Shroppie Fly Paper by The Inland Waterways Association

Shroppie Fly Paper The Newsletter of the Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch Summer 2010

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25th Anniversary Dinghy Dawdle Mary Awcock, who helped to organise the very first Dinghy Dawdle, returned to celebrate the 25th anniversary.

Mary gives a few words of encouragement to regular dawdler Idris Owen.

Mr Bleivas, Mary Awcock, the Mayor of Welshpool Cllr Estelle Bleivas and organiser Terry Wain present the plaques.

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A welcome break for lunch at Belan Locks.

Nearly there. After a sudden downpour some very wet dawdlers crowd into Town Lock, Welshpool.

While others, who shall remain nameless, just took it easy!

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The Branch Committee President Chairman Vice-Chairman

Michael Limbrey, Greenfields, Weston Lane, Oswestry SY11 2BD 01691 654081 michael@limbrey.net David Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk Position vacant

Region Chairman

Alan Platt, Argoed, Pen y Cefn Road, Caerwys, Flintshire CH7 5BH 01352 720649 alanplatt@hotmail.co.uk Secretary Dawn Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk Treasurer Denis Farmer, 8 Kingbur Place, Moseley’s Yard, Audlem CW3 0DL 01270 811157 janden1@btinternet.com Heritage and Planning Officer Peter Brown, 34 Waterside Drive, Market Drayton TF9 1HU 01630 652567 iwa@peter-quita.demon.co.uk Social Secretary Janet Farmer, 8 Kingbur Place, Moseley’s Yard, Audlem CW3 0DL 01270 811157 janden1@btinternet.com Membership Secretary Dawn Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk Alan Wilding, Priory Lodge, 154 Longden Road, Shrewsbury SY3 9ED Web-master 01743 359 650 alan.wilding@btinternet.com Newsletter Editor David Aylwin, Wyndcliff, Pen y Garreg Lane, Pant, Oswestry SY10 8JS 01691 830403 shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk Committee Members Gerallt Hughes (General Secretary Committee for Wales) Ty’n y Coed, Arthog, Gwynedd LL39 1YS 01341 250631 gerallt.hughes@waterways.org.uk Carolyn Theobold carolyn_t@mac.com

Shroppie Fly Paper The Shroppie Fly Paper is the newsletter of the Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch of The Inland Waterways Association with a membership of about 390. Nationally the IWA has about 18,000 members and campaigns for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the inland waterways. For further information contact any committee member. Copy for the Shroppie Fly Paper is welcome in manuscript form, on disc or by email. Photographs may be in any common computer format or as prints. Please supply a stamped addressed envelope if you require photographs to be returned. ‘Letters to the Editor’ intended for publication are invited, as are comments for the Editor’s private guidance. The Inland Waterways Association may not agree with the opinions expressed in this Branch newsletter but encourages publicity as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as official policy unless stated otherwise. The Association accepts no liability for any matter in this newsletter. Any reproduction must be acknowledged. The Inland Waterways Association is registered as a charity No 212342.

Next Copy Date: 1st November 2010 for the Winter Edition

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Editorial

t is often said that nature does not like a vacuum and, sure enough, the vacant chairman’s chair has been filled. When I resigned I hoped that someone else would step into the breach but as that did not happen I have agreed to stay for another year. However, as coalitions are currently so popular, I intend to share the responsibility at every opportunity. No doubt you will have noticed a change in style in this edition of Shroppie Fly Paper. It was suggested that branches should make their newsletters less formal and more like magazines. Coincidently we have also changed printers. Is this an improvement? Your comments will be much appreciated. The Branch continues to support the ‘Save Our System’ campaign. Our display was at the Norbury Junction May Day Rally and the Llangollen Corwen Patriot Gala in April. Most of the new MPs have been contacted but letters from individual members will be even more effective. Visit www.waterways.org.uk if you want advice. A number of members have expressed concern regarding the closure of the services at Wheaton Aston. A letter was written to British Waterways general manager, Wendy Capelle, asking for an explanation. Ms Capelle has very kindly given her permission to publish her reply (see page 23). We will continue to monitor the situation but please let us know if you experience any problems here or elsewhere. Each November, for many years, we have joined with the Shropshire Union Canal Society for a formal dinner with guest speaker. SUCS held their AGM on the same day and it has caused some inconvenience to members attending both functions. It was decided at their last council meeting to review this and the IWA Branch was asked to consider an alternative. It has been agreed with SUCS and the Friends of the Montgomery Canal to hold a joint dinner next January. The date and venue will be announced in the next edition of SFP but please note that there will not be a dinner this year. The diary of events is now on the centre pages. Finally, news just in, waterways photographer and author Harry Arnold was appointed an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to the inland waterways. On behalf of Branch, I offer congratulations and best wishes to Harry who is a vice president of the IWA and one of the founder members of the Shropshire Union Canal Society and the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust. David Aylwin Front Cover: Glyn Davies MP offers encouragement at the Dinghy Dawdle. Acknowledgements: photographs by Alan Platt, Janet & Denis Farmer, Michael Limbrey, Peter Brown, David Aylwin & Peter Silver. Thank you to all who contributed articles.

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Region Chairman

here has been considerable activity on the political front, both with a large and small P, over the last few months. British Waterways has progressed its ideas for the future by commissioning a consultant’s report, which some may consider to be the sort of luxury they should try to do without. This develops the idea of transferring to the ‘Third Sector’ and they appear to have listened to suggestions from stakeholders, including the IWA; a number of areas remain where there are serious problems, principle of which is funding. There are doubts that the Treasury may be very willing to enter into a long term funding agreement with a third sector new body. There is also a feeling that BW seem to be improving their attitude to volunteers but that in certain instances this will require a major change of attitude on the ground. Their new plans place great emphasis on engaging with a growing army of volunteers working with the new body, which begs the question as to how they recruit people that the IWA and Canal Societies have not already recruited. The IWA, at the same time as it evaluates BW’s proposals, has its own ideas for a Waterways Conservancy as first proposed by one of our founders, Robert Aickman. This features a new overall navigation authority to operate the navigable waterways currently managed by British Waterways, the Environment Agency, the Broads Authority etc, eliminating all the currently inconsistent licensing and management features of these bodies. It strikes me that one benefit of this could be that economies of scale in the central operations may well go some way towards relieving the current funding shortfalls all these bodies are currently experiencing. At the time of writing, and the situation may be much clearer by the time you read this, the extent of the cuts that will be enforced by the new coalition government are uncertain. What is certain is that they will happen, and from conversations with BW managers they are expecting the worst. Whilst there are few organizations where some economies cannot be made, and BW is not one

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of them, I very much fear that the current funding shortfall of £30m a year will be increased very soon and may result in a drop in maintenance work. What we can do, I like to think, we are doing. I have written to most of the waterside MPs in the area and many are invited to a reception in London in June. This is not a profligate waste of your valued subscriptions, rather an attempt to bend the ears of MPs. Some of them are returning, including Owen Paterson, a good friend of the Llangollen and Montgomery who is now in the Cabinet, and some are new to Parliament, like Susan Elan Jones, whose constituency includes the Pontcysyllte aqueduct, and Glyn Davies. Glyn is known to us already from his days as a Welsh Assembly Member, and while he may be less colourful that his predecessor as Montgomery MP, hopefully he will be no less a friend to the waterways. All of which is very heavy stuff; on a happier front, hopefully the weather is improving and the waterways will be a more tempting place for us to enjoy than of late. Have a good summer. Alan Platt

After CRUISING try SURFING to join us online at...

www.waterways.org.uk

here’s a wide range of information about the Inland Waterways Association on this website including a set of pages published by this Branch. These are very easy to find if you follow the directions shown on the back cover. We have updated our pages regularly, both pre and post election, in order to offer information on lobbying candidates and then MPs about the potentially disastrous effects on the canals of underfunding. Forthcoming Branch events are listed and the latest details will be added as each one approaches. More permanent content will include features on particular aspects and areas of the Shropshire Union, Llangollen and Montgomery Canals, as well as records of past achievements. There is also a facility for a discussion forum. Interested surfers can use the ‘Contact us’ link to email direct to this Branch. When you have had a look please get in touch and let us have your thoughts and contributions. We can then activate that discussion forum. Happy surfing! Alan Wilding Page 7

Cressy Cruise – they're off!

n the last issue of Shroppie Fly Paper I mentioned the IWA Rolt Centenary Cruise by Ron and Mary Heritage in their narrow boat HERON and the welcome we have arranged for them when they stop at Audlem on 3rd - 4th July. They are retracing the route taken by Tom Rolt in 1939 which he described in his book ‘Narrowboat’.

Ron and Mary Heritage preparing to leave Photograph by Peter Silver

So far all is going to plan. They left Tooley's Boatyard in Banbury, where Rolt started his cruise, on the 24th April 2010 amid a large crowd of well wishers, IWA members and civic dignitaries – and TV crews dashing round to find the best pictures. At the time of writing they have already progressed along the Oxford Canal, Grand Union Canal and River Soar and are presently on the Trent and Mersey Canal heading north. The welcome and helping hands reported at every port of call make it all very exciting. Details are shown on the IWA website, www.waterways.org.uk, follow the links Regions & Branches>Southeast Region>Oxfordshire Branch>Cressy Cruise. Our welcoming party will be at Audlem Wharf at 2.00 pm on the 4th July and will include the Mayor of East Cheshire, the Audlem Parish Chairman and Councillors, Wendy Cappelle (BW Manager) and Crick Grundy who met Tom Rolt at some of his post war cruises in this area. Ron and Mary will be presented with a medallion depicting Audlem and some treacle toffee and Chorley cakes similar to Tom Rolt's 1939 purchase here. Afterwards we will lend a helping hand as we follow them up the remaining 12 locks of the Audlem flight. All we need now is a fine weekend and some spare hands with windlasses. Their journey ends at the IWA National Festival at Beale Park on the River Thames at the August Bank Holiday weekend. Denis Farmer

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Tea with Aunty Maud

e were delighted to be invited to meet and have tea with Alice Maud Turner nee Pryce (known as Aunty Maud) who has agreed to give out the prizes at the Maesbury Canal Festival on Sunday 5th September. The festival is being organised to promote the restoration of the Montgomery Canal and is therefore looking towards the future. However it is equally important to remember the past and the people who lived and worked on the canals. Born in 1920, Alice moved with her family to number 2 Carreghofa Locks in 1930 because her father Richard Henry Pryce (1892-1970) had just transferred from being a plate–layer with the railways to working for the Canal Company as a Lengthsman. The length Richard was responsible for stretched from Wern Bridge to Four Crosses. He Alice Maud Turner took over the job from Mr Griffiths who, when he retired, had to move and at that time the houses by the lock sold for the princely sum of £100 (today several noughts would have to be added). So what was the work of a lengthsman? Apart from keeping the lock in good working order, the grass cut and the hedges trimmed (Maud can remember turning the handle of the grind stone while her father sharpened his scythe) Richard Pryce was responsible for checking the depth of water for the feeder from the river. The gauge was housed in a small hut and in very cold weather Richard would light a fire and take his lunch break toasting his numb fingers while resting in an old armchair. Every autumn the grids and sluices had to be kept clear of falling leaves and once a year the grids were changed, a job that took all day. Richard was obviously very good at his job because it wasn’t long before Mr Bowen, the area engineer, called him to the canal headquarters at Ellesmere and offered him the job of inspector. Along with the new job Richard

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was given the choice of having a car or a motor bike; his wife was upset when she found out that he had chosen the bike because he couldn’t drive! Richard Pryce was born in Penyfoel and went to school in Llanymynech so he was well known locally; and especially well known for his copper plate handwriting which he put to good use writing letters for men who didn’t have such skills. He was an officer during the Great War and was at Gallipoli and Ypres and when he returned home became the Chairman of the local football team, trained the home guard at Llanymynech and Arddleen, formed the local British Legion club and was given the onerous task of collecting the ‘didlums’. Apparently the bosses didn’t like the ‘didlums’ and tried to introduce a proper sickness scheme but the men returning from the war were not fit enough to join the scheme and so it died a death and the ‘didlums’ continued to pay out a small amount of money for the first 4 days of sickness. Life was not all work and when he was not tending his vegetable patch, looking after his pigs and maran chicks, Richard Pryce enjoyed a day out at the flat races at Llanymynech. Maud remembers picking filberts, a job she hated because of the earwigs, and collecting the damsons which were stored in special containers which held a strike of damson (ie 90lbs) and were sold to the dye factory. She also remembers picking the watercress, which her father had planted by the top lock, for sandwiches. Maud described her childhood as idyllic happy days despite the fact that the house did not have running water. Drinking water had to be carried from the well, which was by the aqueduct quite a walk down the towpath. Apparently an easy task because there was a ladle and the lovely water flowed out in a steady stream. Water for baths and washing was pumped in from the canal! Carreghofa Lock Cottage However a bucket of water was always kept on the grate so there was hot water ‘on tap’. When the family moved in, the big and spacious outside toilet, was just a soak-away but was soon replaced by a more modern bucket, which had to be emptied. Maud remembers one highlight of the year: when her father had to bring a barge down he gave the local school children a trip down the canal to ‘fairyland’ a magic section of the canal by Pentre Heylin

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Hall where the trees formed a canopy overhead, the rhododendrons created a blaze of colour and the bream would bask on top of the water. At a different time of year the banks would be a maze of white snowdrops. This was a special treat because officially children were not allowed near the canal or to walk along the towpath without being accompanied by an adult. However Maud also remembers skating on the canal during the winter freeze so the rule was broken! Another escapade enjoyed by young people on Sunday was walking up to Llanymynech heights and whizzing down the track in the carts to the chimney, but they always made sure they wound the carts back up! So with a lengthsman to keep the canal in good working order and a yearly cutting of the weeds (a two man job one each side of the canal, the weeds were scraped up with big knives and left on the canal bank until they ‘went to nothing’) who benefited? Maud can remember the scout boat which provided a great experience for the local cubs and scouts, Owens’ coal boats (in fact the horse was stabled at their lock cottage), the grain boats which went from the warehouse by Wall’s Bridge to Maesbury Mill and of course the fishermen who used to buy a milk-can of tea from Maud’s mother for 3d. On a rather stormy day one of the men was holding onto an umbrella in a vain attempt to keep dry when a strong gust of wind blew the umbrella, with the man still clinging on, into the canal. Fortunately no harm was done but unfortunately Richard’s borrowed clothes were much too big and the poor man had to return to Liverpool with trousers tied up under his armpits. Life moves on, Maud married and left home and her parents retired and moved to Oswestry; town life was not as free and easy and for the first time the back door had to be kept locked! And the canal? Trade continued until the 1930’s with movements of coal, lime, timber and corn. Then after a minor breach in 1936 the decision was made not to repair the damage and the canal was abandoned, road bridges were lowered and lock gates rotted. Fortunately that was not the end of the story and after the Second World War enthusiasts started to campaign for a better future for our inland waterways. However it was not until 1969 when proposals for a Welshpool by-pass along the canal bed enraged locals and canal enthusiasts alike and resistance to the road scheme started. This culminated in October 1969 with ‘The Big Dig’. The canal was cleared, Welshpool lock restored and reopened by HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. Since then volunteers have been working tirelessly to restore the canal to its former glory, and hopefully it will be in water and navigable to Llanymynech in the next five years. From Llanymynech to Newtown might take a little longer! So come along to the Maesbury Canal Festival over the first weekend of September and join Aunty Maud for tea at Canal Central, she has many enjoyable memories of life on the Montgomery Canal. Dawn Aylwin

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A Tale of Two Bridges

t was the infamous LMS Railway Act of 1944 which closed the Montgomery Canal. The Act allowed Montgomeryshire and Shropshire County Councils to lower bridges across the canal, and over the years they did – Queen's Head, Schoolhouse, Maerdy, Gallowstree, Whitehouse, Refail, Garthmyl, Halfway, Dairy ... Even when restoration was under way, they did not stop and we had to fight for Abermule, Walls, Arddleen and Williams ... Williams Bridge was not much to write home about: there was a weight limit and the bridge was controlled by traffic lights. The approach was – and is – lower than the bed of the canal, and the road twisted right to cross the canal at right angles, then left to go down the other side parallel to the canal. There was a canal cottage sandwiched between the road and the water: it was said that the eponymous Williams had lived there. But it was yet another threat to the Montgomery, and we could not accept it. There was a vigorous campaign to prevent another obstruction to the canal. A picture of the bridge appeared on the front page of The Times, there were radio interviews and press reports; the County highway engineer tried to justify what he was doing, but we challenged him at every turn. IWA and SUCS together invested £200 on a full page advertisement in the local edition of the Shropshire Star: the new blockage would prejudice half a million pounds-worth of restoration that had already taken place, we claimed. We lost of course, but we knew that even as the bridge was lowered, it was not likely that the canal would be blocked again in this way. I remembered all this when going to the funeral of Gordon Roberts recently. Gordon was SUCS Chairman at the time of the Williams Bridge campaign and came over to my house to plan what we would do. Gordon and his wife Barbara had been stalwart supporters of the restoration from the start: he had been Chairman of the Society’s Montgomeryshire branch and then followed Nicholas Bostock as Society Chairman. He was a founder member of the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust too. With Barbara's death a couple of years ago, we have now lost another link with the early days in Welshpool. Even as we were fighting over Williams Bridge, the Prince of Wales' section north of Welshpool was being finished, leaving Gallowstree Bridge as the only blockage between two navigable lengths. Time for another campaign. This time it was to be a campaign with a difference, with dinghies and canoes. Led by branch Chairman Mary Awcock and her

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husband Derrick, the first Dinghy Dawdle ran from the Wern to Buttington Wharf where there was a break for lunch, and then an afternoon trip into Welshpool. The main point of the event was when we claimed to exercise a right of navigation across the blocked Gallowstree Bridge.

Kathleen Silver (Welshpool), Mary Vickers (IWA), Lady White (MWRT) and Ken Goodwin (IWA National Chairman, MWRT Vice-Chairman)

We were supported by Lady White (Baroness White of Rhymney) and IWA National Chairman Ken Goodwin, both strong supporters of the restoration. It was wet. Very wet. But we had a good turnout and many who came joined us again in succeeding years.

At Gallowstree Bridge a local policeman stopped the traffic while we carried our boats across, as slowly as possible. While we were crossing, others went down the line of waiting cars giving out a leaflet: Highway-men, it said, had blocked the canal and we wanted our bridge back. I am afraid that, on the other side of our handout, the allusion to highway engineers did not translate well into Welsh! Mary and Derrick Awcock With one break, for foot-andwith Michael Limbrey mouth (which cost the branch and the Society the expense of setting it up), there has been a Dawdle every year since. This year's is the twenty-fifth, though I do not think many of us have taken part in all of them. Are we still using the Dawdle as an event to campaign for the reopening of the canal? The coda to this piece is that while I have collected a lot of papers over the years – filling two old filing cabinets, no less! – I do not have the Shropshire Star advertisement or the Gallowstree Bridge handout. I wish I did: do you know anyone who can help me to complete my 'collection'? Michael Limbrey

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Tom Rolt, CRESSY, and the Shropshire Union 2010 is the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Tom Rolt, whose book ‘Narrow Boat’ was a major influence stimulating the revival of the canals, and who was the first Secretary of the Inland Waterways Association

om Rolt was born at Chester on 11th February 1910 but moved out of the Shropshire Union area in 1914. In the late 1920s his uncle, Kyrle Willans, who lived at Dovaston House near Melverley — less than five miles from the Montgomeryshire Canal — decided to commission a steam-powered narrow boat for leisurely family holidays on the canals.

CRESSY had been built in 1915 at Trevor, just to the north of Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, for the Shropshire Union Canal Carrying Company, and was sold to Peate’s of Maesbury when the SUCCC gave up carrying shortly after the First World War. John Beech of Welsh Frankton bought it from Peate’s as a ‘change boat’, that is, one loaned out to owners whose boats were being docked, then in 1929 it was sold to Kyrle Willans who had it converted at Beech’s dock. A second-hand small vertical compound engine by Plenty of Newbury and a boiler from a Yorkshire steam wagon were installed and a new cabin created forward of the engine, leaving the existing fore-cabin intact. Tom Rolt was invited on the first steam trial a short way up the Llangollen Canal, then, the following March, was in the crew for the first longer voyage, to Trentham Lock on the Trent & Mersey Canal. First the boat was moved to Ellesmere, then a long day’s journey to Middlewich — and out of the Shropshire Union system. Willans later replaced the steam engine with a more practical Model T Ford petrol engine before financial pressures forced him to sell CRESSY. A few years later he bought it back, subsequently selling it on to Rolt. The living accommodation was remodelled, including the removal of the fore-cabin. Thus the CRESSY which returned to the Shropshire Union bore little resemblance to the boat as converted at Beech’s. Having married and settled into their floating home, the Rolts brought CRESSY north with the intention of cruising to Llangollen. Approaching Middlewich on the Trent & Mersey, they heard over the radio that war had been declared. Tom Rolt got a job at the Rolls Royce works at Crewe, working on the production of the Merlin engine which powered Spitfires and Hurricanes. He had hoped to moor at Nantwich but CRESSY’s draught was too deep to get into the basin, so they returned to Church Minshull on the Middlewich Branch and spent the next two months there.

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Having obtained a job in the south of England, and with CRESSY’s engine converted to run on paraffin, the Rolts set off again, first to Middlewich to wind, then via the Shropshire Union main line to Autherley Junction. It was on one of these November evenings, somewhere between Nantwich and Norbury — the boat’s log and Rolt’s autobiography do not reveal exactly where — that the writing of ‘A Painted Ship, later retitled ‘Narrow Boat’, was started. Tom Rolt and CRESSY returned to the Shropshire Union in 1947, the year after the formation of the IWA. This was intended as a campaigning cruise to promote the restoration of the canal from Hurleston to Llangollen. Because of siltation and weed, CRESSY managed to get only to Ellesmere before retuning to Hampton Bank where they stayed for four weeks. A breach near Chirk threatened closure of the canal because of the dropping water levels, so plans were hastily altered and a difficult journey made back to Nantwich. Two years later the condition of the canal was much improved, and Rolt was able to fulfil his ambition: he took CRESSY over Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and spent several months moored just up the Llangollen Arm within sight of the aqueduct — and just a few yards from where CRESSY was built. Peter Brown

Whitchurch Waterway Trust Chemistry Bridge

Steps

Road

Meadowcroft Bridge

Small brook

he Annual General Meeting of the Trust on 18th March decided by a substantial majority to press for the extension of the canal arm through the early 19th century Chemistry Bridge and the late 20th century Meadowcroft Bridge to a new basin alongside Smallbrook Road. This would be done in such a way as to allow a further extension down an inclined plane or locks into a lake, if that is ever created, which would bring the moorings even closer to the Town Centre. The estimated cost of the scheme is some £600,000. The visitor moorings would be in the new basin, and all the existing arm could then be used for permanent moorings. The Trust has done detailed costings and is seeking funding.

Chem istry

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Proposed basin

Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch

Diary of Events 4th July

Cressy Cruise at Audlem: After a short ceremony at 2.00pm members will lock Cressy up the flight so please bring your windlass.

Denis Farmer 01270 811157

16th July

Orthopaedic Hospital Male Voice Choir: The Maesbury Canal Festival presents an evening concert at Llanymynech Village Hall at 7.30pm. Tickets £5 including light refreshments.

Angie Hankey 01691 662216

2nd August Montgomery Canal Forum: Michael Limbrey MWRT forum and AGM at the Council 01691 654081 Chamber, Castle View, Oswestry. 2.30pm 7th - 8th August

Lock Wind at Quoisley: A weekend event when you will need your windlasses again. We also need home made and home grown produce for the stall so why not come along and ‘bring and buy’. Please join us even if it’s just for a few hours. Full details are in the Spring edition page 19.

Dawn Aylwin 01691 830403

20th August

Shrewsbury Boat Trip: There are still a few spaces on the Branch cruise on the River Severn which includes a fish and chip supper. Meet at Victoria Quay at 6.50pm for 7.00pm departure. £20 per person. See spring edition page 25 for details.

Janet Farmer 01270 811157

21st - 22nd August

Lock Wind at New Marton: Organised by the Friends of the Montgomery Canal.

Judy Richards 01691 831455

August

Art and Photography Competition: Your art work and photos depicting the ‘Wild and Wonderful’ Montgomery Canal will be displayed in Oswestry Library for the whole of August where you can vote for your favourite picture. For more details visit www.canalfestival.co.uk

Sarah Richards 01939 261396

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Maesbury Canal Festival: 4th - 5th September Volunteers still needed to distribute leaflets, display posters, help erect gazebos, organise car parking, run children’s activities etc. In fact the list is endless so if you have a specific skill or even just a lot of energy and enthusiasm please, please get in touch. We also need prizes for the raffle and tombola so the perfect opportunity to off load those unwanted presents.

David Aylwin 01691 830403

As you can see from the enclosed flyer this is a festival not to be missed. 11th - 12th Ellesmere Festival: September The Branch book stall will be up and running all weekend so please come along and ‘bring and buy’.

Paul Mills 01513 361049

18th - 19th Whitchurch Rally: September Another waterways event well worth a day trip out, so why not come and support the Branch stand.

Mike Parsonage 01948 830837

25th National AGM at Market Drayton: September The Branch is hosting the National AGM this year at the Grove School in Market Drayton so please support us. We need at least eight stewards on the day from 9am to help with reception, coffee and car parking. Please get in touch if you are able to help.

Peter Brown 01630 652567

8th November

Peter Brown 01630 652567

The Plas Kynaston Canal: A talk by Peter Brown, the Branch historian, at the Narrowboat Inn, Whittington. See page 29 for details.

8th January Winter Walk at Llangollen: 2011 Look out for full details in the Winter edition

Peter Brown 01630 652567

Committee meetings are usually held at 7.30pm on the second Monday of each month at the Narrow Boat Inn (Maestermyn Marina), Whittington. Members are very welcome to join us and will not be pressured into any of our vacant jobs unwillingly. Please confirm with a committee member before attending. Page 17

Tyrley: a lost canal found

hen Tyrley Locks near Market Drayton were built in 1829–30, a three-quarter mile long canal on the Peatswood Estate was destroyed. This had been made back in 1791 to take marl from a pit behind what became Tyrley Wharf to improve the sandy and gravelly soil and also to improve field drainage. I knew about this old canal because it was described in an article by Edwin Shearing which was published in the Journal of the Railway & Canal Historical Society in November 1987. An extract from the accompanying map, drawn by Richard Dean, is shown right. However, the article stated: ‘Most of the little watercourse was filled in when the main canal was built but a short length is shown between Lock 3 and Stonyford Lane on the 1st edition OS 6-inch sheet Staffs XXVIII NW, surveyed in 1879. There seems no evidence of this now.’ (Stonyford Lane is the road that crosses Bridge 60 by Tyrley Wharf.) Recently I was walking down the flight of locks on a sunny evening, less than an hour before sunset. I crossed to the far side of Lock 2 and looked over the field, and to my surprise could clearly see the line of the old canal crossing diagonally from by the field gate to near Lock 3. This photographed quite well. I then returned to the lane and walked down to the field gate. This meant I was now looking along the line of the old canal, and I could just make out its slightly curving route. This time the photograph is less clear — one needs some faith to discern the slight depression starting just above the bottom left hand corner and curving across towards the canal on the top right hand side of the picture. Peter Brown

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Tyrley Tattle

riting this in the sunshine it hardly seems possible that the canal here was frozen for so long and so hard during the winter. It was the first time since we have lived here that so much of it has been frozen and, as some people found to their cost, it effectively closed the canal for a time. It also produced some incredibly stupid behaviour. One boat in particular smashed its way up the locks and arrived at the top in the dark. Incredibly the crew then proceeded to turn the boat round in the dark, which necessitated having one of the crew standing on the front breaking the ice with a pole. This was no easy task as the ice was up to 10 cm thick and having finally turned they disappeared back down the locks in the ice and dark. If any of them had fallen off they would have been difficult to rescue and it would have put any attending rescue services at risk themselves due to the cold conditions and the darkness. The canal appears to be less busy than it was a couple of years ago. Tyrley Locks are mentioned in the IWA list of bottlenecks but this year I doubt if there have been more than three boats at most waiting at the top to go down the flight. At one time there were sometimes queues stretching back to Bridge 59 with a dozen or more boats waiting. The locks are never without their incidents. Inexperienced hire boaters still have their problems operating them and it is fortunate that there is usually someone around to help them and point out that it isn’t an ideal situation to have paddles open at both ends of the lock at the same time. On the odd occasion there are also boats which have difficulty negotiating the top lock because of their gauge. This always seems strange in the case of southbound boats as it is not the narrowest lock on the Shroppie but some do still appear and have great difficulty in getting through, sometimes even requiring assistance from BW. The water point is still out of action, although still in place, but as yet the promised replacement at Goldstone has not yet materialised despite endless promises from BW. After the reorganisation Northwich did reinvestigate the possibility of reinstating the Tyrley point but the cost cannot be justified, especially in the present straitened circumstances. On the wildlife front the cold winter seems to have been disastrous for the kingfishers and we haven’t seen one here since last year. However, there is still the sporadic visit from the local otters for them to enjoy a fish supper. They catch some large fish too judging by the size of the remains left in our garden. Whilst the media were being concerned with volcanic dust from Iceland we were more concerned about agricultural dust from the local farm. This farm is now the

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largest supplier of Miscanthus (Elephant Grass) rhizomes in Europe having invested some £5 million in equipment and stock. The plant is a sterile hybrid grass which produces canes which are burnt as biofuel to generate electricity. Being sterile it has to be grown from rhizomes which are now being grown in and around Tyrley. Due to the dry weather the seemingly endless days of cultivation in the fields produced a constant haze of brown dust which has settled everywhere. As if that wasn’t enough, having harvested the rhizomes and cultivated the fields they then spread chicken manure which made transit of the locks rather unpleasant for a day or two. However, that is now behind us and we look forward to a summer of reasonable boating weather. Richard Hall

Tugboat Ted

ifteen months after the humans moved house they left Whixall by boat to take up a new BW mooring in Audlem. A strange feeling for us all but as far as the humans were concerned "the icing on the cake" to be able to walk from house to boat again. We have the people of Audlem to thank because they campaigned against the BW policy of not re-letting online moorings. Residents of the village argued that moored boats are part of the village scene and that placed between locks don't interfere with boat progress. The timing of the decision was perfect for us!

There had been plans to do work on LEO over the winter in Whixall Marina. It didn't happen and the hard winter was blamed for the change in plans. So, the list of jobs came with us to Audlem and from my post by the woodburner, I can report considerable recent activity on hatch frames while the female did repairs to paint as necessary.

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Three weeks after taking up the new mooring it was time to set off for Norbury. Of course everyone was hoping for some warm weather as in some previous years. Not so, a biting wind accompanied us to and from the rally with a reprieve on the Saturday which was quite enjoyable. Neither day lent itself to running the game so the humans with other committee members concentrated on promoting the SOS campaign and collecting several sheets of signatures against further cuts to waterways funding. An early spring trip always has us looking for new life. Primroses and cowslips were evident but no sign of ducklings. There were some disconsolate looking drakes about and we hoped that they were guarding females who should have been sitting on eggs. Since being back, we can report a brood of 12 ducklings (were 13) locally and they are doing well. Amazing how quickly they catch on to the fact that boaters may mean food. Tiny bodies seem to hurtle towards the boat in what seems a dangerous exercise but with no harm done. Bears would be far more circumspect! Overwater Marina near Audlem is now open for business, boats moved in from 1st April. Humans and bears have watched with interest since the first digger started late last summer. Good progress was made before the freezing weather and it is now very nearly complete. LEO did an exploratory trip recently with local friends on board – we were all interested to take a closer look. The newly opened coffee shop, an adjunct to the Coffee Lounge in the village, gave everyone a warm welcome on a beautiful spring day. Ethelted and I stayed on board to look after things but we both had the feeling that this could be a popular outing for other times. LEO will be making the trip to Chester at the end of June for the Tom Rolt Centenary Celebrations. This year has really made us all think again about Tom Rolt's contribution to the canals and we are very proud that he came through Audlem on his initial trip in 1939. The humans have organised the presentation of a medallion and a gathering on the Wharf in Audlem for the crew of HERON, who are re-enacting the trip, before they set off on Sunday 4th July. In Tom Rolt's book "Narrow boat" he mentions stopping and buying treacle toffee and Chorley cakes in the village. The female human is hoping to produce at least the Chorley cakes to hand to HERON’s crew. Lastly, we understand that there are still places available for the trip on SABRINA on Friday, 20th August. For more details see page 16. Tugboat Ted

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A Frenchman visits Pontcysyllte

harles Dupin, (1784–1873) was a French engineer and mathematician who applied statistics to social problems. In late 1817 or early 1818 he saw the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, reporting his observations in Mémoires sur la Marine et les Ponts et Chaussées de France et d'Angleterre, published in 1818. In 1825 his Commercial Power of Great Britain was published in English, and included the following translation from his earlier work. [The place names have been changed to current usage.] Peter Brown

‘From Chester I went to Wales, to visit the works of the Ellesmere canal; the most important, in my opinion, was the aqueduct of Pontcysyllte, thrown over the torrent-like river which flows through the valley of Llangollen. At the height of 127 feet, and for a length of 1000 feet, you see an aerial canal, the metallic envelope of which is supported by bold and light piles. Boats heavily laden, and the horses which tow them, securely pass over this road, hanging over an abyss, and carrying to Ellesmere the coal, the lime, and the iron furnished by the mines, the quarries, and the forges of the vale of Llangollen. After a long and fatiguing walk, I entered the valley on a fine autumnal evening, almost at the moment of sunset; never did a more magnificent scene burst upon my sight, in the midst of a vigorous vegetation, still retaining all its freshness: columns of smoke and flame; perpetual eruptions from the craters of industry; furnaces, forges, limekilns, and heaps of coal ignited to become, by the very operation of ignition, a perfect combustible; manufactories, country-houses, and villages, placed in the form of an amphitheatre, on the sides of the valley; below, a rapid torrent; above, the canal bridge, placed, as if by enchantment, on lofty and slender pillars of an elegant and simple construction; and this magnificent work, the fruit of the happy and bold efforts of one of my friends! Lost in the contemplation of these beauties of art and nature, which by the fading away of the declining light, changed their appearance every moment, I stood as it were in ecstasy, till the close of twilight obliged me to retire, and seek an asylum at some miles’ distance. This is what I have seen, but which I cannot describe without depriving it of the charms of reality, and which nevertheless, in spite of time and distance, still makes my heart beat at the recollection of the emotions which this magnificent scene excited in me.’

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Wheaton Aston Services

ritish Waterways is assuring its waterway customers that everything will be done to keep Wheaton Aston Services open this season – and is asking boaters to play their part. The pump out facility has been closed on a number of occasions recently, due to the deposit of unsuitable waste material into the pump out. British Waterways North Wales & Borders Manager Wendy Capelle said: “We work hard to ensure all our service blocks remain open at all times, but inappropriate waste has been deposited on occasions, causing the pump to fail”. Mrs Capelle apologised for the poor reliability of this service block, which has proved difficult to maintain due to technical problems with the pump. “The facility has been closed on a number of occasions since March 2010, but we have worked hard with our contractor to enable the facility to re-open within a couple of days. We do endeavour to update Waterscape and erect local signage as soon as possible”. “However I can appreciate that some boaters may not necessarily receive the notification in time to use alternative facilities,” Mrs Capelle added. In an effort to improve the reliability of the service block and minimise the cost of pump repairs, Mrs Capelle is meeting key staff to discuss the options available. This will include increased visits by a BW facility assistant to monitor the service block, providing an early warning of any potential problems. British Waterways

World Heritage Week

Explore Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal Monday 20th to Friday 24th September - talks & guided walks Saturday 25th September - afternoon family event at Trevor Basin For details see local announcements

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For Sale

wo chairs designed and built for use on a narrow boat.

They convert easily into single beds by simply pushing the backs down. The storage box, which can be used for bedding, extends the bed to approximately 6’ 2” (185 cms.) A section at the head of the chairs pulls out to hold pillows. Covered in a dark green material and in very good condition. The chairs would need to be collected from Mold in North Wales. For more details contact Ann Rowland at ann.rowland7@btinternet.com £250 ONO for both chairs.

Membership Matters

nce again we extend a warm welcome to the following members who have recently joined the Branch: Trevor and Angela Jefferies from Llangollen, Andrew Jenkinson from Welshpool, Kevin Preece from Burry Port, Jon and Stephanie Richardson from Audlem and Jennifer Stanley from Lymm. We look forward to meeting you all so please come along to one of our events. A big thank you to everyone who responded to the ‘Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch Needs You’ leaflet and apologies to the 25 members who did not receive a copy. The leaflet was produced by Derwen College and was used as a training exercise. We ordered more than enough copies but unfortunately I assumed the copier would have a counter and so did not check the quantity so take full responsibility for the lack. And no I didn’t have the courage to complain! The leaflet has a list of 10 ways you can support the Branch so please get in touch if you would like a copy e-mailed to you. I am delighted to announce that we have two new committee members: Alan Wilding who has taken on the responsibility of the branch page on the IWA website, and Carolyn Theobold who is returning after a year or so in Norfolk. Susan Russell has offered to help raise funds to support this magazine. She is planning to organise a photographic competition in order to produce a Branch calendar for 2012 so look out for the details in the winter edition. Other fund raising ideas include a raffle and a 100 club which is being investigated. If you have any experience of the latter idea please contact Denis Farmer who will be delighted to receive your call. Ian Stevenson and John Murgatroyd have Page 24

volunteered to report on the state of the Canals in their areas and Susan Wilding has offered to help with the milepost survey (see page 12 of the Spring edition). Finally I was pleased to see Hugh and Ann Appleton who answered the request to help at the Litter Pick in Welshpool (see pg 29 for details). Apparently the recent call for help is not the first time the Branch has asked more members to get actively involved. Ron Reid in his Chairman’s letter to ‘OFF CUTS’ in 1982 reported: “At our last Committee meeting we had a shuffle round of jobs, but what we really need is an influx of new faces and fresh ideas. When my wife and I joined the IWA we had no thoughts of becoming committee members, let alone Chairman, but we were – ARE – interested in canals and willing to be helpful in whatever way required. I feel sure that there MUST be other Branch members who are interested and maybe even willing to give up a little of their time, but don’t know how to do so and like most of us are reluctant to push themselves forward and rather afraid of being pressured into taking on more than they want.” Ron goes on to invite members to any of the Branch activities “to see what goes on. With no pressure to join the Committee though we would be delighted if you wanted to. This is what happened to us three years ago, everyone was very friendly and welcoming, but we didn’t feel we were obliged to take anything on.” Fortunately for the Branch Ron and Barbara did take an active role and had many happy times. Follow their example and join us. And finally the Branch is saddened by the death of two long standing members: Mr D Healey from Shrewsbury and Mr G Roberts from Welshpool and send condolences to their families. Gordon Roberts was SUCS Chairman in the later 70s at the same time as Michael Limbrey was the IWA Branch Chairman (see page 12). Together they hatched a campaign to try to save Williams Bridge (between Vyrnwy Aqueduct and Carreghofa Locks). Gordon and his wife Barbara, who predeceased him, were Montgomery stalwarts from the start and Gordon was a founder member of MWRT in 1980; his support and enthusiasm will be sadly missed. Dawn Aylwin

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Litter-pick Once again members of the Branch joined forces with the Friends Of The Montgomery Canal to help clean the canal at Welshpool.

About 30 volunteers of all ages, some in canoes, removed rubbish from the towpath and the canal.

The event was part of British Waterways ‘Towpath Tidy’ campaign.

Our thanks are due to BW staff who collected and disposed of all the rubbish and provided safety gear including high visibility vests, gloves and litter pickers.

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The Audlem Ranger

ign of the future... "BW and the Third Sector"

In a Waterscape news article dated 3rd June BW say they wish to give communities greater involvement in the running of the canals and are on the lookout for a volunteer ranger who can bring a personal touch to "the picturesque visitor hub of Audlem". It would take up a few hours each week, especially at weekends and high season periods, responding to peoples requests with some physical work assisting boaters through the locks. There are several ways of looking at this proposal. There is the point of view that this is work BW should provide – it is paid for in our licence fee. Maybe they could offer some form of discount/inducement if full time staff are not available. On the other hand it can be quite satisfying to be involved; we do, on occasions, walk up the locks with a windlass and help if someone needs it. One thing is certain, in the present financial climate BW are going to suffer cuts in the money they receive from government which we will have to pay for one way or another; in lost facilities, extra licence fees or volunteer labour. It might be easier to help than find the cash. The Branch Committee would be interested to hear your views - please write or e-mail me at the address on page 4. Denis Farmer

The Skittles Challenge

he annual skittles challenge, which had to be rescheduled due to double booking at the Bickerton Poacher, went ahead on 11th June. Unfortunately Chester Branch members could not make the new date but Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch once again demonstrated their superior skill with a stunning score of 199 to Stoke- on-Trent’s mere 181.

Gill Devall in action... ...while Peter Smedley tries to make it easier for the Stoke team. Page 27

The Plas Kynaston Canal Petition

he Plas Kynaston Canal was completed from Trevor Basin to behind the Queens Hotel below Cefn Mawr in about 1830. The majority of the canal bed still remains within the recently closed Flexsys site. Three original bridges survive: the one at the entrance from Trevor Basin, the second where the canal crosses Tref-y-nant Brook and the third at the bottom of the 'Graesser’s Works Steps'. Cefn Mawr has been hard hit by the closure of the Flexys and Air Products factories. The shops and pubs in the village are struggling to keep going. Few tourists come to the village, though the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Trevor Basin, less than three-quarters of a mile away are busy. If this Canal was reinstated to the rear of the Queens Hotel, and a marina built there, it would provide an ideal link to Cefn Mawr for the tourists. Crane Lane, which is currently designated a Bridle Way, and which is an integral part of the Cefn Mawr Heritage Trail, would then become a direct route for tourists to go from the marina to the village centre of Cefn Mawr. The Wrexham Local Development Plan has recently been published for public consultation. This recognizes that 'Cefn Mawr is in need of social, economic and environmental regeneration'. It proposes that the Flexsys site is 'safeguarded for comprehensive mixed-use developments that will include residential, employment, community leisure and local need retail uses'. It also states that 'supplementary planning guidance will steer development'. This is the time to influence that guidance. If we fail, we fear that the short-term financial interests of the property developers will take precedence. Next year will be too late. That's why we have organized the petition. Virtually everybody we have spoken to locally, likes the idea of reinstating the canal. We now want support from the wider community. If you are passing, please call in at the Post Office and sign the petition. Or send an e-mail showing your support to plaswaterman@gmail.com , and we will send it to Wrexham Council together with the petition. Thank you for your support — and we hope that one day we will be able to welcome you from the canal to the village. Dave Metcalfe, on behalf of the people of Cefn Mawr

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1873 ordnance survey map showing Plas Kynaston Canal

The Plas Kynaston Canal

ant to know more? Then come along to an illustrated talk by Peter Brown, Branch Historian, at The Narrow Boat Inn, Whittington on Monday 8th November. Following the success of the previous talks the Branch has decided to make this an annual event. The talk will start at 7.30pm and is open to all. Why not join us for an informal meal at 6.30pm? Contact Peter Brown (01630 652567) and, for meals, Janet Farmer (01270 811157).

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Norbury Junction Boat Rally A splendid weekend, organised by the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust, over the May Day bank holiday.

Many decorated boats extended along the towpath and various stalls were in the grounds of the Junction Inn.

The Branch used the occasion to promote the IWA ‘Save Our System’ campaign.

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I thought Wendy said the staff outing was to Blackpool! Any crisps left?

Caption Competition

nd the winner is ... Quita Brown from Market Drayton

‘The SOS campaign at Norbury Junction’ Send your speech bubbles to shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk before 31st August and the best will win a copy of the latest ‘Llangollen Canal’ DVD by Video Active worth £12.99. The winner will be announced in the next SFP; the editor’s decision is final.

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Regions & Branches

www.waterways.org.uk This is the home page of the IWA website; hovering a mouse over ‘Regions & Branches’ drops down a choice including ‘North West & North Wales’; clicking on this brings up this Region’s home page with a choice, in the left hand column, which includes ‘Shrewsbury & North Wales’.

This is our section of the huge IWA website and it’s a feature we hope will be both useful to you, as a committed member, and may also entice others to join us. Already these pages link to all the Shroppie Fly Papers of the past 15 months and that forms an easily accessible archive.

Newsletter

Two pages of the Spring 2010 SFP are shown below and it really is very easy to read the whole newsletter in this way.

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