Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch Newsletter Summer 2019
Front cover : IWA stand at Norbury Canal Festival courtesy of your Editor! Rear cover: Nantwich Aqueduct courtesy of Edward Leetham. If you have a picture of the canals in our area which you would like to see on one of our front covers, email it to andrew.smith@waterways.org.uk
THE BRANCH COMMITTEE
President
Michael Limbrey 01691 654081
michael.limbrey@waterways.org.uk
Chairman
Michael Haig 07801 415573
michael.haig@waterways.org.uk
Secretary
VACANT
shrewsandnwales@waterways.org.uk
Membership Sec.
Dawn Aylwin 01691 830403
dawn.aylwin@waterways.org.uk
Treasurer & Welsh Liaison Officer
Alan Platt
alan.platt@waterways.org.uk
Webmaster
Alan Wilding
alan.wilding@waterways.org.uk
Publicity
Phil Pickin
phil.pickin@waterways.org.uk
Newsletter Editor
Andrew Smith
andrew.smith@waterways.org.uk
Committee Members
Susan Wilding
susan.wilding@waterways.org.uk
NW Region Chairman
Sir Robert Atkins robert.atkins@waterways.org.uk 01995 602225 or 07770 254444
Heritage & Planning
Peter Brown
iwa@peterquita.co.uk
Branch Web pages www.waterways.org.uk/shrewsbury www.facebook.com/pages/IWA-Shrewsbury-Branch/388651831206061 If you would prefer to communicate with the branch in the traditional way, please write to the chairman c/o IWA Chesham address at foot of page Shroppie Fly Paper is the newsletter of the Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch of The Inland Waterways Association (IWA). IWA is a membership charity that works to protect and restore the country's 6,500 miles of canals and rivers. For further information contact any committee member. Copy for Shroppie Fly Paper is very welcome, preferably 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. Copy and letters submitted for publication may be edited. 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 a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 612245. Registered as a charity no. 212342 Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA Tel: 01494 783 453 Web: www.waterways.org.uk
THE EDITOR'S CUT... Unusually, we have two cover photos this issue. The front cover photo shows our branch stand at the Norbury Junction Canal Festival and has featured in several items of IWA national publicity. The rear cover photo was sent in by branch member Edward Leetham. It’s a terrific shot of Nantwich Aqueduct and what great timing to capture the three forms of transport at the same time! Some not-so-nice photos were released by Canal & River Trust in early June as part of their #PlasticsChallenge initiative (see page 26). It really is shocking to see how much plastic is going into the canals and rivers that we love. A large number of items are getting out into the oceans. Hopefully we can all help when we are out and about on the waterways this summer by picking up at least one piece of plastic and taking it to be recycled. This summer we will be heading out of the branch area on our boat to explore the Macclesfield Canal– a trip that was planned for last year but scuppered by the Middlewich Branch breach. With that breach apparently being caused by over-topping, it is worrying to see a smaller breach at Marbury on the Llangollen Canal being attributed to over-topping caused by heavy rainfall. As we go to press, Canal & River Trust are working hard to repair the hole and boats are being hauled past the obstruction for a couple of hours each day. We hope to be back in the area in time to pay a visit to the new Gnosall Canal Festival. As you will see from the programme on page 28, the organisers have laid on a full schedule of events so well worth the trip. The branch will have a stand at the Gnosall Festival along with others at Whitchurch and Audlem. We would be delighted to see you at any of the events and even more delighted if you were able to help out at any of the events. Our Annual Lock Wind has been moved to Cholmondeston this year due to the ongoing issues with Hurleston bottom lock. This is a fun event and extra help would be most welcome! Wherever you are on the waterways this summer, keep your phone or camera ready to get some great photos that we can feature in this publication! The next Shroppie Fly Paper will be the Autumn / Winter 2019 issue. Please send your contributions to me at andrew.smith@waterways.org.uk. Andrew Smith
Next copy date: Friday, October 25, 2019 1
IWA SHREWSBURY DISTRICT & NORTH WALES BRANCH - DIARY 2019 We have an extensive programme of events planned during the Spring / Summer and would be delighted to see members at any of them. The branch will have stalls at many of the festivals and we would welcome any offers of help to staff these. To reduce travelling and cost many of the branch business meetings now take place online. If you would like to join us online, please contact our Chairman at: michael.haig@waterways.org.uk July 17-21, 2019
Canal Exhibition, Shrewsbury (See page 7)
July 19-21, 2019
Gnosall Canal Festival (Branch presence July 20-21)
August 9-10, 2019
Branch Lock Wind, Cholmondeston. Helpers and produce welcome
August 18, 2019
Branch Autumn Social & Talk , Boathouse, Ellesmere 7pm
August 19, 2019
Branch Business Meeting, Online at 7pm
August 30, 2019
Mikron Theatre at Coton Mill, Gnosall All Hands on Deck—A Tale of Two Wrens (See page 22)
Aug 31—Sept 1, 2019
Whitchurch Canal Festival
Sept 8, 2019
Audlem RNLI event, Overwater Marina
Oct 14, 2019
Branch Business Meeting, Online at 7pm
Oct 25, 2019
Copy deadline for Autumn / Winter edition
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FROM THE STEERER Politics! Love it or loathe it, it’s certainly hard to escape it. And, as our region chairman would confirm, it’s vital to influence the powers-that-be, to extol the virtues of our canals and rivers at every opportunity, and to promote the waterways as an extremely deserving cause to receive sustainable funding from every conceivable source. So it was, then, that dozens of restoration project representatives and IWA volunteers (disclaimer - I was one of them) stiffened their sinews, summoned up the blood, and headed for Westminster in mid-April to join some 50 MPs and Peers at IWA’s annual parliamentary reception.
Michael Haig & Michael Limbrey with Owen Paterson, MP for North Shropshire
Michael Limbrey with Glyn Davies, MP for Montgomeryshire
Having successfully negotiated security and been welcomed by our host, Lord German - who himself has a distinguished waterways pedigree including the honorary presidency of the Monmouthshire, Brecon & Abergavenny Canals Trust - we heard from Ros Kerslake OBE, chief executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and, particularly, from IWA’s Mike Palmer, leader of our Waterway Recovery Group volunteers. Mike introduced the Waterways in Progress report, mentioned elsewhere in these pages, and launched IWA’s new Waterways in Progress Grant, which offers organisations up to £100,000 to assist in funding a project or projects which promote the Waterways in Progress vision and values. The grant is funded through legacies that have been left to the Association. The two largest restoration trusts in our area were represented at the event by SNCT trustees Bernie Jones and Alan Boney and our own Michael Limbrey, chairman of the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust, who networked hard with Montgomery-supporting local MPs!
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Back in the more placid rural regions that our branch normally inhabits, it’s the time of year when IWA (with others), encourages us to take a stand against the invasive flora that populate the banks and beds of many of our waterways. Well-known among these is Himalayan balsam, a non-native, invasive plant species that seems to thrive on the banks of the UK’s waterways. It grows so quickly that it crowds out native wildflowers and takes over large swathes of ground. Growing up to three metres in height, it makes an impressive sight with its reddish stems and pink-purple flowers, but the plant has no root stock, so once it dies back, the ground is susceptible to erosion, especially during the wet winter months. IWA is asking members of the public both young and old to help remove the plant from towpaths during June and July before it has a chance to go to seed and spread its stranglehold even further, taking five minutes out of their walk to pull up the stems, snap off the root and stamp down on it to speed up the rotting process. There are more details on page 18 or, for more information, visit www.waterways.org.uk/himalayanbalsam. If you’re out and about beside the canals, another lovely thing to do would be to come and say hello at one of the many and varied canal festivals that take place in our area during the summer. We enjoyed three days at Norbury in early May, despite one of them being unseasonably cold and windy, and we have lots more to come (see the branch diary page for details). This year, we are one of nine branches across the country that are trialing a range of IWA branded merchandise that is available to help branches attract the public and enhance the look of their event stands. Why not come and see us and show your support, perhaps by buying some of our mugs, tea towels, notebooks and other mementoes? Finally, if you would also like to learn more about the bigger picture, we can confirm that IWA’s 2019 national Annual General Meeting and members’ day will take place on Saturday 28th September in Stoke-on-Trent, which may be close enough to our branch for some members to attend. Look out for more details in IWA’s national Waterways magazine, which should be delivered to members at the end of July. Michael Haig
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REGION CHAIRMAN WRITES I attended a most successful event last week - the National Trailboat Festival. This year it was held in the North West at the Westmorland County Showground, adjacent to the Lancaster Canal near Kendal. It is about as far north as you can get on English canals! There was a splendid turnout with more than one participant coming from as far afield as Devon and all points west! The National Chairman, Ivor Caplan, was also present, together with other luminaries, and a thoroughly good time was had by all. We held the Annual Parliamentary Reception at Westminster last month with a good attendance from IWA delegates and restoration representatives, as well as MPs and Peers. It is a splendid opportunity to meet, lobby and exchange views with our elected representatives and I even persuaded my daughter, MP for Louth & Horncastle, to show her face! There was an excellent presentation by Mike Palmer, chairman of IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group, on the value that Waterways in Progress - ongoing restoration projects - can deliver to local communities, even before they are completed. The report of the same name, and a terrific video introduced by IWA vice president David Suchet, can be found on IWA’s web site and are great to read and watch. The Parliamentarian of the Year was Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire, in recognition of his staunch support for the Ashby Canal restoration. The Association is facing a significant escalation of its banking costs and has asked its 30-plus branches to look at ways in which the number of branch bank accounts can be simplified and reduced. I am confident that your committee will come up with a constructive response that will help to reduce costs while still meeting the branch’s local circumstances. I have - eventually - been in touch with the new CRT West Midlands Director, Adnan Saif, and his colleague, Ian Lane, as to that part of the IWA North West region that falls under the control of CRT West Midlands – which are canals all within your branch boundaries. Ian Lane is taking responsibility for the Montgomery Canal and he has already made contact with your branch chairman regarding the future relationship. You may have seen the press coverage recently from CRT about plastic waste in our canals. As a former Minister for the Environment, I support this initiative most strongly and urge you all to think hard about your waste and how you dispose of it.
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There has been some controversy recently about “powered” bicycles and their legality or otherwise on our towpaths. More and more people are using this mode of transport and claim that, as the power is in part generated by pedalling, they can be used. I am exploring the dilemma! Finally, Alan Platt - our NW Region Secretary - is about to retire from his duties and therefore there will shortly be a vacancy. Quite simply, he has been a star and his advice to me has been invaluable. The duties are not onerous but a knowledge of the people and politics of the IWA locally would be a help. If anyone is interested, please contact me asap. Sir Robert Atkins - Chairman, North West Region
MEMBERSHIP NEWS Yes membership really does matter and committee members will be at most of the waterways events throughout the summer; why not join us? In fact the more members we sign up the more money we receive as Head Office has decided to reintroduce a financial incentive. That is money the branch can spend on local projects. If you know somebody who is thinking of joining or who could be persuaded to join please get in touch or collect a membership leaflet at one of our events. We are delighted to welcome the following members who have joined or transferred to the branch since the Spring edition of the Shroppie Fly Paper and we look forward to meeting you at one of the events advertised in this edition of the magazine.
Mr Matthews from Porthmadog
Mr Nelson from Shawbury
Mr & Mrs Otter from Newport
A big thank you to Hugh Appleton and Fiona Pearson who responded to the request for jam jars; all that is needed now is a bit of sunshine to ripen the fruit in time for jam making for the lock wind (details on page 23). Dawn Aylwin
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NEW MEMBERS JOIN DURING THE NORBURY FESTIVAL. The early May Bank Holiday weekend saw good numbers of visitors attend the annual Norbury Canal Festival organised by the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust. Despite unseasonably cold weather - a far cry from last years event when we were blessed with warm sunshine. Volunteers staffed the branch's stand throughout the event which proved to be very successful. A number of new members were signed up just in time to allow the branch to benefit from a new recruitment reward initiative, this rewards individual IWA branches when new members are recruited. This, together with the sale of IWA merchandise and donations, made the event a success. In addition to the stand volunteers (Alison and Andrew Smith, Graham Russell, Phil Pickin and Val & Michael Haig) branch Chairman Michael Haig and Andrew Smith crewed the SNCT trip boat during the festival. These boat trips, once again, proved very popular with visitors. The festival itself was opened by the historic narrowboat Dory, recently fully restored by Norbury Wharf Ltd, with the Canal Trust's officials on board it sailed into Norbury junction to the sound of bells and an air horn! The festival, which aims to raise awareness of plans to restore the Shrewsbury and Newport Canals - which once joined the Shropshire Union Canal at Norbury - has grown in popularity over the years with it now boasting dozens of boats selling a wide variety of craft goods. This was in addition to an old time fairground and visits from both the police and fire service. Phil Pickin
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SHREWSBURY DISTRICT & NORTH WALES BRANCH AGM—13 APRIL 2019 Despite the cold weather, a good number of branch members attended the AGM held at Wappenshall Wharf in Telford on the 13th April. The meeting gave attendees the opportunity to look around this fascinating site and see the work being undertaken by SNCT and also see the increasingly famous ‘scaffolding tower' bought using the donation provided by the Shrewsbury & North Wales Branch. Branch chairman Michael Haig, presented the formal part of the meeting including the treasurer's report and the election of members of the committee. He also took the opportunity to thank Dawn Aylwin, who will have stepped down from the post by the time you read this, for her many years of service as branch secretary. Currently, the position remains vacant, so if anyone would like to take on the role, please get in touch using the contact details shown in this issue of Shroppie Fly Paper. The meeting included an interesting talk by Captain Phil Tarrant of Waterwaves Radio, the online radio station based at Wappenshall that broadcasts its programs from the site. Many of the station's programmes are of particular interest to inland waterways users, and Captain Phil gave an insight into the philosophy and plans for the radio station as well as to his own background as a master mariner.
Bernie Jones, chairman of SNCT, also gave a presentation on the work being carried out at Wappenshall Wharf, as well as future renovation work, before taking us on a tour of the site to see the work done so far. The renovation work the group has so far carried out is significant and praiseworthy, given that it is being undertaken by a group of volunteers in sometimes challenging conditions.
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After lunch, a group travelled to the Berwick Tunnel at Berwick Wharf near Atcham where they were shown the clearing work that has been undertaken. Given that the work has so far only been ongoing for around 18 months they have achieved a great deal. The group walked to the south end of the tunnel, which for safety reasons is closed off but still provides views into the tunnel via the iron gates. A few visitors then travelled on see the north end of the tunnel by road. In all, and despite it being a cold but dry day, everyone enjoyed themselves both at Wappenshall and Berwick and thanks should be given to all those involved in organising the day's events. Phil Pickin
CHAIRMAN’S AGM REPORT
(For those who were unable to attend the AGM, we are reproducing Michael Haig’s report here:) It’s great to see a good number of people here at Wappenshall. In this report I’m going to highlight some of the significant events in the life of the branch since we last met, when many of you will remember we were being blasted by the “Beast from the East” in the snow at Maesbury! At that time CRT had announced their reorganisation into six regions but it was still unclear how specifically the Welsh canals would be managed. We now know, of course, that operationally these fall within the West Midlands CRT region along with the bulk of the Shropshire Union in our area, so we have had four CRT User Forums to attend: the final one of the old North Wales & Borders, the first of the new North West Region and two from the West Midlands Region. The new regions seem to be slowly finding their feet and lines of communication are becoming clearer, especially in the North West, but, my, it’s taking some time.
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In other matters concerning the navigation, we responded to IWA’s national Gaptracker survey on boaters’ facilities. Hotspots of boater concern in our area are the lack of sanitation services at the top of Hurleston Locks and the fact that the damaged water point at Barbridge Junction hasn’t been and will not be replaced. We will continue to press C&RT to provide additional sanitary disposal facilities between Grindley Brook and Hurleston Junction, while on the water point at Barbridge we are at least pleased to see that an additional point has been installed above Cholmondeston Lock. We continue to attend the Staffordshire Waterways Group meetings in Stafford, although in my view their effectiveness has been diminished by a reduction in interest and support from Staffordshire County Council in recent years. So it was great to have a council representative again at the latest meeting just a few days ago and he was able to make a very helpful and informed contribution to the discussion. IWA’s “Waterways in Progress” restoration report and video highlight the huge difference that can be made when councils fully engage with the waterways. I hope we will see more in future from Staffordshire, which allegedly - I’ve not checked this myself - has more miles of towpath than any other county in the country. Talking about restoration, which I will do only briefly as we have Michael Limbrey from the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust with us and happy to answer questions, while Bernie Jones will be giving a presentation on the Shrewsbury & Newport canals after I’ve finished, I think it would be fair to say that the Montgomery is progressing, albeit slowly. Gains have been made in extending the navigation to the next winding hole at Crickheath and preparation work to rebuild Schoolhouse Bridge is under way, though it’s disappointing that repairs to the leaking section at Redwith are still to be undertaken. As far as SNCT is concerned, I would just like to highlight that the Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch has donated £3,000 to the Wappenshall Wharf restoration - a sum that amongst other things has enabled SNCT to acquire an invaluable scaffolding tower to provide access to the highest reaches of the warehouses. And we still have a further £1,000 earmarked for materials should it be possible to resolve access issues and progress towards re-watering at Forton. Of course, the branch’s ability to make such donations in support of our local restoration projects is conditional upon us raising the funds in the first place. Our branch calendar and the lock wind remain our principal fundraising activities, although the calendar is becoming more challenging to produce each year as we run out of good quality images of our local waterways that we have not previously used. That’s a strong plea for those who are handy with a camera to submit more examples of their skill, either to me or any member of the committee!
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It would be wrong to single out only these two activities, though. We are also very grateful for the support we receive from the public at festivals and events, and for individual generosity from people like Peter Brown, who kindly continues to donate his fees from the “speaker circuit” to branch funds. We can count ourselves lucky that we have plenty of festivals and events in the branch area to attend, though I have to say that they do stretch our limited numbers of volunteers. For example, since we last met we have had a presence at Norbury, Shrewsbury - for the River Festival - Welshpool, Whitchurch and Audlem. Social events for our branch members have included an outing to the Dudley Tunnels, an Autumn Talk, a Quiz Night with record attendance, and summer and winter walks. Thank you to everyone who helped us out, either by helping on the stands or organising the events, as Alan and Susan Wilding did in putting together two very different and interesting walks. Finally, a few words about your committee’s stewardship of the branch. During the year we have been joined by Andrew Smith and Phil Picken, who have agreed to take on roles as newsletter editor and publicity officer respectively. We were also pleased to welcome back Peter Brown, who has resumed the important work of monitoring and responding to planning application issues. However, on the down side, I am very sorry to record that Dawn Aylwin has finally decided to stand down after 15 years as branch secretary, though she has kindly agreed to stay on the committee as membership secretary. We all owe Dawn an enormous debt of gratitude for the commitment and hard work she has given to the branch over those years and I can only hope that - amongst the readership of Shroppie Fly Paper or perhaps even in this room - there will be a member willing to take on the mantle of secretary and help keep me (and us) on the straight and narrow. Please contact me for further information. We are working hard to make the commitment of running your branch less onerous, for example by holding the majority of our six business meetings during the year electronically by video link, saving hours of travel and hundreds of miles of fuel consumption. Interestingly, IWA’s North West Region has gone down the same route and I think attendees at all these meetings would agree that this has to be the way forward. We miss a certain amount of the social interaction of a pub meal before the meetings, but in my view the advantages easily outweigh the disadvantages. And we still have social events, walks, lock winds (and AGMs) where we can continue to meet friends old and new. Thank you very much. Michael Haig
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SMALL TASKS TEAM VOLUNTEERS Over the past few months the team has been busy with various jobs around the region. There is always something to do! Above Swanley Lock No.2 the ‘landing stage’ had fallen into disrepair, as reported last time. The promised work party to complete the work (with new artificial timbers provided by CR&T) was slotted in between the main events. Two and a half years ago we were down at Beeston and it was time for another visit! Some people went by boat and the others by car. Two days of glorious spring weather in March saw lock gates and signs painted and benches treated, fences given attention and paddles lubricated. We left Beeston looking rather smart!
A further work party in May saw the Iron Lock painted. It was still in splints for work on the tail bridge when we were there in March. New signs with the new logo were installed. There is still more work to be done when C&RT are ready, resurfacing the long ramp. CR&T had done a good deal of work on Cholmondeston Lock and in Easter week a small group went to tidy up in readiness for the Green Flag assessment. There was plenty to do, with lock gates, fences and tables! Over two days, 120
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hours were logged. We generally have a good time and enjoy working on the canals, even when the weather is less kind than the pictures show! If you have time to spare, we would love to hear from you.
We usually meet on the fourth Thursday of the month. John Banister
STTV are always prepared to welcome new members. Contact: John Riley 01352 741322 / 07518 040632 | john.riley295@btinternet.com
CANAL & RIVER TRUST LAUNCHES WATERWAYS PLASTICS CHALLENGE On 5th June, Canal & River Trust published the results of research showing that plastics now account for 59% of waste found along the canals. Furthermore more than half a million items of plastic are reaching the ocean through Canal & River Trust canals and rivers each year. There is plenty of information on how we can all make a difference at https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-andviews/features/plastic-and-litter-in-our-canals
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IWA AND THE MONTGOMERY CANAL
You must know the one about the fellow who was asked the way and replied, “If I was going there, I wouldn’t start from here!”. Would things be different on the Montgomery Canal if we hadn’t started from there, if the canal was not part of a larger Shropshire Union network, if forty-five years ago IWA hadn’t established local branches (converting the old branches into regions) …? As it is, we’re not ‘starting from here’ but from somewhere in the past. So we see that both the branch and the Shropshire Union Canal Society have interests beyond the Montgomery Canal across the SU system. On the Montgomery the Restoration Trust came to follow the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Steering Group which had managed the restoration of the Seven Miles north of Welshpool (– some of the rôle of the Trust was later assumed by the Montgomery Canal Partnership which grew out of an informal group which British Waterways established for a Lottery bid twenty years ago), and the Friends of the Montgomery Canal, as the membership section of the Trust, is therefore the only enthusiast group interested only in the Montgomery Canal. So where – how – does the IWA fit in? The easy answer to that question is shown by the annual IWA/CRT Restoration Conference in April and the Parliamentary Reception in May, both events which underline that the Montgomery restoration, and indeed the Shrewsbury & Newport and Whitchurch Arm projects, are all part of a wider movement. The Restoration Conference brought people from many restorations to look at issues of publicity, funding, health and well-being and much more. A key presentation was the latest IWA report, Waterways in Progress, introduced by David Suchet. There is a printed report and a video presentation based on achievements on restorations across England and Wales, including the Montgomery of course. The slogan is ‘Dream Big, Be Bold’ and you can see the video and report at www.waterways.org.uk/waterwaysinprogress. Have a look! Here then, is the IWA speaking up for canal projects across the country. Over seventy years of campaigning it has earned a level of respect which might be expected of an organisation with many more members. So many, many thanks to you members reading this magazine.
So what has the IWA done for the Montgomery Canal? We could start with one of the first campaign cruises, when Tom Rolt and the Grundy family attempted to navigate the disused Llangollen Canal. Choked with weed and with little water Rolt later described the condition of the canal as ‘appalling’ and they failed to get beyond Ellesmere. Remember that, next time you queue at Grindley Brook or New Marton! That was the Llangollen. Fourteen years later the IWA national magazine, then called Bulletin, reported that the North-Western Branch magazine Nor’ Wester included the following “remarkable information”: (Bulletin 65, Oct 1961.) ‘On a recent Saturday and Sunday, eighty-seven boats were counted passing Colemere, near Ellesmere, on the way to Llangollen, and this number does not include those returning’. But for our Association, there would by now be no
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boats at all on this canal. It is only to be regretted that we have not been able to keep open the longer, and almost equally beautiful, line to Newtown, which, as the Nor’ Wester says, ‘would certainly be greatly used’. Well, the line to Newtown was not forgotten. In the early days of the branch there was a national IWA proposal to restore the four miles to Queen's Head and, though this was not achievable, WRG then spent seven years restoring Frankton Locks, moving on to Aston where they restored the locks and created the first off-line nature reserve, made possible by a generous legacy from a former branch secretary. In the years since the IWA has done much to promote the restoration, most recently with a substantial grant for Schoolhouse Bridge. Much of the current planning for future restoration is managed by a small number of volunteers, not all from IWA. There are volunteers who dig, others who help with technical planning, and others who spend time in meeting rooms or showing people the canal and its opportunities to make sure restoration happens. As with the branch there are plenty of opportunities to help, with online information, planning and conservation, social media, event planning, fund-raising or construction skills. The reward is knowing that you will be continuing the IWA’s campaign of over 70 years to protect and restore our waterways as an asset for future generations and you will see things happening because of what you do. The Montgomery Canal has been in IWA’s sights for most of the Association’s existence. With its valuable built and natural heritage the restored canal will be a valued addition to the national network and to the Shropshire/ Montgomeryshire borders. It will happen and the Association and the branch will continue to play their part to make it happen. Could you help to make it happen too? Michael Limbrey
CANAL EXHIBITION IN SHREWSBURY 17-21 JULY, 11.00—15:00
Shrewsbury and Newport Canals Trust members are staging a display about the local canals and their restoration, at The Abbey Station, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury from 17-21 July, 11.00—15:00. Parking is at the nearby Abbey Car Park opposite The Abbey Church. Apart from the canal interest, it's worth coming along to see this restored railway station building. No charge but donations welcome. More details on 01743 359 650.
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VISIT TO THE LION SALT WORKS 8 JUNE 2019 On a soggy Saturday a group of us visited the Lion Salt Works at Northwich for a fascinating glimpse back in time at how salt was extracted from brine. I had blithely assumed (although I originally come from Northwich and should have known better) that this process had finished soon after the war. But no, the Lion Salt Works continued production until 1986, (exporting salt mainly to Nigeria by this time).
A simulation of workers tending a (real) salt pan
This was particularly surprising when you saw the process. Unlike at nearby Winsford, this did not involve mining, instead brine was extracted from layers of salt beneath the ground via a brine shaft, using pumps powered by steam engines, before being stored in a brine tank prior to delivery to the salt pans. These were not pans as we know them but huge iron tanks with a large brick kiln underneath containing four furnaces. Coal and later oil fires in the furnaces heated the brine-filled pan above. As the brine came to the boil, steam would rise, filling the pan house and driving the temperature as high as 100°F. The men (who worked 12-hour shifts) would be stripped to the waist because of the heat and wore workmen’s clogs, which could get encrusted with salt crystals. They worked on wooden walkways on each side of the pan which would have been wet and slippery. The salt was pulled to the sides of the pan into heaps using long, heavy rakes, then removed using skimmers which were rather like very large draining spoons. It was then packed into rectangular tubs to make ‘lumps’.
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The lumps were turned out like giant sandcastles and taken into the hothouse to dry, which could take 2 weeks. The dry salt lumps were then lifted manually using spikes (called lofting prongs) through lofts in the ceiling of the hothouse into the warehouse, there they were crushed, bagged and packed for shipping. The work must have been arduous - the men were paid by the piece and yet many of them worked here for life! The Lion Salt Works is the last open-pan salt works in Cheshire and one of only four in the world. It was built by the Thompson family who ran it from Victorian times until it closed. They prided themselves on making ‘a traditional product in a traditional way’.
The Hothouse, where salt blocks were dried before being “lofted” through the hatchways visible in the ceiling to the crushing room.
It was an extremely interesting tour and I would commend a visit to any of you who were not able to join us. I will certainly be back with my 11 year old granddaughter in the holidays. It was particularly pleasing to welcome some visitors from our neighbouring branch in Lancashire and also some members who have not attended one of our social events before. This was especially so as one of them had helped his father, a plumber, with work at the site in his school holidays. Val Haig
Photo credit: Viv Boden
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“PULL SNAP STOMP” – TAKE FIVE MINUTES TO HELP STAMP OUT HIMALAYAN BALSAM Have you seen the vast swathes of Himalayan Balsam growing along the bank as you enjoy the water during the summer months? As attractive as it looks, this non-native invasive plant, with its reddish stem and pink-purple flowers is causing the widespread erosion of river and canal banks, leading to problems on the towpath, flooding & the suffocation of fish eggs. Himalayan Balsam grows so quickly that it crowds out our native wildflowers and because it has no root stock, once it goes to seed and dies back, there is nothing left to hold the soil together during the winter months. We need to stop the spread of these plants and in order to do that, we need to pull them out before they go to seed… and we need your help. Launching in early summer, the Pull Snap Stomp campaign encourages supporters to help stop the spread of Himalayan Balsam by pulling it out of the ground whenever they see it by the canal or river bank, to snap off the root, and to stomp down on it to stop it growing again. Families with young children or grandchildren are encouraged to take part in the campaign as the stalks are very easy to pull up and have a very pleasing ‘pop’ as they are removed. To support the campaign, people can register (www.waterways.org.uk/ himalayanbalsam) to receive an activity pack which gives more information about Himalayan Balsam and how to spot the plant along the towpath. The IWA has produced several resource guides to help people find Himalayan Balsam including leaflets, posters and an online video. Volunteers will also receive a pair of branded gloves to protect their hands while they pull, snap and stomp their way along the towpaths. Alison Smedley, Policy & Campaigns Officer, IWA, comments; “We are hoping that large numbers will get behind our Pull Snap Stomp campaign this year. Over the years, our Balsam Bashes have made real inroads into reducing the spread of Himalayan Balsam and we hope this will continue. If everyone takes just five minutes out of their walk to stop and pull up some of the plants, we should be able to make a real difference”.
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WHITCHURCH WATERWAY TRUST 26TH ANNUAL CANAL FESTIVAL Whitchurch Arm, Llangollen Canal 31st August / 1st September 2019 A great weekend; boat trips, interesting stalls (including Canal Art; Collectables and Crafts; Brass and Antiquities; and of course the Branch stand), live music, refreshments, Saturday evening supper and an exciting dog show on Sunday. If you think you have the most handsome dog, prettiest bitch, best rescue dog, and dog with the waggiest tail to name but a few categories then come along on Sunday with your four legged friend. In fact the Festival should be bigger than usual with more stalls and activities as the ground between the two bridges at the end of the arm will be levelled, extending the site into the adjacent Country Park. Work will begin on 1st July 2019 and is supported by Shropshire Council and Whitchurch Town Council. For general festival enquiries, or if you want to join us for Saturday supper please contact paulradcliffe866@btinternet.com but if you want to help on the IWA branch stall please contact dawn.aylwin@waterways.org.uk The waiting list of boaters hoping for a cancellation or two is getting longer! Dawn Aylwin
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HISTORIC STRUCTURE AT RISK
We hope that many readers will echo our concerns about the continued deterioration of the landmark canal warehouse at Ellesmere Wharf. The former Shropshire Union Railways & Canal Company building, which dates back to the early 19th Century, has been a Grade II listed building since 5 April 1982, but if this designation by Historic England is supposed to confer a degree of protection, sadly it does not seem to be working. The warehouse, currently owned by Chester-based Pochin’s Ltd who describe themselves as “one of the North West's leading construction and property development groups“, has lain vacant for over 27 years and has fallen into disrepair.
Reporting on a “vow” by Ellesmere Town Council back in February 2017 to “rescue the historic building”, the Shropshire Star newspaper quoted the thenmayor of Ellesmere, Councillor Ian Ward, as saying: “"We are seeing the continued deterioration of the building, it's time to ask Shropshire Council to put it on the building at risk register." According to the Shropshire Star, a town council meeting was told that “placing the building on the English Heritage at risk register would ensure its protection and increase the possibility of securing grant aid in the future. Councillors were shown photographs dating back from 2008, outlining how the building, owned by property specialist Pochin, had started to crumble.”
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Adding further injury, in May 2018 the structure suffered additional damage, probably from contact by a boat, which was only rudimentarily repaired (see photograph). We hope that Ellesmere Town Council’s worthy determination to press Shropshire Council is being maintained and is yielding some results, though so far there seems to be no sign of activity to restore the building. IWA has now added its voice to that of the town council, with the Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch writing to Dr Andy Wigley, Historic Environment Manager at Shropshire Council, asking “that you take enforcement action on the present owners to prevent the loss of this historic asset, which is of great value to the canal environment and the town itself.” We have also made the local MP, Owen Paterson, who has shown himself to be a good friend of our local canals, aware of our concerns. We doubt that the story ends here, and we will need to continue to put pressure on the county council and the building’s owners to live up to their responsibilities. Would you be able to help us? If you would like to get involved with our campaign – perhaps by writing to your councillors, or maybe in other ways, please contact the branch chairman. Your help if you live in or around Ellesmere would be particularly welcome. Mike Haig
Photos courtesy of Phil Pickin
CANAL & RIVER TRUST EXTENDS CUSTOMER SERVICE OPENING HOURS From 7 July 2019, customers will be able to get in touch with the Canal & River Trust’s customer service team seven days a week. The customer service team will now be responding to enquiries from 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat, and 10am-4pm Sun. Boaters can get in touch with the Trust by filling out a webform, calling 0303 040 4040, tweeting @CRTcontactus or getting involved in a local user forum.
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AUTUMN SOCIAL MEETING & TALK OCTOBER 2019 The timings of the publication dates of Shroppie Fly Paper aren’t quite working for us! In other words, we haven’t been able to sort out all the details yet, but it is definitely our intention to have another of our popular social dinners and talks this autumn, and we have settled on Friday, October 18 at The Boathouse in Ellesmere. Please mark the date in your diaries now! Full details will be confirmed on the branch website, Facebook page and also by email. Therefore it’s very important that you provide IWA with your email address and consent to receive communications by email, if you have not already done so. This can easily be done by emailing the membership team: joni.duncan@waterways.org.uk. Shroppie Fly Paper is published only three times per year, so in between issues we rely on email to keep our members informed of events. For more information please contact the branch chairman or any member of the committee.
MIKRON THEATRE COMPANY RETURNS TO GNOSALL The latest show from the canal based Mikron Theatre Company will be in our branch area in late August. It will take place at: Coton Mill, Newport Gnosall, ST20 0BN
Road
The show starts at 19:00 on Friday 30th August 2019. This is a outdoor show with shelter and indoor back up. Bring picnic, chairs and blankets. No tickets are required. A collection will be taken after the show. More information about the show can be found at: https://www.mikron.org.uk/shows
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OUR LOCK WIND IS ON THE MOVE! We are having to shift our lock wind to Cholmondeston this year due to the much-discussed problems at Hurleston Bottom Lock. Regular readers will know that we have held our well-supported annual lock wind at Hurleston since 2012, and a very good location it has been for us, with lots of boats to help through the locks and lots of generous boaters showing their appreciation. Sadly, with the repairs to Lock 4 deferred, which we mentioned in the spring issue of Shroppie Fly Paper, the situation there has worsened. Such is the concern about the potential for boats to get stuck that CRT is having to maintain dedicated staff at Lock 4 to provide assisted passage between the hours of 8am and 5pm, and closing off the lock flight outside these hours. Under these circumstances it would be inappropriate if not impossible to hold our lock wind at Hurleston and so we have decided to move two or three miles along the canal to Cholmondeston Lock, next to Venetian Marina on the Middlewich Branch.
The dates remain unchanged, though this year we will go back to a two-day event on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th August. We still need plenty of home-made produce to sell, so if you are able to donate jams, chutneys, cakes, biscuits or any other appropriate items we will be very grateful. If you are not able to bring them to the event yourself, please contact any of the committee and we’ll try to work out the transport logistics. Although we will only have one lock at which to help people instead of several, it’s one of the busiest locks in our branch area (about 8,000 lockages a year) so we’re looking forward to a successful and enjoyable fundraising event.
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RESTORE THE MONTGOMERY CANAL! The Montgomery Canal appeal must be the biggest project the branch has taken part in. We have previously worked with the other Montgomery organisations in events which have promoted the canal and its restoration, but rebuilding Schoolhouse Bridge must be the most challenging. The Appeal has raised over £280,000 (so far), but even before the final design, plant and material costs are established, we believe we need a minimum of £300,000 to complete the project.
Stuart Moodie, CRT ecologist, explains value of off-line reserves at the Wern Nature Reserve near Arddleen
Planning to rebuild Schoolhouse Bridge has involved technical design, groundwork investigations, ecological surveys, legal agreements with neighbouring owners, and the planning application should have been submitted by the time you read this. And all this has been led by volunteers. The plan is to rebuild the bridge next summer. What we are doing has already proved hugely helpful in impressing the people we talk to about the next stages of restoration while forward planning continues with the search for funds for future projects. There have been a number of recent events which promote the canal.
L to R: John Dodwell, Chair of Montgomery Canal partnership, D Carter (SUCS), Adnan Saif (Director CRT W Mids), Richard Thomas (CRT Director Wales/SW).
In May we hosted a visit by Nigel Annett, CRT Trustee, Richard Thomas, CRT Director, Wales & South West, Adnan Saif, CRT Director, West Midlands, and CRT officers who toured from Welshpool to Maesbury, including Vyrnwy Aqueduct, and Walls, Williams and Schoolhouse Bridges.
Shortly after the Montgomery Canal Triathlon brought some 80 marshals and 235 participants, from nearby and up to 300 miles away – one family came from Switzerland: that must make it ‘International' if crossing into England doesn’t! The event will be featured in a BBC TV Wales series on Welsh Canals fronted by rugby legend Sir Gareth Edwards, who started the event at Newtown and followed it to the finish below Welsh Frankton locks.
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Ani Sutton (CRT) and Stuart Moodie (CRT) arrive at Crofts Mill Bridge, Maesbury
A few days after that over 70 people came to the Montgomery Canal Forum, opened by Shropshire Council Deputy leader Steve Charmley. There was a presentation of the Waterways in Progress video, which I followed by showing the benefits restoration has already brought, including Shropshire Paddlesport at Queen's Head, Canal Central at Maesbury, Llanymynech Wharf and the three boat trips. There Cyclists waiting to start were reports on the lottery programme, including the new nature reserves by Aston Locks ( - do go and visit), the new Crickheath basin ( - now in water) and the SUCS restoration, and the plans for Schoolhouse Bridge. As well as events, we continue to discuss the canal with Newtown and Welshpool Town Councils, the Welsh Government through Visit Wales and the plans for the Growing Mid-Wales Partnership, a project for infrastructure funding in Powys and Ceredigion. Vyrnwy Aqueduct was drained for investigation at the end of March. CRT know that it needs repair and have to work out how to do it, and how to pay for it. They know too that they have to get the length below Redwith watertight before the canal is opened to Crickheath. On the ecological front, Great Crested Newts have made an unwelcome appearance below Pryce’s Bridge, delaying SUCS work parties.
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Vyrnwy Aqueduct drained for inspection
More positive is the news that Floating Water Plantain is becoming established in the new ponds at Aston. There are discussions now about the future maintenance of those reserves, the need to bring the older reserves up to standard, and the way in which the condition of these reserves will allow increased boating usage on the canal in Shropshire. In the weeks after I write, the IWA will be at the Welshpool Transport Festival Prolific underwater plant growth - Luronium and we shall be taking the appeal to Natans in New Aston Reserve Braunston Festival of Historic Boats. On August Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday we shall be taking the Appeal to Shrewsbury Steam Rally – come and see us there! Next year Schoolhouse Bridge!
Michael Limbrey
CRICKHEATH BASIN — NOW IN WATER Another significant part of the Montgomery jigsaw was filled in this May with completion of the work at Crickheath Basin. The “Before” and “After” photos below really highlight the progress that has been made!
Crickheath Basin March 2016 (John Dodwell)
May 2019—nearly rewatered (S. Palmer)
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SITUATION VACANT David Aylwin has done a great job running the appeal website for over two years now – have a look at www.RestoreTheMontgomeryCanal.uk. The time has now come for someone else to take it on. The website brings together everything being done to get the Montgomery Canal back into water. We think this will take no more than three hours a month, but obviously, if you are excited by the project and have ideas of how to improve the website, we would certainly appreciate that! Or could you act as a local reporter to feed information in? Or put our news on social media? You can do most of this at home! Please get in touch - Michael.Limbrey@waterways.org.uk.
2020 CALENDAR – FROM JULY 2019
We’re busy putting the finishing touches to the branch’s 2020 pictorial waterways calendar. Many of you will be familiar with the calendars from previous years, and if you have bought them in the past, then thank you for helping to make them so successful. Can you help our fundraising this year by supporting our calendar? We should have them on sale during July from our usual outlets: Aqueduct Marina, Audlem Mill, Blackwater Meadow Marina, Kings Lock Chandlery, OverWater Marina, Venetian Marina Chandlery, Wrenbury Mill (ABC Boat Hire). We also supply by mail order at £6.00 per calendar including p&p. Please send cheques (made payable to IWA) to 7 Barnton Edge, Stone, Staffs ST15 8ZR or you can pay by PayPal to paypal.me/mikeh7be. Don’t forget to let us know your postal address so we can send you the calendar! For any questions please contact michael.haig@waterways.org.uk Thanks as always to our wonderful sponsors:
Aqueduct Marina 01270 525041 Cheshire Cat Narrowboat Holidays 07867 790195 Kings Lock Chandlery 01606 737564 Mercia Marine Insurance 01684 564457 M&L Canal Services and Mobile Engineer 07970 384047 Moors Farm 01938 553395 Morris Lubricants 01743 232200 OverWater Marina 01270 812677 Swanley Bridge Marina 01270 524571 Talbot Wharf 01630 652641 Venetian Marina 01270 528251 Whittington Wharf Narrowboats 01691 662424
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LLANGOLLEN CLOSURE. It can’t have escaped anyone’s attention that it hasn’t been ‘flaming June’. The weather has been particularly bad with above average rainfall and parts of Shropshire recording the highest national rainfall figures. As a result, CRT has closed the Llangollen canal due to overtopping between Bridge 22 and Marbury Lock. This, they tell us, has resulted in some structural damage to the wash wall, towpath and embankment. As a result contractors are planning to use a crane barge to install rock fill to the toe of the embankment and new steel piles to reinstate the canal bank. It is anticipated the repairs will take 2 to 3 weeks to complete. (As we go to press in the last week of June, there is limited movement past the repair site for 2 hours a day. Boaters are being asked to stop their engines and are being assisted past the site.) Phil Pickin
MONTGOMERY CANAL PHOTOGRAPHY CALL
There is still time to submit photos for the Canal & River Trust Montgomery Canal photography exhition. You are invited to submit 2 photographs (in electronic JPEG format) showing the range of built heritage, wildlife, scenery and recreation on the Montgomery canal. ALL the photographs must be submitted by the end of July 2019 to steve@nearlywild.org Please note, only good quality photographs e.g. 1 MB, in .jpeg format, with the name of the photographer, and ideally the location, can be accepted. Please note: by entering, you are aware that there are no prizes or payment, and you are agreeing to the photographs you submit being used by Canal & River Trust for both the exhibition, merchandise to support the wider restoration effort, and publicity as appropriate. Full credit will be given to the photographer where possible. Sylvia Edwards
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