Issue 17
The newsletter of South and North & East London Branches
Autumn 2017
Forty Years of IWA London Walks In this issue:
Local Campaigning Chairman's Reports Peruvian Navy Future Events London Socials London Walks Boat Licence Review Carpenters Road Lock River Wandle London Mooring Committee Members and Contact Details
Cover: London Walk led by
Roger Wilkinson
Photo – IWA London Region IWA chairman Paul Strudwick giving a £1000
donation from the region, mainly raised by London Walks, to Roy Chandler of Essex Waterways. This is going towards the cost of an outboard motor for the their recently rebuilt ex WRG work flat.
The Towpath Walks Society has celebrated 40 years of Walks, by crossing the Meridian. The Guided Walk on 18th June, around the East India Docks, past the Virginia Quay Memorial and Poplar Dock to West India Docks, started by crossing the Greenwich Meridian near East India DLR station. The cover picture also shows how seriously they take the Meridian here - the Line crosses the pavement, and continues up the wall of the block of flats! Dr. Michael Essex-Lopresti began these walks in June 1977. He had been on a walk which seemed to him to leave out a lot of information about the canals. He commented on this to the IWA, whose response was, ‘how about guiding a walk yourself ?’ So the first walk took place, along the towpath of the Regent’s Canal, from Camden to Little Venice. Dr Essex-Lopresti says, ‘We arranged walks on two Sunday afternoons and on two Tuesday evenings in 1977. The first three walks attracted some 30 participants but the fourth on a Sunday afternoon in September was attended by 115 walkers’. Nearly a thousand walks later the walks have guided nearly 16,000 customers and have raised over £43,000 for the IWA. IWA walks joined up with London Walks in 1993. Roger Wilkinson writes, ‘We now follow over twenty routes along the towpath or waterside between Denham, the Olympic Stadium, and Docklands. In 2016, we were finalists in the C & R T’s “Living Waterways Awards” competition. What do we find to talk about on these walks? All kinds of things – naturally, the history and operation of the canals and the people who built them; also, the customers of the canals, the interesting buildings, and some of the people who lived beside the canals; and a lot else as well.’ If you would like to come on one of the Walks, just turn up – no booking required. A list of future Walks is given later in this Meridian. 2
Boat Licence Review IWA Response CRT has commissioned Involve, an independent charity, to carry out a review of its boat licensing system. It hopes to gain support from a wide range of boaters and boating organisations to make changes to licensing by exploring new ideas. It is hoped that any new licensing arrangements will be easier to administer and will balance pricing and affordability. The second stage of CRT's consultation on licensing has just been completed with workshops being held across the country. Over 900 licence holders expressed an interest in attending these events which will help CRT formulate their charging structure for the future. Although it was planned that there would be 15 attendees at each one, the workshop held in Newark on 23rd May had 6 participants and the one in London on 20th June had 8 attendees. IWA is urging as many boaters as possible to take part in the third part of this exercise so a larger range of views are gathered and analysed before any decisions are taken. Further details of CRT's consultation can be found on their web page. IWA has responded to CRT's request for its views and a summary is given below: IWA expects whatever changes CRT decides to adopt to be revenue neutral at the point of implementation, but some of IWA’s suggestions would give an opportunity for CRT’s income from licensing to increase over time. Existing boat owners may be impacted in different ways and IWA suggests that changes should be implemented so as to minimise the impact of significant changes on individuals, e.g by phasing in of higher increases. IWA’s main suggestion is that licence fees should be based on a simple calculation based on the area of a boat and increased by an amount comparable to average mooring fees. There would then be significant discounts for boats with home moorings and boats that were genuinely continuously cruising, with a range of lesser discounts and multipliers for commercial and trading boats. IWA has made the following suggestions to CRT, with the expectation that CRT might adopt some of these suggestions rather than all of them: • Licence fees to be charged by area (length x beam) rather than just length. This would be fairer because it more accurately reflects the space the boat uses on the waterways. It also makes smaller boats more affordable to encourage young people and families to get afloat. • One licence should continue to cover all the connected CRT waterways, existing and future, to encourage people to travel the system as widely as possible. • Fees for licences could be significantly increased (to an amount that would be similar to paying for both a licence and a mooring at present). A substantial discount (back down to current licence fee levels) would then be available to boaters who pay mooring fees to CRT or third parties or are genuinely continuously cruising. Other discounts could continue to be available as now, eg for electric propulsion, historic boats, museum boats, towed butties and licences for short disconnected waterways. • Licences for the various categories of hire/commercial/trading boats would be subject to a multiplier of the private boat fee. • To encourage more people to discover inland boating, particularly younger people and families, licences for smaller powered and all unpowered boats need to remain inexpensive. Cheaper “starter” licences for the first year could be considered to encourage people to try boating.
3
• Short term visitor licences should continue to be available, for a variety of time periods, and IWA suggests that these should be charged pro-rata as if the boat had a home mooring with a fixed administration fee added. • Where reciprocal arrangements exist with neighbouring navigation authorities, these should be formalised and continued. • IWA supports a progressive increase to the distance that continuous cruisers are expected to travel annually to one that it considers more appropriate to that lifestyle. IWA suggests the following indicative figures, within seasonal and canal maintenance limitations: a significant distance per annum (eg 300 miles) a minimum range ‘start to maximum distance from start’ during the period of the licence (eg 100 miles) a minimum distance travelled per quarter (eg 60 miles). The mileage figures quoted are all suggested as indicative figures. All boats that are continuously cruising should be able to travel these distances without restrictions due to their size. • There is a clear and growing group of boaters who wish to adopt the residential boating lifestyle, but are unable or unwilling to find a residential mooring or comply with continuous cruising rules. IWA wants to see innovative options for providing reduced price facilities for these boaters (eg inexpensive new mooring sites), in parallel with continued enforcement of those not boating within the rules. IWA supports a proactive approach by navigation authorities to provide a range of affordable moorings for those who would prefer to take this option up, and any new licensing structure will need to accommodate this. IWA has previously made a number of suggestions about potential new mooring sites in the London area. • “Rivers only” licences should only be available to boats which due to their size are genuinely restricted to the river on which they are based. There should also be a proviso that boats issued with those licences could not declare themselves as continuously cruising. • Tracking devices are already used by owners to protect cars, motorbikes, cycles and other valuable items. This technology could be used by navigation authorities to provide valuable information on boat movements, asset utilisation, and compliance with mooring and travel guidelines. This could also improve the interactions of CRT and marina/ mooring owners on licensing. • IWA considers that any boat with a private pleasure licence must not be let out for monetary return in any situation. Anyone wishing to hire out their boat, or a room on their boat, should have a business licence/registration and approval from the relevant navigation authority, with the hire-boat level of boat safety examination and appropriate insurance. A new licensing structure can reinforce this. Any boat being licensed with the intention of being let out for residential use must have permanent moorings; such boats should not be eligible to be declared as “continuously cruising”
4
South London Branch Publicity Dear members and friends. I hope you had a lovely summer. Several members of the South London Branch have been out publicising the aims and objectives of our association at several waterway and community events around London. Our first event this year was when we took our Gazebo to Canalway Cavalcade and South London branch members ;Eric Garland and Gerard PrydeCoales ran the Waterways Game over the 3 day May Bank holiday festival, so a huge thanks to them for giving up their weekend. The other event we went to was Streatham Kite Day on Streatham Common on Sunday 14th May where Eric Garland, Gerard Pryde-Coales and I successfully ran the Waterways Game and sold some books & Maps from our sales stand. We had several members of the public who were interested in our stand, including one of the directors of The Canal & River Trust, one of our members and the mayor of Lambeth who stopped at our stand for information and advice. The photo below shows your publicity officer surrounded by a sea of Lucozade! because we had to run the game with non-alcoholic drinks at this event, but we still made a profit! So thanks again to Eric and Gerard.
South London Publicity Officer at Streatham Kite Day Photo - Shea Richardson
The South London branch are planning to take our Waterways game and Sales stand to Angel Canal Festival on 3rd September and Slough Canal Festival on 9th and 10th September, so if any of you can come and help us at these events, even if it’s only for an hour or two, please contact Lesley on Tel: 07787 372408. Our social meetings start up again on 13th September when Peter Woolhouse is giving a talk on the work of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) at The United Reformed Church Hall in East Croydon at 1930 for 2000, so l look forward to seeing some of our members and friends there. Lesley Pryde-Coales
5
Peruvian Navy Visit West India Dock
‘BAP Unión’ (not in West India Dock)
The ‘BAP Unión’, reportedly one of the largest sailing ships in the world, moored in West India Dock at the end of July. The ship was only built two years ago and, although a 4 mast sailing ship, it has a steel hull and can be screw driven with its powerful engine. Although described as a sail training vessel the ship, which has a total crew of about 250, has an ambassadorial role visiting countries around the world representing Peru.
IWA Campaign for Towpath to be re-opened on Bow Back Rivers CRT's recent announcement that Bow Back Rivers were open for business is not quite the full story as the towpath beside the City Mill River is at present blocked at one point by a brick wall. Strong representations have been made to CRT to resolve this matter so these London waterways can be enjoyed by all users. Apparently the towpath is currently the responsibility of Crossrail and IWA has been informed that Network Rail requires use of the towpath whilst work continues in the Pudding Mill area. IWA is asking interested parties to email CRT's London Waterways Manager to find out when this valuable resource can be open to all. Photo: City Mill River towpath used to emerge from a small arch in the left hand side of the brick wall, underneath Bazalgette's Northern Outfall Sewer. In the preparations for the 2012 Olympics, the main pedestrian approach ramp walkway was built (it cuts across the lower part of this photo, from the left) and the towpath was blocked. This will now need to be unblocked, and steps or a ramp made from the tunnel. 6
Meridian Water Development Enfield Left – Artists impression of the proposed waterside development on the River Lee Below – Aerial Map of the site which spans the North Circular Road
In March 2017, Enfield Council completed the purchase of the 2.1acre VOSA site – a redundant vehicle testing site. This brings the council ownership of a major part of this development site. The total Meridian Water regeneration area covers 210 acres, but this includes the rail lines, roads, waterways, green belt land and the current Tesco and Ikea stores. The total developable area is 136 acres and the Council now owns 87 acres (64%). The council have appointed Barratt housebuilders as private development partners. Construction work on the first homes will begin in 2018. By the end of Meridian Water’s 20-year programme, it is planned to have built 10,000 new homes together with commercial and industrial development. The Leader of Enfield Council said that the council are ‘absolutely committed to maximising the potential of Meridian Water and creating a beautiful new part of London, making full use of the water which runs through the site, its proximity to the Lee Valley Regional Park and the excellent transport connections by road and rail.’ IWA North and East London branch will watch developments with interest.
Region Funds Each year your region raises around £2000 from various sources the main ones being a donation from the profits from the London Walks organised by North and East London Branch and the London Region 200 Club. At this April’s Chelmsford Branch social I had the pleasure of handing over a £1000 donation from the Region, to Roy Chandler of Essex Waterways (one of our subsidiaries). This is going towards the cost of an outboard motor for their recently rebuilt ex WRG work flat. The work flat will help us continue to maintain the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation which runs through a largely unspoilt part of rural Essex and connects the county town of Chelmsford with the tidal estuary of the river Blackwater at Heybridge Basin The London Region 200 Club serves a dual role: it lets IWA members have a 'little flutter' with the chance of winning a cash lump sum. It also offers distribution of profits to the Region to further our work. If you would like to join there is more information on the website at https://www.waterways.org.uk/branches_regions/london/club200 Paul Strudwick 7
Region Chairperson's Column Next 3 Years Well, it looks like you are stuck with me as Region Chairman for another three years! Over the past six years, much of the London Region’s time, has been spent on trying to find solutions to the number of boats overstaying on moorings and not continuously cruising. Whilst this problem has not been solved, London Region has done all it can. The baton has been picked up by the Canal & River Trust (CRT). We still need to keep an eye on their progress; offer support when necessary, and make suggestions on how things could be improved, but there is little more we can do at the moment. The question that now needs to be addressed is, what can we do, in the next three years, to make IWA London Region more relevant to all waterway users in the capital? IWA’s purpose is for the public benefit to advocate the conservation use maintenance and development of the inland waterways of the British Isles ………. and promote their fullest use for appropriate commercial and recreational purposes. So, what should we be doing to deliver this in London? In my opinion, the first thing we need to do, is to make IWA London Region more relevant to waterway users. As you know I have long wanted IWA to engage more closely with the live-aboard boating community. There are other groups such as anglers, cyclists, rowing clubs and local residents where we have little idea what their views on the future of the London waterways are. The problem is, how do we do engage with boaters who are not IWA members and find out the views of the other users? The last region committee meeting, considered these questions and agreed that it was important to make IWA London Region more relevant to all waterway users in the capital. It was generally felt that initially we should concentrate on the boaters in the region. After a lively discussion it was agreed we would initially tackle five areas:* Residential Moorings Since producing A Proposal for Reducing Overstaying Boats in the London Area five years ago there has been little progress on establishing additional, small, residential mooring sites. It was agreed we should retake the initiative and produce a guide on how to establish a small residential mooring site. * Social Media. We should try and get more members to engage on social media especially on groups like “London Boaters”. We should think about how we can encourage people to be proud of being IWA members on social media. We have a new Facebook page to keep you informed of what is going on in the Region. Why not follow us on https://www.facebook.com/iwalondon/ * Local Guides. It was agreed that there was a need for local guidance to help people mooring in a new area for the first time find local facilities. We decided that we would try producing a leaflet that could be given out on the towpath and also accessible through the Facebook page. Ideally these could be self-financing through advertising for local businesses. It was agreed that Middlesex Branch would trial this concept for Perivale. * Education. It was believed that the average time that many people lived on board a boat in London was between 14 and 18 months. Concern was expressed that many of these people would leave with a jaundiced view of the waterways. One possible solution was to try and help people understand how to look after their boat better. There were several centres doing suitable 8
courses but could we help increase the number of places available? * Boaters Open Meeting. It was agreed to hold an open meeting in central London to help us get to understand better the needs of London Boaters and how IWA could support them. I hope this will take place in October. Details will be published on the London Region Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/iwalondon/. At the heart of any changes must be you the association’s members. Over the next few months I will be working with your local branch committee and the region committee to try and start to deliver some of these ideas. But we would love to have your views and ideas. How do you want to see your local branch and the London Region develop? Can you help us with any of the initiatives? Are there other things you think we should be doing and would you be prepared to lead these? One thing is certain with our small number of active members, we need to work smarter rather than harder. That raises questions like, is our branch structure the appropriate one for the 21st century? How do we increase our use of social media so that you feel more engaged in what we are doing? If you have any ideas please let your branch committee have them. Alternatively I am always pleased to hear from you. I might not always agree with everything you say but I will always take your ideas into account. In my opinion we need to change what we are doing, become more relevant to all waterway users; because, if we continue to do what we have always done we will always get what we have always got. In our case that is falling numbers of members and an erosion of our influence. Paul Strudwick Chair Person London Region The Inland Waterways Association paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk
New Flats Inside the Old Gasholder at Kings Cross by St Pancras Lock
9
Boat Owner’s Survey Boat Owners’ Survey shows increase in satisfaction - but not in London The Canal & River Trust’s latest Boat Owners’ Views Survey shows that boaters satisfaction with its waterways has increased in the past year together with the proportion of boaters who would recommend the charity’s waterways to others and the number who think that the upkeep of the waterways has continued to improve. In 2017’s survey 76% of the 1,160 respondents said they were happy with their cruising experience, up from 68% in 2016. The improving trend was also reflected in the numbers of boaters who would recommend the Trust’s waterways to others, which leapt from 69% in 2016 to 78% in this year’s survey. The survey, which was sent to a third of the Trust’s boat licence holders, was carried out by the independent research consultancy BDRC Continental in March and April 2017. It will be repeated each year with the aim of having contacted the majority of boaters on the Trust’s waters in each three-year cycle. The survey shows that there was some regional variation with boaters most satisfied in Wales & Borders and least satisfied in London, perhaps reflecting the influx of boats putting pressure on the Capital’s waterways. London was also the waterway where the fewest number of boaters would recommend the waterway to others – just 39%. Jon Horsfall, interim head of boating at Canal & River Trust, said: ‘This year it’s great to see that boaters are happier with how things are, and that they would recommend our waterways to others.’ He acknowledges, however, that, ‘the Boat Owners’ Views survey helps us identify where things aren’t going quite so well – for example in London where the growth in boating has put pressure on moorings and facilities.’ He hopes that, ‘the work underway to create a mooring strategy for London will help to address many of the concerns that boaters have there.’
Moored boats near Kings Cross last year. To view the problem of moored boats in London try a Google walk along the towpath (ed.) 10
The editor regrets that this issue of Meridian has come too late for the Wendover Arm Trust Grand Draw 2017 this year but we give a short update on work on the arm, restoration of which is being carried out by a dedicated team of volunteers, many of whom are IWA Branch members. They meet for seven days each month to continue restoring the route of the canal now working from Drayton Beauchamp towards Little Tring. This year the latest section of the canal has been profiled up to bridge 4. Pictures on the WAT website. The mechanical plant has moved operations past Whitehouses, where CRT and their contractors have carried out works on the pipework and sluice to direct the ‘excess’ water (! At some time following further re-watering!) to the reservoir. The volunteers have laid the reinforced concrete pipe capping. This is never seen again but is essential to protect the underground 18” saltglazed pipe which is nearing the end of it’s lifespan. It has been there over 100 years. The capping is up to bridge 4 and there is also the shifting vast amounts of spoil for the profiling of the canal, once the capping is completed. The CRT, together with WAT, have prepared and submitted an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a grant to use a contractor. The result of the application has been that the CRT have been very busy with the plans for a contractor to prepare and submit a quotation for restoration, but, there will be more paperwork for the second phase of the application. It is long process. Meanwhile, the volunteers regularly continue with the invaluable work. At Whitehouses, an archaeological investigation has been going on, prompted by CRT.
11
From North & East London Chairman, Tim Lewis The summer is normally a quiet time for campaigning as many of us are off boating and the works to the infrastructure await the winter stoppage season but it has not stopped the branch keeping an eye out on what is happening on the branch’s area waterways. Since the last edition we have had another successful Canalway Cavalcade and now look forward to the East London Waterways Festival over the August bank holiday. This revolves around the reopening of Carpenters Road Lock which will open up another loop through the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park along the Waterworks River and the previously restored City Mill Lock. We now are pressing Crossrail to open up a short section of towpath under their works to ensure walkers can get through to City Mill Lock and Stratford High Street. We continue to express concerns to CRT about the lack of visitor moorings for boaters wishing to visit the Capital and have encouraged the provision of bookable moorings. The ever increasing numbers of boats along the towpaths of the Capital’s canals is still causing major concern. Recently CRT press releases have been issued on the legalities of renting out boats. The branch has also expressed it’s concern at the duration of towpath closures in the Camden and Kings Cross area whilst repairs to walls by third parties are carried out. Anyone who has been out on the Thames Tideway recently cannot fail to notice the considerable construction activity that the Thames Tideway Tunnel has bought on. This combined with other projects, including in the Battersea area, has considerably increased the volume of commercial traffic which is likely to continue for years to come. September sees the recommencement of our social evenings and I encourage you to look at the listing and attend, we have some very interesting speakers and it is a good opportunity to meet up with like minded people. We continue to monitor planning applications affecting our waterways. A particular ‘hot spot’ is the area to the west of the River Lee opposite the Queen Elizabeth (Olympic) Park. The volume of new developments has required the construction of a new footbridge and the replacement of an existing one which is now too small for the amount af traffic using it. Talking of bridges the new footbridge below St Pancras Lock is now open and has dramatically increased the visitor numbers to Camley Street Natural Park. Staying on bridges you will most likely have seen reports that the River Thames Garden Bridge scheme has now been abandoned. A recent report about a possible floating church on the Lower River Lea has caused some concern about yet another mooring being permanently lost and has encouraged the IWA at national level to produce a briefing note on permanently moored structures on the waterways –this is available to see on the main IWA web site. A campaign by ourselves and others against the proposed changes to the visitor moorings at Limehouse basin continues. The above is only a snapshot of the work of your branch committee and I would like to thank all of them for the work that they put in. Should you would like to join the committee please do not hesitate to contact me. Tim Lewis, Chairman, North and East London Branch
12
South London Chairman’s Report As I write this many IWA members are preparing to take part in the celebrations over this August Bank Holiday for the opening of the restored Carpenters Road Lock. North and East London Branch are part of the organising team for this event so will be writing more fully about the lock itself. Panacea has been invited to fly the flag for the IWA at the official opening of the lock on Monday 28th August. Simon Dyer, our new South London committee member, will be a volunteer lock keeper at Carpenters Road Lock for that day. He can also be seen volunteering every Tuesday at St Pancras Lock. Branch members are crewing on Panacea for the two tideway cruises that have been organised as part of this weekend. The first, on Saturday, is around the Isle of Dogs and into Deptford Creek and back in at Limehouse. The second, on Sunday, will be through the Thames Barrier to Margaretness, next to the entrance to Barking Creek, and back. The Tidal Thames in this area is in South London Branch territory so this is a good opportunity to see developments from the water. Panacea waiting in City Mill River ready to go through at the opening of Carpenters Road Lock. Standing in the bow is Laura Radley, widow of the late Arthur Farrand Radley, London IWA chairman in the late 70's and early 80's. Farrand was a great campaigner for the restoration of the Bow Back Rivers and founded Canalway Cavalcade' Photo by Dorothy Robbie
During the summer we take a break from our socials and have been taking the Waterway Game and publicity stand to events. Eric Garland organised the stand at Canalway Cavalcade and Dorothy Robbie at Rickmansworth Festival. We also took the stand to Steatham Common Kite Day, organised by Lesley Pryde-Coales. We next go to Angel Canal Festival on Sunday September 3rd and, hopefully, Slough Canal Festival the following weekend. Wandle Valley Shea Richardson continues to keep an eye on the Wandle Valley and developments within the Regional Park. The 5th Wandle Fortnight takes place 9th – 24th September with a variety of activities, walks and talks for all to enjoy. Some examples of events are: 9 Sep Industrial History of the Wandle - special Open Day, 10.30am - 4pm Wandle Industrial Museum, Vestry Hall, London Road, Mitcham CR4 3UD Wandle Industrial Museum www.wandle.org 9 Sep Mapping the Mills Walk 1: Morden Hall Park to the Wandle Industrial Museum, 11am- 12.30pm From Morden Hall Park SM4 5JD, The Building Exploratory www.buildingexploratory.org.uk 9 Sep Sources of the River Wandle – an illustrated talk, 7.30pm Beddington Park, Church Road SM6 7NJ London Borough of Sutton www.sutton.gov.uk/parks 10 Sep, 16 Sep, 17 Sep and 24 Sep Carshalton Water Tower Open Days with garden tours, 1-5pm Carshalton Water Tower, Pound St, Carshalton SM5 3PN Friends of Carshalton Water Tower & Historic Garden Trust www.carshaltonwatertower.co.uk 13 Sep Talk on benefits of removing Wandle half-tide weir and wildlife walk, 3pm Former weir, The Causeway SW18 1ER Creekside Education Trust www.creeksidecentre.org.uk 13
14 Sep Mapping the Mills Walk 2: Morden Hall Park to Merton Abbey Mills, 11am12.30pm From Morden Hall Park SM4 5JD The Building Exploratory IWA TOWPATH WALKS SOCIETY, London www.buildingexploratory.org.uk
Programme of Towpath Walks up to August 2017
14 Sep Illustrated talk - Wandle Mills and Industries in Wandsworth. 7pm Earlsfield Library, 276 Magdalen Road SW19 3NY Wandsworth Historical Society www.wandsworthhistory.org.uk 22 Sep Mapping the Mills Walk 3: Earlsfield to Wandsworth. 11am - 12.30pm From Earlsfield station The Building Exploratory www.buildingexploratory.org.uk
23 Sep A River Runs Through It: The River Wandle and its links to local heritage illustrated talk by Merton Heritage Officer Sarah Gould 2-4pm Merton Heritage Centre SM4 5DX Merton Heritage Centre www.merton.gov.uk/heritage For the full list of events please see: http://www.wandlevalleyforum.org.uk/uploads/5/8/4/3/58438085/wandlefortnighta5leaflet__online_final.compressed.pdf A project on managing rainfall and reducing the risk of flooding in the Wandle Valley can be seen elsewhere in this newsletter. ‘Totally Thames’ Totally Thames is a month long festival for the whole of September which grew out of the Thames Festival which used to be over a single weekend. An extensive programme has been put together details of which may be found through this link: http://totallythames.org/ One of the exhibitions that looks very interesting is called ‘Working River’. It is at Watermans, 40 High Street, Brentford, TW8 0DS from Friday 1st Sept – Sunday 1st Oct, 10am – 11pm, daily. The description reads: “The Working River project has documented stories of working lives in London’s Boatyards over the past 60 years, on the tidal Thames. Including the significant history of barge and boat building at Brentford Docks, and at Lots Ait, as well as yards from Toughs in Teddington, to Cory Environmental in Charlton, the project has recorded oral histories with key figures in London’s Boatyards, and the changes that have occurred over this time”. Developments along the tidal Thames are hard to keep up with so if any of you hear of proposals that cause you concern please get in touch with me or one of the South London Committee members listed in this newsletter. Finally our branch secretary, Allan Scott, is due to go into hospital on 17th September for heart surgery. We all wish him well and a speedy recovery. All good wishes for the autumn season Libby Bradshaw, Branch Chairman
The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of The Inland Waterways Association or of the London Region or its branches. They are, however, published as being of interest to our members and readers. The IWA accepts no liability for any matter within this publication. Editor: Chris Bushill, 52, Brycedale Crescent, Southgate, London, N14 7EU. chris.bushill@waterways.org.uk Published by the IWA, North & East and South London Branches at: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, Bucks, HP 1WA. Tel 01494 783453
14
London Walks Programme Date 03 Sept Sun Start 2:30pm 17 Sept Sun Start 2:30pm 01 Oct Sun Start 2:30pm 15 Oct Sun Start 2:30pm 5 Nov Sun Start 2:30pm 19 Nov Sun Start 2:30pm 3 Dec Sun Start 2:30pm 17 Dec Sun Start 2:30pm 27 Dec Weds Start 2:30pm 31Dec Sun Start 2pm 1 Jan Mon Start 2pm 7 Jan Sun Start 2:30pm 21 Jan Sun Start 2:30pm 4 Feb Sun Start 2:30pm 18 Feb Sun Start 2:30pm 4 Mar Sun Start 2:30pm 18 Mar Sun Start 2:30pm 1 Apr Sun Start midnight 15 Apr Sun Start 2:30pm 29 Apr Sun Start 2:30pm
Route
Start (Tube Station)
Little Venice – Camden
Warwick Avenue
Limehouse – Thames – Docklands
Westferry DLR (by Cycle Hire Point)
Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross – Granary Square - Camden Grand Union Canal: Little Venice, Paddington Green
King’s Cross (taxi rank) Paddington, Bakerloo, Praed Street exit
400 Years of the New River
Manor House (Finsbury Park exit)
Regent’s Canal: Mile End – Limehouse
Mile End
Regent’s Canal: Islington – Hoxton
Angel
Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross – Granary Square – St. Pancras
King’s Cross (taxi rank)
Regent’s Canal.: Little Venice – Camden
Warwick Avenue
Grand Union Canal: Little Venice & Paddington Green Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross – Granary Square – St. Pancras
Paddington Bakerloo Praed Street exit King’s Cross (taxi rank)
Regent’s Canal: Little Venice – Camden
Warwick Avenue
Regent’s Canal: Islington – Hoxton
Angel
The Olympics, Three Mills & Bow Back Rivers
Bromley by Bow
Limehouse – Thames – Docklands
Westferry DLR (by Cycle Hire Point)
Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross - Granary Square - Camden Grand Union Canal: Little Venice & Paddington Green
King’s Cross (taxi rank) Paddington Bakerloo Praed Street exit
Regent’s Canal: Mile End – Limehouse
Mile End
Regent’s Canal: Little Venice – Camden
Warwick Avenue
Regents Canal: Kings Cross– Hitchcock’s Hackney
King’s Cross (taxi rank)
To go on a Towpath Walk, simply turn up. No advance booking is needed. The Walks are normally on Sundays, starting at 2.30 pm. Regular charge is £10; concessionary rate is £8. For further details, look on the IWA website www.waterways.org.uk, or contact Roger Wilkinson at 020 3612 9624. Roger writes: If you would like to become a Guide for the Towpath Walks, you would be very welcome. We have a vacancy for a guide, and we would be very pleased to hear from you. If you're not sure about it - don't worry, we will brief you well. Just ring us, or email us, and the rest is plain sailing. 15
Carpenters Road Lock CRT's boat Jena was spotted on Saturday 5th August having a trial run through Carpenters Road Lock ahead of the official opening at the East London Festival on Monday 28th August.
Testing Carpenters Road Lock Photo Roger Squires
With the opening up of Carpenters Road Lock the waterways around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park are now accessible to boaters. To celebrate this long planned for achievement there was an East London Waterways Festival on August Bank Holiday Monday. The completed lock site was the centrepiece of the festival, which included a boat flotilla, dragon boat racing, canoeing, stand up paddle boarding, rowing, free boat trips and pedalos. There was also live music and dance performances, activities for children, heritage walks, food stalls and more. In the evening Nomad Cinema hosted a screening in the lock of the film ‘How We Used to Live’ introduced by the writer Travis Elborough.
Olympians cut the ribbon to open Carpenters Road Lock 16
Photo Roger Squires
As part of the celebrations on the Saturday before the festival a flotilla passed through the lock. Simon Judge who travelled in the flotilla on Brookweed No5 kindly provided the following photos of the cruise.
Brand new radial gates on Carpenters Road Lock
Gate closing Carpenters Road lock
Boats returning having turned at Bow Creek mouth
Boats entering Limehouse Dock having transited the Thames
17
Limehouse Dock Mooring Plans IWA North and East London Branch is running a campaign against BWML’s plans to insert new mooring finger pontoons along a section of the South-East Limehouse Basin wall.
We object to the proposals because: Limehouse Basin is a point of refuge if there are problems on the river, The proposed restricted space for turning craft, created by inserting the pontoons , is likely to create problems of boat contact, especially as the wind tends to be strong across the basin due to the high rise buildings, The South-east Wall is used as the muster point for flotillas making Thames transits. The existing arrangement allows more boats to be moored alongside than the proposed finger pontoons will accommodate, The proposed pontoons are of varying lengths and do not maximise mooring space available nor offer the flexibility needed for longer narrowboats. The new mooring finger pontoons along the wall will extend out into the basin as far as the roped buoys shown in the photo above and as indicated on the plan below. Get Involved: You can support the campaign by write an objection to the BWML London’s General Manager and to the CRT London’s Waterways Manager.
18
New Bridge Below St Pancras Lock now open
Somers Town Bridge Photo: Roger Squires
The new Somers Town Bridge linking Camley Street to the King’s Cross development known as Gasholder Gardens is now open. The opening of the bridge has increased the popularity of the Camley Street Nature Park.
Narrowboat Sinks in lock on the River Lea The Lee was closed from 14th to 19th August due to a sinking in the power lock at Stonebridge Lock (16) at Tottenham by Lockwood Reservoir. It is reported that a boat was caught on the cill. This is a paired lock but as the West manual lock is not operable the navigation was closed. If the other lock had been usable boats could have still got through. Roger Squires has been in contact with Jon Guest, CRT London Waterway manager, who proposes to discuss the locks at an internal meeting and try to get some sort of timescale and what the actual issues are. It is thought that leaking and problems with paddles have caused the lock to be taken out of service. As the next round of business planning is about to take place it is hoped that action can be taken to get the manual lock back in use.
Stonebridge Locks
19
Wandle Rain Gardens: boosting flood resistance
River Wandle at Morden Park
M Knight/Wikimedia Commons)
Wandle Rain Gardens is a London Wildlife Trust project which empowers communities living along the course of the River Wandle to create green landscape features which can help retain rainwater improving resilience to both flooding and drought. Its purpose is to help people in south-west London improve their community's resilience to flooding and other impacts from climate change. The Wandle has two sources, in Croydon and Carshalton, from where it flows north via Beddington, Mitcham, Morden, Colliers Wood and Wandsworth before reaching the River Thames. It has been utilised by industry centuries and became heavily polluted, even being designated a sewer in the 1960s, but the Wandle is now making a strong recovery and welcoming back wildlife. It remains the only uncovered river in London which has both its source and its mouth within the city, and can be walked in a single day. London Wildlife Trust is working with local people around the area of the Wandle Valley Regional Park, in Wandsworth, Merton and Sutton boroughs, to create rain gardens that raise awareness of the local threats posed by climate change, as well as the likely impacts on the Wandle itself.
They are helping people make practical adaptations in their gardens and community spaces by diverting rainwater away from drains – both saving water and reducing pressure on the sewage system. This is done through the use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) that create natural features to store rainwater such as rain gardens, green roofs and water butts. Wandle Rain Gardens is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and is being delivered by London Wildlife Trust with local people as part of the Living Wandle Landscape Partnership. You can follow Wandle Rain Gardens on Twitter to see the latest updates from the project. https://twitter.com/WandleRainGdns
This article appeared in a London Wildlife Trust publication and has been adapted for this newsletter. Although this is a guide for the River Wandle the information is transferable to other areas. A useful guide to the background to the problem and some solutions is available to download. http://www.wildlondon.org.uk/sites/default/files/london-wildlife-trust-wandle-rainwaterguide.pdf
20
BRANCH Committee Members Role
North & East London
Chairman
Tim Lewis Tel: 02085300425 / 07802518094 tim.lewis@waterways.org.uk
Secretary
Roger Squires Tel: 02072320987 roger.squires@waterways.org.uk
Minutes Secretary
Vacancy
Treasurer
Ian Israel Tel: 020 84461823 ian.israel@waterways.org.uk
Social Secretary
Vacancy
Newsletter Editor
South London Libby Bradshaw Tel: 02088742787 / 07956 655037 libby.bradshaw@waterways.org.uk Allan Scott Tel: 02086428104 / 07985728844 allan.scott@waterways.org.uk Vacancy Dorothy Robbie Tel: 02088576367 dorothy.robbie@waterways.org.uk Shea Richardson, Tel: 02086770196 / 07803904803 shea.richardson@homecall.co.uk
Chris Bushill Tel: 02082457063; chris.bushill@waterways.org.uk Dorothy Robbie Tel: 02088576367 dorothy.robbie@waterways.org.uk
Membership Secretary
Liz Rayner liz.rayner@waterways.org.uk
Publicity Officer
Vacancy
Lesley Pryde-Coales Tel: 07787 372408 lesley.pryde@waterways.org.uk
Sales Officer
Vacancy
Vacancy
Events Officer
Vacancy
Vacancy
Planning Officer
Rod Gray rodgray125@aol.com
Vacancy
Work Party Officer
Vacancy
Vacancy
Committee Members
Roger Wilkinson – London Walks Rep. Tel: 02036129624 roger.wilkinson@waterways.org.uk
Simon Dyer Tel: 020 8769 2981/ 07857 978111 simondyer@outlook.com
Ex-Officio as Region Chairman South London Representatives
Paul Strudwick Tel: 01245358342 / 07885240291 paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk Planning & Navigation Committee: Eric Garland Wandle Valley developments: Shea Richardson Deptford Creek developments: Eric Garland
If you feel you could help with any of the vacancies above we would love to hear from you!
21
London Region Socials Combined with North and East London Branch Our socials continue to be held on the third Tuesday evening of each month except in July and August at Paddington Central Management office, 1a Sheldon Square, W2 6PY. Refreshments are available from 7pm and the talks start at 7.30pm. All are welcome whether IWA members or not. We have people attending from across most of the London Region Branches. Please note there are steps up to the room so if anyone has mobility problems they would need to contact us first. Since the last edition of Meridian Cuttings we have had talks on ‘30+ years of IWA Canalway Cavalcade’ which was presented by Libby Bradshaw and Tim Lewis in April, ‘The Dark Side of the Regent's Canal’ in May by Lester Hillman and, in June, ‘The River Lee from Old Ford to the Thames’ by Richard Thomas Although we have a break in July and August, we contacted members about the final performance of the shows by Kate Saffin and Heather Wastie from Alarum Theatre which were at the Pirate Castle on 5th August: ‘Isobel’s War’ by Kate and ‘Idle women and Judies’ by Heather. Between April and August they had put on over 50 shows as they recreated the journey of the ‘Idle Women’ of wartime on ‘Tench’ and ‘Morning Mist’. Kate will be at our September meeting to tell us about the journey. The picture shows them relaxing early on in the journey – they looked rather more tired by 5th August!
Our programme for the autumn: 19th September – ‘Idle Women – recreating the Journey’ – Kate Saffin 17th October – ‘Working Boats’ – Kirk Martin 21st November – ‘Restoration Round-up – Digging with London WRG 2017’ – Tim Lewis 19th December – Christmas Quiz and Auction with Mulled Wine and Mince Pies Further details from Libby Bradshaw libby.bradshaw@ursa.me.uk 07956 655037
South London Branch Social Calendar 2017 Wednesday 13th September: The work of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution by Peter Woolhouse Wednesday 11th October: Canal and River Trust – Saving our waterways Heritage by Phil Emery CRT Wednesday 8th November: The Wey Navigation by Dr. Roger Squires Wednesday 13th December: Mulled Punch and Mince Pies to celebrate Christmas All are welcome, IWA members or non-members at our meetings There is no admission charge for talks, film shows or presentations but we do ask that you donate a minimum of £2 per person to of fset room hire charges an d speakers’ expenses, t hank you. 22
Meeting Locations
IWA South London Branch, United Reformed Church, Croydon
IWA meet here
Paddington Station. Hammersmith & City Line exit
IWA North & East London Branch, London Central, Paddington 23
Waterway Recovery Group in Action rebuilding a spill weir on the North Walsham and Dilham Canal, Norfolk
The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 612245. Registered as a charity no. 212342 Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA Tel: 01494 783 453 Web: www.waterways.org.uk The Inland Waterways Association is a membership charity that works to protect and restore the country's 6,500 miles of canals and rivers.