Meridian Cuttings - Spring 2022

Issue 28

The Newsletter of South and North & East London Branches

i t a n r Inte

Spring 2022

n o i t i d E l a n o

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'International Edition’ is just a teaser to get you to open the magazine but we do have a report from Kilbeggan, Ireland from the editor.

Page 3 Cover photo is of the harbour master’s house at Kilbeggan harbour.

From London Region Chairman, Paul Strudwick

Page 7

From North & East London Chairman Tim Lewis

Page 8/9

Canalway Cavalcade

Page 10/11

WRG Camps are back

Page 12

IWA London Walks Programme

Page 13

South London Chairman’s Report, Libby Bradshaw

Page 14/15

London Region Socials

Page 16/17

London Region Heritage Officer Report

Page 17

'The Line’ from Rod Gray, N & E London Planning

Page 18

South London Social Meetings

Page 19

Branch Annual General Meetings

Page 20

Branch Elections

Page 21

Meeting Location Maps

Page 22

Branch Committee Members and Contact Details

Page 23

WRG in Action on the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation

Back Cover

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. E-mail chris.bushill@waterways.org.uk

Chris Bushill writes Having just spent a week visiting my wife’s sister in Kilbeggan, County Westmeath, Ireland, I thought I would share with you our favourite walk and recount some of the history of this local canal. The walk starts at Kilbeggan Harbour .

Kilbeggan Harbour Kilbeggan Harbour is described by Ireland’s National Inventory of Architectural Heritage thus: Grand Canal harbour and dock complex, built c1833, comprising rubble limestone retaining walls with ashlar limestone coping over to harbour sides. Harbour now out of use and drained. Extensive canal stores and warehouses to the south side of harbour. Original formed the terminus of The Grand Canal (Kilbeggan Branch). This former canal harbour is of considerable historical and social importance having been constructed to help promote the expansion of commercial enterprise in south Co. Westmeath during the early-to-mid nineteenth-century. The construction of the harbour walls attests to the high quality of stone masonry employed during the construction of the canal network in Ireland in the late eighteenth and earlynineteenth centuries. This canal harbour forms part of an important group of canalrelated structures with the canal warehouses and stores to the south. https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/15403816/kilbeggan-branch-grandcanal-harbour-kilbeggan-kilbeggan-county-Westmeath

We have been making this walk regularly for some years. It used to involve big boots and struggles through undergrowth. This year we stumbled upon the opening ceremony for the ‘Ballycommon to Kilbeggan Greenway’ funded in part by the EU. This ‘Greenway’ now consists of a tarmac track for the full length of the canal branch.

Sadly to me, it does not follow the canal towpath and so cannot be seen to directly aid canal restoration though it’s very presence increases awareness. At the opening ceremony I put my foot in it a bit (as usual). We were standing at the back chatting to a lady as the dignitary was making her speech. I, noticing her high heels, said, 'see she's not planning to walk the path', to be told a bit shirtily, 'I'm her driver and she has to go on to another appointment'!

Soon after the start of the walk we come to canalside farm buildings owned by childhood friends of my wife. Shortly after is a well preserved stone bridge.

Canals in Westmeath The latter half of the eighteenth century saw the dawn of an new era in water transport in Ireland. Two major canals were planned to join Dublin to the Shannon. Eventually the Royal Canal would link Dublin to Clondra on the Shannon with a short spur to serve Longford, while the Grand Canal linked up with the Shannon at Shannon Harbour. The Royal Canal served Kinnegad, Mullingar (my wife Joan’s hometown) and Ballynarcargy and a spur of the Grand Canal served Kilbeggan all in Co. Westmeath.

Entrance to dry dock - The Royal Canal Mullingar The Kilbeggan Branch A canal link to Kilbeggan was first proposed in 1796. However, work only began on a canal in 1830 to link Kilbeggan with Ballycommon on the Grand Canal 5 miles east of Tullamore. William Dargan was appointed to build the eight mile stretch of canal. He was appointed as contractor in 1830 and hoped to have the work completed within a year. As usual the work proved far more complicated than anticipated and took four years to complete.The Kilbeggan Line is 8.2 miles long and has no locks. The canal was formally opened in January 1835 although this was a bit premature. It was only in 1836 that commercial traffic commenced. In 1849 the Grand Canal Company decided to begin operating a cargo-carrying service on its own canal from Dublin to Kilbeggan.

Among the principal users of the Grand Canal were whiskey distilleries. Boats brought in malted and unmalted grain, coal to fire the stills and oak to make casks. Of course, the boats also transported the resulting whiskey to Limerick, Dublin, England and the Empire beyond. In addition to Dublin, the Grand Canal served distilleries at Kilbeggan, Tullamore, Banagher and Monasterevan. The Kilbeggan distillery is still a major tourist destination.

With increasing competition from the road and rail network, CIE (Coras Iompar Eireann, translates as Irish Transport Authority) announced the closure of the Grand Canal to commercial traffic in December 1959. The Kilbeggan branch was closed in 1961. However, contrary to the expectations of 60 years ago, the Grand Canal did not die, primarily due to groups like the IWAI and the individuals who continued to use the canal for leisure purposes and who campaigned to keep it in navigable condition.

Restoration The Kilbeggan line fell into disuse in the late 1940s. As early as 1970, the IWAI (Inland Waterways Association of Ireland) were negotiating with the Government and CIE to restore the Kilbeggan Line to use, going as far as seeking a transfer to its care. The Inland Waterways News of April 1970 reported that “The plan for IWAI to take over the Kilbeggan branch in collaboration with the local development association is still active, though no firm decision has yet been reached. IWAI representatives met the Department of Transport and Power on 24 March and doubts were expressed about the Association’s ability to maintain the ten bridges. CIE estimate that it would cost twelve thousand pounds to make the branch navigable again, but with volunteer labour, IWAI could probably do the job for a quarter of this figure”.

The Offaly Branch of IWAI have continued to champion the re-watering of this waterway, which, having no locks and no impediments to the navigation or right-ofway, is relatively straightforward. I have, however, been in contact with Bernadette Quinn the Chair of the Offaly Branch of IWAI who told me, ‘Sadly, despite all our efforts on the Kilbeggan branch line, we are no further to getting the line re-watered.

Unfortunately, all the EU funds are being spent on Greenways and cycle paths and very little spent on the development of the canals.’ Perhaps we should look to WRG holidays in Kilbeggan. I’m sure I could find accommodation!

One positive note is that the recently built M6 motorway not only has a good bridge over the canal line but a canal channel has been constructed under the bridge.

Let us hope that we will be able to enjoy the Inland Waterways this summer, spring is not far away and hopefully we will be able to get out and about on the cut. Planning is going ahead for a resumption of Cavalcade over the weekend of the 30th April to the 2nd May at Little Venice. For more details have a look at our website. Let us hope we have a successful event that everyone can enjoy and I look forward to seeing you there.

As we move back into more normal times, I believe we could be approaching a critical time in the future of our waterway network. The money on offer from the government for the Canal and River Trust, when it was set up, was well below that needed for a sustainable future. Whilst the removal of the dead hand of the Treasury has allowed the trust to use its assets more profitably and to diversify its sources of income, we must have serious concerns about the poor standard of some of its assets. The time is fast approaching when this original miserly settlement from government runs out and comes up for renegotiation. There must be a real risk that the Treasury, in trying to balance the books, after the vast sums of money that have been spent on Covid, will see the waterways as an easy target for cost savings. This has certainly been the case in the past on EA waters where their settlement has been savagely cut in recent years even before Covid.

As I said when I first became your Region Chair to ensure that the, then embryonic, Canal and River Trust is not starved of sufficient funds would need firm leadership.

Only time will tell if their attempts to market themselves as a charity that is focused on the health and environmental benefits to the areas around the canals, will persuade government to value their work and give them a reasonable settlement. But the Canal and River Trust are only responsible for about a half of the network and funding for all the network is at risk. I still believe the only organisation that can give that leadership on a national level, is the Inland Waterways Association. At a local level you can help by supporting your local branch and region to lobby for the future of your local waterways.

Last year I asked if there was anyone who could help in raising funds across the London Region to support the work of the region and its branches, unfortunately no one put their hand up. If you could help please do contact me. IWA is always needing to raise funds to support its works of protecting and restoring the country's 7000 miles of canals and rivers. One way you could help the association champion improvement to, and the heritage and restoration of, our waterways is to buy a ticket for the Giving Lottery https://www.givinglottery.org.uk/support/inland-waterways-association.

Forty percent of your stake goes straight to the association. You could even win £25000.

Paul Strudwick London Region Chair Paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk

I am writing this awaiting a predicted storm and wondering if my trip on the tidal Thames will happen but am looking forward to a spring and summer of resumed waterways activities as we come out of Covid restrictions. My boating might be a bit curtailed as my boat, historic Grand Union Carrying Co motor ‘Fulbourne’ is currently being re-bottomed but am looking forward to some summer boating if we can put it back together in time!

Your committee has been busy on the campaigning front. We are encouraging members to fill in the current consultation on managing Moorings on London’s Waterways. Details on this and a link to the survey can be found at: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/london-and-south-east/managingmoorings-on-londons-busy-waterways

Current plans involve creating three quarters of a mile of new towpath mooring space in central London, installing approximately 150 rings into the concrete edge on the Grand Union Canal, Regent’s Canal and Limehouse Cut. Work is due to commence in February. Vegetation will be cut back on the Limehouse Cut to make new and existing rings accessible as part of this work.

The implementation of Safety Zones on the River Lea is causing heated discussions and actions. Mooring is now being monitored by a contractor.

Planning applications affecting the waterways are still at a low level compared to pre-pandemic levels but still require monitoring. We are seeing more interest in requirements being written into planning permissions requiring the removal of spoil by water transport. A recent application for a permanently moored commercial barge at Kings Cross has caused concern. We have traditionally taken an anti stance on permanently moored barges especially after having witnessed how the waterspace by Paddington Station has been taken up by floating restaurants and shops.

Others might say that it brings a previously quiet area to life. We would be interested to hear members’ opinions. Speaking of Paddington, one of our committee has mentioned that the license for the current floating garden at the Paddington Basin end of the basin expires this year.

On the navigation side the only major stoppage in the Branch area this winter is the three month stoppage on the Hertford Union Canal to continue the work started last year on the wall repairs. Half a million pounds worth of the repairs are being funded

by Historic England through the Heritage Stimulus Fund, part of the Government's Culture Recovery Fund.

Hertford Union Canal Drained New restrictions on the use of Limehouse lock, apparently due to failing gate seals, are causing concern. Currently it is only operational when the river level matches the basin which severely restricts its use. We are also in discussions with CRT to enable boaters to make passage plans when heading to and from Limehouse and Brentford. The current online booking system makes it difficult.

The Branch has recently made a £1,000 donation to the Gasworks Dock Partnership who act as a vehicle for the community led regeneration of Cody Dock on Bow Creek.

This is towards the cost of a new ‘rolling’ bridge over the dock entrance.

Details are on their web site. https://codydock.org.uk The London branch of the Waterway Recovery Group is looking to recommence its weekend digs in the near future. At a national level its programme of week long Canal Camps has been published.

The London Canal Museum has reported increasing numbers of visitors. The Museum celebrates its 30th birthday in March.

Our friends at IWA Towpath Walks are encouraging those who have attended their excellent walks to vote for them as London Walks is up for the Tourism Superstar 2022 Award, the link is at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/travel/uk-ireland/tourism-superstar-2022-meet-10-26203980

Please note the date for our AGM, we look forward to seeing some you.

IWA CANALWAY CAVALCADE 2022 FREE ADMISSION BOATS / FOOD / DRINK / MUSIC / ENTERTAINMENT / CRAFTS / FAMILY FUN

After a two year absence we’re so excited to be welcoming you back to Canalway Cavalcade in Little Venice. This iconic venue has been hosting the event since 1983 and will be transformed once again by over a hundred colourfully dressed boats, live music, theatre, refreshments, craft stalls and plenty of family fun for all to enjoy.

This vibrant festival is one of the biggest and brightest events in the nation’s waterways calendar and a firm favourite with visitors.

Organised by volunteers from The Inland Waterways Association (IWA), the event takes place over May Day Bank Holiday weekend – 30th April to 2nd May at Little Venice in Paddington.

There is a packed programme of events both on and off the water including a pageant of decorated boats on Saturday; boat handling competitions; an evening procession of illuminated boats on Sunday and a parade of historic and working boats on Bank Holiday Monday. Younger visitors can try their hand at kayaking, visit a Teddy Bear’s Picnic or watch a traditional Punch & Judy show in Rembrandt Gardens. Dressing up as the boat people did and learning about daily life on canals will also be featured; also trying your hand at rescuing someone who has fallen in the water, some help on water safety and dressing up as Lifeboat crew.

Opening Times: Saturday 30th April Sunday 1st May Monday 2nd May

10 – 6pm 10 – 6pm and 9pm – 10.30pm 10 – 5pm

For more details of what’s on, timings, how to get there, how to book in your boat, having a stall or how to volunteer - plus a full listing of food & drink, craft and other stalls, please visit the website: www.waterways.org.uk/cavalcade.

Follow us on Facebook (search for IWA Canalway Cavalcade) or use #canalwaycavalcade on Twitter and Instagram.

To all our wonderful volunteers and those who have always wanted to get involved but haven’t yet had the chance.

Come and join the fantastic team of volunteers who organise one of the most successful and best attended inland waterways events in the country – IWA Canalway Cavalcade.

Preparing for this and future years we need to strengthen the team and fill some much-needed roles in the committee. We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers who love getting stuck in and have a positive and eager ‘can do’ attitude for the following: �� �� �� �� �� ��

Secretary Assistant Secretary Publicity Assistant Social Media Manager Commercial Assistant Site Services Assistant

All roles above require attendance at around eight committee meetings per year, and the need for general availability during the week to take on duties attributed to the role. You will of course also be required to attend the event too.

For more information, or to register your interest, please contact: Christine Smith, Deputy Chairman - Email: christine.smith@waterways.org.uk and 07774890750

IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group has launched its summer programme of working holidays called Canal Camps for 2022. These week-long getaways mean that you can help restore the derelict waterways of England and Wales.

This summer, volunteers will support nine different canal restoration projects and undertake a range of work. For example, you could help rebuild a historic lengthsman’s hut near Berwick Tunnel on the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals, or be involved in a major earthworks project on the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal to create 600m of new canal. Canal Camps are a great experience for anyone who loves being outdoors and enjoys meeting new people from different backgrounds and of different ages. Each week long project costs £70.

LEARN NEW SKILLS Experience is a bonus but isn’t necessary. Our Camps offer you a fantastic chance to learn new skills such as: �� Bricklaying �� Machine operation �� Heritage restoration techniques Volunteers on our camps work together and make a real difference over the course of the week. They leave with a sense of pride, knowing that they have helped to bring a waterway back to life.

Charlotte, volunteer from the Burslem Port Canal Camp in October 2021, said ‘I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience of a Canal Camp. The combination of fresh air, mud and getting hands-on experience of restoring our heritage all in the company of friendly people, was the perfect way to spend a week!”

WHY RESTORE CANALS? We restore canals as we believe they are a key part of our 21st century green-blue infrastructure. They act as a huge, linear national park, connecting communities, providing safe havens for wildlife and spaces for people to enjoy and relax in. They are also an important part of our industrial heritage and could play an important role in protecting us from flooding due to climate change.

Date

Route

Start (Tube Stn.)

6 Feb Sun

Grand Union Canal: Little Venice & Paddington Green

Warwick Ave

20 Feb Sun

Limehouse – Thames – Docklands

Westferry (DLR) (by Cycle Hire Point)

6 Mar Sun

Grand Surrey Canal: Royal Navy Victualling Yard, Greenland Dock

Surrey Quays

20 Mar Sun

Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross - Granary Square – St Pancras

King’s Cross (meet by taxi queue)

3 Apr Sun

Regent’s Canal: River Tyburn – Little Venice

Baker St (Baker St north/Lords exit)

17 Apr Sun

Grand Union Canal: Little Venice & Paddington Green

Warwick Ave

1st May Sun

Regent’s Canal: River Tyburn – Little Venice

Baker St (Baker St north/Lords exit)

15th May Limehouse – Thames – Docklands Sun

Westferry (DLR)(by Cycle Hire Point)

5th Jun Sun

Surrey Quays

Grand Surrey Canal, Royal Navy Victualling Yard, Greenland Dock

19th Jun Regent’s Canal: King’s Cross - Granary Square – St Sun Pancras

King’s Cross (meet by taxi queue)

3rd July Sun

Mile End

Regent’s Canal: Mile End - Limehouse

Start time for all Walks is 2.30 p.m.

Normal charge: £15 Concessionary and Student rate: £10 Children aged 16 and over, accompanied by parents: £10 Children aged 8 – 15, accompanied by parents: £5 Prior booking is mandatory: Please contact London Walks: 020 7624 3978 0r e-mail london@walks.com It is Very Important to check the IWA website (waterways.org.uk) or the London Walks website (walks.com) to see if any late changes to the walk have had to be made

As I write this ‘Panacea’ should have been in West India Dock on the Isle of Dogs – an annual cruise from St Pancras Cruising Club, aptly nicknamed by Andy Clarke ‘The Caribbean Cruise’! Weather conditions were against us with Storm Eunice making herself known and, sadly, causing damage to the impounding station at the docks which controls the water levels. Canal & River Trust now Panacea has temporary pumps installed to keep the water levels stable while repairs are carried out. The pumps in the impounding station date from 1929 and the station is well worth a visit. It is open on London Open House weekend but I am hoping to arrange a private visit there for IWA members and their friends as I have done in the past.

There were plans to visit The Museum of London’s Docklands exhibition, ‘London: a Port City’, whilst in the docks but this will now need to happen at a later date. The exhibition continues until 8th May 2022. If you would like to visit in a group please let me know. Admission is free but tickets have to be pre-booked. The link is https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london/eventdetail?id=287608&b=y Continuing with activities on the Thames the Thames Festival Trust has many interesting projects including one on the boatyards on the River Thames from the Thames Barrier to Teddington. To whet your appetite to read further Tough’s boatyard at Teddington prepared around 100 of the boats for Operation Dynamo at Dunkirk, now all known as ‘Dunkirk Little Ships’; Bantam tug boats were built at Brentford in the 1940’s and 1950’s; Gloriana was built for the Queen’s Diamond jubilee at Brentford.

For more information on the history of these and other remaining boatyards of the Tidal River Thames go to: https://thamesfestivaltrust.org/heritage-programme/working-river/ Our Heritage Officer, Derek Humphries, continues to research the history of wharves on the River Thames and gave a very interesting talk on this at our November social meeting. He refers to this project in his article on page 17. Despite Omicron we have been able to continue with social meetings and recently had an excellent talk from Kirk Martin about his time operating hotel boats. In January we were able to return to the Caprini restaurant near Waterloo for our branch dinner, following a gap of 2 years.

Under new management, we were made very welcome and had a great evening with excellent food.

Information on future social meetings may be found on page on page 19. The talk at our May meeting ‘The Lost Canals of South London’ will complement the London Walks programme on Sunday 5th March and Sunday 5th June: ‘Grand Surrey Canal, Royal Navy Victualling Yard, Greenland Dock’. See page 13 for details of this and other waterway related walks all of which are led by IWA volunteers.

Note from editor: Can’t resist adding this: Years ago I was in an office reading ‘The Lost Canals of England and Wales’ by Ronald Russell. My zany colleague, John Bartellot, walking past, muttered, ‘Only British Waterways could lose a canal’ and as he walked away, ‘Well your honour it was definitely on the end of the string this morning’. Carry on Libby: Before Covid started, we were preparing a questionnaire for members which we have now resurrected and which will be circulated to you all in the coming weeks. We are hoping you will be able to share your interests, and talents, as we hopefully move forward into the post-Covid era. We are looking at dates for further clean-ups on the River Thames foreshore one of which was successfully held in Battersea on 3rd February.

Simon Dyer continues to look at planning and conservation developments in our branch area so if you come across anything of concern please get in touch with him – contact details on page 23. There are some developments at Deptford Creek which have been brought to our attention, more of which will be reported in the next Meridian Cuttings.

Our Lifeboat service on the River Thames celebrated 20 years on station on January 2nd 2022. We had an excellent talk from Wayne Bellamy, station Manager from Chiswick, at the Region Webinar at the end of January. The University Boat race will be back on the Thames this year on Sunday 3rd April. Some of us will be fundraising for the Lifeboats at Putney on that day – any offers of help greatly appreciated.

The branch stand with the Waterway Game is in urgent need of new people to help fundraise at events. The first of these will be IWA Canalway Cavalcade, 30th April – 2nd May. Please let us know if you can help.

Photo: The South London branch stand ready for action at Slough Canal Festival manned by Eric Garland and Libby Bradshaw.

Finally, elsewhere in this edition you will find details of C&RT’s current consultation on moorings in London. Please share your views on this through their on-line survey.

The link is: canalrivertrust.welcomesyourfeedback.net/London Have a good summer!

Libby

We had hoped to start in-person meetings again in 2022 but the arrival of the Omicron variant put that back on hold. We have agreed to continue with webinars on the 4th Monday of each month even when we are able to re-start meeting in person.

Our first webinar for 2022 was held in January ‘Celebrating 20 years of Saving Lives on the River Thames’. This was an excellent talk given by Wayne Bellamy, Station Manager for Chiswick Lifeboat Station, who has been there since the service started in January 2002. During the question and answer session he was joined by some of the crew that were on duty that night.

For those not aware, the Thames Lifeboat stations were set up following the enquiry into the Marchioness disaster of 1989. It was agreed there should be a dedicated search and rescue service on the River Thames, whose sole responsibility was this purpose. This should be without the additional responsibilities of the other existing services on the river such as the police. Four Lifeboat stations were established on the River in January 2002 - at Teddington, Chiswick, Tower and Gravesend. Whilst Teddington operates like coastal stations on a ‘shout’ the other three are manned 24 hours a day. Since then, Tower has been the busiest station in the country, followed by Chiswick - busier than all Chiswick Pier coastal stations.

The webinar can be watched on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Re5tQO4cw Our February webinar will have happened by the time you receive this but there is still time to respond to the consultation: Consultation On Managing Mooring Space in Inner London. The talk is being given by Matthew Symonds, National Boating Manager, Canal & River Trust, and is about the consultation we had hoped could be presented last year but was delayed. The Canal & River Trust is inviting boaters and local stakeholders to take part in a consultation on ways to improve the management of mooring space on central London’s busy canals to balance the needs of local and visiting boats. Waterways covered by the proposals include the Grand Union Canal east of Kensal Green, the Regent’s Canal, the Hertford Union Canal, and the Limehouse Cut. Amongst the proposals included in the consultation is an increase in pre-bookable paid moorings at ten central London short-stay visitor sites. The pre-bookable paid moorings will account for around 40 berths with the majority of short-stay visitor moorings, and all the 14-day towpath moorings, remaining unchanged.

Views are also being sought on a proposal to make access to short-stay visitor moorings fairer by a more active management of the sites, limiting the amount of time individual boats can use them in a year and increasing the overstay charge if they stay longer than permitted. To reduce the risk of blocking the channel and to make navigation safer, the consultation also proposes preventing triple mooring and mooring against a wide-beam on the busiest central London waterways. Link to the survey: https://canalrivertrust.welcomesyourfeedback.net/s/London. This closes at the end of March. Please take the opportunity to make your views known.

The recording of this webinar will be made available, together with details of all forthcoming IWA webinars and recordings of previous ones, on www.waterways.org.uk/tv. Meanwhile future dates are Monday 28th March, Monday 25th April, Monday 23rd May and Monday 27th June. All London Region members will be circulated with details.

Libby Bradshaw libby.bradshaw@ursa.me.uk 07956 655037

In the Autumn issue, I described my ongoing project “The Lost Wharves of the River Thames in London”. I have few significant details to update, except that my presentation at our November social evening was delivered to a receptive audience. I have completed the exercise of identifying the precise location of about 600 wharves on the North Bank and have begun a similar exercise with those wharves on the South Bank.

A Thames Night Voyage in the 1930s I have seized upon a mini-project after reading A.G. Linney’s 1930’s book “Lure and Lore of London’s River”. In Chapter XXVII, he describes a 38 mile night voyage on the River Thames, starting at 11pm aboard a Thames tug towing 6 lighters. The journey commences at the mouth of the Grand Union Canal at Brentford and finishes, a little after dawn, at Northfleet Creek. Although this project has a more historical slant, as opposed to one of a Heritage flavour, I was particularly taken with the Author’s somewhat poetic prose as he described the sixty or so landmarks identified in the darkness during his journey.

Battersea PS before development Editor’s note Derek has provided a fascinating account with superb illustrations of this book’s trip.

Due to space considerations I am holding this over to the next edition. Something to look forward to.

Across our planning desk passes a steady stream of proposals for new developments along the canals; on the Regents Canal mostly residential blocks squeezed onto former industrial sites and further east, in and around the Stratford Olympic Park, whole new residential areas are springing up with waterside parks, walkways, shops and cafes.

Now and then something a bit different will pop up. Here’s one: The Diver, at Dane’s Yard, off Stratford High Street. It was originally designed for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad in a project with local schoolchildren and seeks now to come home to the Stratford Olympic Park after 10 years.

Diver is an animated LED installation depicting a small figure diving from the top of a 5 storey building, down into the water with a splash!

It will be an addition to a line of artworks stretching along the waterways from The Olympic Park to North Greenwich.

A feature called The Line.

Well worth the walk for those of us who love to be near the water. As you pass south from the Olympic Park you’ll see the huge scale of the developments emerging, and all the way to the River Lea and beyond.

There’s a section of Bow Creek where you have to leave the riverside; there are plans to get the path through, but for the time being, turn off at Cody Dock and take the DLR on to Royal Victoria.

Full information is online at: the-line.org

Unless indicated, the following South London Branch Social meetings take place at 7.30 p.m. in The Primary Room, The United Reformed Church Hall, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon CR0 5LP Wednesday 9th March: Social meeting and talk by Mick Taylor `Water and Disputes’ A talk about the historical aspects of The River Wandle, and the changing face of the river and its tributaries.

Wednesday 13th April: Branch AGM & Social meeting with a talk, ‘developments in our branch area and on the River Thames’ Canalway Cavalcade: Little Venice 30th April- 2nd May We are planning to take the branch stand and Waterways Game to Canalway Cavalcade. Volunteers are essential, so please speak to a committee member if you can help.

Wednesday 11th May: Social meeting and talk by Alan Burkitt-Gray 'The Lost Canals of South London' All are welcome at our meetings, IWA members & friends/non- members There is no admission charge for talks, film shows or presentations but we do ask for a donation of £3 per person to offset room hire charges and expenses. There is free parking adjacent to the hall and excellent transport links via East Croydon train and tram station.

For more information please contact the Social Secretary: Shea Richardson Tel: 07803 904803 or e-mail: shea.richardson@waterways.org.uk For updates and information on our social meetings, please check: https://www.waterways.org.uk/southlondon/south london WHAT’S ON IN FEBRUARY & MARCH 2022 For London Walks See p.13.

DATE & TIME Open Wednesday to Sunday

ORGANISATION

TOPIC

CONTACT

Museum of London Exhibition: Admission is free but Docklands London Port City tickets Admission Free Open until 8th have to be pre-booked https://www.museumoflondon May 2022 Booking essential

VENUE No1 Warehouse West India Quay London E14 4AL

.org.uk

Thurs 3rd March 7.30pm

London Canal Museum

Online Illustrated talk via Zoom: Content TBC

Register at https://www.canalmuseum.or g.uk/whatson/index.html

Currently online only

AGM London Branches of The Inland Waterways Association will take place as follows: North & East London 8.00 p.m. on Tuesday 29th March The Canal Museum New Wharf Road N1 9RT

South London 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday 13th April at: The Primary Room The United Reformed Church Hall Addiscombe Road Croydon CR0 5LP

AGENDA 1. Apologies for absence 2. Approval of the Minutes of the 2021 AGM plus Matters Arising 3. Report from the Chairman 4. Presentation of Accounts 5. Business of the meeting notified under bylaw 1.3* 6. Election to fill posts on the Committee 7. Questions from the floor The formal AGM will be followed by another activity as per the branch’s social programme

Contact Details North & East London

South London

Chairman

Tim Lewis e-mail: tim.lewis@waterways.o rg.uk

Libby Bradshaw e-mail: libby.bradshaw@water ways.org.uk

Secretary

Tim Lewis e-mail: tim.lewis@waterways.o rg.uk

Allan Scott e-mail: allan.scott@waterways. org.uk

BRANCH COMMITTEE ELECTIONS To facilitate elections at the AGMs, nominations for election to a Branch or Region Committee must be received by the relevant Branch or Region Secretary before or at the AGM (see above). All candidates and their proposers must be paid-up members of the relevant Branch and the candidate must indicate his/her willingness to stand.

All elected members of a Branch Committee who have held office for a term of three years have to retire, as does any member co-opted during the committee meetings since the last AGM. Members in either category are eligible for re-election, provided that they are duly nominated as detailed above. A nomination form is printed below.

The particulars for each Committee are as follows: North & East London Deadline for Nominations

29 th March

Current No of elected members Members completing 3 years in post

7

Liz Rayner, Roger Wilkinson, Tim Lewis

Members co-opted since last AGM

South London 13th April 7

Dorothy Robbie

0

0

New blood needed. Please consider joining our committees to have your say on the future of London’s waterways. Dr, Roger Squires has announced his intention to resign from the N&E London Committee at the AGM. A volunteer willing to take up the role of Secretary would be most welcome.

Note: Please note that under the new Bye-laws all Committees may vary in size according to the numbers elected. We look forward to receiving further nominations

Committee Name:

South London* Print Name

Candidate Proposer Seconder

North & East London* Signature

*delete whichever does not apply Date

IWA South London Branch, United Reformed Church, Croydon

IWA Meet Here

IWA Former Venue

Paddington Hammersmith & City Line exit

IWA Region and North & East London Branch, 2 Kingdom St, Paddington (Note Meetings on-line at present)

Role Chairman

North & East London Tim Lewis Tel: 02085300425 / 07802518094 tim.lewis@waterways.org.uk

Secretary

Tim Lewis

Minutes Secretary Treasurer

South London Libby Bradshaw Tel: 07956 655037 libby.bradshaw@waterways.org.uk AllanScott Tel: 02086428104 / 07985728844 allan.scott@waterways.org.uk

Vacancy

Allan Scott

Ian Israel Tel: 020 84461823 ian.israel@waterways.org.uk

Dorothy Robbie Tel: 02088576367 dorothy.robbie@waterways.org.uk

Vacancy

Shea Richardson, Tel: 02086770196 / 07803904803 shea.richardson@homecall.co.uk

Social Secretary

Newsletter Editor

Chris Bushill Tel: 02082457063 chris.bushill@hotmail.com

Membership Secretary

Liz Rayner lizrayner48@gmail.com Vacancy

Publicity Officer London Region Heritage Officer

Dorothy Robbie Tel: 02088576367 dorothy.robbie@waterways.org.uk Lesley Pryde-Coales Tel: 07787 372408 lesley.pryde@waterways.org.uk Derek Humphries derek.humphries@waterways.org.uk Simon Dyer Tel: 07857 978111 simondyer@outlook.com

Planning Officer

Rod Gray rodgray125@aol.com

London Walks Representative

Roger Wilkinson –Tel: 02036129624 roger.wilkinson@waterways.org.uk

Ex-Officio as Region Chairman

Paul Strudwick Tel: 01248535342 / 07885240291 paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk

South London Representatives Planning & Conservation Committee: Wandle Valley developments Member

Eric Garland, Simon Dyer, Derek Humphries Shea Richardson

Roger Squires Tel: 02072320987 roger.squires@waterways.org.uk

If you feel you could help with any of the vacancies or would be interested in joining us as an ordinary member we would love to hear from you

Tim Lewis provided these before and after pictures of WRG clearing a tree bought down by Storm Eunice on the Chelmer & Blackwater navigation at Paper Mill.

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.