Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch Newsletter Summer 2021
Front cover : Vyrnwy Aqueduct by Mike Haig
THE BRANCH COMMITTEE
President
Michael Limbrey 01691 654081
michael.limbrey@waterways.org.uk
Chairman
Michael Haig 07801 415573
michael.haig@waterways.org.uk
Secretary
Philippa Bursey
philippa.bursey@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
Newsletter Editor
Andrew Smith
andrew.smith@waterways.org.uk
Committee Members
Susan Wilding Graham Russell
susan.wilding@waterways.org.uk graham.russell@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
Publicity
Phil Pickin
phil.pickin@waterways.org.uk
Branch Web pages https://waterways.org.uk/shrewsburynorthwales https://www.facebook.com/shrewsburynorthwales
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... Having managed very little in the way of visits to our boat at Nantwich since our summer cruise last year, we are looking forward to two weeks on board and a return to the Weaver Navigation at the end of July. Many of the boaters that we follow on YouTube have recently had trips down the Anderton Boat Lift and we are keen to make a return there after our first go in 2017. Let’s hope that we get some more weather like this picture from our last Weaver trip! We have cunningly planned the return leg of our trip to coincide with the Lock Wind on the 6-7 August at Cholmondeston Lock on the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union. You will hopefully have received an email asking for contributions for the produce stall and you can see more details on page 7.
We will be selling the 2022 branch calendar at the lock wind. We had an excellent response to our email appeal for waterways photographs. You can see details about the calendar on pages 8-9. If you can’t get to the lock wind, the calendar will be available in a range of locations in the area or by mail-order. Remember that we are always pleased to receive photos or articles about trips on or around our waterways like Alan and Susan Wilding’s outing to Audlem earlier this year. Send us your contributions using the contact details on the inside front cover. Stay safe everyone and hope to see you at an event this summer! Andrew Smith
Next copy date: Friday, Oct 29, 2021 1
IWA SHREWSBURY DISTRICT & NORTH WALES BRANCH DIARY 2021 After all the cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is good to see some new dates appearing in the diary for this year. Obviously they will be subject to conditions at the time and it will be well worth checking before travelling to any events. 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 Date(s)
Event
See page
Aug 6-7, 2021
Branch Lock Wind, Cholmondeston Lock
7
Aug 16, 2021
Branch Committee Meeting (online)
-
Aug 28 -30, 2021
IWA Festival of Water - Worcester
-
Sept 8, 2021
Montgomery Canal Triathlon
21
Oct 11, 2021
Branch Committee Meeting (online)
-
Oct 22, 2021
Shrewsbury Charity Xmas Card Shop opens (until Dec 4)
-
Dec 13, 2021
Branch Committee Meeting (online)
-
HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR COPY OF SHROPPIE FLY PAPER?
This magazine is available in a range of different forms:
Hard copy printed magazine
Downloadable electronic PDF file
Electronic version accessed on-line through issuu.com
Distribution of Shroppie Fly Paper in all forms is handled by IWA headquarters staff. So, if you would like to change the way that you receive this magazine, please email membership@waterways.org.uk.
FROM THE STEERER It was very disappointing, although not very surprising, that the government felt it had to push back the date when remaining coronavirus restrictions are lifted from June until 19 July. We hope that this date does not itself get delayed further, as even under the comparatively lighttouch restrictions currently in force, event planning is a bit of a nightmare. Under the circumstances, organisers of the Gnosall Canal Festival had little option but to call off their July event, although at the time of going to press we are increasingly hopeful that our proposed branch lock wind can go ahead. You can find our appeal for produce to sell at our stall on page 7 Looking on the bright side, enforced holidays in this country should mean bumper bookings again this summer for local hire boat businesses, and certainly the hire base here in Stone is empty of boats during the week. Another thing I’ve noticed is that most of the Anglo Welsh and Black Prince boats that glide past have either been renewed or had a smart new paint job. Sometimes it’s hard to tell which but boating and waterside businesses deserve a bit of a break after the events of 2020 and early 2021, so good luck to them. This column in the spring issue of Shroppie Fly Paper was essentially a distillation of my report to our branch AGM, for the majority of our members who didn’t join the live Zoom call. Readers may recall that one of the matters we covered in that review was the fate of the canal warehouse at Ellesmere Wharf, which has been neglected for far too long. In an article by Peter Brown elsewhere in this issue relating to planning matters, he informs us about the planning applications that may hold the key to the warehouse’s future, with a Listed Building Application for external repairs to the warehouse. A supporting document says that the works are “to arrest the deterioration whilst a sustainable use is found to secure its long term future”.
3
Peter has also been considering what that ‘sustainable use’ might be. Obviously, this will be a decision for the potential new owners of the site, hopefully taken in consultation with and with input from the local community. The key concern from IWA’s point of view as a waterways-oriented organisation is that the restored building must be properly maintained so that it can reclaim its rightful place in the ‘canalscape’ of Ellesmere. Some possible uses seem less likely than others, due to the constraints of the building layout, the shortage of car parking, or the inability of the prospective usage to generate an income stream sufficient to pay for running costs or continued maintenance.
The latter, for example, would probably rule out the warehouse being turned into some sort of town museum; while grants can be secured to cover the setting up costs of these, ongoing financial support is notoriously difficult to obtain. Anyway, if the residential planning application, which we argue can and should be improved, succeeds, it will enable the transfer of the building to new ownership and potentially to a much more viable future. While I am discussing Ellesmere, readers may be interested to know that the branch is in very early conversations with CRT about the possibility of arranging a guided tour of the Ellesmere Yard at some point, perhaps in the autumn. If we’re lucky, this might be included among a few ‘pilot’ events to test the feasibility of various alternative uses for the site while continuing its function as a working CRT depot. I don’t want to pre-judge the outcome of our conversations, but interested readers may like to keep an eye on their email inboxes. Given the publication schedule of Shroppie Fly Paper, if we are able to arrange such a tour then we will be notifying members by email and numbers will be limited. So, if you are among the reasonably sizeable minority of members who have not provided IWA with an email address or the requisite permission to communicate via email, now might be just the moment to change that. Simply email membership@waterways.org.uk. I hope you all enjoy a great summer, preferably on or by our beautiful canals. Stay safe, and let’s hope that July 19 really does enable us to resume more normal lives. Michael Haig, Branch Chairman
4
REGION CHAIRMAN WRITES Normality is almost here - is it? Certainly boaters are more active and users of the canal seem more plentiful. But is it real? The pandemic situation is improving, thanks to the vaccination programme, but people are still wary. And, given the prevalence of the Delta variant in the North West, rightly so. Fingers crossed, then, for late summer and early autumn - often the best time to be on the Cut anyway. Your Branch is continuing to meet virtually and I am consistently impressed by the attendance and the quality of the discussions. There was a poll within one organisation recently on the pros and cons of Zoom etc. and, perhaps surprisingly, 75% preferred virtual to actual reality. No travel, no traffic, no hassle, more members present, more convenient, more environmentally sustainable - and, of course, the cuppa or something stronger alongside! What is your view? Your National Trustees have been considering the financial and other implications of a declining and ageing membership and there is a fascinating debate beginning on what the objectives of the IWA should be. Are we just a members’ organisation, providing services, information and support for boaters and other users of the waterways? Or should we be a professional lobbying organisation to national and local government and other influential groups, putting the case for the waterways to those in a position to help or hinder? Can we be both or only one or the other? Our future depends on some sort of decisive focus - and pretty soon. I invited the new IWA/CEO, Phil Hornsey, to our last NW Regional meeting and he was both fascinated by our discussions and fascinating to listen to. He is, needless to say, still new to the job but is making a point of visiting Branches, talking with and to members, as well as considering improvements in the IWA throughout the land. He looks to be an excellent appointment. Thanks again to your Branch and Officers, together with your own commitment - and enjoy the rest of the cruising season. Sir Robert Atkins—Chairman, North West Region
5
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS We are delighted to welcome the following people who have either transferred to the Branch or joined as new members. We look forward to meeting you all. Why not join us at our annual lock wind when some members of the committee, friends and branch members will be wielding lock keys and chatting with boaters?
Mr Bearman from Wilcot, Shrewsbury
Mr Eakins from Welshpool
Mr & Mrs Wakeling from Nantwich
Mr Warren from Betton, Market Drayton A big thank you to everyone who has supplied me with jam jars in previous years. Fortunately this year I still have sufficient and have already started making strawberry jam which will be on sale at the lockwind. Unfortunately plum and loganberry jam will be in short supply - the squirrels have stripped the trees even before the fruit has had a chance to swell and ripen.
So if you have a surplus of fruit and are willing to make jam for sale at the lockwind the branch will be very grateful. Dawn Aylwin
SHROPPIE FLY PAPER BACK ISSUES ONLINE!
Did you know that you can access back issues of this magazine at issuu.com? The link to find issues back to 2009 is https://issuu.com/waterwaysassoc/stacks/ ff499dbd5f2941bba5e738cf88c600d6 But if that’s too much to type in, try this shortened version! https://bit.ly/2Pn5arf
6
OUR LOCK WIND IS BACK! (WE HOPE) As the country tentatively shakes off the pandemic restrictions which have curtailed virtually all waterside events for so long, we are pleased to announce that we hope – continued restrictions permitting – to run our customary summer lock wind again this year. We have scheduled the event for 6-7 August at Cholmondeston Lock (next to Venetian Marina on the Shropshire Union Middlewich Branch), and we would be very grateful to any members prepared to donate homemade produce for us to sell so we can revive our fundraising efforts. In previous years homemade preserves, chutneys, biscuits and cakes have all proved very popular with passing boaters, while we have also enjoyed success with surplus fruit and vegetables from gardens. If you would like to help the branch raise funds in this way, please contact any member of the committee. Details are on the inside front cover. Items in glass containers and fruit or vegetables that will be washed do not need wrapping, but if you are one of our clever bakers could you possibly wrap your creations in cling film or plastic bags in portions for 2 people or as a whole cake/loaf? Many thanks for your understanding.
Hope the weather is better than this on the day!
7
2022 CALENDAR - NOW AVAILABLE After a break last year due to the pandemic, the branch calendar is back! The 2022 calendar features stunning pictures of the waterways in our area. It is sure to sell well so be sure not to miss out.
How to get your copy (or copies!) The calendar will be available from a range of waterside outlets and at the Shrewsbury Charity Christmas Card Shop (St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury SY1 1DX — Friday 22 October - Saturday 4 December) We will also be selling the calendar at our lock wind which is taking place at Cholmondeston Lock (next to Venetian Marina on the Shropshire Union Middlewich Branch) on August 6-7. Or you can receive the calendar directly in the mail for just £6.00 including post and packing. There are two payment options:
Paypal: Send payment to the branch chairman on 07801 415573. Be sure to include your postal address so we can send the calendar!
Cheque (payable to IWA). Send the cheque to 7 Barnton Edge, Stone, Staff, ST15 8ZR. Again be sure to let us have your address!
8
THANK YOU TO OUR CALENDAR SPONSORS! We want to say a big “Thank You” to our calendar sponsors. Their ongoing support is a huge help with raising funds to support waterways projects in our branch area. Please support them when you are out and about in the area!
Aqueduct Marina 01270 525041
Cheshire Cat Narrowboat Holidays 07867 790195
Kings Lock Chandlery 01606 737564
Midway Boats 01270 528482
M&L Canal Services and Mobile Engineer 07970 384047
Moors Farm 01938 553395
Morris Lubricants 01743 232200
Nantwich Marina & Canal Centre 01270 625122
OverWater Marina 01270 812677
Swanley Bridge Marina 01270 524571
Talbot Wharf 01630 652641
Venetian Marina 01270 528251
9
OUT-TO-LUNCH AT AUDLEM With the Breakfast TV weather forecast set fair and, with nothing too pressing to be done in the garden, what better way to enjoy the day’s sunshine than taking the three-quarter hour drive over to Audlem for a leisurely stroll alongside the picturesque Shropshire Union Canal and to find out if normality had returned to the canal scene. Audlem’s tree-lined, heavily locked incline, up from the Nantwich end of the narrow southern section of the Shroppie, is one of the many highlights of the canals in our branch area. Our visit in late June 2021 did not disappoint. Audlem’s friendly signage is immediately welcoming even for boaters engaged in negotiating Audlem moorings below Bridge 78 the many closely-spaced locks, and the old crane outside the Shroppie Fly pub is an iconic marker of a super mooring to take a break for refreshment and replenishing supplies. With a likely end to Covid restrictions imminent, it was encouraging to find that people were already making good use of the canal. There was a steady stream of boats in both directions – private, hire and commercial. Two-person, mature crews predominated. Invariably, the male was steering while the female was on shore, Holidaymakers opening Lock 14 winding the paddles and pushing the heavy balance beams - in true Timmy and Prue style. Only a few gongoozlers, apart from Susan and me and also a lady sitting outside the pub entrance, who watched us taking a photo of the crane and shouted across to let us know that ’they used to hang people from that!’. No queues of boats and the cross flow of traffic meant assistance from oncoming crews, plus a bit of help from us to close the odd gate - saving the long walk around for the lock winder – not the age group which would risk a short cut by jumping from gate to gate! The locks seemed to be working well and all the ‘up’crews were making proper use of the helpful gate paddles just to finish off filling their locks rather than flooding their boat.
10
We spotted a poignant juxtaposition of the Audlem Mill’s Aboard next to a present day, Canal & River Trust 2021-registered, blue and white, stylishly liveried work van. The Mill was built in 1916 but has been part residential and part canal shop since the 1960s.
People were enjoying coffees on the forecourt with options on offer to spoil their dogs with modern day special ice cream for dogs!
The Shroppie Fly pub occupies a former warehouse building and has featured a mock narrowboat bar fitting ever since it was set up in the mid-1970s. Outside, the prominent crane, originally re-located from elsewhere, was fully restored in 2019 after much local and IWA campaigning. It’s always interesting to look at what boaters display on their cabin rooftops – a fascinating assortment of bells and plumes, brass animals, traditionally decorated wooden barrels and colourful bedding plants alongside the ubiquitous solar panels.
11
And, then we were treated to the ultimate canal sight as a real-life reminder of why the canal was built in the form of a full length working boat descending the flight. The skipper of NB Mountbatten, seemed to know everybody on the canalside as he made for lock 13 which somebody had set ready for him. But what a contrast with present-day motorway transport – only 4 miles an hour plus all the stop/start of Audlem’s fifteen locks!
NB Mountbatten passing the crane
Audlem certainly seemed to be more or less back to normal and we were ready for something to eat and drink. Thankfully, the Shroppie Fly came up trumps with a good choice and excellent standard of lunch. One reminder of lockdown was a huge stack of Towpath Talks. The waitress said they kept on arriving while they were shut. We picked up an issue dated August 2020 which happened to feature our IWA Region award to Peter Jones of Jones the Boats. A sort of time lapse of canal life because we’d photographed Peter receiving his trophy at Ellesmere just after the first lockdown last year. Audlem is where former Branch Social Secretary and Treasurer, Janet and Denis Farmer now live and we popped round to say hello before setting off to enjoy another stroll, a few miles away at Nantwich Basin with its own 3D reminder of canal heritage – the huge wooden horse standing alongside the change of canal width from narrow to broad. A good pub lunch!
Alan & Susan Wilding
12
THE MYSTERY OF THE AUDLEM CRANE (This article was submitted earlier in the year but just missed the deadline for the Spring issue - so the book mentioned is now available from Audlem Mill!) I have just about finished writing a short book (“Audlem Locks – A Walk Through History”) on the Shropshire Union Canal as it passes through Audlem, but there’s one thing I needed to clear up before the book is printed. Where did the crane by the canal come from? I’ve heard many times that it came from the Audlem railway station site – but did it? Certainly, the crane originated from within a building, and was never free-standing in a goods yard. We can see that from the top of the wooden post – there is a cast iron spigot of the type that slotted into a socket fixed to the building, allowing the crane to move round in an arc. A note from a local resident to the Audlem village website in 2019 says that the crane came from Audlem station, donated by Baxters when they demolished it. But two things worried me. Firstly, the railway at Audlem was closed in 1967 but I know from dated photographs I have that the crane was not put up by the canal until 1972. Where was it in between? Perhaps still inside the slumbering goods shed. If so, in which year was that demolished, and, if there is a gap, where did the crane go until it was put up by the canal? Secondly, I discussed the crane with well-known canal photographer and journalist Harry Arnold MBE, only months before he died in 2018. He was adamant that the crane at Audlem was one of the three moved by British Waterways from canal/railway transhipment depots in the West Midlands. The other two cranes were ‘planted’ outside the then new “Longboat” pub at Cambrian Wharf in Birmingham, and at Diglis Basin in Worcester. I wrote a piece in March for www.audlem.org and received replies which seem to confirm that the crane did come from the goods shed. One man, involved in the demolition, said that there was no crane there at the time of demolition, which ties in with the dates. The goods shed was demolished some time after the crane appeared at the wharf. Another man said he spoke about the crane to the late Mr Baxter, who had bought the railway station site, who confirmed that the goods shed crane had gone to the canal wharf, though “donated” might not be the word he would use! So it looks like the mystery has been solved – unless you know otherwise. Peter Silvester, Audlem Mill
13
MAJOR PARLIAMENTARY INTEREST IN THE MONTGOMERY CANAL The Montgomery Canal has recently seen two visits from UK parliamentarians including both local MPs and the Secretary of State for Wales. On 2nd July, Owen Paterson MP (North Shropshire) was shown the section from Llanymynech to Crickheath, including Schoolhouse Bridge and the Shropshire Union Canal Society works at Crickheath. He reiterated his support for the canal and the benefits restoration would bring to the area.
L to R: Chris Bushnell, visiting from SUCS work party; Christine Palin, Friends of the Montgomery; Michael Limbrey; Owen Paterson, North Shropshire MP.
On 6th July, Simon Hart (Secretary of State for Wales) visited Welshpool to meet the local MPs Craig Williams (Montgomeryshire) and Owen Paterson (North Shropshire) together with representatives from Powys County Council and the Montgomery Canal Partnership to discuss the recent bid to the Levelling Up Fund. There is more information about the visit at: https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/mid-wales/2021/07/06/ minister-visits-to-see-canal-extension-potential/ And a short video at: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x82hx9y
14
L to R: Russell George SM (Montgomeryshire), John Dodwell (Montgomery Canal Partnership), Simon Hart MP (Secretary of State for Wales), Owen Paterson MP (North Shropshire), Rosemarie Harris (Leader, Powys CC), Mark Evans (Region Manager, CRT Wales/ SW), Craig Williams MP (Montgomeryshire), Pat Ward (Heulwen Trust)
CAN YOU HELP WAVE THE IWA FLAG? At the beginning of July we were able to have an IWA presence at a public venue in Shrewsbury thanks to the initiative of one of our members, Frank Sarre, (also a trustee of the Shrewsbury Railway Heritage Trust). You may recall that we staged a Canal Exhibition at the heritage Abbey Station in Shrewsbury a couple of years ago and it was good to be able to renew our connection when their premises were being used as a local councillor's 'surgery'. This gave us the chance to create a bit more awareness of the IWA with one of our new pull-up banners and some membership leaflets. If you are involved with another organisation and think there is a possibility of something similar, please get in touch and let's see what we can arrange. Alan Wilding
15
THE ROCHDALE’S REPUTATION It would seem that the good ship PeaPod No 1 is a little too tall for the Standedge Tunnel so we had no option but to tackle the Rochdale, joining it from the Ashton at Manchester Piccadilly. This was our first foray onto a broad, northern canal and, given the Rochdale’s reputation, we were a tad apprehensive; the guidebooks talked about being escorted through Manchester to Failsworth, but no such escort service was on offer (possibly another Covid casualty) so, together with Nb Leo we made an early start from New Islington marina. Ten hours and less than five miles later, albeit with 16 locks to our credit, we knew the canal’s poor reputation to be well-deserved.
Summit Lock—highest broad lock in the country
With the filth, rubbish and low water as well as awkward paddle gear and heavy lock gates, these initial few miles were ghastly. We routinely got stuck and had to open paddles several locks on to let enough water through; had to keep clearing the propeller; hauled a mattress out of one lock, found most of a moped in another and pulled a small skip out from behind the gate of yet another (and that's just the "highlights"). Fortunately, the water was clear enough for us to spot the submerged supermarket trollies! Once we had passed Failsworth things did start to improve though the water remained so shallow that even on designated moorings we found ourselves on the bottom and “wild” mooring was simply impossible. Rochdale itself is not lovely and also boasted a fair selection of rubbish but, as the canal progressed north and east, the surroundings markedly improved and, with the magnificent scenery around the summit, we began to realise why we had started our journey. But before we made it to the top, our next round of problems began. As we arrived at Littleborough, CRT announced the closure of the summit pound –
16
water levels were too low for navigation. After four days in Littleborough (which is well served by both buses and trains) we were able to move on; water was still an issue but we only actually got stuck once. Briefly, at Gauxholme, our problems went into reverse - we encountered too much water and were sternly (and unfairly) reprimanded for flooding the Low water at Hebden Bridge towpath. The pound had to be dropped by nearly a foot before the lock gates would open, but CRT was pleased with our efforts as water was again running short further on. The Great Wall of Tod welcomed us to Todmorden. We liked the town hugely and it’s a good place to shop boasting as it does a small, but perfectly formed, indoor market as well as a selection of supermarkets. Despite taking the water with us, by the time we had dropped down to Hebden Bridge (another lovely, lively and interesting town) water was again an issue because so much was being lost in attempts to operate lock 9. After waiting for a couple of days while CRT installed a pump (that soon broke down) to draw water from the river Calder, we were right at the front of the queue when assisted passages through the lock were allowed. We escaped just in time – lock 9 was in such a poor state that in a matter of hours the canal at Hebden Bridge became little more than a ditch. It was with the greatest of care that we made our way on to Sowerby Bridge and Tuel Lane lock. At 6m (19ft 8½in) it is the deepest in Britain and, using its inner set of gates, holds 130,000 gallons (590,000 litres) of water. By extrapolation, it is easy to see how much water even a more normal sized lock must use. Tuel Lane is lock number 3 so, for us, it was almost the end of the Rochdale. It had been a difficult trip but now we have made it on to the Leeds and Liverpool and are moored near the summit, in perfect peace, with amazing views of the Yorkshire Dales all around us, I know it was well worth doing. Philippa Bursey
Tuel Lane Lock
17
RISK ASSESSMENT Haven’t we heard a lot about risk over the last year or so? We obeyed Rules and puzzled over Guidance (which we didn’t have to obey but which was to be followed anyway). Those of us near the Welsh border had to negotiate two sets of rules/guidance and to consider why it was safe to drink in one pub but not in the other pub over the road. We all face risks every day. There is a risk when we cross the road or walk under a tree. I read that in the UK there is a fall on stairs every 90 seconds and that in 2015 there were 787 deaths in England and Wales caused by such a fall. (I am sure if you are really interested you could find other statistics to show what the figures are now...) There are of course risks on the cut too. Locks are dangerous, so is walking along the gunwale, stepping across a narrow lock when one gate is shut (– not done when my wife is about!) or onto the bank to moor (– a particular wasp’s nest on the K&A!). On the Montgomery Canal the poor state of Vyrnwy Aqueduct has been apparent to any visitor for a long time and I have repeatedly pointed out the risk when that powerful river is in flood. Failure of the aqueduct would be a catastrophe for the canal. As they prepare a Lottery bid for the (long -overdue) repair of the aqueduct, a risk that has come to concern Canal & River Trust (CRT) is that the western side has no fence. I am not aware that this has ever been a problem. Be that as it may, as well as replacement of the existing pipework railings along the towpath, the bid may now include £1 million for offside railings. What do members think? Where should the balance lie between the traditional appearance of the aqueduct (its heritage) and the possibility that someone would find their way onto the off-side? But the aqueduct is not the only Montgomery structure that needs attention. With 128 listed structures, it has more canal-age bridges, locks, aqueducts and weirs than most and the loss of any would diminish the canal. CRT’s West Midlands Heritage Adviser has recently listed no less than fifteen Montgomery structures recorded in 2014 as in poor condition: of these a dozen were said to be ‘fair’ and the rest worse. What is the situation today?
18
I think anyway that there may be more than fifteen structures at risk and that we should also be concerned about those which may not belong to CRT. They are all part of the story of the Montgomery Canal. There is an opportunity here for a small group to get together to review this list and everything else. Interested in this vital canal heritage, but wouldn’t know how to go about it? Don't let that put you off: just like the volunteers who will soon be instructed in the use of the new weed-cutter on the canal, we can offer training. I haven’t mentioned The Bridge. There are risks at Schoolhouse Bridge too: there was the risk that Shropshire Council would not approve the project – but leading councillors did, enthusiastically; that the neighbours would not allow us access to their land – they have, most helpfully; that we wouldn’t raise enough money – we should have enough for the bridge and some to plan what comes next; that the bridge will fall down – it has taken a long time but we have now received nearly all the engineering permissions and approvals. Lawyers see risks too: the risk that Defra does not approve CRT’s transfer of a few square yards of freehold to the council, that we start work before all the approvals are in place, that we do not have full insurance cover (– thank goodness for IWA expertise), that we do not provide enough headroom for boats (– why wouldn’t we?!), that we don’t finish the job (– why wouldn’t we?!), that our special company for the project might die ( – companies don’t die!), or that somewhere there might be an ‘i’ without a dot over it! We have been working on documents which include firstly, a general agreement setting out the rights and responsibilities of the Council, CRT and our company, with another agreement allowing us to close the highway and to dig it up, with the council taking on responsibility for the bridge when it is finished, and a third regulating the long term arrangements between CRT and the council. It is now over six months since the process started and I would like to think that we are nearly there – but I have been thinking that for some time!
All this means it’s too late now to start the reconstruction of Schoolhouse Bridge this year. If I am right that we are nearly there, we should be able to start in the spring. We need the summer’s good weather to build the bridge and reopen the road in just a few months – I don’t think any restoration has faced such a challenge. We have a great team running the project (though we are always looking for help to spread the load) and now we need volunteers to join us over next summer for the biggest volunteer-led project on the Montgomery Canal. The branch is a member of the joint Restore the Montgomery Canal! group and has generously supported the project with skills and funds. Can you help us at Schoolhouse Bridge? Or would you join the growing band of volunteers who are helping the next projects to restore the canal to the Shropshire border and into mid-Wales? Michael Limbrey
19
PLANNING MATTERS Most of the time the role of the Branch’s Planning & Heritage Officer is quite dull — merely looking at innocuous house extensions and proposals for yet more glamping units in canalside fields. But a few significant applications have been received just before the deadline for the Shroppie Fly Paper.
Ellesmere Wharf (Shropshire 21/02353/FUL & 21/02404/LBC) Earlier this year the developers withdrew their application for a four-storey block of 60 retirement apartments. We had objected on the grounds that the building was vastly out of scale with its surroundings. A new application has been submitted for 59 retirement apartments, with the block reduced to threestory but increased in length by well over a third. It’s certainly an improvement, looking less like a prison barracks, but it still seems overwhelming.
Associated with it are a two-story block of 10 maisonettes, set well back from the canal, and a Listed Building Application for external repairs to the warehouse. A supporting document says that the works are ‘to arrest the deterioration whilst a sustainable use is found to secure its long term future’.
20
Trevor Basin (Wrexham P/2021/0560)
Wrexham Council, the Canal & River Trust and Solutia Ltd have been working together to prepare a Master Plan for Trevor Basin and the related area formerly owned by Monsanto. This application is the first public result. The intention is to move the Anglo Welsh hire base from the core part of the World Heritage Site to the western part of the ‘tuning fork’ at the end of the arm. The hire boats would also use the side of the eastern part of the ‘tuning fork’ adjacent to the pier.
The Branch agrees that it is desirable to relocate the hire base, but recommends the option of reinstating the first section of the former Plas Kynaston Canal (as far as Queen Street), a distance of some 250 metres, and the building of a turning basin. This would provide adequate room for the hire boats, separating the hire base totally from the operation of the rest of the site. The cost is provisionally estimated as £450,000. Our impression is that the full hire fleet of about twenty boats, plus the three day boats and the trip boat, would fit in the water-space north of the road bridge only if they were permitted to make complete use of both arms. If this were accepted, the corollary would be to reserve the water-space south of the canal bridge exclusively for visiting boats (except for the hire fleet’s access to its maintenance dock). CRT would need to provide adequate services, such as water and electricity points. This arrangement would reduce
21
conflicting movements between the hire fleet and visiting boats. It also would be obvious to passing boaters that there is mooring available, whereas now one suspects that the sight of the hire fleet deters many from stopping. It is likely that boaters staying overnight would prefer to use the western side because it would be quieter (and nearer the pub), whereas those stopping for a short while may prefer to use the eastern side.
Rhoswiel (Shropshire 21/02243/REM)
An outline proposal for 61 dwellings was approved in 2017, despite objections from the IWA and from the parish council. The development is alongside the canal for about a quarter of a mile, with the present green corridor being replaced by a built environment more appropriate to an edge-of-town site. The documentation states: ‘The design proposal aims to establish a clear connection and response to the canal through managed street scenes facing directly onto it rather than restricting its view.’
Peter Brown
22
SEPTEMBER BECKONS A MARATHON TRIATHLON! In December last year, as the number of Covid-19 cases increased rapidly, the Committee of the Friends of the Montgomery Canal took the difficult decision to postpone the Montgomery Canal Triathlon once more, from 8th May to 4th September 2021. It proved to be a wise decision, as restrictions in May would not have permitted such an event. Although the Westminster government’s ‘road map’ had flagged up the removal of restrictions in England from 21st June, the Welsh Government had been less forthcoming. In June, as everyone now knows, England’s ‘freedom’ day was postponed to 19th July but uncertainty remained about the plans for Wales. As cases of the delta variant of Covid-19 increased alarmingly, there was nervous anticipation of the Welsh government’s last-minute announcement which, much to the organisers’ relief, meant that there would not be any restrictions on numbers for outdoor activities and events from 17th July. This meant that the large numbers who had deferred their entry from 2020 or had donated their fees to the restoration would be able to take part - and places could be offered to the 2020 entrants whose entry fees were refunded. The waiting list was already bulging and it’s unlikely to be extended further. As the towpath is closed at the Crickheath restoration site, this year’s Triathlon will be a special 'marathon length' of about 26½ miles - rather than the usual 35 miles. The Cycling section will be some 11½ miles from Newtown to Belan; the Canoeing section, about 5½ miles from Belan to Pool Quay; and the Walking section, about 9½ miles from Pool Quay to the Schoolhouse Bridge restoration site. There will also be some organisational differences resulting from measures to mitigate coronavirus risks for entrants and their supporters and the many volunteer helpers who make the Triathlon possible.
So long as there are no renewed restrictions, the 2021 Montgomery Canal Triathlon promises to be one to remember! Maggie Ellis
23
WHITCHURCH ARM TOWPATH IMPROVEMENT The narrow part of the towpath of the Whitchurch Arm (around 190 metres) had been in a poor state before the coronavirus pandemic, compounded by blocked drainage. The Whitchurch Waterway Trust (WWT) had planned a project to improve the drainage and resurface it to start on 6th April 2020. Materials and hired machinery had been arranged but the project had to be cancelled when the first lockdown was announced. The condition of the towpath deteriorated further with increased usage and people observing social distancing during the pandemic. WWT rescheduled the resurfacing project to start on 12 April 2021, when the project lead, Paul Radcliffe (a WWT trustee who lives over the border in Wales) would be permitted to Before... leave Wales. However in the meantime, we were approached by a WWT member, Paul Millington, who had been working with a group of volunteers who had been showing remarkable community spirit and receiving great public acclaim by tidying various public places and pavements in Whitchurch. Paul (Millington) secured the volunteered services of 3 local businessmen, offers of donated materials, and a band of volunteers who would come in shifts to permit social distancing. The volunteers would move materials in wheelbarrows, spread and compact the top dressing layer and perform various other tasks. Not only did this mean that the project could be completed more quickly (in a weekend), but it also reduced the cost to WWT to around £1000, of which Whitchurch Town Council contributed a grant of £350. WWT were delighted to see the project completed in 2 long-ish days over the weekend of 20/21 March masterminded by Paul Millington, assisted by Dave Smith (a WWT Trustee) We hope boaters will be pleased with the disappearance of the grass verge, as we felt it provided mud for boaters to tread into their boats, attracted doggy dos and was a silly little bit to maintain anyway. This will also increase the usable width.
24
The project involved :
40 tonnes of aggregates donated by Cheshire Demolitions A heap of Grano Dust for the top surface Drainage materials donated by Huws Gray A pedestrian diversion along the lane which passes Chemistry Farm, by kind permission of the owners, Lindsay and Ken Green Use of machines donated by Shropshire Tool Hire and expertly operated by Danny Humphries of D&S Landscapes and Jack Peate of Shropshire Tool Hire An army of volunteers who shovelled, pushed wheelbarows, wacker plated and smoothed the top surface
A post on the Facebook group Friends of Whitchurch about the project received no fewer than 882 likes and 227 comments, all favourable, which is not bad for a town with a population of 9000. Now we just need to finish painting the blocks of the mooring rings white to make them more visible and erect a sign to tell towpath users who they have to thank for their new towpath. The Whitchurch Waterway Trust thanks all who contributed to this great community success story. Helen Brockman, Secretary of The Whitchurch Waterway Trust
After!
25
PLANNING A CRUISE?
The information below from CRT may be useful if you are planning a cruise in or near our branch area.
Frankton Locks
Summer 2021 Season Opening Times: 9 am - 12 noon daily Booking can be made in advance up to 10:00 on the day of passage. A return passage must be booked a maximum of 14 days after entry on to the Montgomery Canal. Please arrive at the locks anytime between 9am and 12 noon. There will no passage outside of the opening times. If you have any questions, then please call on 0303 040 4040
Harecastle Tunnel
Summer 2021 Opening Times: (1 March 2021—30 Oct 2021). Open passages are available from 8am to 12 noon, Monday to Sunday. Unbooked (Open) passages must arrive at the tunnel portal between 8am and 12 noon. There is no guarantee of passage for arrivals after 12 noon unless pre booked online at https://licensing.canalrivertrust.org.uk Bookable passages are available Southbound (Kidsgrove to Tunstall) at 2pm and 4pm and Northbound (Tunstall to Kidsgrove) at 3pm. For tunnel enquiries please email eventsnorthstaffs@canalrivertrust.org.uk
Anderton Boat Lift
Summer 2021 Operating Times Lift operating 7 days a week Mon to Fri 10:00—16:00 / Sat & Sun 10:00—17:30 Bookings can be made using your online account or call 0303 040 4040 Mon-Fri 08:30—17:00 and Sat & Sun 10:00—14:00
Bridgewater Canal
An agreement between CRT and the Bridgewater Canal Company means that boaters can now spend up to ten days (7 days Outbound passage and 3 days Return passage) cruising away from their home navigation free of charge. There are no restrictions about how far you can travel, but you will need to book your passage online and return to your home navigation authority within the ten days. You can revisit the other authority’s water again after a 28-day period. Holiday hire boats, whichever waterway they are based on, will have unlimited access across both navigations.
26
LESS DISRUPTION IN DRAYTON If you’re cruising the Shroppie through Market Drayton this summer you’re likely to encounter some disruption, but less than initially feared thanks to the branch’s campaigning. On 28 June, Canal & River Trust announced that it would be closing the towpath and suspending moorings between Bridge 65, Victoria Bridge, to the north of the Market Drayton bypass, and what it termed ‘Aqueduct 3’, which carries the canal over Berrisford Road towards the south of the town, for more than nine weeks from 5 July until 10 September. Apparently, the towpath surface is to be upgraded and ‘orientation signage’ installed, funded by the ‘Rural Payments Agency under EFRAD Rural Tourism Infrastructure’. The branch wrote to CRT West Midlands on 30 June, saying: ‘This implies that nobody will be able to moor at Market Drayton for nine weeks in high summer. This is totally unreasonable, both for boaters but more especially for the town’s economy. Surely the work could be done in stages, allowing reasonable lengths of the towpath to remain open for mooring. We would urge you to reconsider this timetable and methodology in order to give greater consideration to the needs of your boating customers as well as the business community.’ Our branch heritage and planning officer, Peter Brown, also lobbied local Shropshire county councillor and Market Drayton mayor, Cllr Roy Aldcroft. We’re pleased to report that the pressure paid off. On 2 July CRT issued a revised towpath closure notice showing that it had indeed reviewed the timetable and methodology; the works will now begin on 12 July and are expected to last seven weeks. A subsequent update gives the following schedule:
Section 1: Berrisford Rd to Newcastle Rd : 19 July to 3 August
Section 2: Newcastle Rd to Betton Rd : 4 August to 16 August
Section 3: Betton Rd to the A53 : 17 August to 5 September
Section 4: A53 to Maer Lane : 19 July to 19 September Michael Haig
27
IT’S A CRACKER!
Dave Barker puts the finishing touches to 'Countess' ready for horse-drawn trips on the Montgomery Canal at Maesbury to resume twenty months after the last trips in October 2019. Full marks to the team for standing by so long: it cannot have been easy with no income to cover the cost of insurance, moorings and hay! If you fancy a go at the traditional craft of horse-boating Team Cracker are always keen to welcome volunteers. Trips must be pre-booked. For more information visit their website at: http://www.bywatercruises.com/, email hello@bywatercruises.co.uk or ring 07941 42 99 80
28
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN READING? These days of restriction have seen me turn to books that have not moved from my shelves for some time – a relief from more business-like time in meetings for Schoolhouse Bridge or drafting documents for it ... even writing for Shroppie Fly Paper. It is many years since the reprint of Flower of Gloster was put on my shelves ( – it cost 35/-). The book is an account by the Edwardian writer E Temple Thurston of his narrowboat trip from Oxford in 1911 assisted by a boatman he calls Eynsham Harry. LTC Rolt in his 1968 introduction describes the narrative as typically Edwardian: ‘nowadays,’ he said, ‘we may find it a little too sweet...we expect more facts and less philosophising.’ Nevertheless, this is the story of an interesting trip: up the Oxford and down the Stratford, covering the unnavigable Upper Avon allegedly on foot ( – could there have been a motor hidden in the background?); I’m not even sure if the rest of the Avon was covered that way too. Then after Tewkesbury we suddenly find ourselves on the Thames & Severn returning towards Oxford. Flower of Gloster is more an account of people and places than of the experience of boating ( – television may allow today’s celebrities to convey more of what boating is, even if it necessitates many bangs and bumps!). Interestingly Rolt on his Narrow Boat trip found himself in the Red Lion in Cropredy as Thurston had 28 years before. Thurston enthuses about country inns ‘with their floors of sawdust, their old lead-lighted windows through which the sunlight falls and makes the floor a chequer-board of gold’ and Rolt found the Red Lion ‘as same and unpretentious as it had always been: a stone-flagged floor, benches and tables of wood whitened by constant scouring’. I have not been to the Red Lion, but I know that pubs are not what they were a hundred years ago: sadly Trip Advisor now lists the Red Lion as third of three restaurants in Cropredy. In my Flower of Gloster, Rolt laments publishers’ insistence that such books must be illustrated by an artist and not by photographs and that he had the same experience with Narrow Boat. However my edition adds some charming period photographs to supplement the drawings and that is the case too in the 2004 edition of Narrow Boat on my shelves. Temple Thurston did not venture into our area though Rolt did. Both writers though illustrate rustic and unpretentious working waterways: I wonder what they would think of them today? Michael Limbrey
29
The 2022 branch calendar is now available. See how to get yours on page 8!