IWA Chelmsford Branch Newsletter Winter 2016-2017

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Town Bridge and On Right Entrance To Town Lock on Wey River by Stephanie Mason

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 From the Regional Chairman The New Cut Mid Week Parties Essex WRG Party C & B N Social Report Visitors to the Navigation

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End of Season Cruise Cruising the River Wey Essex Waterways Update Essex Waterways Photos Navigation Photos Social Information Just for Fun Branch Committee

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From The Editor A very Happy and Prosperous New Year to you all.

As we creep in to 2017 I expect that you are starting to plan your day trips and holidays. Put that note on your calendar or in your diaries to take photographs, take that note book and put an article together of your outings.

Share your thoughts of the C & B with all the work that has and is taking place to improve the Navigation and your enjoyment long its 14 miles.

We would still 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 Spring Newsletter 21/03/2017. 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 A very happy new year to everyone and may it be especially good for canalling, whatever your own particular interest.

Going back to 2016, we celebrated the end of the year with a very happy Christmas social and my thanks must go to Bob Loader for his devious, mind-bending quiz and to Stephanie, who provided a beautiful Christmas cake, about which there were many compliments. Thanks to everybody who brought finger food and for making it such an enjoyable occasion.

For this year's diary, may I recommend to you the Foxton Locks Festival, an annual event, in June, with all sorts of traditional attractions. The Foxton Inclined Plane Trust volunteers work incredibly hard all year round, keeping the boiler house museum in good order, looking after the grounds and preparing for the festival, for which visitors and more volunteers are really needed. The Trust is now hoping that a new Visitor Centre can be built on the old boatyard site, to incorporate the museum, and for the boiler house to become an education centre. Grant applications are to be made and planning applications submitted, all with the strong support of the CRT. If you are boating in the area or just gongoozling around June, do go there.

Many moons ago, the Harlow area was officially part of the IWA Chelmsford Branch but, for obvious geographical reasons, very few of them managed to get to our meetings, which were then held at AEU House in Primrose Hill, Chelmsford; they preferred to go to their local boat club meetings. As a result, following a number of consultations, some quite emotional and difficult, the new Lee and Stort Branch was set up and it is now an energetic and flourishing group under its Chairman, Craig Haslam. They meet at the New Inn, Roydon, at 8 p.m. on the second Monday. On the 13th February they will hear about the River Police and the subject on the 10th April is the Amwell Magna Fisheries and the Lee Navigation. In the summer, the Ware Boat Festival gets bigger and better every year and is well worth a visit, so look out for details.

Having promoted another organization and another branch, I would now urge you to support Rebecca's efforts as our Social Secretary (been there, done that - it's not easy!) and come to our meetings at the Galleywood Heritage Centre. Please also bear in mind that I am looking for a new Chairman to take over from me.

Thank you Molly Beard 2

From The Regional Chairman Can I start by wishing you a Happy 2017. This is the year when you have a chance to elect a new Region Chairperson. Look out for the announcements in the next few months if you would like to replace me. We also have vacancies on the Regional Committee. We meet 5 or 6 times a year in the Canal Museum near Kings Cross. If you would like to be involved in the work we do for the canals in London why not drop me a line and I can give you some more information.

This year we will, hopefully, be celebrating the reopening of Carpenters Road Lock and the rest of the Bow Backwaters. This is the culmination of years of campaigning by North and East London Branch. Chelmsford Branch will continue its support for the Essex Waterways and the good work they do on the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation and will be pushing for the new cut to connect Springfield Basin to the rivers in Chelmsford!

The Canal & River Trust have recently carried out a survey of boats in the London area. Their data shows that boat numbers in London have increased by 57% since 2012. Over half of those responding to the survey, said their boat is their primary residence. We have been asking CRT, for many years, to provide more facilities, including moorings, on London’s waterways. We believes that facilities for boaters in London are hopelessly inadequate to meet spiralling demand from both prospective residents and visitors. For example, in central London, Transport for London’s Zones 1 & 2, there are only seven public water points, five sewage and five refuse disposal facilities to serve all of London’s residential and visiting boaters!

As you may know, CRT have announced that they will be consulting widely on a review of the structure of boat licencing.

At national level, we believe this is a one-off opportunity to address some of the issues caused by the current licensing system. We have a number of radicle ideas that we could suggest to CRT but I would like to hear from you on what sort of licence fee structure you think CRT should operate from April 2018. My e-mail address for your ideas is paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk.

Finally preparations are once again underway for IWA’s premier event in London, Canalway Cavalcade, over the weekend of the 28 April/1 May 2017. We expect around 120 boats to attend the event and this year’s theme is Waterway Tales. If you can’t come by boat why not join us for a day, the nearest tube station is Paddington. It is a really great family day out. Cavalcade is ALWAYS looking for new volunteers to help us run the event and there are a variety of jobs that need doing throughout the weekend. If you fancy dipping your toe into the water of volunteering please contact the team via the on-line volunteer form which is on the IWA Cavalcade page of the IWA website or email them at cavalcade.volunteer@waterways.org.uk Paul Strudwick

The New Cut Update A report is currently being worked on and whilst it is still in a draft stage, it isn’t too far from being ready to distribute. This document is hoped to provide stakeholders, other interested parties and possibly the general public with information and facts on what would be involved to make the New Cut a reality. Another document, looking into flood alleviation, is also being written and it is hoped both documents can be used together to really help outline the huge benefits the scheme would bring.

A survey has been generated to capture people’s thoughts on the New Cut but also to identify general support of Chelmfsord’s Waterways in the hope this will again add value to the cause. The survey can be accessed using the following link and we hope you may be able to find the time to provide any support. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/3QK5YYN The Essex Record Office event in February was recorded and a condensed version of Roy’s talk can be viewed using this link - https://youtu.be/ZBK934AvaHA Adam Wyllie

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Mid Week Working Parties At the time of writing my last report we were in the process of painting the white ends of the balance beams at the various locks together with painting the lock furniture in the Essex Waterways Ltd blue. We have now completed this job with Barnes Lock and Springfield Lock. As we still have a stock of the paint, the idea is that when the mowing season starts again in a few months’ time, we will touch up the paintwork as necessary when we mow. Hopefully this will keep the locks looking smart on a permanent basis.

After we’d finished this we helped install the new foot bridge at Paper Mill Lock. And following that we spent a couple of days filling clay bags at Hoe Mill Lock. These will be used for bank repairs and also to aid the dam boards when draining a lock for repairs.

We then spent the whole of November removing floating pennywort between Beeleigh at Heybridge Basin.

Unfortunately there is no chance of eradicating this invasive weed; all we can do is to keep it under some sort of control. So we know that it will return and we will have to do it again and again. Whilst clearing the pennywort we also removed a large quantity of floating bottles and cans from the Navigation.

Then in December we chopped back the turf at Rushes Lock exposing the coping stones, helped clear some overhanging trees below Sandford Lock and started our annual session of removing dead willows and replacing them with new sets. There are more of these to do in January – and then the whole cycle starts again.

John Gale

Essex WRG Working Party On the weekend of 3rd & 4th December there was another Essex WRG working party, so we met Roy Chandler at Hoe Mill Lock. The job this time was to build a landing stage that was canoe friendly. At most locks the canoeists disembark at one end of the lock, carry their canoe to the other end get in and away. At Hoe there is no direct connection to the downstream towpath – the canoes would have to be carried across a road. So here they disembark, carry their canoe down some steps to a landing stage in the weir stream (or vice versa). The problem was that this landing stage was possibly the right height for a narrow boat, but far too high for a canoe.

The new landing stage that we were to put in was going to be much lower, We first had to get the fuel tank and fire up the work boat. Then cruise a short way up the moorings to load the necessary timber and then back to the lock. Once down the lock, under the road bridge a few more yards and then we had to turn sharp right into the weir stream, under the weir stream bridge and moor at the existing landing stage.

The first job was to start levelling off the bank (which went up at quite a slope) so that we could install a level staging. Then we had to drive in some substantial oak posts and bolt on a bearer, having made sure it was level. And repeat the operation two more times, as we were having three bearers. That was all we managed on the Saturday although the centre bearer hadn’t been put in.

On the Sunday we started the same way: loading the work boat with timber, down the lock into the weir stream and moor at the existing landing stage. The third and final bearer was installed then duck boards were sawn to length and screwed on to the bearers. When we left on the Saturday we had done a lot of hard work but the site just looked a mess! But the simple job of screwing on a few duck boards and it suddenly looked as if progress had been made. By the time we had them all on it looked fantastic.

While this was happening some of us were renovating the steps and barrowing “type one” hard core across from the lock side to make a firm path from the steps to the new landing stage. All in all we were very pleased with the result and I think the canoeists are as well.

John Gale

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C & B N Social Reports In October 2016 David Newman came to talk to us about Salt Extraction from the Blackwater Estuary. David has been given permission by the Maldon Salt Company to talk about their salt production. David had lots of very old maps and photographs old and new to show us. The Blackwater Estuary is ideal for salt production as we have low rainfall. Chefs all over the world use Maldon salt. It was a very interesting talk.

In November 2016 Ivan Cane came to talk to us about the North Walsham & Dilham Canal in Norfolk. It was really encouraging to see how much work has now been completed to restore parts of this beautiful canal and how it is now being used by the local community. Unfortunately one end of the canal previously restored is now falling into disrepair due to changing attitudes from the land owner alongside the canal. Ivan is asking people to sign a petition against this decline so please do sign this when you attend our social meetings.

In December 2016 we had our Branch social and bring and share Christmas buffet and quiz. This was a really enjoyable fun evening with some lovely food. The new venue although not as ‘cosy’ as the old one, did provide us with much more space for the buffet table and for us to chat. Thank you to all of you who made this a lovely start to Christmas.

In January 2017 heavy snow started early in the evening which meant that only 15 intrepid explorers made it to the hall. Our speaker Steven Wilding – Olympic Legacy Waterways Framework had had to cancel so our IWA member and publicity officer Dennis Padfield stepped in to give us a talk at very short notice. Dennis told us with the aid of several regional maps about the origins of the UK canal network from the proposed canals, to those open and navigable, to the closures, the coming of the railways and finally those still open. Dennis also told us about the famous canal engineers who often had no formal training Telford, Rennie, Jessop etc. and the other projects they had completed or were involved in during their lifetimes. This included many bridges, harbours etc.

Many thanks to Dennis for an interesting talk and for putting this together at short notice.

We hope to re book Steven Wilding – Olympic Legacy Waterways Framework at a later date.

Rebecca Loader

Visitors to the Navigation

Gladys leaves Navigation for dry docking

Kingfisher at Paper Mill Lock

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End of Season Cruise On the weekend of October 8-9th thirty-six members, family and friends of the Sandford Boating Club held their ‘End of Season Cruise’ to Springfield Basin. Sixteen boats arrived during the day at the Basin and prepared for the evening’s get together. Many of the boat owners expressed their disappointment that they could not travel further into the town and visit the Bond Street mooring to enjoy the ability to shop at the new complex. As part of the evening’s social gathering, members enjoyed a ‘Fish and Chip Supper’ and an opportunity to have a relaxed chat about anything and everything.

Arriving at Springfield Lock, Jaden and Barolo had a slight problem with the upper lock gates leaking heavily, not allowing the lock to fully empty. The problem appeared with the paddle coming out of its guides and allowing water to leak. This was easily solved by refilling the lock and gently persuading the paddle to re-engage with its guides. Having overcome this minor interruption, both boats could share the lock and then proceed on their way.

On Sunday morning, the boats began their return journeys to their own moorings. With so many boats travelling together, multiple boats were encouraged to share the lock, this was done to make efficient use of water to prevent wastage. It also made the working of the lock easier. On lookers were treated to an unusual site on the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation, where the Narrowboats ‘Jaden’ and ‘Barolo’ re-enacted the operation of a ‘Working Boat and Butty’ roped together. ‘Jaden’ under power had the task of manoeuvring both boats into the lock. This allowed both Skippers to operate the lock more effectively. After re-setting the lock, both boats could travel independently to their moorings.

‘Jaden’ was fortunate to attend the gathering, as on the day before the event, the propeller shaft had become detached from its coupling. This required a rapid repair before travelling on the Saturday morning. The only other minor mishap involved both boats becoming fouled with weed on the stretch of the navigation from the New Chelmer Road Bridge to Barnes Mill, but both made it safely back.

Dennis Padfield 6

Cruising The River Wey Our narrowboat is berthed in Pyrford Marina, on the River Wey, which is a lovely mostly rural route through Surrey, from Thames Lock at Weybridge to Godalming, covering 19.5 miles, with 16 locks including 2 flood locks, these are open unless the river is in flood conditions, when all locks on the river sections are padlocked and boats need to moor until the river levels settle.

The navigation is run by the National Trust and licences (annual or visitor) can be obtained at Thames Lock along with a specific lock handle (windlass) which can be bought or hired, for use on the unique lock paddle mechanism. Some rules of navigation include when using the double locks up or down you open both gates to enter or leave, while in the lock you need to use front and back ropes and switch off the engine, when you exit the lock again up or down you leave the gates open with the paddles down.

We have enjoyed many trips out on the navigation, stopping at different parts. The route starts at Thames Lock, Weybridge, which has a lock keeper and it is here you can phone for any river advice. The next lock Town Lock, Weybridge has a rather tricky entrance as you can't see the lock for the road in front and which you need to pass under to get in the lock, you can't see if the lock is set for you so it is best to moor at the lock landing and check, however last time we decided to just go for it (being only 30ft we could easily turn and moor), the lock was empty and ready, then we saw the gates closing so a hoot on the horn and the gates re-opened! There is good mooring above the lock although it is next to the road. Next you come to Coxes Mill Lock and at 8ft 6" it is one of the deepest locks on the Wey, in a lovely setting beside the renovated mill buildings, and the large mill pond above which is now a wildlife haven.

Onwards and New Haw Lock brings you close to the junction for the Basingstoke Canal (separate licence required), continuing straight on you pass Byfleet Boat Club and Parvis Wharf where you briefly hear the hum of the M25 above.

Following the winding route you soon come upon the marina on the right and opposite the popular Anchor Inn (best to book at busy times) on the left, with Pyrford Lock directly in front, and lots of gongoozlers here!

On again you pass through Walsham flood gates (open) the last turf sided lock on the Wey with a lovely lock cottage beside, watch for the large weir to the left. After the next few bends you approach Newark Lock with the Priory ruins in the field alongside and quite picturesque. Continuing on is Papercourt Lock which i think is the prettiest on the navigation with a stepped weir, lock cottage, garden and moorings.

Soon after and passing through Send and Worsford flood gates (open) you come to Triggs Lock, then Bowers Lock, which is another tricky one on a right angle, so lock mooring is a bit small even for a 30ft boat! (Prunella Scales & Tim West also had problems here on their TV program).

Onwards to Stoke Lock which can be smelly if the wind is in the wrong (near the sewage works). The river then winds its way pass Dapdune Wharf, National Trust Office and Visitor Centre. On towards Guildford where the river really is in the centre of all the action, going up through Millmead Lock, where you have an abundance of gongoozlers again as it is a park area and very popular, with lovely moorings along the meadows and the Wey South Path. We have stopped here many times and love the area, its riverside walks, cathedral, castle and shops!

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Cruising The River Wey (cont)

Worsford Flood Gates

Newark Priory

Dapdune Wharf

Leaving Guildford and passing through St Catherine's Lock which is in the middle of fields, with a railway passing close by to break the peace and quiet. Next is Unstead Lock, and above is the junction for the Wey & Arun Canal currently unnavigable. Soon you reach Catteshall Lock where Farncombe Boats have their hire base, moorings and services, then you soon reach Godalming and the terminus for river cruising, there are limited boat services here and mooring alongside more meadows one side and Sainsbury's the other side. The town is lovely with many of the shops and businesses in old fashioned buildings with timber frames and painted black and white, there is a very impressive town hall and church. Godalming is the home of the Horse Boat 'Iona', we have yet to see the horse, but trips are advertised as daily at 2pm ‘Easter to September’ River permitting.

We still have to find time to explore away from the river, such as RHS Wisley which is very close by at Pyrford, and Shalford Water Mill near St Catherine's Lock.

If ever you get the opportunity do come and see this lovely waterway for yourselves.

Stephanie Mason

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Essex Waterways Update As winter approaches and navigation users become scarcer, Essex Waterways begins its programme of winter lock work. Lock overhauls require the closure of the lock for several weeks and therefore this work is only carried out in the summer when there is an emergency. Winter lock work usually involves the replacement of one set of gates and refurbishment of the other so as to prolong the life, this is usually around 25 years. Cill repairs or replacement and any necessary brickwork repairs are carried out at the same time. With twelve locks including the Heybridge sea lock, each with two pairs of gates and another pair at Beeleigh flood lock that is twenty-five pairs of gates to look after. Ideally that should be one set a year, but of course it doesn’t work like that, and there is often more than one lock requiring attention each winter! This work is also dependent upon favourable weather as winter flooding will stop any lock work and delay the programme, it may also dislodge the dams.

The lock work this winter has got off to a good start with both pairs of gates at Sandford Lock being refurbished and some brickwork repairs carried out by EWL staff with volunteer assistance. Dredging of the upper tow path moorings was also undertaken.

The new top gates for Heybridge Basin sea lock arrived in kit form from West Yorkshire and were re-assembled on the quayside ready for installation in January 2017. Meanwhile a steel pile upper dam has been installed by Essex & Suffolk Water Co’s contractors and a steel frame is being fixed ready to receive the new steel outer stop dam. This has already been delivered to Langford in three sections from where it will be taken to a suitable loading point on the estuary for delivery to site by barge. The completion of the dams will allow the gate installation in a (reasonably) dry lock chamber including the new hydraulically operated sliding outer gate.

The ‘gut’ approach from the estuary to the lock has been dredged in readiness for the crane barge required for installing the outer gate. A temporary pedestrian bridge has been installed over the lock for the duration of the work.

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Essex Waterways Update (cont) Prior to the closure of the sea lock EWL’s lighter JULIE returned to the Navigation following dry docking, survey and hull re-painting at Maldon. JULIE along with DREDGER both play a vital role in the winter work programme.

The New Year will see the installation of new bottom gates at Hoe Mill Lock followed by bank piling below Little Baddow Lock to reform the lower landing stages. New gates for Barnes Mill Lock are also in the work programme Heybridge Lock House has had repairs carried out including chimney re-pointing and new rear windows will be installed in January. Building repairs have also been undertaken at Hoe Mill.

Also very noticeable to those who have recently visited Paper Mill Lock is the installation of a new pedestrian access bridge onto the island. EWL’s Office and toilet facilities are located on the Lock Island as well as moorings and access has always been by a walkway slung from the lower gates, something that has not been popular with many users. The approaches to the new bridge are currently being finished and this will allow removal of the gate walkway.

The annual willow planting took place during the weeks either side of Christmas with regular volunteers assisting. While there has been little cropping of willows during 2016, there has unfortunately been quite a lot of loss with recent trees dying due to dry weather during the late summer.

These need to be replaced.

Regular volunteers have been busy removing invasive floating pennywort from the Long Pond at Heybridge, a task which has also been tackled by Chelmer Canal Trust work parties.

There have been several visiting volunteer groups recently assisting on the Navigation. In October we hosted a Waterway Recovery Group Canal Camp and the week was spent working upstream of Paper Mill Lock where tow path clearance was undertaken together with some further tow path surfacing. Three separate week long WRG Canal Camps are planned for 2017.

BITM Waterway Recovery Group spent an October weekend work party replacing fencing and installing timber bollards by the parking area at Beeleigh Lock. Essex Waterway Recovery Group also visited in December and spent the weekend building a new lower level canoe landing stage on the Mill Stream at Hoe Mill Lock. This location is used by many youth groups and the lower landing stage will greatly assist their activities.

RoyChandler

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Essex Waterways Update Photo’s

Crane Barge at Heybridge

New Bollards and Fencing at Beeleigh

New Canoe Landing Stage at Hoe Mill

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Essex Waterways Update Photo’s (cont)

Preparation to replace sliding gate at Heybridge

Dredging at Heybridge Basin

Julie, EWL’s maintenance Boat returns to Heybridge Basin

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Navigation Photos

High Tide at Beeleigh Long Wier

Excess Water at Paper Mill Lock

Cold Morning on the Navigation

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Social Information Thursday 9th February 2017 Speaker: - Jim Jenkins

Talk: - Abberton Reservoir

Thursday 9th March 2017 AGM followed by Speaker:- Adrian Wright

Talk:- 150 years of the Great Eastern Railway

Thursday 13th April 2017 Speaker:- Richard Thomas

Talk:- Gunpowder on the Lea

Thursday 11th May 2017 We are planning a River Trip on The Lee and Stort from Ware, Hertfordshire. This would start at 7.00pm and will include a 2 hour boat trip including a meal. The meal will be beef or vegetarian lasagne with salad. The cost will be ÂŁ25 per person and we must have a minimum of 30 people.

If you would like to go on this trip we must decide in the next few weeks so please contact our social secretary within 2 weeks of receiving your newsletter.

We will need to take payment in advance.

This will be returned to you if the trip does not go ahead or if you have to cancel and we are able to re-sell your ticket.

Contact Rebecca Loader (Social Secretary) rebecca.loader@waterways.org.uk

Our social meetings take place at The Galleywood Heritage Centre The Galleywood Heritage Centre The Common Galleywood, Chelmsford Essex CM2 8TR The Galleywood Heritage Centre in Chelmsford,1 mile from the A12 junction 16. 7:45 pm for an 8:00 pm start Web site for further information on directions / local map. www.galleywoodheritagecentre.org.uk

Rebecca Loader

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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) 7

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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

Dennis Padfield:

Publicity.

dennis.padfield@waterways.org.uk

Stephanie Mason:

Refreshments.

None

Kirsten Smith:

Youth.

None

Rebecca Loader

Social Secretary

rebecca.loader@waterways.org.uk

Adam Wyllie:

Branch Web Editor.

Adam.wyllie@waterways.org.uk

IWA Chelmsford Web Address

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

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