T OWING PATH T OPICS
March/April 2013
Newsletter of the North Lancs & Cumbria Branch of The Inland Waterways Association
A NEW MAGAZINE?
Inside This Issue
In common with the vast majority of voluntary organisations in the country the Inland Waterways Association has been looking closely at its costs. This is true of the organisations both centrally and in its branches up and down the country. Your branch, North Lancs and Cumbria, has been no exception to this as the money that has been passed from head office to support the work of the branch, particularly the production of a magazine three times a year, has been reduced and is scheduled to reduce further over the next couple of years. At the same time as this reduction in money it has become apparent that a number of the people we have relied upon to keep the branch fully functional over many years are having to slow down and do a little less. One of these people who have kept us going for so long has been our magazine editor, Janet Dunning. She has produced Towpath Topics for the last thirteen years, some forty editions and way over a thousand pages of content. No mean feat! She clearly deserves our grateful thanks.
A New Magazine?
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Gill Faulkner – A Legacy
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Leeds & Liverpool Canal Clean UP
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Skipton Waterways Festival
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So, to the point of this ramble. The branch committee has agreed to try a new
The IWA in the North West
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Discovering Britain Canal Walks
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Steve’s Bargaion Box
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Can You Help?
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Campaign Rally 2012
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format for the regular magazine and to use head office facilities for printing and distribution. The thought, at this stage, is to produce only two full twenty-four page magazines each year and make the number up to three with a much smaller newsletter such as this one. All copies of the magazine are also published on the North Lancs and Cumbria branch pages of the IWA website at www.waterways.org.uk. However, before final decisions about content, type and numbers are made, we would value feedback from many of you. Does this approach seem sensible to you? Would you be happy with two full magazines and a newsletter each year? This should save some of the costs and allow us to spend more on campaigning and supporting the work along many of the waterways in our area. Do you agree that this is the approach we should be taking?
GILL FAULKNER - A LEGACY. Gill Faulkner and her husband David have been involved in the waterways over many years and are known to many branch members. As reported in the last edition of Towing Path Topics Gill passed away last year but as in life thought of the waterways in our region. Gill made a bequest to the branch to be spent at their discretion and after some consideration plans are being made to
provide visitor moorings on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal adjacent to Bagganley Lane Bridge, Chorley. Discussions with CRT included the provision of mooring rings, and notice boards which would provide information about nearby shops and facilities which are not obvious when cruising/walking that stretch of canal. The timescale for this work has not yet been agreed but we hope that the mooring facilities will be available during the summer.
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Leeds & Liverpool Clean Up Alison Smedley has been appointed by the IWA to assist branches in work parties and similar events. Alison met with the branch and the local C&RT volunteer coordinators to discuss work on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Following that meeting it was agreed to clean up the canal side on a stretch through the Whitefield and Brierfield areas of Pendle. Pendle Borough Council are going to provide a skip and arrange for disposal of all the rubbish collected. Canal and River Trust are providing all the personal protective equipment needed along with litter picking tools. B & Q have kindly offered their car park alongside the canal as a base to work from. All that remains is for us to provide the labour.
If can spare a few hours on Saturday 6th April please arrive at the car park at junction 12 of the M65 from 10am. All you will need is stout shoes and a packed lunch. Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Skipton Waterways Festival 2013
Narrowboats in the Springs Branch at Skipton Festival
This year’s festival is to take place over May Day Bank holiday weekend 4th, 5th & 6th May 2013 As in previous years there will be various sorts of entertainment throughout each of the days to keep you entertained and a wide range of stalls to keep you busy. There will also be various activities for children and their families. There is also a raft race held on Sunday 5th May for anyone (18 and
over) to enter at 2pm and also the illuminated boat cruise on Sunday evening, where the boats will be arriving back into Skipton canal basin around 9pm. Skipton Waterway Festival 2013 will be our 12th successive year. Previous years have always been popular and we hope next years will be even more so. Many people are excited about this year’s theme… Cartoons ...and are already planning which cartoon/character they will be using for their costume or how to decorate their boat. Madeline Dean and other branch committee members will be there with a sales stall and promotion literature. Please make yourselves known; you are sure of a warm welcome
“Many people are excited about this year’s theme…
Cartoons....
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The IWA in the North West The regional body of the IWA is consulting on possible changes to branch boundaries and seeks the views of interested members. This has been brought about by the demise of the Merseyside branch which folded a couple of years ago. It has since become apparent that there are not enough people with sufficient interest to revive the branch. The remaining branches are North Lancs and Cumbria, Manchester, Chester and District and North Wales and Shrewsbury. As you can see some of these branches are very large which sometimes makes get-togethers very difficult. It is for this reason that we hold our social meetings in two venues. One of them is in the east of Pennine Lancashire and the other just north of Preston. Despite this we are aware that the vast majority of our area is still too far away from a venue for All members to be regular visitors. North Lancs and Cumbria covers an area from Wigan to Newcastle and then everything north of that, including all the Scottish members who have not chosen to be part of another branch, (usually where they have a boat moored or cruise regularly).
One suggestion is that all the NE postcodes north of Newcastle should transfer to the North Riding branch. This involves some twenty-three members whose views we seek. Other changes suggested for the North Lancs & Cumbria branch are to move the Wigan postcodes WN1, 6, and 8 into the branch along with all the PR postcodes except PR9 and 8. L39 and 40 are also to move to North Lancs & Cumbria. This means that most of the former Merseyside branch will move to Chester and District. At the same time responsibility for waterways has been considered. The thoughts are that the Leigh Branch should become the responsibility of the Manchester branch as they already cover the adjoining Bridgewater Canal. North Lancs & Cumbria branch should cover the Leeds and Liverpool main line as far as Lydiate and the Rufford Branch to the Lancaster Canal. South of Lydiate and the Liverpool Link along with the rest of the Merseyside area transfer to Chester and District. Once again any strong views or alternative suggestions will be considered and appreciated.
Discovering Britain Canal Walks The Royal Geographic Society is publishing a series of walks that are to include many aspects of heritage, industry and waterways. Ideas for new walks are still being developed and details are on their website www.discoveringbritain.org . Many local councils also publish walks in their local area and these tend to specialise in the local history or geography. Search any council website and you should
find them under the heading of tourism. My local council, Pendle, features dozens of walks from 2 miles on the towpath to the 45 miles of the Pendle Way. The Pendle Way is split into eight smaller circular walks. There are also a number of scenic car tours that are split into themes such as Witches, Bronte’s and Boats. Most of these website also have a range of cycle rides that cover all abilities for you to download.
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Steve’s Bargain Box Don't miss these special offers on I.W.A. Items available at the next meeting of the North Lancashire and Cumbria Branch on the 9th April, at St Andrews Church Hall, Tulketh Road, Preston. PLEASE NOTE THESE ITEMS ARE AT A SPECIAL PRICE. ONCE THEY ARE GONE THEY ARE GONE! • IWA logo T shirts at £2-50 each. 2 Large, and 2 XL size available plus one North Lancs and Cumbria logo T shirt Medium size. • North Lancs & Cumbria Sweat shirts only two available size XXL. • 2 IWA. Ties (old style with sword) £4-00. ON BOARD OR WEEKEND READING FOR ALL. • “The Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal History in Pictures”. 1 left £1-50 • “Tales of the Towpath” by Mike Harding aka The Owdam Tinker. £1-50 each A useful guide for towpath walkers around Manchester • “The Great Days of the Canals.” A fantastic reduction on Anthony Burton’s book. I Wish I hadn't bought mine at £17-99!(I'm Giving them Away at£10-00 each) Only 2 copies left. • “Adventures of The Nippy” 4 copies £4-00. • “The Duke of Bridgewater's Canal” 2 copies at ONLY 50p.
Can You Help?
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“Out and About with Elsie and Bert” is being sold in tandem with the above book. The Local History of Worsley, the Bridgewater Canal and the Duke of Bridgewater. REDUCED to £2.50. SPECIAL OFFER! Buy Both the above books for £200. Buy one get one FREE! “Wind in the Willows”. A book for every child as well as adults. Paper back editions at £2-00. You could not find it for less! “55 bus service 555 walks”. Some excellent Lake District walks using the bus. Includes much of the Northern Reaches of the Lancaster Canal. Only 2 copies left reduced to £3-00. Nicholsons “Inland Water Ways of Great Britain” 3 Copies plus 1 copy of “Inland Waterways of Scotland” all at £4-00 each. Imrays Map of Great Britain. Geo Projects maps of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal (4 copies only) Plus 1 of the Lancaster Canal all at £2-50 each.
Plus many more little bits to amuse you. PLEASE NOTE CASH OR CHEQUES ONLY. You can also email Steve at feniscowl@aol.com
National Campaign Rally, August Bank Holiday Weekend 2012
A regular feature of our magazine in recent times has been an appeal for help with running various parts of our local organisation. That help and assistance is still needed. There is an immediate need for someone to help with publicity for events and projects that the branch undertakes. Another task that needs someone to coordinate is the monitoring of planning applications that could have an effect on the waterways. This involves checking local authority websites for new applications and alerting us to proposal close to waterways.
You will recall that the branch staged the National Campaign Rally last year over the August bank holiday weekend at Haslam Park in Preston to coincide with 20 year Preston Guild celebrations. Those who were there will know that the weather was appalling with two of the three days being a wash-out. Inevitably, under the circumstances, the event ran at a loss of some £800. The branch committee wish to record their grateful thanks to Waterway Recovery Group in the North West who have very generously made up the vast majority of that loss.
Both these jobs can be done from your own home and communication can be by email so should suit someone who would like to help but cannot get to our regular branch meetings. If you would like to discuss these or any other contribution you feel you can make then please contact the Chairman at alandavies@cix.co.uk .
DISCLAIMER The views expressed in Towing Path Topics are not necessarily those of The Inland Waterways Association or of its North West Region or of the North 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.