IWA Chelmsford Branch Newsletter April 2015

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The Swan, Fradley by Stephanie Mason

Campaigning for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the Inland Waterways Disclaimer: The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this Newsletter but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed herein may be construed as policy or official announcement unless stated otherwise. The IWA accepts no liability for any matter in the Newsletter

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Content From the Editor From the Chairman Boating With Friends From the Region Chairman Boater Without a Home Readers Photos Essex WRG Social Events Update

Page 2 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8

Unsusal Visitor Lets Go Boating Essex Waterways Mid Week Working Parties Just For Fun Social Events Branch Committee

Page 9 Page 11 Page 12 Page 14 Page 15 Page 15 Page 15

From The Editor As the snow drop are popping their heads above the ground, only a partial eclipse (that could be seen by a few) and the moment when the Sun crosses the celestial equator - the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator - from south to north. We are now starting to welcome spring. Please make the most of your time along the Navigation to look at the work that has been carried out by the Essex WRG and the Mid-Week Working Parties over the winter.

We would like to increase our contributors to this Newsletter. Please make time to look out your photos, articles and ideas and send them in for our next Newsletter: Last inputs for Summer Newsletter 21/06/2015. Tell us about your own waterway experiences, your holiday or send in Readers Photos.

For those on e-mail please send your input to chelmsford.news@waterways.org.uk Those without just give me a call to arrange for collection. 07837 576464.

From The Chairman The AGM season is now well under weigh and those of you who came to the Branch AGM will have been glad that ours was another short one; I shall be at one shortly that is guaranteed to last for at least two hours.

All of the past committee members are still in place, with Rebecca Loader elected on, having been co-opted during the year as Social Secretary. There were no other new members. I am delighted that the committee is a strong team now and all working so well together but there is always room for one or two more - you don't necessarily have to come to committee meetings and it would sometimes be very good to have extra help with, say, the refreshments or fund-raising.

Region Chairman, Paul, announced that "continuous cruisers" are being monitored by the Canal & River Trust and many are not moving very far at all. Revised licences are to be issued from May, with the rules stating that boats should move a minimum of 15-20 miles per annum. IWA would like this distance to be increased, partly because of the problems associated with boats genuinely cruising trying to find overnight and short term moorings, especially in the London area. Both IWA and the CRT have ongoing work to do on this issue.

If you are shortly going to be boating, I wish you wonderful weather and plenty of good moorings.

If not, I look forward to seeing you at the April and May social meetings.

Molly Beard

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Next day we followed again as it worked well this way, passing Armitage with a sign labelled 'Local Facili9es' and an arrow ‘Through Alleyway’!

Boating With Friends Our friends (and their 2 whippets) were keen to try Narrow-­‐boa9ng having previously been on the Broads, however they were worried about locks, tunnels, bridges and manoeuvring a narrowboat on their own.

We suggested a holiday together, so two narrowboats, four adults, five dogs and a week on the Trent & Mersey from Stone in Staffs was booked. Having a boat each gave each couple more privacy and space especially with five dogs between us!

Also passing Handsacre, then turning Rt at Fradley Junc9on onto the Coventry Canal and through the swing bridge to moor for the night. We enjoyed a social evening all together in The Swan, our friends appeared to be enjoying their new experience on the canals. We all went back for coffee on our boat, all dogs too, very cosy(!) good job we all get on -­‐ including the dogs.

A new day and onwards passing Huddlesford, WhiZngton, Hopwas, then 'winding' near Fazeley Junc9on, John joined our friends on their boat to give guidance and support, then swapped boats and John went with our friends on our boat, which allowed each of them to prac9ce 'winding', we then returned to moor at Hopwas. Just before mooring we retrieved a full set of car seats we had seen floa9ng in canal earlier in day. We phoned CRT who arranged to come and collect them from the road bridge near the moorings the next morning.

We leK the boatyard first, and our friends followed with the boatyard assis9ng them down the two locks, we met up with them below Star Lock where I joined my friends on their boat for a while, all was going well un9l one of the whippets managed to reverse out of her harness and plop into the canal! Fortunately I was able to hop off the boat easily and scoop the whippet out of the canal, she was un-­‐fazed by her wet dip! Our friends recovered their shock and we con9nued on, mooring at Salt for the night.

The following day we thought it best to follow our friends, then if any problems arose we were near (we did have 2-­‐way radios which are useful). A stop at Gt Haywood for the Farm Shop and the wide selec9on of produce was a must. Cruising on we passed Colwich, Wolseley and moored at Rugeley. A lovely day without incidents.

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Boating With Friends (cont) Con9nuing our return journey on what proved to be a busy day with lock queue's (luckily only 3 today), our friends enjoyed the chats at the locks with fellow boaters, and everyone helping each other, mooring at Handsacre for the night.

Onwards again returning to Gt Haywood to stock up from the Farm Shop again, more locks today and our friends are becoming quite proficient in this technique. Mooring above Sandon Lock with a trip to The Dog & Doublet where we had our favorite meal of the week! We were lucky as they were fully booked, but as we had walked up from the canal they squeezed us in.

The next morning we were all on the towpath with the dogs when a boat came past so fast they pulled both our boats adriK, luckily we rescued the mooring pins and re-­‐ moored the boats, neighbouring moorers were not happy with the speeding boat rocking their boats but fortunately they were secured to the barrier mooring and were not pulled adriK like us (no barrier where we were).

From The Region Chairman As you may know we have been actively raising concerns about the number of people who declared they would be continuously cruising when applying for their licence, this means that they don’t need a home mooring, but who are staying in a small area. Last year, Canal and River Trust (CRT) carried out a survey on the movement of boats without home moorings. The survey confirmed our belief that a majority of boats without a home mooring, stayed within a small geographic area. In fact over half of boats moved less than 20 Kilometres in the year. On 13 February CRT issued a statement that clarifies the rules for boaters who have said they will cruise continuously, when applying for their licences and stating how the Trust intends to deal with those boaters who don’t comply. (see full details on page 5). There will undoubtedly be legal challenges and it will take a long time before there is real progress in getting many of the stuck boats moving around the system. We need to be supportive of CRT in their endeavours but must recognise the real problems this will cause for some people who moved onto a boat during the time British Waterways removed enforcement and were led to believe they could remain moored near their work or school all the time.

In addition to the new clarification of CRT’s Policy for boats without home moorings, I understand that they intend to issue revised boat licence conditions from May this year. We have written to CRT highlighting our concerns over some of the new clauses. Hopefully CRT will listen to our views.

On our last full day we headed back to Stone and were moored above Star Lock by lunch9me, giving us 9me to wander around the town and have a relaxing day.

Our friends loved the week (aKer the ini9al shock of 'dog in water'!) and are hooked, they now understand the love of canals, the relaxing way of life, exercise at locks or walking on towpaths, having dogs with us, and the wildlife to be seen in the canal environment. The routes are vast and can be as relaxing or energe9c as you wish.

Of course having good weather for week was a bonus.

Happy Holidays.

Stephanie Mason & John Grieve

Last year your region committee decided not to continue holding a Region AGMs because it had just become a formality, was poorly attended and not really serving any purpose. We still need members on the Region committee, in addition to your branch chairman who is automatically a member. So, you may ask, what does the Region committee do and how can I join in and help? The main purpose of the committee is to coordinate and support IWA’s work by branches across the region. Over recent years it has lead our efforts to find a solution to the problems in London of boats overstaying on moorings and only travelling in a small area. Uniquely in London we also try and run Region wide events such as last year’s clean-up of the Regents canal. If you are interested in helping us, please contact your branch chairman Molly Beard, or myself, we meet about five times a year, usually at the Canal Museum near Kings Cross.

Paul Strudwick 4

Denise Yelland, head of enforcement at the Trust, adds: “While the enforcement team will continue to provide advice and help for boaters, ultimately, when a boat persistently doesn’t move in accordance with our Guidance, we may refuse the owner a new licence to continuously cruise when their existing licence expires.

Boater Without a Home Mooring The Canal & River Trust is outlining its plans to provide greater clarity to those boaters who have stated that they will ‘continuously cruise’, but then don’t move their boat far enough or often enough to meet the Trust’s published ‘Guidance for Boaters without a Home Mooring’ – our understanding of the requirements set out in the BW Act 1995.

“Over the last twelve months the Trust has been operating in this way with boaters who are new to continuous cruising. The approach is now being expanded to all boaters who continuously cruise so that we are treating all boaters fairly and consistently.

The Trust will extend the approach it has been applying for the past year with new continuous cruisers to all boats without a home mooring. This means looking at how far boats have moved over the course of their previous licence to see if it satisfies the requirement for continuous cruising. When this is introduced from 1 May, regular reminders will be sent to all those boaters whose limited movement is causing a concern.

“We are continuing to monitor boat movement as we always have done. What is changing is that we are being more active in telling people when we are concerned about their limited movement pattern, and spelling out what they need to do to meet our requirements.”

Mike Rodd, chairman of the National Association of Boat Owners, comments: “NABO has many continuous cruisers among its members and recognises the significant contribution they make to the wellbeing of our waterways.

For those who are living on their boats as a lifestyle choice, these requirements [to continuously cruise] will not present any problem – NABO’s own survey of continuous cruisers shows just this. Of course some folk who live on their boats may be affected: those who are genuine boaters will welcome the clarity, but a small number will find it difficult to conform. Here we welcome CRT’s new Welfare Officer, Sean Williams, and applaud his work, especially in getting CRT’s existing enforcement officers briefed on the resources available to help those who are in difficulty."

On the expiry of their licence, those that have consistently failed to move in accordance with the Trust’s Guidance will be refused a new licence unless they take a home mooring.

Initially the Trust will focus on those who, having declared they will continuously cruise, move the least, including a number of boats that barely move at all.

For the first few months while boaters are becoming familiar with this policy, the Trust proposes to issue short duration licences to give those boaters concerned a further opportunity to establish an acceptable range of movement.

Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, comments: “The right for boaters to continuously cruise is enshrined in law, and I welcome this way of boating.

Many such boaters make a fantastic contribution to the waterways, and it’s important that everyone who chooses this option understands and respects the rules. Our new approach does not change any rules, but it does seek to provide greater encouragement to everyone to comply with our Guidance, and spells out the consequences if they consistently don’t.

The Association of Continuous Cruisers comments: “ACC are pleased to see that CRT are improving communications to make boaters aware at an early stage of any possible infringement.”

The Residential Boat Owners’ Association comments: “RBOA is broadly supportive of CRT, as it is putting considerable effort into resolving what many see as a problem with boats which do not have a home mooring and which fail to move sufficiently to satisfy CRT’s guidelines.”

“Our message to boaters without a home mooring is that, if you are worried about your range of movement, or want to know more about what else you need to do to comply with our Guidance, please speak to your local enforcement officer (or contact your local Trust office). In many cases, making some small adjustments to a cruising pattern is enough to meet our Guidance, while in other cases taking up a home mooring may be more appropriate. Ultimately we are trying to help boaters understand our requirements and avoid running into trouble, for the benefit of all boaters.”

Paul Le Blique, chairman Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs, comments: “AWCC welcomes and supports this initiative. To encourage a pattern of cruising in line with the Continuous Cruising Licence, followed by firm enforcement action against those who fail to comply is entirely reasonable and appropriate. AWCC has always supported bona fide Continuous Cruising.”

Les Etheridge, chairman of the Inland Waterways Association, comments: "IWA strongly supports genuine continuous cruisers and hopes that the new enforcement process will quickly address in a fair way the significant issues which have developed in recent years."

This month the Trust will write to anyone with a boat registered as not having a home mooring to advise them of the process and will begin renewing licences on this basis from 1 May 2015.

Paul Strudwick

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Readers Photos

San Antonio River Walk From Roy Chandler

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flood gates past Tesco to Black Bridge has been cleared.

Essex WRG Working Parties On the weekend of 7th and 8th March Essex WRG held another joint working party with Chelmsford Branch. Unfortunately WRG numbers were well down. The excuses included moving house, illness and expecting a furniture delivery. We only managed to field six members, but this was more than made up by a magnificent turnout by the Branch/Sandford Boat Club who produced 20 members. In addition Eve and Roy were there representing Essex Waterways Ltd. We were working on the same stretch as our previous work party, but further along as London WRG had visited in between. Once again Eve arrived on the “Buddy” with the usual assortment of loppers, bow saws, strimmers, hedge trimmers and rakes. There were also the chain saws for her and Bob to use.

We had a long stretch of hedge that needed a severe cutting back. In addition there were three trees growing between the tow path and the water that needed to be removed, and the area between the path and the water needed strimming. We started work and very soon the sole bonfire became four bonfires as the branches and cuttings multiplied. Quite a lot of rubbish was gathered up as well.

Our next working party is on the weekend of 4th and 5th July. At the moment we don’t know where on the navigation we will be working. If you want to join us and are not on our e-mail list phone me for details a week or so earlier. My evening number is 01376 334896. Hope to see you there.

John Gale. .

On the Sunday we didn’t have the benefit of the main Branch working party as that had been a oneday event, although three did join us. We still had two trees to bring down plus generally tidying up on the hedge. One bonfire was resurrected, but the main trunks of the trees we taken by those members with log-burners at home!

All in all it was a very successful weekend. This was our second weekend on this section; in addition London WRG and WRG BITM had each put in a weekend. So now the whole of the length from the

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build the boat himself so started by purchasing a shell on Ebay which was built by a company in Wales which had a 57ft boat they had prepared for a customer who did not take delivery.

Social Events Updates January 2015 In January we were delighted to welcome Irene Allen who is a local historian and has written a book about the village of Langford. Irene has lived in Langford all her life and told us some very interesting history about the village which sits alongside the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation (C&BN). This included the history of Langford Mill.

Originally weather-boarded Langford Mill, built in “1776� burnt down in 1879 and was replaced with the current brick built building.

Dennis went on to find an engine also via Ebay which he fitted himself. Dennis has now completed all the exterior work and a partial interior fit out and during this project completed all the necessary work to become an accredited boat assessor. Dennis has very generously extended an invitation to all IWA members who are on the navigation and see him on his boat to have a look over the boat and he will explain the various features and no doubt provide some very valuable advice for anyone considering a similar project. Thank you Dennis.

Mill owners often had their own barges, and the owner of Langford Mill had anticipated the benefit of the economic advantages of having access to London's markets. Three years before construction of the C&BN began he formed his own cut from Langford to the River Chelmer. He had an additional bonus when the owners of the Navigation paid him to deepen the cut so that it was at the same level as their own. Before a disastrous fire destroyed the old building, the mill had been sending some 8,000 sacks of flour every year to the London market. The mill was rebuilt, but too late to enjoy continuing prosperity.

March 2015 In March Teresa Meadows from Essex and Suffolk Water came to talk to us about her work as a Chelmer and Blackwater River catchment officer.

This involves working with other partners to manage the land around river courses which feed drinking water to the reservoirs at Hanningfield and Abberton. Teresa also told us about the Ely Ouse to Essex transfer scheme where water can be diverted from Norfolk to Essex during dry years. Teresa gave us lots of information about the very high quality of water (very often purer than bottled water) and how work with farmers and others takes place to reduce water pollution from pesticides. Teresa had prepared a fun quiz for the second half of the evening and gave a prize for the highest scorer. It was a very interesting and informative evening and we thank Teresa for giving up her evening to come and talk to us.

February 2015 In February Dennis Padfield one of our IWA members shared with us his own personal journey in the building of his Narrowboat JADEN which is currently moored on the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation. Dennis started his project in 2009 shortly after taking retirement. Dennis explained that he has an engineering background and wanted to

Rebecca Loader

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a recognised expert in marine automation systems supplying and integrating state-of-the-art technologies to the international merchant marine, naval, luxury yacht and pleasure craft markets.

Unusual Visitor It was interesting to see photographs of the historic lifeboat parade at the Saul Pageant in the last Newsletter. These reminded me that a historic Irish lifeboat ‘Iris o’ Faith’ regularly winters in Heybridge Basin along with two Thames sailing barges, Gladys and Thalata. Iris o’ Faith is a 52 foot, 30 ton vessel that took part in the Jubilee flotilla.

This January saw another unusual visitor to Heybridge Basin when the world’s most advanced lifeboat paid a visit. The Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM) has taken almost five years to develop Nh 1816 the first of the next generation of new lifeboats. The Chief Executive Officer of KNRM sailed across a wintery North Sea specifically to extend his gratitude to the team at Servowatch in Heybridge which had been involved in the development of this lifeboat.

During the visit guests were invited on board to view the boat and NH 1816 gave two demonstration runs in the estuary with guests on board, before leaving for the return trip across the North Sea.

Nh 1816 spent the night in the basin and next day there was a reception in The Jolly Sailor at which Servowatch System’s Head of Research and Development, Stafford Williams and his team were presented with a ‘Statue of the Bronze Rescuer’ for their specialist work on the project. Roemer Boorgaard, the C E of KNRM said during the visit “ I really do believe that the high level of automation and systems integration inherent to this the first in a series of next generation SAR 1906 vessels was key to the Nh 1816 winning the KNVTS Ship of The Year Award in November. And for that, we made this special journey across the North Sea to say thank you to Stafford and the Servowatch team for their professionalism and expertise in turning our dreams and visions into tangible reality.”

Nh 1816 was devised in close collaboration with KHRM, Delft University of Technology, De Vries Lentsch Naval Architects, MARIN, Damen Shipyards, Lloyd’s Register and Servowatch Systems – a consortium of renowned ship specialists that has managed to improve on KHRM’s Arie Visser-class; a design that already has a reputation for being one of the best lifeboats in the world.

Located in offices alongside the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation adjoining Black Bridge, Holloway Road, Heybridge, Servowatch Systems is

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Unusual Visitor (cont) Nh 1816, named after sponsor insurance company De Noordhollandsche van 1816, is a 35 knot selfrighting vessel with an aluminium hull and composite wheelhouse. The hull design, based on Damen’s revolutionary Axe Bow and adapted for lifeboat operation, gives unparalleled sea keeping with a low drag compared to existing craft, resulting in improved fuel consumption of up to 20%. It was designed specifically to improve high speed craft operability, comfort and crew safety and, compared to the Arie Visser-class, the design benefits from substantially reduced G-forces on the hull, resulting in significant noise and vibration reductions.

It was good to see Heybridge Basin being part of this unusual acknowledgement of leading technology from a local company. The tour of the vessel and demonstration run was an added bonus that provided a memorable event.

Roy Chandler

The vessel’s self-righting keeps the engines running and there is capacity for 125 persons on-board.

NH1816 is also fitted with retractable fins that can be lowered for increased stability or raised for enhanced manoeuvrability. In the wheelhouse, state-of-the-art fully integrated electronics permit real-time data exchange for ship-to-shore communications technology that has placed this vessel in an altogether different league. For added security there is an integrated CCTV monitoring and surveillance package capable of broadcasting digitised video to all workstations. Cameras with full pan, tilt and zoom functions can be controlled from workstations without the use of joystick control.

There is also a Drone which can be launched to assist with rescue operations and a lifting ‘basket’ at the stern.

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were off again. A huge relief but it happened several more times and we got quite used to it letting nature take it's course instead of struggling.

Lets Go Boating I fancy a narrow boat holiday said Nicki and then added I think though you would be bored stiff. She was right in with her concern, I'm not good company unless there is plenty to do. Having spent the majority of my life racing and continental touring on motor cycles the thought of reducing my progress to 4mph on a ditch full of water took a bit of considering. I announced, "I think I'll be OK" even though I have no boating experience and no desire to gain some.

About an hour later we wondered what that obstruction in front could be, the canal just seemed to stop dead, horror! it was an open lock and in no time at all we were in it. What to do next, well I don't know I wasn't listening at that bit of the briefing.

What I should have done is put Nicki ashore before the lock but now we were both in the lock and she has to climb the ladder to get out. She doesn't 'do ladders' not if they have more than two rungs that is.

This ladder doesn't even have proper rungs just metal bars and guess what - they are covered in muddy slime and even worse she has to climb up clutching the windless. While she disappeared to work out how to operate the gates I looked around in what seemed like a watery grave while a top gate leak spouted water into the front of the boat.

It was 2011 when we booked a hire boat on the Brecon and Monmouthshire canal. I was pleasantly surprised by the briefing and the lock instruction before we set off although I hadn't taken in too much about locking through as Nicki said she would operate the gates if I handled the boat. I had some worries because it looked like her job was the difficult bit. This where I have to tell you this is not a chronicle of our first boating holiday but about a small lady (5ft 1/12inches) who has seen several benchmark birthdays pass . We don't talk about a lady's age and we certainly don't talk about a lady's weight - just too dangerous, sufficient to say she doesn't weigh much. This was why I worried about her managing the lock gates.

She was gone some time and eventually the lock began to fill and the boat slowly rose up. When I could see over the top of the lock she had a large audience of afternoon walkers all watching her struggle to manage a very reluctant gate and heavy paddles. Her first lock, difficult and with unwanted onlookers none of which had the gumption to help her push. As I locked out Nicki announced to the gallery, "that was my first lock," and her public gave her a round of applause. The first of many locks and she was meticulous as to the sequence of operation. On some of the easier locks I would leave the boat to help only to be told, "this is my job, get back on the boat�.

Having left Goytre wharf we were horrified to meet a boat coming in the opposite direction. The middle of the channel was the only place our narrow boat wasn't touching the bottom and now two, six foot wide boats were to pass in what looked like an eight foot gap. Well he went in the reeds that side and we went in the reeds this side, he chugged by and we were stuck in mud. After much poling and mild panic I thought this is it. one mile and the holiday is over we are going to spend a whole week here stuck in mud until the hire people want their boat back and come to get us. After wondering what to do a miracle happened, the boat refloated itself and we

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Lets Go Boating (cont)

Essex Waterways Update Tow Paths

Many times did I watch her struggle to get a gate moving when able bodied healthy men just stood and gorked. At times when we had the good fortune to share locks with other boaters she would be stuck in and sorting them out too.

Vegetation management has continued through the first part of the year with several weekend Waterway Recovery Group work parties taking place on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation. The end of year visits to the Tesco area at Maldon by WRG BITM and Essex WRG (with Chelmsford Branch) have been followed by London WRG and Essex WRG (with Chelmsford Branch) revisiting.

We were hooked! Other narrow boat holidays followed and lock gates up and down the system all threw up different problems. Lock gates in Bath on the Kennet and Avon were littered with homeless drunks who shouted abuse to boaters and then Bath deep lock at 19 feet 5inches is the second deepest lock in the country with gates weighing in the region of five tons each. Nicki managed these with the help of a lady on her way to work. When on a falling lock you need to be aware of the cill but on the Bath deep lock as the boat rises one has to be aware that the front of it doesn't come up under the walk way on the gate, where upon you become snagged.

Sharing a 'lock down' on the Avon at Swineford she was finally beaten, it wouldn't move. The two occupants of the other boat pitched in and eventually I went to help and of the two gates only one was persuaded to reluctantly open which was enough to squeeze through. Swing and counterweight bridges posed their own problems and on a couple of occasions this involved closing the road but it didn't matter the motorists were always patient ??? One opening of a swing bridge cut a cycle race in half.

The tow path has been cleared between the upper by-pass bridge and Black Bridge, Heybridge to provide the three metre wide Bridleway width requested by the County Council’s Footpath Officer.

On the Chelmer and Blackwater and with our own boat I still stand idly on the boat while Nicki winds resistant paddles up with a windless she regards her own and gets grease on her. She should be built like Geoff Capes but I'm glad she’s not. I've convinced her that heaving lock gates is good for her and that my job of entering a watery grave carries far too much risk. Wishing you an enjoyable boating season.

This last joint work party say the number of volunteers on site boosted to twenty six due to good support from Sandford Boating Club.

Dave and Nicki Iszard.

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Navigation frontage will be retained and will incorporate electric service points on completion.

Essex Waterways Update (cont) More Changes There are more changes underway on the Navigation especially at the Chelmsford end. After at least two decades of proposals and discussion, work is finally underway to replace the A138 Chelmer Viaduct.

Many will know this as the old Chelmsford A12 Chelmer Bridge which adjoins the notorious Army & Navy roundabout. Built in the 1930’s when the original Chelmsford bypass was constructed, it was suffering from concrete fatigue by the time the new bypass was opened. It still however remained an important local distributor road and indeed the A138.

This will be closed throughout the construction period and there will not be any moorings on this frontage during the works.

A new bridge will be built alongside the existing bridge over the next eighteen months after which a further six months work is planned to demolish the original bridge. This programme will allow the existing bridge to be used with minimal disruption during the new construction. A temporary ‘haul-bridge’ will be built over the Navigation to allow construction traffic access without using the road bridge. The initial stages of the work have been planned to avoid any closures to boats on the Navigation, although users are being urged to approach the area with caution.

The future demolition work is likely to require some short term closure for safety reasons and this will be announced nearer to the time. The tow path will be diverted around the construction site during the work.

Smiths Yard adjoins Waterfront Place and the former industrial buildings here have recently been demolished ready for further residential development.

Both sites have been purchased by Taylor Wimpey and Essex Waterways will be undertaking repair of the poor condition wharf wall at Smiths Yard for them.

Rumour has it that Chelmsford City Council is selling the nearby Wharf Road surface car park for residential development, some thirty years after IWA Chelmsford Branch highlighted its potential for ‘brownield residential use’ in its 1985 report ‘Springfield Basin....and Beyond’ !

Also continuing to change is Springfield Basin. The site of the former Waterfront Place restaurant has now been fenced off and is a construction site for over fifty new apartments. The Waterfront Place buildings will be retained although the upper floors will be converted to residential uses. The ground floor is proposed for commercial uses, but these are unknown at the current time. The ‘tow path’ to the

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Essex Waterways Update (cont)

At the other end of the Navigation, Maldon District Council is carrying out consultations on the possible regeneration of the Causeway Industrial Areas in Heybridge. Essex Waterways has pointed out the potential of the Navigation in any redevelopment proposals which should provide active public frontages to the waterway and use it as an amenity rather than turn its back, as happens at present.

Roy Chandler

Mid-Week Working Parties The first thing to say is that we have now acquired a new volunteer – Geoff, and we are very grateful for his assistance.

During the summer months our main task is mowing, but during the winter months our jobs are a little more varied. Since my last report we have planted lots of willows; we have spent several days removing patches of floating pennywort; we have removed branches from a number of overhanging trees. In conjunction with the staff we have helped remove fallen trees from the weirs at Paper Mill and Rushes Locks We have removed a large amount of timber from the island at Paper Mill, and had a big bonfire.

At the date of writing (mid-March) we have started mowing. The first one was Cuton Lock which also had a major litter pick – although this needs a return visit as there is still more rubbish there. We have also mowed Ricketts and the two Beeleigh Locks.

If anyone is interested in regular voluntary work on a Tuesday or Wednesday please contact me on 01376 334896 (evenings).

John Gale

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Social Events

Just For Fun SUDOKU Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3 x 3 block contains the numbers one to nine (1 - 9)

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9th April 2015.

Barry Watson - The Agony & Ecstasy of a Canal Hotel Boater This talk will include a supply of anecdotes, industry facts and historical information stemming from his career as a boat owner, hotel boater, canal manager and canal boat broker. He has also featured on numerous television and radio broadcasts. This evening will also include a song or two as Barry is a singer / songwriter .

14th May 2015. Brian Cornell – River Thames Watermen and Lightermen.

Brian is also involved with the River Stour Trust Thank you to the ladies of the committee for making us all such delicious cakes.

Meetings are held at Moulsham Mill, Parkway, Chelmsford (between Tesco Homestore and the Army & Navy roundabout). 7:45pm for an 8:00pm start. Plenty of parking.

Branch Committee If you have any topics or subject that you wish to bring to the committees attention please use the contact details below Molly Beard:

Chairman

molly.beard@waterways.org.uk

John Gale:

Vice Chairman & Treasurer.

24 Longleaf Drive, Braintree CM7 1XS

Paul Strudwick:

London Region Chairman.

Paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk

Chris Chandler:

Secretary.

Chris.chandler@waterways.org.uk

Roy Chandler:

Planning and Conservation.

Roy.chandler@waterways.org.uk

John Carlaw:

Newsletter and Membership.

Chelmsford.news@waterways.org.uk John.carlaw@waterways.org.uk

Mike Huggett:

Publicity.

Mike.huggett@waterways.org.uk

Stephanie Mason:

Refreshments.

None

Kirsten Smith:

Youth.

None

Rebecca Loader

Social Secretary

None

Adam Wyllie:

Branch Web Editor.

Adam.wyllie@waterways.org.uk

IWA Chelmsford Web Address

http://www.waterways.org.uk/chelmsford

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