Chester & Merseyside IWA Branch
SPRING 2022
IWA National Rally in Chester 1959
Chairman’s Report – Spring 2022 Packet Boat Just a short report as we are now looking at the possible end of lockdowns and the Covid pandemic appears to be subsiding and signs of “normality” are appearing as we look forward to 2022. The socials at the Boat Museum did recommence on 12th October and 8th November with a super turnout of over 40 people in attendance at both gatherings. I would like to thank those who people who came, it was very uplifting for me to see so many faces again, old and new. Unfortunately the December Christmas social was cancelled by the Canal & River Trust with only 24 hours notice due to damage caused to the I by Storm Arwen and I hope that through social media and many phone calls later that no one actually turned up. Also the January social was also cancelled due to the Government’s “Plan B2 being in place and the committee decided that the risk was too great to go ahead with that event However the socials are set to start again on February 8th, full details of the remaining programme are detailed below. They will also be available on the IWA website. I very much hope that you will be able to join us for these 3 events as it will be an opportunity for members to get together again after the long winter nights as the days grow longer. The main news to bring you is that the branch is looking to celebrate the 250 th Anniversary of the Chester Canal in 2022 over the weekend of 29th to 31st July 2022. This is still in the early days of planning and the event will be held at Tower Wharf Basin, Chester with a limit of 50 boats. Entertainment and refreshments will be available throughout the weekend, details of which will be published as details are firmed up so please keep an eye on the website. Also please see the separate article in this edition of Packetboat
Best Wishes
Jim Forkin Branch Chairman ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Branch Programme for the remainder of the season. 8th February 2022 - Ian Wilson a lifetime liveaboard in his narrow boat Pavo - talks on the history and heritage of the Shropshire Union Canal from Barbridge to Ellesmere Port. 8th March 2022 - Branch AGM. Afterwards a Talk by Steve Wood of the Caldon and Uttoxeter Canal Trust. 12th April 2022 – Ken Pye, Managing Director of Discover Liverpool, talks on the maritime heritage of Liverpool and the massive construction of its docks making it for a time the worlds biggest port.
Chester to Celebrate 250 Years of Waterway Heritage Dozens of Boats Will be Gathering to Support IWA Campaign on Dee Branch Chester, recently confirmed with the status of the UK’s first Inland Heritage Port, is to celebrate the beginning of the Chester Canal by Act of Parliament 250 years ago in 1772 with an Inland Waterways Association (IWA) organised campaigning gathering on the weekend of July 29th to 31st 2022. The event will be based in the very centre of the City of Chester around Tower Wharf with ready access to all the facilities and attractions of this major tourist attraction. Organisers at the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) Chester and Merseyside branch are planning for some 50 canalboats to make the journey from across the canal network along the Shropshire Union Canal from towns such as Ellesmere Port, Middlewich, Nantwich and possibly as far as the Potteries and Manchester. The event, open to the public, is also planned to highlight the continuing closure of the Dee Branch which gives access for vessels to the tidal River Dee and the sea which has been closed to navigation for 10 years. Planning is ongoing and to make the event a great day out for boaters as well as the public, trade stalls and boats will be there along with a BBQ stand, ice cream and musical entertainment. Several canal societies are expected to have exhibitions with experts on hand to answer questions whilst there will be a special event for children. The canal, designed to carry broad beam barges, linked Chester to the Cheshire town of Nantwich opening for business in 1779.The venture had a very shaky beginning as trade failed to develop sufficiently and a costly lock collapse at Beeston almost saw its complete demise in 1787. However eventually the canal was linked to the national network particularly when the Shropshire Union Canal arrived in Nantwich from the Midlands and a link to the Potteries via Middlewich brought more trade. Profitable and well managed it was to survive the end of long distance commercial carrying in 1958 in time for the boom in leisure boating , towpath walking and angling. Jim Forkin (IWA Chairman, Chester and Merseyside Branch) said “The Chester Canal, like the rest of the network, now serves many purposes from boating to a “green corridor” for both the well being of much of the population and wildlife. Its heritage is incredible and deserves to be celebrated and promoted to the public at large. However, we must not forget that there are still sections of the network that through lack of funds, C&RT are neglecting and not maintaining and for that reason we are highlighting the issue of the Dee Branch” Public access is free and the organisers want to see as many families as possible enjoying the event. The entry fee for visiting leisure vessels is £10 and for further details please contact Geoff Gittus at 4 Cirencester Avenue, Greasby, Wirral CH49 2QW.Commercial enquiries would also be welcome.
The “Danny” Presentation Team on Course for Another Great Year Following on from their record year in 2021 when the team at the steam ship Daniel Adamson (“The Danny”), completed a record 56 presentations all across England and Wales, 2022 has started with an incredible order book already. In January, at the start of their year they had already secured 22 bookings with more enquiries to follow. One of the reasons for their success was the introduction of internet Zoom presentations as covid restrictions prevented many live events and this meant that audiences as far away as Tenby, Southampton and Ipswich could be tempted to book a talk. The presenters currently offer two talks each lasting 45/50minutes; one of which tells the unique story of the steamship “Danny” whilst the other presentation follows the history of the Manchester Ship Canal. The success of Zoom has persuaded organisers at the “Danny” to retain this option even though many new bookings are for live presentations. Zoom presentations have the advantages of being able to speak to audiences many hundreds of miles away and the organisers do not need to pay for room hire. Larger audiences can be accommodated with one booking in Sheffield having an estimated 240in the audience. Professionalism is at the heart of this success from the very first receipt of an enquiry to the delivery of the talk and contacts where necessary afterwards. As a minimum two presenters attend every booking arriving at least 1 hour before the start time to ensure everything is in order for a good event . The largest customer is the University of the Third Age (U3A) but history societies , transport groups, Women`s Institute and retired business associations such as Probus are increasingly requesting talks. Jim Forkin (Opposite page) Chairman IWA Chester and Merseyside said “The success of this group exemplifies the great interest the public at large have in our waterway heritage. The waterway movement already has some groups who are getting the message out there and hopefully more groups will see this example and tell their story to the world at large.”
Exciting New Programme Announced Steam Ship “Danny” in 2022 Sutton Weaver Wharf on A56 to be main base. The 117year old steam ship “Daniel Adamson” or the “Danny” as she is better known will be returning to cruising beginning in April with exciting new themed cruises and routes set to delight all interests and tastes. Naturally, and by popular demand, the gin cruises are featured heavily show casing the produce of a Nantwich distillery but both real ale and cheese and wine events have been added to the programme. New cruises have been added taking visitors into places they cannot normally go and one in particular attracts attention when the “Danny” will cruise into Garston Docks a formerly Railway Company owned dock still trading today. The majority of cruises will be on the Weaver and with the dredging programme carried out by C&RT, Anderton Boat lift is included as a destination. The main base will once again be Sutton Weaver Wharf and at weekends when not in steam or hired privately she will be open to tours from visitors at the wharf. The car parking is free although it can be limited on popular weekends. Expert volunteer guides are on duty giving tours of the vessel Admission is free although donations are requested towards her upkeep. Hot beverages, snacks and a limited range of alcoholic drinks are available . Formerly the corporate hospitality ship for the directors of the Manchester Ship Canal she was used to promote the use of the canal to the rich and powerful including royalty until 1984. Lovingly restored with grants from National heritage Lottery, WREN landfill taxes and many more generous supporters she is now in the condition she was in 1936. See the “Daniel Adamson” website for full details
The Inland Waterways Association Chester and Merseyside Branch Notice is hereby given that the thirty-sixth Annual General Meeting of the Chester & Merseyside Branch of the Inland Waterways Association Will be held on Tuesday 8th March 2022 At 7.45pm at the Cafe, Ellesmere Port Boat Museum CW65 4FW
AGENDA 1. Apologies for absence 2. Approval of the minutes of the 35th AGM 3. Matters arising 4. Chairman’s report for the year 2021 5. Presentation of Accounts 6. Adoption of the Accounts 7. Notice of Committee size
The committee size is 16.
7.1 Currently 6 of those are corresponding members, not active 7.2 Three members of the committee are up for re-election — Geoff Gittus ,Ian Short, Vera Short & Jeanne Smith and they have all indicated their willingness to continue. 8. Election to fill vacancies on the Committee - are there any volunteers who would like to come on the committee Short forum after the AGM; - Are there any matters that members would like the committee address and consider. (Items that members wish to raise at this point should have been sent to the Chairman by 1st March 2022) However questions will be taken by the Chair)
The meeting will be followed by the talk postponed from our Christmas Social by Steve Wood from the Caldon and Uttoxeter Canal Trust about the history, heritage, and progress of the canal and their restoration.
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
Easy Countryside and Waterways Walks
This is the view of the footpath between the West Kirby Marine Boating lake on the left, and the Dee estuary on the right.
The view above will be enjoyed by walkers on the February walk over Caldy Hill. Our walks are organised on the middle Sunday morning of every month from September to May. Everyone drives themselves to the car park at the start of the walk which will be up to five miles long and over easy walking ground - except for the occasional muddy bits in winter; and there are sometimes stiles to climb. Most of the group are from Chester and a few are waterways folk, but most are not experienced walkers so the pace of the walks is quite slow. More often than not the walks include a path alongside a waterway, sometimes navigable and sometimes an estuary or a lake. Everyone books into a walk and places are reserved for members of our branch. To book a place just reply to the email sent to you from head office about the next walk, or send your request to derek.smith@waterways.org.uk. Derek Smith ~ walks organiser
The Anderton Lift Copied from Cheshire Life.….The lift is a popular visitor attraction and is a feat of engineering as well as being distinctive due to its great height. A series of events, organised by the lift visitor’s centre are taking place to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the restoration of the Anderton Boat Lift, near Northwich. They kick off with two winter works public open days on the weekend of February 26 and 27, when engineers will give a glimpse on the challenge of keeping the lift in good working order. Visitors will be given a chance to peek at the lift's complex mechanism and check out the work in progress as the gate seals are replaced on one of the caissons - the giant tanks which are used to transport boats up and down the lift. The 20th anniversary of the first boat passage following the restoration in 2002 will be celebrated on March 26 with public celebrations on site, and regular boat trips will resume for the summer season on April 1. Ani Sutton, the destinations and attractions manager at the Anderton Lift, told Cheshire Life: "over the next two years, the black iron structure needs repainting, the control system upgrading and the hydraulic ram cylinders, which support the two caissons, potentially need remedial work. We are still awaiting specialist engineering reports. These will help the Trust to assess exactly what needs to be done, in the least obtrusive way. However the long term plan is to start a major upgrade and repair programme, probably in 2023, to ensure the lift continues to be in good condition to welcome boaters and visitors for many decades to come.”
Editor’s Musings Finally, we seem to be coming to the end of the long Covid restrictions and we are hopeful that this boating year can go ahead as planned. We have lots of exciting events to attend around the country, which includes the 250th Anniversary of the opening of the Chester Canal here in Chester. The celebrations will be held over the weekend of 29th/31st July in Chester Basin and we are expecting about 50 boats to attend from far and wide. This will include our own Wilderness trailboat Olive, which fingers crossed, we can launch straight into the basin from its trailer, providing we can access the slipway. This is made difficult at the moment as whoever planned the pavement left us with a very high kerb, making it very difficult to launch from our low trailer and of course there will be others wanting to bring their trail boats from across the country to join the celebrations. However, Canal and River Trust assure us that they will be able to provide suitable access to the slipway, which was rebuilt specifically for launching trailer boats. Apart from that little problem we should also be able to visit festivals from other areas and are looking forward to meeting up with fellow boaters. The first event for us, will be the Moira Festival, which takes place on the Ashby Canal Northern Reaches (on the Derbyshire/Leicestershire border) over the weekend of 21st/ 22nd May. This will be the first time we will be able to attend for 2 years, so it will be great to actually be able to join our other trail boating friends and exchange our stories of their ‘Lockdown’ boating years. Jeanne Smith