Chester & Merseyside Branch Autumn 2024
The Daniel Adamson steam tug on the River Weaver
(Followed by two narrowboats)
1 Chairman’s Report – Autumn 2024 Packet Boat
Welcome to Autumn 2024 edition of Packet Boat as the weather is rapidly cooling down towards winter and we haven’t really had a brilliant hot summer but I do hope that you managed to get out and about and enjoy our local waterways.
The “Lock in the Chester Weir” project received a visit from a renowned waterways quantity surveyor, Wilf Jones, who studied the area and gave many comments, advice and some rough costing that are currently being acted on to further the project.
As stated in the Spring edition of Packet Boat we did attend The Chester Heritage Festival on Friday, 28th June, with the IWA gazebo being located at Tower Wharf and with John Herson conducting a walk around the Heritage Port assets. This proved a very popular walk with a full attendance of 20 people. John’s walk can be viewed through the IWA website at: - https://waterways.org.uk/branch_news/chesters-waterwayswharf-and-weir
The other popular event that took place during the summer was the annual Regional Social aboard the “Daniel Adamson Steam Ship on 16th August. This was very soon fully booked up and the sun shone for a lovely lunch followed by a short cruise down to Marsh Lock and back. As part of the event the Tetlow Trophy was presented to Colin Greenall (Ex Sankey Canal Restoration Society Chairman), and shown in the photo below; by Sir Robert Atkins (IWA Regional Chairman) for his sterling work over many years to promote the reinstatement of the Sankey Canal.
Winter/Spring walks organised by Derek Smith are again attracting good numbers and are another chance to socialise with like-minded people, and get some exercise. Details of his walks can be found in the IWA website under our local branch area. The one thing that is disappointing is that most of the walkers are not IWA members so, if you can, please support Derek in these walks for a nice day out with an optional pub meal at the end of the walk.
In Northwich you may have seen that the Northwich Navigation Yard has been sold by Canal & River Trust to a developer called Laurence Dow who is in partnership with an organisation called Community Accommodation Group. (See pages 3 & 4). They will be proposing a mix of affordable housing and employment uses.
We need to be clear on what IWA’s objectives are here. I suggest that appropriate use and public access to the water frontage should probably be our key concern, as well as appropriate treatment of the whole yard as a heritage entity, not just the listed buildings and the (unlisted) crane Any comments would be welcomed to put forward to the developers.
With Canal & River Trust announcing the closure of the Anderton Boat Lift throughout next summer (2025) for a control system upgrade and full painting of the structure it is imperative that there is a plan in place for boats to access and egress the River Weaver during this period or the river could fall into a state of neglect and become un-navigable in places. We will be pressing CRT for answers to this situation in the coming months before the closure commences.
Just a reminder that the 2024/25 branch socials, with guest speakers take place at the Holiday Inn, Ellesmere Port; (details are on page 6), but the number of members attending, as previously stated is still declining. These talks are put on for the benefit of members to socialise and have a pleasant evening with other members (and non-members) and are free to attend– please support the branch if you can. There is always a fun raffle and a sales stand offering books, IWA merchandise and other small items.
Best Wishes,
Jim Forkin Branch Chairman
River
The Boat Lift: - It operated well this season with both caissons working. The prolonged closure 2025 /2026 for repainting and new control systems was discussed. Cost of scaffolding is a major issue. CRT commented that there are severe budget constraints. They have been promised £0.5m from English Heritage. A £400k predesign package has been awarded to Bently’s Engineering. They have concluded that an expenditure of £15m is required. However funding for the proposed project to create a tourist hub is unclear. Timing of these major projects and their impact on prolonged stoppage is unclear. Rather depends on raising of funds.
River Operations 2024 - Danny had major interruptions to their schedule because of problems with opening the bridges. There were also problems with Saltersford and Hunts Lock.
Navigation Yard Sale - Now completed to Laurence Daw. A public consultation was held on September 27th with good turnout of over 100 people and the MP and local councillors. We (RWNS) handed out a detailed heritage document on the design and history of the Scotch Crane. We met: Laurence Daw (the buyer), Maxine Moar and Phil Woolas: Community Accommodation Group (CAG) and the Architects ‘White Box’ of Knutsford.
A number of preliminary drawings were displayed. Rather oddly the river showed a sailing yacht in full sail heading for the bridge! Many architects do not fully understand canals. We went on a tour of the HQ block, a warren of interconnecting rooms where offices have been added over the years. It’s getting a bit run down with leaks in the roof. The interior showed little of heritage value having been stripped of most of its features.
Phil made a welcome address; people were encouraged to fill in the Questionnaire and add comments. Maxine is collating these. She made the point that ‘Ideas’ should come with some indication of how they would be funded.
My general comments about it are as follows
1, There was a focus on creating small business units on the South end of the Yard. These will require major capital funding whereas using this area for affordable accommodation (1 and 2 bedroom apartments) could pay for themselves.
They propose a micro-brewery. There are existing small business units already close by next door off Navigation Road which work because of low rentals and simple existing warehouses.
2, The CRT HQ building is a warren of interconnecting rooms already showing signs of deterioration (leaky roofs, but has potential for creating a themed waterside bar restaurant as part of forward use. The theme could be ‘Chemistry on the River’ which is the essential Heritage from Salt to Soda Ash to Plastics. Funders like Ineos and Tata and Lostock Sustainable Energy should be approached. There is a courtyard overlooking the river and it would visible from the Hayhurst bridge once the trees are cut back.
3. A waterside footpath connecting to the bridge is important to improve connection to the Town Centre (funded by Sustrans).
4. The rest of the HQ building should be offered as small business units. The site has good power supply and potential use of the river as cooling (data centre)?
5. Restoration of the Clock Tower and Scotch Crane, these are the most important heritage structures. (English Heritage and Lottery Funding?)
6. The Wharf is a fine asset and would be a good base for a river trip boat but a private enterprise would be needed (local pub)
RWNS are on the forward working group
Jim Mole
IWA Holds Successful Event on the “Danny”
“Danny” team launched a new cruise to the public at Sutton Weaver
Under clear blue skies in August on the decks of the steam ship” Daniel Adamson” (The “Danny”) the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) worked with the team at the “Danny” to jointly launched a new cruise on the Weaver aimed at the family market. The one-and-a-half-hour cruise is cost effective at £25 per family and should be short enough for children`s attention span.
At the same time the IWA were looking for a venue for their annual North West Regional Social and presentation event and when it was suggested that they had exclusive access to the “Danny” promenade deck an hour before the public arrived for the cruise, they readily agreed.
The arrangements worked well and the 42 members of the IWA were welcomed by Sir Robert Atkins who also presented the Tetlow Trophy to Colin Greenall, former chairman of the Sankey Canal Restoration Society for services to protecting one of the earliest canals in the United Kingdom. There followed a light lunch and a tour of the vessel, before the public came on board ready for the cruise beginning at 2.00pm
The cruise which saw the “Danny” head down towards the Manchester Ship Canal before turning (Winding) just above Marsh Lock. Then she returned under the M56 and Warrington to Chester railway viaduct back to Sutton Weaver Wharf. The “icing on the cake” came when other narrow boats including the steam powered “Tixall” followed the “Danny” on the cruise much to the delight of the children.
The whole procession was witnessed by the car and lorry drivers on the M56 viaduct which slowed to a crawled by this unique event.
In total there were 74 passengers for the cruise. Jim Forkin (Chairman –IWA Chester and Merseyside branch) said “Everybody thoroughly enjoy the day, our arrangements worked like clockwork, the children were well behaved and the volunteers most helpful. It is certainly something we would like to do again”
Legacy of “Danny” Volunteers Celebrated
On hearing that members of the presentation team at the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society (DAPS) were preparing another talk on the successful restoration of the steam ship “Danny, Jim Forkin Chairman of the IWA branch for Chester and Merseyside asked if his group could be involved in the trial stages before a final decision was made. The proposed talk covers the period from 2004 to 2016, a period of only twelve years, when the vessel was restored mostly by volunteers from a wreck about to be scrapped into a historic national identify ship as important as the “Cutty Sark”.
The talk was included in the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) autumn social events on November 12th in the Holiday Inn, Ellesmere Port and booked after an initial talk given to the Runcorn Historical Society earlier in the year. The presentation demonstrated the role played by the volunteers with many photographs from the period showing the work they performed in all weathers and the organisation created that was to raise the necessary funding and organisation for this £million plus programme.
In a packed room with a knowledgeable audience consisting of IWA members with some from a towpath walking group plus a small number of DAPS volunteers, the organisers were delighted with the event. Taking advantage of level of experience in the audience, the DAPS team asked for constructive comments at the start of the session. (Photo on the right below).
Jim Forkin (Chairman Chester and Merseyside branch) said “The DAPS team know that to continue running this vessel commercially they have to develop new ways of marketing her to the public and to do that successfully they follow good business practice before widely marketing. This is a wonderful story of ordinary working people starting with nothing and saving a national maritime icon told in a “Rags to Riches “format. I wish them every success”.
View from the bridge
The main saloon
ABC Boat Hire launches fundraising scheme with Shropshire Union Canal Society
ABC Boat Hire has launched a new fund-raising scheme with Shropshire Union Canal Society and local producers Monty’s Brewery and Henstone Distillers to raise funds for the restoration of the Montgomery Canal.
ABC Boat Hire will promote the sales of “Navigation Pale” ale from Monty’s Brewery and gins and other spirits from Henstone to their hirers cruising from bases in the Shopshire/Cheshire area. The products will be delivered to the hire base for customer collection on arrival of their holiday or direct to their home. Sales of the products will result in donations to the restoration of the Montgomery Canal currently being undertaken by the society’s volunteers. The boatyards involved in the scheme include Whitchurch, Wrenbury, Blackwater and Nantwich.
Money raised will be used to purchase materials and hire plant/equipment to continue the restoration of the Montgomery Canal hopefully to soon reach the Welsh Border at Llanymynech. The donations will also be helpful in securing funds from large donors such as Heritage Lottery, People Postcode Lottery and government inclusion in match funding and showing support from local based companies in fundraising.
Haley Hadley, Marketing & Sales Director, ABC Boat Hire said “We believe this idea will both help the restoration of an historic waterway and give our customers the opportunity to enjoy good local products delivered ready for their experience”.
Volunteers on the restoration are currently completing the section the canal by Crickheath Wharf on route towards Schoolhouse Bridge. Funding for this next section is now taking place and has already exceeded £160,000 and further applications to major funders are being considered.
Dave Carter, Chairman Shropshire Union Canal Society said “Restoration of abandoned canals benefits the local economy by supporting businesses and protecting jobs. This scheme will help buy essential materials and plant hire. mostly locally sourced, and then bring visitors to the canal corridor when completed“.
One key feature in the restoration work being carried out by the volunteers is the focus on nature with newt habitats being protected, hedgerows being planted and now soft earth banks created suitable for water voles to repopulate. The towpaths on the Montgomery Canal are also being upgraded by the volunteers creating more walking and cycling routes into the area.
Jim Forkin Chairman, Inland Waterways Association (Chester and Merseyside) said “The canals generate, on C&RT figures, some £1.58 billion into the economy (GDP)and support 80,000 jobs but how much more would the economy benefit if more of the network was restored to navigation. This is an excellent scheme which will hopefully help the volunteers create more navigable canal and is in the interest of the hire boat companies as the creation of new cruising routes will encourage repeat visitor to the marinas.”
IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch Programme of Meetings 2024-2025
Meetings start at 7.45 pm on the second Tuesday of the month; and are free.
Held at the Holiday Inn, Lower Mersey Street, Ellesmere Port, CH65 2AL
And will include our fun raffle
Our sales and shop are available for Christmas Cards and Publications. Drinks are available from the hotel bar – just along the corridor.
10th December 2024 – Cath Turpin talks on – the lives of people who worked on narrow boats in the 20th century. A hard but free life with whole families packed into the boatman’s cabin and babies asleep in wardrobe drawers. This is our Christmas meeting – with sherry and mince pies.
14 January 2025 – Talk by Ian Wilson on the beginning of the restoration of the Montgomery Canal. It’s 55 years since operations began and 50 years since Prince Charles now King Charles III first opened the Welshpool lock.
10th February 2025 – Talk by John Pomfret on Braunston and Stoke Bruerne – waterways transport hubs from the days of industry to leisure destinations.
18 March 2025 – Our very short AGM – followed by a talk by Roger Butler on a light-hearted ‘Canal Honeymoon’ an hilarious romantic voyage to Langollen, followed by trip around the West Midlands ring.
I started out this morning with good intentions, planning to finish writing up my report on yesterday’s walk; but things went slightly pear shaped. We hoped for a lovely dry and sunny walking day, and it started with a with a pleasant stroll along the end of the Bridgewater canal at Runcorn. But soon the heavens opened and the rain was relentless. We had planned a walk along the banks of the river Gowy near Stoke village, but the footpaths along the bank were all flooded from the August rains. So, we used some footpaths round the south of Willaston village, and explored the Hadlow Road Heritage Station.
We had 33 walkers, which was excellent and there were a lot of new faces as well as familiar ones from previous walks. Three branch members came along who don’t normally attend any meetings. Although it was wet, Graham Wallace the chairman of the Lock’s Restoration Trust, gave us an interesting update on the progress made with the locks. We will keep everyone up to date when possible, and the first announcement is the start of work on their new visitor’s centre after Christmas. The walk was followed by freshly cooked pizzas and lots of discussion at the Lockdown pub by the canal where we parked.
Our next branch meeting will be on the 10th Dec at the Boat Museum which will include our Xmas surprise, (when we hope to get lots of secret raffle prises in the Draw). If you have anything to donate, please wrap it in Xmas paper and leave it on the table when you arrive at the venue. Items can be anything interesting and hidden inside Christmas paper wrapping.
The next branch walk will be on 15th Dec and will include the bank of the river Weaver near Northwich. I do hope to get many joining us for the last walk of 2024. Unfortunately, there is no venue close by where we can book in for a meal. Full details are in the IWA branch web pages where you can also book in.
The committee hope that you all have a lovely Xmas and New Year and we hope to see you at all our meetings next Year too,
Jeanne Smith - Editor
It should be noted that the views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the IWA. They are published as being of interest to our members and readers. The IWA is a registered charity No 212342
Wilderness Autumn Cruise. Jeanne and Derek Smith on ‘OLIVE’
Due to the wet Summer this year we have not done much cruising with Olive; but we had already decided to join nine other Wilderness boaters for the Keith Hadden memorial cruise over in Cambridgeshire. On the morning of 11th September, we finished packing up the boat and although it was raining, which meant we did not leave as early as planned, we started on the long drive east towards the Fens. There is no direct motorway access West to East and there were several hold up’s on the main roads due to road works, so it took some time to go across country.
Once on the Eastern side the rain stopped, and we eventually arrived at the slipway boatyard onto the River Wissey, just as it was getting dark. We decided to leave launching until next morning and parked the boat and trailer alongside the river on the caravan site next door. For a small fee we were able to use the caravan site facilities and take a welcome shower before cooking our tea, There were a couple of other boaters already afloat they invited us for evening drinks and that was a good time to catch up with all the Wilderness club news.
It was a chilly night on the boat, even with the heating on, so we were pleased to see the sun next morning as we got the boat ready for launching. Once on the water we needed to fill the water tank and the nearest tap was two hours away in Hilgay village where we met up with others in the group. Once moored we booked in for a meal at the local pub filled the water tank, and got the boat ready for the next stage of our cruise.
Next morning, we joined the River Great Ouse and headed towards Ely before turning on to the Little Ouse and reached our next mooring at Brandon Lock. The lock was not in use so we all moored as best we could below the lock and walked to the village for a meal at the local pub. a short dark walk away. Fortunately, we had all booked in and the meals were soon served. Finding our way back to the boats wasn’t easy in the dark but we were all able to get our boats, guided by the sound of water ahead, overflowing through the silted-up lock.
We returned to the Great Ouse next day via Ely where we made use of the only sanitary station on the trip; and then set off towards Popes Corner where we branching right, then right again through Upware Lock.
After five miles of deep but almost overgrown lode channel, we finally reached our moorings at Reach village. Here all of the boats managed to find a mooring slot on a quiet and very pleasant section of wooded area. Next day we returned, and some of our boaters decided to take an excursion and ploughed through the reeds to Wicken Fen. Having been there before, we decided to return to the main waterway via Upware Lock. From there made our way to secure a mooring outside the Cutter Inn at Ely (photo below). Here we were joined by most of the other boaters for a farewell group meal.
The next morning, we headed towards Denver Sluices, it was another lovely sunny cruise and we were able to have a good secure mooring there, ready for our guided tour of the sluices the next morning. If you have not visited the Sluices it is an interesting and complex water system, the lock keepers certainly have to know what they are doing and are experts in managing the water levels to enable boats to use it.
We were given a very informative guide to its management, before setting back down the Wissey towards our slipway, passing again through the sugar beet factory. Everyone agreed that the boat gathering had been very successful and was enjoyed by all participants. Many thanks to Ivor and his team for his excellent organisation and also for keeping his fingers crossed to enable us to enjoy the sunshine most of the time. It was a wonderful experience, something we will remember for a long time. The journey home was without incident and we were glad to get Olive back to her usual slot in the front garden in one piece. She has had a service with our local trailer company and is now ready for her first outing next season
This Wilderness is just leaving a mooring on the bank of the Great Ouse river and heading for Ely.
Heading along the Reach lode. The channel is deep but very much overgrown and reminded us of the African Queen movie.
Here the fleet moored at dusk in the ‘port’ close to the village of Reach. We explored the village next morning.
Boat crews are alongside the silted-up Brandon Lock for a press release photo on the current important topic.
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
President. Ron Evans
Branch Chairman Jim Forkin jim.forkin@team.waterways.org.uk H. 01270 650054 M. 07803 928929
Minute Secretary Ann Farrell ann.farrell@waterways.org.uk
Treasurer, Social Sec. Jim Mole jim.mole@waterways.org.uk H. 01606 40955 M. 07580 162355
Publicity Officer Les Green les.green@waterways.org.uk
Editor Packet Boat Jeanne Smith jeanne.smith@waterways.org.uk H. 01244 382058 M. 07746 955931
Planning & Geoff Gittus geoff.gittus@waterways.org.uk
Navigation Officer H. 0151 605 1094 M. 07808 859751
Membership John Herson john.herson@waterways.org.uk Secretary
Merseyside Liaison Geoff Gittus geoff.gittus@waterways.org.uk
Scars Liaison Vacancy
Chester Liaison John Herson john.herson@waterways.org.uk
Bridgewater Canal Ian & Vera Short ian.short@waterways.org.uk Liaison vera.short@waterways.org.uk
Committee Members Vacancies