The views expressed in Towing Path Topics are not necessarily those of The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) or of its North West Region or of the Lancs and Cumbria Branch. They are, however published as being of interest to our members and readers. Nothing printed may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless so stated. The Association accepts no liability for any matter in this newsletter. No reproduction is permitted without acknowledgment.
Cover: The Lancaster Canal Northern Reaches near Holme
Photograph acknowledgements (All others by the editor)
Page 15 Facebook
Page 22 Mike Clarke
Page 25 John Hewerdine
Abbreviations
LCT - The Lancaster Canal Trust
CRT - The Canal and River Trust
LCRP - Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership
L&L - The Leeds & Liverpool Canal
FBW - Fund Britain’s Waterways
Copy date for next edition 15th April
The editor retains the right to edit any article or letter submitted for publication.
Editor: David Faulkner 22 Moorland Road, Langho, Blackburn BB6 8EX
Green PR6 7EB We continue to start the meetings at 7.30pm but gather from 7.00 for a chat See page 26 for
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’s comments
The first newsletter of the year and the one with the details of the branch AGM in February. It would be good if we could see a few more of you there than the usual dozen or so. We promise not to pounce on you.
I have tried to make this edition reasonably positive despite these trying times for our waterways. I hope you enjoy the doggy story on page 23 taken from a newsletter of 25 years ago. We must never forget or take for granted the wonderful landscapes that our local canals pass through, some of the photographs may cheer you up.
News about the Towpath Trail on the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal is generally good with the recent improvements finished. We now need to raise more money to continue southwards. It is incredibly expensive, partly because access is difficult in these remote locations.
The problems of getting heavy plant to the breach on the Lancaster canal at Hollowforth Aqueduct has led to delays and will no doubt increase the cost. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal has many problems, the decision by Pennine Cruisers in Skipton to cease offering holiday hires is disappointing but inevitable. On page 18 I have included the fairly lengthy statement from their website as it sums up the situation for others too.
My thanks to Janet Dunning for the quiz on page 12 and for giving us several quizzes for our Christmas party which provoked much discussion and hilarity.
You do not need to send anything written (although I wish you would), but how about a photograph? Most of us have a phone with a decent camera and it’s so easy to upload a canal picture to myself.
Happy New Year David
Not much to report at this time of the year other than to remind you all that discussions still proceed on the future management of our organisation and we still continue to campaign with CRT and others for more realistic funding of our waterways.
It is not just the water itself, important though that is, but the heritage of the canals over the last 250+ years which is in desperate need of care and renovation. Just look at the problems on the Lancaster Canal at the Ribble Link, Hollowforth and Glasson Dock, let alone the constant restrictions on navigating the Leeds & Liverpool.
And yet if the Government is content to remove the Winter Heating Allowance and to tax farmers’ land, what chance do we stand of gaining more vital funding?
Your Trustees are considering how to improve the effectiveness of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Waterways in order to get more MPs interested and active on these financial issues but it is a tall order. Do your best with your local MP!
I hope that you all enjoyed Christmas and, despite everything, have a happy and prosperous New Year.
Branch Chairman’s report
Happy New Year to all of our branch members and anyone else who may be reading this. Canal news can be gloomy at the moment but there is still plenty about our canal and river system to celebrate and enjoy.
Our cover photograph shows the sort of views you get on the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal for instance. You do not have to be a boater of course, although you can get a different perspective if you are on the water.
Thanks to the improvements to the towpath it is now a lot easier to walk between Stainton and Holme even in bad weather. We hope that more people using the towpath will create more interest in the canal and support for our long-term aim to restore it to navigation.
The Towpath Trail website gives 10 circular walking and cycling routes from the towpath. Have a look at it, “everything you need to know about the Towpath Trail from Lancaster to Kendal”. lancastercanaltowpathtrail.co.uk
The bad news continues; as I write this we have just learned of the serious breach on the Bridgewater Canal. That will take a while to repair and will seriously affect boating in the North West. For once it will not be the Canal & River Trust who foot the bill. There are plenty of other calls on CRT’s maintenance budget, the repairs to the Hollowforth aqueduct on the Lancaster Canal for instance will be expensive.
We should continue to remind our politicians of the need for adequate funding of our waterways. The damage caused when something goes wrong can be considerable, both physical and economic. Even loss of life is likely in extreme circumstances. The answer is regular maintenance to identify problems and correct them before eg structures collapse, but the backlog is now so great that is not easy.
Volunteer organisations are also struggling. The IWA needs more members, particularly younger and more active members. Our committee still needs a secretary for instance. I personally seem to be wearing 4 hats which is proving too much, especially as my role as chair of the Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership CIC is taking up more of my time. As a Community Interest Company, LCRP has to comply with various Companies House requirements, HMRC returns etc.
The Lancaster Canal Trust is in a similar situation, looking for a new chairman and short of active volunteers for work parties.
Our switch of venue and return to meeting on Tuesdays has not had much impact on numbers attending our monthly branch meetings. There are still not many of us there, despite our interesting speakers. Where else do you get to handle a Brown Bess musket?
The CRT event at Burscough to mark the 250th anniversary of the first part of the L&L Canal opening was a bit of a damp squib for us. The CRT and IWA gazebos were both in the yard behind the old stable block. Most visitors were on the opposite, towpath side of the canal so very few found us. At least we were able to try out the badge-making machine that we have been able to borrow again after many years. We will be taking that on all of our future outings.
We have not yet planned much for this year. We intend to return to the Fylde Vintage, Steam and Farm Show near Kirkham in June and maybe have a stand at the Garstang Show in August.
We hope to see some of you at the AGM in February. Although we would like more volunteers for the committee do not miss it for fear of having your arm twisted, we would really appreciate just your support. There will be a really interesting speaker this year giving us an insight into the major changes that the arrival of a canal brought to local communities.
Enjoy the cut whenever you can. David
Report of Branch meetings
September
“Wellington, Waterloo & Waterways 1793-1815”
Nigel Hardacre gave us some of the historical background to the late 17th and early 18th centuries when so many of our canals were built.
He wore his uniform of the ‘living history’ recreated unit of 1812 to 1815 ‘33rd Regiment of Foot’ and brought along various artefacts including his Brown Bess musket.
The woollen uniform is made by the same Yorkshire firm as 200 years ago.
When thinking of the construction of our canals so long ago, we often forget what else was going on at the time. In this case a war with France.
One of the places Nigel mentioned was Weedon Depot in Northamptonshire. It was built specifically to store muskets, cannon and gunpowder. The massive warehouses were linked to the Grand Union Canal.
By coincidence I was down there the following weekend and took some pictures of what it is like now. See page 10 Ed
October
Dr David Harrison, a member of the Sankey Canal Restoration Society told us about the history of the canal and current restoration activities.
The canal, connecting St Helens to the River Mersey, claims to be England’s first canal of the Industrial Revolution and the first modern canal in England. The Act authorising the Sankey Brook Navigation was passed in 1755 and it was carrying coal by 1757. All before the Bridgewater Canal.
NB The engineer for the canal, Henry Berry, also had a hand in the Newry Canal in Northern Island, the first canal in the British Isles.
Originally the Sankey carried coal for the growing chemical industries of Liverpool but they rapidly expanded and spread back along the line of the canal to St Helens. It was built for Mersey Flats, the sailing craft of the local rivers. To accommodate their masts, all road crossings were by swing bridges. The same for the railways except at Earlestown, where Stephenson constructed a massive viaduct across the canal for the first passenger railway from Manchester to Liverpool. (We may have a branch outing to the canal this year Ed)
November
Ian McCarthy treated us to an illustrated talk on the Rochdale Canal in Lancashire, mainly through Manchester*. He has an enormous collection of old and very old photographs showing so much of what is no longer there. The canal was a commercial success for many years but fell into decline like all the rest.
Restoration by Ian and others included emptying locks full of debris with a barrow hoist - the effort involved was impressive. There were also sad pictures of the locks filled in with hardcore and concrete by local authorities to keep children safe.
(*Some of us still regard Manchester, and Liverpool, as part of the real Lancashire. Ed)
Weedon
In the early 1800s the British Army needed a safe place to store muskets, cannon and gunpowder. Weedon Bec at the centre of England was chosen as existing ordnance depots were on the south coast and vulnerable to invasion. Work began in 1804 with eight storehouses, canal, powder magazines and perimeter walls completed within ten years.
The site grew with barracks, parade grounds, workshops, stabling for hundreds of horses, a hospital and prison. Even a small wood to provide timber for rifle stocks. Eventually the Depot supplied everything soldiers needed to fight around the world, millions of items passing through.
Hundreds of civilians worked alongside soldiers. It had its own fire brigade, doubled in size to 2 fire engines following a serious fire in the 1950’s. Weapons were covered in grease and burned furiously. It was the heart of a community with men and women sworn to secrecy about its role. It closed in 1965 and Weedon’s place in history was largely forgotten.
Today, privately owned and Grade II* Listed, the original 1814 buildings and many others are home to a community of workshops, craft, leisure and retail businesses. There is a Visitor Centre in Building 90 (opposite end of the site to Building 66).
Quiz from Janet Dunning
1) Where is Aylestone Tunnel?
2). Between Denver Sluice and Bedford there is one manned lock on the River Great Ouse. Where is it?
3). Inspired by The Calendar Girls, Waterway Recovery Group produced a calendar to raise funds. Which two celebrities were pictured viewing it?
4). On which lakes in the Lake District is there a Right of Navigation?
5). Which navigation is 13¾ miles long and has 13 locks?
6). How is the trip boat Birdswood propelled?
7). Who is the navigation authority for the River Chet?
8). Which canal society runs the trip boat Three Shires?
9). Where is Gurnett Aqueduct?
10). Perdiswell Park is alongside which canal?
11). How many locks on the Grand Union Canal?
12). Which motorways cross the Worcester and Birmingham Canal?
13).Which canal crosses Chell's Aqueduct?
14). Which four rivers enter The Wash?
15). Which canal basin lies at the foot of the Chasewater Dam?
16). Where is Lordings Waterwheel found? What is its purpose?
17). Where is Blunder Lock?
18). How many locks in the Watford Flight?
19). Which organisation runs the trip boat Electra?
20). What did the Falkirk Wheel replace?
Answers on page 33
Not a clue, just a winter picture with a slightly iffy bridge parapet
Lancaster Canal problems
Hollowforth Aqueduct
CRT Update on 22/11/2024:
Over the last few weeks significant steps being taken to address key areas of the project. The two porta dams have been repositioned closer together to simplify the over-pumping arrangement, making it more efficient. A new over-pumping setup has been installed to help our teams manage water levels effectively.
To support the bed repair, the contractor has established improved access points, enabling the safe delivery of clay to the work area. Additionally, a temporary access ramp has been installed to the collapsed aqueduct, facilitating the safe commencement of apron repairs. With this ramp in place, we have successfully removed all fallen debris from the northern side of the aqueduct. These debris have been cleared from the site, and work on repairing the aqueduct apron is now underway.
In the breach area, 40 tons of temporary fill material used to support the three-sided dam has been removed. This has been replaced with 40 tons of compacted clay as a permanent solution for the hole created when the water rushed out of the canal creating a scour to the bed of the canal. Further hedges have been cleared on the east side of the canal.
A recent site inspection following the removal of debris has revealed that the wingwall foundation of the aqueduct is in worse condition than initially anticipated. This will require either significant remedial works or a full replacement. Supporting the aqueduct internally within repairs will be necessary before the foundation can be removed and replaced, alongside temporary works. These unforeseen challenges are expected to extend the navigation reopening date to the end of March 2025, although we are working hard to improve on this timeline.
CRT Update on 13/12/2024:
We are pleased to share an update on the progress of the aqueduct repair works. Over the past few weeks, we have removed 160 tonnes of material from the site to begin the reinstatement works. After addressing challenges with the foundations supporting the wingwall,
our design team developed a new solution that allowed us to proceed with the works. This involved conducting several surveys and pouring a concrete base to provide a stable structure for rebuilding. With this in place, we have started laying the masonry blocks without issue. Scaffolding has been installed around the aqueduct to facilitate the safe and efficient installation of the masonry blocks, and we aim to have the wingwall fully rebuilt before Christmas. Once completed, we will focus on reinstating the embankment behind the wall in the new year.
Before we begin stitching repairs in the middle and south barrels next week, our ecology team will be onsite to check for any wildlife, such as bats, that might use the aqueduct for nesting.
Given the successful progress so far, we now anticipate reopening the canal by the end of February 2025. However, the towpath and public right of way will remain closed until the end of March 2025 to allow for ongoing construction works and land reinstatements.
The temporary 3-sided dam that was in place for a short while to allow boats trapped on both sides of the breach to get past.
Lancaster Canal problems (continued)
Glasson Dock
I was invited by a local councillor to attend a public meeting of the Thurnham and Glasson Flood Forum. The village hall was packed with concerned local residents, several of them with farms.
The main issue was the flooding risk posed by the inoperable sea gate at Glasson Dock. There was also concern about the state of the sea wall and the potential for flooding of up to 4,000 acres. Ownership of the wall seems to be uncertain.
The sea gate remains in the lowered position due to problems with the hydraulic operating mechanism. Responsibility for maintenance of the gate is shared between the Environment Agency (25%) and the Port Commissioners. The commissioners say they have no money and the Environment Agency has to put any expenditure alongside other priorities. An inspection of the gate is due in March. The likely timescale for repairs is a minimum of 2 years but if the cost is over £3million (!) it could be 3 to 5 years.
There are also problems with CRT’s lock gates from the marina basin. At high tides these sometimes have to be left open allowing an influx of seawater into the fresh water basin. A previous incident when basin levels were low apparently led to fish dying although CRT did not seem convinced about this. The lock gates are scheduled to be replaced in the autumn of 2027.
Meanwhile local residents are devising ways of minimising the flood risk, including simple measures to show the depth of the water on flooded roads.
Like just about everything else, it comes down to money, and nobody seems to have any.
David Faulkner
The Lancaster Canal Trust
For medical reasons Robin Yates has had to step down as LCT Chair. Peter Jones the vice-chair has stepped in but he is unable to take on the role permanently. The Trust is therefore looking for a Chair and a Secretary (a post that has been vacant for some time).
Access to the landing stage at the Stables has been improved by the contractors as part of the recent LCRP Towpath Trail surfacing work.
We will be resuming work parties on furlongs 2 & 3. Removal of the bund at the first furlong (and relocation of the water pipe) awaits CRT’s approval of the leakage report.
Above taken from Peter’s January Bulletin Ed
Leeds & Liverpool Canal problems
The following is taken from the Pennine Cruisers website Pennine Cruisers are based at Skipton.
Pennine Cruisers will not be offering short break or weekly holiday hire boats after November 2024, we will review this in 2026 and may well re-introduce holiday hire boats into our fleet for 2027 onwards.
The Leeds Liverpool canal is not being maintained to a high enough standard to keep it open and navigable. Canal & River Trust (CRT) have recently completed some major works to one of the 7 reservoirs that feed the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. This was Barrowford reservoir. The repairs undertaken meant that when finished, the new full level of this reservoir was thousands of mega litres less water than previously as this was the only cost-effective repair; these repairs over-ran by months and months. By close water management and two seriously wet seasons the canal system managed to stay open with just enough water whilst these repairs were undertaken.
CRT now have planned works for the 2025/2026 season for another 2 of the 7 reservoir’s that feed the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, so we will have even less water available to us to keep the canal open whilst these reservoirs are worked on.
CRT have no choice but to do these works as they have informed us this is due to a government change in standards, requiring upgrades to be done.
We fear that even if we have a wet season next year, with the loss of 2 of the 7 reservoirs and the new lower capacity of Barrowford, that it is highly probable that we will see significant lock closures. If we have dry weather then these closures are likely to start early and last for a large part of our trading season.
On top of the water resources issues we face the fact that the general maintenance of the canal network is lacking. Hardly any preventative work takes place from CRT, it’s all reactive and therefore ends up in closures that last longer than necessary and cost the Trust way more than they ever should do.
These matters only seem to be getting worse, with more and more issues arising and CRT having less and less funds to fix them. The
stress this causes us with the uncertainty of not knowing what to tell our customers is unbelievably difficult.
Pennine Cruisers has been trading for nearly 60 years, and has always offered holiday hire. It is a real shame for us to now remove this from our business, but we have to plan and be realistic in order to future-proof and protect our business. Thankfully our daily boat hire and trip boats are unaffected by canal closures due to water resources as it’s the locks that get closed and these boats don’t use the locks. We are very grateful that we operate in such a lovely picturesque 17mile lock-free pound and therefore we can diversify and expand these aspects of our business whilst the canal network is hopefully invested in by CRT.
At our monthly trade meetings, CRT keep telling us all that the canal will be better at the end of all these repairs, and we are hopeful it will be, however many businesses won’t be around at the end of this process unless they manage to successfully diversify. CRT offer no compensation to any boaters, businesses or private individuals when the canal is closed. As a business if we can’t fulfil your holiday we give you a full refund, we often get very little notice of a closure, so with very little notice we have to cancel and refund all our holiday bookings. We do not even get a reduction in our licence fees for when the canal is closed, never mind any form of compensation.
So our diversification plan is to: remove the holiday hire boats from our fleet for the 2025 and 2026 season. Add 2 more day boats to our fleet for the 2025 season, so we will run 8 day boats. We also plan to add a 3rd trip boat into our fleet at some point during the 2025 season. The new additions will all be new builds and will be introduced in phases throughout 2025 as and when they are ready.
We hope you are understanding of our situation, and hope that you will consider holidaying with us again at some point in the future as and when the time is right for us to expand back into the holiday sector.
Yours Zoe, Ian & Pam (owners), and the whole team here at Pennine.
Canal & River Trust, IWA, Kendal Town Council, Lancs County Council, Lancaster Canal Trust, Lancaster City Council and Westmorland & Furness Council
The current improvements to the Towpath Trail surface have been completed, they reached North Road, Holme. The comparison photographs are below. Previously a very muddy stretch after rain.
The surface of the improved Trail is not what we expected. The top surface of section to Stainton from Wellheads Lane was crushed limestone giving a pale colour and setting very hard. The latest section has crushed slate which is almost black. We will be monitoring its performance to ensure that it sets as hard as promised.
The Great British Rake-Off
On a Saturday morning in December a dozen or so keen types arrived with our rakes to clear the edges of the Trail from Wellheads Lane near Stainton to the start of the new section beyond the Stainton aqueduct. The width of the trail can be reduced if vegetation is not pulled back.
Some of the helpers showing the before and after effect.
After a couple of hours of vigorous exercise we were rewarded with lots of homemade cake and a hot drink. We will need more work parties such as this if we are to maintain the Trail in good condition.
David
The day school in Preston at the beginning of November organised in conjunction with the Lancashire Local History Federation was very well attended. The topic was The Canals and Waterways of Lancashire. Between them, the array of distinguished and knowledgeable speakers created a very interesting day to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the opening of the L&L Canal from Parbold to Wigan.
Nigel Hardacre took along IWA material for a small display stand. We were rather squeezed out by others there. On either side there were 2 big displays of second hand books on a wide range of historical topics. Speaking as someone who is trying to declutter it was hard not to come away with an armful. Ed
The society is looking for donations to “Keep Kennet Afloat”. She is currently in dry dock having her bottom blacked and other work. You can email treasurer@leedsandliverpoolcanalsociety.co.uk
Where Kennet would normally be at this time of year
I think a case could be made for awarding an IWA Silver Sword to a dog following the Disney-like exploits of branch members’ dog Kes during their recent boating holiday to Chester!
Leo and Freda Pollard had moored up ‘Lady Dinah’ for the night at Daresbury on the Bridgewater and were watching TV at 8.30pm when they realised that Kes had abandoned ship.
The rest of that evening and the following day the Pollard search party was out in force. Leo donned his Horwich Harriers kit and put in some useful training by running to Lymm and back. Freda search diligently round Moore village and son Gary walked as far as Preston brook and back. Every passing boat was interrogated , the police contacted but all to no avail.
In the evening, Freda having become resigned to having lost Kes, telephoned her daughter Elaine for solace but was given the glad tidings that Kes was at home, safe and well!!!
It appears that he had run all through the night and had arrived back at the home moorings at L&L Cruisers, at bridge 71 on the Leeds and Liverpool at 10.00am that morning!
The debate is still going on as to how Kes negotiated that journey. Leo thinks that somehow he recognised the TV mast at Winter Hill and headed across country. He must have crossed the Ship Canal and Mersey on the way. A couple from Shropshire who had been on their boat, met the Pollards, heard the story and wrote to them afterwards enquiring if they had discovered how Kes had made the journey. They had studied maps and concluded that if Kes had come along the towpath he had travelled 45 miles, negotiated the Barton Aqueduct as well as changing towpaths on Wigan Locks.
Branch Programme
3rd Tuesday at St Bede’s, Clayton Green, see page 26
DATE SPEAKER
Tuesday 21 Jan 2025
Steve Haywood Author On Zoom:
Mtg ID 890 2654 5186 Passcode 086651
We will email you a link in January
Tuesday 18 Feb
Tuesday 18 March
Sandra Nolan
Who has a shop by the canal at Burscough selling canal clothing and artefacts. This will follow the AGM
Maarja Kaaristo
Senior Lecturer in the Department of Marketing, International Business, and Tourism at Manchester Metropolitan University. For the past 10+ years, she has researched the canals in North West England, focusing primarily on their tourism and leisure uses.
Maarja is a member of IWA Manchester Branch,
TOPIC
Steve has written several amusing books about his 50 years of cruising the canals and has a fund of stories plus some pithy comments.
Sandra will talk about the social history of the impact of the L&L Canal reaching Burscough over 200 years ago.
Maarja will explore the transformation of Manchester's canal network from the Industrial Revolution to the present day. It will examine the crucial role that waterways, such as the Bridgewater Canal and the Manchester Ship Canal, played in shaping the city's economic growth and urban landscape.
Because the numbers were low we changed the venue of the December meeting to the house of one of the committee members. As well as plenty to eat and drink we watched the video of the demolition of the old tramway bridge across the Ribbleprofessionally produced and very entertaining. We also tackled a quiz from Janet Dunning which sparked the usual reminiscences and stories about various locations on the canal system.
The difficulty of the quiz can be gauged by the one from Janet on page 12. We did not split into teams or anything serious for the quiz, just shouted out answers. Fortunately for your editor I was the one asking the questions as I knew very few of the correct answers.
Social meetings new venue
St Bede’s Parish Centre, Preston Road, Clayton Green PR6 7EB
It is 1 mile south along the A6 from junction 29 of the M6 signposted Bamber Bridge then Chorley. The entrance is on the LHS between 2 black gateposts about 50 yards before the Lidl roundabout. If you miss the entrance turn left at the roundabout onto Westwood Road and the rear entrance is 50 yards down there. Ignore the No Entry signs.
Approaching from Chorley it is easier to turn right into Westwood Road at the Lidl roundabout then left into the school entrance.
Park in the car park or go past another No Entry sign to park next to the hall and its entrance.
Entrance from A6 (Preston Road).
If you miss it go 50 yards to roundabout, first exit into Westwood Road
Entrance from Westwood Road, ignore No Entry signs. Park on RHS or go straight on to park by the hall. To reach hall go through gates and park on LHS
IWA LANCASHIRE & CUMBRIA BRANCH
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting of the IWA Lancashire and Cumbria Branch is to be held at St Bede’s Parish Centre, Preston Road, Clayton Green PR6 7EB on Tuesday 18th February 2025 starting at 7:30 pm
AGENDA
1: Apologies for absence
2: Present
3: Approval of minutes of the previous AGM held on 21/2/24
4: Matters Arising
5: Region Chair’s Report
6: Branch Chair’s Report
7: Treasurer’s Report
8: Election/re-election to the Committee:
Under the three year rule Audrey Smith, Malcolm Sterratt & David Faulkner are due for re-election Applications to join the committee are welcome
& Cumbria Branch
Volunteers / Nominees must be an IWA member of this branch and be in
Please return this form before Monday 10th February 2025 to: David Faulkner 22 Moorland Road, Langho, Blackburn BB6 8EX or by email to david.faulkner@waterways.org.uk or present to the above at the start of the AGM Under the bye-laws nominations can be accepted from the floor at the AGM
Minutes of IWA Lancs & Cumbria Branch AGM 21st February 2024 at 7.30pm Held at Ibis Hotel Preston North, Eastway, Preston
The Chairman, David Faulkner, welcomed everyone to the meeting. 14 members and guests were in attendance.
Apologies were received from Tony & Janet Dunning, Ian Treanor and the NW Region Chairman Sir Robert Atkins.
Minutes of the 2023 AGM, having been published in full in the recent Branch magazine, were taken as read and accepted as a true record.
Prop: M Sterratt Sec: R Symonds
Region Chairman’s Report [App A] was read out by the Chairman. This was followed by a short discussion regarding possible opportunities to attract and involve members of other societies with environmental and heritage concerns along with students at the various Higher Education facilities in the area.
Branch Chairman’s Report [App B] was given by David Faulkner.
Treasurer’s Report [App C] was presented by Malcolm Sterratt and accepted as a true record.
Prop: D Faulkner Sec: A Smith
There followed a short discussion regarding the potential value of purchasing a card-reader for upcoming events. It was agreed further investigations should take place.
Election of committee members – under the 3-year rule, Janet Dunning was required to stand down. As Janet’s was the only nomination received she was elected “nem com”.
John Hewerdine thanked all the committee for their efforts during the past 12 months.
David Faulkner closed the formal meeting.
Following a short break for refreshments David Faulkner gave a slide presentation about the storm damage to Stainton Aqueduct in 2015 and the successful bids by CRT and LCRP for funds from both NHLF and Sport England. These allowed for full restoration at Stainton plus additional work at Hincaster Tunnel and Sedgwick Aqueduct, the funding of a community engagement officer for 3 years and extensive towpath improvements.
MESSAGE FOR THE AGM FROM REGION CHAIRMAN
Apologies for not being with you as usual this evening but I am attending a Special Meeting of the IWA National Trustees.
You will be familiar with the troubles confronting the IWA as I have enunciated them over recent months. But where are we now?
1. We are NOT in a financial crisis. Our accounts have been submitted and accepted by the Charity Commission. But.... membership - and the concomitant income is declining, and fairly fast. We receive many legacies but, by their very nature, they are unpredictable and often tied to specific projects. So finance is a problem and we have to find new ways to raise it.
2. Can we maintain the service to members that we have for many years. For example, our Waterways magazine and those of the branches cost a good deal of money. Are they worth it?
3. Is a professionally-staffed HQ in Chesham viable? Could we reduce staff and substitute volunteers?
4. Should we be lobbying National & Local Government more and does the APPG on Waterways work?
5. WRG is an essential part of IWA’s activity - it needs more focus and a greater role.
6. Environmental sustainability and heritage protection should be higher on our list of objectives.
Enough to be going on with!
We have elected/appointed new National Officers:
Mike Wills - Chairman
Nick Dybeck - Deputy Chairman, Restoration
Sue O’Hare - Deputy Chairman, Navigation & Campaigns
Peter Marlow - Deputy Chairman, Membership & Environment
Paul Lynam, Deputy Chairman, Finance
Enjoy the evening!
Appendix B
Chairman’s report to Branch AGM 21 February 2024
Firstly, I would like to thank past and present members of the branch committee for their commitment to the branch. Our current members are Audrey, Janet, Malcolm, Nigel and Ian who represents the Lancaster Canal Trust. Plus our Region Chairman Robert who attends our committee meetings when he can. Maralyn and Jim Nott have moved away and have left the committee, their valuable contribution is much missed, especially Maralyn who was our branch secretary. Tony Dunning has also resigned due to ill health. He has been a hard working and loyal member of this branch for many, many years, latterly as vice-chairman.
It is not up to the committee to do everything, but we could do more if we had a bigger committee. Currently our committee meetings are on Zoom every 2 months; the facility to do that is kindly provided by Gillian and Rich Smith. We are also grateful to them for storing the variety of equipment belonging to the branch.
During the winter months we continued with our monthly social meetings. At the beginning of the year, we stayed in Chorley, then in September we moved to the Ibis Hotel in Preston. We thought that a more central location, easily accessible by road would enable more branch members to attend. A few new people have joined us but not as many as we had hoped. Before next September we will need to consider whether we stick with this location and whether we have monthly meetings at all. Maybe have alternative, less frequent events where members can get together.
In May we took the IWA gazebo to the Westmorland Showground at Crooklands for Country Fest as we have done for several years. Thanks to everyone who helped. Although we talk to people about canals and the IWA, the committee feels that there must be alternative events where the patrons are more receptive to our message. This year we are going to try the Fylde Vintage, Steam and Farm Fair near Kirkham. A more convenient location for committee members, not as close to the Lancaster Canal as Crooklands but close enough.
In July we had our usual Balsam Bash at Haslam Park in Preston with the Friends of Haslam Park. Only 2 of us turned up.
We missed a trick at the end of August by not attending the Burnley Canal Festival, we found out about it too late. We will try to attend this year if it is held again.
Nigel Hardacre led several walks, often in conjunction with the Lancaster Canal Trust and the Friends of the Tramway Bridge. These have proved to be very popular, attracting some people from outside all 3 organisations via Facebook.
We published 3 editions of our branch newsletter ‘Towing Path Topics’, edited by myself. My thanks to the few people who contributed items for inclusion. Special thanks to Janet Dunning for proof reading and saving my blushes on more than one occasion.
As your chairman I attend IWA Region meetings, the Lancaster Canal Trust and the Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership of which I am now chairman. I also attend national meetings of the branch chairs. As an ordinary member I attended the national AGM. All of these meetings were on video using Zoom or MS Teams, saving much travelling.
Looking ahead we will complete our winter programme of branch meetings here in March and April. We are planning an event at Johnsons Hillock locks on Saturday 4th May as part of the May Day weekend national events to publicise the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign. There will be a branch outing to the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal on Thursday 23rd May. We’ll probably have another Balsam Bash in July and as mentioned before we’ll attend the Burnley Canal Festival but the latest news that I have is that they are taking a break this year
Finally, thanks again for all the help given to me during the year by the committee and others.
David Faulkner
Appendix C
It has not been possible to print the accounts presented to the meeting. Copies will be available at the AGM or contact the editor for a copy.
Answers to the quiz on page 12
20). The 11 locks of the Falkirk Flight which lowered the Union Canal to the Forth and Clyde Canal
19) The Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Trust
18). 7
17). On the Stroudwater Canal near Eastington, between Stroud and the M5. The lock apparently got its name because the engineer in charge got levels wrong
16). On the Wey and Arun Canal at Lordings (Orford) Aqueduct. It lifts water from the River Arun, which flows under the aqueduct, to feed the canal
14). River Witham, River Welland, River Nene and River Great Ouse 15). Anglesey Basin
10.) The Worcester and Birmingham Canal 11). 166 12). M5 and M42, 13). The Trent and Mersey Canal
9). On the Macclesfield Canal
8). The Grantham Canal Society
7). The Broads Authority
6). Birdswood operates on the Cromford Canal and is either horse-drawn or propelled by an electric outboard motor
5). The Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation (IWA is the Navigation Authority)
4). Windermere, Ullswater, Coniston Water and Derwent Water
3). Timothy West and Prunella Scales
2). Hermitage Lock near Earith. The non-tidal river locks into a short tidal stretch which can flood in certain conditions.
1). On the Hereford and Gloucester Canal in Hereford
Based around Crooklands
(Near junction 36 of the M6)
Spot the difference
And there will be the Troll Trail, find the different trolls!
