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Nothing printed in Waterways may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless stated, otherwise IWA accepts no liability for any matter in the magazine. Although every care is taken with advertising matters no responsibility whatsoever can be accepted for any matter advertised. Where a photo credit includes a note such as CC-BY-SA, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence; full details at www.creativecommons.org
P5 Welcome
From our National Chair, Mike Wills
P6 News
Round-up of all the happenings at IWA and beyond
P10 canalway cavalcade
Coverage of this year’s popular event
P14 campaign update
The latest news on IWA’s campaign to fund our waterways
P16 boat user survey
Your opinions on the state of our waterways
P18 wRg
Autumn update
P20 Profile - Jonathan mosse
Campaigner and Sustainable Boating Group member
P22 HVO
Hydrotreated vegetable oil – the alternative to diesel fuel?
P24 moorings
Improvements at Stoke Bardolph
P26 Photo competition launch
Your chance to share your best pics
P30 reservoirs
Why they are vital for our future
P32 tom and sonia ROlt
The legacy of the couple who helped put our waterways back on the map 10 32 20 22
S E v EN REAS o NS WHY Yo UR
MEMBERSHIP C o NTRIBUTI o N IS v ITAL
1. Your voice is counted when IWA speaks up for all those who enjoy the country’s canals and rivers
2. IWA lobbies national and local government and works with other organisations to repair, improve and protect our waterways heritage
3. Restoration is kept high priority through IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group
4. IWA campaigns to defend the waterways from unwelcome development
5. IWA branch Canal Clean-ups keep many waterways clear of rubbish
6. over 10,000 days of volunteering each year will be supported with the right training, tools and materials
7. IWA provides training in traditional and worksite skills for the waterway restoration sector
Robbie Cumming appears to have reached out to the hearts and minds of many people not otherwise involved in the waterways with his TV series Canal Boat Diaries. Indeed, several people have told me that they see him as a great ambassador for publicising the delights of travelling through the canal system. In the first episode of his latest series, he explained to viewers that he was a ’continuous cruiser’. This description, along with the related ‘residential boater’, seems to raise so many problems, or maybe raise so many hackles, within the waterways community.
Should IWA avoid controversy? Should we simply ignore the existence of what has become a significant group of people and boats, particularly around London? Do we need a settled position and, if so, how should we bring together so many diverse views? I pose these questions without offering an answer at present. There are many within IWA who have a far greater knowledge and understanding than me of the history and challenges of this situation. I hope to encourage discussions with organisations who have an interest in
residential boating, and I hope that we can all learn something from each other. I do believe, however, that a campaigning organisation like IWA should not be afraid to face up to current challenges and it must adapt to the reality of what is happening on our waterways.
Inevitably the question of funding remains a key problem for the waterways. We will always challenge government, local authorities and other bodies to provide sufficient funds to ensure that we can achieve the many advantages the waterways offer to us all. Society gains so much from the environmental, health, community and many other benefits derived from a flourishing canal and river system. Our lead role in Fund Britain’s Waterways has helped to publicise these funding requirements but we need to do more. Perhaps we have encouraged those with power and influence over funding to listen but, at the time of writing, there was no indication that they would be providing the necessary money. Our campaigning zeal has never been needed more.
Our AGM this year will be held at De Montfort University in Leicester and more details are included in this issue
(see page 7). It will be good to share our successes in restoration along with our campaigning achievements. It will also be nice to welcome as many members as possible to the event as it is an opportunity for us all to talk or, perhaps even better, to listen to each other. My hope is that having passed through a period of turbulence in the organisation we can now make rapid progress to improve our influence, enhance the maintenance and regeneration of our canal and river network, secure future development, and increase the enjoyment and well-being of all who have contact with the waterways.
EXETER SHIP CANAL POTENTIAL REPRIEVE FOR GABRIEL'S WHARF
IWA’s West Country Branch reports promising progress towards retaining the last commercial wharf on the Exeter Ship Canal. Gabriel’s Wharf has been threatened with closure and replacement with new-build housing as part of a much larger property development along the canal.
The branch, working with our Planning Advisory Panel and Freight Group, submitted various objections and recommendations to Exeter City Council following the 2023 submission of an outline planning application dealing with access issues for the Water Lane development. Our objections have supported informed lobbying by stakeholders on the ground.
The application showed a major residential development stretching for over half a mile, from just beyond the canal’s terminal basin to land near Salmonpool swing-bridge and the recently opened Marsh Barton railway station on the main line from Exeter to Plymouth.
Among much else, the planning application proposed eradicating Gabriel’s Wharf, replacing former maritime business premises with housing, and constructing a new swing-bridge across the canal in the Gabriel’s Wharf area.
The branch is pleased to report that, at the end of May 2024, an amended planning application made to the council retains Gabriel’s Wharf, extends the access road through to the wharf to allow for boat cranage and deletes the proposed swing-bridge across the canal. A slipway has also been added to the application, although its size and position has yet to be detailed.
Whilst there is no proposal within the amended planning application to fully reinstate the marine business premises, it does show the ground floor of the buildings facing Gabriel’s Wharf as designated for commercial purposes.
We welcome the proposed amendments, made in response to the objections so far by IWA, the Friends of Exeter Ship Canal and others, but they do not go far enough to resolve all the issues. This remains an early stage in the development process.
John Monks, chair of the Friends of Exeter Ship Canal (an IWA corporate member), said: “We propose to work with the developers rather than having to react after they have drawn up something. We are requesting that ongoing consultation and collaboration with stakeholders becomes a condition of the outline planning permission.”
Exeter Ship Canal is currently affected by two potential major property developments, this one for Water Lane and another at Haven Banks, adjoining the canal basin. The branch is monitoring the associated planning applications and will continue to make submissions that it believes threaten the full potential of the canal for leisure, transport, employment and the environment.
It is all too easy for commercial wharves on our canals and rivers to be closed and, so often, replaced by housing. IWA believes that every opportunity should be taken to resist such closures and, hence, the loss of wharves that should be retained for potential commercial use in the future.
VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT TO ACT AS IWA LEGAL ADVISORS
IWA is looking to appoint one or more Honorary Legal Advisors to assist IWA committees, other parts of the Association and waterway charities requiring legal advice on waterway matters. The advisor(s) could be either practising or retired solicitors or other legal professionals. The purpose of providing initial advice would either be:
(a) to assist organisations to identify the scope of an issue to be examined and to obtain a suitable source of detailed legal advice, or (b) to assist in routine matters, such as property conveyancing, drawing up licences and leases or an organisation’s legal structure.
Other areas where advice might be sought could include interpretation of legislation, wills and legacies, legal disputes, buying, owning, selling of boats, data protection, safeguarding and matters concerning employment, including volunteers.
Honorary Legal Advisors would not be expected to be conversant in all these areas, but possibly they might be covered by a panel with different specialisms. Practising solicitors might only wish to give, say, 30-minute initial consultations free of charge with any additional services provided by mutual agreement and charged at an IWA discounted price.
The Honorary Legal Advisors would be expected to operate within the strict ethical standards that apply to legal matters. If anyone is able to assist, or would like to discuss, please contact Neil Edwards. neil@waterways.org.uk
Gabriel’s Wharf alongside the Exeter Ship Canal.
IWA funds new visitor displays on the Grand Western Canal
The Grand Western Canal Visitor Centre now features two new video display screens, each offering a choice of several short film clips, including some spectacular bird’s-eye drone footage of the Canal Basin and horsedrawn barge.
Along the towpath, all 10 existing noticeboards are being replaced with smarter and more durable models. A further two noticeboards have been added in new locations. Seven of these new noticeboards are already in place, while the remaining five are on order and are due to be installed in the summer.
Within each noticeboard is a newly developed A2-sized information panel, each one packed with fascinating stories and images relating to the canal’s history, wildlife and management in the area near their location. They will also house maps, posters promoting canal events, information about recreational activities that can be enjoyed within the Country Park, and health and safety guidance.
IWA has provided £18,000 from its South West Inland Waterways Regeneration Fund to fund the purchase, wiring and installation of the new video screens, the design and production of the 12 information panels and the purchase of five new noticeboards.
Mid Devon District Council, through its Shared Prosperity Fund, provided £10,000 for the purchase of the five noticeboards currently on order.
Ray Alexander, Secretary of IWA’s South West Inland Waterway Regeneration Fund, said: “The association is very supportive of the Grand Western Country Park and the many benefits that it brings to both residents and tourists and is pleased to have provided funding to assist with the new noticeboards and information panels being installed along the canal; and also the new video screen displays in the visitor centre at the Canal Basin.”
HISTORIC LIGHTER RETURNS
Susan, the only surviving timber-built lighter from the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation, has been towed back to its place of origin following more than 14 years of renovation work instigated by IWA’s Chelmsford Branch.
The restoration commenced in 2010 at St Osyth Boatyard with a series of stages carried out as grant funding became available from many sources both locally and nationally together with help from volunteers.
With the specialist boat-building work now complete, Susan will be refitted with a Thorneycroft engine.
Susan was built in 1953 by R.J. Prior of Burnham-on-Crouch for Brown & Son timber merchants in Chelmsford to carry timber from Heybridge Basin to Chelmsford. Based on the design of the earlier horse-drawn lighters which from 1797 carried a variety of cargo between Chelmsford and the Blackwater Estuary, it was the only Chelmer & Blackwater lighter to be fitted with an inboard engine.
Susan is an important reminder of the Navigation’s industrial heritage and operation, and is included on the National Historic Ships Register.
Commercial traffic on the Navigation ceased in 1972. In 1976 IWA’s Chelmsford Branch stepped in to save Susan from being broken up. In the years that followed, Susan was owned by the Chelmer Lighter Preservation Society, Passmore Edwards Museum and Chelmsford Borough Council Museums Service.
In 2002 it was discovered that major repairs were required and in 2005 The Susan Trust was formed as a partnership of interested and experienced organisations, many of which had previously owned Susan. The aim of the trust was to acquire Susan and restore it to working condition for use as a trip-boat on the navigation.
A final stage for the project will provide a cover for Susan once funding has been secured. The vessel will be operated for public trips by volunteers. Susantrust.chessck.co.uk
Speakers sought
IWA has revised and updated its list of people who give talks and lectures about the inland waterways, with the new directory available online.
If you know anyone willing to talk about the inland waterways – canals and river navigations in general, or specialist subjects associated with the inland waterways – please tell them about our online Speakers Directory, and ask them to get in touch. Please send any updates or corrections to the information listed to speakers@waterways.org.uk. Please note that we need to hear from the speakers themselves that they are willing to be added to the listing. New speakers directory: https://waterways.org.uk/ about-us/speakers.
Grand Western Canal Noticeboards. Ray Alexander and Mark Baker, Devon County Council’s manager of the Country Park.
Anglian waterways isolated by closures
IWA is deeply concerned about the double effect of funding cuts and the recent prolonged extreme weather on access to and within the Anglian waterways.
Boaters were finally able to navigate to and from the Great Ouse from 10th June, now that the desilting works at Salter’s Lode, which did not start until 27th May, are complete. The impact of the long stoppage was keenly felt by local boatyards and hire boat companies, whose trade relies on the navigable connection and the effect had been compounded by other stoppages across the Anglian waterways.
The River Nene also opened fully on 1st June after winter works were delayed by the recent extreme weather and navigation on the Bedford Ouse was affected by the closure of Brownshill Lock due to failure of parts which needed to be fabricated, and only re-opened for the summer on 17th June.
Further upstream, the Cam Conservators have had to close both Bait’s Bite and Jesus Locks due to structural concerns, with no timescales yet available for their reopening. Brandon Lock on the Little Ouse is also closed until further notice due to siltation. A broken beam on the Northampton flight connecting the canal system to the River Nene further limits access to the region.
The Ely Ouse and the Middle Levels were isolated from one another for much longer than usual this year, and boats are still unable to get to the extremities of the Ely Ouse's tributaries at Cambridge or Brandon, or to the Upper Great Ouse.
Whiles the waterways are open either side of all these closures, the system has been fragmented for a long time with users prevented from accessing key facilities and services, and hireboats trapped.
Paula Syred from Fox Narrowboats said back in March: “Not only has half of our hire season been affected, we have also seen a major downturn in our workshop and slipway services as customers have had to cancel or reschedule their work, being unable to reach us. The only growth in business this year has been from boats being lifted onto lorries to escape the area."
Sue O’Hare, Chair of IWA’s Navigation Committee, said: “Combined with inadequate funding, issues such as these will only worsen as the impacts of climate change are increasingly felt. The Fund Britain’s Waterways group has come together to campaign to persuade national and local government to ensure that the benefits provided to the public by the waterways do not continue to be eroded.”
The Environment Agency was approached for a response but was unable to comment.
Disappointment over cancellation of popular canal festival
The popular Ware Boat Festival, which was due to take place over 5th to 7th July, had to be cancelled at the last minute due to a council closure order of the site due to safety concerns.
Run by IWA Lee & Stort Branch, the annual festival usually coincides with the Ware Festival, organised by Ware Town Council, but Hertfordshire County Council issued a closure order for a large section of the towpath on the River Lee through Ware, including the entire site on which the festival was to be held.
The closure is due to the state of the towpath being considered so dangerous as to constitute a danger to the public. Hertfordshire County Council has erected barriers at either end and entrances to the towpath to prevent public access, with trespassers liable to prosecution and a substantial fine.
The towpath has been in a poor state for many years, with volunteers from IWA Lee & Stort Branch usually spending a few days working to make things safe for the festival. But the towpath, which is a public right of way, was assessed by Hertfordshire County Council’s contractors, Ringway, which identified 40 serious and dangerous issues, each of which could have been enough on their own to issue the closure order.
Hertfordshire County Council says that the issues are so serious that they have no choice but to maintain the closure until substantial works are undertaken.
The cost of the works is estimated at hundreds of thousands, which Hertfordshire County Council will fund, as the highways authority, but only when it has the budget as it has been classified as a ‘complex’ issue for a specialist team. There is no timescale for the work.
IWA has asked for assurance that the work is completed before the 2025 festival, but this has not been forthcoming so far. The decision demonstrates a lack of communication, as there has been no consultation with the town council, Canal & River Trust or IWA.
Craig Haslam of IWA Lee & Stort Branch said: “This is a sad and disappointing day for our local boaters and the wider community of Ware after 20 years of staging this incredibly popular festival.
“We do not question the need for significant improvements. However, we feel this could have been achieved through a planned closure when footfall and river traffic are quieter, rather than electing for the blunt instrument of a full and immediate closure via a prohibition order which we believe is a disproportionate approach and was done with no consultation.”
The situation highlights the fragility of Britain’s inland waterways, and that it is not just boaters who are affected when the waterways are not funded and maintained adequately.
Ware Boat Festival 2019.
75th Anniversary of the 1950 IWA Festival of Boats & Arts
IWA Leicester Branch and local partners will host a celebratory waterways festival on 7th and 8th June 2025 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Boats & Arts held in Market Harborough in 1950.
The historic event was a huge success that became the benchmark for subsequent national waterways festivals. The rally was a tipping point in their campaign to prevent the loss of the inland waterways system and triggered the revival of Britain’s waterways.
Next year’s two-day festival will be hosted at Foxton, as Union Wharf at Market Harborough is now no longer a viable venue, being full of permanent moorings and a hire fleet base. However, there will be a colourful cavalcade of boats up the Harborough Arm on the Saturday of the event to create a visual link to the historic festival site.
The festival is being organised by the IWA Leicestershire Branch in partnership with Canal & River Trust, together with the Old Union Canal Society, Foxton Museum and Harborough District Council. Floating traders, historic narrowboats and private craft will be arranged on the main Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal above and below the staircase flight, with land-based activities and attractions, trading stalls, exhibitions, music and fast food all located in Canal & River Trust’s event field adjacent to the canal.
The event website iwaharborough75.org has full details of the festival. Leicestershire Branch would like to hear from anyone interested in volunteering to help, either in the planning and organisation of the event, or just over the weekend itself. Please contact Andrew Shephard, Chair of the branch at andrew.shephard@waterways.org.uk if you would like to help with the event.
Annual General Meeting 2024
IWA’s 65th Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday 28th September at 11.30am at De Montfort University in Leicester, Hugh Aston Building – The Newarke, Leicester LE2 7BY. Members will be able to attend the meeting remotely or in person. A link to the Zoom meeting will be provided. Please register in advance (www.waterways.org.uk/agm) whether you intend to attend in person or remotely. Welcome and registration will open from 10am, with refreshments available. From 10.30am there will be presentations on IWA’s strategic priorities before the start of the formal AGM at 11.30am.
There will be a break at 12 noon followed by a presentation of IWA National Awards at 12.15pm. A discussion on matters of current interest will follow, after the formal meeting has closed.
Lunch will be available at 1pm from the university café. If booked in advance by Friday 20th September, members will be provided with a £6 voucher towards the cost of lunch, which includes a choice of sandwiches, wraps, tea and coffee. Please advise on any special dietary requirements.
There will be plenty of time for networking and the opportunity to take part in a guided walk in the afternoon at about 1.45pm.
Harborough Rally 1950.
CANALWAY CAVALCADE ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF VISITORS
The IWA’s annual celebration of London waterways, held over the first May bank holiday, attracted visitors and boats from afar
Little Venice was once again transformed into a vibrant spectacle of colour and vitality as more than 100 boats arrived from far and wide, and visitors from all walks of life came together to share their passion for waterways.
The annual gathering attracted almost 10,000 visitors on the first day, with a similar number joining on an equally sunny day on Sunday. Even the torrential rain on the bank holiday Monday did little to dampen the buzz.
There really was something for everyone with narrowboats, both modern and historic, moored alongside wide-beam boats in the Pool. Continuous cruisers, liveaboards, and leisure boaters, local residents and those from further afield gathered to celebrate the waterways and highlight the importance of the theme of this year’s Cavalcade, Funding Britain’s Waterways.
The theme reflected the widespread recognition that what we know and love about the waterways network is under threat, with the government’s decision to curtail funding to the Canal & River Trust and the increased operational and inflationary demands on navigation authorities nationwide. It was encouraging to see many boaters proudly flying Fund Britain’s Waterways flags and sporting FBW banners on the sides of their boats.
The event was officially opened by the VIP party led by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Patricia McAllister, who was joined by Cllr Geoff Barraclough, Cabinet Member for Planning & Economic Development at Westminster City Council and Richard Parry, CEO of Canal & River Trust, along with our National Chair, Mike Wills, Libby Bradshaw, Ceremonial and Children’s Activities Manager for the event, and Paul Rodgers, Event Director and Chair of the organising committee.
The Lord Mayor welcomed everyone to the City of Westminster and thanked IWA for organising the event. Following brief speeches and a resounding round of applause from the thousands of visitors lining the towpath to thank the 100-plus volunteers who help put on the event, the Lord Mayor was invited to ring the bell to formally open the festival. This was echoed by cheers around the Pool, the ringing of bells and horns, and the start of the pageant.
The long weekend included a packed schedule, as always, with a unique selection of events and activities. Stallholders and food stands brought a variety of crafts and interest to the event, many being based locally to Little Venice. Particular highlights included many regular attendees such as hand-woven baskets made by WoodWoolWillow, Peruvian delights by Inkas Craft, Handmade by Janet, and our regular Candle Powered Victorian Steamboats. Visitors were treated to many delicious treats too, including the vibrant
Caribbean Hut, tasty Moroccan cuisine from Harissa & Lemon, and of course plenty of ice cream which proved to be popular whatever the weather.
As in previous years, we welcomed the ever-professional Jervis team and their real-ale bar which provided the perfect place to enjoy a break in the sunshine –and shelter during the rain.
One of the most popular destinations in Rembrandt Gardens was the Wild Over Waterways marquee, which offered a range of activities to keep the little ones entertained and spark their curiosity in the waterways.
Children and adults alike were entertained by whimsical performances from the Suitcase Circus aboard the Puppet Barge. Faces were being painted and there was plenty of learning and joviality in the marquee over the weekend. Sunday saw the return of the much-loved Teddy Bears’ picnic in the beautiful surrounds of the gardens while activities for older children and young people were led by the Pirate Castle from Camden, with paddle sports taking place across the weekend.
Cavalcade attracted boats and visitors from far and wide.
While the theme of this year’s event focused on the existential threat to the waterways nationally, the event also continued its tradition of engaging with the local community. One way of doing this is through the Schools Art Exhibition which featured a range of impressive art projects from local schools. The message that our waterways should be saved for the enjoyment of all came through loud and clear in the creative and collaborative efforts of younger canal fans.
This year’s Event Director, Paul Rodgers, who joined the organising committee for the first time this year, expressed his thanks to the team of volunteers without whom the event would not be possible. More than 100 volunteers helped both in the planning process and the hugely demanding logistical deployment on the ground. This included the experienced team from IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group, more commonly seen across the country supporting canal restoration projects, who transformed Little Venice and the surrounding area in the week before the event.
Collaboration with partners is also crucial to the success of the event with Canal & River Trust, Paddington Central and Westminster City Council taking the lead in a demonstration of what can be achieved when waterways charities, businesses, government, and the many supporters of the event come together.
This year the evenings brought a vibrant celebration of boating too. Friday night was the regular quiz, a packed tent for our annual Martin Ludgate extravaganza –raising nearly £100 from the raffle for IWA. Saturday night once again saw an open mic night in the bar, compered by Mark Saxon. On Sunday evening, Craig Haslam once again excelled as Master of Ceremonies for the Procession of Illuminated Boats, where the boaters covered their craft with as many lights as would fit to the delight of hundreds of spectators standing on the Horse Bridge and around the Pool. They thrilled everyone who saw their performances and we thank them so much for their participation.
On Monday afternoon, the awards were presented by John Edmonds, Vice President of IWA London Region.
The procession of illuminated boats.
Cavalcade award winners
MARCUS BOUDIER TROPHY
For the best decorated privately entered boat in Saturday’s themed Pageant, was awarded to Galatee owned by Simon Hodgkinson and Sarah LaBrasca of Slash Arts & Canal Dream CIC
THE RAY DUNFORD BUCKBY CAN TROPHY
For the best decorated boat entered by a waterway or community group: not awarded
THE CRUISE ELECTRIC TROPHY
For the best illuminated boat in Sunday evening’s Procession: Tros Yr Afon, steerer Phil Gaskell Runner-up: Galatee, owned by Simon Hodgkinson and Sarah LaBrasca of Slash Arts & Canal Dream CIC
THE GRAHAM CAPELIN AWARD
For the best entry by a boater who has not previously taken part in either the Saturday Pageant or Illuminated Boats: Purple Emperor, owned by Ian Marr
THE WESTMINSTER TROPHY
Donated by the City of Westminster for the winner of the Boat Handling Competition: Iquitos, steerer Mike Moore. Runner-up: Fulbourne, steerer Robin Hendley. 3rd place: Middlesex, steerer Tim Lewis
THE ROGER SQUIRES TROPHY
Presented by St Pancras Cruising Club in recognition of Roger’s 10 years as their Commodore, it is awarded to the best novice competitor in the Boat Handling Competition: Purple Emperor, steerer Ian Marr
THE MIKE STEVENS MEMORIAL TROPHY
Goes to the ‘Best Boat’ at Canalway Cavalcade, selected from all the boat entries at the event, it is awarded in recognition of Mike’s outstanding contribution to IWA and Canalway Cavalcade during his lifetime: Lion, owned by Michael Pinnock
THE IDLE WOMEN SHIELD
Sponsored by Jan Knox, proprietor of Canal Experience Training School, the shield was awarded to Thisuldo, steered by Charlotte Trimby. Runner-up: Badger, steered by Naomi Goldsmith. 3rd place: Free Bird, steered by Cath Jennings
THE VIC TROTT MEMORIAL TROPHY
Awarded for the best Boaters’ Sunday Best costume. It was awarded to Hannah Maude (Iquitos).
Mike Wills, IWA National Chair, underscored the value of members, volunteers and partners in the many activities that IWA is involved in, saying: “We need your help. If you have enjoyed your experience at Cavalcade, tell others about it. Financial support is also welcome so, in the spirit of our theme this year, please donate some money! Even more importantly, consider donating some time to IWA. There are opportunities to gain hands-on experience of waterway restoration, or maybe just to offer your experience, knowledge, and skills to the many areas in which we are engaged.”
Plans are already underway for next year’s Canalway Cavalcade which is planned for 3rd, 4th and 5th May and the team welcomes offers volunteers for both the planning committee and at next year’s event.
JOIN THE COMMITTEE
Do you love Canalway Cavalcade and would like to be a part of the team behind the scenes?
We are incredibly thankful for all of their hard work and dedication as a huge amount of effort goes into organising an event of this scale. We need to fill several vacancies on our organising committee.
There is already a good team in place but we need extra support to make sure no one is overloaded. Having the organising committee at full capacity will ensure that Canalway Cavalcade remains a really fun and interesting event to be involved with. All vacancies are voluntary roles. Meetings are held once a month on Zoom and become more frequent in the run-up to the event.
If you fancy getting involved, please contact us at cavalcade@waterways. org.uk with a short description of your experience and interests.
Mike Moore, winner of the boat handling competition
Proud winners Charlotte Trimby and Mike Moore
BEAUTIFUL BOATS BUILT TO LAST
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CAMPAIGNING WITH YOU
Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign
The unexpected announcement of the General Election focused many minds, including those of the Fund Britain’s Waterways steering group. A press release has been issued welcoming the opportuni to talk to a new government and reinforce the widely acknowledged benefits and the outstandingly good return on investment that our inland waterways provide, as well as the deterioration that has already started and the impact on business.
In the meantime activities to raise awareness continue around the country. Please support us in as many ways as you can – and do pass the message on to your iends, colleagues and other contacts.
Navigation Authority meetings
The notes om the meeting with CRT on 10th April are now available at fundbritainswaterways.org.uk, together with the video recording of the session. We are inviting other navigation authorities to participate in similar sessions and will announce them as soon as possible. FBW members will again have the opportuni to submit questions in advance and to watch a live stream of the meeting.
Ways to support
CONTACT YOUR NEW MP
All prospective candidates were sent copies of IWA’s Election Statement but now, with lots of new faces in Parliament, it’s important that we remind them how much their constituents value the waterways.
VOLUNTEER WITH FBW
FBW is seeking volunteers to assist with various aspects of the campaign including fundraising, publici and project management. Please visit fundbritainswaterways.org.uk to learn more or get in touch if you are interested in volunteering for any of the following roles:
• Social media
• Events
• Publici
• Fundraising
MEMBERSHIP
Despite the significant progress made in expanding the membership of Fund Britain’s Waterways to include more than 130 organisations, there is still a lot of work to be done. We rely on personal contacts and introductions so please email the FBW Membership Team if you are aware of any organisations that may wish to join: membership@ fundbritainswaterways.org.uk
Boats taking part in the second campaign cruise past the Houses of Parliament in May
MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND OF ACTION 4TH TO 6TH MAY
A range of events to highlight the impact of insufficient funding for Britain’s 5,000 miles of inland waterways were held over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend.
Events for the weekend of action took place across the country on waterways managed by different inland navigation authorities. It coincided with IWA’s annual Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice in London, which this year was themed on Fund Britain’s Waterways.
SECOND CAMPAIGN CRUISE PAST THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT 8TH MAY
Boaters attending IWA’s Canalway Cavalcade were invited to join the Campaign Cruise past the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday 8th May, as the culmination of the weekend of action. Parliamentarians were encouraged to view the event and express their support for the continued maintenance of the waterways to enable them to keep on delivering economic, environmental, health and well-being benefits.
A flotilla of 20 boats protested outside the Palace of Westminster to demand increased government support for canal and river navigation. The flotilla included narrowboats, commercial freight vessels, sea kayaks and privately owned narrowboats.
It really is heartening to see how many people were involved in events and how widely they were distributed, from Lancashire and Yorkshire in the North to London via the West and East Midlands and Norfolk.
Future events
Other events over summer where FBW will have a presence include:
• 3rd August: Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs’ 60th Gathering, Lichfield Canal Cruising Club
• 7th-8th September: Shardlow Festival
• 16th September: Wey River Festival, Guildford – IWA Guildford & Reading Branch stall to feature FBW
• 21st September: Oxford Canal Festival – IWA Guildford & Reading Branch stall to feature FBW
• 21st-22nd September: Tipton Canal Festival
• 5th-6th October: Banbury Canal Festival – IWA Guildford & Reading Branch stall to feature FBW
Please do support these events and, if you can help promote the FBW cause at any events you are involved in at any time throughout the year, please contact Hazel Owen: hazelowen.awcc@ outlook.com and 07929 204811.
CRICK BOAT SHOW
25th TO 27th may
The annual Crick Boat Show took place from 25th to 27th May and we were grateful to the organisers for supporting FBW by providing a well-located stand and a speaking slot, and by helping to promote the campaign. We were also exceedingly grateful to the FBW members who generously contributed their time and enthusiasm on the stand to talk to visitors, explain the campaign and encourage people to sign the petition. Despite the sometimes very wet conditions underfoot, the show was well attended and a great number of good conversations resulted. The Special Talk on FBW on the Saturday by Mike Wills (IWA National Chair) was also well received. Overall it was surprising to realise the low level of awareness of the funding situation of the waterways even among boaters, and all who were involved agreed it was a very worthwhile exercise. Coinciding with the Crick Boat Show were the Tall Ships Festival in Gloucester and the BCN Society’s annual Marathon Challenge. FBW was also well represented at both of these events.
BCN Marathon Challenge.
Boaters' user experience survey
Your opinions on the state of the waterways
To support the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign, IWA’s Navigation Commi ee decided it would be useful to get the views of boaters about the current state of the inland waterways in astructure.
The commi ee initiated a survey of boaters’ cruising experiences in 2023: in essence how it was for them and how the condition of the system impacted on the enjoyment of their cruising or indeed the abili to complete their planned routes in the time available.
The survey was completed during March by 726 boaters and has since been assessed and discussed by Navigation Commi ee and Trustees. The full results are available on the website.
Although there were opportunities for boaters to note specific problems that they experienced while cruising, the main purpose was to gain a general snapshot of the total system. Boaters were encouraged to share both positive and negative experiences, highlighting instances such as e ciently resolved stoppages.
This has provided us with a useful indication of the system now but will also act as a benchmark that we can return to in future should funding decrease. As with the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign, the responses are not specifically identified to any one navigation authori although boaters were asked to give an indication of their main cruising areas.
Information about you as a boater (1202 Responses)
In general, the results do not indicate a good state of waterways condition, with 56% reporting them rather worse than previous years and 79% indicating a deterioration during the time that they have been boating. Approximately half of the respondents reported that the condition of the waterways’ in astructure had impacted in some way on their cruising plans.
The survey captures the impact of various aspects of the condition of our waterways:
• The general depth of the waterways channel
• Vegetation management on both towpath and o -side
• Mooring
• Service facilities
• Maintenance priorities
One section asked boaters how their experiences would influence their future cruising plans. This is particularly significant as there are concerns that less cruising is being undertaken, particularly to some more challenging waterways.
Some 28% of respondents had cruised less than 100 lock/miles (miles plus locks passed) in 2023. Positively, 59% said that their experiences of the system would not deter them om undertaking future cruising plans, which perhaps shows the resilience of boaters.
The remaining 41% indicated that their experience in 2023 would impact on their future cruising plans in various ways, om not visiting certain areas again to giving up boating totally.
■ You are a boat owner 82% (587)
■ You have a shared ownership boat 9% (65)
■ You are a boat hirer 9% (63)
■ You have a home mooring on a canal 42% (298)
■ You have a home mooring on a river 8% (59)
■ You are a continuous cruiser 15% (110)
■ You boat with a trail-boat or portable cra such as a canoe 3% (20)
Results of the survey have been shared with navigation authorities and other agencies. Overall they provide a useful indicator that the current state of the inland waterways in astructure is far om ideal and requires additional funding rather than the potential long-term reduction.
Full data is at eeonlinesurveys.com/ r/8HitoqCq.
Navigation problems
vegetAtIon overgroWth: There are widespread complaints about vegetation overgrowing from both sides of the canal, particularly on the off-side, which obstructs navigation channels and creates blind spots. It obstructs visibility, narrows the channel, and makes passing other boats difficult. It can also make it challenging to find suitable mooring spots. There is a safety risk when boaters cannot see the ground they are stepping onto. Additionally, mooring bollards are often hidden by vegetation, posing a tripping hazard.
MAIntenAnce Issues: There is a general consensus that maintenance of waterways, towpaths, and bridges is inadequate. Grass and vegetation along towpaths are often left uncut, creating obstacles for pedestrians and cyclists. Locks and lock landing areas may be overgrown, making disembarking dangerous. Fallen trees and debris are sometimes left uncleared, obstructing navigation and causing delays.
envIronMentAl concerns: While there is recognition of the need to balance boaters’ needs with environmental conservation, there is frustration that environmental considerations seem to prioritise cost-cutting over maintaining navigable waterways. Some mention the “veg pledge” to cut to the edge for visibility but note that it’s not consistently followed.
sAfety concerns: Overhanging branches, obscured sight lines, and hazardous conditions around locks pose safety risks to boaters. Instances of injuries or near misses are mentioned due to poor maintenance and vegetation overgrowth.
sPecIfIc cAnAl Issues: Several canals are mentioned for their specific challenges, including the Coventry Canal, Staffs & Worcester Canal, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, and Oxford Canal. Issues such as excessive reed growth, lack of maintenance, and narrowing of the navigation channel are highlighted on these waterways.
Mooring situation
MoorIng AvAIlAbIlIty And overstAyIng: There is a significant issue with boats overstaying their welcome on visitor moorings, preventing others from accessing these spaces. Some mooring spots are blocked by permanently moored boats. Many continuous cruisers seem to occupy prime mooring spots for extended periods, reducing overall availability. Additionally, some areas lack sufficient mooring spaces, leading to congestion and frustration among boaters, especially in popular areas like Little Venice and Hertford. Limited access to disabled moorings and poorly maintained towpaths create challenges for disabled boaters.
InfrAstructure And MAIntenAnce: Problems related to infrastructure and maintenance include shallow depths at mooring locations, poor towpath conditions making it unsafe to disembark, missing or insufficient mooring rings or pilings, and overgrown vegetation obstructing access to mooring points. Lack of dredging exacerbates shallow water issues, particularly on certain canals and rivers.
AntI-socIAl behAvIour And sAfety concerns: Boaters report incidents of anti-social behaviour, including vandalism, verbal abuse, and intimidation by individuals on towpaths. There are also safety concerns related to unruly youths, reckless cyclists, and the presence of substance abusers along waterways. regulAtIon And enforceMent: There is dissatisfaction with the enforcement of mooring regulations, with many boats overstaying their permitted time limits without consequence. Unlicensed and illegal liveaboards occupy some visitor moorings, contributing to overcrowding and congestion. Enforcement of mooring regulations varies between different waterway authorities and regions. Spaces could be managed more effectively.
AccessIbIlIty And AMenItIes: Lack of accessibility to mooring locations, particularly in urban areas or popular tourist spots, is highlighted as an issue. Limited facilities, such as rubbish disposal points and charging stations, also contribute to boaters’ dissatisfaction with certain mooring sites. Boaters face security risks, including theft and vandalism, especially in isolated or poorly lit areas.
locAl coMMunIty InterActIons: Interactions with local residents, especially those living near the waterways, can be contentious, with complaints of verbal abuse, threats, and hostility towards boaters. There are also instances of conflicts arising from competing land uses or perceptions of ownership of waterway spaces.
PlAnnIng And InforMAtIon: Some boaters express frustration at the lack of clear information regarding mooring restrictions or available facilities at specific locations. Planning ahead and pre-booking moorings is recommended to ensure a hassle-free experience.
Specific problems
• Lengthy closures of locks at Wigan and on the Rochdale Canal.
• Power outages at Thames Locks.
• Toddbrook Reservoir reconstruction and ongoing maintenance closures at Bosley Locks exacerbated water shortages and navigation challenges.
• Could not visit the Eastern end of the Peak Forest due to a bridge problem.
• Llangollen lift-bridges often very heavy to operate, causing strain to the shoulder
• Wigan flight closure and re-closure.
• Vale Royal Lock, River Weaver prolonged stoppage.
• No signage to alert Foulridge tunnel users that there’s no traffic light system or times to go through the tunnel.
• The volunteers at Foxton flight were brilliant in their assistance.
• Rodley Swing Bridge has a ridiculous mechanism which needs to be replaced (Leeds & Liverpool).
• Couldn’t get a lift-bridge to raise without help on the south Oxford. Also, couldn’t get water levels to balance going through Dukes Cut on to the Thames.
• Bruce tunnel draught insufficient.
• Islington tunnel congestion.
• Difficulty navigating the Droitwich Barge Canal, particularly clearance under the M5.
• Depth of water on the south Oxford Canal from Napton top lock to Fenny Compton due to years of silting and Ashby and Coventry Canals in particular.
• Some locks, particularly on the Stratford Canal, had very difficult paddles and gates didn’t open completely.
• The failure of Woodnook lock completely ruined my planned holiday and has shaken my confidence in planning future cruises.
• Had to time my use of bridges on the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal due to volunteers not being available.
• Lock 68 at Llangynidr is badly damaged, but CRT won’t fix it for three more years due to their 25year life requirements.
• Kennet & Avon: Some locks required additional manpower to open and are generally in a very poor state of repair
• Closure of the Hanwell flight.
• Water levels on the Basingstoke Canal.
• Suggestion that CRT should be more proactive instead of reactive which could avoid a lot of the failures.
Waterways Recovery Group autumn update
Restoration conference 2024
The 2024 Annual Waterways Restoration Conference was held in the Creative Hub at Northampton University, attracting more than 100 delegates, on a sunny Saturday in April. The event, jointly organised by IWA and Canal & River Trust, was opened by Julie Sharman (Chief Operating Officer at CRT). This year’s theme focused on inclusion, collaboration, training, skills and sustainable planning.
Keynote speakers included Eoin Harris of CRT who spoke on the topic of environmental constraints and opportunities in restoration projects. Eoin’s presentation inspired some thoughtful actions that trusts and societies can take to ensure that their projects comply with legislation and take advantage of any opportunities created by their development work.
Eoin was followed by Mark Bevan and Francis Holden of Kuso Construction, which specialises in temporary works, and they were able to provide clarity on the topic and explain some of the basic lower-level tasks that are involved in temporary works. During the presentation, they provided examples of how people often fail to meet standards and the consequences of these standards not being met. A lively Q&A session ensued after their talk.
The final speaker of the afternoon was Mike Palmer of IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group who spoke of the importance of real skills training in the practical activities undertaken by restoration groups. He also explained where and how the organisations can help and support them. Mike mentioned the new Practical Restoration Handbook which is due to be launched, and explained other ways that IWA/WRG aim to lead on best practice within the inland waterways restoration sector. During the presentation, George Rogers of Chesterfield Canal Trust gave attendees a glimpse of what might be in store for next year’s Canal Camps. He is working closely with the sites team, and they are starting to talk to any group who may be interested in the possibility of holding a camp at their site in 2025.
Delegates also had the opportunity to participate in two of the following workshops:
• MENTAl AND PHySICAl CHAllENGES IN RESTORATION vOlUNTEERING – Claire Cavender (Buckingham Canal Society) and Jenny Hodson (IWA)
• CREATING CAPACITy FOR RESTORATION – Chris Madge (Derby & Sandiacre Canal Trust), George Rogers (Chesterfield Canal Trust), Terry Cavender (Buckingham Canal Society), and the IWA Restoration Hub High level Panel
• DIvERSIFyING yOUR vOlUNTEER BASE – Jenny Hodson (IWA) and Darren Starling (CRT)
• CAMPAIGN AND MEMBERSHIP MANAGEMENT WITHIN A SMAll TEAM – lisa Mant (Cotswold Canals Trust)
This year, rather than a post-conference tour of a local restoration project, attendees took part in a walk around the local area during lunchtime which was led by John Pomfret. It also involved a display by members of CRT’s hydrology team who demonstrated their flume tank. After the walk, delegates watched a webinar and youTube footage from the Angling Trust on invasive species clearance and also had time to network and share best practice tips with one another.
Attendees then enjoyed a brief update on the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign followed by a closing speech by IWA National Chair, Mike Wills.
We would like to thank Paul Rodgers for his excellent compering of the event, the wonderful volunteers on the reception desk and in the car park, IWA Northampton Branch for their overall support, and Terry Cavender from Buckingham Canal Society for his support in the buildup to the event. Also thank you to everyone who attended on the day. We hope you got as much out of it as we, the organisers, did. We look forward to seeing you again next year at a new venue, with fresh topics inspired by the restoration field. Dates, venues and topics will be decided as soon as the team have had a chance to review the feedback from this year’s event and your suggestions for future ones.
WRG Training Weekend
18th-19th May – Lichfield
A successful training weekend was held at Lichfield on 18th-19th May. WRG was pleased to return to the same site, Lichfield Fosseway, for another year, welcomed again by the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. The weekend proved to be an ideal opportuni for anyone a ending a Canal Camp this year, especially where specific skills have been identified by the leaders, or for all the volunteers who felt they needed re esher sessions in priori areas for this summer’s Canal Camps, such as site tools and bricklaying, dumpers and excavators, vans and trailers, and telehandlers.
Leadership Teams Day 1st June – Rowington
Another valuable training opportuni , the Leadership Teams Day was held at Rowington on Saturday 1st June, this time entirely dedicated to WRG leaders, assistant leaders and cooks, in particular to those commi ed to this year’s canal camps. All sorts of ma ers relevant to running safe, happy and successful camps were discussed, including essential changes in legislation, health and safe ma ers, and how to develop and support motivation within volunteer teams. The training, strongly encouraged by WRG, is crucial to increase awareness of mandatory ma ers, and to make sure Leadership Teams are fully prepared and able to make informed choices on site in di ering circumstances.
Summer Canal Camps season about to start Now that volunteers and Leadership Teams have upskilled/had their re eshers, everything seems to be ready for the start of the summer WRG Canal Camps season. This year, volunteers will support 10 di erent canal restoration projects and undertake a range of work over 17 weeks om the end of June.
Works include laying 950m of towpath on the Wey & Arun Canal using dumpers and excavators, and creating a flood storage compensation area by the River Erewash on the Cromford Canal. Three camps this summer will be dedicated to complete the rebuilding of John Robinson Lock, following six successful weeks of Canal Camps in 2023. There are still brickwork repairs, coping stone reinstatement, lock ladder installation and landscaping to be done – before moving to work on the nearby Dock Lock.
On the Lichfield Canal, for two weeks volunteers will be constructing the bases for a new li -bridge to carry an existing footpath over the restored canal. At Louth the work will follow on om WRG’s successful Canal Camp in 2023, continuing the repair and restoration of the walls of the lock. At Lapal, volunteers will complete the task WRG began during last year’s Canal Camp, building an access ramp connecting an original brick bridge to the towpath.
On the Cotswold Canals, another two weeks will be dedicated to building a new concrete channel to carry the canal over the culvert by the rebuilt Weymoor Bridge, including formwork, reinforcement and casting the concrete. The Canal Camp which marks the end of the season – although more projects may be added towards the end of the year – is at Coombeswood, where 100m of trees and dense scrub om the bed of the abandoned length of the Dudley No 2 Canal will be cleared by volunteers.
Although almost all camps were fully booked days a er the 2024 programme became live back in December 2023, there are still a few spaces for any latecomers. Please contact enquiries@wrg.org.uk for further details.
Learning to drive a dumper truck on a training weekend, Lichfield Fosseway Heath.
Last year’s work on the Louth Canal.
MICHAEL LILLIMAN
Clearing debris the towpath on the Wey & Arun canal.
Green & kEen
Nicholson Guide author, environmentalist and boater Jonathan Mosse talks about his passion for our waterways and what we can do to protect the environment.
What prompted your fascination with our waterways?
I’ve been involved with boats forever. I did a lot of dinghy sailing at school, I built canoes and taught sailing. Once I stopped being a hippy and started looking to do something serious, I trained as a farm manager and then went into lecturing in land-based industries. One strand of that job was focusing on personal development skills, and I had the bright idea of putting my students on a narrowboat for a week. It ticked every single box. We block-booked 20 hire-boats at a time, in March, and this happened annually for about five or six years. There were a few dodgy moments but we generally had a good time, and I got hooked on narrow boating as a result.
What was your first boat?
I subsequently bought the shell of a 60ft boat with an engine. I was living down in Devon at the time and we couldn’t get it through the narrow lanes on a lorry, so we put it in on the sea, basically, at a boatyard in the mouth of the Tamar. Making my way upstream to safe moorings – along 12 miles of very agitated tidal water – was an experience! Thereafter ensued a very happy 18 months when any gap in my day job found me banging away, reluctantly disturbing the peace of the boat’s beautiful new home. I was later given my very own mud berth – a 60ft x 10ft slot in the bank excavated by a local farmer.
You've compiled Nicholson's Guides for more than 35 years. How did that begin?
Yes, the guides have been going for 55 years which is quite an achievement in the publishing world. I met David Perrott, who is most readily associated with Nicholson’s Guides, through my brother back in 1989. Knowing my involvement with the inland waterways, he invited both of us to the opening of a new extension to his pottery in west Wales. David admitted that he was beginning to find authoring the books on his own a somewhat lonely experience. I was commissioned to help him and borrowed a sit-up-and-beg bicycle, before setting off from Bath to Reading along what had been reinstated of the towpath of the Kennet & Avon Canal. As restoration was just reaching completion, this was a new entry for the Southern edition of the guides and a baptism of fire for me. When my copy made it into the book I was hooked and soon upgraded to a mountain bike, ready to take on all waterway comers.
It must have been challenging?
Looking back it was totally mad. We used to update all nine guides every three years, all at the same time. About 15 years ago the decision was taken to update three guides every year, so I spend seven months doing that. I start when the towpaths are accessible (not too muddy) in April.
How do you research the guides?
Using a boat is commercially not viable so I do a load of crowd sourcing for the boating angle. I have a few regular contributors cruising the system who inform me of the boating detail. I used to cycle all the navigations except the new additions where cycling is too quick so I walk any new waterways we are including I go through the waterways press every morning, and do other online research. I have a correction file which I’m constantly adding to. I can’t remember now which canals I’ve walked or boated or cycled. It’s all blurred over the years. But I have, in one form or another, covered every inch of the waterways.
You've no doubt seen changes over the years. what in your opinion is the current state of our waterways?
As we are probably all aware, deteriorating. We can’t go on like this without some form of rationalisation. Even with previous levels of DEFRA funding we can’t keep pace with the effects of climate change along with a historic system that is 250 years old.
Jonathan on the Grand Union at Stockton and (below left) under instruction steering Clyde Puffer Vic 32.
the guides have become less boater-centric, and now cater for other users such as cyclists,walkers and Paddlers…
Yes. Some years ago we extended the guides to include sections for other users such as walkers and cyclists – that’s always been my rationale. In recent years we have included a paddling section. If we had the numbers to hand we would find that there are more people enjoying the waterways on a paddle-board, canoe or kayak than on steel narrow boats. Boaters are minimal users really in terms of numbers but let’s just say that this is not reflected in current thinking at the moment.
Does the IWA have a role for these groups?
Yes, but it has to be meaningful and relevant for the 2020s. When it was conceived almost 80 years ago it did a brilliant job to change what were muddy ditches that had commercial elements and to recognise that they had leisure potential. That was realised probably 20-30 years ago.
What is your current role in IWA?
I am the IWA lead in Scotland, the equivalent of a regional chair. I represent Scotland on Navigational Commi ee. I represent boating that comes under Sco ish Canals, which is responsible for 140 miles of navigable waterways in Scotland.
I am very involved with IWA’s Sustainable Boating Group which was set up about four years ago to promote ‘green’ boating. One of the first things we did was to identi HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) as a transition fuel. We can keep our diesel engines running on this without polluting the planet.
Is there much take up with HVO?
The main problems are availabili and price, which is very volatile – it will always be more expensive than mineral diesel. I am a member of a group that is lobbying the Government to get a more a ordable and accessible source of HVO across the inland waterways. It is particularly di cult to get hold of up here in Scotland. I use around 1,200 litres of HVO a year. I have to either go fetch it or have it sent up on a pallet. At the moment the ‘lumpy water’ boaters are discriminated against because they don’t get the subsidy that inland waterways users do. But we are working on it. We keep banging away until we are successful.
Another thing that Sustainable Boating Group is doing is to look at other areas of sustainabili . There are about eight of us om across the country who have quite extensive experience of sustainable boating. It is very active. We meet up around once a month with a Zoom meeting and do about half a dozen visits a year to sustainable boat builders. I have been living ogrid for a year now and doing a lot of trials on o -grid boating, recording data and pu ing it out there.
How do you find living off-grid?
I have had the same boat for 25 years. It is covered in solar panels which provide 100 per cent of my power needs and I also supply another boat for nine months of the year. The energy is stored in lithium ba eries which don’t take up much space compared with lead acid equivalents. They are horrendously expensive though. In fact, I’ve decided to sink my savings into ba eries. I am still trying to find a way to break this to my daughters that their inheritance will be ba eries.
So how can other boaters become greener?
A good start is to go onto the IWA website (www.waterways. org.uk/campaigns/sustainable-boating). There is a tremendous amount of information there, including a lot of data which we share with other boaters.
How do you like to spend your spare time?
I am also involved with IWA Freight Group which promotes commercial activi on the waterways. If I get a chance I like to go out on a tug or barge on the Thames or crew on aggregate barges in the North East. Transporting eight on our waterways is an obvious way to go, environmentally, because a barge burns about a fi h of the fuel per tonne compared with a lorry. But there is no political will at the moment due to road transport interests and developers wanting to build houses and o ces on wharf sites.
RIGHT: Part of a flotilla on the Forth & Clyde, where Jonathan has been a liveaboard for 15 years.
Sustainable Boating Group actively promotes greener boating with the use of HVO and solar panels.
HVO campaign update
IWA’s Sustainable Boating Group member Jonathan Mosse reports on the HVO Joint Working Group meeting in May
One of IWA’s Sustainable Boating Group’s objectives is to promote the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). Not only is HVO 90% carbon neutral, its polluting nitrogen oxides and particulate emissions are substantially reduced, so there are significant health benefits where water-borne traffic interfaces with dense populations. However, so far, as we have reported over the past few years, its use and distribution are hindered by tax complexity.
Not only is HVO 90% carbon neutral, its polluting nitrogen oxides and particulate emissions are substantially reduced
The Sustainable Boating Group aims to make ‘subsidised’ HVO readily available, at an affordable price to all recreational boaters and not just limited to the inland waterways (Category A, B and non-tidal Category C waters, as designated by Marine Shipping Notice No 137) as is currently the case. Currently craft operating in tidal waters cannot benefit from Road Transport Fuel Certificates (RTFCs), two of which are applied to every litre of HVO sold to qualifying craft. Their value varies but they are currently worth 17p each, so a litre of HVO effectively attracts a ‘subsidy’ of 34p.
Price volatility is a real concern and does nothing to encourage boatyards and marinas to stock the fuel. In early April, the wholesale price of HVO was only 12p (12%) greater than gas oil (red diesel) per litre, but by early May that differential was more like 50%. This is believed to be largely down to
Historic working boat Spey using HVO.
fluctuations in commodity markets as fuel prices themselves vary, alongside the raw materials (or feedstock) which are quite separately governed by the agricultural commodity market.
Manipulating the value of an RTFC would, in theory, represent a government ‘device’ for controlling this volatility but with their current low value there is limited room for (pricing) manoeuvre.
Manipulating the value of an RTFC would, in theory, represent a government ‘device’ for controlling this volatility but with their current low value there is limited room for (pricing) manoeuvre. Two years ago an RTFC was worth 42p so, with an effective subsidy of 84p on each litre of HVO sold, there was ample room to make an external impact. Those in the fuel industry are therefore suggesting that the time has come to revisit Hydrocarbon Oil Duties Act 1979 – the Act that laid down our current fuel duty mechanisms.
The HVO Joint Working Group is currently building a case for RTFC application to all recreational boating around demonstrating that the consumption of diesel fuel (and, potentially, HVO should it be made affordable) is extremely small and will therefore have little effect on revenue
for HMRC. In addition, we are pointing out that this sector has few other alternatives to decarbonising as the biofuels allocated to both the Coastal and Deep Sea Maritime sectors are inappropriate for recreational boat users. Furthermore, the seagoing recreational sector depends upon reliable fuelling of their diesel engines, which may still have a long life ahead of them, making scrapping an environmentally undesirable, unrealistic and expensive option. The emphasis on ‘reliable’ is a reference to problems with ‘diesel bug’ (and associated mechanical issues) exacerbated by the FAME ((fatty acid methyl ester) content of mineral diesel on sale in marinas and boatyards.
Supplier
HVO in the UK is currently supplied by Neste and made in Rotterdam. It is shipped to Stanlow (supplying Crown Oil and its agents and subsidiaries) and to Dagenham from where it is distributed by Certas. It has been mooted that, with the refinery element of Grangemouth closing down, Neste (or one of its competitors) should be encouraged to establish a UK HVO manufacturing plant on the site. Planning permission has already been granted for a plant producing green hydrogen (created by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity), so the key ingredient will soon be available to generate 100% carbon-neutral HVO.
Finally, taking the bigger picture, the limiting of RTFC eligibility to vessels plying Category A, B and non-tidal Category C waters is having a negative environmental impact on commercial carrying on the inland waterways, where many craft are transporting bulk cargoes, on tidal rivers into UK towns and cities, where air quality is at a premium. The rivers Thames and Medway are good examples as, indeed, could be the rivers Clyde and Tay.
The Department for Transport has told IWA that it intends to put out a Call for Evidence around maritime biofuel use, but as yet the department has offered no timescales. To this end, the group’s energies are predominantly focused on establishing usage data and general fact-gathering in the belief that further, individual approaches to the department will only be referred to this upcoming consultation process.
IWA saves moorings
The former dilapidated visitor moorings at Stoke Bardolph on the River Trent have been improved in an IWA project with the support of Severn Trent Water. Story and photos by Robert Aspey
There have always been moorings of a fashion for commercial barges stopping at the Ferry Boat Inn en route up or down the River Trent. The inn dates om 1823.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, the moorings and associated concrete slipway were maintained by a local sailing club based on the river, but when the sailing club ceased operation at the site just over 40 years ago, the timber and concrete moorings fell into disrepair with only ad hoc repairs carried out by local boaters.
There was a foot ferry across the river by the moorings, to Shelford on the opposite bank. The ferry ceased operation in the 1950s, but the steps and slipway either side are still present.
The ferry is an ancient one, being referred to as far back as 1275 when it ‘yielded a mark yearly’.
With a shortage of visitor moorings on the River Trent, local boaters om the Facebook group ‘Visitor Moorings on the River Trent & Associated Waterways’, led by Robert Aspey (now IWA No inghamshire Trent Group Moorings O cer), met on site in 2018 to see what could be done to repair these dilapidated visitor moorings. They were in a dangerous condition with many planks missing om the fixed timber pontoon, only one mooring ring still present, and overgrowth over the whole site.
When contacted, Canal & River Trust and the brewery that owned the Ferry Boat Inn said they did not know who owned the moorings. Eventually, Severn Trent Water was tracked down as the owner of the
improvements
With some financial help for materials om Severn Trent Water, IWA and the Boating Association, the following improvements have been carried out over the past four years:
• All the missing planks replaced
• The whole site cleared of overgrowth and self-seeded trees
• New mooring rings secured into the timber pontoon and concrete hardstanding moorings
• Access steps installed
• The two benches repaired
• Safe signage fied
• Two dropdown bollards installed to restrict access to the slipway at the behest of Severn Trent Water
• The river dredged along the edge of the moorings
Planks being replaced on the moorings at Stoke Bardolph.
advice
At low water levels, the depth alongside the moorings varies between 2ft at the upstream end to 3ft 6in at the downstream end, but quickly deepens away from the edge of the moorings into the river. However, the river level can rise dramatically with its huge catchment area. Heavy rain in the Southern Pennines and Birmingham all finds its way down the Trent. With the moorings being fixed, boaters need to keep their mooring lines loose and never leave their boat unattended for more than a few hours in case the river level rises.
Facilities for boaters
• The visitor moorings are free to use at your own risk for a maximum of 48 hours
• The Ferry Boat Inn welcomes visiting boaters
• Plenty of free car parking at the site
• The nearest shops are a mile away at Burton Joyce
• The site has public grassed areas on the bankside with attractive views across the river
freehold. One of its managers agreed to meet the group on site and thanked them for pointing out the poor state of the timber moorings, as the water company would have been liable for any accidents
Severn Trent Water informed the group that the moorings were on a section of leased land, but no one currently held the lease. In order to secure future use of the moorings for boaters, IWA entered into negotiations to secure the lease. This was concluded on 2nd May.
Now IWA holds the lease, there are additional improvements to undertake, such as additional dredging and signage.
IWA will maintain the site, so additional volunteers are always welcome. Please post your interest on the Facebook group ‘Visitor Moorings on the River Trent & Associated Waterways’, or contact Robert Aspey via IWA Head Office.
Boats moored at Stoke Bardolph.
Stoke Bardolph moorings from the river.
2024 2024 Photography competition launched
We are pleased to announce that our 2024 Photography Competition is now open. Photography helps to bring our campaigns to life. It also ensures that as much of our income as possible is used to protect and restore our waterways. By entering our photography competition, you can expect to see your imagery used across our campaign and communication materials. Photography competition category winners will receive £25 to spend in our online shop, plus IWA goodies. The overall winner will also receive a print of their photo. To enter the photography competition, please send your photos by email, Dropbox link, WeTransfer or other preferred file sharing service to entries@waterways.org.uk. Please include the location, waterway and chosen category for your photo entries within the email.
This year’s categories include:
Wintery Waterways: think snowy scenes and festive photos! This seasonal category is an opportuni to submit photos you’ve taken in the wintertime.
Paddler's Paradise: this category celebrates the wide varie of paddlesports which can be enjoyed on our waterways – om paddleboarding and kayaking to canoeing and rowing.
Fun By The Water: the waterways provide us with a great deal of enjoyment and fun for all ages! In this category, photographs should depict people having fun by the water.
TOP: Working Waterways – overall winner 2023 Baswich on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal Nigel Essery
above: Urban Wildlife River Wear Taha Tariq
right: Protect Our Waterways
Hat factory at Atherstone
Marilyn Farmer
below: People of the Waterways
Locking into teamwork at Milby Lock, Boroughbridge Mervin Straughan
Nature Meets
Navigation: om canals cu ing through the countryside to native wildflowers blooming on the towpath, photos should reflect a link between nature and navigation.
Entries are limited to 30 photographs per person and images must depict navigable waterways. Please visit our website for more terms and conditions: waterways.org.uk/photo.
Code X152 Marple, Peak Forest
Photo by Nicola Turner
Code X150 New Mills, Peak Forest Photo by Victor Gibbons
Code X146 Bridge 75, Milton Keynes Photo by Roger Agnew
Code X155 Crookham Swing Bridge Photo by Roger Cansdale
Code X156 Oakridge Park Photo by Roger Agnew
Code X145 Winter Cruising (Audlem) Original painting by Dave Gardham
Code X151 Fulbourne, Stre on Photo by Tim Lewis
Code X107 Packet House Original painting by Dave Gardham
Reservoirs and the future of the waterways
Amy Tillson takes a look at these crucial and often overlooked infrastructures that are vital to the waterways
Reservoirs are vital to the waterways, and in the past few years the cost of maintaining them to a safe standard has been in sharp focus following the partial failure of the spillway at Toddbrook Reservoir and consequent evacuation of 1,500 local residents. Reservoirs are a crucial but perhaps overlooked aspect of canal infrastructure. They are often sited some way from the canals themselves and many of us are unaware of which canals are supplied by which reservoirs until there are issues that impact their operation.
Canal reservoirs represent only a small fraction of the total number of reservoirs
in the country. Alongside their importance for maintaining water supplies for drinking, industry, agriculture and navigation, reservoirs have many other benefits. With climate change causing more frequent extreme weather events, reservoirs help mitigate the risk of flooding by controlling water flow during heavy rainfall, thereby protecting communities and infrastructure downstream. They provide habitats for a wide range of wildlife, supporting biodiversity. Reservoirs also contribute to maintaining water quality by acting as sediment traps and reducing pollution levels in downstream water bodies. They offer venues for recreational activities
With climate change causing more frequent extreme weather events, reservoirs help mitigate the risk of flooding by controlling water flow during heavy rainfall, thereby protecting communities and infrastructure downstream.
such as boating, fishing and birdwatching. They enhance the attractiveness of the areas around them, boosting local tourism and the economy.
The UK has 2,092 reservoirs but 273 of these supply 90% of the country’s water requirements. Reservoirs in England and Wales are covered by the Reservoirs Act 1975 which means their owners and operators have to work to strict conditions set by the Act to ensure high levels of safety. The Environment Agency, as the regulator, ensures that they follow the legal safety requirements. In Scotland reservoirs are regulated under the Reservoirs (Scotland) Act 2011, and Northern Ireland by the Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015.
The Canal & River Trust is therefore legally responsible for the maintenance of its 71 reservoirs, which are some of the oldest in the country, and among the oldest of their type in the world. The partial failure of the spillway at the CRT-owned Toddbrook Reservoir in August 2019 had significant implications for reservoir management and policy nationwide. The incident exposed vulnerabilities in reservoir infrastructure and prompted a nationwide reassessment of safety standards, management practices and regulatory frameworks.
Toddbrook Reservoir. Rupe R t Smedley
Consequently CRT is currently going through a significant programme of investment in its reservoirs to ensure it stays resilient to climate change and complies with the strict legislation that applies to all large reservoirs. Over the past three years, it has spent over £40m on reservoir works, with annual spend forecast to remain around £25m for the next few years. Between now and 2026, works at over 30 reservoirs are planned. In some instances, the nature of the work required means that there will be a reduction in water level until the work is complete – meaning there will be less water than normal available to feed navigation.
The scale and cost of work being carried out are huge – £20m per year is just under half the government grant and also half of CRT’s infrastructure spend, but the work is legally required and can’t be avoided. CRT has said that the spend on reservoirs may decrease to 20% of its infrastructure spend by 2028 but is unlikely to go lower in the foreseeable future. This, of course, impacts the funds available for maintenance of the waterways themselves, and crucially spending at this level wasn’t anticipated when the government grant agreement for CRT was put together. Pleas to government for special funding for reservoir costs have not produced any result.
A proposed reservoir in the Fens
In East Anglia two major new reservoirs are planned: in South Lincolnshire and in the Cambridgeshire Fenland. The Boston to Peterborough Wetland Corridor group has been involved in development of the South Lincolnshire reservoir proposals, in particular making the case that open water transfer of raw water to the reservoir should be the preferred option. The Fens Reservoir has the potential to offer navigation opportunities between the Great Ouse and the Middle Level, creating a link that does not involve a tidal crossing (which has been impassable for much of the last year due to heavy siltation). IWA has been engaging with consultation processes of both these reservoirs, and will continue to advocate for open water transfer and waterway restoration.
Scottish Canals manages 19 reservoirs and intends to invest £3m in reservoir improvements over the next five years. No new reservoirs for drinking water have been built in England for the past 32 years, but changes to the planning system to streamline the building of large national infrastructure projects and concerns about climate change are beginning to reverse that trend.
Several large new reservoirs are now in the planning stages and will be vital to ensuring the country’s water security in the future. The UK will need to build as many as 30 new reservoirs in the future to protect the country from water shortages, which could provide opportunities for both restoration and potential new waterway links.
IWA has been engaged with the consultation process for these as water security is also crucial to keeping the canals open. While this year has seen higher than usual rainfall, the past few summers have been drier and there were many stoppages around the canal system as a result. There are also opportunities for the projects to benefit navigation by building and restoring waterways, as part of wider water storage and transfer infrastructure.
One of the key aspects we continue to campaign for is the benefits of using open water transfer instead of pipelines, for wildlife, active transport and recreation and well as navigation.
Brent Reservoir drained for maintenance.
IWA and Tom And Sonia Rolt Inspirator and Vice-President
John Fletcher addressed the joint Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust and Keele Universi Conference
LTC – Rolt Life, Work, Legacy, marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Tom Rolt.
When my first wife died while I was IWA’s National Chairman (2002-2008), a former National Chairman wrote in her obituary: “As is so o en the case in voluntary organisations, the Fletchers were a bargain – two for the price of one…” and the same could be said of the Rolt partnership, only in their case the bargain perhaps involved less concurrency.
Within IWA it is taken as a given that the Association was jointly founded by Tom Rolt and Robert Aickman. The two men were very di erent strong personalities and had di erent aspirations for the future of the waterways, but Tom did not spend long in a governance role. The ri was well known, but the interpretation seemed to depend on which side of the ri observers were at the time. Few were dispassionate about the contributions that were made by each.
Tom had spent some time cruising the waterways before the war then with his first wife, Angela. Two brothers, Major Crick Grundy and one-time Recorder of the Ci of Liverpool Martin Grundy, cruised with their parents on the Llangollen Canal om 1939. In 1948, the family met the Rolts in a futile a empt to reach the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, across which the brothers had canoed in 1944. In 1949 the Grundy family crossed the aqueduct with Tom Rolt on board. This was not to be Martin’s only connection with the Rolt family. As a holiday job, he worked delivering converted boats, and then he persuaded George and Sonia Smith (as she then was) to let him help with deliveries by boat. Sonia had been a wartime ‘Idle Woman’ working on the Grand Union Canal and had subsequently married boater George, and they a ended IWA’s first festival of boating at Market Harborough.
Tom had wri en Narrow Boat, and it was published the year I was born – 1944. Robert Aickman read the book and that resulted in Robert meeting Tom and Angela at the top of Tardebigge locks on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, the year following publication.
In that sense we can say that Tom was a founder of IWA, because he wrote the book which instigated the meeting at which the decision was made to form IWA. Aickman became the first chairman and Rolt the first secretary.
Founders usually steer their organisation for a long time, because it is ‘their baby’, but by the time I was seven in 1951, I met Tom not knowing who he was, and not on the waterways. He was a guard on the Talyllyn Railway and sold me my ticket and looked a er me on a short solo journey om Abergynolwyn to Dolgoch. By then Angela Rolt and George Smith had separated, and Tom and Sonia were living in a caravan close to the railway.
Crick Grundy, who had been a signatory to the Memorandum and Articles of Association of IWA but been away in the army om 1949 to 1953, had sight of correspondence between Tom and Crick’s father early in 1951 about Tom’s feelings about IWA, which he drew comparisons with the volunteers on the Talyllyn Railway. In 2010, Crick wrote to me asking if I would endeavour to give more weight to Aickman’s contribution to the founding and he enclosed photocopies of the le ers om Tom.
Crick pointed out that by December 1950 Tom had parted company with IWA “…whether by being expelled or resigning I am not entirely clear”. Crick said that his father was iendly with Tom and Angela and had corresponded extensively with Tom over the internal disagreements within the Association in 1950. His parents were not intimately involved in the row, but as iends, they tended to support Tom Rolt.
Crick went on: “Tom was the inspiration behind the formation of IWA in that had he not wri en Narrow Boat, Robert would not have suggested to him the formation of an Association to safeguard the waterways. Certainly Tom must take credit for having provided the spark that lit the flame.
“In 1950 Robert proposed an alteration of the trust’s rules to incorporate that IWA should support the whole canal system and not just those waterways that were currently navigable, despite vociferous opposition om Tom and his supporters.”
Suggestion ridiculed
In a 9th January 1951 le er to Crick’s father, Tom ridiculed the suggestion that the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was worth saving, but he had been worried that if Robert did not get his own way he would resign and the task of running the waterways campaign would fall to him, which he would not accept. Tom departed, and Robert ran the campaign for another 15 years. Today the IWA still continues to support widespread waterway restoration.
Waterway Recovery Group was developed as a practical waterway restoration organisation. Initially at arm’s length om the formali of IWA, it became much more closely integrated, and although at the time Tom did not see the value of much restoration, I think he would have approved of their informali and work ethic, for reasons which are evident in his 1951 correspondence.
On 16th February Tom wrote that he believed that IWA should be run by a council and not by an individual leader, referring to the Talyllyn Railway which had recruited a first-class commi ee all doing their fair share.
Rolt’s first book The Inland Waterways of England sent tingles down my spine when I read it in 1974. It helped me see the then very neglected Leeds & Liverpool Canal as Tom might have seen it. The next year a copy of Narrow Boat was bought for me and I joined IWA.
For the Rolt centenary I wrote: “I suspect that only Tom would have been able to chronicle the history with eloquence and the eye of an engineer looking at the ongoing developments of the waterways that we all love, and so tenderly regret those aspects that have now gone forever, and which inspired him to write Narrow Boat. I am sure he would have forthrightly expressed his views when, through ignorance or malice on the part of those managing the waterways, elements of the fabric of the structure were deliberately demolished or replaced with little good reason.”
Waterways for leisure
Last year, I walked down the great flight of 21 locks in Wigan for the first time in 20 years and was appalled that there was hardly anything of the distinctive Leeds & Liverpool Canal architecture and engineering left.
At the beginning of the final chapter of The Inland Waterways of England, Rolt says he enjoys the remoteness of the waterways but recognises that they cannot be maintained in navigable order for a handful of enthusiasts. He says how inextricably linked canals are with other waterway courses and goes on to advocate the promotion of the use of waterways for leisure.
Publisher Charles Hadfield wrote on the dust jacket of a later edition: “In Narrow Boat and The Inland Waterways of England LTC Rolt gave us two books that will last as long as men and women love canals.”
And now to Sonia, who has had far less published and about whom less has been written. Sonia was appointed honorary Vice-President of IWA, and she resumed her campaigning for the continuance of our inland waterways in the early 1990s. She was offered her Vice Presidency on 14th December 1991.
Most of the then members of council are no longer with us, and I have been unable to ascertain the reasons for the invitation which, coupled with a website comment about “resumption of her campaigning”, leads me to suppose that it was either for her own background as an Idle Woman, and working boater, or for her relationship with Tom, and not because her then recent campaigning had attracted attention.
By the time I had become involved in the governance of IWA she was making regular appearances at events, and when I became a Trustee of The Waterways Trust, she often appeared at their events as well. TWT was set up to take over the lottery-funded canal restorations for which lottery funds had been applied for by local authorities who proved incapable of delivering them. This was a severe embarrassment to John Prescott, who combined being Deputy Prime Minister with the DETR portfolio. Within a few months the trust’s turnover exceeded £1m a week and quickly took over the running of the then three major national waterway museums and campaigned unsuccessfully
for national funding commensurate with their status, with Sonia as one of the lead campaigners.
I became national chairman of IWA in 2002 and, at most significant events, Sonia was there. It was not just her dazzling personality and her working knowledge of the waterways that came to the fore, but she also actively promoted Tom’s books.
Looking back, Sonia was like magic, evoking memories, whether of her own or of Tom. I cannot guess exactly why she had been appointed a VicePresident – whether she served in her own right or as a proxy for Tom. Certainly, her presence ensured that Tom’s contribution to the IWA was well-remembered. This is an abridged version of the original address.
below: Sonia Rolt (seated) at Chester branch Rolt rally
Sonia Smith at Market Harborough.
above: Idle women commemoration, Stoke bruerne (left to right): olga Kevelos, Sonia Rolt and emma Smith.
John Fletcher on the footplate of Tom Rolt engine at Talyllyn Railway.
