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Issue 138, April 2017
Spring spectacle
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SAFE LANDING FOR P4 PENTLAND
CLAVERTON WHEELS TURN AGAIN P13
Little Venice comes alive for the Inland Waterways Association’s annual Canalway Cavalcade which will be taking place from April 29 to May 1. Moorings are now fully booked for the event with its pageant of boats, trade stands, food stalls and entertainment. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES
New era for Paddington Basin BOAT REVIEW: A NEW APPROACH P60 LOOKING FOR A FRIENDLY MARINA?
Find your ideal location using the map in our feature
Turn to
P58
BOATS FOR SALE Turn to
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THE Canal & River Trust has announced a raft of new projects to transform London’s Paddington Basin into an exciting hub for boaters, residents, workers and visitors.
Hire boats, a water taxi, an information boat and floating cafe, the Floating Pocket Park and additional trade and visitor moorings will bring the water to life while generating income towards the
upkeep of the capital’s waterways. London waterway manager Jon Guest said: “The new additions to Paddington Basin are tremendously exciting and offer people a whole host of new ways
to explore the water – whether it’s having a go on a boat, taking some time out on the floating park or finding out more about the area at an information boat. • Continued on page 3
Licensing review
Making a stand
Canal college boost
THE second phase of an independent consultation about how boats are licensed on Canal & River Trust waterways will start in April. This will involve a series of workshops with boaters, participants reflecting the diversity in the boating community and will follow interviews with representatives from the main boating organisations to gauge their views. Run by independent charity Involve, it aims to ask boaters the fairest and simplest way to split the financial contribution made by boaters towards the upkeep of the waterways. In the final stage, boat owners will be invited to give their views on the options developed.
BOAT dwellers recently held a demonstration in Tower Hamlets to protest against public moorings being converted to private leisure use. Describing it as ‘gentrification’, Marcus Trower, deputy chairman of the National Bargee Travellers Association, said the moorings are part of the canal’s history and should be open for anyone to use: “We are making a stand, we will do anything we can to keep what is public, public!” NBTA will also be holding a ‘boats are homes’ national demonstration at noon on Saturday, April 8, marching from Victoria Embankment Gardens to Downing Street and on to Defra in Smith Square.
THE Heritage Lottery Fund has granted the Scottish Waterways Trust up to £1.125 million to run its successful canal college scheme, writes Hugh Dougherty. Funding is now being sought to bring the HLF cash up to the £1.4 million needed to run the programme, which aims to boost the self-confidence and employment potential of students aged from 16 to 30 through teaching them canal skills. The extended project on the Union Canal in Falkirk, the Caledonian in Inverness and Forth & Clyde Canal in West Dunbartonshire will build on the previous success when 162 young people from Falkirk took part.
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WELCOME WITH Easter falling later this year, this will hopefully mean warmer weather for the traditional start to the holiday season. But the narrow gap to the early May bank holiday weekend has also given us some headaches trying to squeeze everything in our what’s on section. So our apologies to any organisers whose events arrived too late for inclusion this month. These will go in our online guide at www. towpathtalk.co.uk, click on What’s On and our May edition will be out on April 27 so we will try to fit anything after that date in. Last month I referred to the boost from the recent TV coverage and this is borne out by figures released by the Drifters Waterway Holidays consortium – see page 69 – which is also joining forces with the Canal & River Trust to host free taster sessions at 20 locations on Sunday, April 23. Among the visitor attractions gearing up for the new season is the historic Claverton Pumping Station which will be holding monthly open days from the last Saturday in May until September. My visit to this beautiful setting last autumn is featured on page 13. And if you’re on the lookout for a new boat for 2017, there are plenty to choose from in our Trader brokerage pages and you can also read Phil Pickin’s latest boat review on page 60. As we count down to the close of voting on March 31 for our 2016 Volunteer of the Year award, apologies go to our readers who have had problems casting their votes online. We understand this was due to compatibility issues with Internet Explorer and has since been sorted but if you are still unable to vote please let us know. Happy Easter
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Open weekend lights up the Turnerwood flight By Janet Richardson
THE Canal & River Trust and Chesterfield Canal Trust got together to showcase their activities at the Turnerwood flight at Shireoaks over the weekend of March 11-12. Members of the CRT team and volunteers involved in the project to replace the bottom gates and cill at Turnerwood Feeder Lock No 38 were on hand to show visitors, who were able to descend into the lock, the work and also the replanking of the bottom gates at Lock No 37. Activities were also enjoyed by more than 200 children and lockside seats
were placed with the sign ‘parents and grandparents park’ while at the side of Lock No 38, there was a ‘doggy park’ for the canine visitors. Chesterfield Canal Trust had three of its boats on show. A team of ladies served refreshments on board trip boat Hugh Henshall while other members showed visitors the replica ‘cuckoo boat’ Dawn Rose – built using traditional materials and methods over four years – and their ex-British Waterways work boat Python. The Friends of Dawn Rose were also promoting the second annual sponsored boat pull along the Chesterfield Canal starting from Shireoaks on Saturday, April 22. Construction manager Julian Rasen shows visitors the work in Lock No 38. PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON
Chesterfield Canal Trust chairman Robin Stonebridge, centre, with Friends of Dawn Rose volunteers Harry Richardson, John Lower, Richard Allsopp and David Bownes who were promoting the Sponsored Boat Pull.
Teams are invited to raise funds for their chosen organisation or charity by hauling the boat along various lengths ranging from one to four miles between Shireoaks and West Stockwith, returning to Shireoaks on Wednesday, May 17. It costs £50 to reserve a length, contact Michael Edwards at Hollingwood Hub, ring 01256 477569, email dawnrose@ chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk On the Saturday evening the flight came alive with music, dance and poetry illuminated by giant candles with fiery sculptures and bubbling water fountains created by pa-BOOM. An estimated 678 visitors enjoyed the spectacle. Canal & River Trust chief executive Richard Parry was among an estimated 1565 visitors over the weekend.
New bottom gates at Lock No 38.
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Janet
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Editor Janet Richardson jrichardson@mortons.co.uk Publisher Julie Brown Advertising sales team leader Matthew Hansom – mhansom@mortons.co.uk Advertising sales representatives Stuart Yule – syule@mortons.co.uk Christopher Heaton – cheaton@mortons.co.uk Editorial design Tracey Barton Divisional advertising manager Billy Manning Direct sales executive John Sharratt Production editor Pauline Hawkins Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Contact us Customer services 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: Monday-Friday 8.30am-7pm. Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk News & editorial Tel: 01507 529466. Fax: 01507 529495 editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk Advertising Tel: 01507 524004. Fax: 01507 529499 Published by Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 523456. Fax: 01507 529301 Printed by Mortons Print Ltd. Tel. 01507 523456 Next Issue – April 27, 2017
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Canal & River Trust volunteers Alan and Pam Simmons from Newark were on hand to talk to visitors.
Easter cruises on the Chesterfield Canal THE Chesterfield Canal Trust will be running lots of special sailings for Easter at Retford, Worksop, Hollingwood and Chesterfield. On Sunday, April 9 there will be Easter egg hunt trips every hour on Seth Ellis from the Hop Pole pub in Retford (DN22 6UG) accompanied by the Easter Bunny. All children get an Easter egg, with a drink and a hot cross bun for adults. All tickets cost £7. Booking essential on 07925 851569. Easter Eggcitement cruises will take place on April 14-16 on John Varley from Tapton Lock in Chesterfield (S41 7JB). On the Friday and Saturday, there will be craft cruises with children in mind and on the Sunday there will be an Easter egg for every child. There will be a drink and a hot cross bun for adults. All tickets cost £7. No booking, just turn up and pay on the day. On Saturday, April 15, there will be trips on Madeline from Hollingwood Hub (S43 2PF) accompanied by the Easter Bunny. Every child will receive an Easter egg, with a drink and a hot cross bun for adults. All tickets cost £7. Booking essential, call 01629 533020 for details. On Sunday and Monday, April 16-17 there will be trips on Hugh Henshall from the Lock Keeper pub in Worksop (S80 1TJ) accompanied by the Easter Bunny. Every child will receive an Easter egg, with a drink and a hot cross bun for adults. All tickets cost £7. Booking essential on 0114 360 0460.
Canal & River Trust craft operatives Jeremy Leach and Adam Seeley with heritage trainee Adam Warriner, centre, at Lock No 37.
CRT business advisor Cheryl Turner with the Bagshaw family from Renishaw, Barbara and Sharon with children Charlie, pictured and Emily (out of shot) who took part in the activities.
No fooling! Free event at Clayworth is open to all RETFORD & Worksop Boat Club will be holding a combined event with the Chesterfield Canal Trust on Saturday, April 1. The free event at the R&WBC headquarters at Clayworth Wharf, Common Lane, Clayworth DN22 9AJ, will run from 11am to 5pm and is open to all, with refreshments available in the club bar. In the 1960s, it was the tireless campaigning of boat club members that saw off the threat to completely close the canal. This was long before the Chesterfield Canal Society was formed. Chesterfield Canal Trust’s promotional trailer will be in attendance, along with its sales gazebo and tripboat Seth Ellis will be running cruises all day. There will also be guided walks of the canal and its environs. The historic boat Python will be in attendance and you will be able to see the current state of its restoration. There will be several displays about the canal and the boat club. Historian and author Christine
Python at the Retford & Worksop Boat Club. PHOTO SUPPLIED Richardson, who wrote an authoritative biography of the canal’s builder James Brindley, will be speaking during the day. John Lower, who has fulfilled almost every role in the trust and has written many guidebooks about different canals, will also be speaking.
There will be a full history of the boat club itself plus a canal history including the Rev Seth Ellis Stevenson, the Retford headmaster who was the prime mover in the plans to get the canal to come through Worksop and Retford in 1768, instead of across to Bawtry.
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A rallying call for restoration groups By Julie Arnold
SHAPING up support for waterway restoration groups was the theme of the spring meeting of the Northern Canals Association hosted by the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Trust. Groups focusing on restoration projects north of Birmingham gathered at the excellent facilities kindly provided by Lichfield Cruising Club at Huddlesford Junction to hear about practical and digital developments from The Inland Waterways Association and Canal & River Trust, and share their own progress updates and challenges, before visiting Lichfield Canal sites to see L&HRT restoration works in action. IWA’s volunteer co-ordinator Jenny Black introduced her role as principal contact for the Waterway Restoration Hub. Jenny is well known to many restoration groups, liaising with them over the last 13 years as she oversees Waterway Recovery Group’s annual Canal Camps programmes, co-ordinating the mountain of detail that enables armies of WRG volunteers to deliver canal restoration engineering feats as they also enjoy holidaying at locations currently off the beaten track of the waterways network. Based at IWA head office, Jenny is also involved in the behind the scenes and ‘back office’ support IWA • Continued from page 1
New era for Paddington Basin “The canal in Paddington has seen a lot of changes over the years, from its heyday in the 1800s as a hub of freight activity to dereliction and dumping grounds in the latter half of the 20th century. Now we’re in a new era for the waterways and the Canal & River Trust is aiming to make them the best places they can be for boaters, for the people who live and work by them, and for those who come to visit.” Copenhagen-based boat hire company Go-Boat will be introducing its first boats to the UK with investment from the Paddington Partnership. Powered by electric engines and built from sustainable materials, they seat up to eight people and have a maximum speed of 4mph. The boats will be available from the spring for anyone to hire to explore Paddington, Camden and Little Venice by water. The company will also be running a free water taxi two days a week to take passengers from under Bishop’s Road Bridge by Paddington Station to Little Venice and to Merchant Square. If it proves popular, the water taxi will become a permanent feature. Two new business boats will be arriving in the basin in May and will be a stop-off for people leaving Paddington Station’s Hammersmith & City Line exit. The first boat will provide information about the history of Paddington Basin and its regeneration, as well as running a small gift shop and coffee outlet. The second boat will be a floating cafe run by the small Aussie-style coffee and brunch independent, Beany Green.
provides to help canal restoration groups battle the many challenges they encounter, including technical and legal issues, insurance, health and safety, grant aid and cash flow. The spring NCA meeting was Jenny’s initial presentation of IWA’s increasingly joined-up approach to support the types of groups present. The new Waterway Restoration Hub banner embraces all the support and enabling work done by IWA and WRG and more. The hub will offer a new rallying call as IWA continues to champion river and canal navigation at a national level, lobbying for restoration in Parliament and highlighting the value of a nationwide love of all inland waterways. The hub’s role is one of the many topics that will be covered in more detail at April’s 2017 Waterway Restoration Workshop. Julia Tinker gave a detailed insight into CRT’s digital Restoration Benefit Toolkit that is in development. The comprehensive cost and benefit appraisal spreadsheet tools are currently being tested by a number of the volunteer groups present at the NCA meeting; they are inputting all the elements of their canal restoration project in order to calculate both what it will cost to restore and what the future benefits will be to local communities and the economy. Chris Hayes, chairman of NCA and also the Sleaford
NCA spring meeting speakers at Lichfield Cruising Club are, from left, Bob Williams, finance director of the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Trust, Julia Tinker, CRT restoration co-ordinator, Chris Hayes, NCA chairman, Jenny Black, IWA Waterway Restoration Hub and David Dixon, chairman L&HCT. PHOTOS: WATERWAY IMAGES
Navigation Trust, one of those trialling the toolkit with CRT, praised the initiative, describing how it was providing a good focus to produce the precise data that was needed and would enable them to demonstrate the range and scale of value waterway restoration could deliver for their region.
Parliamentary answers fail to reassure IWA on closures MINISTERIAL answers in Parliament have failed to convince campaigners that the Environment Agency will keep open all its Anglian waterways, even where it has a duty in law to do so. The Inland Water ways Association has asked Waterways Minister Thérèse Coffey for reassurance that proper funding will be available to prevent further waterways being closed and to reopen those already closed. In response to questions asked in the House of Commons by David Mackintosh MP in February, Dr Coffey – the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at Defra – said: “If there is a safety risk to members of the public then repairs will be undertaken to remove the risk or the asset will be closed.” IWA points out that this ignores EA’s statutory obligation under Section 8 of the Anglian Waterways Authority Act 1977 to maintain the main navigable channels and navigation works for recreational navigation. Dr Coffey went on to say: “The Environment Agency will consider the restoration and reopening of closed navigable waterways depending on the amount of future funding available and the importance, such as the level of use, of the waterway to be reopened.”
IN BRIEF Boat fire appeal
A FIERCE fire aboard a traders’ narrowboat at Rode Heath on the Trent & Mersey Canal near Stoke-on-Trent needed firefighters from four stations to put it out, writes Geoff Wood. A fire and rescue spokesman said: “The boat was well alight and firefighters needed to wear breathing apparatus. While there was no one trapped on board we needed to use thermal imaging cameras to check for additional sources of heat.” A JustGiving appeal launched by the Roving Canal Traders Association to help traders Nickie Stanley and Tim of nb Hazel had reached £1849 of its £2000 target as we went to press.
Missing dog reward
CAN anyone help solve the mystery of missing terrier/ whippet cross Dana who escaped from a garden in Langley, Berkshire, in June 2016? She was wearing a collar at the time and was microchipped. Dana was last seen at the Langley Canal. Her owners are desperate to find her and have been searching ever since; they believe that someone may have taken her in who maybe lives nearby or on the canal. A reward is offered for information leading to her safe return, call 07778 511453 or 07798 770860.
Camley Street bridge A NEW bridge is being installed to link the developments at Granary Square to Camley Street, London. The navigation will remain open during these works but there may be delays and the towpath will be closed until April 14. The bridge isn’t expected to open to pedestrians and cyclists until the summer. Harlem Hill Lock on the River Ancholme – closed in 2012 for an inspection and not yet reopened. PHOTO: LOIS PARKER
Statutory right
In response, IWA says that ‘the level of use’ should not be a significant factor in whether or not a waterway is reopened, particularly on those waterways with a statutory right of navigation. It also maintains that the level of use is often low only because waterways have been so poorly maintained in the past as to make navigation extremely difficult or even impossible for all but the smallest craft, such as canoes. IWA national chairman Les Etheridge said: “Dr Coffey has expressed a keen interest in our waterways on a number of occasions since taking office, so we can only think that she has been incompletely briefed by EA officials
as to the seriousness of the present funding crisis, which we have been warning about for years. “We know EA’s navigation teams are doing what they can under difficult circumstances. What IWA is doing is making clear to the minister that, regardless of whether EA waterways are transferred to the management of Canal & River Trust, they need to receive increased funding from Government to halt the progressive deterioration that is currently taking place.” IWAhasdeliveredacomprehensive listing to the Waterways Minister of current closures on EA waterways, some of which date back to 2006 and redefine the concept of ‘temporary closure’.
Oops mon!
OUR society news brief last month about an appeal to raise funds for a dumper should have referred to the Monmouthshire, Brecon & Abergavenny Canals Trust not the Montgomery as printed. Thanks to a sharp-eyed reader for spotting this glitch, we are happy to set the record straight.
Slow down
THE Canal & River Trust has renewed its call for motorists to slow down when crossing historic canal bridges after a driver recently caused around £45,000 damage to Dimmingsdale Bridge which carries the Ebstree Road over the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. The impact caused a 15m section of brick parapet, or wall, to fall into the canal below and both the waterway and towpath had to be closed while the bricks were recovered.
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Flying boat! By Janet Richardson
FORMER British Waterways work boat Pentland took to the sky – twice – in a move to her new home on Friday, March 3. Walker and Son of Tuxworth craned her on to a transporter at the Canal & River Trust’s yard at Newark for a 30-mile journey to the Erewash Canal Preservation and Development Association’s Langley Mill headquarters. However the most spectacular sight was when she was craned off into their boatyard, accessed through a gateway between trees at the side of the lock. ECPDA volunteers looked on as the two expert drivers from Walkers manoeuvred across the main Derby Road into the entrance ready for the operation, which was successfully
completed with their help and accomplished with only a few broken twigs. Also watching was Josh Hall from Kirkby-in-Ashfield paint manufacturer Dacrylate Paint Ltd which is donating the paint for the project. Canal & River Trust plant and equipment manager Mick Carrington, who oversaw the operation at the Newark end, said that Pentland was built in the late 1970s and had spent most of her working life in the East Midlands waterways on the River Trent and Erewash Canal. The 37ft work boat had come up for refurbishment about 12 months ago but on inspection, it was deemed uneconomical to go ahead with this. Pentland was going to be put through one of the trust’s disposal sales but the
trust was approached by ECPDA and a sale was agreed. “It will be great to see her put back to good use,” Mick added. ECPDA chairman Norman Cornwell said that as well as repainting, the project will involve rebuilding the engine and replacing some of the steelwork. He said that Paul Barber of PJ Barber Boatbuilder Ltd of Sheet Stores Basin, Long Eaton, has offered some surplus steel plate and they are hoping that other local businesses will help with items such as welding rods. Work had already started as we went to press. Norman told me: “We have taken out the engine, the rudder and the tiller for refurbishment and we would like to have Pentland up and running for the canal festival at Trent Lock in June.”
Celebrating a successful operation are the ECPDA volunteers with the drivers from Walkers and, far left, Josh Hall from Dacrylate Paint Ltd. Once completed, she will be used in the association’s restoration and canal maintenance work.
Pentland is safely lowered into the yard. Pentland starts her journey at the Canal & River Trust’s Newark boatyard. PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON
Arriving at Langley Mill.
● More pictures and video of the move can be viewed at www.towpathtalk.co.uk
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Winning weekend at Fradley Junction By Harry Arnold
FRADLEY Junction hosted one of the most successful of the recent Canal & River Trust (CRT) lock maintenance public open events, running for two days over the weekend of February 18-19. Junction Lock, immediately adjacent to where the Coventry and Trent & Mersey canals meet, was the subject of a stoppage and its central location next to the
facilities of the CRT yard, The Swan Inn and both the Canalside and Kingfisher Holiday Park cafes made it an ideal visitor venue for such an event. The lock is one of the oldest on the narrow canal network, having been recorded in use by 1770 when boats passed through it when the section from Shardlow to Great Haywood was open, before the Trent & Mersey Canal was completed in 1777. Its name
then, before the arrival of the Coventry Canal to create Fradley Junction, was Fradley Heath Lock No.4. So visitors were able to view the construction of one of CRT’s oldest lock structures. Most of the work was on renovating the masonry of the chamber which included replacing some of the sandstone copers and grouting the brickwork. The timber quoins of the bottom gates were repaired
as were the top gate mitres and their cill. We understand that this actual work cost £35,000 plus the money spent on arranging the stoppage and open days, such as cleaning the lock out, fish rescue and the hire of equipment. Perhaps surprising was that the bottom gates were not rehung to correct the fault of them swinging open, something that – as at Bagnall Lock – CRT have had many complaints about. Really awkward if you only have two crew members or are singlehanded. A fault which – we are told by ex-BW employees – dates from the original installation of these gates as new when wrong instructions were given. The current gate propping system was simply replaced with the new timber sections of the cranked balance beam at Junction Lock.
Sea shanties
Some of the 1595 visitors who went down into Fradley’s Junction Lock chamber over the open weekend. PHOTOS: WATERWAY IMAGES
A remarkable 1595 visitors went down into the lock chamber over the weekend and a truly amazing estimated 3200 visitors didn’t but came to the event. This was well in excess of expectations. They came not only from the immediate area but widely from the Midlands and there was even a couple from Snowdonia. Off-site parking had to be arranged and the shuttle bus did 41 trips. Thirty-one friends of CRT were recruited and £411 raised in donations.
The lock chamber resonated with the voices of the Lichfield Lighthouse Company Sea Shanty Singers. As well as the usual displays and youth education activities – including some across in the adjacent nature reserve – laid on by CRT, there were stands mounted by the Lichfield Branch of the Inland Waterways Association and Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. CRT chief executive Richard Parry – always a regular at these events – spent most of Saturday morning on site meeting not only staff, volunteers and visitors but also owners of local businesses. Performances by the Lichfield Lighthouse Company Sea Shanty Singers provided a really unusual and entertaining feature of the weekend. Perhaps the best for those of us who were in there were their opening songs sung down in the lock where the chamber resonated with
New waterway festival on Olympic Park QUEEN Elizabeth Olympic Park is set to host a major new waterway event with the East London Waterway Festival due to take place on bank holiday Monday, August 28. It is being run by the Canal & River Trust alongside the London Legacy Development Corporation, St Pancras Cruising Club and the Inland Waterways Association. The event will celebrate everything the local rivers and canals offer to people in the area. There will also be particular focus on the restoration of Carpenters Road Lock, a £1.8 million project in the heart of the park. This is one of the final pieces of a 10-year programme to regenerate the Bow Back Rivers and preserve an important part of London’s industrial heritage. Joanna Steele, Canal & River Trust heritage activities officer, said: “The waterways that weave through this part of London have been given a new lease of life in recent years. It will be fantastic to celebrate everything they have to offer, alongside so many local community groups, boaters, artists and more.” The completed lock site will form the
centrepiece of the festival, which will include a boat flotilla, dragon boat racing, canoeing taster sessions, free boat trips and pedalos. There will also be live music and dance performances, activities for children, food stalls and more. Led by the Canal & River Trust, the Carpenters Road Lock project includes £680,000 funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £100,000 from London Legacy Development Corporation and £4500 from the Inland Waterways Association. Carpenters Road Lock is significant from an engineering point of view, as it had the only double radial lock gates in the country. Built in the 1930s, this design included two convexshaped gates that lifted up vertically to enable boats to pass through. In the second half of the 20th-century, the Bow Back Rivers fell out of use and the lock became unusable, with the last passage by boat through the lock recorded in the 1960s. The advent of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games saw major works bringing new life to the waterways in what is now Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Richard Parry joined families for a water-level view of the canal over the stop planks. their combined voices. They also raised more than £120 for the RNLI. This Fradley open weekend was a winner for CRT and – in addition to the work on the lock – tribute must be paid to the hard work of both staff and volunteers. Much of the success was also due to the extensive promotion in the area by local CRT Fradley staff.
Gig in a lock at St Pancras
Carpenters Road Lock will form the centrepiece of the festival.
PHOTO: CANAL & RIVER TRUST
● If you would like any more information about the East London Waterway Festival, including how to volunteer or contribute to one of the many activities, contact joanna. steele@canalrivertrust.org.uk ● Any boaters keen to take part in the festival are encouraged to get in touch with waterways@ queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk
THE open weekend held in early February at the St Pancras Lock provided a showcase for a host of activities. Thanks to all the volunteers and the Canal & River Trust team, 48 new ‘friends’ were recruited, 3377 visitors enjoyed tours of the lock chamber and 350 people came to the first ever gig in a lock on the Saturday night. Other activities were trialled including contactless giving, bird box building, selling pieces of lock gate, visits to the top of the Victorian water tower, guided heritage walks and free boat trips to the London Canal Museum. Influential bloggers were invited to a preview of the event on the Friday, and live video was streamed to the trust’s followers on Facebook. Campaigns manager Sarah Burns said: “I want to thank everyone who played a part in the weekend’s success, particularly the operations team who were there all weekend, gave up their Saturday nights to help with the music event and provided very engaging and informative lock tours. And, of course, our marvellous volunteers, without whom we would not have been able to hold the event.” St Pancras Lock on the Regent’s Canal had been drained to allow for the gates to be replaced as part of £158,000 lock improvements.
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IN BRIEF Anderton award
THE Anderton Boat Lift, near Northwich, has been awarded VisitEngland’s Best Told Story accolade. Only available to attractions that are part of VisitEngland’s Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme, this prestigious award recognises the story-telling experience that staff give more than 120,000 visitors each year. Visitors can visit the Canal & River Trust’s Anderton Boat Lift, free of charge, giving access to its exhibition, play area, shop and its tree-top coffee shop that overlooks the lift.
Arts barge
THE go-ahead has been given for a new York arts barge, writes Geoff Wood. The barge is earmarked to be a place for community performances, yoga classes, film screening and music until around 11pm. The barge, which attracted some objections from residents on the grounds of noise, will be put on permanent mooring beside Towergate Gardens and near Skelgate Bridge.
Mechanical contract
THE Canal & River Trust has awarded the national contract for all mechanical and electrical (M&E) work on its waterways to AMCO Ltd. It covers almost 1000 pieces of engineering from swing bridges, powered locks, pumps and level monitors spread across the network to structures like Anderton Boat Lift in Cheshire, Three Mills Lock in London and the Tees Barrage.
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Minister’s fact-finding visit to Birmingham ENVIRONMENT Minister Thérèse Coffey visited Birmingham recently to find out more about the vital role that local people are playing in helping to care for and promote the city’s canal network. She also heard about some of the initiatives that are taking place in the city to engage with young people and those from a variety of different ethnic backgrounds. Dr Coffey met staff and volunteers from the Canal & River Trust and its Explorers education team, who go into schools and teach youngsters about their local canal heritage and staying safe by the water. She said: “The trust’s work with the local community is educating young people about our nation’s heritage and I would like to thank them and all the volunteers for their hard work to protect Birmingham’s canals for future generations.” During the visit Dr Coffey toured the historic Roundhouse next to the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. The Canal & River Trust and the National Trust are working together on plans that would see the grade II listed former stables and workshops rejuvenated into a community walking, cycling and canoeing hub as well as offering volunteering opportunities and a shared working space for conservation organisations. She also heard about the planned waterside regeneration scheme at Icknield Port Loop which would include housing, retail space and community facilities.
CRT chief executive Richard Parry said: “Our volunteers play an invaluable role at every level of our work from going into schools and helping visitors to practical works and making
sure that the canal is a welcoming, appealing place. They’re real local heroes and it was fantastic that Dr Coffey was able to meet just a few of them.”
LONDON BOATERS PUT PRESSURE ON RCR
Tower blocks
CAMPAIGNERS against two huge tower blocks next to Castlefield Canal basin in Manchester city centre have lost their battle, writes Geoff Wood. Developers have been given the go-ahead to build 188 flats by the waterway despite hundreds of objections to the proposal. But campaigners say the scheme will dwarf the canal basin and ruin a conservation area.
The minister with representatives of the Canal & River Trust and the Community Connect Foundation.
Thérèse Coffey MP meets volunteers on board historic working boat Scorpio. PHOTOS: CRT
REPORTS about London’s infrastructure being unable to cope with the increasing number of people living on boats has prompted River Canal Rescue (RCR) to voice concerns over the high level of call-outs. Many of these are to poorly maintained boats with faults not covered by membership fees. “The standard and condition of boats in this area is causing frustration for our engineers and owners who assume they won’t face any additional repair or equipment costs once they’ve paid their yearly subscription,” explained managing director, Stephanie Horton. “The vessels have had negligible maintenance or, if work has been undertaken, there are so many modifications that repairs are likely to be expensive. We are expected to undertake all repairs or do a ‘quick patch-up’ job but this is not always possible, as it depends on how many systems such as fuel, cooling, drive or water are affected.” RCR says the explosion in liveaboards, as evidenced by the recent Canal & River Trust
survey which showed there are 57% more boats in the London area (outside of the Thames), is putting pressure on its business. Stephanie continued: “Each of our five engineers serving London has to attend some 300 call-outs per year, which is a high proportion for such a small area. After analysing the mileage, fuel, parking costs and exorbitant fines when they run over, congestion charges and the number of repeat call-outs, we are considering how to best to meet the challenges presented by this community. “We are currently investigating a series of solutions for London-based boaters which we hope will reduce the number of callouts and costs associated with attending poorly maintained vessels – this may involve inspecting boats before we agree membership cover levels or a surcharge for call-outs within the M25 ring," she concluded. “By exploring the options, we can better protect our widerbased membership against the impact of spiralling costs.”
Local volunteer helps gain funding for towpath work VISITORS and boaters will be able to enjoy better facilities at Lapworth and experience a spruced-up environment thanks to the efforts of volunteers working with the Canal & River Trust. Warwick District Council and Lapworth Parish Council have approved a £10,000 grant to improve the towpath along the Stratford Canal – one of two running through the village. The bid came from one of the village’s volunteer lock keepers who wanted to improve the canal for local people and visitors. The successful award means that around 720m of towpath will be resurfaced from the centre of the village at Brome Hall Lane north to the lock flight behind The Boot Inn. Canal & River Trust's volunteer ‘towpath taskforce’ is carrying out the project following recent works to improve and repaint a major water aqueduct that crosses the canal at Lapworth. Volunteer lock keeper Fraser Pithie from Kenilworth, a retired senior operations manager for Severn Trent Water, contacted his former employer to encourage them to carry out the works. Fraser didn’t leave it there, though; while lock keeping he noticed how many people liked to walk the towpath but that sections of it were, in parts, uneven and muddy during wet weather. In his own time Fraser worked and gained the support of Sue Gallagher and Peter Whiting, district councillors for Lapworth, and crucially Lapworth Parish Council by attending its meetings, enabling
Grant success: volunteer lock keeper Fraser Pithie compiled the bid for funding. PHOTO: CANAL & RIVER TRUST
him to compile an application for a Warwick District Council grant. He said: “The grant will enable the Canal & River Trust’s volunteers to improve the towpath in the centre of Lapworth and enable many more people to use it. “With the aqueduct now repainted and an improved towpath coming it’s been worth the effort and time as visitors, boaters and the local community will now be able to enjoy what is a lovely section of canal.”
RYA SPOTLIGHT 7
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The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is the national body for all forms of boating, including dinghy and yacht racing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs and sports boats, powerboat racing, windsurfing, inland cruising and narrowboats and personal watercraft.
Don’t forget your safety checks A happy canal cruise is a safe canal cruise. So what should you be looking out for before you set off to help you be as prepared as possible for incident-free boating? Ali Selby-Nicholls, chief instructor at Castaway Canal Boats on the Kennet & Avon Canal and an RYA Inland Waterways instructor trainer, talks us through what to look out for. WHEN it comes to safety, there are things you should tick off when you first get on the boat and others you will need to check daily. These routines should just become part of your boating experience and can add to the teamwork and enjoyment. Before departing first time, there are a few essentials to cover. Among the most critical are checking that all the boat’s smoke and carbon monoxide detectors work – both at the front and back – and all gas appliances have up-to-date gas safety certificates. Unless you are a Gas Safe registered engineer, fixing a gas issue is one of the few things on a boat you can’t have a go at yourself, you legally need a pro. Also check all the safety equipment you expect to be on board, including throw lines, rings and lifejackets or buoyancy aids, are available and accessible. There is no point them being in a cupboard and lifejackets are useless if they are not worn! All boat owners should comply
with the Boat Safety Scheme, established by British Waterways and the Environment Agency to set boat construction standards and the safe installation of gas and fuel systems, fire extinguishers and more. But although this certificate offers peace of mind it doesn’t replace your eyes, ears and nose. Safety can’t just be the skipper’s responsibility either. What if an emergency arises involving the skipper? Who could step into the breach? Everyone responsible on board should be able to, and by assigning different roles and responsibilities to the crew the skipper puts in place a system of ‘checks and balances’ to make sure nothing gets missed. This teamwork is an enjoyable part of the cruising experience.
Day-by-day
Your daily checks should actually begin the night before. The old adage of ‘a tidy boat is a safe boat’ is as true today as it’s ever been. Resist the (strong!) temptation
to think ‘oh, it can wait until tomorrow’ before you head into the nearest pub. Make sure all ropes are stowed properly, while by putting things like the barge pole, gang plank and boat hook away too you can check for any damage you might need to get sorted the following day and factor that into your plans. Discovering damage in the morning can cause delays. Keep boat poles away from the grab rail so that in an emergency the pole is not grabbed by mistake. Also when using a lock, quite a lot of people will put the windlass (lock key) on the ground where it can get muddy or greasy. You really don’t want your hand slipping off a windlass in full motion so give that a wipe down after use too, just in case. Don’t overlook the engine in these checks either. Some engines have a stern gland greaser normally located in the engine bay close to the drive shaft. This should be turned a few times at the end of a day to
Be happy and safe when cruising the canals. PHOTO: EMMA SLATER, RYA pack the stern gland full of grease and stop any drips of water. Not doing this can be catastrophic, as the engine bay will slowly fill with water, resulting in a possible sinking. There is a natural order to your morning boat checks. Walk down the towpath from the front to the back off the boat and give it a visual once over. It’s really easy to miss stuff if you just try to remember it so doing this walkthrough really helps. Once you get to the back that’s when to do your engine checks. Check the weed hatch too; weed around your prop not only has a detrimental impact on performance but it also creates quite a bit more wash, which will
upset the other waterways users and the ducks as well! When you’ve done that come into the cabin and do exactly the same, front to back.
Fail to prepare…
… is to prepare to fail so planning is an important and fun part of the morning routine, especially if you’ve got kids with you. What are you likely to come across today? Is there a complicated flight of locks? Notoriously heavy gates that can’t be opened single-handed? A low bridge? An especially narrow part of the waterway?
There are heaps of free navigational information guides from the authorities whose waters you are going to cruise, while other paper guides like Nicholsons and GPS app guides for Apple and Android devices can also be excellent for local knowledge. Of course there is no better local insight than talking to people too so don’t be shy. Safety checks shouldn’t be an onerous part of each day, but by getting into the routine you can make sure you have a stress-free and upset-free trip.
● Want to learn more about RYA Inland Training courses? Visit www.rya.org.uk/go/training
8 NETWORKING
SOCIETY NEWS President in dock
HISTORIC steam narrowboat President will be out of action for most of the season for remedial and boiler work. The Friends of President have set a provisional target of being in steam for the boaters’ gathering at the Black Country Living Museum in late September. (195, March 2017)
What’s in a name?
RECENT cases involving the licensing of floating, static homes has prompted the Residential Boat Owners Association (RBOA) to question what constitutes a houseboat and to call for a universally recognised definition. (Soundings, January/ February 2017)
Warp and weft STROUD’S textile heritage has been recognised in the names of two mud boats recently launched by the Cotswold Canals Trust with the help of a £15,000 grant from Stroud Town Council. Residents were asked to suggest names in a local competition which attracted 65 entries. The boats will be used for canal maintenance and to keep silt from blocking the channel. (The Trow, spring 2017)
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New Cut heritage event pulls in the crowds AFTER three years of hard physical toil and working in partnership with local authorities, the volunteers at the New Cut Heritage and Ecology group held their second open day in February. They showcased the progress on the area and shared their knowledge of the environment with local residents. As many as 300 people poured in through the doors of the large function room in Paddington House on Manchester Road which was taken over with stands from various environmental groups focusing on the wildlife of Paddington Meadows and New Cut Canal. Heritage groups were well represented with the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society telling the story of the restoration of their steam tug and the Friends of Warrington Transporter Bridge promoting the restoration of the unique transporter bridge over the Mersey at Bank Quay. The Environment Agency, which was a
key event sponsor, had a major presence with a senior team available to talk to residents especially on the issue of flood defence, while ornithologists spoke with authority on the newly discovered types of bird on the meadows. Other sponsors included the Co-operative retail store, ATS garage and Paddington House Hotel.
Highlight
With every seat taken and the audience standing at the back, the highlight of the day was a presentation by Mike Kenwright on the origins and development of the Mersey & Irwell Navigation, the waterway that preceded the Manchester Ship Canal and a part of which was the New Cut canal. Mike’s talk, illustrated with many old pictures and maps, especially of the system around Warrington and highlighting the town’s importance as a major river port, was highly appreciated by an attentive audience.
TANK production in Lincoln during the First World War will be the subject of a talk by Richard Pullen following Sleaford Navigation Trust’s AGM on Tuesday, May 9. The meeting will take place at Sleaford Rugby Club, Ruskington Road, Sleaford at 7.30pm. Contact 01522 689460, www.sleafordnavigation.co.uk
COOMBESWOOD Canal Trust will be hosting its open weekend on Saturday and Sunday, May 13-14 at Hawne Basin, alongside the Dudley No 2 Canal. There is no admission charge for the event which will include boat trips, crafts and stalls, charities and waterways society displays. All enquiries to Kath and Martin O'Keeffe, c/o Coombeswood Canal Trust, Hawne Basin. Contact 0121 550 1355, coombeswood@btconnect.com
Fundraising concert A CONCERT by the Halfwayhouse Male Voice Choir will be held at Llanymynech Village Hall on Saturday, May 20 to raise money for further restoration of the Montgomery Canal by Shropshire Union Canal Society volunteers. Tickets on the door will be priced £8 to include tea/coffee and cake. Doors will open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. (Cuttings, spring 2017)
Chairman Ian Johnson said: “We were delighted with the numbers of local people who showed such a keen interest in the work of the group and the support that local sponsors gave us. “The group has worked well over the past few years with the local authorities,
other partners and the Environment Agency to create an excellent facility in their locality for all to enjoy and an environment rich in flora and fauna and transport heritage.” For information on the group contact newcuthandetrailgroup@gmail.com
Story accolade for Dudley Canal Trust
Tank talk
Open weekend
With his display is Mike Kenwright, who is regarded as the leading expert on the Mersey & Irwell Navigation and has lived in the Woolston area all his life. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Some of the group of scouts during their Cuckoo Way walk. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Scouts walk the Cuckoo Way ELEVEN members of 7th Retford Scout Group recently walked the Cuckoo Way – the Chesterfield Canal Bank Walk – covering between them a distance of 46 miles in three days. The weather was not very kind with snow, rain, wind and lots of mud for the first two days. On Saturday, February 11, they walked from Kiveton Park to Chesterfield, on Sunday they completed the Kiveton Park to Retford section and
on Monday, West Stockwith to Retford, stopping for lunch at Drakeholes on what was a better day weather-wise. Thomas Goff, 11, was the only scout who managed the full distance. The rest of the group did either one or two days of the walk to fit round their other commitments. The youngest member is nine years of age and the eldest is 14. They were accompanied by two adults, one of whom also completed the full distance.
Work ahead of schedule as restoration appeal launched TO HELP mark the celebration of the launch of a public appeal to raise £100,000 to start the restoration of getting water back into the Draycott stretch of the canal, volunteers from the Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society have finished the final part of more than one mile of hedge laying at Draycott. Two teams concentrated on the final push and work was completed 18 months in advance of the planned timescale, largely due to the increasing numbers of helpers that are turning out to assist in this valuable asset to local wildlife and social wellbeing. Work is to continue on the section of hedge that aligns Derby Road that is in a very poor condition and it is aimed to restore some of the neglected fencing for safety reasons. Work is also continuing at the society’s Borrowash project where working parties take place every other
DUDLEY Tunnel & Limestone Mines has received the ‘Best Told Story’ VisitEngland attraction accolade as part of VisitEngland’s Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme. The VisitEngland accolades are available to attractions that are part of the Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme and are allocated through a scoring system based on an annual assessment by VisitEngland. Jeff Luesley, chairman of Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust, said: “Our regular daily 45-minute boat trips bring the history of the mines to life with on-board commentary, a music and light show in the Singing Cavern, a video show in Little Tess Cavern explaining how limestone was formed and mannequin displays in Hurst Cavern depicting miners working during the 18th century. “It is thanks to decades of restoration and development work by the Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust, that this wonder
of 18th century engineering, with a history dating back 428 million years, welcomes over 100,000 visitors a year to enjoy boat trips into the tunnel system.” At Dudley Tunnel & Limestone Mines’ £3 million visitor centre The Portal, as well as embarking on their boat trip, visitors can enjoy an interactive exhibition in the Biffa Award Gallery, browsing in the Trust’s gift shop and waterside dining in The Gongoozler restaurant. Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust also offers a variety of longer trips, including two-hour trips through the full 2888-metre length of Dudley Tunnel, two-and-a-half hour open water trips around the canals of Dudley and Tipton, and six-hour voyages through the heart of the Black Country, taking in both the Dudley and Netherton Tunnels. The Portal Visitor Centre is open daily from mid-January to December. Information: www.dudleycanaltrust.org. uk or call 0121 557 6265.
Clearing the marsh for wildlife NORTH Walsham and Dilham Canal Trust volunteers have been cleaning the area known locally as Purdy’s Marsh to allow a fresh crop of reed to grow for the benefit of the many birds and creatures. A large part of this marsh has been taken over by Himalayan balsam and this choking plant has to be totally cleared to permit successful growth of the reeds. It is anticipated this could take up to three years. This area will then become a wonderful wildlife haven next to the canal, which should be rewatered this year. To protect the wildlife, it is not planned to permit casual walkers on the marsh, as they will use the permissive footpath on top of the canal bank.
Two new helpers at one of the recent working parties. PHOTO: D&SCS Wednesday, or indeed, every week for some. A recent working party at Borrowash attracted two of the society’s youngest volunteers to help with the digging, of course under parental control. Full details of how to pledge support for the Draycott project and how to join the society are available at http://derbycanal.org.uk/
Volunteers enjoy some hot mulled wine while nibbling mince pies and sausage rolls on their final work party of 2016. PHOTO: NWDCT
NETWORKING 9
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Characters of the cut Environment Agency enforcement officer Nick McKie-Smith started his boating career on continental holiday cruises. Elizabeth Rogers finds out more. THE scenic stretches of the River Thames have been the home waters of Nick McKieSmith for more than 20 years, but before he began his career on the waterways of England he had explored rivers much farther afield. His role now is as an Environment Agency assistant harbourmaster and enforcement officer for the whole length of the non-tidal river. But he has spent virtually all his working life afloat, starting out on boats that provided waterway tours for holiday-making passengers with the theme of ‘floating through Europe’. France, Holland and Belgium were included in the itineraries for up to 24 passengers on the larger vessels and a maximum of eight on the smaller. As well as the skipper and crew members, there were stewarding staff and a chef. A bonus for captain and crew, as these were cruises in the luxury class, was the haute cuisine served up by the chef. “It was amazing food,” Nick remembered. “Although we ate in our own quarters we shared the same menus as the guests. It was all great fun, really good. Most of the people on board were fairly young, in their 20s and 30s.” Nick worked his way up to being master of the boats by starting as a deckhand and gaining increasing experience. He gained his full qualifications after successfully completing an assessment with an examiner, which took place in Nancy, France and gained him his pilot’s licence. He successfully demonstrated his skills in boat handling, his knowledge of the French language in order to be able to read the local signage, his familiarity with flags, his efficiency in passing through locks, and his answers in the oral section of the examination, while the examiner was making repeated reference to the fact that all flats close to the river had washing hanging out of the windows. Nick went on to captain a larger vessel, a 128ft Dutch passenger barge, while working in Holland. He enjoyed this lifestyle for three or four years. “It got the travelling bug out of my system,” he said.
Next step
So back to England, and a search for the next step in his career on the rivers for Nick. He worked for a boat operator initially, while waiting and hoping for an opportunity for an opening for him to join the staff of the Environment Agency. “I used to see its patrol boats on the river
Nick McKie-Smith: enforcement and events are all part of his job. PHOTO: ENVIRONMENT AGENCY and thought how much I would like to be able to do the type of work that they did,” he said. “I kept calling in at the offices at Boulters Lock and asked the secretary there if any vacancies were coming up, four times without any hopeful reply. Then on my fifth visit I was invited for an interview for a boatman’s job. This included looking after patrol boats, preparing them for navigation and inspections and keeping the fleet maintained. “That was in 1995 and was my first role in a job that I continued for the next two years. My next was as patrol officer from 1997 for three years, and in that role I would go out checking registrations and other matters of regulations. Then in 2000 I became a navigation inspector carrying out patrols on the river, reporting issues and matters relating to enforcements. That gained me one gold ring on my uniform and I wanted to work my way up that particular ladder. “Waterways officers wear one ring, technical officers one-anda-half, team leaders two and assistant harbourmasters three. The highest level is the four rings worn by the harbourmaster – the equivalent of ‘the captain of the ship’. Four rings are worn by our waterways manager, Barry Russell,” he explained. “As assistant harbourmaster my present role is as enforcement officer. Enforcement is the greatest part of my role, but not all of it. It also includes management of incidents and events on the River Thames.” This brings for Nick interesting experiences, managing at such events as the Henley Royal Regatta, where the agency’s officers work together with those of Thames Valley Police. And in 2012 there were the waterway events for the London Olympics, which were held at Eton Dorney. For events such as competitive races and challenges, Nick is involved in the licensing procedures – for those such as the Devizes to Westminster canoe races, and others of varying size along the river’s non-tidal stretches.
Equal access
The role of the enforcement officer is of great importance in ensuring that all regulations are kept and fees duly paid. “We make sure that all boats on
the river are correctly licensed,” said Nick. “All those kept on the water require this. “That income is very important to the Environment Agency. It is vital in ensuring that we can continue to maintain our levels of service. “We regulate our own moorings and support other landowners in regulating those that they operate. It is important that there is equal access for all river boat users, and that users do not overstay their moorings. “Any structure such as a landing-stage has to be licensed by us, and that process is part of our role. And there is making sure that boats do not exceed the regulation speed limits.” On the issue of registration, Nick is very pleased to be able to report that thanks to the work of enforcement, the level of evasion of the licensing fee is now down to 5%. “That is the best rate among waterways throughout the country. And it ensures that our income is being protected,” he can say with pride. The Environment Agency often receives reports from the public of a boat seen not showing the correct registration plates, but Nick points out that this does not necessarily mean that the owners are offenders as investigations may find that the plates are merely obscured. Like the former car registration discs, registration plates show a different colour each year and indicate the licence is up to date. His current role since 2011 and those along the way give Nick great satisfaction. Boats have been important to him since he was a teenager. His father was serving in the forces and one of his postings was to Cyprus, where the young Nick soon gained an interest in sailing. He and his wife Wanda have a 23ft Seamaster yacht on which they enjoy trips with their two children and with relatives and friends. The Marlin originally had a mast, but Nick removed it as he felt that the boat looked more traditional without it, and it would have been a problem when he wanted to go under a bridge. As well as the enjoyable lifestyle that the river has provided for Nick, it also led to his introduction to his wife, who also was working on tourist boats on the Thames.
10 COMMUNITY BOATING
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An NCBA trainer looks back Derek Stansfield, NCBA director of training, continues his series of articles on NCBA projects. Following on from last month’s article on the Nottingham Narrowboat Project, Gerry Mulvaney, who has just obtained his trainer’s certificate, describes his first volunteering experience at the project. THE Nottingham Narrowboat Project was set up by Nottingham City Council in 1975 as a forwardthinking plan to give children access to the local waterways. It currently has two boats. Tinkers Leen, named after a small river running into the Nottingham Canal, was purpose built for the project by Nottingham City Council in the 1980s. It is 70ft long and has full wheelchair access, making it ideal for taking out people with disabilities. Tinkers Leen can sleep 10 in bunks, as well as a skipper’s cabin. The other boat, Megan, is also 70ft in length and can sleep up to 10 people in separate bunk rooms. My first volunteer experience of the project was a day out with project leader Debra Porter and a group of young people from the local hospital long-stay wards. Two buses brought the children
on to the wharf in the centre of Nottingham where the project is based. Most had not been on a boat before and looking at the arrivals, it seemed to me most were not that enthusiastic about going on one now, judging from the amount of texting and music listening that seems to distract today’s youngsters. They were an eclectic group of ages, ethnic mix and size, shepherded by Tina Simpson, the hospital liaison officer. We split the group in two and Debra took our bunch on to Tinkers Leen for the safety briefing. Getting their attention away from the iPods and phones was a struggle, but Debra had obviously worked with more difficult groups because it wasn’t long before she had hoots of laughter from them as they
Taking a turn at one of the locks.
struggled with the life jackets and listened to Debra’s tales of life on board. I must admit that I might have been reluctant to put a novice 12-year-old in charge of 20 tons of narrowboat, but Debra didn’t bat an eyelid as she called for some of the kids to join her on the tiller and promptly gave Darnell, who could just about see over the hatch, full control of Tinkers Leen.
Lunchtime destination
As we zigzagged down the canal towards Beeston, I could see some fear in the eyes of passing boaters, but what I also saw was Darnell suddenly come to life when he realised he could steer in a straight line under Debra’s tutelage. Not only was this his first time on a boat, but I sensed it was his first chance of adult responsibility and he really relished it. Debra made sure that all the kids who wanted to also had a chance to steer, but there were a couple of reluctant sailors and Debra made no attempt to force them. We headed up the River Trent
A happy group at the end of the day.
for our lunchtime destination at Cranfleet Lock. Debra managed to disgorge the party on to the lock side where Tina took over and provided them with a picnic. In the peace and quiet that followed I shared lunch with Debra on Megan. Debra explained that although day trips were the main activity the boats had ventured farther afield, in particular delivering Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award trips; the project is also an NCBA training centre. The Nottingham Project trains volunteer skippers for the project and from other parts of the country. It also runs courses on caring for the environment, team work and planning skills for Nottingham City Council and voluntary groups. Energy levels reset, the kids came charging back on to the boats. By now most of the children had been on the back of the boats with Debra, but as we headed back to base Debra sought out two very shy ones who had evaded her attention. Out on the river she managed to get them up on the tiller and the look of pleasure that a beaming young girl had on her face almost made the trip worthwhile on its own. By the time we got back, everyone had been in charge of the boat and all had taken their turns at locks. This was a very different group coming home. Gone were the texting and iPods, replaced with the enthusiasm for boats and the heritage of the canals and rivers.
The young people enjoy their day out with the Nottingham Narrowboat Project. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
COMMUNITY BOATING 11
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Full ‘team’ ahead on the royal river
Windsor is a popular destination. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON By Janet Richardson
WITH the Easter break marking the traditional start to the holiday season, trip boat operators are gearing up to welcome their first passengers of 2017. I visited French Bros of Windsor which is currently seeking new skippers and crew members for its boats, which are a familiar sight on the Thames from Henley down to Hampton Court. For sales manager, Don Yates, this is always a busy time for recruitment and training for the team of around 100 staff catering for some 250,000 passengers each year. He explained: “We have a big operation with 16 boats, each of which needs at least two people – a skipper and deckhand. It is a very varied operation so we can place someone suitable to their personality.” Deckhands can range from students – some of whom come back year after year – to semiretired boaters with time on their hands and already have a good waterways skill set. “A lot of our students started when they were in the sixth form and by the time they leave university are qualified skippers,” Don continued. “They come back when they are at home in the summer and cover Christmas when we are also very busy.” The fleet has the potential to run all year round but the main season is from Easter to November with the majority of staff needed up to September. Although there is a large turnover, there is a core base of people who have been with the company for more than 20 years. For instance, Don started with French Bros at the age of 19 as a deckhand with a very experienced skipper, David
The crew of one of the company’s historic steam-powered passenger boats, the SL Streatley, which took part in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant. PHOTO SUPPLIED Rogers, and soon learned to drive a boat. He took his boatmaster’s licence a couple of years later and worked as a skipper for about 10 years before moving into the office. “After 31 years with the company, I am still here,” he said. As well as the modern boats carrying from 12 to 150 passengers, there are two 100-year-old steam vessels. “They are completely different from the rest of the fleet and required a steam engineer as well – they are a rare breed, but we do get a lot of people expressing an interest in doing that,” said Don. French Bros carries out its own in-house programme following a very comprehensive schedule involving one-to-one and on-the-job training. Two new skippers qualified last year, having attained their BoatMaster Level Two grade. The variety of work presents some interesting opportunities. As well as walk-on public trips from 40 minutes to two hours, there are a lot of coach parties and groups such as WIs and Probus clubs, private charters for weddings, birthdays and other
A happy team of waiting and bar staff ready to welcome passengers on board the New Queen of the Thames. PHOTO SUPPLIED
occasions – also evening parties and jazz cruises. “We do loads of afternoon teas, pre-ordered and brought to the passengers on board,” Don continued. There is a programme of trips for which people can pre-book and buy their tickets on land for which they can also use Tesco vouchers.
About French Bros
The company was started in 1978 by brothers Chris, Geoff and Keith French, who bought a single day boat and invested at a time when a lot of other companies were scaling back their operations. They built their first boat the Lady Margaret Ann, named after their mother, with the help of respected boatbuilder, the late Michael Howlett, who was a great friend of the family. The company continued to grow and bought the Windsor Boat Co in 1989 with the acquisition of seven boats at that time and eventually took over Bray Boats 10 years later. Three boats specially adapted for people with disabilities are the latest addition to the fleet, which has major bases at Windsor and Runnymede. Built to carry passengers on the Olympic waterways for London 2012, the wide beam boats are wheelchair accessible and will cater for groups including people with restricted mobility. Contact 01753 851900; info@boat-trips.co.uik Website: frenchbrothers. co.uk
12 IWA ROUND-UP
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AROUND THE BRANCHES WITH IWA’S MARION BIRCH
Northampton
Chelmsford IWA Chelmsford Branch, in partnership with Essex Waterways, has succeeded in getting through to the in-store vote for a Tesco ‘Bags of Help’ grant, with a project to transform the towpath along the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation. Their project, along with two other successful projects in the region, will go forward to be
displayed in Tesco stores across eastern Essex where customers will decide the outcome by voting for their favourite project each time they shop. Voting will take place until Saturday, April 29 and the organisations will be notified by the end of May 2017 confirming the amount of funding they will receive.
C h e l m s f o rd B ra n c h’s proposed project is to undertake vital towpath improvement work along the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation, between Chapman’s Bridge and Tesco, Fullbridge; this will link two other recently improved stretches of path, creating a circular walking route for local people and visitors to enjoy.
Anyone intending to attend one of these events for the first time should contact the organisers beforehand and wear suitable clothing and footwear. If staying all day take a packed lunch unless other arrangement indicated.
East
Clearance work at Pipps Ford. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
garden area, and the owners have been extremely helpful and supportive, so the trust wants to avoid making too much mess at the bottom of their garden. While waiting for the drier weather to arrive, the work parties have been concentrating on keeping the towpath along the river clear, cutting back scrub and overgrown weeds, and also removing a number of trees that succumbed to the winter weather and fell into the stream.
Wednesdays April 5, 12, 19, 26 and Saturday April 8
IWA Ipswich Branch supporting River Gipping Trust: Pipps Ford (Needham Market, Ipswich, Suffolk IP6 8LJ) or Baylham Mill Lock (Mill Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk IP6 8LG), River Gipping. Meet at 9am to continue clearing storm damage to Pipps Ford or carry out maintenance at Baylham Mill Lock, finish at 3.30-4pm. Contact Martin Bird 01394 380765, restoration@rivergippingtrust.org.uk
Sunday April 9
IWA Lincolnshire Branch supporting Sleaford Navigation Trust: Volunteers meet on the second Sunday of the month to carry out a variety of tasks to maintain the navigable section of the Sleaford Navigation. 10am-3pm. To confirm date and location contact Chris or Steve Hayes 01522 689460, workparties@sleafordnavigation.co.uk
Midlands
West Country VOLUNTEERS from IWA’s West Country Branch recently led a local community group Litter Pick for Wildlife at French Weir Park in Taunton. This was part of Celebration of the River Tone, a week of naturebased family activities organised by Somerset Wildlife Trust. The occasion marked an additional celebration, as it was IWA West Country Branch’s 100th work party since May 1, 2016. Overall 3121 volunteer hours have been worked since then, by more than 100 volunteers registered with the branch. Ten IWA West Country Branch volunteers and team leaders from Somerset joined members of The Friends of The Grand Western Canal for a work party on the Grand Western Canal at Jay’s Cutting, Cothay, near Wellington. Although some water was present the site is located in the ‘dry’ Somerset section of the GWC. Much was achieved on the day and volunteers were involved with cutting back and removing floating and rotting wood, debris and other flotsam, extensive brambles, overhanging tree
A CHESHIRE LOCKS work party took place at Red Bull, Kidsgrove. Seven volunteers contributed a total of 42 hours of activity, litter picking on the Trent & Mersey Canal and the Hall Green Branch (which leads to the Macclesfield Canal), around Hardings Wood Junction from lock 42 up to Harecastle Tunnel.
IWA WORK PARTIES IN APRIL
Ipswich THE River Gipping Trust, supported by IWA Ipswich Branch, has made much progress towards reinstating the bywash at Pipps Ford Lock on the River Gipping, just south of Needham Market, Suffolk. Their aim is to restore the bywash which was filled in during historic rebuilding activities. Re-establishing it will allow the diversion of the flow of the river around the lock chamber which can then be drained, cleaned out and any necessary repairs carried out. In the lead up to Christmas volunteers successfully excavated and graded the new channel sides to within 2m of the planned entry point for the river and they are now waiting for some good, reasonably dry weather to enable the continuation of the excavation. The lock is located in a private
IWA Northampton Branch had another fantastic work party in February with 15 volunteers turning out. The following jobs were completed: Gayton Sanitary Station area weeded, scraped, swept and tidied; area adjacent to bridge 2 strimmed and tidied; new gate fitted adjacent to lock 2; reeds removed from lock 4 by-pass channel inlet; litter picked from Gayton down to the M1 motorway bridge with 10 bags of rubbish collected and the area around the lift bridge below lock 5 trimmed and tidied.
North Staffordshire & South Cheshire
Saturday and Sunday April 1-2
Evidence of an effective litter pick at French Weir Park. branches and hazel saplings, as well as strimming the canal footpath. There is a long-held dream to restore the Grand Western Canal and connect up the River Tone in Taunton with the 10 miles of Barge Canal in Devon (the Grand Western Country Park). Tentative plans are beginning to emerge to restore the first 2.3 miles from Taunton to Norton Fitzwarren. IWA West Country Branch has been successful in its application for a grant from the One Stop Carriers for Causes scheme. The branch will receive £957, half of which will be used to purchase tools and equipment and the other half will be used to fund RYA helmsman training for volunteers, to enable more people to use the work boats on clean-ups and task parties.
IWA Birmingham, Black Country & Worcester Branch supporting Waterway Recovery Group (WRG): BCN Cleanup 2017. A great opportunity to have fun and meet new people while clearing shopping trolleys, tyres, bicycles and even more exciting treasurers from the canal. This year volunteers will be working between Horseley Fields and Sneyd on the Wyrley & Essington Canal. Contact Chris Morgan, cbmorgan@sky.com
Sunday April 2 and Tuesday April 18
IWA Northampton Branch: Northampton Arm adoption, fortnightly work party 10am-2pm. Work includes a variety of tasks such as painting, vegetation clearance and litter picking. Location dependent on work completed at the previous work party. Contact Geoff Wood at geoff.wood@ waterways.org.uk
North
Saturday April 1 and Tuesday April 25
IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch supporting the Burslem Port Trust: Twice-monthly work party on the Burslem Arm, Stoke-on-Trent, 10am to 3pm. Meet at Luke Street, Middleport, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 3LY. Contact Steve Wood 07976 805858, steve.wood@ waterways.org.uk
Thursday April 13
IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust: Monthly work party on the Uttoxeter Canal at Bridge 70, Crumpwood. 10am-3pm. No parking at site so please meet at 9.30am at Denstone Village Hall, College Road, Denstone, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 5HR for a lift or, if on foot, meet on site at Bridge 70 at 10am. Contact Steve Wood 07976 805858, steve.wood@waterways.org.uk
Saturday April 15
IWA Manchester Branch: Monthly work party at a venue to be confirmed in Greater Manchester, 10am-4pm. Tasks will include vegetation clearance, litter picking, painting and pulling rubbish out of the canal. Contact 07710 554602, secretary@manchester-iwa.co.uk
Thursday April 20
IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and Trent & Mersey Canal Society: Monthly work party on the Cheshire Locks, Trent & Mersey Canal. 10am-3pm. Meet outside CRT Red Bull Offices. Limited parking at Red Bull Wharf, Congleton Road South (A34), Church Lawton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST7 3AP. Contact John Brighouse 0780 887317, john.brighouse@waterways. org.uk
Saturday April 29
IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch: Monthly work party in the Chester area working at various locations alongside the Shropshire Union Canal, 10am-4pm. Work will include painting and vegetation clearance. Contact Christine Fraser, christine.fraser@waterways.org.uk
South
Saturday April 1
IWA Milton Keynes Branch: Six-monthly clean-up event sponsored by Wyvern Shipping Co and supported by Canal & River Trust. Everyone is welcome, whether on a boat or on foot. Hi-vis jackets, gloves and hard hats provided, but please bring your own safety footwear. If you are under 18, you must be part of a supervised group. Contact Philip Strangeway, Philip.strangeway@waterways.org.uk.
Tuesdays April 18 and 25
IWA Oxfordshire supporting Banbury Canal Partnership: Meet at 9am, work until around 1pm. Contact Colin Garnham-Edge, bcpontheoxford@gmail.com
For further information on any of these events please contact Alison Smedley, IWA Branch Campaign Officer on 07779 090915 or email alison.smedley@waterways.org.uk. Details can also be found on IWA’s website at www.waterways.org.uk.