Chester & Merseyside Branch
Northgate cutting towpath which has been closed to pedestrians for 4 years is finally open and available to all.
SUMMER 2019
Towpath in Chester reopened at last! Around 4 years ago the canal towpath through the Northgate Cutting in Chester was closed. This was due, we were told, to the risk of injury to towpath users from rocks falling from the rock face below the city walls. The canal itself was never closed. The towpath opened briefly during the four years, when some fences were erected to protect the path, but it closed again shortly afterwards. The closure was an inconvenience for boaters, but especially so for Chester residents and visitors as it provides a pleasant, traffic free and level walking and cycling route across the city. The Canal and River Trust and Cheshire West and Chester Council spent the four years engaged in a legal wrangle about who owned the rock face and thus was responsible for the work necessary to reopen the path. Meanwhile IWA members continued to put pressure on Councilors and Officers of the Council as well as Officers of the Canal and River Trust asking them to set aside the legal battle and agree to share the cost of opening the towpath. This they eventually decided to do and the necessary work was done earlier this year and the path re-opened in May. I personally am very grateful to Charlie Seward from the Council and Dave Clarkson from CRT for their help. Ann Farrell
2 Chester & Merseyside Branch Chairman’s Report By Jim Forkin, Branch Chairman …….
What’s happening, and not!
The winter is now behind us, hopefully, as it is still raining and cold as I’m writing this, we head towards the May Bank Holiday, but warmer weather is on the way and we can all get out and enjoy the waterways this summer. The 2018/19 season of monthly talks went well at the new venue of the Cafe at the Boat Museum with a variety of speakers and good attendances. This was thanks to Jim Mole who, as one of his many roles, organises the speakers for the season. He is already well on the way for our next season 2019/20 speakers but if you can think of any future speakers please let us know. Unfortunately the seasons branch walks were not quite as successful as in previous years and despite a lot of effort and research by Jeanne & Derek Smith the turnout was very low. I would urge all members to please support both the above activities in the coming season as they undertake the tasks completely voluntarily. Due to lack of volunteers we initially postponed the Chester Canal Clean-up and when re-organised for 27th April, this turned out to be a wash-out as Storm Hannah arrived. Also the committee decided to cancel the Lock Wind at Big Lock, Middlewich, as no-one had volunteered to help with the event. Good news on the Chester front though as work has now been completed on the towpath and rock face above the Northgate Locks where it transits below the City Walls round to King Charles’ Tower. This area has been in dispute between Cheshire West & Chester (CWAC) and CRT for a number of years as regards ownership of the rock face. My thanks go to Ann Farrell and John Herson for their doggedness in campaigning with CWAC & CRT to get this thoroughfare reopened for the summer. Our next planned large event is the Waterways Restoration Showcase. Initial publicity has gone to the waterways magazines for the event which is to be held aboard the Daniel Adamson whilst moored in Canning Dock, Liverpool over the weekend of 21st & 22nd September. This is a new direction for the branch and the committee have invited many restoration societies and those who have responded positively include the Lancaster, Montgomery, Sankey, Weaver, Runcorn Locks, Shrewsbury & Newport, Manchester, Bury & Bolton. My thanks go to the management of the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society in allowing us to put this event on in such a prestigious venue and there is plenty of planning and organisation to be undertaken to ensure a successful outcome. Once more, please volunteer and help us, even if it’s only in a small capacity to make this an occasion to remember. Note that this event is prior to our 2019/20 season of talks so please get in touch via the Committee contact details which are on the back cover of Packetboat Liverpool is a fantastic destination for the boating community with access to the city centre being provided by the Liverpool Link, accessed at Stanley locks, very close to our 2016 Campaign Festival at Eldonian Village. Unfortunately since the sad passing of Dave Smallshaw at the end of 2017 we have no correspondent in the Liverpool area to let the committee know what’s happening on the ground there. Again, if anyone from the Liverpool area would like to keep us informed of Merseyside developments it would be much appreciated. Don’t forget we are the IWA Chester “and Merseyside” branch.In fact, CRT have approached me asking why there are very few boats visiting Liverpool and that Salthouse Dock is nearly always empty. In my opinion, one of the reasons now becomes clear as boats have to use the Bridgewater as an access passage to CRT waters above Leigh. This transit applies to boats coming from the South (Trent & Mersey) or the various routes from the East that will use the Rochdale 9 Locks in Manchester. With the present reciprocal agreement with Peel Ports of 7 days maximum stay on the Bridgewater Canal and no return within 28 days, boats cannot return from Liverpool for 28 days and the fact that the moorings in Salthouse Dock are now limited to 7 days (they were originally 14 days) it makes Liverpool as a destination non viable for many boaters. The reciprocal agreement is still on our radar and we continue to press CRT & Peel Ports to establish better terms of agreement but there is a lot of work to be done to influence their decisions. Before then however the nights are drawing out and I hope that you will be out enjoying the waterways whether it be walking, cycling or boating. I’ve recently seen lots of paddleboards being used so perhaps a new venture for some of the members that may wish to take on a challenge. Some paddleboarders even had canine companions on board, so what were they doing – the doggy paddle, what else ! Have a great summer no matter what you get up to but most of all, enjoy yourselves.
Jim Forkin Branch Chairman.
3 Editors Musing’s. Firstly despite our dismal summer so far, I have enjoyed visiting the Moira Festival in Leicester, where crowds of local people supported the event in the middle of May and hopefully swelled the funds for opening the canal from Swarkstone to Conkers Basin. Ashby canal Association are hoping to take over all the land needed to enable them to continue with their extension of the canal, the plans are all in place, just need funding, so watch this space. We took our boat to the IWA National Trailboat Festival on the Lancaster Canal Northern Reaches, along with 19 other boats, to help celebrate 200 years since the canal was first opened. It was a little cold and damp, but we were able to parade our boats on the canal to the delight of the public, who were visiting the adjacent Westmoreland Country Fest. On the Monday we cruised up to Stainton Aqueduct to take a look at the impressive repairs which CRT is carrying out to this listed structure. Several of the boaters were able to walk to the Hincaster tunnel and also take a look at the next furlong, which should be in water in the near future. Below are some pictures taken over the weekend, OLIVE won two awards Best illuminations and Best Story Board, I take none of the credit for them, as Derek does all the hard work. He was presented with them by Richard Parry……….Jeanne Smith - editor
Right - from the top; Opening ceremony was conducted by Audrey Smith OBE
Right - from the top; Re-building of Stainton Aqueduct following the disastrous floods in December 2015.
Derek Smith being presented with the best illuminations award by Richard Parry CRT
Welcomed on site by the Keir construction company mascot with Ivor Caplan.
Congratulations to the new Mr & Mrs Jim Mole who tied the knot on the 27th April at the country house hotel Bron Eifion, Criccieth. This happened to coincide with Storm Hannah but she did not dampen the warm reception where Jim & Sara were joined by friends and family. I am sure you will all join me in sending them our congratulations and wishing them well for the future.
Spotted on one of our walks, this grey wagtail was on the Sankey Canal overflow into the Sankey Brook.
Programme of Social Meetings 2019 All meetings will be held at 7.30 pm on the second Tuesday of the month. Meetings are in the café at Ellesmere Port Boat Museum. CH65 4FW There is a bar selling beer, tea and coffee before and during meetings. No prior booking required. Open to non-members; free admission. th
Tuesday 8 October; the first meeting of the autumn season will be a talk about the Daniel Adamson Mersey Tug, its history, restoration and future cruising. Tuesday 12th November; details of this and the December meeting will be published in the Autumn Newsletter along with a printed copy our next year’s programme of events. Tuesday 10th December; will be our Christmas Meeting. And don’t forget our Waterways Restoration Showcase 21st/22nd September on the Daniel Adamson in Liverpool Docks. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
President.
5RQ (YDQV
Branch Chairman
-LP )RUNLQ
Minute Secretary
Editor Packet Boat Planning & Navigation Officer
Ann Farrell
Treasurer, Social Sec -LP 0ROH & Assist Planning Officer Publicity Officer
MLP IRUNLQ#WHDP ZDWHUZD\V RUJ XN +. 01270 650054
M. 07803 928929
DQQ IDUUHOO#ZDWHUZD\V RUJ XN
MLP PROH#ZDWHUZD\V RUJ XN
H. 01606 40955
M. 07580 162355
Jim Forkin -HDQQH 6PLWK
MHDQQH VPLWK#ZDWHUZD\V RUJ XN
H. 01244 382058
M. 07746 955931
Geoff GittuV
JHRII JLWWXV#ZDWHUZD\V RUJ XN
H. 0151 605 1094
M. 07808 859751
Membership Secretary
H. 0151 342 6651
Merseyside Liaison
Vacancy
Scars Liaison
&ROLQ *UHHQDOO
FROLQ JUHHQDOO#ZDWHUZD\V RUJ XN
Chester Liaison
JRKQ +HUVRQ
MRKQ KHUVRQ#ZDWHUZD\V RUJ XN
Bridgewater Canal Liaison
,DQ 9HUD 6KRUW
LDQ VKRUW#ZDWHUZD\V RUJ XN YHUD VKRUW#ZDWHUZD\V RUJ XN
/HVOH\ 7D\ORU
OHVOH\ WD\ORU#ZDWHUZD\V RUJ XN
H. 01744 731746
M. 07944 101162
Committee Member Margaret Pitney PDUJDUHW SLWQH\#ZDWHUZD\V RUJ XN H. 0151 608 6487 It should be noted that the views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the IWA. They are published as being of interest to our members and readers. The IWA is a registered charity No 21234