fuel for thought

© Roy Squire

The early days of IWA Canalway Cavalcade

19 1983 - First IWA

Canalway Cavalcade

IWA has been organising this annual event since 1983. Held at Little Venice over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, it combines a boating rally with stalls and activities. It continues to attract large crowds to London’s premier waterway location.

20 1988 - Norfolk &

Suffolk Broads Act

The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act was passed in 1988 after IWA and other waterway interests had fought a lengthy parliamentary battle to protect the interests of navigation in addition to conserving the natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage of the Broads. Previously, for all earlier National Parks, conservation took precedence over recreation interests under the Sandford Principle.

1990s

21 1990 - Reopening of the

Kennet & Avon Canal

Even from IWA’s formation in 1946, the Kennet & Avon Canal was recognised as under threat and an IWA Branch was formed in 1949 following a public meeting in Newbury. The British Transport Commission Bill of 1955 proposed its closure yet a strong IWA-influenced parliamentary lobby resulted in the defeat of the proposal in 1956. The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust was formed in 1962 and restoration started in 1963. The huge task of restoring the canal, by British Waterways, the Trust and local authorities, culminated in HM the Queen reopening the canal at Devizes on 8th August 1990. Conservation and navigation at Horsey Mere, Norfolk Broads

21

Sign inviting the public to help with restoration at Bath

Steam dredger Perseverance at work on the Basingstoke Canal in Hampshire

22

1991 - Reopening of the Basingstoke Canal

Still privately owned and in poor condition, the Basingstoke Canal was put up for sale in 1948. IWA organised a public meeting in Woking in 1949, at which a Basingstoke Canal Committee was formed. IWA had inadequate funds to bid for the canal and was pleased when a member of the Committee, Mrs. Marshall, said she was intending to bid, and would restore the canal if she was successful. She purchased the canal, but not on behalf of IWA. Little work was done on the canal and it deteriorated further, prompting IWA to produce a report on its condition and future in 1964. In 1966 a Brookwood resident, Jim Woolgar, organised a public meeting to force some action on the canal, and the Surrey & Hants Canal Society was formed. Campaigning for restoration included a protest cruise, publication of a restoration plan and IWA’s 1970 National Rally at Guildford. As a result, the canal was purchased by the county councils and volunteers played a significant part in the restoration, boosted by a 1977 working party at Deepcut of the Society and Waterway Recovery Group. It finally reopened in 1991. A well-crewed narrow boat BEN approaching Windmill End Junction on the Dudley No. 2 Canal on the Marathon Challenge in 1999

23 1960s to 1990s - Birmingham

Canal Navigations revival

IWA campaigned for the retention of the BCN system, much of which was threatened with ‘Remainder’ status in 1967. This included a 24-hour protest cruise in March 1968 and a conference at Birmingham University in July 1968, both organised by the Midlands Branch. The IWA National Rally was held in Birmingham in August 1969. Also in 1969, IWA co-operated with the Staffs & Worcester Canal Society to produce a cruising guide to the BCN, followed by IWA Birmingham Branch’s very detailed ‘Cruising and Walking Guide to the BCN’ in 1984. The competitive 24-hour Marathon Challenge was run by IWA annually from 1993 to 2002 (more recently run by the BCN Canal Society). These, along with annual BCN Clean Up weekends, all raised the profile of the BCN and ensured the survival of many less well-used sections.