Sou'Wester January to April 2023

Sou’Wester

South West and South Wales Region Committees

South West & South Wales Region Committee:

Chair: *Hannah Sterritt Members: *Ray Alexander Hon. Secretary: *Andrew Strawson *Geoff Harman Sou’Wester Editor: *Joyce Potts Baz Juniper Navigation Committee *Tony Pugh Representative: *Andrew Strawson Avon & Wiltshire Branch Committee: Chairman: Hon. Secretary: *Tim Wheeldon Hon. Treasurer: *David Chalmers Events Officer: Gloucestershire & Herefordshire Branch Committee: Chairman: Hon Secretary: Acting Treasurer: South Wales Branch Committee: Chairman: *Tony Pugh Members: Mike Synan Hon. Secretary: Vacant Chris JL Yewlett Treasurer: Henry Brown Minutes Secretary: Vacant Membership Officer: *Tony Pugh Publicity Officer: Vacant Volunteer Co-ordinator Vacant

If you are interested in any of the vacant positions for this branch or the Avon & Wilts branch, please contact Hannah Sterritt

West Country Branch Committee: Chairman: *Ray Alexander Members: Julian Gibson Hon. Secretary: Vacant Chris Jewell Hon. Treasurer & Events: Mike Aldridge Maurice Pinner Volunteer Co-ordinator: *Mike Slade

*Contact details for these appear inside the back cover.

Region Chair

Fellow members, Welcome to Sou’Wester No 192 and it is lovely to make your acquaintance if our paths have not yet crossed. I’d like to introduce myself formally as the new Region Chair for South West and South Wales, formally taking over from Roger Francis at the end of the Summer. I am also an IWA Trustee, having been elected in 2021, as well as a live-aboard boater, based on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. In my day job, I work for a sustainability and social research consultancy and in any spare time I have outside of my IWA roles (!), I volunteer as a lock keeper. I’d be more than happy for you to stop by for a cuppa if you’re in the area and I look forward to meeting many more fellow members over the coming months. The past few months has seen change within the IWA leadership but I hope you will agree that great effort is being made to steady the ship ready for exciting plans, initiatives and additional support for branches and regions in 2023. It was great to be present at the IWA AGM in Lichfield in September for the launch of the new Waterways for Today report, a report designed for us to be able to highlight the importance of the waterways network, articulated through 12 main benefits. This report is a fantastic resource for us to be able to utilise well researched, data driven arguments to be able to convince all stakeholders the wider benefits that we already are aware of on the waterways and leverage support for the years to come. It’s well worth a read and copies have been circulated to all branches, can be found in IWA’s Waterways magazine, and is also available online. I also attended some exciting events in the region which I’m sure you will all look forward to reading about in this issue. This includes a trip to the WRG (Waterways Recovery Group) Swansea Canal Camp in September where the team spent the week restoring lock chamber walls at Trebanos. cont on page

…/cont from page 3

Special thanks also go to Ray Alexander for organising a fantastic West Country Waterways Forum in October which was very well attended by several restoration groups, showcasing our shared passion, mission as well as providing a lot of food for thought on opportunities within the region.

I’m sure you’ll agree that winter on the inland waterways is quite a different experience to the summer, so if you are out and about this season, I hope you enjoy the many joys it brings - the crisp winter sunshine, characterful wildlife and log burners glowing to name but a few. With very best wishes,

Hannah Sterritt

EDITORIAL

Joyce Potts

Welcome to this 192nd edition of Sou’wester. First of all I’d like to welcome to Hannah, our new Regional Chair and I hope she’s settled in. I think you’ll find it a good read even though it’s a smaller edition this time round. We have updates from the Neath & Tennant Canals Trust, the Swansea Canal Society and the Somerset Coal Canal Society as well as reports from both the IWA South Wales and the West Country branches. I have nothing to report from Gloucestershire & Herefordshire or Avon & Wilts branches this time. You will see from page 5 that we have the formal notice of the AGMs for two branches next year. At the time of going to print, there is no further details other than what is noted but I am sure that you will all be notified when they are finalised. Finally, I have given in my notice to the Regional Committee of my standing down as Editor of Sou’wester. Details are on page 12.

FORMAL NOTICE OR BRANCH AGMs

Each branch will be holding its AGM in 2023

Contact details for Branch Chairmen can be found on the inside back page. Agenda (which is common to all branches)

Report of Chair

Treasurer’s Report and accounts

Election of Committee 6. Any other business (previously notified to the Chair before the meeting).

Immediately after the AGM, the new Committee will meet to appoint its Officers.

No further details are available but members of all branches will be notified when more is known.

IWA West Country Branch: Thursday, 30th March, 2023 7.30pm

IWA South Wales Branch: May, 2023 In person / via Zoom

Neath & Tennant Canals Trust

Margaret Gwalter, Deputy Chair

Aberdulais Aqueduct

As everyone is aware Jenny Morris has left IWA. We are truly grateful for all she has done towards saving the Aqueduct. Her place has been taken by Amy Tillson, IWA’s Campaigns Manager. We look forward to working with her.

The next step is to raise the money necessary to do the repairs listed in the Mann Williams report. It is a relief to know that things are not as bad as we feared but it is vital to go ahead with the initial repairs needed in the spring. CADW have indicated that they will give 60% of the cost but that still leaves about 70k to be raised. The Trust’s problem is that it is too small an organisation to be allowed to handle such a large sum so it falls to IWA to be the fundraiser with as much support as the Trust is able to give. Any suggestions will be most welcome.

Neath Canal Depot at Tonna

Now that the project to remove all the Japanese knotweed is complete, we are moving ahead to improve the depot.

Work has started to install fencing at the top of the garden. All the greenery around the Long shed needs to be removed so that a structural survey may take place before we go ahead with some form of restoration.

Work has started on clearing the inside of the workshop. As it is listed, planning permission is required before making any repairs. Work parties take place on Wednesdays weather permitting. Details for this are on the website.

NPTBC (Neath and Port Talbot Borough Council)

Neath Council is planning a Culture and Heritage Strategy. The Trust has attended meetings and taken part in consultations regarding this but we

have no idea what the outcome will be. The Trust has, for many years, made it known the it would like a strategy for both canals. Two new heritage officers, funded by HLF (Heritage Lottery Fund), have been appointed - one full time and the other part time. We hope that in time all will be revealed and that it will be good news for the canals in Neath.

WRG ON THE SWANSEA CANAL

Martin Davies, Swansea Canal Society

All of the photos on pages 8 and 9 were taken by Martin Davies. It was a welcome sign of the return to normality after Covid that the Swansea Canal Society (SCS) were able to host a Waterways Recovery Group (WRG) Summer Camp on the canal in September 2022. We were fortunate enough to be given two separate weeks, one at the start of the month and one at the end. Thank you, IWA! The site chosen was familiar to WRG manager Mikk Bradley and many of the volunteers who attended over the two weeks. Lower Trebanos Lock has had a lot of TLC in the last ten years but the Covid lockdowns have seen the lock deteriorate somewhat.

A team effort was needed. The Canal and River Trust (CRT) owners of the canal, our Society volunteers, a local scaffolder and members of the local community were all on board to aid the WRG work. Excellent accommodation was provided as ever by the Ynyscedwyn Scout Group. The main tasks at the lock were to complete the lime and mortar repointing of the lock chamber and to rebuild the top coping stones of the lock wall. Morgan Coles from CRT came down to the site each week to give new volunteers lessons in lime mortar mixing and application, and we were also delighted to welcome Paul, Ruth and Martin as the WRG team leaders. Martin Danks is an old friend but neither Paul nor Ruth had been on the Swansea Canal before. All three leaders were exceptional.

…/cont from page 7

In addition to the two main tasks, removal of the encroaching vegetation on the by-wash island and replacement with a week proof membrane and pebble surface was required. Also, water had not been flowing down the by-wash for some time so more clearance work was needed there. The original stone steps up to the lock were in a dire state and these needed repairing.

Repointing continued in the lower level of the scaffolding while outside Andy & Sandy cleared a route across the bywash to the large heap of stones to be collected later by Gordon.

The final clearance of the by-wash exit. From left to right: Liz, Andy, Sandy & Peter survey the weed free oasis.

The volunteers pitched in to relay a gravel and membrane layer to stop the vegetation returning.

Elsewhere Bev & Sue were raking the top surface of the stones on the by-wash island. There has been a remarkable change in this area in the two weeks. It was completely overgrown. Just look at it now.

Such was the enthusiasm and dedication of the volunteers that most of these tasks were completed in the two weeks and because the scaffolder has kindly allowed the scaffolding to remain in place since, the SCS has been able to continue work on the unfinished sections. It is usual for the SCS to give the hard working WRG volunteers free canoeing trips on the canal but, sad to say, Storm Henry ripped the roof off our canoe store last February and, despite Herculean efforts by Ronnie and Mike Fuller to continue the summer hire season, by September things were very, very damp. Thank goodness, as I write this piece on a bleak November day, a new roof is in place.

Gordon, Colin & Will move a heavy stone into position before fixing it in place.

1

Down below the scaffolding, Rowan (partly obscured), Peter & Alan were repointing the lock walls.

2

Back on the surface, Ruth (one of the team leaders) and Sam shovel stone into a wheelbarrow for the surfacing of the bywash island

One WRG tradition could not be washed away, however. The Thursday night meal. Gill and Gordon worked wonders in getting the bookings for the two nights and taking all the orders for the meals at the New Inn in Clydach. Gordon, our Chairman, was fulsome in his after dinner praise for the work of the volunteers at both weeks. The two weeks were indeed a pleasure and we would be delighted to see everybody back very soon.

The Somersetshire Coal Canal Restoration update

Martin Turner, Secretary Somerset Coal

Canal Society

The Somersetshire Coal Canal opened for business in 1805 and for much of its life was a highly profitable concern. Its purpose was to transport coal from the pits of the Somerset coal field to a junction with the Kennet and Avon (K&A) canal at Dundas Wharf, near Bath. It was surveyed by John Rennie, who was also responsible for the K&A, assisted by William Smith, the ‘Father of English Geology’.

The main route ran for two miles before splitting into two arms at Midford. The southern branch ran for a further seven and a half miles through the Wellow valley to serve the pits in the Radstock area while the northern branch ran for eight and a half miles through the Midford and Cam valleys to arrive at Paulton and Timsbury. It was a narrow canal, through a mostly rural landscape.

At Midford an impressive stone aqueduct (restored in 2002) was constructed across the Midford Brook leading to a basin. Goods were transhipped here using a short, inclined tramway leading to the canal to Radstock. This tramway was never replaced by locks and, as transhipment was expensive and time consuming, the entire southern branch was soon replaced by a full-length tramway running along the towpath. In 1871 the route of the southern tramway was sold to the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway Company for the route of the Bath to Evercreech line.

The main challenge in construction of the northern branch was the 135 feet drop in level from Paulton to Dundas Wharf and this was solved by the construction of a magnificent flight of locks at Combe Hay. The lock flight of twenty-two locks replaced earlier experiments with an innovative, but ultimately unsuccessful, ‘Caisson Lock’ and a temporary inclined plane.

After almost a century of operation, the mines were nearly worked out and the canal was becoming unprofitable, it eventually closed in 1898. The canal was already in disrepair and was sold to the GWR who built the Camerton to Limpley Stoke railway along parts of it.

Very little of the canal’s course has suffered from any significant redevelopment. The remains of the lock flight at Combe Hay are still evident and the Somersetshire Coal Canal Society carries out regular work parties to control vegetation and prevent further deterioration of the stone work, with the eventual aim of restoring the lock flight to use. At twenty-two locks the restored flight has the potential to compete with the, slightly longer, Tardebigge flight on the Worcester and Birmingham canal.

These 2 photos show the Terminus Bridge South East wing wall - before and after construction. The northern branch terminated at two wharves in Paulton and Timsbury Basins. The towpath along the southern side of the canal gave access to Paulton Basin, whilst a second towpath along the northern side ran to Timsbury Basin. To reach the northern towpath, a bridge, “Terminus Bridge”, was constructed at the entrance to the basins. This bridge was demolished many years ago but the bridge abutments survived.

Approximately half a mile of canal has been excavated by the Society, leading eastward from the basins. At the moment the water in the basins is retained by a temporary clay bund but the Society plans to progressively extend the length of canal in water over the coming years.

Cont on page 12/...

The above photo shows the North West wing under construction and the next photo shows Terminus Bridge stop plank slot.

We are currently rebuilding the historic abutment walls of Terminus Bridge and a nearby sluice gate, which will allow us to put the half-mile stretch of canal back in water in the near future.

PhotoscourtesyoftheSCCS.

HELP!!

I have been the Editor of the Sou’wester since 2015 but currently I have so many other commitments that I am finding it very difficult to produce it even though there are only 3 issues per year.

Is there someone reading this that can take on this task? I can help you get under way and give any advice that is needed.

If you could fill this vacancy, please contact me or the Chair person of your local branch. Please see inside back cover f0r contact details.

Branch Reports

IWA West Country Branch

Ray Alexander, Branch Chairman

IWA National AGM –Lichfield 24 September

I am delighted to report that Mike Slade was awarded a Richard Bird medal at the National AGM in Lichfield and very well deserved it was after some 8 years as Volunteer Co-ordinator for the Branch. Richard Bird medals are presented to members whose efforts and support are considered to have brought significant benefit to the Association over a sustained period, which Mike undoubtedly has. Mike, Pat and I drove up to Lichfield the previous day for the AGM and there was a heart-stopping moment when the list of names came up on the screen and Mike’s wasn’t among them – but subsequently corrected! Well done, Mike.

Mike Slade and IWA National Chair Les Etheridge (Richard BirdMedal)

Photo taken by Mike Aldridge,West Country Branch Treasurer

Langport Award

I am also delighted to report that Rob Crumb, Langport Team Leader was nominated for the BBC Make a Difference Awards which recognised his work in organising and carrying out litter picks in and around Langport, thus helping to keep the town and its riverside clean and tidy. The BBC Make a Difference Awards celebrate people who go above and beyond to make a difference where you live. Congratulations, Rob.

Visits to the Branch

We were pleased to welcome Jenny Hodson, recently appointed IWA Volunteer Manager, to the Branch in September and to have the opportunity to show her Bridgwater Docks including our volunteer base, the Upper Parrett at Langport and Tiverton Basin on the Grand Western Canal, in addition to discussing several topics of concern to the Branch Team. We hope that this will have helped Jenny to gain an insight into the activities of a typical branch, although we were at pains to point out that no two branches are identical!

We were also pleased to welcome Sue O’Hare, Chairman of IWA’s Navigation Committee, who visited the Branch in November in order to see Bridgwater Docks and discuss the scope for the future of the Docks and its Bascule Bridge, assuming that the anticipated award of £4.2m from the Government’s Towns Fund is approved. Sue also visited several canal-side locations on the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, including Firepool Lock, Outwood Swing Bridge and Maunsel Lock.

Branch Team Recruitment

An appeal for branch members to join the Branch Team was sent to

members in October and has been followed up by an e-mail to our work party volunteers based in Bridgwater. We are seeking new team members to act as Branch Secretary, Volunteer Co-ordinator, Events Organiser and Publicity Co-ordinator, in order to help take the activities of the Branch forward. Efforts to fill these positions are ongoing.

Bridgwater & Taunton Canal

Last summer the Branch was notified of a consultation by Somerset West & Taunton Council concerning proposals for flood defence works at Firepool Lock and from there through to the railway bridge at Obridge. A letter outlining a number of concerns was submitted to the Council in August, we understand that progress is being made in dealing with these and that a response should be received prior to a planning application being submitted later in 2022. Issues raised by the Branch cover Firepool Lock, the proposed cycleway and towpath, landscape and ecological mitigation and several other matters.

South West Inland Waterways Regeneration Fund (SWIWRF)

The IWA Panel that manages the Regeneration Fund has approved an application by the Grand Western Country Park (aka Devon County Council) for a grant of £8,340 to purchase two new notice boards and produce updated information sheets for the entire canal, many of which are now 20 years old and contain out of date information. The work to install the new notice boards and to replace the information sheets is now in hand and visitors to the Grand Western should notice them appearing in the months to come.

SWIWRF was established as a separate restricted fund within IWA in March 2021 and eligible corporate members within the Branch are able to apply for grants, with a deadline for making applications of 30th June and 31st December each year. Donations received to date, including gift aid, total £55,000 and grants made to date total £27,000.

Photo on page 14: Langport Volunteer Team Leader Rob Crumb is standing in the centre of the photo holding his Award trophy.

IWA South Wales Branch /

Cangen de Cymru Report

Tony Pugh, Branch Chairman

As chairman of the South Wales Branch, I have attended several functions this quarter both online and in person.

I attended the Glandwr Cymru, Sennedd Reception held on 26th October at the Welsh Parliament buildings, an evening to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the formation of the charity which is now the Canal and River Trust (Glandwr Cymru in Wales). The event started at 6pm with a presentation, speeches and refreshments. It was an excellent occasion to meet supporters of Welsh canals from all over Wales.

An online meeting of the Regional and Branch chair’s was held on 16th November at 6pm which allowed all Branches to attend via Zoom. Should you wish to know what was discussed, it is available on Zoom.

I have also had informal meetings with representatives of the South Wales Canal Societies. The deterioration of the Aberdulais Aqueduct and ways of funding the restoration is ongoing.

There are planning applications in the Neath Valley that have to be monitored.

There is a debate as to the way forward for IWA and many other organisations. Should we drop the “Chairman, Secretaries and Treasurer” and just have responsible persons in informal Zoom meetings? Your views would be appreciated.

We hope to hold our AGM again in May 2023 both in person and via Zoom.

Let us know your preferred location. You and your family are all welcome.

To all Members, I ask you to be vigilant and report any incidents, planning applications on or near our canals and navigable waterways.

For up to date information on the local South Wales Canal activities:

The Fourteen Locks Canal Centre http://fourteenlocks.mbact.org.uk/

The Monmouthshire, Brecon & Abergavenny Canals Trust http://www.mbact.org.uk for the boat trips, go to the website then click on “our boats”

The Neath & Tennant Canals Trust: http://www.neath-tennant-canals.org.uk/

The Swansea Canal Society http://www.swanseacanalsociety.com

The Swansea Bay Inland Waterways Partnership

Swansea Marina http://www.swanseamarina.org.uk/

The Torfaen Canal Volunteers Contact: Hugh Woodford 01663 862481 heatherhugh@hotmail.com

The group hold regular meetings.

The Cardiff Bay Harbour Authority http://www.cardiffharbour.com

Cover photo: Winter at Llangynidr on the Mon & Brec Canal. ©IWA member Lewis Rigley

Waterways in the IWA South West and South Wales Region

Avon & Wilts Branch

Rivers Avon & Severn: Tidal navigation that is the responsibility of the Bristol Haven Conservancy, downstream of the second Severn crossing

Avon Navigation: Hanham to Avonmouth, including River Avon & Bristol Docks

Kennet & Avon Canal: Hanham Lock to Froxfield Bridge

North Wilts Canal

Somersetshire Coal Canal

Wilts & Berks Canal: Kennet & Avon Canal to County Boundary 1m West of Shrivenham

Gloucestershire and Herefordshire Branch

Coombe Hill Canal

Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal

Lydney Canal

Gloucester & Sharpness Canal

Leominster Canal

River Severn: from Mythe Bridge, Tewkesbury to a point on the tidal navigation which is the seaward extent of responsibility of the Gloucester Harbour Trustees, downstream of the Second Severn Crossing

Stroudwater Navigation Thames & Severn Canal

River Wye: Hay-on-Wye to Severn Estuary South Wales Branch

Brecon & Abergavenny Canal

Glamorganshire and Aberdare Canals

Monmouthshire Canal Neath & Tennant Canals Swansea Canal River Usk River Wye - Hay-on-Wye to source

West Country Branch

Bridgwater & Taunton Canal

Bude Canal

Chard Canal Exeter Ship Canal

Grand Western Canal Liskeard & Looe Canal

North Somerset Waterways River Parrett

Rolle Canal Stover Canal

Tavistock Canal River Tone

Contacts

Ray Alexander

rayalexander01@gmail.com

David Chalmers david.chalmers@waterways.org.uk

Geoff Harman 01179 623812 geoff.harman@waterways.org.uk

Joyce Potts joycemike06@gmail.com

Tony Pugh tony.pugh@waterways.org.uk

Mike Slade mdslade8@gmail.com

Hannah Sterritt hannah.sterritt@waterways.co.uk

Andrew Strawson andrew.strawson@waterways.co.uk

Tim Wheeldon 01225 723890 tim.wheeldon@waterways.org.uk

Next Issue of Sou’Wester

The next issue of Sou’Wester is due out in May, 2023. Please send all copy to the Editor at joycemike06@gmail.com by Sunday, 2nd April, 2023

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of IWA. The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is a non-profit distribution company limited by guarantee. Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1WA. Tel. 01494 783453

Registered in England no. 612245. Registered as a Charity no 212343. www.waterways.org.uk