Cargoes Spring 2016

Spring 2016 Spring 2016

Newsletter of Newsle Guildford & Reading Guildford & Re Kent & East Sussex Kent & East S and Oxfordshire Branches

and Oxfordshire Bra

Puffing-a-Wey at Dapdune this Summer Members of the Steamboat Association of Great Britain will again be bringing their splendidly presented craft to this year’s ‘Puffinga-Wey’ event at Dapdune Wharf courtesy of the National Trust on Saturday 23rd July when the public will be able to view the assembled craft and enjoy a short puff on the river. The event has attracted record attendances in recent years and become a firm public favourite. A spokesperson commented “Steamboats are some of the most colourful and interesting boats on UK inland waterways so a gathering of steamboats at the picturesque Dapdune Wharf in the middle of Guildford makes for an interesting visitor attraction and draws a lot of people.” A full report of last year’s event with photos by Harry Eve can be found on pages 20 and 21 of the Autumn 2015 edition of Cargoes.

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Editorial As the AGM season approaches (full details on page 4) we would once again urge members seriously to think about taking a more active part in their Branch and Region affairs. Sadly we have recently lost two stalwarts of our waterways movement Commander Jim Phillips RN OBE of the Wey & Arun and John Pugh of Oxfordshire Branch. Jim was for many years Treasurer of the Wey & Arun Canal Trust. John had been involved in Oxfordshire Branch matters, particularly in the Banbury area for a long time. Tributes will be found on pages 23 and 33. Both will be greatly missed but their passing only serves to illustrate the need for more members to volunteer their services for the good of all.

Of the celebratory happenings around the region this year we would highlight, first, the Bicentenary of the opening of the Wey & Arun Junction Canal in 1816 where over the last 50 years much has been achieved towards bringing the waterway back to life and secondly the 25th Anniversary of the Basingstoke Canal’s reopening which many will have witnessed at Frimley Lodge Park in 1991.

Coincidentally 2016 is the Golden Anniversary of the founding of the Surrey & Hampshire Canal Society (now The Basingstoke Canal Society) and the Historic Narrowboat Club. We are sure that there will be considerable interest in learning of the part played also by IWA in the saving of the Basingstoke through the IWA Easter 1962 Rally at Monument Bridge, the Woking 150 Celebration (a joint Canal and Rail Rally at Woking in 1988) and the IWA Campaign Rally at Brookwood Country Park in 2006, as well as IWA’s National Rally at Guildford in 1970 which was dedicated to supporting the restoration of the Basingstoke Canal. We need to ensure that the maximum use is made of these occasions in ensuring the public are aware of what has been and can be achieved. Nor should it be forgotten that Lock One on the Canal (at Woodham) was restored from start to finish by navvies from IWA Guildford & Reading Branch over regular weekend work parties from 1977 to 1988.

We hope that our readers find some interesting quarterly reading in Cargoes and that the diary of forthcoming events (see pages 5 to 8) is not only useful but highlights the wide variety of waterway related events taking place around the Region.

Cargoes Editorial Team

Cover Picture:

Steamboat trips taking place at ‘Puffing-a-Wey’ in 2015 [Photo: Derek Croucher]

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From the Region Chairman The New Year started with positive optimistic feelings but at present this is not persisting, particularly in relation to two South East Region waterways, namely the Thames and the Basingstoke. At the heart of both issues is money and the Government. I will report on each separately but you may well receive another email asking for support.

Unfortunately for both victims and those making and implementing policy, flooding is of much greater concern at present than navigation, tourism or leisure. There can be no doubt that flood defence is important.

It is said that for every pound spent on flood defence there is a return of £8.

Unfortunately until there is a flood those at the top do not seem to understand the economics. It is much the same with navigable waterways tourism and leisure, short term decisions with scant recognition of either economics or general social value. The case was comprehensively

proven with the transfer of British Waterways to the Canal and River Trust; an organisation whose customers are not faceless civil servants or job hopping politicians but rather valued volunteers and those who can make long term plans such as dredging. Let us hope that other waterways come into the CRT fold as quickly as possible. On that note thank you for all the support of the recent email campaign.

I am delighted to be able to report that Verna Smith has agreed to join Navigation Committee as the SE Region representative; a post formerly held with much distinction by Paul Roper.

The AGM season is upon us with IWAKES on the 24th February, Oxfordshire on the 9th March and Guildford and Reading on the 4th April.

Do please turn up - we need your views and support and perhaps some new blood on the committees.

Gareth Jones

Branch Annual General Meetings Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meetings of the Kent & East Sussex, Oxfordshire and Guildford & Reading Branches of The Inland Waterways Association will be held as follows: The Kent & East Sussex Branch AGM will take place at 7.30pm for 8.00pm on Wednesday 24th February 2016 at St. Nicholas’ Church Hall, Poplar Grove, Maidstone, Kent ME16 0DE. The Oxfordshire Branch AGM will take place at 7.30pm for 8pm on Wednesday 9th March 2016 at the Kidlington Football Club, Yarnton Road, Kidlington, Oxon OX5 1AT. The Guildford & Reading Branch AGM will take place at 7.30pm on Monday 4th April 2016 at National Trust’s premises at Dapdune Wharf, Wharf Road, Guildford, Surrey GU1 4RR. The Agenda for the Branch meetings will be based on the standard format set out in IWA Byelaws on next page:

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Agenda 1. Apologies for Absence 2. Approval (following amendment if necessary) of the Minutes of the Branch AGM held the previous year 3. Matters arising from the Minutes (and not under other Agenda items) 4. Branch Chairman's Report * 5. Branch Treasurer's Report and Accounts 6. Election of members of the Committee (Nomination no longer necessary. Simply contact the Chairman to apply to join the Branch Committee or do so at the AGM) 7. Any item for discussion of which the Branch Chairman has been notified in writing at least 6 weeks prior to the date of the relevant AGM. * In the absence of a Chairman the Branch Secretary will deputise.

Diary of Meetings & Events Tue 16th Feb, 7.45pm, K&A (Reading): Canals of Paris by Jon Willis

(see page 16)

Wed 17th Feb, 8.00pm, BCS: Barging on North East Waterways by Nick Grundy (see page 15) Thu 18th Feb, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Port to Port by Paul Barnett (see page 10) Sun 21st Feb, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Limehouse – Thames – Docklands (see page 37) Wed 24th Feb, 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, IWAKES: Branch Annual General Meeting plus The Droitwich Canals Restoration by Roy Sutton (see page 32) Thu 3rd Mar, 7.45pm, Southampton Canal Society: Sonia Rolt and other Idle Women by Tim Coghlan (see pages 13 & 22) Sat 5th Mar, 10.00am, K&A (Reading): R.E.S.C.U.E

(see page 17)

Sun 6 Mar, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal: Mile End to Limehouse (see page 37) th

Sun 6th Mar, 11.00am, 2.30pm & 4.30pm, WACT: Mothering Sunday Relaxers (see page 25) Wed 9th Mar, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, Oxfordshire Branch: AGM

(see page 35)

6 Wed 9th Mar, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: AGM

(see page 36)

Tue 15 Mar, 7.45pm, K&A (Reading): AGM +’60 years of the Reading Bra by Mike Wyatt BEM (see page 16) th

Wed 16th Mar, 8.00pm, BCS: Coals to Croxley (and beyond) by Ian McKechnie (see page 15) Wed 16th Mar, 12.00am, K&A (Reading): Branch annual lunch

(see page 16)

th

Thu 17 Mar, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: The South Pennine Ring by Roger Squires (see page 10) Thu 17th Mar, 7.30 for 8.00pm, IWAKES: To Liverpool and Beyond by Mike Marsh (see page 32) Sat 19th Mar, 10.30am, National Trust: Chertsey Bridge circular

(see page 20)

Sun 20 Mar, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal: Islington to Mile End (see page 37) th

Fri 25th Mar onward, National Trust: Wooden creatures at Walsham (see page 20) Fri 25th Mar, 11.00am - 5.00pm, National Trust: Easter family fun day and Cadbury Egg Hunt (see page 20) Fri 25th to Mon 28th Mar, 11am, 12 noon and 2pm, WACT: Easter Bunny Specials (see page 26) Sat 26th - Mon 28th Mar, 11.00am - 5.00pm, National Trust: Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt (see page 21) Sun 27th Mar, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross Granary Square to Camden (see page 37) Sat 2nd Apr until Sun 30th Oct, WACT: Regular Public Trips

(see page 25)

Sun 3 Apr, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal: Little Venice to Camden (see page 37) rd

Mon 4th Apr, 7.30pm, G & R: Annual General Meeting

(see page 13)

Thu 7th Apr, 7.45pm, K&A (Newbury): Branch AGM

(see page 17)

Thu 7th Apr, 7.45pm, Southampton Canal Society: Flying Boats of Southampton

by Colin van Geffen (see page 22) Wed 13th Apr, 7.30 for 8.00pm, IWAKES: TMCA AGM

(see page 32)

Wed 13th Apr, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: Underground London

by Nick Catford (see page 36) Sun 17th Apr, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regents Canal: Kings Cross, Hitchcock’s Hackney (see page 37)

7 Tue 19th Apr, 7.45pm, K&A (Reading): Wilton Windmill by James Arnold-Baker (see page 17) Wed 20th Apr, 8.00pm, BCS: What happened when the money ran out - 18th Century Canal Tokens by Dave Jones (see page 16) Thu 21st Apr, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Heroes & Villains of the Basingstoke Canal by Roger Cansdale (see page 10) Sat 23rd Apr, 2.30pm, WACT: Annual Meeting

(see page 24 & 26)

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Sun 24 Apr, 11.15am, WACT: St George and the Dragon Experience (see page 26) Sat 30th Apr to Mon 2nd May, IWA Canalway Cavalcade: Little Venice, Regent’s Canal (see www.waterways.org.uk/canalwaycavalcade & back cover) Sun 1st May, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal: Regent’s Park & R. Tyburn to Little Venice (see page 37) Tue 3rd May, 2.00pm – 6.00pm, National Trust: Toll House turbine tour (see page 21) Wed 11th May, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: From land to live aboard by Russell Millar (see page 36) Sat 14th May, 2.00pm, BCS: Annual General Meeting

(see page 14)

Sat, 14 May, 10.30am, K&A: Annual General Meeting:

(see page 17)

th

Sun 15th May, 2.30pm, Towpath Walks Group: Regent’s Canal: Little Venice to Camden, meet Warwick Avenue (see page 37) Tue 17th May, 7.45pm, K&A (Reading)/ Joint meeting with IWA: The History of Salter’s Steamers by Dr. Simon Wenham (see pages 13, 17 & 35) Thu 19th May, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Waterway Recovery Group by George Eycott (see page 11) Sat 28th May, WACT, Trip to Crofton Pumping Station th

(see page 26)

th

Sat 28 & Sun 29 May, IWA Trailboat Festival: Staveley Basin, Chesterfield Canal (see www.waterways.org.uk/trailboat) Fri 3rd to Sun 5th Jun: Beale Park Boat & Outdoor Show th

Sun 5 Jun, WACT, Poddle 2016

(see page 12) (see page 26)

Wed 8th Jun, 7.30pm for 8.00pm, South London Branch: Celebrating 200 years of the Regents Canal by Charlie Forman (see page 36) Sat 11th Jun, 11.00am, K&A (Reading): Reading Water Fest

(see page 17)

Sat 11th & Sun 12th Jun, IWA National Campaign Festival: Eldonian Village, Liverpool (see www.waterways.org.uk/campaignfestival)

8 Thu 16th Jun, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Serve On by Craig Elsdon Tue 5th Jul, 2pm - 6pm, National Trust: Toll House turbine tour st

Thu 21 Jul, 7.00pm, Salisbury Group: Boules & BBQ

(see page 11) (see page 21) (see page 11)

rd

Sat 23 Jul, 11am - 4pm, National Trust: Puffing-a-Wey (see inside front cover & page 21) Sun 24th Jul, 10:00am - 5:00pm, K&A (Newbury): Newbury Waterways Festival (see page 17) Sat 6th to Sun 7th Aug, BCS: Woking Canal Festival

(see pages 14 & 15)

Sat 27 – Mon 29 Aug, IWA Festival of Water: Pelsall Common, Wyrley & Essington Canal (see www.waterways.org.uk/festivalofwater) th

th

Sat 10th Sep, 2.15pm, WACT, Heritage Open Days

(see page 26)

th

Sun 11 Sep, 2.30pm, WACT, Walk from Gunpowder Store to Bramley (see page 26) Sat 24th Sep. National Trust: Wey River Festival st

Sat 1 & Sun 2

nd

th

Oct, WACT: 200 Anniversary Celebrations

(see page 19) (see page 25)

Thu 20th Oct, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: The Thames Sailing Barge by Gareth Jones (see page 11) Thu 17th Nov, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Pleasure Boating in the 1930s, 40s, & 50s by Nick Grundy (see page 11) Thu 1st Dec, 7.45pm, Salisbury Group: Waterways Quiz

(see page 11)

Thu 15th Dec, 7.30pm, Salisbury Group: Christmas Dinner

(see page 11)

Salisbury Group Our Salisbury correspondent, Myra Glover, writes: At the November meeting, ANYTHING THAT FLOATS, Elaine Kirby made a third visit to us in her position as archivist for the Kennet & Avon Trust. Over the years she has obtained many pictures relating to the history of the K&A, including many photographs of craft that have plied the canal.

Elaine started by talking about the community at Honeystreet. This community developed as a result of Robbins, Lane and Pinnegar setting up their barge building business and timber yard. She talked about The Barge Inn beside the canal that catered for the boating community by having a bakery, butchers shop and generally supplying goods required by the bargees.

9 We were shown pictures of many craft; trading boats that have operated over the years, the flyboats that travelled from Bradford on Avon to Bath in an hour and a half, horse drawn boats in the 1800s, as well as wide boats and narrow boats.

The oldest photo that we saw was of West Mills Newbury in 1865 where coal was being unloaded where it had been brought from the Somerset Coal Canal.

It was interesting to see the maintenance boats that were used over the years to keep the canal functional. This included the steam dredger “Iron Duke”, a 1926 photo of a GWR maintenance boat at Bradford on Avon, a 1920 spoon dredger, taking us right up to date with “Avondale” work boat still in use today.

There were pictures of various steam boats, including the Crofton Society steam trip boat in 1977. The boiler eventually failed and the craft had to be scrapped, another was a steam dinghy where the photo was taken in 1985.

We also saw the early days of leisure activities. The K&A youth division using a paddle boat in the 1970s at Cotes Bridge, a boat gathering in 1964 at Sulhamstead, a skiff on the Devizes flight, a 1955 photo of paddling along the canal to take a petition to the government protesting against the closure of the canal to name just a few. There was also a photo of the motor boat “Formidable” on the Caen Hill which was the last to travel on this flight prior to the closure of the canal.

This reports on only a very small selection of the many pictures that Elaine showed us. She informs us that she is still receiving old pictures of great interest showing life on the Kennet & Avon Canal and how vital this archive is for the future.

Early in December. the Salisbury Group did well when the team of Colin Davis, Tony Fry, Ron Glover & Nick Grundy won the Southampton Canal Society Cup in the waterways quiz this year. After being in second place throughout the evening our team finally won in the last round. Now we will have to organise the quiz for next year! We last won this trophy in the year 2009.

Later in December, 24 of us enjoyed an excellent Christmas dinner again served up by Jeff and his team at the Green Dragon.

At the January meeting, BOATING UPSIDE DOWN, Robert Dean, Chairman of the Kennet & Avon Trust, gave us a talk about boating in Australia.

While he was working in New Zealand he pined for the waterways & canals of England, and as a result he hired a boat on the Murray River in South Australia. He said we forget how vast Australia is and therefore how long the Murray River is compared with waterways in England.

Facts:- The Murray is 1,722 miles in length, navigable for approx. 1,250 miles. In all that length it has 4 dams, 16 storage weirs & only 15 locks! Only one third of the water passing down the river actually reaches the sea, the rest is used for the irrigation of crops and supplying the population of the few towns on route.

The Murray passes through very remote countryside and through three Australian states. Compared with the Devizes to Westminster canoe race, the Murray holds the world’s longest canoe race of 405 miles. Cargoes originally transported were grain, wool and timber. These cargoes are no longer transported by water because they are all now carried in road trains.

Ten years ago Rob, Julie and their 14 year old daughter hired a “house boat” which is based on a catamaran with two floats and square accommodation built on top. It has all modern facilities and comforts, space for outside living and includes

10 air conditioning. Rob chose a boat with paddle wheel propulsion but found it difficult to steer. As the accommodation is on one flat platform the Ford engine is mounted on the back deck together with a very large cold box and the inevitable statutory large BBQ. The trip they took was on a tiny fraction of the river, just 50 miles. They started in South Australia and passing into New South Wales. It was interesting to note that they were not allowed to carry fresh fruit over the border from one state to the other and as they were so remote they did not pass through anywhere to stock up with new supplies.

The River Murray flows very slowly, so for overnight moorings they would just put the blunt bows of the craft into the bank where they secured their mooring lines to trees or mooring pins.

Wildlife was abundant, pelicans, kangaroos, emus and reptiles. There was also a large variety of colourful birds particularly parrots. There was a possibility of snakes and Rob demonstrated the walking technique used to avoid such creatures.

He also said that fortunately the Murray River does not have crocodiles so swimming was a regular pastime.

Due to the size of the river other boats were few & far between and Julie became concerned when they moored in sight of another boat, about 100 metres away in case they were invading the other boat’s privacy. (Can you imagine this happening in England?!) Each craft on the river carries a VHF radio and if an emergency occurs it is obligatory to relay messages back down the line of boats to the hire base as one radio cannot transmit over the total distance required.

Messages may well be necessary if a boat runs aground when attempting to travel too close to the bank or up side channels and creeks or if there is a mechanical breakdown.

Rob and Julie enjoyed this excursion as it was totally different from boating in Britain. They said that they are planning to return at some later date.

Programme of Events Thu 18th Feb: “Port to Port” An historical journey along the length & breadth of the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. Paul Barnett will take us on a pictorial journey from Sharpness stopping at points of interest & “hoving to” in Gloucester’s historic docks. He will use information from re-discovered documentary evidence & images from the early 1950s.

Thu 17th Mar: “The South Pennine Ring” is a circular canal route in Northern England, 70 miles long with 198 locks. It includes the Huddersfield Broad & Narrow Canals, Ashton Canal, most of the Rochdale Canal & part of the Calder & Hebble Navigation. Roger Squires will give us an illustrated talk about this interesting and varied region.

Thu 21st Apr: “Heroes & Villains of the Basingstoke Canal.” The most surprising thing about this canal is that it still exists at all. This is largely due to the activities of a fairly small number of people who appeared at critical points in its history. Their actions were in some cases soundly commercial or altruistic & in others fraudulent

11 & criminal but without these heroes & villains the canal would not exist today & they may well be needed in the future. Roger Cansdale tells us this intriguing story.

Thu 19th May: “Waterway Recovery Group.” The WRG was founded in 1970 & is the national coordinating body for voluntary labour on the inland waterways of the UK. The role of George Eycott is to look after the plant & machinery as well as being on the transport team. George will tell us about the activities of this group who can always be recognised by their red T shirts & hard hats!

Thu 16th Jun: “Serve On” is a non-profit humanitarian organisation that responds to disasters both at home and abroad. They are based here in Salisbury. We discovered them practising their water rescue skills in the River Avon at Harnham Mill. Craig Elsdon, the operations manager, has agreed to come and tell us about the vital work carried out by the group.

Thu 21st Jul: Boules & BBQ at the Green Dragon. 7.00pm.

Thu 20th Oct: “The Thames Sailing Barge.” These craft were commercial vessels with flat bottoms built for the shallow waters & rivers of the Thames Estuary in the 19th century. They can dry out at low tide & could carry cargoes of 100 tons. Gareth Jones, who is a member of the Thames Sailing Boat Trust, will be telling us about the history of these craft & their use today.

Thu 17th Nov: “Pleasure Boating in the 1930s, 40s, & 50s.” Nick Grundy’s grandparents started pleasure boating on early hire boats before the Second World War. After the war they cruised extensively on their own boat, and were involved in some early IWA campaigns. Nick will present an illustrated talk using many old photographs, surviving log book and other historical material.

Thu 1st Dec: Waterways Quiz at Chilworth Village Hall organised by Southampton Canal Society. Questions will be set by the 2015 winners – Salisbury IWA. Thu 15th Dec: Christmas Dinner at The Green Dragon Alderbury.

Unless otherwise stated, meetings are at The Green Dragon, Old Road, Alderbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 3AR starting at 7.30pm when visitors will be warmly welcomed. Further information can be obtained from Ron & Myra Glover on 01722 710322 email glover.3@btinternet.com or Jon Van de Geer on 01722 412841.

Guildford & Reading Branch Branch Chairman First the good news, so far no flooding of note in our area. The problems and challenges on the Thames and Basingstoke I will report elsewhere. Prospectively this should be a good year. No shortage of water we trust. I have fixed to go back to

12 Brittany, will no doubt sail a little around our coasts and have a number of short trips planned on UK waterways. In the Autumn we visit New England in the fall and come back on the Queen Mary. The Branch AGM will be on April 4th. Last year we moved back to Guildford and had a lively well attended meeting at Dapdune Wharf.

Please attend this year we need your support and thoughts. Then, on 6th & 7th August, there will be a major rally at Woking. The Historic Narrow Boat Club is attending with some 30 boats. It promises to be a great weekend and will help the Basingstoke get the recognition it now deserves.

We will be having a program of other events this summer details in a future edition of Cargoes or at the AGM. Gareth Jones

Sales & Publicity Stand A new season of outside events around the Branch beckons as we will soon be preparing the wherewithal to get the show on the road for five months of concerted activity. Equipment needs to be checked, leaflet stocks replenished, bookings made and, last but not least, sufficient volunteers recruited. This all takes time and effort, so any offers of help will be more than welcome at any of the following events we expect to attend during the summer months from June to October:-

3rd to 5th Jun: Beale Park Boat & Outdoor Show (in conjunction with Middlesex Branch)

11th Jun: Reading Water Fest (see page 17) 24th Jul: Newbury Waterways Festival 6th to 7th Aug: Woking Canal Festival 24th Sep: Wey River Festival

(see page 17) (see page 14)

(see page 19)

1st to 2nd Oct: Wey & Arun 200th Anniversary Celebrations at Compasses (see page 25).

Further details will be in the next edition of Cargoes.

If you might be able to help, do get in touch and volunteer – either by signing up at our AGM on 4th April or by email to iwacargoes@hotmail.com.

Ray Carnell

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Forthcoming Events

We hope Branch members will find the following meetings of interest: Thu 3rd Mar, 7.45pm: Tim Coghlan will be giving a talk on ‘Sonia Rolt and Idle Women’. Members will doubtless recall Tim’s in depth and widely acclaimed article on Sonia Rolt in IWA’s Spring 2015 Edition of Waterways. Hopefully you will come along to hear more about this fascinating episode in our waterways history. This is a Southampton Canal Society Meeting (see page 22) to which IWA members are warmly invited.

Mon 4th Apr, 7.30pm: Branch AGM at Dapdune Wharf, Wharf Road, Guildford courtesy of the National Trust. The Branch AGM (see Agenda on page 5) will, like last year, be held in the Dapdune Centre alongside the Car Park at Dapdune Wharf. After conclusion of the AGM business and refreshments, John Gibson, Navigations Manager, will be giving a talk about the latest developments on the Navigation. We hope that as many members as possible will come along to learn about these and the Trust’s plans for the future.

Tue 17th May, 7.45pm: The history of ‘Salter’s Steamers’ by Dr Simon Wenham. This is our annual joint meeting with the Reading Section of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust at The Grange Free Church, Circuit Lane, Southcote, Reading RG30 3HD. Do come along and hear more about this long established operator of boat services on the Thames (we understand that the first edition of ‘Salters’ Guide to the Thames’ was published as long ago as 1875). More details on page 17.

Bits on the Basingstoke The root of the problem is that two County Councils own the canal and while historically they recognise the economic and social benefits the waterway bring in the short term they need savings. Cutting canal maintenance does that in the short term - no dredging and limited bank maintenance saves money short term but with a huge cost in the long term. The particular problem we now have is Swan Cutting on the long Hampshire Pound. In part this is geology, in part neglect. However the Canal Society, IWA and Hampshire CC have met to try to solve both the financial and engineering difficulties. It is a work in progress. Undoubtedly if we solve this particular crisis others will follow but one step at a time. The frustrating part is that the real asset of the canal and its surroundings is to a degree the victim of conflict between local and national government and the peculiarities of interdepartmental local government accounting.

Gareth Jones

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Basingstoke Canal Society Chairman’s Report The repairs to the serious bank slips at Dogmersfield have been delayed until the Autumn. Other winter tasks, include the re-lining of Ash Embankment, which will require the draining of the canal in that area in January and the repair of lock voids on some of the Deepcut locks. The towpath between Ash Lock and Eelmoor Flash is to be re-surfaced and a temporary bridge will be constructed across the canal near Lock 20 to enable Network Rail to secure access to a work site near Pirbright Junction. The BCA are well aware of the implications of all this activity for navigation and they are making great efforts to communicate with boat owners so they can plan their cruising. However, I think it is very encouraging that so much effort (and funding) is being put into the canal this winter so we must be prepared for some inconvenience.

Planning for the Woking Canal Festival (to be held on 6th/7th August) is proceeding well and we are hoping to have a full programme of events plus a members party to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Canal Society which, incidentally, took place in Woking. I would like to repeat my request for volunteers to help with this event. Even if you can only spare an hour or two, that would be helpful. If you are willing to lend a hand, please give me a call on 01256 702109 or e-mail me at: wincombecottage2@gmail.com.

Finally, as regards the Society’s AGM, this will be held on Saturday 14th May at 2.00pm at the Deepcut Village Centre.

Philip Riley

Woking Canal Festival The Basingstoke Canal Society and Historic Narrow Boat Club are holding a canal festival in Woking over the weekend of 6th & 7th August 2016. This is to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Basingstoke Canal Society, the 50th Anniversary of the Historic Narrow Boat Club and the 25th Anniversary of the reopening of the canal. The event is taking place on the canal just East of Woking town centre and on an adjacent piece of open space known as Brookhouse Common.

The event is centred on 30 or so historic narrowboats belonging to HNBC members which are meeting up in Woking on the Basingstoke canal over that weekend. It is hoped a similar number of other narrowboats will also be attracted to the Rally. Any boaters wishing to attend can find an entry form on the BCA website.

There will be a parade of boats on each day with commentary as they pass the town wharf.

On some adjoining parkland there will be further attractions for the public, Such as stalls from canal organisations and local community organisations. We also are hoping to have live music, Morris dancing, children's entertainment, a

15 brass band and a visit from the Mikron Theatre Group over the course of the weekend (see below). There will also be food outlets and a bar on site.

Both the HNBC and Basingstoke Canal Society will have private events at some time during the weekend for their members to celebrate the respective anniversaries.

Peter Harman The Mikron Theatre Company will be visiting the Basingstoke Canal again this year, instead of performing in Fleet their appearance this year will be part of the Woking canal festival being held over the weekend of the 6th & 7th August. The festival is being held on Brookhouse common and the adjacent stretch of canal (Parking in town Centre car parks). They will be performing a play called “pure” which is a story about Chocolate manufacture over the last 150 years, see page 38.

The performance will be a matinee and performed in a marquee starting at 2:45, while some seats will be available those with folding chairs are invited to bring them. Although entrance to the festival is free there will be a bucket collection at the end of the performance to support the work of the Mikron Theatre.

“Join Mikron and devour a story of many flavours – both from the past and in the present. If a business is big does it really have to be bad? Does success always have a sweet smell.”

Peter Harman

Chobham Social Meetings The meetings will be held as usual on the third Wednesday of the month at the Parish Pavilion, Recreation Ground, Station Road, Chobham, nr. Woking GU24 8AZ commencing at 8pm.

Coffee/tea and biscuits will be available during the interval. Raffle and retiring collection. Non-members and friends are very welcome. Please pass the word around. The winter and spring programme is shown below: For the last meeting of 2015 we welcomed the return of Ron & Myra Glover of IWA Salisbury Group to tell us about their trail boating exploits. Of particular interest to IWA members with long memories, was the first IWA National Trail Boat Rally at Pewsey on the Kennet & Avon Canal in 1985. Many more recollections were to follow during a very enjoyable evening.

Ray Carnell Wed 17th Feb: ' Barging on North East Waterways' by Nick Grundy: Nick will be making a return visit to us this time to tell us about the waterways of North East England from his time at university here in the mid-1970s when he spent much time exploring and photographing the waterways of the area. In the late 1970s Nick did a number of trips as crew on a 300 ton commercial barge carrying cargoes on the Humber, Trent, Yorkshire Ouse, and the Aire and Calder Navigation.

Wed 16th Mar: 'Coals to Croxley (and beyond) by Ian McKechnie: When Ian was a student at Birmingham in the 1960s,he and a group of colleagues bought a redundant wooden coal boat from a coal yard compulsorily purchased to take one of the supports for the 'Spaghetti Junction' motorway interchange. Later they bought a derelict ex-GUCC and Willow Wren Large Northwich motor, and, after fitting it out,

16 decided to bring it south to the London area. After loading with coal in conjunction with the Ashby Canal Society they delivered the coal to John Dickinson's famous paper mill at Croxley Wed 20th Apr: 'What happened when the money ran out - 18th Century Canal Tokens' by Dave Jones: Dave is a collector of 18th Century Canal Tokens especially those concerning waterways. He has written articles on canal tokens and will talk about how tokens were made, why tokens came into being at the end of the 18th.Century and those specific to the Basingstoke Canal plus other canal tokens including the Cotswolds Canal tokens. He will bring along some examples plus other Basingstoke Canal ephemera, share certificates and the original Act of Parliament.

Further information from David Millett on 01252 617364 or email d.millett7@ntlworld.com or www.basingstoke-canal.org.uk

Kennet & Avon Canal News Canal Trust Meetings The season of indoor meetings along the K&A Canal continues with meetings at Newbury and Reading.

The Reading Section are continuing to hold their monthly meetings on the third Tuesday of the month (no December meeting) at 7.45pm at The Grange Free Church, Circuit Lane, Southcote, Reading RG30 3HD (just off the A4 Bath Road).

Entry donation, including K&A members, £2.50 (to help with expenses). Other meetings will be held as shown below and further details can be found on the Website at www.katrust.org.uk Tue 16th Feb: ‘Canals of Paris’ - Jon Willis (of Crofton fame) Sat 5th Mar, 10.00am: R.E.S.C.U.E – see opposite.

Tue 15th Mar: AGM + Mike Wyatt BEM - ’60 years of the Reading Branch’ Wed 16th Mar, 12.00am: Branch annual lunch @ ‘The Butcher’s Arms’, Sonning Common, RG4 9RS. Contact Andy James 0118 950 7965 a.s.a.p. to register your interest. Menu will be finalised on 1st March and sent to you by Andy. Send £10 deposit pp and your choice of menu to Andy by 9 March.

17 Thu 7th Apr, 7.45pm: Newbury Branch AGM and talk “How from the brewing of beer came boats for disabled people” by David Bruce. The Stone Building, Wharf Road, Newbury, RG14 5AS Tue 19th Apr: ‘Wilton Windmill’ - James Arnold-Baker Sat, 14th May, 10.30am, K&A: The 54th Annual General Meeting of The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust will be held at West Lavington Village Hall, Sandfield, West Lavington, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 4HL. Formal papers will be published in the spring edition of The Butty.

Tue 17th May: Joint meeting with IWA at our usual Southcote venue - ‘History of Salter’s Steamers’ - Dr. Simon Wenham Sat 11th Jun: Reading Water Fest – see below Sun 24th Jul, 10:00am to 5:00pm: Newbury Waterways Festival – see below

Reading RESCUE The K&A Trust will once again be supporting the Rivers & Environmental Spaces Clean Up Event in Reading on Saturday, 5th March from 10.00am.

RESCUE is a valued partnership event, bringing the public, community and the business sectors together to plan and deliver this popular outdoor clean up event. Volunteers welcome – contact David Copley – 0118 959 8247.

K&A Canal Summer Events Summer 2016 sees the usual major Festival events organised by the K&A Canal Trust.

Reading Water Fest is organised jointly by Reading Borough Council and the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust. Water Fest is one of the town's best-loved events, paving the way for the internationally renowned Reading Festival and WOMAD, on the borough's waterways. It takes place on Saturday 11th June, from 11.00am to 5.00pm and will run from the Forbury Gardens, along the Kennet between Chestnut Walk and the Riverside Museum. The event will consist of live entertainment, children’s activities and refreshments, water activities, narrow boats, craft and charity stalls.

Further details from: John Swift tel: 0118 9415540 email: swift.john21@gmail.com iPhone: 07533 886 917.

The Newbury Waterways Festival over the weekend of 23rd & 24th July at Victoria Park, right in the centre of Newbury where you will find a flotilla of boats transforming the wharf and forming the very centre of the weekend (with the main public event on the Sunday). Trip boat Jubilee will be having a busy time running extra boat trips for the festival. On Sunday the park will be packed with stalls,

18 entertainment and food outlets, with fun for all the family culminating in the ever popular duck race. Entry to the festival is free. We hope that you can join us!

Further details from: Julie Dean email: juliedean@btinternet.com The theme will be 'Pirates of the Kennet & Avon'

River Thames News The fundamental problem with the Thames is that it is a government department run by the Environment Agency. Some philosopher remarked that a fish rots from the head. The EA had a new chairman taking over from Lord Smith who did not find the EA a bed of roses; he was fond of poetry on which he did his PhD thesis. The new, now gone chairman was an engineer which might have been of assistance. He or his new CEO, a former diplomat, did not seem to understand PR sufficiently it seems. They were a little economical with the truth and the EA is now looking for a new chairman. Third time lucky perhaps.

The Thames is a great asset for water supply, Tourism and leisure. However the legislation that governs the Thames seems to put it in a very poor position. The Thames for example earns less than a million pounds a year from water abstraction. It seems to make little or nothing from backside development. Where this is laughable is that marinas pay nothing to the Thames and a boat in a marina does not have to have a licence. The EA response has been to charge an annual licence as soon as the boat pokes its nose onto the Thames. Boaters are challenging this in court, particularly given the deteriorating service. Locks are unmanned or closed, the fracas over ladders, fire extinguishers and general safety issues. The EA, although appealing the verdict, lost its case. The appeal will not be heard till the autumn which potentially blows a huge hole in EA s already under pressure revenues. It would appear that either the legislation was poorly drafted or poorly specified. The boaters’ victory is likely to be pyrrhic as they may initially save on licence fees but will have a much worse navigation to use. The IWA is offering its help but the most obvious solution is a transfer to new management, independent of government and new legislation. Step forward CRT perhaps. The River Thames Alliance is also making a pitch. We shall see. To my mind the Thames is a huge undertaking with many risks and potential costs not found on a regular inland waterway. While the Severn is a long river it does not have the density of population of the Thames. Its tidal section, complete with bore, does not flow through the Capital city. There has been no need for a Severn barrier. There are far fewer locks and weirs. There is a fraction of the tourism. It is a very big undertaking indeed.

Gareth Jones

19

River Wey News

Wey River Festival Thank you to everyone who attended the 2015 Wey River Festival and made it such a success. We will be holding the 2016 event at Dapdune Wharf on Friday & Saturday, 23rd & 24th September.

Once again there will be plenty of moorings available on the towpath side of the river both up and down stream. Facilities will be available at Dapdune Wharf and the railway bridge offers easy access to moorings and is well lit at night.

Your mooring will be allocated on arrival. So please make your way to the welcome point, which will be signposted.

On the Friday night there will be entertainment for boaters and mobile catering available, plus, back by popular demand a boaters raffle, so come along over to the Wharf and join the fun. Don’t forget to bring your chairs!

Saturday’s programme of events will start from 11am and we will have a variety of stalls and activites throughout the day. Mobile catering will be available all day on Saturday, with a range of catering to suit all tastes.

To round off the day, there will be the spectacular illuminated procession from Millmead Lock to Dapdune Wharf around dusk, led by the talented Croydon Steel Orchestra. This is becoming such a popular part of the festival and is drawing more crowds each year, so if you fancy taking part make sure you tick the box on the entry form and return it to Sandra.

As ever, we are extremely grateful to Sandra Holbrook for organising the entries and to Rodney Wardlaw for helping with the event and to our sponsors for all their support. If you have any queries, please call the Navigation office on 01483 561389.

We look forward to seeing you all at Dapdune Wharf in September!

20 Millmead Lock Bridge has – finally – been replaced much to the relief of the National Trust! The last permanent bridge was condemned some 8 years ago and replaced with a “temporary” structure. After prolonged debate with the local authority the go ahead was finally given to replace the bridge in 2015.

The new bridge, designed not only to respect the historic Millmead Lock structure adjacent to it, is wider than the original while also meeting the demanding specifications of the Equality Act as the structure carries a public right of way across it. The bridge now provides space for people to view the often interesting activity taking place in the lock chamber without blocking the pedestrian access route across it.

Removal of some Sycamore trees and careful high pruning of the adjacent Horse Chestnut tree has allowed light into the area brightening the whole aspect up. There are inevitably a few snagging items to sort out – the result of trying to undertake the project in six weeks, in winter (to avoid disrupting boat traffic) but not over Christmas as the footpath is a heavily used route to Guildford Town Centre. However, for well less than £150k I think the result is probably very good value for money. I hope you think so too.

John Gibson, Navigations Manager, River Wey & Godalming Navigations

Forthcoming Events Sat 19th Mar, 10.30am, Chertsey Bridge circular, Thames Lock: (Meet at The Crown PH, public parking available in Walton Lane) - Approx. 6 miles. From Thames Lock, take a stroll up the Wey Navigations to Town Lock and across the water meadows to Chertsey Bridge. Take the ferry back to Thames Lock. £2 for ferry.

From Fri 25th Mar, Wooden creatures at Walsham, Pyrford Lock to Walsham: From Easter 2016 there will be a nature trail of wooden riverside creatures for you to spot between Pyrford Lock and Walsham Weir Bridge.

Fri 25th Mar, 11am-5pm, Easter family fun day and Cadbury Egg Hunt, Dapdune Wharf: A day of family fun, with Easter themed races for children, mums

21 and dads, craft activities and Cadbury Egg Hunt. Normal admission applies plus £3 for children's activities.

Sat 26th - Mon 28th Mar, 11am-5pm, Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt, Dapdune Wharf: Crack the Dapdune Wharf Easter Challenge to win a Cadbury Egg. Normal admission applies plus £3 for children's activities Tue 3rd May, 2pm-6pm, Toll House turbine tour, Dapdune Wharf: Take our electric boat to Millmead Lock and visit the Guildford Borough Council Hydro Project. Includes a tour of the Toll House where a reinstated. Turbine is once again generating hydro-electricity. Return trip to Dapdune followed by tea and cake.

Booking essential on 01483 561389. £12.

Tue 5th Jul, 2pm-6pm, Toll House turbine tour, Dapdune Wharf: See Tue 3rd May. Booking essential on 01483 561389 £12.

Sat 23rd Jul, 11am - 4pm, Puffing-a-Wey, Dapdune Wharf: The ever popular Steam Boat Association return to share their enthusiasm for their magnificent steam powered craft. There'll also be displays and children's activities all themed around the power of steam. Normal admission applies plus £2.50 children's activity fee.

Southampton Canal Society The Annual Inter-Society Waterways Quiz As always, our yearly programme rounded off with the popular Inter-Society Waterways Quiz. Forty six members and guests supported the four teams.

We welcomed a new team this year from the Basingstoke Canal Society led by their chairman Philip Riley and ably supported

by Verna Smith, Dave Wedd and Jeff Hill with support from other society members in the audience.

Top left:

Top right:

Bottom:

Ron Glover of the IWA Salisbury Group receives the quiz trophy from the SCS Chairman Alan Rose The scorer and quizmaster in full flow

The Salisbury team celebrate their victory Pictures © Chris and John Jones

22 The other teams were:  IWA Salisbury Group with Ron Glover, Colin Davies, Nick Grundy and Tony Fry.  IWA Guildford & Reading Branch with Ben Scott, Gareth Jones, David Daines and Robin Higgs.  Southampton Canal Society with Brian Evans, Alan Rose, Eric Lewis and Janet Gunningham.

As last year’s winners, it was “Southampton Canal “Society’s duty to arrange the questions and quizmaster. This was very ably carried out by Peter Oates with Laura Sturrock keeping up to date with the scores for each round.

Peter started the teams off with a Round 1 of Bits and Bobs which contained 20 questions with multiple choice answers presented on the screen.

This was followed by a number rounds with picture questions with answer sheets.

Throughout the evening the audience were also able to participate with a small prize at the end.

The question rounds were formed from all around the UK and Ireland and included Canal Builders, Tunnels, Historic Boats, Bridges, Locks and Characters on the Cut, as the teams battled for positions.

Southampton were ahead for a good part of the quiz but were let down by the canal anagrams near the end. During the evening, all the teams scores were neck and neck but Salisbury IWA finally pressed ahead to be this year’s champions (and to arrange next year’s quiz) and to receive the magnificent trophy.

Many thanks to Peter for organising the quiz and to Laura the scorer and to all team members for their participation.

Thanks to all who generously donated raffle prizes and especially to Pam McKeown for her now traditional prize of a great home-baked Christmas Cake.

The evening finished with the traditional American Supper Many thanks to our members for providing such a wide selection of delicious food and to those who assisted in the galley and the setting up and clearing of the furniture.

Angela Rose

Forthcoming Meetings Thu 3rd March: Sonia Rolt and other Idle Women - Tim Coghlan will be giving us a talk about Sonia Rolt and other Idle Women. Tim is the man behind the saving and development of Braunston Marina in the late 70’s and 80’s. Visitors & IWA members always welcome.

Thu 7th Apr: “Flying Boats of Southampton” with Colin van Geffen.

No May meeting as the hall is commandeered for any local elections.

Meetings, unless specifically stated otherwise, are held at Chilworth Parish Hall, Chilworth Southampton SO16 7JZ. Start 7.45pm Visitors welcome.

For monthly Newsletter visit www.sotoncs.org.uk or ring 02380 675312 Angela Rose.

23

Wey and Arun Canal Trust Death of a stalwart Wey & Arun Canal Trust member The Wey & Arun Canal trust has suffered a sad loss of a stalwart supporter with the death of Commander James (Jim) Phillips OBE. Jim, who died on January 6, was a life member who had held several important positions in the Trust since signing up in 1989.

He retired from the council of management last year, having served as a director for 21 years.

In 1997, he became vice-chairman and treasurer and was also minutes and agenda secretary for a short period at that time.

He stood down as treasurer in 2013 and then as vice-chairman when he left the board. In recognition of his long service and many achievements on behalf of the Trust, he was then appointed a vice-president.

Jim leaves his wife Janet – also an active WACT supporter – two adult children and six grandchildren. A full obituary will be issued soon.

WACT News As activity increases on the canal’s Summit Level in advance of the canal stretch being re-opened in the autumn, help is needed in organising the volunteers working on the project.

Wey & Arun Canal Trust is seeking an assistant to Compasses Bridge site manager and leader of the Summit (Northern) Working Party, Dave Evans.

The job involves discussing the next tasks needed on this project, liaison with visiting work parties, arranging delivery of hire equipment and supplies at a convenient time and assisting with supervision of the volunteers.

A collection of tasks has to be tackled as the contractors near the end of their involvement in construction of the new bridge at Alfold, including retaining wall and gabion construction, landscaping and reprofiling sections of the canal which have not yet been worked on.

Volunteers will also partially demolish the 1930s causeway which the bridge is replacing, with the possibility of exposing the remains of the original canal bridge buried in the concrete. A new small boats slipway will be built south of Compasses over the spring and summer.

Anyone who can help Dave organise the growing workload should contact WACT chairman Sally Schupke via sally_schupke@weyandarun.co.uk .

Recruits to the Summit (Northern) Working Party, which meets on the third Saturday of the month, will also be welcome. E-mail Dave on dave_evans@weyandarun.co.uk.

24 At the new Gennets Bridge Lock on the Surrey-Sussex border, volunteers are concentrating on laying the facing bricks, laying concrete for the top sill and building the new footbridge.

With its three sites strategy now being pursued with increasing pace, WACT also needs help from someone with experience in submitting planning applications and/or conducting public consultations. E-mail Sally Schupke if you have time to help.

On the fundraising front, WACT is staging an inaugural musical event, featuring the Bourne Concert Band from Woking, organised by member Brian White. The musicians will be presenting an evening of music on a travel and transport theme.

All canal enthusiasts and supporters are welcome at the concert, at Cranleigh Village Hall on Saturday, February 20, 7pm for 7.30pm. Tickets, at £12.50 for adults and £9 for under-16s – including a glass of wine or soft drink – are available through e-mailing events@weyandarun.co.uk or by calling 01483 505566.

This year’s WACT Annual General Meeting is at the Billingshurst Centre – formerly known as the village hall – in Billingshurst, West Sussex on Saturday, April 23rd. The meeting is at 2.30pm and a morning event for members is being planned.

The 2016 Poddle sponsored walk on Sunday, June 5th, is expected to follow a route which will take in Compasses Bridge and Gennets Bridge Lock. The Trust is particularly looking for entrants from organisation which would like to share sponsorship 50-50. If you are interested, e-mail the organiser, Margaret Darvill on margaret_darvill@wey_arun.co.uk Rob Searle, Public Relations Officer

Bricklaying starts at new canal bridge A MAJOR step towards completion of a new canal crossing in Surrey was made when volunteer bricklayers began work.

Following on from contractors finishing the Compasses Bridge structure, the brickies are carrying out the next stage of a project that will see the reopening of a section of historic waterway.

They are laying the brick cladding on the new bridge, which spans the Wey & Arun Canal at the Alfold entrance to Dunsfold Park aerodrome and business complex.

This phase of the work began on the weekend of Jan 23rd/24th, when the bricklayers joined the Wey & Arun Canal Trust’s regular working party at the site.

25 As well as cladding the sides and training walls in bricks, they are laying paving on the bridge surface.

“My grateful thanks went out to the team after a fantastic weekend when lots of good work was completed,” said Canal Trust site manager Dave Evans. “We didn’t expect to get so much done two days in a row and the paving in particular looks great.

There is still a lot to do on the bridge and the canal but we have had an impressive response to our requests for help from volunteers. We have people with all kinds of valuable skills giving their spare time to work at the site.”

The Trust’s northern area working party was bolstered by members of the Newbury Working Party Group, another band of canal restoration volunteers who helped the Trust enormously over the weekend.

Contractors CJ Thorne are due to return this month to prepare for the realignment of the access road into Dunsfold Park, which is planned to take place around Easter.

Once this is done, volunteers will partially demolish the 1930s concrete causeway currently blocking the waterway, part of which will be made into a public viewing area.

The Trust aims to re-open most of the canal between Tickner’s Heath in Dunsfold and Fast Bridge on the A281 at Alfold at the beginning of October. Small boats will be able to navigate that stretch for the first time in more than 150 years.

The re-opening will coincide with the Trust’s celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of the 23-mile Wey & Arun Canal being declared open at the Compasses site.

The official opening of the new bridge on the weekend of 1st & 2nd October will coincide with celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of the opening of the combined Arun Navigation and the Wey & Arun Junction Canal at Compasses Keep up to date with the Trust’s restoration projects or make a donation to the bridge project at www.weyandarun.co.uk Rob Searle, Public Relations Officer

Forthcoming Events Regular Public Trips run from 2nd Apr until 30th Oct, see http://www.weyandarun.co.uk//tripboats/ Sun 6th Mar, 11.00am: Mothering Sunday Relaxer - from Loxwood (Coffee and Danish Pastries). Booking essential.

Sun 6th Mar, 2.30pm & 4.30pm: Mothering Sunday Relaxers - from Loxwood, (Cream Teas). Booking essential.

26 Fri 25th to Mon 28th Mar, 11am, 12 noon and 2pm: Easter Bunny Specials from Loxwood. Booking essential.

Sat 23rd Apr, 2.30pm, Annual Meeting at Billingshurst with a guided walk to Malham and Rowner locks at 10.30am and a site visit to Gennets Bridge Lock from 11am to 1pm for members and a session for potential restoration support volunteers at the hall from 11.30am to 2pm.

Sun 24th Apr, 11.15am: St George and the Dragon Experience - St George and the Dragon Experience from Loxwood. Booking essential.

Sat 28th May, Trip to Crofton Pumping Station: Coach outing for WACT members to Hungerford for a trip on the K&A then to Crofton Pumping Station to see the beam engines.

Sun 5th Jun, Poddle: It is hoped that the route of this year’s Poddle will include Compasses Bridge and Gennets Bridge Lock.

Sat 10th Sep, 2.15pm, Heritage Open Days - Whipley Bridge: Visit Whipley Rail Bridge and Josias Jessop’s canal swingbridge, Shamley Green, and join us on the Wey & Arun Canal Trust’s new Calcott Reilly walk trail. See how the 1865 Guildford-Horsham railway crossed the 1816 Wey & Arun Canal at Whipley via an iron truss bridge designed by Calcott Reilly which leapt across the canal at a very acute angle. Unfortunately the bridge no longer exists (thank you Dr. Beeching) but the extensive, somewhat confusing, brick abutments and retaining walls survive.

WACT and visiting working parties have recently cleared the area so the structure can be seen more clearly. A short distance south is a swingbridge designed by Josias Jessop. Heritage expert and WACT director Alan Johnson will guide you over both sites. Meet at Shamley Green Church Car Park. Led by the Wey & Arun Canal Trust. Approximately 2.5km, 2 hours. Pre-booking required: telephone: 01483 505566 or email: northernoffice@weyandarun.co.uk by noon, Thu 8th Sep. Sun 11th Sep, 2.30pm, Walk from Gunpowder Store to Bramley: Led by the Wey & Arun Canal Trust. Approximately 2.5km, 2 hours. The Wey & Arun Canal was the crucial section of the inland waterway formerly linking London to the English Channel. The northernmost mile of the canal is within Guildford Borough.

Guided walk starting from the Gunpowder Store at Stonebridge Wharf, Shalford, along parts of the course of the canal to the former Bramley Wharf. This is also an opportunity to explore the new viewing platform in Hunt Nature Park built by volunteers of the Trust and opened by the Rt. Hon. Anne Milton MP in 2015. Prebooking required: telephone: 01483 505566 or email: northernoffice@weyandarun.co.uk by noon Thu 8th Sep. Meet at Gunpowder Store, Stonebridge Wharfside, Shalford. Gunpowder Store may also open. Parking available at Broadford Business Park, Shalford GU4 8EP. Further details and booking from the Trust Office on 01403 752403. office@weyandarun.co.uk www.weyandarun.co.uk Northern Office

Phone: 01483 505566 (Mondays-Thursdays, 8.30am-12.30pm)

27

IWAKES Branch News Past Events Talk on Restoration of Isfield Lock On a rainy day in October, 33 souls gathered in the delightful Methodist Church Hall, Haywards Heath. Bob Draper, Chairman of the Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust, started proceedings by telling us about the restoration of Isfield or Sutton Hall Lock. Restoration began ten years ago and is now practically complete. River and canal engineer William Jessop was engaged to survey the Upper Ouse, proposing 27 wooden locks, and minor other works to improve the river above Lewes. In the end 19 masonry locks were built. Going over budget when finished in 1812. When opened it only just managing to cover its costs, mainly carrying coal, lime, chalk and timber. It served the local Ouse Valley for the next 40 years. In 1868 with improved roads and the Brighton to Lewes and Hastings railway line navigation ceased.

Then, early in the new millennium, Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust was set up and slowly things started to happen. Mick Waller and some friends set up the Trust and came to know the landowner at Isfield. Some initial work was done by the Essex Waterway Recovery Group but work stalled with just the copings removed.

Luckily, at this time a gentleman named Paul Morris presented himself in response to an article in IWAKES Magazine. He turned out to be a more than useful member, with his own excavator and dangerous dumper truck. The Trust formed working parties under Paul and excavated the lock, removing literally hundreds of tons of mud and silt. By September 2007 all the silt was removed from the lock and the Trust marvelled at the brickwork of the lock. The east wall of the lock was in remarkable condition whereas the west wall had to be totally rebuilt due to being built on soft soil, and having been damaged by turbulence from flow through the paddles. The rebuild was by Trust members on weekly working parties.

Unfortunately Paul died and the Trust is just left with happy memories of him and the work he did for them. Ted Lintott took over as manager until completion.

Trust member Terry Owen gave us a description of some of the Paper Mills built along the Ouse Valley. Papermaking was a long process to make good paper.

Rag and bone men would collect rags that would be turned into paper, by women in the mill. There were lots of mills beside the Ouse. None now exist. Isfield Lock had its mill with approximately 41 in residence, but by 1851 work had ceased and relocated to London.

The Environment Agency wants to remove all structures from the River.

SORT are now looking at their next site at Iron Gate Lock whose owners, The National Trust, are in discussion with them. The Sussex Ouse is one of the flashiest rivers in the country and the intention is to restore navigation whilst restoring the river to its original levels so that floods spread over the water meadows, as happened naturally until the navigation structures were removed.

Angela Acott

28

Dartford & Crayford Navigation Pentargon Springer is planning to return to Dartford Creek over the weekend of 22 to 24th April 2016. They would welcome others to join them at that time. There are areas to moor where there is sufficient water to float at low tide. If you would be interested they can be contacted on Facebook via ‘Friends of Dartford Creek aka Steam Crane Wharf’ or send Roy Sutton (RoyDavidSutton@Yahoo.co.uk) your contact details to pass on.

The Thames Sailing Barge Trust A full house gathered at Strood Yacht Club for a talk, given by David Gibson, concerning the Thames Sailing Barge Trust, based at Hythe Quay, Maldon. The Trust owns two barges, ‘Pudge’ and ‘Centaur’. ‘Pudge’ was built at Frindsbury in 1922 of wooden construction. She is a ‘Dunkirk Little Ship’ and joined the Parade of Sail for the Queen’s Jubilee in 2012. ‘Centaur’, a typical Essex coasting barge, also traded to Europe.

These barges used the Thames & Medway Canal. They were the environmentally friendly articulated-lorry of the late 19th and early 20th century. The Trust is trying to preserve these two barges for the future, maintaining them in traditional design with an MOT every five years and red cedar sail paint every year.

David finished his talk with some super sunrise and sunset shots. The Trust can be contacted at www.BargeTrust.org or 07840 862685.

Angela Acott

Kentish Stour There has been flooding following recent heavy rainfall. Roy Newing has contacted the Environment Agency to query their operation of the six gates in Stonar Cut. Initially all six gates were opened, reducing the benefits of scour at Sandwich. Subsequently three gates at a time have been opened. However, this does not maximise reduction of flood peaks or maximise scour and a far more rapidly varying regime is needed. The gauge board and standard has been removed and Roy will be asking for their replacement.

River Medway News Improvements planned.

Maidstone Borough Council has put together a 3 year Maidstone Destination Management Plan. (DMP) to improve the town’s tourism appeal and facilities and some of that will focus on the River Medway, seen by some as needing a much needed boost to its profile and facilities.

Around 70 people – from private, public and third sectors – have contributed their views and been involved in helping to shape this Plan. The aim is for everyone involved in tourism and the visitor economy to use it when they are planning how to invest in improvements and new experiences – so that Maidstone’s unique selling points become stronger, and the image of the place becomes clearer. Actions proposed specifically aimed at the Medway are:

29  Programme of enhancements and improvements to make the river more accessible and appealing to visitors:  signing and entrance points to the river from the town centre  footpath investment – signing to include distances to key points, accessibility for cyclists  investment in moorings  parking for river visitors  Create river-based events & activities that will appeal to visitors, animate the river, provide a reason to come today, contribute to extending the visitor day into the early evening. Opportunities could include – dragon boat racing, rowing events, festival of lights, regattas etc.  Prioritise river management – litter, dredging, landscaping, lighting, policing, anti-social behaviour, mooring, illegal camping  Develop Riverside Walking and Cycling Path from Allington to East Farleigh with connections to the wider Maidstone area. Potential to expand this up to Aylesford Bridge.

The chairmen of the Medway River Users Association (MRUA) Mark Smurthwaite has attended the one of the Task & Finish Groups for the MDP and has reported back to the Association on which the IWA is represented.

Medway Rail line works Works to strengthen the Medway Valley Line railway embankment in Tovil will be starting in early January 2016. Contractors working on behalf of Network Rail have started preparing for the railway works at Tovil. At the moment they are building a large pontoon at Allington that will transport the crane and other materials up to the construction site 300 metres upstream of Tovil footbridge.

They are now waiting for the river to come off Strong Stream Advice before they move up to Maidstone Cinema site to load on the other machinery. The works are expected to be completed by May 2016. Keep up to date on the restrictions by checking www.allingtonlock.co.uk - or phone Allington Lock on 01622 752864. See also Notice to Mariners No 10.

30 Next MRUA meeting.

Les Etheridge, IWA Chairman, will be addressing the next meeting of the MRUA on February 9th on the subject of the transfer of EA navigations to the Canal & River Trust, the subject of the IWA’s recent lobbying campaign, to keep this on track as a priority.

Mike Marsh

Northfleet Harbour Trust Northfleet Harbour Restoration Trust Plenty of good things happening at Northfleet Harbour. Hopefully I will be able to give more details in the next ‘Cargoes’. For those that are on Facebook a video of an interesting talk on Northfleet’s History can be found at www.facebook.com/NorthfleetHarbour Graeme Rooney

Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust reports that the complete restoration of the lock draws ever closer. The actual lock chamber rebuild was completed last summer.

The work compound and surrounding area have been cleared where possible, tidied and landscaped. The upper lock cut, about 150m in length and linking the lock with the River Ouse, has been cleared and both towpaths reinstated. The task ahead now for SORT is to source the timber, build and install the lock gates as well as the stop planks.

Work has recommenced at Iron Gate Lock. Situated at the southern edge of Sheffield Park National Trust Gardens and Park on the River Ouse, the lock was initially cleared of vegetation about 4 years ago. Now work has started to reveal exactly how much remains of the chamber brickwork, in particular around the upper gate recess, the ground paddles and the training walls. A recent working party was aided in their work by a group of students from Brighton College who chose Iron Gate Lock a day with SORT as part of their Community Service studies. They were put to work clearing vegetation, and exposing the brickwork of the lock chamber. They apparently enjoyed their day in the country with project manager Ted Lintott and the SORT volunteers.

Terry Owen

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Thames & Medway Canal Association New Network Rail Traction Power Hut The earliest picture is of the original ‘TP’ hut and the re-excavated, but narrowed, canal channel in 1995. The next shows the Network Rail site on Saturday 21st November during the WRG bush-bashing dig. The other two show the site on Sunday 22nd November after overnight placing of new electrical equipment designed to allow the length of trains to be increased. The infilled canal channel is in the foreground and the original channel extended to the far side of the new units. TMCA have been assured that the channel will be re-excavated but only to the edge of the new units (i.e. as found). Large sheet steel piles or similar would now be needed to form a channel wide enough for navigation.

TP Hut 1995

21st Nov 2015

22nd Nov 2015a

22nd Nov 2015b

Bernard Snell

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River Adur £30k has been awarded towards the construction of a new public slipway in Shoreham. The money will be provided as planning permission compensation for the infilling of a public hard. A further £5k has been granted by Adur District Council (ADC). This means that about 30% of the money for the slipway is available. It is hoped that the Slipway will be constructed at the same time as improvements to the Tidal walls which unlikely to start, on this part of the river, until 2018 which leaves time to raise more money.

The Shoreham Slipways Group (an IWA Corporate Member) has permission with conditions for a slipway at the Adur Recreation Ground. The two main conditions are that compensatory habitat is provided for the mud that will be covered and that Natural England agree the use of the slipway. ADC is trying to provide the compensatory habitat as part of other schemes. Unfortunately, Natural England is taking a hard line approach and is not responding to questions of agreeing to meet. As part of the planning application for improvements to Tidal Walls in Shoreham, the EA has submitted a comprehensive study into bird life in the Adur Estuary. This detailed data is at variance with claims that NE made when objecting to the slipway. It is hoped that this information will encourage NE to meet with the interested parties and agree an appropriate compromise.

Brendan Whelan

Future IWAKES and Other Events Wed 24th Feb, 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, St Nicholas Church Hall, Poplar Grove, Maidstone, Kent ME16 0DE: Branch Annual General Meeting Followed by “The Droitwich Canals Restoration (in brief)”: Roy Sutton: Thu 17th Mar, 7.30 for 8.00pm, Gravesend Sailing Club, East Promenade, Gravesend, DA12 2BS: “To Liverpool and Beyond”: Mike Marsh talks about his boat trip: TMCA event to which all are welcome: Wed 13th Apr, 7.30 for 8.00pm, Gravesend Sailing Club, East Promenade, Gravesend. DA12 2BS: TMCA AGM followed by fun films from Ann & John Epton: TMCA event to which all are welcome: Tea and coffee are available at all IWAKES evening meetings.

Venue maps can be found at www.waterways.org.uk/kent/kent_east_sussex

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Oxfordshire Branch News John Pugh Canal enthusiast, IWA member for over 40 years as well as WRG member, John Pugh died on 3rd January 2016.

John with his wife Pam supported many IWA events and working parties.

Attending Oxford Branch meetings from the 1970s at venues including The Magdalen Arms, then the Oxford Radiators Sports and Social Club to the present day at Kidlington Football Club. After the guest speaker John usually participated in the question and answer session.

Special events included ‘The Token Ton’, which was transported by boat, with the help of Boy Scouts from Coventry to the River Thames at Lechlade and onto Cricklade, the first passage of a boat across this part of the Thames and Severn Canal since its closure to commercial traffic. Attending the Oxford Rally in 1974, and many National Boat Rallies at various locations on John of Hamden a Springer built narrow boat, also attending Alan boat get-togethers on narrow boat Windrush.

Working parties on the canals, some in association with WRG, included the Stratford on Avon Canal when it was owned by the National Trust, The Kennet and Avon Canal and the reopening of the Hythe Bridge Street Arm on the Oxford Canal.

John had great enthusiasm for the canals and rivers of this country, this meant most holidays and many weekends spent travelling and enjoying many areas of the waterways. Then many crossings of the English Channel to explore the waterways of France on MaBelle.

After an illness that curtailed some of the activities John participated in, he requested after his death his body be donated for Medical Research. It is hoped that in some small way it may help future generations enjoy the waterways as John did when in good health.

A celebration of his life will take place in the near future.

Jill Baugh

IWA Oxfordshire Branch Future Last year at this time I included an introduction that imagined the closing of the Oxfordshire Branch, due to lack of members coming forward to help run the Branch.

Well nothing changed and we will be completing another year firing on 3 cylinders. I say nothing changed but we lost a Committee member last year and will be losing another this AGM. We are still without a chairman. Attendance at Social meetings has dropped to the mid-teens, and even the special event of ‘N.B.Raymond ‘ only attracted 14 people with the usually successful Christmas skittles evening dropping from over 50 in years past to 22 in 2015.

Unless members come forward, the Committee will number only 3 for 2016 and that is if the 2 standing for re-election are both willing and able.

2 options have therefore been considered by the Committee:

34  Should the Branch close? Then members should remember that there would be no involvement in local events – Banbury Canal Day – No social events – Christmas skittles, talks, volunteer days – and no eye kept on actions affecting the Canal and River including attendance at User Groups, objection or support for Planning Applications etc.  Or should the branch continue in a semi dormant state. This would mean participation in Banbury Canal Day and behind the scenes activities such as responding to some Planning applications and members queries. But no social events especially on a regular basis could be considered.

If you really want to see an active IWA in Oxfordshire please help. Come to the AGM and offer to assist or take a Committee role. You will not be asked to undertake a task more than you are happy with and you will be made more than welcome. It will be now or never.

On an even sadder note I have to mention our good friend and IWA stalwart Mary Heritage (wife of Ron) and Banbury Canal Day organiser extraordinaire has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and is very poorly. We wish her well.

Brian Saunders

Banbury Canal Partnership

Working Parties have continued on the third and fourth Tuesdays of each Month. We have currently suspended work for the worst couple of months (Not easy to paint in the rain snow and ice) and will start work again in the spring.

In conjunction with IWA Oxfordshire Branch we gave the Banbury Lock its annual facelift for Banbury Canal Day. As so often has happened this year we were totally rained off by the unrelenting precipitation. 2 members however came back on the Friday, when the skies had relented and completed the work.

Last year we spent two days spreading a paving material on the towpath between Bridge Street and Tramway in Banbury. This was brought by boat from The Canal & River Trust yard at Nell Bridge and unloaded, spread and levelled over the potholes and other sunken lengths of the towpath. We used about 7 tons.

Our Chairman Colin Garnham-Edge has recently been in hospital for an operation. We are very pleased to report that he was out for Christmas and says he is doing well.

Whilst many hands make light work, many more hands would make even lighter work. So if you want a day out in the country side come and join us. You might just enjoy it so much you become a regular Remember we have an email contact address: bcpontheoxford@gmail.com We also have a website which can be accessed by putting ‘Banbury Canal Partnership’ into Google or other search engines.

Brian Saunders, BCP/IWA Committee representative

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Forthcoming Events Wed 9th Mar: AGM This meeting will be held at Kidlington Football Club, Yarnton Road, Kidlington, Oxon. OX5 1AT. 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm. New members and visitors most welcome. For more details or directions phone Ann Yeatman – Tel. 01865 372552 Tue 17th May, 7.45pm: The history of ‘Salter’s Steamers’ by Dr Simon Wenham. This is IWA’s annual joint meeting with the Reading Section of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust at The Grange Free Church, Circuit Lane, Southcote, Reading RG30 3HD. Do come along and hear more about this long established operator of boat services on the Thames (we understand that the first edition of ‘Salters’ Guide to the Thames’ was published as long ago as 1875).

Wilts & Berks Canal It’s been rather wet again this Autumn/Winter. Where I am in Wantage I am well aware of the occasional flooding on the A417 between here and Faringdon where the streams run out of the greensand/clay joining the various tributaries of the Ock and eventually run into the Thames. Many cut across or are culverted under the Wilts and Berks. Since closure many ditches have been cut out of the banks that weren’t there when the canal was open. We’re in the process of getting a lease over a half mile stretch between East and West Challow where exactly that has happened. With permission of the landowner we were able to open up a trench through an old bridge hole to enable water to run more freely. Two householders had been concerned about water running out of the canal through a hole in the bank and thence through an old siphon into a ditch behind their gardens. The hole was sealed and their flow returned to normal. Two happy landowners and a happy land agent. I very much hope to report good news on the lease for the next Cargoes as that would give my branch an up in activity….We’ve only been waiting to get the lease for about 20 years! One day someone might wake up to the thought that using the Wilts and Berks for flood mitigation through the Vale might be a good idea! Also for the next edition will be a list of the walks planned around here for the Wantage Summer Festival which returns this year after a year’s break. I know several Cargoes readers who have trudged over here to join some of the walks and it is a case of the more the merrier!

36 On a Wilts & Berks Canal wide front an item of news was released only yesterday to report that the Peterborough Arms at Dauntsey Lock is to re-open its refurbished Community Rooms in Summer 2016, with various events planned to celebrate. Keep an eye on the Trust website for more information and to see the full press release.

At Studley Grange work stopped in the Autumn but it is hoped that will recommence in April/May, the exact date dependant on how wet this winter continues to be. The towpath surfacing will be one of the first jobs and that will allow the planting of the banks, marginal areas and hedgerow infilling to be done. Kate Jones, our Project leader for the Wildlife Trail is organising some brilliant interpretation boards and leaflets with local students doing a lot of the illustrations.

Brian Stovold, Chairman East Vale branch

South London Branch Forthcoming Events South London Branch Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:30 for 8:00 pm in The Primary Room, The United Reformed Church Hall, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon CR0 5LP. Admission to the talks and presentations is free to all, members or non-members, although we do ask that you donate a minimum of £2 per person to offset room hire charges and speakers’ expenses, thank you. The programme for meetings is as follows: Wed 9th Mar, Annual General Meeting followed by ‘National Navigation Matters’' - A talk by Region Chairman, Paul Strudwick.

Wed 13th Apr: `Underground London’ by Nick Catford Wed 11th May: `From land to live aboard’ by Russell Millar Wed 8th Jun: `Celebrating 200 years of the Regents Canal’ by Charlie Forman For more information please contact: Libby Bradshaw Tel: 020 8874 2787, Mobile: 07956 655037 Email: libby.bradshaw@waterways.org.uk

Walks Towpath Walks Group is looking for volunteers to guide small parties of walkers on short walks along the towpath of the Regent’s Canal (and elsewhere).

This introduces newcomers to the pleasant world of waterways – which most outsiders don’t realise is here! It is also a good way of recruiting new members to IWA. No experience? No problem, we’ll brief you so, if you’d like to give this a try, please contact Roger Wilkinson.

37 Sun 21st Feb, 2.30pm: Walk, Limehouse – Thames – Docklands, meet Westferry (DLR) (by Cycle Hire Point) Sun 6th Mar, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: Mile End to Limehouse, meet Mile End Sun 20th Mar, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: Islington to Mile End, meet Angel Sun 27th Mar, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross Granary Square to Camden, meet King’s Cross (taxi rank) Sun 3rd Apr, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: Little Venice to Camden, meet Warwick Avenue Sun 17th Apr, 2.30pm: Walk, Regents Canal: Kings Cross, Hitchcock’s Hackney, meet Kings Cross (taxi rank) Sun 1st May, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: Regent’s Park & R. Tyburn to Little Venice, meet Baker St. (Baker St. North/Lords exit) Sun 15th May, 2.30pm: Walk, Regent’s Canal: Little Venice to Camden, meet Warwick Avenue The Walks programme continues on alternate Sundays for the rest of the season – see next Cargoes for further details.

For more information about Walks (Normal charge: £10.00, Concessions & Student rate: £8.00) please contact Roger Wilkinson, telephone: 07896 801930 or email: rogerw9796@yahoo.co.uk IWA's Towpath Walks Society celebrates its 15,000th walker A stroll along Regent's Canal from Little Venice to Camden has given IWA’s Towpath Walks Society its 15,000th walker.

The new participant was presented with a certificate to mark the milestone by walk leader Richard Fentiman.

IWA Towpath Walks were established in London in 1977 and have added just under £40,000 to IWA’s fundraising account during that time. Led by IWA volunteers, 2015 saw over 450 walkers pay to be guided around the capital’s waterways. There are currently five guides managing a portfolio of 19 different canal walks, each lasting just over two hours and taking place on two Sunday afternoons each month.

For details on upcoming walks visit the calendar page on IWA’s website, or call London Walks on 020 7624 3978 or see above.

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PURE The Business of Chocolate Kreation Foods are the Big Cheese of Food Manufacturing – and they have big plans.

With all due razzmatazz they are about to re-launch the nation’s one time favourite chocolate bar “Plumstead’s Pure”. For Head of Marketing, Theresa, this is a delicious moment, but for idealistic trainee Faye the whole event is in bad taste.

Cut to 150 years in the past and the pioneers of chocolate are fighting other battles. John Jordan has discovered a revolutionary way to make chocolate – but can he persuade his tight fisted Landlord, Darius Sanguine, to finance his bold idea?

Join Mikron and devour a story of many flavours – both from the past and in the present. If a business is big does it really have to be bad? Does success always have a sweet smell? (see page 15)

The Inland Waterways Association South East Region: Chairman Gareth Jones, Hill House Farm, Misbrooks Green Road, Beare Green, Dorking, RH5 4QQ Phone: 07850 819071 Email: gareth@hillhouse.farm Guildford & Reading Branch: Chairman Gareth Jones, Contact details as above Kent & East Sussex Branch: Chairman Mike Hannan Trumpeter, Water Lane, Headcorn, Kent TN27 9JN Phone: 01622 890586 Email: mcfhannan@btinternet.com Oxfordshire Branch: Contact Brian Saunders Tintern Cottage, County View, Clifton, Banbury, Oxon OX15 0QA Phone: 01869 337227 Email: brisaunders33@gmail.com Opinions expressed in Cargoes are not necessarily those of IWA. Editorial Team: Ray Carnell and Tim Fry iwacargoes@hotmail.com Next issue Summer 2016 Copy date 15th April 2016

Jim Phillips – see page 23

John Pugh, see page 33