Towpath Telegraph May 2011

May 2011

TOWPATH TELEGRAPH

Journal of the IWA’s Milton Keynes Branch

The refurbished Wolverton Mural gleams in the sunlight, its quirky streamlined loco restored and now proudly bearing the name of its original creator. See Page 10. Photo: Les Franklin.

The Inland Waterways Association

The IWA (registered charity no. 212342) campaigns for the restoration, conservation and sensitive development of the waterways, and for their fullest commercial and recreational use consistent with safeguarding their historic and natural environment.

If you are not a member and would like to find out more: contact any of the Branch Committee members listed on Page 16; contact IWA Head Office, Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA, telephone 01494 783453; visit the IWAweb site at www.waterways.org.uk

Welcome to May Towpath Telegraph . . .

As we send this edition to press, there has been no significant rain in these parts for some weeks. Is it going to be a summer of water shortages on the canal system? We don’t know.

What we do know is that there has been no shortage of achievements in these parts; The recent Clean-up was a resounding success from all points of view (including BW’s), and the refurbished Wolverton Train Mural looks better now than it has for years. Read about both in the following pages. We hope you enjoy this edition.

Chairman's column Meetings at the Pavilion New members MK’s rubbish - safe in our hands!

Mikron Theatre Lionhearts Cruising Club seeks new members Jack Sanderson, 1931 - 2011 Committee news B&MKWT says “Float our boat!”

Diary Page Buckingham Canal Society news Mural refurbishment completed Your favourite place?

DEFRA consults on BW’s future Jim Payler, Blisworth photographer Wendover Arm Trust raffle tickets Other WAT news Milton Keynes Marina open day Continuous Cruising judgment Editor’s Page River Nene to be improved Getting in touch with MK Branch

2 3 3 4-5 5 6 6 6 7 8 9 10 - 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16

Chairman’s Column

Many of you know that our Chairman Peter Caswell is in Harefield Hospital, having been fitted with an externally powered assistive heart pump. His progress since then has suffered several setbacks, but he was able to scribble the following note for TPT. DearAll, There is little I can write about canals for this edition, other than I am missing them terribly. The desire to read flows and ebbs, due to the need for some new glasses and better lighting, so I only read the headlines in the magazines. This note is due to Jane being able to decipher my squiggles.

I must say I was able to look at the photos of the mural. WOW - does it look good or what? I think I owe Joseph a pint - or two if he is not driving! The result of the clean-up was, as always, stunning.

Congratulations to all who organised it and/or who took part. I would also like to thank you all for my cards and good wishes; I was very moved by them all. Lastly on a personal note, I would like to thank Jane and my elder sister Jean who have been making trips of 3½ hours a day for at least 3 days sometimes 5 days - each week for the last 9 weeks, to visit and help me. Jane is always my link to the outside world, particularly IWA. I look forward to seeing you all in the not too distant future.

Best regards, Peter.

Latest (26 April): Peter is in good spirits and is able to walk a little. He has recently been out of doors for the first time in eleven weeks! We know all members will join the Committee in wishing him well.

SAVE THE BRANCH MONEY! Stop receiving Towpath Telegraph by post, and view it in full colour over the telegraph wires on the IWA web site at www.waterways.org.uk/regions_branches/eastern/Milton_Keynes/tt. Email Pete Bickers (see Page 16) with your name, postal address and IWA membership number. You’ll receive reminders when new editions are available, and information such as AGM notices as required by IWA Byelaws. For more details, please contact the Editor.

Page 2

Meetings at the Pavilion The Branch has been holding its social meetings at the Milton Keynes Village Pavilion since September 2007. It has proved to be very popular, with far better facilities than our previous venue including good parking and ground-floor access.

The Manager, Michael Schwartz, has given notice that from September his charge to us for each evening will rise from £50 to £90. An 80% increase may seem excessive, but he has held the £50 rate for us since January 2008, we often occupy the Pavilion for more time than our fee officially buys, and Michael and his team provide a splendid service and atmosphere for our Christmas Socials. We only found the Pavilion after a long search back in 2007, and we are aware that higher rates are now charged for poorer facilities elsewhere. The Committee believes therefore that we should stay at the Pavilion.

Increasing fuel costs mean that the expenses we pay to visiting speakers have risen too.

Nevertheless, we have to try to cover our costs, so that we do not eat into Branch funds that are intended to support waterway causes. In consultation with IWA Head Office, the Committee has agreed that, on a trial basis from September, we should follow the example of some other Branches and ask for a voluntary donation of £2 per head (both members and non-members).

The £2 will give each member or guest automatic entry in the raffle (1 strip of 5 tickets), and you will be free to purchase additional tickets if you wish at £1 a strip. When you sign in, you will be asked if you are doing so for just yourself or for someone else too. This is because (for example) an individual signing in A warm welcome to the for a couple and offering £4 will receive 2 strips (2 voluntary donations), following members who have recently joined MK Branch. but an individual signing in for himself only and also offering £4 will We hope to see you at our receive 3 strips (1 strip for his voluntary donation + 2 strips purchased). activities this summer, or at

New members

For the Christmas social, we will continue with the arrangements for previous years: admission tickets charged at a rate to cover the costs of room hire and meals, and raffle tickets sold at 50p per ticket.

We hope that you will find these arrangements acceptable, and will support us in funding the social meetings in this way.

next season’s meetings.

Mr & Mrs KArmstrong, Cranfield Mr & Mrs S Deveson, Wootton Mr G L & Mrs L E Lyman, Haynes MissA J Strong, Lavendon Mr & Mrs STraynor, Shenley Lodge, MK

A warm welcome from Gregg, Angela and the team at Grove Lock.

Pop in for a drink of one of our outstanding cask conditioned ales or wines from around the world, or perhaps stay a little longer and enjoy some of our excellent home-cooked food.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Grove Lock: Grove, nr Leighton Buzzard, LU7 0QU Tel: 01525 380940. Email: grovelock@fullers.co.uk Page 3

MK’s rubbish - safe in our hands!

A record haul of 12 tons of rubbish was recovered from the Grand Union Canal running through Milton Keynes over the weekend 1 3 April by Branch volunteers, working in partnership with British Waterways and the Wyvern Shipping Co Ltd. This biggest haul ever included a blown safe, two telescopic sighted rifles, 22 shopping trolleys, 38 bicycles, a sunken metal dinghy, 9 mattresses, wheels, tyres, scaffold poles, TVs, fridges, a motor cycle, and even a Wolverton Railway Works barrow.

Part of the record haul, including the safe and two telescopic rifles. Photo: Rodney Evans.

You name it - we found it in the canal, by grappling from the back of the towed workboat and from the bank. Then there were some 30 black sacks we filled with rubbish collected from the towpath and adjacent hedgerow b e t w e e n F e n n y St r a t f o r d a n d Wolverton. This is a sad reflection on those who treat the wonderful asset of the canal as a dump.

Some 50 people helped in the clean-up, including (on Saturday) an energetic band of Leighton Buzzard Scouts supervised by three of their own leaders. For the first time, as a result of the advance publicity arranged by BW, several members of the public joined the IWA volunteers and their boats. Total volunteer man-hours on this clean-up (including 105 hours clocked up by the Scouts) was 513.

BW staff Paul Swaby and Ian Tyler, manning their dredger, assisted with recovery of some very heavy items including the safe (at Bridge 90B - too heavy to remove on a previous occasion) and the metal dinghy (south of Bridge 69, Wolverton). There were several instances where the BW crane grab was able to achieve a result far quicker than ageing volunteers - and with less risk of injury.

As last autumn’s clean-up covered the Fenny Stratford-Slapton stretch, the Milton Keynes pound had not been cleared for 12 months. With this interval, it is very difficult to get all rubbish retrieved into the hopper and pan combined. It was only because the contents of the hopper were compacted first thing Saturday by BW staff using the dredger bucket that we were able to complete our run. Unfortunately, during the compacting process, the bucket struck one of the window frames on David King's boat and caused some damage. David is in discussion with BW on recovering the cost of putting this right. /continued opposite.

Page 4

MK’s rubbish - safe in our hands! - continued.

MIKRON THEATRE Mikron Theatre Co. is on our stretch of the cut once again this June, with two shows:

Beer Street (BS) tells the story of pubs and beer, and their part in society. Has the traditional pub survived as the community's social centre? How has the smoking ban affected pubs? Full of fun, music and lively chat.

The BW dredger recovers a sunken metal dinghy from the canal near Wolverton. Photo: Tony Collins.

Jeff Whyatt, General Manager, BW South East, said: "It always staggers me how much stuff is recovered – I can’t help thinking that some of our press exposure needs to be directed at the community that creates so much of the mess in the first place. In the meantime, congratulations on the success of the event".

The support of the British Waterways team contributed greatly toward the success of the Clean-up on this occasion. Many thanks to them, to Wyvern Shipping for their sponsorship, and to all the IWA and other volunteers who took part.

Hell and High Water (HHW), Mikron's new show for 2011, tells how three men had the vision of bringing coal to Manchester by canal, and hundreds of others toiled to make it a reality.

Thurs 9, 7.30pm, Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne, HHW Fri 10, 7.30pm, Black Horse, Great Linford, BS Sat 11, 7.30pm, InterAction, Peatree Bridge, MK, HHW Sun 12, 7.30pm, Grand Union at Three Locks, BS Wed 15,7.30pm, Grand JunctionArms, Bulbourne, BS

From text by David King See http://mikron.org.uk/ and Rodney Evans. tourDates.php

Our base at Linslade is within weekend reach of the Waterways Museum at Stoke Bruerne, or the Chiltern Hills and Aylesbury. Choice of exciting one or two week cruises including the Thames. 28 luxury boats, 2-8 berth.

Boat builders. Repairs. Dry dock.

Waterside holiday cottage.

Rothschild Road, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard, Beds, LU7 2TF Tel: 01525 372355 Fax: 01525 852308 Web site: www.canalholidays.co.uk

Email: james@canalholidays.co.uk

Members of IWA, Blue Riband, BMF and B&MK Waterway Trust

Page 5

Lionhearts Cruising Club seeks new members

Lionhearts Cruising Club is located on the Grand Union Canal, by the pretty medieval village of Great Linford, Milton Keynes, between Bridges 79 and 79a. It is situated next to a 19th-century brickworks (an ancient monument), in attractive and extensive tree-lined grounds fronting the Canal.

There are moorings for 40 boats, maximum length 38ft, with slipway and paint dock facilities for members.

It is a sociable club with a program of The Club’s attractive setting at Great Linford. cruises and social events throughout the year. Our Summer Friends and Family Day attracts some 600 visitors each year from the local community - come along on Saturday 2 July, from 1pm onwards, for a fun day out for young and old alike. Access is from Monks Way via St Leger Drive and Nicholas Mead, MK14 5EL. The club welcomes enquiries from new active members. For further details, please email the Membership Secretary at ashmorebh@tiscali.co.uk or telephone the Treasurer on 01908 631650.

Committee News

The Committee has encouraged Peter Caswell not to relinquish the post of Chairman (see opposite), and we are sharing his duties as best we can. At February’s Branch AGM, John Herrick, Michael Weinberg and Suzanne Tomkinson stood down from the Committee, and we thank them for their efforts for the Branch.

Jack Sanderson, 1931-2011 As we go to press, we have received the sad news of the death, on 25 April, of muchloved Branch member Jack Sanderson. Our condolences go to Mary and the family.

We will publish a fuller tribute to Jack in our September edition.

Page 6

Peter Caswell, Rodney Evans, Marie Draper and Roy Cleverly were all re-elected by rotation. Martin Banks (co-opted during the year) and his wife Lyn were elected. At the Committee meeting in March, all officeholders were confirmed in their previous posts, but the Vice-Chairman’s post remains vacant.

Michael Weinberg has kindly agreed to continue arranging Branch insurance and risk-assessment matters as a non-Committee member.

Tony Birch has agreed to take over monitoring Planning applications; he already does a similar job for the Leighton Buzzard Society. Vernon Draper continues as Branch Webmaster. We are most grateful for this assistance from non-Committee members.

All these changes are reflected in the Contact List on the back page.

B&MKWT SAYS “FLOAT OUR BOAT!” An appeal for sponsorship has been launched by the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust, seeking support for the Trust’s latest venture – the Bedford Community Boat – which we hope to get off the slipway and into the water by summer 2012.

“We know how powerful a boat like this can be in demonstrating the benefits of a river or canal environment, as well as enthusing people about creating the missing 26km link between the Grand Union Canal and the Great Trust supporters at Bedford River Ouse,” Jane Wolfson, Trust chair, explained. “The Ouse Festival 2010. Photo © Keith Malone. between Bedford and Kempston is a particularly beautiful, under-used stretch of river. Both Bedford Borough Council and the Environment Agency want to see it better used and appreciated. We want to support that objective by making people realise how much fulfilment and educational opportunity the riverside can offer,” she said.

The Trust wants its own boat to cruise during the summer in Bedford to build community support and involvement. The aim is to launch a 60-foot, 50-seat broadbeam boat in time for the Bedford River Festival in 2012, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the original plan for the waterway. It will cost £120,000 to build and fit out a boat, train crew and get ready to cruise. When bidding for grants, the Trust needs to raise matching funding, so the initial target is £60,000. Members and the local community are being asked to offer sponsorships. Although promises were requested by 22 April, so that bids for grants can be submitted during the spring/summer, it is not too late to offer sponsorship.

Families and individuals can get on board with a sponsorship gift or a loan – bronze (£100 gift/£500 loan), silver (£250 gift/£1,000 loan), gold (£500 gift/£2,500 loan) or platinum (£1,000 gift/£5,000 loan).

It is hoped that businesses will offer sponsorships of £500 or £1,000, whilst community groups and educational establishments are being asked to commit £250 each. As a thank-you to Founding Funders, free trips and publicity will be provided.

You can find all the details on our website at www.b-mkwaterway.co.uk B&MKWT press release, April 2011.

Boat Safety Inspections DAVID TUCKER Authorised Examiner for the Boat Safety Scheme Competitive rates.

For more details, please contact David on 01908 670151 or 07788 705969 mobile Email: dt_boats@hotmail.com Page 7

Diary Page

We hope to see you on or beside the cut at some of the events listed here. Our own events are in bold type; - for more information on these, please contact Rodney Evans unless other Committee members are named (contact details on back page). For other events (regular type), sources of further information are given where known.

Tuesday 10 May 8pm

Bedford-Milton Keynes Waterway Trust AGM. United Reform Church, Newport Pagnell.

13 - 15 May

The Cheese Boat moors up at the Globe, Linslade.

Drop by to try delicious cheeses, pickles and chutneys.

21 - 22 May

Rickmansworth Festival - boats, stalls, entertaiment, food & drink Batchworth Lock, Rickmansworth. More info: www.rwt.org.uk

28 - 30 May

Wendover Canal Festival, GU Main Line, Boxmoor, H Hempstead After a year off, the Wendover Festival is back, with everything you’d expect historic boats, boat trips, traction engines and fairground, amusements and craft stalls. Admission charge. See www.wendoverarmtrust.co.uk

28 – 30 May

Crick Boat Show, Crick Marina, Northants. Boats, trade stands, entertainments, real ale. Info: www.crickboatshow.co.uk

3-5 June MK Branch Lock Ransom weekend, Three Locks, Soulbury.

Help welcome for our fund-raising event - contact David King.

Bring-your-own barbecue Sat & Sun, weather permitting.

10 - 12 June 10am - 6pm

Stoke Bruerne Gala Weekend. Boat trips, crafts and produce, music, historic boats, trade show, real ale. Car parking charge.

Info: http://www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk/ or 01604 862229.

Note: Mikron performance Thursday 9 June at Stoke Bruerne.

Sunday 26 June 10.30am

3-mile guided walk from Kempston Mill to Black Horse pub, Potters Cross, Wootton, with minibus return. Meet at Kempston Mill, MK42 7BD. Organised by B-MKWT, Sustrans and Bedford Borough Council.

Saturday 2 July 1pn on

Lionhearts Cruising Club Summer Friends & Family Day - a fun day out for all. Between Bridges 79 and 79a. See Page 6.

23 -24 July

29 – 31 July

Buckingham Canal Society Annual Gathering of Boats: Bric-a-brac, social evening for members and guests.

More info from Athina Beckett on 01908 661217.

Waterways Festival 2011, Burton-upon-Trent.

All the usual attractions: trade show, food and drink, entertainments.

Info: www.waterways.org.uk or 0844 800 6583.

Saturday 30 July Branch presence at Linslade Canal Festival. NOTE: attendance is subject to help in advance to prepare displays etc. and on the day.

If you can help, please contact Dave Roberts. Other info: gill.miller@leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk or 01525 631916.

Monday 26 September MK Branch meeting: "My life on Working Boats", talk by 7.45pm Beryl McDowell, former Chair, RBOA. MK Village Pavilion, Worelle Avenue, Middleton, MK Page 8

BUCKINGHAM CANAL SOCIETY NEWS The Buckingham Canal Society is continuing to make progress with the restoration of the canal on a number of levels. Formal partnerships are now in place with Bucks County Council, Aylesbury Vale District Council, Buckingham Town Council, and several parish councils along the route. We are also enjoying reaffirmed support from British Waterways for the restoration.

We are working at four sites between Buckingham and Helen Preston and Julie Featherstone Cosgrove. At Hyde Lane, we are working in partplanting trees at the BBOWT reserve. nership with BBOWT (Berks, Bucks, Oxon Wildlife Photo: Athina Beckett.

Trust), and we are negotiating with them for the Society to take over the lease on this stretch. The Society has worked here for several years, and we are progressing well with restoring the lock. As this site is a nature reserve, we are carrying out environmental activities including hedge laying, replanting saplings along the hedge, and footpath maintenance.

At our Little Hill Farm site, re-pointing of the stone canal bridge is nearing completion. We have also cleared the vegetation on the towpath on this section of the canal for about a mile.

At our third site at Cosgrove, discussions are taking place with British Waterways as to the best approach for re-watering this section, and we are also talking to the Highways Agency with the view to using the A5 bridge over the River Ouse as a potential canal crossing.

Lastly at our Bourton Meadow site, planning permission will be applied for shortly to re-water this section. An environmental impact study has been completed, and discussions are taking place with the local council to use the canal as part of a flood prevention scheme for Buckingham.

We continue to run our work parties three times a month on alternate Thursdays and on the second Sunday of each month. Our annual festival at Cosgrove is being held on 23 -24 July, when we hold a ‘Lock Ransom’to promote the restoration of the canal and to raise funds for future work.

Athina Beckett, Chairman, Buckingham Canal Society.

FOR SALE £30,000 o.n.o.

45ft narrowboat 2+2 berth, reverse layout BL 1800 engine Boat Safety Certificate October 2012 For further details contact Bill Joyce at: bilandval@btinternet.com 01536 724337 : 07808 571101 Page 9

Mural refurbishment completed

The Wolverton Train Mural looks splendid following the refurbishment completed in early April (see cover picture), but as Joseph Cresswell (Project Manager) points out below, the Mural is on borrowed time owing to the poor condition of parts of the wall.

The Wolverton Train Mural was originally created under the supervision of Community Artist Bill Billings in 1986 as part of the Milton Keynes Urban Aid Scheme (itself a spin-off from the IWA's National Rally the previous year).

To Bill the Mural represented Wolverton’s past, present and its future. It also covered up some extremely objectionable graffiti, and for a while remained remarkably free from vandalism. Over the years the Mural has been the site of a number of work parties by Branch volunteers, who re-painted weathered and vandalised sections and regularly cut back encroaching vegetation.

By 2010 the Mural was in urgent need of refurbishment following a number of acts of vandalism ranging from criminal damage to the theft of the gates that closed a gap in the wall; it was also very weather-worn. Concerned with its condition, members of IWA Milton Keynes Ryan Billings (foreground) applies his brush, with a Branch convened a meeting in May 2010 at Community Payback worker and Project Manager Wolverton Town Hall with representatives of the Joseph Cresswell. Photo: Les Franklin. voluntary sector and members of the local community interested in the Mural. There was strong support for the repainting project.

To fund a limited amount of work on the Mural, IWA MK Branch had obtained a Grant from the Milton Keynes Community Foundation. In early January, Electrolux plc funded the MK Christian Foundation, which trains unemployed youngsters in building skills, to create a short section of wall to replace the missing gates. In January, Wolverton and Greenleys Town Council agreed to fund the majority of the costs of re-painting the Mural using Section 106 funds, so-called “planning gain money”. The S106 money was specifically allocated for the refurbishment of the canal towpath environment. British Waterways loaned equipment to ensure that the work site was a safe environment to meet the necessary health and safety requirements of working along the towpath.

Three Community Artists, David Fenton (leader), Neil Keen and Ryan Billings (son of Bill Billings who created the Mural in 1986), have re-painted it with the support of the Thames Valley Probation Service, which provided Community Payback offenders, and volunteers from the local community and from IWA MK Branch. The artists had worked closely for a number of years with Bill prior to his death in 2007, and have now used more modern paints and techniques than Bill had available in 1986. /continued opposite.

Page 10

Mural refurbishment completed - continued.

For the time being the Mural’s appearance has been stabilised, but the condition of the wall varies from very sound to very poor. The spalling of the bricks and the “blowing” of the mortar will continue over a large area of the wall, with consequent damage to the Mural. In addition there is a significant crack in the northern end of the wall which could lead to its collapse. It will become more difficult to maintain the Mural as the wall deteriorates.

Joseph Cresswell.

YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE?

To celebrate their 50th issue in August, Countryfile Magazine is planning a special issue devoted to the 50 greatest places in the UK countryside to escape to. It could be a day trip, a mountain range, a market town, a heritage site, a walk or simply an idyllic and relaxing area of the countryside. It would be great if we Unless the ownership of the wall can be could get some canalside established or funds can be found to locations included to promote our waterways!

rebuild it, the long-term future of the David Fenton paints the new Mural remains uncertain. Grateful section of brick wall. Photo: thanks are due to Milton Keynes ComLes Franklin. munity Foundation, Wolverton and Greenleys Town Council, Electrolux plc, MK Christian Foundation, Thames Valley Probation Service, British Waterways, the Community Artists, IWA and community volunteers, and to Joseph Cresswell. - Ed.

E-mail your suggestions to editor@countryfile.com or fill in an online form at http://www.countryfile.com/ ruraltreasures HO Bulletin, April 2011.

Willowbridge Marina 01908 643242

office@willowbridgemarina.co.uk

www.willowbridgemarina.co.uk

Willowbridge Marina is a working boatyard specialising in lifting boats in and out of the water, as well as on and off transport. We are a family-run business, working hard to provide services to canal boat owners and users in the Milton Keynes area.

We offer the following services: - Well-stocked Chandlery, including stainless steel fastenings and Calor Gas fittings; - Red Diesel (currently at 68p per litre); - All boat services, including coal, LPG and pump-out; - All mooring services, including limited linear moorings, wireless internet and power, toilets, showers, laundry and extensive storage ashore.

We offer a 10% discount on chandlery purchases and services in the yard to IWA members.

Page 11

DEFRA CONSULTS ON BW’S FUTURE

DEFRA has launched its consultation document – ‘A New Era for the Waterways’– on how it proposes to transform British Waterways into a third sector body. IWA has advocated that the right way forward for Britain’s inland waterways is probably for them to be managed by a third sector body, and is pleased that the Government’s proposals for changing BW into a new civil society body are now available for detailed consideration.

Jim Payler, Blisworth photographer The death has been announced of Jim Payler, resident of Blisworth and re nowne d l ocal ph oto grapher. During his life Jim recorded an amazing timeline of our canals and canal boats in Northamptonshire. An album of his photos appears on the Blisworth images web site. Shortly before his death Jim presented a disc of his historic photos to The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne.

IWA will take time to consider the detail of how this transformation is to be achieved with great care, but will aim to share its preliminary thoughts with members and other stakeholders as quickly as possible.

IWA has maintained all along that the funding package needs to be viable, the governance needs to be right, and that the new body should also inherit the Environment Agency navigations. The Association is therefore especially pleased that the Government, in launching this consultation, has now signalled that it shares these views, specifically the commitment in principle to include the Environment Agency navigations in 2015, the stated aim that this move to civil society must create a sustainable model for the future of the inland waterways, and the emphasis on governance arrangements that involve local stakeholders in decision making for their waterways.

The agenda for IWA now is to consider how these aims can best be translated into a successful civil society body which can flourish in the future. Key aspects of the consultation that the Association will be examining will be: • how the indicative funding stacks up to deliver a sustainable charity; • how the governance proposals can best achieve community engagement consistent with localism, so that local ‘ownership’ of waterways can lead to tangible benefits for the waterways; • how the Government plans to ensure that the Environment Agency navigations can transfer smoothly in 2015-16.

Jim’s funeral was held at Northampton Crematorium on 27th April. His wish was that bright colours should be worn at the funeral, and that, instead of flowers, any donations should be made to the Sculptor Appeal.

There are proposals and options for freight in the document, but no

mention is made of how the Remainder navigations might be treated.

Lynda Payton. IWA will want to explore in further detail how the Commercial, Cruising The photos form an evocative and invaluable record, and are grouped into subjects including British Waterways, Fellows Morton & Clayton, Willow Wren, and Leisure.

Jim’s album can be viewed at http://www.blisworth.org.uk/ images/Payler%20Albums/ jpayler.htm - Ed. Page 12

and Remainder waterways will be dealt with to meet the charitable purposes of the body so as to sustain and enhance existing usage.

The document can be seen at http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/03/ 30/waterways-1103/ The consultation is open until 30 June 2011.

IWA news release, April 2011.

The document is a hefty 85 pages long, but many pages contain photos and tables. IWA is encouraging members to submit comments as individuals alongside its own corporate response.

WENDOVER ARM TRUST RAFFLE TICKETS Other WAT News IWA Milton Keynes Branch has always been a generous supporter of the Wendover Arm Trust - you have consistently voted a share of your annual donations to the Trust. In addition, our BLOCKAID appeal (included in a previous TPT edition) prompted a widespread and generous response from Branch members. So I can be pretty certain that your response to our 2011 Grand Draw will be just as generous.

A single book of five Grand Draw tickets should be included with this edition, for you to buy yourself or to sell to others, on our behalf. You didn't ask for the tickets, and if receiving them offends you, please accept my apology. Prizes this year include the (by now) traditional boating holiday from Wyvern Shipping (thank you James Griffin), and a day out from Grebe Cruises (thank you Ian Brand), as well as other 'non boatee' prizes such as vouchers from Elegance Fashion Boutique and Tring Garden Centre. Other prizes include £100 cash (the Martins), a Necklace, Gent’s Watch, Ladies Handbag and voucher - all donated.

Tickets are £1 each. Please return the stubs for any tickets sold, with name and contact number, as well as payment, to the address given on the tickets. If you would like more tickets, please let me know at funding@wendoverarmtrust.co.uk Thank you for your support.

Bob Wheal, Funding Director, Wendover Arm Trust.

MILTON KEYNES MARINA

Wendover Arm Trust is back with a Festival this year at Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, on 28 - 30 May (see Page 8).

Fingers are crossed for good weather, after the washouts in recent years.

Phase 2 restoration work continues. During February and March, good progress has been made on capping the old buried pipe. Work has resumed on the mooring wall on the offside at Bridge 4.

Elsewhere, a stretch of bank due to be profiled and lined has been cleared.

The updated Trust web site contains news of the restoration, the Festival, and other developments - see www. wendoverarmtrust.co.uk From Wendover Arm News, April 2011.

tel: 01908 672672

Modern full-service marina in the heart of Milton Keynes

10 & 15 year

Leasehold moorings available at discounts

Relax

15 miles of lock free cruising

Brokerage New and used boats for sale

Onsite facilities Chandlery and full services Brokerage Workshop, slipway Secure carparking Pub with all day carvery Indian and Chinese takeaway

For Moorings Availability and Prices, visit us at www.mkmarina.co.uk Page 13

CONTINUOUS CRUISING JUDGMENT

MK Marina open day

Judgment has been made recently in Bristol County Court (31/3/2011) concerning the interpretation of Section 17 of the British Waterways Act 1995, relating to Continuous Cruising.

Mr Davies, the defendant, kept his boat on the Kennet & Avon Canal in the Bradford-upon-Avon area and declined to respond to BW’s repeated warnings that his boat movement was not sufficient to meet the licensing requirements. These state that to qualify for a BW boat licence, a boat must have a home mooring – somewhere where it may lawfully be kept when not being used for cruising. An exception is made for boats which ‘bona fide’ navigate throughout the period of the licence. Because Mr Davies did not move sufficiently or agree to comply with its other terms On 25 April, the Milton and conditions, BW refused his application to license his boat. And, Keynes Dragon Boat blew in because the boat is Mr Davies’home, BW followed its usual procedure of to bring an exotic touch to asking the Court to decide on this case.

Milton Keynes Marina’s open day. Also visiting was Beatrice, a pretty steam-driven launch whose engine unfortunately broke down during the day. Sheila and I attended to mount a low-key Branch presence. We drew much interest from visitors with our paintings, and took the chance to hand out leaflets and copies of TPT. A sprightly 104-year-old gent of obviously foreign origin urged us earnestly to “do somesing before dess (death)”. H’m we’re still wondering exactly what he meant!

Photo and text: Les Franklin.

There was little or no dispute as to the extent of Mr Davies’ boat movements. Central to the issue considered by the court was the meaning of the term ‘bona fide navigation’.

The Judge noted that Mr Davies’ purpose in keeping the boat on the short stretch of canal between Bath and Bradford-upon-Avon was so that his home was within convenient distance of his place of work and his social circle, and that his purpose in moving the boat was to attempt to escape the requirement to have a permanent mooring. The Judge said: “What is clear to me is that the defendant, who is clearly living on the boat, cannot successfully claim that he is using it ‘bona fide for navigation’ by moving it every so often up and down a short stretch of canal.”

The Judge’s decision is that Mr Davies now has until 30 June 2011 to remove his boat from British Waterways’canals and rivers.

IWA news release, April 2011.

Boat Safety Certification Alan Stewart

Lloyds Academy Diploma in Small Craft Surveying Ex-Merchant Marine Engineer

Authorised Boat Safety Scheme Examiner Visit my website: www.boat-safetyexaminer.co.uk Contact me by phone on 01234 767156 or mobile 07976 900113 Alternatively e-mail me at: alan_breck_stewart@msn.com Page 14

Editor’s Page

We now have a sister publication! It's an on-line newsletter called "Towpath Telegraph", and you can find it on the BW corporate web site at http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/ newsroom/towpath-telegraph It's been going since December 2009, but as I never visit that site unless I am really desperate for copy, I've only just discovered it!

We have been using the title since June 1977. In 1989, when I was Branch Chairman (yes, really), a bright young man from BW phoned to ask my "permission" to use the title for their staff magazine. On that occasion, they thought better of it; this time, they didn't even ask! I will keep an eye on our sister publication, and will feel free to reproduce any gems therein. I'll have the chance to tell you a little more about that episode - and others - when I give my talk on the history of IWA MK Branch next February. In this connection, do you have hidden away any old copies of TPT dating from before 1994? If you have, I would be very glad to inspect them for possible material for the above talk.

The Association is occupied in putting together its response to the DEFRA consultation document (see page 12), and is encouraging individuals to respond in their own names too.

Another consultation you might like to look at is that on the route for HS2, the proposed high-speed railway from London to the Midlands - see www.highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/ The route is believed to intersect the canal system at twelve points. These are spelled out on a freedom-ofinformation site at http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ british_waterways_management_of#comment-17041 Special concern has been expressed on the site about where the route crosses the Trent & Mersey twice, cutting off a loop at Woodend Lock, at currently specified heights of only 1.0 and 1.5 metres! If the railway must be built at that height, the canal will either have to be lowered for some length, or diverted by digging a cutoff so as not to intersect it. On the Oxford Canal, the HS2 route crosses the summit level just east of Bridge 128 on the renowned Wormleighton loop - perhaps the most precious and hitherto peaceful stretch of the Oxford, mercifully untouched by the M40!

The route crosses the Grand Union system at several points: underneath both the Regent's Canal and the Paddington Arm in tunnel; then overhead at Bridge 16 (Northolt) at 3 metres headroom; just south of Harefield Marina at 15 metres, and just east of Bridge 31 (near Long Itchington) at about 7 metres headroom. Even that 3-metre figure for Northolt is worrying - remember it's rail level to water level - so the bridge structure could eat well into that.

Interesting times! Have a great summer.

Les Franklin, Editor.

RIVER NENE TO BE IMPROVED A major project has begun on improving boating facilities on the River Nene and boost Peterborough’s tourism. The City Council has teamed up with the Environment Agency to revitalise the banks by spending £600,000 on improvements at Orton Mere.

The works are to include new moorings, re-profiling the bank, replacement of failing piles and providing a fixed landing stage and 48-hour visitor moorings.

Canoe access and storage will also be provided. The council has helped fund the project to ensure that as Peterborough grows, access to green spaces and waterways are improved.

Navigation restrictions will be in place on the river during the project, which will take until June to complete.

HO Bulletin, April 2011.

Page 15

Getting in touch with MK Branch There are some changes to the Committee contact list following February’s AGM - see report on Page 6. Email addresses are shown in “anti-spam” form - please type “@” or “.” as appropriate with no spaces. Full Committee contact details on request from Martin Banks, Branch Secretary.

CHAIRMAN: PETER CASWELL Email: iwamksec at caswell dot eclipse dot co dot uk VICE-CHAIRMAN: VACANT SECRETARY: MARTIN BANKS Email: martin dot banks at lian-james dot com MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: PETE BICKERS Email: pete at srekcib dot freeserve dot co dot uk TREASURER: DAVE ROBERTS Email: mk dot iwa at taid dot info SOCIAL / PUBLICITY, & B-MKWT REPORTER: RODNEY EVANS Email: rodneyevans12 at o2 dot co dot uk

A DVE RTIS E MENT S are welcomed to assist Branch funds. Suggested donations as below (payable to IWA Milton Keynes Branch) are requested before copy date above.

Whole page Half page Qutr page Back page Inserts

Per issue: £32.50 £20.00 £12.50 £45.00 £15.00

3 issues: £65.00 £40.00 £25.00 £90.00 -

BUCKINGHAM C.S. REPRESENTATIVE: ATHINA BECKETT Email: athinabec at aol dot com TRADE REPRESENTATIVE: JAMES GRIFFIN Email: james at canalholidays dot co dot uk LYN BANKS Email: lynpraid at cix dot co dot uk MARIE DRAPER Email: marie239 at btinternet dot com ROY CLEVERLY Email: roycleverly at mypostoffice dot co dot uk DAVID KING Email: davidjsking at talktalk dot net EDITOR: LES FRANKLIN Email: les at lesfranklin dot co dot uk

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

Get the latest waterway news at these web sites (addresses change frequently, but these were correct on 8.4.2011):

Page 16

PLANNING (non-C’tee): TONY BIRCH Email: carolyn dot birch4 at ntlworld dot com INSURANCE / RISK ASSESSMENTS (non-C’tee): MICHAEL WEINBERG Email: michael dot weinberg at btinternet dot com WEBMASTER (non-C’tee): VERNON DRAPER Email: vernon dot draper at btinternet dot com IWA: www.waterways.org.uk MK Branch: http://mkiwa.users.btopenworld.com BW: www.britishwaterways.co.uk (corporate); www.waterscape.com (leisure) The Waterways Trust: www.thewaterwaystrust.org.uk Bedford-Milton Keynes Waterway Trust: www.b-mkwaterway.co.uk Buckingham Canal Society: www.buckinghamcanal.org.uk WendoverArm Trust www.wendoverarmtrust.co.uk Friends of the Canal Museum: www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk