in mathematics ten into six will go) - CRT-WM’s good work is being rewarded with an enlarged operational area. Now, not only will the north Oxford be added to its brief, but also the two halves of the northern GU will be re-united, and the whole of the Warwickshire Ring will then come under one jurisdiction. For us the most pleasing facet of all this is that the Napton to Radford Semele section of the northern GU returns to its true home here in the west midlands – welcome back.
Bear Bones:
Bear in Mind:
An outline of upcoming activities.
Exchanging the Baton.
Our Spring/Summer Programme of Activities. Unless otherwise stated all evening events take place at:
Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, CV8 3FL All evening meetings start at 7:30 pm. Sunday, April 8th 2018:
Canal Clean-up @ Hawkesbury Junction.
This is a re-arrangement of our March clean-up (read why on page 3). Check-in at The Greyhound CV6 6DF from 9:30am - for a ‘10 -‘til-1’ session. Please park in the approach lane, and wear appropriate clothing.
Wednesday, April 11th 2018: A Film of The Coventry Canal. As
By Brian Langtry Brian, a professional film-maker, will take us on an audio-visual extravaganza - looking at the history, culture and heritage of this greatly underrated local canal of ours. Entrance fee £2.50pp to cover costs.
Sunday, April 22nd 2018:
A Buckingham Canal-side Guided Walk
with Athina Beckett. Meet from 10am at The Barley Mow at Cosgrove MK19 7JD for a 10.30 start; on a guided walk of about 4 miles or so with Athina Beckett – who you may remember from her talk to us last year. En-route we’ll look at some of the restoration work in progress on the Buckingham Arm, and finish with lunch back at the pub about 1pm.
Wednesday, May 9th 2018:
Sign-writing & Decorative Painting.
- A Demonstration by Dave Moore. Dave is a long-established and highly respected painter - well known for his workshops at IWA Festivals. We’re in for a great evening - with a difference.
Wednesday, June 13th 2018: A Walk around Yarningale Common: and The Southern Stratford Canal Meet at 6.30pm on Yarningale Common, Claverdon, CV35 8HS. The walk is about 3 miles long – but with a short-cut option. We will conclude with food and/or drinks at the Crab Mill in Preston Bagot.
Saturday/Sunday June 30th- July 1st:
Stratford River Festival
Once again we will have a Branch presence at the River Festival. If you can spare time to help-out in our marquee on the ‘Rec.’ then please contact Greta Russell. Boat entry forms are available on the Stratforward website:< www.stratforward.co.uk/events/stratford-river-festival >
Sunday, July 8th 2018:
Balsam Pull, Myton Fields, Warwick.
As previously, it will take place from 10:00am – 1pm at Myton Fields, Myton Rd. Warwick (opposite Warwick School)
Wednesday, July 11th 2018:
A Guided Walk & Picnic at the old Cement Works Arm and new Conservation Area at Stockton - with Steve & Izzie Vaughan of Willow Wren.
Meet at 6.30pm at Willow Wren Training, Rugby Rd Stockton CV47 8AA
We’ll start with the picnic, then take a guided stroll around Nelson's Wharf with Steve & Izzie - looking at the archaeology and wildlife conservation of this fascinating place
Additional Work Party info.* CRT-WM Towpath task-force. A) First Wednesday & Friday of each month - Hatton. B) Second Thursday & Friday of each month - Stratford C) Third Thursday & Saturday of each month - Lapworth. *Note: For the most up-to-date information on Branch work-parties (and all other Branch activities) see our Branch page on the IWA web-site.
<< www.waterways.org.uk/warwickshire >>
Carole’s Considerations: Since our last Bear Essentials we’ve had an enjoyable games evening in December, then a lovely meal at Le Bistrot Pierre in Stratford in January. Our winter walks were blessed with sunshine - despite ice underfoot in January and mud in February. Ian Lauder & Kevin Marriot gave us a very entertaining talk in February on work being done at Hillmorton; and in March - after our AGM Richard Sanders took us on a trip ‘Down the Drains’ with Mad Hatter. Hopefully this will encourage more members to undertake such trips. My final ‘event’ should have been our March Clean-Up – but as you will see on page 3, this was not to be. This is my last ‘consideration’ and by the time that you read this I will have retired from the position of chairman. Fortunately we had a very good response to the letter sent out last year, and we have four new committee members, including Ian Lauder, who has gallantly stepped up to the mark to become chairman so I will now hand over to him. Carole Nicholson. How did I become Chairman? I’ve been involved in restoring canals for decades, including as a Wey & Arun Canal Trust Director - until my wife Lesley and I moved here to Hillmorton to create a café/bistro, as an ideal base to restore historic boats. If you ever skippered deepdrafted 72-foot boats around the system, you will know why I got interested in IWA. Then Carole invited me to be your speaker on the restoration of the disused basin below Hillmorton Locks by the Old Mortonians. Somewhere along the way, a hint was cast, I nibbled at the bait and found myself hooked. I offer my thanks to Carole, and her very enthusiastic and able group of committee members - now complemented by even more talented boaters, who made me feel at home, and to Helen Whitehouse, who calmed any doubts. With their support, I hope to ensure it is for you all - business as usual.
Ian Lauder.
Random snippets from around our patch and beyond.
Bear-faced Lines: Coventry Canal Clean-up: Our planned ‘first time’ clean-up on the Coventry canal suffered a ‘double-whammy’. Our first ‘target’, Nuneaton, had to be changed – due to a communication problem between CRT’s left-hand and right-hand. Then the weather over the weekend of March 17/18th interfered at our second location, Hawkesbury – as seen here below.
Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally and Canal Festival: 23rd – 24th June 2018 10:00am – 5:00pm.
Although pictures ‘paint’ thousands of words, and can possibly even give an indication of temperature; in no way can they convey any sense of wind-chill.
“In the days before the chosen weekend for our clean-up, the weather forecast indicated a second visit by ‘The Beast From The East’. Therefore on Saturday we decided to cancel the event – as even if the snow didn’t materialise there was likely to be ice and also the risk of hypothermia due to wind-chill & wet hands. As you will see from these images, I think you will agree that we made the right decision. We therefore now ‘live to fight another day’, and that day is Sunday April 8th. We look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible.” Carole.
It was this last factor as much as Saturday night’s snowfall itself that caused Carole and colleagues sadly, but sensibly, to call off this clean-up – as you can read in her note here on the left.
Events include a rally of the surviving Braunston and Grand Union CC boats – with Daily Parades, Trade Exhibition, Canal Societies; plus:- Music, Food and Bar. Admission is free, but there is a £20 per car parking charge (all profits go to waterway and local causes). This year’s Guest of Honour will be David Suchet. As on previous occasions, Warwickshire Branch will, in conjunction with Northampton Branch, be manning the IWA stand - at what is probably the liveliest and most colourful event in the annual waterways calendar. Another attractive feature of this rally – as compared with most others – is that, rather than pay to attend, we actually get paid for it - as this earlier picture shows.
Person of the Period: A forlorn looking CRT workboat at Hawkesbury – just waiting to be filled.
January Walk, Holy Well, Southam: An inland water-way with a difference, and for those who didn’t join us, it’s ‘well’ worth a visit.
In this ‘post-Weinstein’ era, when your editor is under threat from #MeToo trolls (but sadly no ladies in long black evening dresses !), the title ‘Man of the Match’ is starting to sound rather passé. So, we now intend to use the above title – abbreviated to ‘pop’. Also, the change to ‘period’ gives us flexibility to choose recipients not just from the time since the last edition, but from a longer period of time. It may come as a complete surprise to some to know that occasionally this prestigious award is made in a rather tongue-in-cheek manner (!!). However, on this occasion the tongue is definitely well clear of the cheek. A couple of years ago BE ran with the headline ‘Volunteering isn’t all Hi-Viz’. Having beaver’d away in the backroom, as Minutes Secretary, now for more than 11 years, today’s recipient exemplifies that statement. This person, no, this lady, has been one of the longest serving Warwickshire Branch committee members in the 43 year life of the branch. The Academy is therefore delighted to award this, our first ‘pop’ award to ……...Muriel Richardson.
Bear with us:
Regional Round-up.
Upcoming BCN Events: May 4th - 7th Droitwich St Richard’s Festival Contact David Wheeler drewheeler@aol.com May 5th – 7th
Tug Gathering Black Country Living Museum - contact Steve Bingham.
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May 18 – 25 th
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May 26 - 27
BCN Explorer Cruise - contact bcns.explorercruise@gmail.com BCN 24 Hour Challenge - contact bcnschallenge@gmail.com
May 26th - 27th BCN Summer Rally – contact Dave Dent: treasurer@bcnsociety.com June 15th – 23rd BCN Explorer Cruise – contact bcns.explorercruise@gmail.com Many boaters are apprehensive about visiting the BCN – particularly some of the ‘off-piste’ sections. If you feel that you fall into that category then why not join others on a guided tour around the back-streets of the Black Country and beyond, on a BCN Explorer Cruise. Yes, you may find that you have to make a few trips down the weedhatch – but this is an activity by no means confined to the BCN. And the BCNS will teach you ways of minimising this. In contrast, at the end of the day you may find some of the most tranquil moorings in some of the cleanest, clearest water that you could find anywhere on the system. Then after an Explorer Cruise you can graduate to the 24 hour Challenge.
Friends and Neighbours. A Surfeit of Silly Signs - 2 : (an editorial feature) The silly sign saga continues, (see previous comments in BE- 49). This new one comes from the same ‘part of the world’ as before and seems to subscribe to a growing trait, not just on our waterways, but in many aspects of life today – namely:- confusingly unnecessary informationoverload, sometimes alternatively known as selfaggrandisement or job-justification. Ignoring the lack of logic expressed by the use of ‘Only’ on both of the top two info-tiles on this totem below, we took comfort from the bottom one, and moored here overnight on two separate week-ends last summer. However, we were concerned about the intimated ‘pecking order’ of the signs. On both our visits, this section of bank was deserted when we arrived. As the service/water point was at least 50 metres away, and some 200-250 metres from the lock, we felt that our evening wouldn’t be disturbed – even over a late July weekend – and so it wasn’t. But all this didn’t stop us wondering whether we’d have had to move if someone wanting to use the lock came along after us - because their need was higher up the ‘pecking order’ on the post, and in-turn would they have had to move for someone wanting water. Interestingly, this sign – at the bottom of Foxton – was not far from the “Fall From Height” instruction shown previously. Both signs were located on the Leicester section of the GU - which of course at the time was managed by CRT-SE! Now that, as part of the reorganisation mentioned on page one, CRT-SE is disappearing, and this section is ‘moving’ into the new CRT-East Midland region. Our colleagues in IWA Leicester Branch must feel as optimistic about the future management of the Leicester line as we do about the northern GU. And I guess that we are not the only two IWA branches to appreciate ‘Richard’s Reorganisation’. Ian Fletcher.
IWA may not agree with opinions expressed here in this newsletter, but encourages its publication as a matter of interest. Nothing herein may be construed as a matter of policy, or an official announcement, unless otherwise stated. The Association accepts no liability for any of the material contained herein. Editor: Ian Fletcher, 4 Village Hall Cottages, CV47 9QH Phone :01926 – 815 413. E-mail : newsletter.warwickshire@waterways.org.uk Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA Tel: 01494 783453 Web-site: www.waterways.org.uk The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 612245. Registered as a charity no. 212342
For local contact on all other Branch activities please e-mail: < info.warwickshire@waterways.org.uk > For up to date info. between BE editions visit our web page: < www.waterways.org.uk/warwickshire > Please inform Head Office of any e-mail address changes.