Ouse News, Spring 2016

The Inland Waterways Association

Ouse News - Spring 2016 The Great Ouse Branch Newsletter covering the Great Ouse and tributaries Contents: Branch Committee

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Chairman’s Corner

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Letters to the Editor p5

MV Viscountess Bury outside ‘The Ship Inn’, Brandon Creek in the early 1990s.

Viscountess Bury

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River Cam Update

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Derek Bradley

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Highland Canals

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Project Hereward

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Branch News

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Book Review

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RCR Report

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River News from EA p24 Welney Visit

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Photo: Courtesy of David Mercer

Campaigning for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the Inland Waterways.

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Inland Waterways Association or of the Great Ouse Branch. They are, however, published as being of interest to our members and readers.

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Great Ouse Branch Committee: Chairman: Keith Alderton Tel : 01366 727236 email:keith.alderton@waterways.org.uk

Membership Officer: Peter Webb Tel 01353 658581 email:peter.webb@waterways.org.uk

Secretary: John Hodgson Tel : 01234 344884 email:john.hodgson@waterways.org.uk

Member: Stephen Foote Tel 01763 838936 email:stephen.foote@waterways.org.uk

Treasurer: Enid Hodgson Tel : 01234 344884 email:enid.hodgson@waterways.org.uk

Member: Derek Bradley Tel 01353 661601 email:derek.bradley@waterways.org.uk

Ouse News Editor: Carole Alderton Tel : 01366 727236 email:carole.alderton@waterways.org.uk

Member: Gail Mead Tel 01359 232603 email:gail.mead@waterways.org.uk

Sales Officer: David Anderson Tel : 01480 477227 email:david.anderson@waterways.org.uk

We are a small, friendly group and would welcome another committee member to help us organise meetings and events. Please contact the editor.

(Authorised to examine all private boats and in addition, residential boats provided they are fitted with a gas bubble tester) Additional contact : Ely Boat Chandlers 01353 663095

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Chairman’s Corner At the time of writing it has been reported that we have had the warmest winter on record – long may the unseasonal weather continue! I hesitate to write this as, usually when I make such a statement, the situation deteriorates dramatically by the time the newsletter has been circulated. The constant rain and high winds have so far discouraged us from even thinking about the boat, let alone taking it out for a spin. No doubt we shall be out and about as soon as we get some spring sunshine.

I am pleased to say that our branch winter programme has been well received and generally well attended. Our chosen speakers have all ‘come up trumps’ and provided us with some interesting and entertaining talks. Our task now is to do it all again and come up with an equally good programme for next autumn. Please do not hesitate to let us know of any ideas you have, or speakers you can recommend.

Don’t forget the branch AGM on the 24th March. The short formal proceedings will be followed by an update from the river managers of the Environment Agency. This event provides a good platform to hear about what the EA has been up to over the past year and to quiz them about their future plans. We have followed previous practice and included all of the paperwork relative to the AGM as separate appendices in order to give you time to read and absorb the information prior to the meeting. It would be helpful if you could bring a copy of the appendices with you for reference.

As I have mentioned in previous issues of Ouse News, the IWA centrally has been making a big effort to persuade the Government to speed up the transfer of the navigations currently controlled by the Environment Agency to the Canal and River Trust. To this end, individual members have been asked to write to their respective MPs expressing support for the transfer.

The branch committee is divided on this issue with some members being very much in favour and others being vehemently against. If you are in favour please write to your local MP as requested. There is a suggested format available from head office if you wish to use it.

Ouse News Page 4 Personally, I have mixed thoughts on the matter as I feel that the local EA team get a lot of unwarranted ‘stick’ from some quarters. Against that, the CRT are far more navigation orientated and do not have to put up with other sectors of the same organisation with opposing priorities.

Whatever happens, the chosen navigation authority must be provided with adequate and predictable sources of revenue to do the job effectively. I am pleased to report that John Dodwell, CRT Trustee and former IWA General Secretary, has agreed to address the branch at our October meeting in order to explain the situation from a CRT perspective.

In the meantime, please write to the editor if you have strong views on the subject that you would like to share with other branch members. It should be an interesting debate!

I hope to see you at the AGM.

Keith Alderton

Ouse News Page 5 Letters to the editor: There is no logical reason to try to create a single navigation authority. EA ‘haven’t got enough money’ - but CRT haven’t either - so no progress there. If CRT gain control of navigation but EA (correctly) remain responsible for flood control in the Great Ouse catchment they will be constantly arguing over who pays for what. It is probable that even less would be done than is now, as the two sides are seldom likely to agree.

I am also concerned that if a single authority gains control of all these navigations it will create a monster, accountable to no-one and impossible to either influence or dislodge. Whilst we still have EA and CRT there is leverage at least. I have seen no convincing argument in favour of transfer of navigation responsibility. Unfortunately I suspect the Minister will look upon the concept favourably - for obvious reasons.

In press releases, head office has quoted examples of navigation problems on the Great Ouse system which the EA has not resolved. This is unkind to the EA. I can cite examples of similar sorts of problems just on the little section of the GU between Blisworth and Braunston which I ply pretty regularly - and is managed by CRT. If ‘examples’ are to be quoted in letters to MPs, in the interests of fair play, let all such ‘examples’ be quoted.

I think in taking this path, the Association is making a grave mistake - and if the campaign succeeds, I suggest that Great Ouse boaters will, in due time, have cause to regret it.

(Name Supplied)

News & Views Do you have an article, comment or photo you would like to share? We would be very pleased to receive it!

Contact the editor at: carole.alderton@waterways.org.uk

Ouse News Page 6 Letters to the editor cont’d: I write in response to the article in the Autumn newsletter about reopening the Little Ouse to Thetford. Although I live near Edinburgh now, I was brought up in the area and know Brandon and Thetford well. We lived in St. Neots at the time when the navigation finished at Tempsford. We campaigned for the reopening to Bedford - and it eventually happened.

I was concerned about the comment that the environmental bodies may be obstructive. I am certain there will be a solution to both maintaining the gravel banks and other environmental values, and improving the navigation.

My experience with such bodies is that they often look on change as having a detrimental impact, but life is full of change. Nothing is environmentally static. We search for disasters while nature finds that they are opportunities! Reopening the navigation will prove to have both environmental and recreational opportunities. There is always a solution, it just needs a positive attitude by all involved. I wish you every success and I’ll look out for progress reports in your newsletter.

Richard Toleman Idly trawling the net today we looked up our old boat, Jester, and came across your newsletter of Spring 2015 with an article by Jed Ramsay and photographs of Jester as she was a year ago.

We bought Jester in 1980 as an open hull on the River Thames at Staines and spent the next 6 years building her into a live-aboard home. We sold her in 1986 and moved abroad.

We have many photos of Jester through the stages of her regeneration. We will tell the whole colourful story one day.

We have been cruising aboard our blue-water yacht for the last 18 years and are now in Gosport, Hampshire.

Miles and Pippa McGrevy

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Why not come along to our next meeting on Thursday 24th March 2016. After a short AGM we will have an illustrated talk by the River Managers of the Environment Agency.

A14 West A10 to Ely A10 to Cambridge

Tesco

To Milton

A14 East Tennis Courts Entrance Community Centre

Details of more meetings are on Page 19 and the map above should help you to find the exact location in Milton! (The post code is CB24 6BL)

Ouse News Page 8 The Viscountess Bury In the last issue of “Ouse News” Robin Adams recalled his memories from the 1970s of the MV Viscountess Bury and river trips aboard the vessel on the River Cam. Robin knew that the boat had belonged to Banhams, the Cambridge boat-builders and that she had originally been powered by an electric motor and based on the Thames.

But for Robin and many other Great Ouse and Cam boaters there were many unanswered questions about the history of the Viscountess.

Just what did happen to her?

MV Viscountess Bury pictured at Ely in 1974.

“Ouse News” is pleased to provide the answers and fill in some more of the history of this amazing vessel.

The Viscountess Bury, or ‘Vi’ as she was affectionately known during her 80-years on the Cam was built in 1888 by W. S. Sargent & Co. of Chiswick.

She was powered by two electric motors and carried 200 single cell storage accumulators under the stern deck.

Ouse News Page 9 She was just over 65-feet in length and capable of running almost silently at 5-knots for up to 10-hours after an overnight charge while moored to a steam driven, barge-mounted generating plant.

Her triple skinned hull, two of diagonal teak with an outer layer of horizontal mahogany boards, and her long keel – a single piece of elm, ensured she was very robust for the immense weight of those batteries. It also helped ensure that she would survive for well over a century.

Her fine looks were complimented by luxurious interior fittings and upholstery, ornate etched windows and door panels, and completed with a carved bowsprit representing her aristocratic namesake.

So why was she called “Viscountess Bury”?

The original operator, the Moritz-Immisch Electric Launch Co. was partowned by Viscount Bury who named his finest vessel after his wife. There were more royal connections as for the first few years on the Thames she was regularly chartered by the notorious playboy Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, for trips to Windsor Castle.

In about 1895 she was refitted and operated for the next 15-years as a Thames public passenger launch, still retaining her elegant lines and fittings.

Her electric motors were replaced by a 20 hp. petrol engine.

In 1910 the Viscountess Bury was bought by Herbert (H.C.) Banham and brought to Cambridge where she would delight several generations of trippers during the next 80-years.

But first came a hazardous voyage down to the Thames Estuary, around the East Coast to Lowestoft, on to the Great Ouse at King’s Lynn, then through Denver Sluice up to Cambridge. Reports say that in worsening weather on the sea voyage she rolled terribly and shipped water over her bow.

Ouse News Page 10 There are many memories like Robin’s of the Banham’s river trips between Cambridge and Ely and the ‘Vi’s’ shiny varnish and polished brass. In 1911 a trip to Clayhithe would have cost just an old sixpence. She was often chartered by groups of up to 95 people for a fine day’s outing including dining.

In the 1970s she had an extensive re-fit with her hull painted white, new striped awnings and a 50 hp. diesel engine. Soon after, she was sold, moved to Ely and operated and maintained by a number of keen volunteers.

But by 1994, at 106 years old, her condition was finally deteriorating and she was lying virtually abandoned at Brandon Creek. Along came “Friends of the Viscountess Bury” with ambitious plans to restore her as a public trip boat and even convert her back to electric propulsion. She was lifted from the river at Roswell Pits, but closer inspection showed that very extensive and costly work would be required to save her.

After 80-years on the Cam and Ouse the Viscountess was taken by low-loader back to Lowestoft. She was destined for the International Boatbuilding Training College but ended up at Newson’s Boatyard.

Viscountess Bury at Roswell Pits 1995

Ouse News Page 11 Sadly, the funds for her restoration were not forthcoming and she was eventually broken up and burnt.

“Ouse News” is grateful to David Mercer of East Anglian Waterways Association for this information on the Viscountess Bury. His complete article was first published in the EAWA journal, ‘The Easterling’. To read the full version of the story with many pictures go to the EAWA website at: www.eawa.co.uk/viscountess.html River Cam Update We’re deep in the winter when, if you’re anything like me, all you feel like doing is staying inside and watching the rain fall from your cosy living room! Yet it is often the busiest time for us on the river, with a real drive to get construction work and tree works done over this period.

River Crew As you can see in the picture we’ve had a busy time out on the river keeping the navigation looking its best. We’ve undertaken repairs to the bridge at Jesus Lock – so all up and running again there. We’ve had some huge trees come down that we’ve helped remove. Dealing with trees that impinge on the navigation is a high priority task for us – so if you spot any problems do get in touch.

Pennywort Thanks to the Environment Agency for finding funds, we’ve been able to undertake a major programme of Pennywort removal on the Cam. As you may know, Pennywort is an invasive species and if left unchecked it spreads and is voracious in its appetite! It can clog whole channels if not dealt with.

We’ve done the major stretches and will be attacking the upper river next – if we can get it near the source of the Cam I think this should help with long term prevention. We’ve got volunteers lined up to help with this too – so if this is of interest to you and you’d like to be involved do drop me a line.

Ouse News Page 12 New Office After working out of a glorified tin box for the last 18 months, I’m really pleased to say that construction on our new small office is nearly complete.

This will be an asset to the organisation for the future and has allowed us to rent out our old lock office to increase our income. It also means the whole team is based on one site, which has its advantages. This should also make us more visible and accessible than our current hidey-hole!

Upcoming Events Upcoming events and works on the Cam. Please see our online calendar at camconservancy.org for full details of times and locations.

Please note that for all events the river is still navigable and where possible we try to publish contact numbers of event organisers to help arrange passage. We also try to limit events to one day per weekend so that the Cam is always fully open for part of the weekend.

Jed Ramsey River Manager Conservators of the River Cam

Ouse News Page 13 Award for Derek Bradley The Great Ouse Branch Committee was pleased to recommend Derek for the Richard Bird Award in appreciation of his many years of service to the Inland Waterways Association. We were delighted that our recommendation was accepted and he was duly presented with his medal in the Autumn of 2015. The following press release outlines his achievements: PRESS RELEASE: LOCAL WATERWAYS CAMPAIGNER RECEIVES NATIONAL AWARD A waterways campaigner from Cambridgeshire has had over 20 years of contribution recognised by a national charity, The Inland Waterways Association. The award, which is presented to members of the Association whose efforts and support are considered to have brought significant benefit to the waterways over a sustained period of time, was presented to Derek Bradley of Ely recently at the Association’s national AGM. Derek has been involved at a local, regional and national level of The Inland Waterways Association since 1994, including several years as a trustee, as well as representing the organisation on other bodies such as the Environment Agency’s Eastern Region Navigation Group and the Conservators of the River Cam. Derek has also supported for many years the Association’s annual Waterway Festivals which took place each year in a different location around the waterways system.

Ouse News Page 14 Professionally, Derek spent his career in the Merchant Navy, becoming Chief Officer of P & O Shipping’s larger passenger vessels, including the famous cruise liner S.S. Canberra on which he served as Staff Captain. On leaving P and O he joined the United Arab Shipping Company and served as Master of a series of deep-sea vessels. On retirement he turned his attention to leisure interests including canal and river cruising and charitable activities with, amongst others, the British Red Cross and the Friends of Ely Cathedral.

Les Etheridge, National Chairman of The Inland Waterways Association, said “Derek’s input through his work with the Great Ouse Branch of the Association has been invaluable, and along with his involvement at a national level means that he fully deserves to receive this award.”

Ouse News Page 15 October 2015 Meeting - The Highland Canals In October we were pleased to welcome back Richard Thomas to give another of his informative talks on the inland waterways, this time his subject being ‘The Highland Canals of Scotland’. As usual, Richard’s subject was well researched providing ample opportunity for him to explain the technical difficulties of building canals in such difficult terrain and to show some stunning photographs of the highland scenery.

Richard explained how the Caledonian Canal begins with Clachnaharry Locks carrying the navigation up from the Moray Firth near Inverness in the North East and follows the diagonal line of the Great Glen geological fault some 60 miles to Fort William and Loch Linnhe in the South West. The navigation comprises of short lengths of canal connecting the natural lakes of Loch Dochfour, the vast Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. The canal sections presented a considerable engineering challenge to the builders as the channel had to be hacked manually through solid rock, causing much unplanned expense and delay. The route was originally conceived as a shortcut to enable commercial vessels to avoid the hazardous journey from East to West coast around the far North of Scotland.

The second major navigation highlighted was the Crinan Canal. This is a short 9-mile long canal that cuts through a long rocky promontory, thus avoiding a 130 mile coastal trip around the Mull of Kintyre. The navigation was built to serve fishing vessels and Clyde Puffers, the latter carrying general cargo, coal and whisky from Glasgow to the west coast ports.

Today, both canals are busy with holiday-makers and yachtsmen enjoying the Scottish highland scenery. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip along the Caledonian Canal in 2012 and following Richard’s lecture now feel inspired to treat ourselves with a visit to the Crinan Canal some time.

We look forwards to inviting Richard back at a future meeting to present his talk on ‘The Lowland Canals’.

Keith Alderton

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Project Hereward Welches Dam and the Forty Foot Project Hereward was formed by a collaboration between the East Anglian Waterways Association (EAWA) and the Peterborough and Great Ouse IWA branches. The objective is to restore the Welches Dam lock and the section of the Forty Foot up to Horseway lock. That lock is operated by the Middle Level Commissioners.

Welches Dam was originally constructed by Cornelius Vermuyden in 1651 as part of his drainage system along with the Forty Foot (or Vermuyden’s) Drain. It was last repaired by the National Rivers Authority and re-opened in March 1991 but has been effectively closed since mid 2006. This is because the cut is now porous to the extent that when filled with water it will leach away within a matter of days.

Ouse News Page 18 Clearly this is not a sustainable situation. The EA installed a piled “temporary” coffer dam at the entrance to Welches Dam ostensibly to prevent water entering the Forty Foot from the Old Bedford River (and being lost) but effectively preventing passage.

As there is a gap of approximately a metre at one end of the dam it is never going to hold back much water! What is holding the water back is the old set of V gates just inside the piling still doing a very effective job.

There has been much discussion about the EA having the statutory duty to maintain it but they have now accepted that they do, without them and others having recourse to costly legal remedy. Alas, the cost to the EA to return the waterway to full use would be prohibitive but neither can it be abandoned.

A variety of solutions have been investigated including the original method of “puddling” as a potential source of clay was nearby. However, a more modern method of lining the cut, bed and sides using a synthetic, self-sealing material is favoured and two systems of achieving this are currently being evaluated.

The lock structure itself will require some maintenance. Surveys have been carried out over a number of years and more recently it has been suggested that there is much less work required to restore the lock than had been previously reported by the EA. At the time of writing it is planned to access the lock chamber to carry out a full examination of the lock structure including the gates on both sides and it is only the EA granting permission to enter their lock that is currently delaying this.

None of this work will be at any cost to the EA so there will be no drain on their navigation maintenance budget. Funds will be raised from a number of sources, principally grants of various kinds.

John Hodgson

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Branch News Winter Meetings

are at 8 pm on Thursday evenings at the Cole’s Road Community Centre, Milton (North Cambridge) CB24 6BL. Members & Visitors welcome.

T HURSAY 24 TH M ARCH

2016

Our March meeting will be our AGM and update from the River Managers of the Environment Agency.

S ATURDAY 30 TH A PRIL 2016 Gathering of boats at Reach, followed by an evening meal at the Dykes End. (Book your meal place with Stephen Foote.)

S UNDAY 1 ST M AY 2016 Barbecue & quiz.

(If sufficient support, and weather permitting.)

M ONDAY 2 ND M AY

2016

IWA stand at Reach Fair.

S UNDAY 3 RD J ULY

2016

IWA stand at Ely Aquafest

We welcome the following new members to the branch. We hope you will introduce yourselves to us when coming to an event or meeting: Ian Jones, Southend-on Sea Gary & Debra Stephenson, Cambridge Members who have moved to the branch: Christopher, Helen & Catherine Buck, Hitchin

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Book Review

by Stephen Foote

‘The Flower of Gloster’ by Ernest Temple Thurston There are a lot of books around these days written by folks who want to share their waterways journeys with us. Quite a few have been reviewed in Ouse News over the years. So this time, for something a little different, we take a look at the book which was arguably the very first one written about a canal boat journey undertaken purely for pleasure.

The Flower of Gloster was originally published in 1911 by Chapman and Hall. In his classic work ‘Narrowboat’, L.T.C.Rolt wrote “…..of all the authors who have written of their journeyings around England, only Mr.Temple Thurston chose to travel by water……..his book stands on the one small shelf in my library which is sufficient to contain all that has been written about the canals”.

Our author describes his motivation for the journey very succinctly. “I’ll go,” I said one day, “where there are no guides and scarcely a map is printed. Who knows his way about the canals of England?”

One person said ‘they begin at Regent’s Park’; another ‘there’s one near Slough, you can see it from the train’.

“If that is all that’s known about them” said I, “I’ll get a barge myself and go on till I stop”.

And he did. He describes how he hired a horse-drawn barge and a boatman in Oxford and set off on his travels. Along the Oxford Canal, turning off at Napton Junction onto the Grand Union (but in the book referred to as the ‘Warwick and Napton branch’), through Warwick and Solihull and into the Black Country.

Ouse News Page 21 He found the approach to Birmingham so depressing that he asked the boatman to turn around and they made for the Stratford canal and ultimately Stratford-upon-Avon itself.

From here, he walked to Evesham and thence to Tewkesbury as the river Avon was virtually impassable for all except steam-powered boats. Meeting his boatman and the Flower of Gloster again at Tewkesbury, they set off for Stroud and the Thames and Severn canal, travelling through the ‘Golden Valley’ and the Sapperton tunnel towards the Thames at Lechlade. It is thought that Flower of Gloster was probably one of the very last boats to make this journey, as even then the canal was all but abandoned. The description of the passage is fascinating.

Finally, he left the Flower of Gloster at Inglesham basin; the boatman turned her round to return to her home town of Coventry and our author returned to London.

All in all, an intriguing read. The author’s style is a little unusual and some passages in the book are a bit difficult to understand at first. However, it was written more than 100 years ago! To get the best from it, a very slow and careful read is recommended!

The original Flower of Gloster was illustrated (the publisher stated proudly ‘with six coloured illustrations and 74 black-and-white, price 7/6d – and adding ‘a cheaper version is available, price 3/6d’). Unfortunately my copy is not illustrated and bears no indication of when it was printed. A facsimile of the original illustrated version is available from Amazon priced at around £22. Alternatively, copies occasionally turn up on second-hand book stalls at canal festivals and suchlike. If you can get hold of one at sensible money, I’d say it was worth buying.

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An Evening with RCR On the evening of November 26th 2015 a goodly number of IWA Great Ouse branch members gathered at Milton Community Centre in Cambridge, to be treated to a fascinating presentation by the well-known boating organisation River Canal Rescue.

RCR was founded in 2000 by Stephanie Horton, a highly qualified engineering graduate with a love of the waterways. She spotted an opening for what might be described as the ‘RAC of the Waterways’ – a service tailored to rescue boaters stranded away from home by mechanical or electrical failures and needing parts or professional attention. The business took off and now, more than 15 years on, it thrives as one of the premier providers of services to all of us who boat on the system.

RCR’s Office Manager, Charlotte Perry, opened the meeting by explaining the foundations of the Company and outlining how it had grown and expanded from a ‘does what it says on the tin’ rescue organisation to a provider of a much wider range of services for their customers, including RYAapproved training courses, engine and system inspections and servicing, sales of spares and components via an ‘on-line’shop, boat transportation, route planning and more besides.

Latterly, a sister company has started offering canal and waterway contracting services, and their skill in rescuing sunken or damaged boats from all sorts of difficult situations has been widely reported in the boating press.

Charlotte then passed the platform to Jay Forman, the company’s Operations Manager who captivated his audience with his vast knowledge of boats, how everything works and how to keep it all going. Whilst RCR are first and foremost a provider of breakdown and rescue services, they would (quite naturally!) rather we didn’t break down at all.

Ouse News Page 24 Jay’s extensive experience drew a barrage of questions from his audience and it was getting quite late when the Chairman decided to call the meeting to a close.

Charlotte and Jay made a round trip of well over 200 miles to visit the Branch and share their expertise with our members. To some extent they were preaching to the converted as a number of us were already members of RCR and had called on their services in the past – but few of us were aware of the breadth of their activities. We thank them most warmly for their visit and wish them well in the future.

Stephen Foote River News from the Environment Agency Winter Works Update Our Operations teams have been out over this winter period busily working away on various bushing programmes. You should be able to note some marked differences on many of the reaches of the river that were suffering from vegetation overgrowth. All of our Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Area Field Operations Teams have carried out bushing programmes, so many parts of the river will have received a certain degree of pruning. Of course there will always be some vegetation overhang in places and some would say this adds to the character and charm of the river, but we have tried to prioritise the worst affected areas and those reaches where you have provided most feedback.

Due to the successive storms that the British Isles have been battered with this winter, our field teams are also out on the ground clearing many fallen trees. Reports have been numerous of downed trees and some of those have found their way into the river, but we have prioritised those that represent the greatest flood and navigation risk and have been working hard to clear and remove these first. We will then further reassess known locations where trees have been reported as an issue to see if any further action is required.

Ouse News Page 25 Most of the Capital Winter Works Programme has yet to start on site at the time of writing so, unfortunately, I am unable to provide any images of works at this stage. However I will bring you a report in the summer edition on the works undertaken up to Easter.

For your information the current programme as it stands and affected locations are;  Denver Lock (Closure for gate chains replacement 15.02.2016 – 26.02.2016)  Brandon Lock (Restriction in place Feb and March to allow for high level gate access improvements)  Isleham Lock (Restriction in place Feb and March to allow for high level gate access improvements)  Bottisham Lock (Restriction in place Feb and March to allow for high level gate access improvements)  Brownshill Lock (Closure for gate chains replacement and other remedial works, high level access works and part replacements 19.02.2016 – 01.03.2016)  Houghton Lock (Restriction in place Feb and March to allow for high level gate access improvements)  St Ives Lock (Closure to be confirmed to allow for remedial works, high level access works and part replacements)  Hemingford Lock (Restriction in place Feb and March to allow for high level gate access improvements)  Godmanchester Lock (Restriction in place Feb and March to allow for high level gate access improvements)  St Neots Lock (Continuation of closure, but there will be a period when we will be unable to operate the lock, even on restricted hours. A complete closure will be in place, dates to be confirmed to allow for remedial works, high level access works and part replacements)  Cardington Lock (Closure 15.02.2016 – 04.03.2016 to allow for a de water inspection of the lock chamber and gates, high level access works and any remedial action required within the allotted closure period)

Ouse News Page 26 You can request to be added to our navigation notices e-mail distribution list to receive notices as they are issued directly into your inbox. Please call us on 03708 506 506.

I’m sure many of you will want to know what is happening at St Neots Lock and you will note from those dates mentioned that a complete closure will be necessary. The exact dates are still yet to be confirmed but we will issue an updated notice when known. This will take place before the season and we will install a temporary lifting mechanism to the gate to allow the existing gearbox to be removed. This will enable our contractors to investigate the gearbox and work on it whilst the lock will still remain operational albeit only with a staff presence. Depending on what action needs to be taken will influence how long it will be before the lock can fully re-open. As soon as this becomes clear we will communicate this via the methods described below.

Please keep an eye on our river closure restrictions and events pages on www.gov.uk : https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/anglian-waterways-closures-and-restrictions Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com @PaulSeparovicEA Alternatively bookmark our new shared TeamUp calendar: http://bit.ly/ RGtOuseNavNotices

Visit to Welney Wetland Centre On a damp afternoon in late November a grand total of 33 members and friends visited Welney. After travelling to the remote centre, some purchased light refreshments in the cafe or browsed the shop. Others chose to go over to the public viewing and swan feed that was taking place.

After the public had left we all gathered in the cafe where we were served a very nice meal of sausage and mash, together with a tea or coffee. We then went across the bridge to the glass fronted and centrally heated hide.

Ouse News Page 27 Here one of the wardens gave an excellent talk about the area, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) and the wildlife. He then went outside with a radio microphone and proceeded to feed the gathering swans and ducks under the floodlights.

Because of the mild weather and the wind blowing from the south we were told that there were only 1830 swans around - normally, when colder, the numbers would be thousands more.

One highlight during the feed was the appearance of a barn owl which sat on a post for a while, then later it flew over again.

At some point during the visit one of our members returned to his car to fetch some binoculars, unfortunately for him on his return across the open bridge a very heavy squall blew up and although he only had to run 100 metres he got absolutely soaked - much to the amusement of the rest of us.

Our thanks go to Carole for organising this visit and to the WWT for providing excellent food and entertainment.

Peter & Jean Webb

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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 Rd, Chesham, HP5 1WA. Phone No 01494 783453.