Summer 2010
Issue 2010/2
The Cube looms over the Birmingham & Worcester Canal
We s t M i d l a n d s Region
Cover picture The Cube, next to the Mailbox in Birmingham centre, towers 22 storeys over the Birmingham & Worcester Canal, and construction continues despite the company building it going into administration. The story of developments near to canals in Birmingham starts on page 6. B.C.N. Clean-up We e k e n d More than 20 shopping trolleys were removed from the BCN in a single location in one weekend. The supermarket refuses to take them back. More pictures and stories inside this issue. Picture by Tim Lewis
To all Navigation Readers Every time you call or visit any of our advertisers, please tell them you saw their advert in ‘Navigation’.
is the quarterly publication of the West Midlands Region of The Inland Waterways Association. The IWA is a national organisation and campaigns for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the Inland Waterways. ‘Navigation’ has been in continuous publication, in various formats, for over 50 years. We aim to bring readers a variety of items of local interest, news of forthcoming events and provide a contact with IWA. Primarily for the benefit of our members, Navigation is also distributed in a limited way for non-members to pick up and gain an insight into the news in the Region and the aims and activities of the Association. The IWA West Midlands Region
IWA Website
One of just eight Regions, this region covers the geographic ‘Heart of England’. Centred around Birmingham, it stretches to include Stoke on Trent in the north, to Warwick and Worcester in the south. This is where the great network of 18th century canals, from London in the south east, Bristol in the south west, Merseyside in the north west and Humberside in the north east; all come together. This Region is proud to be the Hub of the system.
Navigation magazine is available in PDF format on the IWA website : www.waterways.org.uk Hardcopy of Navigation is monochrome for economic reasons. Wherever possible, on the internet, pictures and graphics are full colour and other enhancements, such as live links to website locations and e-mail addresses, are active. So even if you have a paper copy, it is still worth having a look on-line if you have access to the internet.
The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this magazine but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as policy, or as an official pronouncement, unless specifically identified as such.
The Association accepts no liability for any matter published in this magazine, including adverts. No reproduction is permitted without acknowledgement. Unless otherwise acknowledged, most photographs were taken by the Editor.
The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is a registered charity No. 212342. IWA Registered Office : Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA. Tel 01494 783453 Printed by Media Print Group, Park Lane House, Park Lane, Oldbury B69 4JX
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Navigation – Contents –
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Chairmen’s Reports Page 8-9 Page 17-18 Page 19 Page 20
Region Chairman’s Report Lichfield Chairman’s Report Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire Chairman’s Report Warwickshire Chairman’s Report
Regular Features Page 5 Page 14-16 Page 25 Page 26
Editor’s Excuses Future Social Events New Members Committee Contacts and details for submissions / deadlines.
News Stories, Gossip and Articles Page 5 Page 6-7 Page 10-11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 21 Page 22 Page 24 Page 24-25
BCN Cleanup Birmingham waterside developments Chasewater Dam - water resrictions High Speed Rail Link / IWA Website tutorials Bridge Damages / Stafford Boat Club bridge / Fradley attractions Updates on stories Dancing on boats / BW Free For All National Festival grant (2008) / History societies Shared Ownership boats Michael Fabricant - Parliamentarian of the Year Award
More than 500 miles of canals and navigable rivers have been re-opened to public use since the Association was founded in 1946. Currently another 500 miles of derelict inland waterways including many locks, bridges and aqueducts are the subject of restoration schemes.
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Excuses
Members will be aware that from 2009, the West Midlands Region includes the Stoke on Trent Branch. However, historically ‘Stoke’ Branch have produced their own newsletter, “Knobsticks” funded, like ‘Navigation’, by capitation from IWA subscriptions. Due to this anomaly, whilst the content of Navigation attempts to reflect the interests of the whole region; this issue is only being mailed to members of the other three branches. The next issue of Navigation is currently an You may notice that there are fewer adverts unknown quantity. It may revert back to in this issue. This is due to a broad new running several pages of advertisements or approach to assessing the benefits of selling it may evolve in a totally new direction. advertising space and collecting the There have been many changes to the Region committee and the input of the new revenues from this on a regular basis. line-up may reflect in the region’s main item It has to be a good thing to shake it all up of communication. every now and again to re-assess what is We will all have to wait and see. good for the publication and what is dragging Allan it back from evolving into the 21st century. The 2010 BCN Clean up Many tonnes of dumped material was removed over the weekend from stretches of the Birmingham Canal Navigations in the Black Country. Pictures by Tim Lewis
The combined efforts of local volunteers, the WRG and British Waterways proved most effective. Each had an expertise or facility at their disposal to make the combined effort far more effective than either working on their own.
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Waterfront Developments around Birmingham
Our cover shows ‘The Cube’ development at ‘Salvage Turn’ as seen from Gas Street Basin.
This massive structure towers just metres from the edge of the Worcester & Birmingham Canal with 22 floors of its total of 26 storeys above water level. The modern design adds to the overpowering contrast with the traditionalbuildings of the area and even with contemporary developments like the adjacent ‘Mailbox’. The ‘Qube’ was many years in the planning and construction of the resulting ‘Cube’ started in 2007 with the excavation of a 4 storey hole. In March 2010, the developers went into administration, run by insolvency practitioners, but this did not halt the work to finish the complex. When completed, there will be waterside shops and cafes, a glazed atrium, a boutique hotel, commercial offices and a variety of apartments. The roof will be taken up by a restaurant with views right across the city and beyond. Simultaneously, only metres away at the end of the sidearm excavated in recent times as part of the Mailbox development, a giant staircase is being constructed below the BBC studios. There was some controvercy with conservationists, including IWA, after
a barrier was constructed to hold back the canal, when part of an historic bridge structure was destroyed to enable the supporting structure for the new steps to be built.
New steps down to towpath level from by the BBC studios at the Mailbox.
Close by is another skeletal construction, making the whole stretch seem like one long extended building site.
Seen from Holliday Street, another giant mechano set is being assembled
IWA West Midlands
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Building at Bagot Street seen from the A34 bridge over the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal.
Not too far away, at Bagot Street, close to the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, another massive construction is taking place. This area is littered with student accomodation blocks and slowly the whole area is being swallowed up by concrete and glass. In this case, the sky line is being dominated by liftshafts, which, bizarrely, they seem to be constructing first. We all accept that construction sites are a necessary feature of ‘progress’ and usually they are only temporary. But increasingly during the present recession, developers go bust and, like at the Birmingham Mint, the site remains static for months. Is it wise to start so many projects beside canals in one area all at once ? Meanwhile, at the Soho Loop on the BCN, bits of a dilapidating building are dropping off and into the canal. For a while, the debris is an eyesore and a warning not to hang about below the scene of slow collapse. Then it disappears, but only to become yet another item of invisible, underwater obstruction. To the owner of the building responsible for this pollution, it is out of sight and out of mind. But should they be allowed to get away with it ? Navigation would like to hear of developments elsewhere in urban centres in our region. Branches monitor planning applications and rightly so, but sometimes things are happening (or not happening) A large chunk of cladding slowly settles into beyond the routine planning regulations. the mud, but how soon will it be until the next bit falls off ?
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Region Chairman’s Report Branches Phil Sharpe and Roger Savage (respectively) remain Chairmen so doubtless, with the support of the members of both committees; the Branches will continue to flourish as they have before. Likewise thanks should also go to the members of all our Branch Committees, and our Region Committee, for all the work that they have done for the Association during the last twelve months.
As you will see in this edition of Navigation there have been a number of changes following March’s series of Annual General Meeting. At long last out Birmingham, Black Country Branch has a Chairman and I would like to welcome David Pearson in his new role. David only joined the Branch Committee last year and was ‘persuaded’ by a number of Committee members to jump in at the deep end. It will clearly be a steep learning curve for him and clearly not only has he to learn how IWA operates but he also has to build up a working relationship with the Councils, Iocal Waterways Societies and the membership as a whole. I’m sure that he wont object to my ask you, as members, to contact him regarding matters that my concern on your local waterway. Likewise Ian Jackson has taken over the chairmanship of Warwickshire Branch from Ian Fletchers and I would also like to welcome him on board. Ian, Jackson that is, has a considerable waterways pedigree having worked on Avon matters for many years so perhaps his job may not be as daunting as David’s. Ian Fletcher will continue to represent the Region on our national Navigation Committee, a role he took on a couple of years ago, and as a consequence he has joined West Midlands Region Committee as an elected member having lost his ex-offico membership once her retired as Branch Chairman. Elsewhere in both Lichfield and Stoke
As you will doubtless have read elsewhere British Waterways is looking at changing its status into some form of Trust, although were not quite sure as to what that will consist of, and this move has received recognition, albeit perhaps a little luke warm, in the Government’s Budget Statement last month. Clearly Government wants to see change and indicated that they want to mutualise British Waterways and suggested that that may take the form of a Trust so they are obviously looking at other ways that that can be done. Ideally, given the fact that the country is broke, a total change is needed and, to save much of the duplication of work and expenditure, the navigation activities of both the Environment Agency and British Waterways ought to be amalgamated into a totally new organisation; hence IWA’s bid to get an ‘Inland Waterways Conservancy’ set up. From what we understand this has already created interest in Government circles. Mindful of the present financial situation money will be tight over the next decade and seen the end of big money projects like the Falkirk Wheel and the Droitwich Junction Canal for many a year. Waterway restoration will have to resort to more traditional means of funding the restoration of navigation on former, but now derelict, waterways in the form of much smaller packages that would see restoration on a step by step basis designed to interest the Heritage Lottery Fund, whose income was
IWA West Midlands
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R e g i o n C h a i r m a n ’ s R e p o r t a boat coming towards please wait for it cont’d...
albeit temporarily (allegedly) curtailed a few years ago to help pay for the Olympics that are now only a couple of years away. As well as being a serious issue directly affecting the waterways it is now indirectly affecting the waterways because Lichfield District Council are faced with a colossal bill to repair the dam at Chasewater, a facility that they fought tooth and nail to get of Walsall a few years ago when there were some minor boundary changes, that will take the Council tax payer of the district many years to pay off. It is perhaps surprising that having acquired such a facility (or perhaps better still before they acquired it) the Council would have given it a thorough check over and, on the basis of its state, budgeted for its repair and maintenance. It would seems that, whilst being normal for a business, this has not happened and we’re now faced with emergency repairs that could affect the water resources on the BCN for several years, the reservoir taking more that two and a half years to fill without any water being drawn off. By the time you read this British Waterways will have implemented a programme of overnight lock closures that they have agreed with IWA representative and other interested parties. This will affect boaters arriving on/leaving the Wolverhampton Level and clearly the proper use of the locks will conserve the water and help conserve water supplies thus preventing additional restrictions being introduced. Please remember when locking down to fill the lock below you before drawing the paddles of the lock you are in; to wait for boats coming up to start filling their lock before drawing your paddles and if a lock is against you and you can seen
to work the lock. Whilst it might cost you a little time you may gain an awful lot of time when cruising in the months ahead. Finally its good to see that the work has started on the repairs to the Leek breech, lets just hope that the repairs are of a much better standard than those that took place to resolve the Stourbridge Canal failure a couple of years ago where subsequently BW had to have additional works done to make sure that it was fit for purpose. K V Welch
MBE for Harry Arnold We are delighted to report the inclusion of a popular figure in our Region in the latest honours list. Harry Arnold is to be awarded an MBE. Harry, who is rarely to be seen without one or more cameras hanging around his neck, lives within the Region and runs the company, Waterways Images. His pictures regularly appear in waterways magazines, including IWA’s quarterly ‘glossy’, ‘Waterways’. Because of his company’s extensive archive of canal related photographs, Harry has been invaluable to ‘Navigation’ for supplying historical pictures. We recall a recent instance when the Region’s President, George Andrews, died; when Harry provided an excellent picture of George for our obituary item. On behalf of IWA West Midlands Region, congratulations, Harry. Well deserved.
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IWA West Midlands
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Chasewater Dam Since the last issue of Navigation, when there were murmurings of problems to come due to the planned maintenance of the dam at Chasewater reservoir, near Brownhills, there have been a series of consequences and restrictions that will go on throughout the summer. The first step was to reduce the level of water to expose the dam and reduce the pressure upon it. This took place over several weeks from early Spring and involved the additional task of rescuing and re-locating thousands of fish. One of the first casualties was the Canal Festival at Pelsall, planned for 12/13 June. A late proviso was added to the advertisement of this event just before going to press in January and very soon afterwards came the announcement that BCNS had decided to postpone it until the supply of water to the Wyrley & Essington Canal could be guaranteed with greater certainty. Chasewater normally feeds about 25% of the water usage on the Wolverhampton level. The problem was not so much the provision of water for normal boating volumes, but the confidence that there would be enough water for the locks for a concentrated period of heavy traffic, such as the peak period of boaters getting to a large event, and later, wanting to get away again. British Waterways always had continguency measures in hand, such as back pumping from Brades works, but a question mark always hung over the ability to cope with surge demand. Pumping at Bradley was significantly increased up to its licensed maximum of 27.5 ML/day.
Just looking at the layout of the BCN, the strategic importance of Chasewater Reservoir is apparent.
Since April, further measures have been taken to conserve water, including the overnight closure of many locks. On longer flights of locks, such as the ‘Wolverhampton 21’, this has meant an early afternoon “last man in” policy at the top and bottom locks to ensure that boaters had time to reach the opposite end before the paddles were shackled. Essential work on the dam was intended to start in May/June 2010 and was planned to last 9 months to Feb/Mar 2011. However, the initial tenders for the work appear to have been rejected and the project has gone out for re-tender. The actual start date of the prescribed remedial work is still unknown, but it will be July at the earliest. This means that on the initial estimates, the work will not be finished by the start of the boating season 2011. (continued)
IWA West Midlands
Navigation
Chasewater Dam The Background The reservoir dates back over 200 years and is the major supply of water to the northern Birmingham Canal Navigations. Approximately 4,500,000 cubic metres of water is contained by the dam, up to 12 metres high in places and 560 metres in length. The dam consists entirely of earth, with no waterproof membrane, very little clay and no steel piling nor concrete. As a consequence, the dam leaks. In 1799 part of it collapsed completely causing a torrent of water which spread for miles. Even after re-building, the continuous seepage of water over many decades, causes fine particles to be washed out of the earth embankment. The fear is that the voids left by the silt leakage could, over time, undermine the stability of the remaining larger particles which tend to move about with the slow transit of water. After a storm or flash flood, levels rise and so does the pressure of the water, especially at the foot of the dam.
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continued
Lichfield District Council, owners of the reservoir, after a survey of the condition of the dam, accepted that the consequences of a sudden shift at the base of the dam would be catastrophic. Many lives would be endangered. A full engineering solution was developed and the draining of the reservoir was the first essential step in the repair program. The proposed solution is to stop the silt from washing out of the dam. At the end of all the remedial work, Chasewater will be allowed to fill up by natural means. The normal abstraction rate would be up to 34ML/day in a dry summer, although summer inflow to the reservoir averages only 9ML/day. How long will it take to refill ? The Chasewater catchment area is not very large. LDC estimate 2 years to refill, BW’s estimate based on 80 years of data is 2 years 9 months. But, that is to completely refill. If canal abstraction resumes at 144m AOD then complete refilling will take longer.
The height of the dam can clearly be appreciated by comparison to the height of the house on the right. Note also the small octagonal building on top of the dam
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High Speed Rail Link
The detailed route plans now published for the proposed High Speed 2 railway from London to Birmingham also include a line from Birmingham to Lichfield. Intended as the first part of its continuation to Manchester and Scotland, this would initially join the existing West Coast Main Line just north of Lichfield. On its way it would cross the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal just below the 7th lock up on the Curdworth flight, at a skew angle on a 260m viaduct about 8m high. A dashed line on the key map labelled ‘Provision for North East Connection’ also heads off alongside the M42 (through Kingsbury Water Park) for a future crossing of the Coventry Canal somewhere near Polesworth. Around Lichfield, it would cross the Lichfield Canal restoration site at Darnford Lane and, although a 35m bridge is shown across the Darnford Brook which should be wide enough to also span the new canal channel, it would
be 15m high with considerable noise and visual impact. The line continues across the golf course, over the A38 and over both existing railway lines on high embankments and viaducts, which is already generating much opposition. IWA nationally will also be concerned by the route alignment across the southern Oxford Canal on its winding summit level around Wormleighton Hill, which would severely affect its remoteness and tranquillity. Other canal crossings are a bridge over the Grand Union Canal east of Leamington; and on the railway into Birmingham another crossing of the Grand Union Canal (Birmingham & Warwick Junction section) near Saltley Viaduct below Garrison Locks on a 12m high viaduct; and finally a 12m viaduct over Ashted Bottom Lock on the Digbeth Branch Canal.
I W A We b s i t e T utorial Tu Following the launch of the new format IWA Website in April, a series of tutorials are taking place around the country to train local branch and region representatives to edit their own pages with local information. The West Midlands Region session took place on 20 March at Stafford Boat Club.
The program that creates the site allows approved individuals to log on and insert and edit the information on certain allocated pages. Elected editors from each of our region’s branches had hands on tuition to enable them to leave, with a manual for a reminder, to them keep the pages interesting and up to date. The Website Editing Tutorial for our Region at Stafford Boat Club. In addition to David Forester and Gemma Bolton from Head Office running the course, this session was attended by National Chairman, Clive Henderson (centre)
IWA West Midlands Bridge Damage In a recent item on Radio 4, British Waterways highlighted the increasing cost of repairing heritage bridges on the canal system. Heavy goods vehicles and farm vehicles (with trailers) often have problems safely negotiating 200+ year old bridges originally designed for horses and carts. They can cause a lot of damage in just seconds which can take weeks to repair. Wherever possible, old bricks and coping stones are preferred, to match the rest of the bridge and maintain the illusion of originality. Naturally these are more difficult to get hold of than a palletful of brand new bricks from the local Jewsons. British Waterways are looking into charging for the damage, or suing the perpetrator (assuming they don’t just disappear from the scene). In a recent incidence, a large hole was punched in the parapet of Bridge 83 on the Coventry Canal by a vehicle, leaving an arch of precariously suspended coping stones. Much more than the brickwork was involved in putting things right. The road had to be
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closed for a couple of weeks causing a long diversion around Whittington. This was inconvenient for hundreds of local people and a financial nightmare for The Plough pub at Huddlesford, adjacent to the bridge, who inevitably lost trade. The bridge is “back together again” but the scars remain. No doubt many of the original bricks still lie on the bottom of the canal - a future source of contemporary masonry ?
Fradley attractions Fradley Nature Reserve, beside the Trent & Mersey Canal near Fradley Junction has enjoyed a sizable grant to improve the facilities. For walkers, there are now audio guides available to advise at key location around the pool on what to look out for and how to recognise the habitat. Fradley is becoming an increasing attraction for tourists. In addition to the Swan Inn and two competing cafes, a steam fair was recently held, with rides on steam driven vehicles along the ‘towpath’ road to the Swan.
Stafford Boat Club bridge work Stafford Boat Club has been developing for many years, utilising a short side arm of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, near Baswich. The side arm has never had a bridge across, so members and visitors using moorings on the far side from the clubhouse facilities have always had a long walk to get there. Work has now begun on the foundations of a footbridge over the mouth of the arm. The actual bridge is still in the future, but with the supports done, weary members can at least see a light at the end of the tunnel.
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IWA West Midlands
Navigation
Updates on past items in Navigation Breach on the Caldon Canal near Leek
S q u a re B o l l a r d s
Remedial work has been carried out at the site of a massive towpath collapse near Leek. A large part of the Leek Branch of the Caldon Canal has been stoppaged for months. Just as at the Stourbridge Canal breach, the bed of the canal has been found to be defective after the initial repairs had been completed. The stoppage has had to be extended into July to rectify the fault. The branch is important as it carries water from Rudyard Reservoir to the main Caldon Canal.
Readers may remember the controversy over square bollards installed recently next to narrow locks all across our area. Nearly all of them have been rounded off now, leaving a square profile just at the top. But not all. If you go to the Bodymoor Heath Lock next to the Dog & Doublet on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, you will find square profile pegs all the way down to the brickwork. Did British Waterways just forget this lock ?
Canal Festival
Pelsall 2010 As most people will now be aware, this event has been postponed. The remedial work on Chasewater reservoir dam has caused water shortages this summer, particularly affecting proposed large gatherings.
New Slipway on the Herefordshire and Goucestershire Canal At Aylestone Park, Hereford, a short section of the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal is in water. Waterways Recovery Group have built a new slipway there which will allow this currently disconnected bit of canal to be used by small boats.
Boaters should note that the BCN is still fully navigable, but some restrictions upon the operation hours of key lock flights have been introduced. The campaigning aims of the event were to increase the profile of the northern BCN and to contribute to the fight against the current reduction in funding for the Inland Waterways. This could put at risk the future of the canals in this area unless their benefits for visiting boaters and the local communities can be demonstrated. For general inquiries please contact; Ivor Caplan, mobile 07778 685674 email ihcaplan@msn.com
Many other projects are taking place along this old disused canal, making restoration gradually closer. There is a Trust which interested parties can subscribe to in order to support the cause; see www.h-g-canal.org.uk
West Midlands Region Diary of Social Events of our Branches
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All the events below are open to non-members and member’s guests. During the Summer months, when many people are away and boat-owners take their boats out a lot, the Social Events list tends to be rather sparse compared with the winter season. However there are still the odd organised walk, barbecue, etc. Those with internet access are well advised to keep fully up to date from the IWA website, www.waterways.org.uk, which has pages dedicated to each Region and Branch. It should also be remembered that Warwickshire Branch has its own newsletter “Bear Essentials”, available its branch members invarious formats; and Stoke on Trent Branch has “Knobsticks”. Both these publications carry local information, possibly more up to date than Navigation.
Birmingham, Black Country and Worcestershire Branch Meetings details from Chris Osborn 01299 832593 jcosborn@btinternet.com Birmingham, Black Country and Worcestershire Branch meetings are held at the Social Club, Ashwood Marina, Ashwood Lower Lane, Ashwood DY6 0AQ (near Kingswinford and Wombourne) at 19.30. This venue is accessible to anyone having difficulties with stairs.
The social meetings will resume in September and details will be published in the next issue of Navigation.
Lichfield Branch
Meetings details from Phil Sharpe 01889 583330 lichfield@waterways.org.uk
Lichfield Branch meetings are in the College Hall, Cathedral Close, Lichfield WS13 7LD, usually September to April. This is on the ground floor. Parking just off Bird St. (see website map). Meetings start at 7.30 for 7.45 pm Wed 21st Jul Wed 15th Sep Sat 18th Sep
Walk: Penkridge : 6.45 for 7pm at Cross Keys, with meal afterwards. Details from Tim Burgin 01889 579039 or timburgin@btinternet.com Talk : Grand Canal of China, by Liam D’arcy Brown Garden Party : Hopwas, Catering, games, sales, but not alcohol. Parking at the pubs. Open to members, friends, and neighbours.
Stoke on Trent Branch
Meetings details from Alison Smedley 01538 385388 alison@hazelhurstcottage.co.uk Stoke on Trent Branch meetings are in the Stoke on Trent Boat Club, Endon Wharf, Post Lane, Endon, Stoke on Trent ST9 9DT Meetings start at 7.45 for 8.00 pm
Branch members should consult ‘Knobsticks’ newsletter.
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Warwickshire Branch Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month, and start at 7.30 pm. Location : ‘Alan Higgs Centre’, in Allard Way, Coventry, CV3 1HW. Meetings will be in ‘The Gallery’ a self-contained room with our own bar - available from 7.00pm. For earlier arrivals a licensed cafeteria is available elsewhere in the building for snacks or bar-meals. This venue will be changing later this year. The new venue will be the Sports Convention on the A45, full details will be published in the next edition. Wed 14th July
Our ‘end of season’ walk and picnic. A return to The (hopefully by then open) Droitwich Canal. Meet at 7-30pm. Rendezvous details in Bear Essentials newsletter.
Worcester & Birmingham Canal Society Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month, and start at 8.00 pm. Location : Boat & Railway pub, Shaw Lane, Stoke Prior, nr Bromsgrove; upstairs. Program Secretary : Denis Pike, 07870 939121, programme@wbcs.org.uk Tues 6th July Tues 3rd August Tues 7th Sept
Society Walk to visit the Woodgate Valley section of the Lapal Canal by Ian Hunter. Meet at Visitors Centre, Clapgate Lane, Bartley Green B32 3DS at 7.15 pm. Society Walk to visit the newly opened section of the Droitwich Barge Canal by BW Engineer, John Tearle. Meet at Ladywood Lock at 7.15 pm. Visual presentation : Water Management - The Electronic Lockkeeper by Neil Bedford.
Birmingham Canal Navigations Society Meetings are held at Titford Pumphouse, Engine Street, Oldbury, starting at 7.30 pm. Social Secretary : Geoff Peakman, 0121 559 7486 27 June 16 July
Brownhills Festival - details Georgina Fereday tel. 01543 452119 Longwood Boat Club 40 years Celebration at junction of Rushall Canal and Daw End Branch. Comedy duo : Duo Dandy. ward.brenda@gmail.com 10 - 12 Sept Black Country Boating Festival, Windmill End, Netherton -details Paddy Grice 0844 800 5076 www.bcbf.com or info@bcbf.com
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must have spent more because overall takings were similar to last year. A lot of work goes into this event but it is a sociable occasion and it would be hard to replace the income it generates. Lichfield Branch started 2010 with our traditional New Year’s Day walk, this time around the fields and canal at Penkridge. Denis our usual leader was laid-up at the time but his understudies knew the route and everyone made it back to the pub. We are never quite sure what the response will be when the subject of our indoor meetings goes outside our ‘comfort zone’ of waterway topics, but we need not have worried in January as there are close links between canal and railway enthusiasts. In fact the Cromford & High Peak Railway was originally intended to be a canal and connected at both ends with canals, and its unique mixture of steam locomotives and rope-hauled inclined planes made for a fascinating talk which was well attended by members and non-members alike. Unfortunately, the same broad appeal did not quite extend to our February meeting on the steam tug Kerne. Nevertheless, an interesting talk especially if, like me, you have memories of the Mersey and Weaver waterways. Despite all the snow this winter, we found a pleasant day in February for an exhilarating walk around the Kingsbury Water Park and the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal at Bodymoor Heath. Another in our growing programme of weekday walks, this one again attracted a good turnout, even if we did lose a few of them on the way round ! The traditional Jumble Sale at Penkridge in March again raised funds jointly for the Branch and the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. Numbers though the door seemed slightly down this year but there was a steady stream and those that came
On the following day we had a ‘Towpath Tidy’ along the Trent & Mersey Canal through Rugeley, in conjunction with British Waterways. Some 20 volunteers including our members, local residents and BW staff cleared the litter from nearly 2 miles of towpath from The Mossley to Brindley Bank Aqueduct, including the worst areas on the offside. A team also filled a BW workboat with timber from a long section of collapsing wooden fencing, leaving the canal corridor looking much improved. We hope to arrange further events to tackle graffiti, paint benches and refurbish signs to improve the image of the canal for boaters and local people. At our AGM in March, Barbara, Pat, Margaret and myself were duly re-elected, and we are pleased that Helen has rejoined the committee in view of her contribution to Branch income from sales and external talks. The formal proceedings were followed by a short but entertaining update on the Ashby Canal restoration. A special event was organised at Fradley Junction on Wednesday 19 May. This was a double event; in the afternoon we will had an exhibition and a reception for the ‘Cressy Cruise’ re-enactment. This voyage was the trigger for Tom Rolt’s seminal book ‘Narrow Boat’ which led to the founding of the Inland Waterways Association and the saving of the canal system. In the evening Steve Bicknell, the volunteer co-ordinator for BW who helped us organise the Towpath Tidy, talked about volunteering with BW. This was in the cellar room of The Swan and after wards there was an informal social. We also had a boat trip through Dudley Tunnel on Sunday 20 June. An evening Canal Walk at Penkridge is planned on continued . . .
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– Navigation – IWA West Midlands Region
Lichfield Chairman continued
Wednesday 21 July, before resuming our meeting programme at College Hall with a talk on The Grand Canal of China on 15 September. Details of our Garden Party at Hopwas on Saturday 18 September will be on our website. One event I mentioned last time did not happen, the Canal Festival at Pelsall. BCNS have postponed it due to possible water shortages following the draining of Chasewater Reservoir by Lichfield Council for urgent repairs. BW hope that extra pumping at Bradley and other measures will enable normal boating on the Wyrley & Essington and connecting canals this summer but could not guarantee this. Other events on the BCN this year have also been cancelled or curtailed. On the planning front, the proposed power station on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Burton on Trent has now been dropped, and amended plans for repairing and extending Deepmore Lock Cottage on the Staffs & Worcs Canal have been approved. There were a lot of silly press reports about our comments on a fisherman sculpture by the Daw End Branch Canal at Walsall Wood, and a proposed industrial unit too close to the same canal at Brownhills was withdrawn. A housing development on the T&M at Weston has been re-planned to include more canalside open space, and an application for a large Tesco store development by the canal in Rugeley has just been received, so more on this next time. A new IWA website is now up and running and, although it is yet to be fully populated with all the information that was on the old one, it has attractive new facilities including much easier access for Branches to input and update their own
information. Our Branch webpage now has information on our activities, the committee, the waterways we cover, news and recent events, the AGM, planning and, most importantly, an up-to-date list of all our meetings and events with full details. We also plan to add more content over the next few months so take a look at www.waterways.org.uk/regions_branches/ west_midlands/Lichfield. Emails are also a fast and economic way of communicating with our members and we send out an update reminder about our meetings and events about once a month. So if you are on email but have not received anything from us recently, please let us know your email address. Yo u c a n u p d a t e y o u r m e m b e r s h i p records by ringing or emailing Head Office, or better still register on the website and you can amend your own records and choose what other emails you receive, including the Bulletin, press releases, festival news, wrg news, etc. Of course there will still be printed information in ‘Navigation’, and you should receive our Programme Card for the next 12 months enclosed with this edition, but details do sometimes change and extra events are often organised, especially walks, so if you can receive emails and/or check the website periodically you will be right up-to-date. Phil Sharpe
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Our Feb meeting got us in "knots!� The speaker was Bruce Turley from the Guild of Knot Tyers & the delicate work he demonstrated was really skilled & fascinating. Tying up my boat will not be the same again.
Cruising this year on the branch canals could be a little difficult compared with previous boating seasons. Like tentacles of an Octopus the draining for repairs of the Chasewater reservoir for dam repairs is going to affect the whole of the BCN with probably a knock on effect as the water drains (or more correctly doesn’t drain!!!) down to other levels. Whilst we may not have to resort to paddling we all be more aware of the importance of saving water whenever cruising. We may be short of water for up to two years as it will take almost this long to refill the reservoir. Some events have had to be cancelled for this year& at the time of writing others are in the balance. Titford & the BCN challenge as I write are still scheduled to go ahead.
Back up to strength again I hope we as a branch can emulate our near neighbours & become more active. However, one of our members who had agreed to handle part of the planning application process has said it is too much & has resigned. We therefore need a willing new member to be co-opted onto the committee. Also I am keen on resurrecting a branch sales stand for use at canal rallies & other local events, but have already had staffing problems. The idea of a joint IWA/local group stand has been floated & we would need someone to look after this as well. This would be good for Beales Park. The equipment exists so it is just the man/woman power needed. It would raise much needed branch funds. Contact me if you can volunteer. Dave Pearson
Our branch at the AGM welcomed two new committee members Derek Radcliffe & Bob Biddulph whom we warmly welcome. At the AGM I was confirmed as Branch Chairman, replacing Vaughan Welch who has done sterling service over the last 12 years. Thank you Vaughan. Since the last issue of Navigation we have had two interesting meetings. Due to the bad January snow our booked speaker understandably cried off. Rising to the challenge Mike Rolfe rose to the occasion & showed his excellent photographic skills of him cruising on Waverley paddle steamer. The places this vessel gets to are amazing & a great tribute to the current maintenance
e-mail database e-mails are the most efficient way of communicating, informing and bringing people up to date. Birmingham, Black Country and Worcestershire Branch would like to build up a comprehensive database of members’ e-mail addresses. This would enable the committee to pass on up to date information and late changes to arrangements. To achieve this, all members with e-mail addresses have to do is to send a simple message to the chairman on davepearson@yahoo.co.uk and leave the rest to us.
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As the new Chairman of the Warwickshire Branch it is appropriate to say a little about myself. I can claim to have visited the original Market Harborough Rally as a small boy with my parents and whilst in my early twenties I was present at the re-opening of the lower Stratford Canal in 1964 aboard my late brother’s half narrowboat conversion “Normandy Star”. My first boat was the former FMC motor narrowboat ‘Aster’, which I bought from Major Fielding when the Salvation Army disbanded its canals mission and subsequently restored, but I have for the last 30 years owned a much smaller vintage former south Cornish timber fishing boat ‘Seahaze’. Apart from occasional coastal expeditions she usually spends the summer on the Avon. I became an early member and supporter of the fledgling Kennett and Avon Canal Trust, and currently I am an active member of the Cotswold Canal Trust, ANT and SWWT. From these clues it should be apparent that I am hardly young and dynamic, neither do I live within this region’s geographical boundaries! Age profile is becoming a major problem within many volunteer organisations including our own, which is how I find myself in the Chairman’s role.
June 2010 I strongly urge members to encourage youngsters to take an interest before the legacy of the IWA founders starts to erode away. This year is the centenary of Tom Rolt and a re-enactment of his “Cressy” cruise of 1950 is about to get underway, starting from Tooley’s Yard in Banbury and ending at this year’s “National” at Beale Park. Ron & Mary Heritage aboard their boat Heron were at Fenny Compton on the morning of Monday 25th April and at the Folly Inn below Napton Locks that evening, when there was a get together of Warwickshire IWA members and friends. There was a formal handover to Northampton branch of IWA at noon on Tuesday 26th from where Heron will proceed up Braunston Locks and on to the Leicester Canal. She will return south along the Coventry Canal passing through Hawkesbury Junction in mid July when Warwickshire IWA will again be involved. Shortage of Government funding is likely to be increasingly reflected in a deterioration in the upkeep of our canals and I draw your attention to the SOS gathering over the May Day weekend at Hawkesbury incorporating a cruise from there to Coventry Basin. Following on from our outgoing Chairman’s remarks in the last edition of Navigation, we will be working - in association with Stratford Canal Society and HNBOC to expose and ‘exploit’ the problems of the Southern Stratford - using Bridge 58 as an example of what happens to a system if ‘steady state’ is not maintained. The manner and timing of this is yet to be determined. Frequent boat movements are essential for keeping weed growth in our canals at bay and maintaining a deep water channel free of weed to the benefit of fishermen. On leisure Cruising Waterways road bridges had to be retained to enable navigation and now ensure walkers can enjoy long peaceful walks along the towpaths.
Navigation Warwickshire Chairman continued
The Cotswold Canal Trust for one, has done much to campaign to reopen derelict and overgrown sections of towpath, and now major bridges are about to be reinstated in the Stroud area thanks to Heritage Lottery money and associated funding. We should not forget either the role of our waterways in land drainage or water supply. Our canal heritage is unique in the world, and our Association’s slogan “Waterways for All” is what IWA is all about and not just boats, albeit that they keep open water in our canals, bridges standing and good quality long distance footpaths segregated from traffic in existence. Ian Jackson
Dancing on Boats The Janice Long Show on Radio WM broadcast an interview with a choreographer who intended to have a boat on the canal with various dance routines celebrating the waterways. The boat will travel around the canals and at one point intends to pass through the whole of the 21 locks at Wolverhampton. The narrow boat will stop at various locations where the dancers will perform on the roof. The Dance boat left Birmingham on Monday 19th April, after a public opening of the International Dance Festival, the second to be held in Birmingham. The theme is a celebration of canal engineering. The opening ceremony was at at Brindley Place. They stopped at Wolverhampton and then headed on for Brewood. The narrow boat was due back in Birmingham on 8th May. Ray Shill
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Free for all ! Turn to the water for quality family fun without the price tag As the summer holiday season draws near thoughts turn to what to do and where to go with the children. While many families’ finances are still tight, the trick will be finding fun and inspiring activities that won’t break the bank.
British Waterways is launching a campaign to inspire more people to discover the varied delights of the West Midlands’ canals and rivers. The ‘Yours to Enjoy Anytime’ campaign aims to highlight the many ways in which people of all ages can enjoy the beautiful canals and rivers on their doorstep as the warmer weather approaches.
Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, a youngster or young at heart there is no better way to enjoy summer than by embracing the great outdoors. And whether your intention is to relax and unwind or raise the pace there is something for everyone. From walking, running and cycling to boat trips, wildlife watching or simply enjoying a leisurely stroll and picnic - canals and rivers provide masses of opportunities.
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IWA West Midlands NATIONAL FESTIVAL GRANTS Wolverhampton Festival 2008
At its meeting on 29th March West Midlands Region reviewed the allocation of the £2000 waterways funding to be spent within the Region as a consequence of the 2008 National Waterways Festival held in Wolverhampton. It was originally proposed to spend the money to aid the campaign to increase the use of the Northern BCN Reminder Waterways by means of a Boat Rally at Pelsall Common. Because of the Chasewater Reservoir Dam problem that is no longer possible. The Region has now reconsidered the matter and has agreed, subject to Finance Committee approval, to award the money the Stafford Riverway Link for their imminent feasibility study. Ideally the Region would like to follow Restoration Committee’s practice and make this conditional on: • The Trust being able to raise the balance of the funding required • IWA being allocated a place on the working group • The copyright being vested in all funders • IWA having a copy of the final documents, • the usual conditions about grant offer acceptance, publicity and payment of claims. Finance Committee is therefore asked to approve this proposal and, because there are now no regional accounts in which to hold the money, agree a mechanism whereby the cash can be ring fenced until the contact is let. K. V Welch West Midlands Chairman
Navigation History Societies The IWA branches and many canal societies frequently use history as a theme for talks and slide shows at their meetings. Now historical societies are turning the tables. On 4th June, Halesowen History Society had a talk on the Stourbridge Canal. David Hickman gave an illustrated talk at the society’s final meeting of the 2009/ 2010 season at the Shenstone Theatre at Halesowen Library. Previously, Smethwick Local History Society and their sister society in Willenhall had talks on canal tunnels. Martin O’Keeffe and Ray Shill, prominent members of Birmingham Canal Navigations Society held a Canal History Workshop on 15 May. This was the first for three years, no doubt because of the work involved in organising such an event. This one was subtitled ‘Living and Working on the Canals’ and delegates enjoy a buffet lunch during the break. Reports indicated that the workshop was well appreciated.
Picture by Tim Lewis
Another scene from the Canal Clean-up, illustrating the team effort by the participants from widely differing organisations.
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IWA West Midlands
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Foot Health Practitioners Navigation readers maybe interested in some of the background to our most recent advertiser. You may not think about your feet very often, perhaps you should. Foot Health Practitioners (FHPs) are autonomous practitioners that will visit a patient at home, or in Nursing and Residential Homes to attend to common conditions affecting foot and leg. These range from nail care, treatment of heel fissures, callus and corns, to functional problems of the foot in gait. There is great need of Foot Health Practitioners. There is a higher proportion of elderly people in our population, the incidence of diabetes is rising (diabetics have need of professional foot care) and there are more overweight people in our society (who make heavy demands upon their feet) than ever before. Evidence shows that attention to foot lesions results in significant pain reduction, increased functional ability and fewer falls. Those trained at the College of Foot Health are skilled in assessment, treatment and defence of the foot, and as members of the Alliance of Private Sector Practitioners carry appropriate indemnity insurance. They are fully aware of issues of confidentiality, recordkeeping, informed consent and communication with other health care workers.
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Michael Fabricant awarded “Parliamentarian of the Year, 2010”. Michael Fabricant was awarded Joint Parliamentarian of the Year 2010 by the Inland Waterways Association at a dinner in the House of Commons on Tuesday 2nd February. Michael is a keen narrowboater, is Patron of the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust, and has spoken in a number of Parliamentary Debates on matters concerning Britain’s inland waterways. Retiring Labour MP, Bob Laxton, Chairman of the Waterways All Party Group, also received the award. Left : Michael Fabricant MP (left) was presented with the award by IWA National Chairman, Clive Henderson.
Boaters Pull Together as Lightning Strikes Twice Ownerships, the largest shared ownership organisation on the UK canals, has hit financial difficulties and has ceased trading.
boats following non-payment of bills. They really are the same issues that we faced with Challenger boats, all over again.”
For some, this is a case of history repeating itself. In January 2008 Ownerships’ closest rivals, Challenge Syndicateships called in administrators under what appear to be very similar circumstances.
Mr Barton said, “It’s amazing really. They say that lightning can’t strike twice but it appears it just has.” He added, “The full details of Ownerships financial problems are yet to become revealed, but there seem to be some striking similarities”.
So BCBM, the boat management company that rose from the ashes following Challenger’s demise, has offered to help. Already it has received a large number of calls from owners of shares in Ownerships boats. BCBM Managing Director Andrew Barton said, “We have been inundated with calls and we have been more than happy to help where we can. We must be uniquely placed to do so having been through all this once before.” He added, “Like Challenger owners before them, Ownerships syndicates have a lot of things to consider now. We have been asked all kinds of questions, from financial issues insurance problems right through to whether boatyards can ‘impound’
As a further response to the calls for advice, BCBM ran surgery-style advice sessions over the weekend of 15th and 16th May at the Village Hotel Walsall. There was a good turn-out across the weekend and many more owners who couldn’t attend have called and e-mailed since. BCBM is happy to offer help, support and advice where it can free of charge with no strings attached and can be contacted on 01270 628 076 or via the website at www.bcbm.co.uk. Andrew Barton can be e-mailed at andrew.barton@bcbm.co.uk
IWA West Midlands Region
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Michael said : “I am honoured and delighted to have been given this prestigious award. Our canals and rivers generate millions of pounds in revenue from tourism and are a natural sanctuary for wildlife. They need to be maintained and cherished. As I told those assembled: I shall plonk the award on the table when I next go narrowboating with a bunch of my rowdy friends. My next trip is round the Cheshire ring.� Guests at the dinner included Members of Parliament of all parties, regional chairmen and officers of the Inland Waterways Association, and the Chairman and Chief Executive of British Waterways. Close-up of the Pariamentarian of the Year Award
New Members We would like to welcome all new members to this region and those transferring from other areas. We hope you will enjoy being part of the IWA and look forward to meeting you at some of the many events organised by or participated at by our branches. Some of the new members this Spring are as follows : Mr & Mrs Brian Mann, STOURPORT-ONSEVERN Mr Keith Bell, WALSALL Mr Simon Darton & Miss Judy White, Alsager Mr Michael & Mrs Jane Taylor, Denstone, UTTOXETER Ms Julie Hudson, STRATFORD-UPONAVON Mr Stephen P Harrington, WORCESTER Ms Joan McAdam, Shirley, SOLIHULL Mrs Wendy Noble, Wolverley, KIDDERMINSTER Mr John W Taplin & Mrs Sheila SmithTaplin, Clevelode, MALVERN
Pictures courtesy of Michael Fabricant Press Release.
Vacancies for New Members Lichfield Cruising Club There is capacity for a couple of boat owners to join Lichfield Cruising Club. The Club has moorings at Huddlesford Junction, just off the Coventry Canal. The maximum length of boat that can be accomodated is 15.2 metres (50ft). Anyone interested in applying should contact : Dave Preston Lichfield Cruising Club Canal Cottages, Huddlesford Junction, Lichfield, Staffs. WS13 8PX membership@lichfieldcruisingclub.co.uk 01543 432004
Contacts
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The next issue, No. 2010-3 is due to be published in August 2010. Your contributions and comments should be sent to the Editor by 5th July 2010. Please submit your news, comments, letters, photographs and articles to : Allan Gilbert, 47 Western Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B73 5SP or attached to e-mails to : a.c.gilbert@blueyonder.co.uk Tel. 0121 682 4230
WEST MIDLANDS R E G I O N Chairman
Vaughan Welch, 3 Beach Close, Northfield, Birmingham B31 3DB Tel. 0121 477 9782 Mob : 07971 202406 vaughan.welch@waterways.org.uk
Secretary
Brian Kingshott, Park Cottage, Hopton Castle, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 0QF Tel: 01547 530457 Mob: 07831 572642 e.mail : brian@park-cottage.fsnet.co.uk
Treasurer
Anthony Davies, 17 Elm Row, Stockton, Warwickshire CV47 8JY Mob: 07775 912486
e-mail : Anthony.Davies@dennis-eagle.co.uk The Region is made up of these four branches : BIRMINGHAM,BLACK COUNTRY AND WORCESTERSHIRE BRANCH Chairman
Dave A Pearson Netherton Cottage 2 Netherton lane Bewdley DY12 1PT Tel 01299 404273 Mobile 0752 7197842
LICHFIELD BRANCH Chairman
Philip Sharpe 34 Old Eaton Road, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 2EZ Tel. 01889 583330 philip.g.sharpe@ntlworld.com
davepearson@yahoo.co.uk
STOKE ON TRENT BRANCH
WARWICKSHIRE BRANCH
Chairman Roger Savage 19 High Street, Eccleshall Staffordshire ST21 6BW Tel. 01785 850967 roger.savage@homecall.co.uk
Chairman Ian Jackson 209 Daventry Road, Barby, Rugby, CV23 8TR
Secretary Alison Smedley Hazelhurst Cottage, Denford, Leek ST13 7JT Tel. 01538 385388 alison@hazelhurstcottage.co.uk
Secretary Sue Roy 46, The Butts, Warwick. CV34 4ST Tel. 01926 497645 roy154@btinternet.com
01788 891545 Ian.jackson@mypostoffice.co.uk
Navigation S U C C E S S F U L I WA S TA N D AT B O AT & C A R AVA N S H O W AT N E C , F E B 2 0 1 0 Members of all branches in the West Midlands Region contributed to the highly successful IWA stand at the Boat and Caravan show held at the NEC in February. Despite the recession, sales were up on last year and we managed to recruit 110 new members to the IWA. This almost doubles last year’s recruitment figures of 53 at the NEC and exceeds the 103 members recruited at last year’s National Waterways Festival at Redhill. The volunteer chairman of IWA Promotions and Communications committee, Jerry Sanders, whose committee is responsible for the management of the IWA stands at large shows is quoted as saying “We are extremely grateful to all the IWA members who worked so hard to make the event a success. By attending shows such as this, we can spread the word about the very important work performed by the IWA. The enthusiasm of our members is infectious and that combined with the publicity generated by the hard-working campaign team at Head Office is clearly bearing fruit. In the current economic climate, we have to continually consider our commitment to attend these events. Attending large shows is expensive but when we can recruit members in these numbers and cover our costs with good sales figures, it is worth all the effort.” It is hoped that given the importance of IWA’s SOS 2010 campaign, more people will wish to support the IWA and will consider becoming members. We discovered at the NEC that all we had to do was invite people to join. Once they had read the “10 reasons for joining IWA”, (see attached) they realised how important it was. This is a plea to West Midland Region IWA members to try to recruit at least one new member each during the coming year. By doing this, we could considerably increase the membership of IWA and thus the influence that we can exert politically. Helen Whitehouse 30/03/10
C a n a l Clean-up We e k e n d Another load dragged off the bottom of the canal makes its way to the skips. Many tonnes were collected like this by volunteers. If you want to help next year, get in touch. Picture by Tim Lewis