Journal of the Inland Waterways Association’ s Milton Keynes Branch
STAR GUESTS AT B&MKWT CONFERENCE FIRE AT LEIGHTON LOCK PUMPHOUSE
CANAL SOCIETY NEWS
STAR GUESTS AT B&MKWT CONFERENCE FIRE AT LEIGHTON LOCK PUMPHOUSE BUCKINGHAM CANAL SOCIETY NEWS
ROBBIE CUMMING AT WENDOVER FENNY FESTIVAL REPORT
ROBBIE CUMMING AT WENDOVER FENNY FESTIVAL REPORT
LINSLADE’S HOLY WELL
LINSLADE’S HOLY WELL
On 27 July, the Linslade Canal Festival held on to its reputation for good weather and good attendance. Among the trading craft were motor boat Adrastea and small Woolwich butty Nebulae, belonging to Star Crafts, who travel the system selling embroidered goods and sweet treats. Photo: Les Franklin.
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Welcome to September 2024 Towpath Telegraph
We apologise for the non-appearance of the May edition of TPT, due to your Editor having a long away-break courtesy of the NHS. Our advertisers have been credited with additional insertions. A few items that were not timesensitive, which would have appeared in May, have been included in this edition. We hope you enjoy it.
Chairman
’
Chairman’s Column
Committee notes and Situations Vacant
Fenny Festival raises £864 for Branch
Linslade’s Holy Well
Linslade school students clean up towpath
Diary
IWA webinars and recorded talks
Buckingham Canal Society news
Our Unsung Hero(ine)
Leighton Lock pumphouse damaged by fire
Star guests at B&MKWT Partnership Conference
Electra news
Robbie Cumming opens Wendover towpath upgrade
Stoppage at Little Tring continues
s Column
It is now a year since I started the process of selling my narrowboat. With various IWA events and other waterways involvement, I have, in certain ways, missed the gentle pleasures of being afloat and puttering around the network. What I don't miss is having to wriggle around the engine compartment, or be somewhat audacious when it comes to stepping from the boat to the canal bank.
I think all of us have found the canal banks to be very much more overgrown, with hidden obstacles and holes to trap the unwary. But we are fortunate in having at present a rather more pro-active team at CRT, who have been supportive in their endeavours to remedy some of the major hazards and obstacles along the Grand Union through our patch.
Our own efforts to make a positive contribution have extended to a resumption of (nearly regular) work parties at our adopted site, Fenny Lock. We have a small group now doing this work, and will be pleased to welcome any Branch members who would like to join us.
We have finally established the freeholder of the wall on which the Wolverton Mural is painted, and also that the leaseholder, Electrolux, has a "repairing lease". The northern end has suffered from tree roots which have severely dislodged the capping stones and opened up a sizeable vertical gap. We are now able to progress our requests to the freeholder to have these removed and the wall rebuilt as necessary, the freeholder having acknowledged that the work is necessary to preserve this piece of architectural heritage.
Accessed via a footpath from The Secret Garden, the mural is probably the largest of its kind. It is visible from trains passing on the West Coast railway line and from the towpath, both on the opposite bank. We are fortunate in having a small group of volunteers who
The Mural as seen last April. Photo: Les Franklin.
Chairman’s Column continued.
happily cut grass and overhanging greenery, and keep the paintwork in good order as best they are able. Again, we are pleased to welcome anyone wishing to assist in this endeavour, which has the enthusiastic support of Wolverton and Greenleys Town Council.
The panel below shows how you could offer valued help as a Branch member. Although we have increased the Committee strength by one, there are still several unfilled posts see the back page. Your help on the Committee would be equally welcome.
There's still a long way to go if we are to see the Grand Union in MK looking its very best. Along with the lack of routine maintenance (just reactionary at present), a mild winter and wet spring and early summer have seen significant vegetation growth. In turn this has led to a lot of vegetation lying in the water and silting of even more of the channel. We can all seek to pressure CRT to act by writing to them (politely, of course) outlining any concerns. Your local MP is another line of communication that can be followed in this regard.
Enjoy the Autumn days ahead.
Tim Armstrong, Branch Chairman.
Committee notes and Situations Vacant
At the Branch AGM in February, Athina Beckett, James Griffin and Diane Witts retired by rotation and were re-elected. Gerry Waters was elected. David Tucker stood down from the Committee, but agreed to continue as Social Secretary until April. At the April Committee meeting, Tim Armstrong and Diane Witts agreed to remain as Chairman and Secretary respectively, and Gerry Waters agreed to take up the Treasurer’s post.
Marie Draper has agreed to take the post of Social Secretary but will welcome support in organising and booking guest speakers. Suggestions for future speakers will be especially welcomed.
David Tucker wishes to relinquish his custodianship of the Branch's PA equipment, and the Committee will welcome offers of secure and dry storage space. Someone must be recruited and trained to set up and operate the equipment.
Your help would be welcomed at the work parties at our adopted site at Fenny Lock, where tasks include fence repairs, hedge and grass cutting, and painting. Occasional work parties also take place at the Wolverton Train Mural, re-touching and painting out graffiti, grass cutting, and tackling tree and weed growth.
If you would like to help with any of the above, please contact Tim Armstrong.
Beautiful pub with beer garden, located right by the canal in Fenny Stratford, Milton Keynes.
Food served daily (except Tuesday), lunchtimes and evenings. Real ale available.
Check out our social media pages for more information.
On 3-4 August, the Branch's Fenny Stratford Canal Festival was blessed with good weather both days. The trading boats and land-based stalls offered the usual huge variety of gifts, fancy goods, food and drink. A bonus for the floating traders was that, with Canal & River Trust’s approval, extensive infilling behind the towpath piling had been done by a team led by Terry Cavender, addressing a source of complaints from traders in previous years.
At the Branch stall, visitors were drawn to the big canal map, which sparked many interesting and useful conversations. IWA merchandise was on sale, and the raffle did brisk trade. Buckingham Canal Society brought its bric-abrac stall. Nearby, Wyvern Shipping Co's Bulrush attracted many visitors keen to find out more about holiday hire boating.
Once again Electra, the Milton Keynes Community boat, offered short trips to Water Eaton and back each day. The newly installed charging point at Fenny allowed Electra to remain there on the Saturday night rather than having to return to Campbell Park to re-charge.
Jane Wolfson, Electra's Volunteer Business Lead, writes: “It was a great pleasure for Electra to be back for the two days of the Fenny Festival. We took almost 100 guests on a total of twelve trips, and everyone enjoyed the novel experience of an electric boat. We look forward to welcoming the winners of the Gift Cards that we donated to the raffle. A gazebo on the bank allowed us to promote Electra to literally hundreds of people and we recruited new volunteers too. All in all a great weekend. 2025 is already in our diary!”
Subject to later adjustments, the event made a profit of £864 for the Branch. Thanks are due to Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council for funding towards essential costs, to the Electra team for boat trip vouchers as raffle prizes, to all who donated other prizes, and to all who contributed towards a most pleasant and successful weekend.
Text and pictures: Les Franklin or as stated.
Bank infilling gives safer access to the trading boats.
Pete Bickers stands ready to welcome visitors aboard Bulrush.
Fenny Festival continued.
Above: Electra welcomes passengers for the trip to Water Eaton.
Left: Diane Witts and Jane Wolfson draw the raffle.
Above: Craft on a cushion. Photo: Diane Witts.
Right: Cratch on a craft. Photo: Brian Graves.
Linslade’s Holy Well
A site next to the Grand Union Canal at Old Linslade is the location of what is thought to be an ancient Holy Well. The site has been the subject of recent excavations carried out by the Leighton Buzzard & District Archaeological and Historical Society (LBDAHS), with assistance from technical specialists.
Their findings were revealed at an online webinar on 31 January, hosted by the Leighton Buzzard Society and presented by Paul Tate (Old Linslade Holy Well Project Director, Head of Archaeology, LBDAHS), and Andy McGrandle (Geophysicist).
These days, Old Linslade, centred around St Mary's Church, has a handful of inhabitants, but it was a populous place in mediaeval times, with a Thursday market and an annual eightday religious fair. The chief reason for this was the Holy Well, somewhere near the Church, which gained a reputation for miraculous cures, notably for eye ailments. It attracted pilgrims from all over the country.
In 1299, Oliver Sutton, Bishop of Lincoln (to which diocese Linslade belonged) grew angry at the miraculous claims being made for the well and the income it generated for the Vicar. The well was ordered to be closed, and pilgrims visiting it were threatened with excommunication. In the eighteenth century the well dried up, and a cottage was built near the site. At the close of that century, the Grand Junction Canal was built, and later the cottage was demolished. It was assumed that the well had been obliterated by these activities.
image showing the location of the site, covered over after initial excavation, and (top) the site as seen this August.
Photo: P Aitchison.
In 1915, a local historian, J G Gurney, mentioned an old cottage and garden that lay on the exact site of the Holy Well, and included a sketch map pinpointing a site on the off-side of the canal, at the winding hole north of Bridge 110. In 2020, this evidence started LBDAHS upon a determined search for the well, by excavation and by use of ground resistivity geophysical surveys. Aerial mapping was also carried out, using LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging, with which a three-dimensional map is built using aircraft- or drone-mounted lasers). The pandemic slowed progress, but by Autumn 2023 it seemed likely that the remains of the well had been found.
During excavation of the remains of the cottage and some of its surroundings, many mediaeval finds were made, including pottery and coins, confirming the importance of the site. Some finds suggested activity well before mediaeval times, and included Roman items and
Church of St Mary, Old Linslade
Bridge 110, Grand Union Canal
Excavation site
Google
Linslade’s Holy Well continued.
a Mesolithic worked flint. A north-westward extension of the excavation has revealed a circular stone-lined pit and water channels, into which water welled up. This, it is believed, is the long-lost Holy Well.
Much remains to be done, including further interpretation of the resistivity and LIDAR results, tests to establish the source of the water (a spring, water from the hillside, or canal leakage), and long-term planning for how the site can be interpreted and preserved.
Linslade school students clean up towpath
On 22 November last year, as part of their annual Help Week event, students at Cedars Upper School, Linslade, met at Tesco, Leighton Buzzard, and carried out a litterpick along the towpath and around Tiddenfoot Waterside Park. The eight students from different year groups were surprised at just how much litter there was to collect. Seven large bin bags were filled.
The school's Help Week aims to raise funds and awareness for three charities - one local, one national, and one international. The charities supported this time were Leighton-Linslade Homeless Shelter, Cancer Research UK and Save The Children. Other activities during the week included market stalls, fancy dress, funfair activities, talent shows, competitions, bake sales and teacher-gunging.
We intended to publish this in the May edition of TPT, which did not appear due to my illness (see Page 2). However we must record our congratulations and thanks to the students who took part in the litter-pick. It is always encouraging to hear about efforts by others to keep the canal and its environment attractive and safe for all. Ed.
Excellent Boats on a Beautiful Canal
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. 35 luxury boats, 2 to 8 berth.
Members of IWA, APCO, BMF, B&MK Waterway Trust, Wendover Arm Trust, Buckingham Canal Society, Aylesbury Canal Society
Information from Leighton-Linslade Town Council's "About Town" magazine, February-April 2024, with additional information from Mark Pantling, Assistant Headteacher. Photo reproduced by kind permission.
Notes taken during an online presentation to the Leighton Buzzard Society by Paul Tate and Andy McGrandle, January 2024.
Welcome to our 2024-25 season of Branch meetings at Bletchley Conservative Club. Non-members are always welcome at Branch meetings, so why not invite a friend along? At each Branch meeting we ask for a voluntary donation towards expenses, which buys you tickets for the raffle. Our own events are listed below in bold type. Selected events organised by others are in regular type.
From V7 Saxon Street, near Bletchley Station, at Princes Way Roundabout (near Lidl store), turn off intoPrincesWay.
After 50 yards, turn right into Albert Street, then bear left at miniroundabout.
Follow Albert Street to end, and turn left into Queensway.
Take 1st left into Oxford Street.
Take 1st right into Cawkwell Way. Take 1st right into Bedford Street.
Way Roundabout
Conservative Club 105 Queensway Bletchley MK2 2DN
Entrance to the Conservative Club car parkis immediately on the left, at the end of a brick wall. The meeting room is onthe ground floor, with level access from the car park. Please note that Cawkwell Way, although two-way, is narrow in parts. The route given uses as little of it as possible. On leaving the car park, Bedford Street is one-way, so please turn left and then into Queensway. Also shown is the pedestrian route (10minutes) from Bletchley Station.
Sunday 1 September, 11am - 4pm
Thurs 19 September, 7.45pm
Saturday 28 September, Doors open 10am
Thursday 17 October, 7.45pm
Thursday 21 November, 7.45pm
Canal Boats and Canal People - family event. Hear the stories of the old working boats and the people who lived on them. Dress up in traditional boaters' clothes, find out how families lived in a tiny back cabin and what cargoes they carried. The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne, NN12 7SE
IWA MK Branch Meeting: Waterway Videos, with Tim Armstrong.
IWA Annual General Meeting. De Montfort University, Leicester. More info at:
https://waterways.org.uk/support/ways-to-get-involved/events/annual-general-meeting-2024 Register to attend (no charge) at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/iwa-annual-general-meeting-2024-tickets-929753356317
IWA MK Branch Meeting: Waterways of the Low Countries, with John Pomfret.
IWA MK Branch Christmas Social; pre-booked event, details to be announced. Bletchley Conservative Club, 105 Queensway, Bletchley, MK2 2DN
IWA MK Branch Meeting: Speaker to be announced. Bletchley Conservative Club, 105 Queensway, Bletchley, MK2 2DN
IWA MK Branch Annual General Meeting (Agenda in January TPT), and Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Update. Bletchley Conservative Club, 105 Queensway, Bletchley, MK2 2DN
Heritage Open Day events in Milton Keynes September 2024
Below is a selection from local events under the Heritage Open Day banner. For full information and details of other events, visit https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/ and use the search facility.
Friday 6 September 6pm
Tuesday 10 September, 2pm
Friday 13 September 2pm
Walk & Talk in Wolverton with Nicky Kenny. A walk around Wolverton, looking at the routes and connections that built the town. Meet outside Craufurd Arms, 59 Stratford Road, Wolverton, MK12 5LT Booking required via https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/
Guided walk, Celebrating 40 Years of Campbell Park. Campbell Park Pavilion, What3Words: ///shape.hockey.january. Booking required - see: https://www.theparkstrust.com/events/
Gyosei Art Trail - join the Parks Trust to explore the eight artworks portraying Japanese connections, canal history and local history. Canalside car park, Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, MK9 3FS What3words: ///play.handicaps.outpost Pre-booking not required.
Find all IWA events at: https://waterways.org.uk/support/ways-to-get-involved/events
IWA webinars and recorded talks
Many IWA Branches are still offering their “in person” meetings as Zoom webinars. For up-to-date details of most IWA events, please visit the main IWA events page at: https://www.waterways.org.uk/support/ways-to-get-involved/events
Please also check the following links, where additional events, and recordings of past talks and meetings are available, sometimes at quite short notice: https://www.waterways.org.uk/iwa-tv
IWA-TV: Most future live stream events are posted here, also on-demand videos recorded from recent meetings or webinars. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ROBJ6rpm_41BSmu-Glf2Q
IWA’s Youtube channel carries videos of past meetings - there is some overlap with IWA TV.
Joining a webinar “live” is easy, using a desktop computer, tablet or smart phone.
* Go to one of the links above. The webinars are listed in date order; each has a "Book now" link, which takes you to more details about the meeting. Click the“Register now” button.
* Fill in the online form that appears, and click the "Register" button. You can do this well in advance of the start time. You should receive an email with a simple“Click here to join” link.
* The webinar opens in your browser. For “live” webinars with audience participation, make sure that your camera and microphone are connected.
If you are unable to join a meeting “live”, you can see all previous webinars and video presentations at one of the addresses in this panel.
Buckingham Canal Society news
At the Braunston Historic Boat Rally on 29-30 June, the BCS dredger Diana had a leading role. Diana, named after Tim Coghlan’s late wife who died in 2014, was purchased from Canal & River Trust. In CRT ownership, she took part in Milton Keynes IWA's annual clean-ups.
Actor Sir David Suchet was to take a leading role at the Rally, but a change to his filming schedule forced him to cancel. However his wife Lady Sheila stepped in, a canal enthusiast in her own right. She accepted the invitation to do the honours aboard Diana which led the parade. Lady Sheila also visited the stands of canal societies, presenting cheques to them including a cheque for £1,000 to the BCS. So a very successful outing for us and Diana.
On 20-21 July, our own Cosgrove Canal Festival and Craft Fair attracted many more people this year than in previous years. As usual, a variety of over twenty trade boats attended, including our regulars Raymond and Nutfield. The Craft fair in the village hall was also a great success, being fully booked and with a great variety of stalls. Our own BCS stall on the towpath also did an excellent trade, nearly running out of books and jigsaws to sell. We also had extra help this year from four separate Corporate groups with setting up and taking down the festival site, which made life a lot easier for our own volunteers. With good weather it was a very successful event.
Construction work continues at Cosgrove. Photo: BCS.
Work again continues at both Cosgrove and Bourton Meadow, so new volunteers have a choice of two different types of work, either joining the Construction volunteers at Cosgrove or the Conservation volunteers at Bourton Meadow. We are always looking for more volunteers at both sites, so if any IWA Milton Keynes members have any free time, please contact me.
Athina Beckett, Buckingham Canal Society.
Our Unsung Hero(ine)
Countess Howe (centre) with Athina and Jonathan. Photo: Marion Mason.
On 13 July, Athina Beckett received a special invitation from His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, Elizabeth, Countess Howe, to attend a Garden party to celebrate Buckinghamshire’s Unsung Heroes. She and partner Jonathan Brown joined about 250 ‘unsung heroes’ of Buckinghamshire. The event was held at Penn House, Penn Street Village, Amersham, which is the home of Countess Howe. The Penn House Estate has been passed down in a direct family line since the Middle Ages. Guests were entertained by the Amersham Brass Band.
Among the guests were someone who was running an acting school for people with hearing problems, a gentleman ex-teacher who had an OBE for his vol-
Our Unsung Hero(ine) continued.
untary work, and others involved in a variety of charity work in the community.
Athina writes: "I have no idea who nominated me for this award, but a very big thank you goes to them for a very enjoyable day. It was a very special honour to be invited to this event and to be counted as one of Buckinghamshire’s Unsung Heroes. The occasion helped to promote the Society and its work, so a win-win situation all round."
Athina was able to promote the work of the BCS, including its work with children taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, and the Society's latest project, the Green Gym, which went down well in this setting. Athina also made a very useful new contact with one of the Deputy Lord-Lieutenants of Buckinghamshire, who lives in Winslow, knows the Buckingham Canal well, and hopes to attend the Society's AGM next year.
Leighton Lock pumphouse damaged by fire
On Friday 26 July, Canal & River Trust issued an emergency stoppage notice for Leighton Lock (27), after a fire severely damaged the pumphouse building beside the lock.
The Police and Fire Brigade attended, and the navigation was closed while the site was made safe, after which the stoppage was rescinded. The towpath was not closed. The fire left the building in an unstable state.
A lady who had just taken her boat through the lock gave the Police a description of the six teenagers who she saw at the scene. Two other witnesses also gave statements.
CRT has agreed to allow the residents to re-install the gate to the footpath that gives access to the pumphouse and lock from Bossington Lane. The path is owned by CRT and has always been marked ‘Private’. Its use became commonplace during the pandemic when people were using it to access the water meadow (by crossing the lock) for exercise.
Information from local residents via Dave and Annie Roberts. Smoke pours from the pumphouse building. Photo: S Thompson.
Star guests at B&MKWT Partnership Conference
After a gap due to the pandemic, the Trust was able to hold its annual Partnership Conference this year. Speakers at the 22 March event included Lord Hendy, Chair of Network Rail (NR), and Richard Parry, Chief Executive of Canal & River Trust (CRT). Both systems face similar issues: maintenance of centuries old structures in the face of climate change and limited funds.
Rod Calvert, President of Bedford Chamber of Commerce and Chair of Marston Vale Trust, said that Bedfordshire businesses see huge opportunities in the Waterway project. Marston Vale is one of 11 Community Forests established to recover industrially damaged land. Three million trees have been planted in the last twenty years within its 61 square miles, raising tree coverage from 3% to 15%. The Forest of Marston Vale Trust is very supportive of the Waterway Park, whose course runs through it.
Vale seen from Brogborough Hill.
Photo: Les Franklin.
Lord Peter Hendy said that climate change was having a real impact upon the rail network, with two landslips per week on average. He believed that the Trust could learn from past mistakes on the rail system, where projects were delivered late and over budget because they were not properly defined or costed. Other difficulties were finding adequately resourced contractors and recruiting suitably qualified personnel. Collaboration between infrastructure projects could yield useful results, as could making contact with government officials who are really interested, and with politicians who share the Trust’s goals.
James Fennell and Nicki Mableson from planning consultants Lichfields spoke about Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). A statutory duty requiring a measurable net gain in biodiversity value is now part of the planning process for most major developments. Using standard formulae, the existing "baseline" value of a development site is measured. The development must increase that value, measured for each habitat type, by 10%. A Biodiversity Gains Plan must be approved before the development starts. It must show how that 10% uplift can be achieved, preferably on the development site, and if not, that an off-site solution has been committed to. The hierarchy is: 1: on-site; 2: off-site via a registered provider of biodiversity units (i.e. whose development achieves a surplus in biodiversity gain); and 3: off-site via purchase of statutory biodiversity credits (used to fund biodiversity enhancements across England). The waterway and associated habitats could well deliver biodiversity units over and above the BNG requirement. These units can be sold in the offsite market to developers who cannot meet their requirement on-site.
For the Waterway Park, its benefits (biodiversity, water management, recreation, economic etc) should be carefully spelled out. Expert measurement of the baseline value and the potential for BNG is key to identifying both opportunities and challenges. The BNG Strategy should feed into a wider study informed by national, regional and local policies, which could help in raising awareness and seeking partners and funding.
Richard Parry, referring to the presentation by Lichfields, remarked that CRT had persuaded Natural England that water represents high value in the future BNG regime. About 50% of CRT canals are in urban areas, providing a rich habitat, typically with offside green space, a verge, towpath and hedgerow, enabling town dwellers to enjoy nature near where they live. CRT has data, derived along Government guidelines, that show £4.6 billion p.a. as welfare benefits, and £1.5 billion contribution to the economy including about 80,000 jobs. CRT has examples of how the waterways provide health and wellbeing benefits, create cohesive communities, provide learning and skills opportunities, encourage tourism, provide telecommunication routes, provide low-grade heat for heatpump schemes and, not least, provide for waterborne freight.
CRT is working with the Environment Agency towards moving water around the combined CRT/EA network. It is also working with Severn Trent and Affinity towards moving water along the Grand Union from the Midlands towards Leighton Buzzard. This will provide funds for the GU and will offer cost savings to those water companies. Richard suggested that discussions should be held to assess the potential role of the B&MK Waterway for water transfer in combination with the GU project.
Information on these two pages from BMK News, July 2024.
Richard Parry made these same points on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on 21 August. Let us hope that the Chancellor and the Waterways Minister were listening! Ed.
Phase 1 of the Fenny Stratford Accessible & Electric Boat Service Point project was completed in time for Electra to be able to charge overnight at the Fenny Stratford Canal Festival for the first time. In 2025, Phase 2 willadd landscaping, an interpretation board, accessible bollards, and a booking system so that the point can be reserved by other boats.
The Electra Welcome Centre at 7 Campbell Wharf is now open from 12.00 to 15.00 Thursday to Sunday, until midDecember. It has information about Electra and the Waterway Park project. The Trust would like to recruit more volunteers to explain the project to visitors. If you would like to consider volunteering, please visit: https://www.bmkwaterway.org/ electra/volunteering/ Click the tab [View Electra Shore Roles] for a role description. To express interest, click the tab [Complete Electra EOI Form], fill in and submit the form.
We carry out examinations
* If fitted with a bubble tester.
We cover Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Bedfordshire areas, but please call as we are happy to travel.
Robbie Cumming opens Wendover towpath upgrade
On 28 June, walkers, cyclists, canoeists and schoolchildren joined in at the official opening of the Wendover to Halton towpath upgrade, when Wendover Canal Trust patron Robbie Cumming cut the ribbon to formally open the towpath. Schoolchildren walked in groups down the towpath to Halton, or took part in a nature trail. The Cracklewick Morris dancers put on two performances, and fanfares were sounded by Kathy Gifford.
There were talks on geology and the environment by experts from EKFB (Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall) for pupils from John Colet school. who were also given a quiz by their geography teacher.
In his speech, Clive Johnson, Chairman of Wendover Canal Trust, welcomed everyone to the occasion. He thanked Robbie Cumming and Dr Elaine King from Chilterns National Landscape, whose organisation played a major role in securing funding to make the event happen. He also thanked Ros Daniels of Canal & River Trust, Councillor Steve Broadbent of Buckinghamshire Council and Peter Elwin, WCT Partnerships Director, who led the funding and the organisation of the event.
The 1.7-mile towpath upgrade took six months to complete, and cost £750,000. The work, carried out by Rothen Group and Kier plc, has hugely improved the former muddy towpath, and it is now accessible to the entire community all year round.
Funds for the upgrade came from HS2 Chilterns National Landscapes Review Group, Wendover Parish Council, Lionel Abel-Smith Trust, Wendover Community Board and Halton Parish Council. EKFB, FCC Environment, Rothen Group, Wendover Parish Council and Fairhive Homes between them sponsored the new railings at Wharf Road, the signage along the towpath and also the event itself, which was organised by John Colet School, Wendover News, EKFB, Wendover & Halton Parish Councils and Wendover Canal Trust.
From WCT news release, June 2024.
Above: Robbie Cumming steps up to cut the ribbon, watched by Clive Johnson.
Right: Section of upgraded towpath. Photo: Peter Elwin.
Stoppage at Little Tring continues
The stoppage on the Phase 1 restored section of the Wendover Arm, imposed by Canal & River Trust with the support of Wendover Canal Trust on 13 March, was still in force in mid-August when this edition was being prepared.
Water has been welling up in the land below the canal between Little Tring stop lock and the winding hole. CRT, who resumed responsibility for this stretch in 2005, has been carrying out tests to establish whether it is canal water or ground water. Stop-planks were installed in the stop-lock at Little Tring, so that the water level between there and the winding hole can be slowly lowered to help trace where the water is coming from. As of midAugust, no end date has been announced.
The towpath remains accessible, but there is a diversion at Little Tring. For boaters, the canal is much as it was before 2005. Boats less than 29 feet long can wind with care immediately outside the Pumping Station at Little Tring. Boats up to about 40 feet may be able to turn at the entrance to the Tring feeder (about 75 yards after bridge 2). This is likely to be more silted up than it used to be. Neither of these locations is an officially recognised winding hole, and boaters use them at their own risk. Longer boats can use the old trick of cruising the canal with another boat, with one towing the other backwards. To return to Bulbourne, the towed boat becomes the tug.
The Editor’s Page
2024 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of LTC Rolt, co-founder of IWA, heritage railway pioneer and biographer of the nineteenth century’s engineering heroes. In 1950, he published his The Inland Waterways of England, which provided a lovingly detailed and elegiac picture of the waterways after nationalisation.
Re-reading the book in 2024, it’s easy to pick out the contrasts and parallels between then and now. The waterways are still here, and even expanding, although gone is the vibrant community of working boat people that Rolt eulogised. The bewildered boatmen were then battling for a living on a network that was crumbling through official indifference. The infant IWA, then riven with internal disputes, had had some successes in halting the decay.
Today, the system is threatened by climate change and funding shortfalls. Its custodian, the Canal & River Trust, is far from indifferent: its Chief Executive Richard Parry speaks up passionately for the waterways, armed with hard facts and figures demonstrating their benefits to society see Page 13. It’s encouraging that after the General Election the new Waterways Minister, Emma Hardy MP, made contact with Mike Wills our National Chairman.
Can Richard Parry, armed with his figures and supported by IWA, persuade Government to change its stance that the Trust must face a diminishing Grant-in-Aid? In 1950, the waterway users themselves were not equipped to plead for the waterways. Now, it’s different. Les Franklin, Editor.
Information from CRT stoppage notice and WCT web site.
Stop planks in place at Little Tring. Photo: WCT.
Getting in touch with MK Branch
Thanks go to Gerry Waters, who stood for election at the Branch AGM in February, and has taken over as Treasurer. However, several Committee posts remain unfilled. Please contact Tim Armstrong if you want to consider taking up one of these posts.
Chairman: TIM ARMSTRONG tim.armstrong@waterways.org.uk
Trade Representative: JAMES GRIFFIN james@canalholidays.co.uk
Social Secretary: MARIE DRAPER marie239@btinternet.com
Committee member: WESLEY HARRISON wesley.harrison@waterways.org.uk
Vice-Chairman VACANT
Volunteer Contact: VACANT
Clean-up Supervisor: VACANT
ADVERTISEMENTS are welcomed to assist Branch funds. Charges are as below and are subject to VAT. Payment must be made before copy date to ensure insertion. Please contact the Editor for further details.
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Education Officer: VACANT
Webmaster and Social Media: EMMA CASWELL (non-Committee) emma.caswell@waterways.org.uk
Planning Officer: PETER CASWELL (non-Committee) peter.caswell@waterways.org.uk
Editor and Publicity: LES FRANKLIN (non-Committee) les.franklin@waterways.org.uk
Fenny Lock Adoption Scheme: MIKE HARPER (non-Committee) Contact via Diane Witts
NEW MEMBERS should receive a welcome contact from our Membership Secretary Pete Bickers. We very much hope to see you at our Branch meetings and other events please introduce yourselves to one of our Committee members (those wearing IWA badges).
Get the latest waterway news at these web sites. Addresses can change, but these were correct on 20 July 2024.
IWA homepage:
MK Branch pages: MK Branch Facebook page: Canal and River Trust: Bedford-MK Waterway Trust: Buckingham Canal Society: Wendover Canal Trust: Friends of the Canal Museum:
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 publishedas being of interest to members and readers.
