TowPath Talk September 2017

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MONTY SHOWCASE AT WELSHPOOL P4 TWO ROGERS MEET UP AT TRINGFORD

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Issue 143, September 2017

Cruising on the riverr

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KEEPING UP WITH P9 THE JONESES Charter boat Ocho approaches Abingdon Bridge from the lock upstream where the local lock keepers have been recognised with an award, see page 3.

PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES

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Vision for new canal arm gets green light from planners COUNCILLORS have approved plans to move forward with the next stage of delivering a new canal arm for Daventry – which could also see an inclined plane boat lift.

The proposals for a two-mile stretch of waterway from the town centre to the nearby Grand Union Canal are part of Daventry District Council’s vision to transform the town into a new visitor

IWA briefing notes

destination encouraging tourism, leisure and economic growth.

At its meeting on July 27, the council approved plans to spend up to £300,000 to prepare a business plan for the scheme.

This will examine in detail the option of delivering a first section of canal costing £8.71million. A final decision on whether to proceed with spending

A NEW topic has been added to the series of IWA briefing notes outlining its views on structures or craft impeding navigation. It recognises that exceptions may be appropriate in certain situations but each must be considered on its own merit and if accepted must not be seen as setting a precedent for future development. IWA quotes the example of Paddington Basin where the water area has been reduced and landscaping introduced despite an objection from its local branch. This is a particular concern where maximising moorings is essential to mitigate against the general loss elsewhere in London.

this money will not be made until the business plan returns to a future council meeting for consideration.

It was also agreed to seek planning permission for an inclined plane boat lift on the canal as an alternative to locks.

In a letter supporting the plans, Tim Coghlan of Braunston Marina pointed out that the late Coun David Griffin

Northern power

VOLUNTEERS contributed 44,000 hours of help in the Manchester and Pennine region last year, the waterway partnership’s recent annual meeting heard. They have worked on the Rochdale, Ashton, Huddersfield Narrow, Caldon, Peak Forest, Macclesfield and Trent & Mersey canals. The meeting was attended by 100 people from the local community, councils, interest groups and canal enthusiasts. As well as listening to progress reports including plans to improve Standedge Visitor Centre in Marsden and creating a hub for visitors in Manchester city centre, visitors also contributed their views on the future of local canals.

had campaigned tirelessly for the canal arm, arguing that it was in the original proposal for the Grand Junction Canal in the early 1790s, but then never built. This was due to the opposition from the then many vested interests in Daventry, due to its pivotal position on the London to Chester Turnpike.

Continued on page 3

Stainton Aqueduct

THE Canal & River Trust has secured initial funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to develop plans to restore and reopen the Grade II listed Stainton Aqueduct on the Lancaster Canal. The initial award of £41,000 will enable the trust to work alongside the Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership (LCRP) on a second-stage application to be submitted in November. If successful, the bid will unlock £1.5 million from HLF towards a total project value of £2.2 million for repairs to the aqueduct, which was badly damaged during the December 2015 storms, and develop other key sites.

2 NEWS/COMMENT

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WELCOME THIS summer has been a bit of a mixed bag weather-wise with reduced water levels affecting some waterways and flood locks closed on others. But the sun is shining as I write although the early mornings are starting to feel a bit ‘back-endish’.

I recently attended the FolkSail event at the Yorkshire Waterways Museum, see report on page 16, where visitors sat outside to enjoy the live entertainment on the Sunday afternoon. But as I left there were dark clouds on the horizon and subsequent downpours forced everyone inside for a time.

But rain or shine, there has been lots happening around the country to whet the appetite of visitors. Harry Arnold reports from the Welshpool Canal & Food Festival on page 4 and he also revisited the waterways museum at Gloucester for the relaunch of converted barge Sabrina 5 for educational and exhibition use, see page 18.

Robert Davies reflects on a record attendance at the Russell Newbery Register rally on page 17 where we also have a report on the Thames Traditional Boat Festival.

Boaters in the Anglian Waterways Group have been keeping up pressure on the Environment Agency to maintain the Old Bedford River in navigable condition, attending a focus session at the Denver Complex in late spring. Since then there has been another successful trip, this time by two boats, from the tidal Ouse at Salters Lode to the current head of navigation at Welches Dam lock.

See John Revell’s report on page 15.

I am sure towpath users will have noticed that fruit such as blackberries seem to be ripening earlier this year.

I have also been looking skywards at the screaming and circling swifts, which will have departed for warmer climes by the time you read this and the swallows starting to gather on the telephone wires – signs of a change of season.

Whether you’re on water or on land – enjoy.

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CUTNOTES

Safer if you are a Buddhist

Comment and recollections from Harry Arnold

Standedge: Unlined section in 1962.

THERE is a well-established Buddhist community not too far from the canal where I live. But I had never seen members enjoying a waterway walk until recently. It did strike me that in their brightly coloured saffron robes they were more prominent than Canal & River Trust staff and volunteer lock keepers in high visibility gear.

Standedge trip, slightly earlier

Canal marinas; now destinations to shop, see and be seen.

1960s canal business prediction DAVID Kinnersley was deputy general manager of British Waterways in the 1960s. He was one of group of officers who had to implement the then policy of their Government lords and masters to ‘do something’ about the canals, mostly involving closure.

So to us campaigners he was then a representative of ‘the opposition’. But later – after he had moved on – I was to discover that he was a good bloke. Like some of his colleagues, he didn’t believe in what he was instructed to do at the time and he went on to found the charity Water Aid. He was an astute businessman and then being involved in managing a boat company, I had to deal with him. On this basis we got along quite well. In fact, I won in a deal over the purchase of a boat from BW via him. Or did I? Anyway, it is down to him (and me I suppose) that the vessel is still operating as a successful passenger boat business on the River Wey. One day he said to me (or perhaps a group of us): “There will always be more money in selling things to people watching boats than putting them on boats.” I’m not sure if those were the exact words, but you get the gist. We thought that he was mad. Yes, we had all seen the historic pictures of locations like Boulters Lock with hundreds of Victorians turning out in their Sunday best. But that was the River Thames, not a network of rather run-down narrow canals that he was alluding to.

I’m not crying poverty on behalf of boatbuilders and hire companies but have you been to some of the new canal marinas lately? Yes, they were built to moor boats but many now have cafes, shops and other visitor attractions. In tourist board parlance they are ‘visitor destinations’. Ladies go not only to see, but to be seen strutting their stuff in high heels and best dresses (British weather permitting that is).

At more restricted locations, canalside cafes and pubs are doing good business. Only a small percentage is from boaters, most is from visitors. So, some 50 years later, David’s prediction is coming true. But we first needed to save the canals to get the boats and other users on, to bring in the visitors to enjoy the scene and spend their money.

A SLIP of the keyboard dated my trip through Standedge Tunnel as 1966. It was actually 1962. It would be interesting to hear from anyone else who was on it. This other picture shows us passing through one of the unlined sections, with a BW chap in front poking at loose rock.

Buddhist canal walkers have no need for high-viz.

Gloucester: early days as the National Waterways Museum. PHOTOS: WATERWAY IMAGES

Good deal for Gloucester?

VISITING again what is now the Gloucester Waterways Museum – having had its original title of National Waterways Museum later usurped by Ellesmere Port – my thoughts led to its founding. I was taking photographs for British Waterways of the official reopening by chairman Sir Frank Price of the Llangollen Canal after one of the series of major breaches at Millars Bridge on June 24, 1983.

As a matter of interest, it burst again in almost exactly the same place some two years later.

I recall BW section inspector Jimmy Howard telling us that the contractors were using the wrong methods to repair it, but he was ignored by higher management. Eventually they had to build a complete concrete channel.

After the ceremony, we all went up to the local posh hotel for lunch. Sir Frank called me over to the bar, bought me a drink and said:

“Hey, Harry, I’ve got a story for you but you’ll have to sit on it for a while,” (sounded like the opening to one of his jokes). He went on to say: “Got the developers in at Gloucester Docks and we’re going to get a waterways museum out of it.”

Some time later there was an official preview event at Gloucester announcing the founding of the National Waterways Museum and other developments. We journalists and others had had to listen to speeches saying how BW had researched locations throughout its waterway network to find the right place for the museum and had finally decided on Gloucester Docks.

I have never been able to understand why the real reason wasn’t given and Sir Frank and his board didn’t simply get credit for doing a good deal for waterway heritage. Maybe there was more to it than met the eye?

Cicely takes over from Hugh in reporting from Scotland MEET Cicely Oliver, who has taken over responsibility for our bi-monthly On Scottish Waters pages.

She replaces journalist Hugh Dougherty, who has retired after five busy years of keeping the Scottish pages afloat with news and features.

Cicely, who has a lifelong experience of editing and publishing management, both staff and freelance with leading publishers,

also has an active love of canals and waterways, especially as her partner owns a residential barge on the Forth & Clyde Canal at Bowling.

She has also contributed to waterways publications over the years.

Cicely said: “I am looking forward enormously to getting out and about and meeting all involved in making the canals and waterways of Scotland what they are today.

There is a lively and fascinating story to tell

and I plan to tell that story and that of the people behind it.”

The new Scottish correspondent, who lives not far from the Forth & Clyde Canal outside Glasgow, can be contacted via editor@ towpathtalk.co.uk RIGHT: Our new Scottish correspondent Cicely Oliver.

PHOTO: HUGH DOUGHERTY

Modern cheese boat rescues former cheese-fly Saturn after Swan is stuck

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The Borders Cheese boat tows cheese-fly Saturn to Ellesmere. PHOTO: BOB JERVIS

SHROPSHIRE Union fly-boat Saturn was on the way to the Ellesmere Festival on the Llangollen Canal towed by the Cowburn & Cowpar boat Swan when unfortunately, Swan stuck in the first lock on the Hurleston flight, writes Sue Cawson.

Swan has been up and down this lock a few times before without problems. There have, however, been recent width problems at this lock with modern boats.

Saturn’s crew bow-hauled the boat up the locks and almost before they could sort out an alternative plan, the Borders Cheese Carrying Company’s boat – which retails cheese – arrived and offered to tow the boat to Ellesmere.

The trip went well and the crew of Saturn would like to say a big thank you to Adrian and Sue Pye of the Cheese Boat for making the move possible.

NEWS 3

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Hotel boats honour Abingdon lock keepers with top BMIB award THE Hotel Boat section of British Marine Inland Boating (BMIB) has awarded its prestigious Lock Keeper of the Year award for 2016 to two members of the Environment Agency (EA) River Thames lock keeping team.

Resident lock and weir keeper Richard Hawkins and volunteer assistant lock keeper Frank Jordan are based at Abingdon Lock where the award was presented as hotel boat Kailani passed through the lock with guests on board.

Recipients are nominated and voted for by all BMIB Hotel Boat operators so that they can recognise the support they receive from the people working ‘on the ground’ as they take holidaymakers around Britain’s inland waterways.

The new chairman of BMIB’s hotel boat section, Nick Mead, explained: “As professional boaters we like to recognise the professionalism of navigation authority staff, especially when they give exceptional service to boaters.

“Hotel Boats are some of the most widely travelled craft on the inland waterways, cruising up to 1500 miles each summer season, and between them visiting almost the entire network of canals and rivers. The award is open not only to lock keepers, but to all bankside waterway staff who are judged by BMIB Hotel Boat members to have given outstanding assistance to waterways users.”

Gordon and Dorenda Horry, owners and hosts aboard Kailani, presented the award as the hotel boat arrived to descend Abingdon Lock. Thanking them for their cheerful welcome, Dorenda said: “All the hotel boat crews that nominated Richard and Frank described how they are always friendly, polite and extremely helpful, however busy the lock is with boats and visitors.

The BMIB Lock Keeper of the Year award presentation at Abingdon Lock on the River Thames. Seen here with the shield featuring lock keepers’ names since the award’s inception in 1997 and engraved windlasses for the winners are, from left: BMIB vice-chairman Russell Chase, Environment Agency resident lock and weir keeper Richard Hawkins, Dorenda and Gordon Horry of hotel boat Kailani, volunteer assistant lock keeper Frank Jordan and John Dutson, River Thames team leader Environment Agency, with the hotel boat’s guests and visitors to Abingdon Lock looking on. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES “Richard is always very informative about river conditions, local events and overnight moorings nearby. He takes time to talk with our guests and even direct deliveries to the hotel boat but is always mindful of visitors’ safety, even when off-duty. His quick thinking has helped save lives, when on a spring evening last year a stag party overturned their small rowing boat near to the lock.”

She continued: “Volunteer Frank Jordan works alongside Richard and also operates the lock while Richard attends to other duties such as weirkeeping. Frank is always very happy to see us; he is very knowledgeable about his hometown of Abingdon, letting us know of upcoming events

and helping with moorings in town.”

Gordon added: “Although all the locks of the River Thames can be operated by boaters without a lock keeper present, they can be daunting – especially to people hiring a boat for the first time. Richard and Frank welcome and guide you through, offering security and confidence to the novice and the most seasoned of boaters.

“Their support helps maintain our schedules and lock keepers like Richard and Frank impart a wealth of information that, along with their great humour, adds enormously to our guests’ enjoyment as they experience the wonderful River Thames on their hotel boat cruise.”

New homes take shape along the Whitchurch Arm

By Harry Arnold

HOUSING is currently being built along the rest of the restored section of the Whitchurch Arm. This is along the offside between the winding hole and the junction with the main line of the Llangollen Canal.

Beyond the end of the navigable part the Whitchurch Waterways Trust’s plans to extend the arm into a mooring basin continue and Phase 1 – the construction of a picnic site and its landscaping – is virtually complete.

The work has been financed by a grant from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development of £64,471.

WWT is holding its annual rally of boats over the weekend of September 2-3 to promote its aims and objects. Boaters need to book and an application form is available on http:whitchurchwaterway.uk/rally

Boats moored in the Whitchurch Arm below the new housing development. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES

Water music 300 years on, to the hour

By Elizabeth Rogers

THE waters of the River Thames echoed to a musical celebration on Monday, July 17, exactly 300 years – and to the exact hour – since the first performance of Handel’s Water Music took place.

This had been commissioned for the monarch recently arrived from Germany, George I, who is said to have so greatly enjoyed Handel’s composition that he asked for two repeat performances on that evening in London in 1717.

The music that resounded in 2017 was a commission for the BBC played in a live broadcast from the Thames during its Front Row programme.

The setting was Butlers Wharf, in the shadow of Tower Bridge.

The BBC had commissioned the work

from its Young Composer of the Year, 22-year-old Grace Evangeline Mason.

She produced a piece of music which she entitled River, describing it as containing separate phrases to link together in order to reflect the movement of the water.

Her work was performed aboard a barge, Erasmus, by 20 musicians of London Early Opera, conducted by Bridget Cunningham.

A search through records showed another exactitude between the two musical occasions: both took place at a flood tide, and in other similar conditions.

River had its first full performance on the following Saturday at the BBC Proms, preceded by a suite from Handel’s Water Music.

• Continued from page 1

Vision for new canal arm gets green light from planners “That canal arm should now be built, and with one modern designed boat lift instead of a number of locks, to give Daventry a visitor destination it so desperately needs. Were all this to happen, it would be a fitting tribute to name that boat lift in his honour – the Griffin Boat Lift.”

Mr Coghlan added that the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland had attracted more than 450,000 visitors a year – even just half that number going to Daventry with their spend would be an enormous boost to the town’s finances, and the quality of the leisure facilities it could offer.

Coun Colin Poole, DDC’s economic, regeneration and employment portfolio holder, said: “This latest decision by councillors demonstrates the council’s long-term commitment to building a new destination canal arm.

“Work is continuing behind the scenes towards securing the external funding needed to deliver the entire canal and we need to demonstrate to potential investors that we are prepared to match-fund the project with capital money if required.

He added: “Towns need a unique offer to compete with others and attract more visitors, businesses and investment – Daventry’s lies in its key location in a district at the heart of the waterways network. The canal will lead to a vibrant water space destination in the centre of Daventry, including retail and leisure outlets such as bars and restaurants.”

The proposed two-mile stretch of canal and parkland would provide a valuable piece of green infrastructure offering valuable wildlife habitat and recreational space for local residents,

The late Coun David Griffin on Raymond at the 2008 Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally where he had been displaying plans for the Daventry Canal Arm. PHOTO: TIM COGHLAN

workers and visitors. It will link to a new Waterspace development with mooring facilities and services off Eastern Way, Daventry, blending leisure, offices and housing.

Full planning permission for the canal was granted in January this year and the permission is valid for three years.

Funding identified from the council’s budgets for the canal project is capital money, used to invest in land and property and is separate to that spent on the day-to-day running of services.

If investment for a first section is approved in the future, the £8.71m would be gradually reimbursed to the council through the Community Infrastructure Levy planning charges paid by developers of new housing to fund local infrastructure projects – and potentially other external funding sources.

4 NEWS

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One of the Heulwen Trust’s boats cruises through activities on the wharf. PHOTOS: WATERWAY IMAGES

Montgomery restoration is showcased at Welshpool festival

By Harry Arnold

FOR the second year running the central restored section of the Montgomery Canal hosted the Welshpool Canal & Food Festival in late July.

The town wharf – with food and other stands, plus entertainment, on a section of the central canalside car park – is an ideal location to view events on the water.

Close encounters of the coracle kind.

Water-based activities were very well organised by Canal & River Trust (CRT) staff and local volunteers and included coracle and boat races, canoeing and angling for both visitors and locals to join in.

These were free to all taking part as their financing came from the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of the restoration of the Montgomery Canal.

Between all the activities there were 183 participants, 113 of them under 25 years old.

All events were thoroughly enjoyed by those taking part and those watching the colourful spectacle. Especially the coracle relay races, in which teams of young and not-so-young paddlers competed. Worthy winners of the trophy were Shropshire Paddlesports who admittedly had a bit of experience on their side.

For those who wanted a more sedate on-the-water experience, two of the Heulwen Trust’s boats ran a shuttle service of free trips.

Coracles of all sizes and colours took part in the relay races.

Welshpool Mayor, Coun Steve Kaye, presents the award to the Shropshire Paddlesports team.

On land – among a variety of local food stalls and other organisations promoting their causes – CRT, the local branch of IWA and the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust campaigned for the further reopening of the canal, MWRT fundraising for the removal of the last dropped bridge in Shropshire.

The Shropshire Boatmen sang about fly-boats and Saturn.

Just a few days previously, volunteers of the Waterway Recovery Group and the Shropshire Union Canal Society had successfully completed the huge task of removing the other major blockage – the infilled old railway bridge crossing at Pant (see facing page) – a major achievement which demonstrated the effectiveness of well-planned voluntary labour.

Musical entertainment suited a variety of tastes. My favourite was the sea songs of shanty crew The Shropshire Boatmen. Perhaps somewhat biased as they sang a song – composed by one of their members – about Shroppie fly-boats and Saturn. An interesting background to a well-organised festival promoting Welshpool and the future of the Montgomery Canal.

CRT staff, MWRT and IWA volunteers promote restoration of the Montgomery Canal.

NEWS 5

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Railway embankment makes way for canal WATERWAY Recovery Group North West volunteers took on a redundant railway embankment during a week-long work party in July.

They removed an amazing 1114.5 tonnes of material which was blocking the line of the Montgomery Canal at Pant, near Llanymynech in Shropshire.

The embankment was created on the Oswestry-Welshpool line when an old bridge was removed after the canal was closed. The railway itself closed in 1965 and the bank was left, obstructing the derelict canal.

Trees and other growth had been cleared on previous visits in preparation for removing the embankment, which has cleared the canal between the two abutments of the old railway bridge. It is hoped that they are in good condition and will remain in place.

Local volunteers from the Welshpoolbased Thursday Restoration And Maintenance Project Supporters, known as TRAMPS, had continued to clear vegetation

which had grown since WRG was previously on site in February.

The spoil was removed from the bottom of Rhiew Revel Lane, Pant, by lorry to Wood Lane, Ellesmere, so there were an unusually large number of lorry journeys on the minor roads during the week of the work camp.

WRG members came from as far afield as Lancashire, Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Crewe, Wrexham, Milton Keynes and Watford. They were joined by volunteers from the Shropshire Union Canal Society whose regular work site is at Morton where they are working on the lottery-supported restoration to Crickheath.

The next stage of restoration will involve shaping and waterproofing the channel as part of the project to extend the canal from Crickheath to Llanymynech.

Reopening the canal to Llanymynech is part of the wider plan to restore the connection to the national waterway network, so that boats from across the country can bring the canal in Llanymynech and Welshpool back to life.

The way is now clear at Pant following the removal of an old railway embankment. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES

Cutting a dash in Dashwood vintage style A VICTORIAN gentleman’s historic voyage to the South Coast on inland waterways has been commemorated by a flotilla of small boats on the River Wey. Canoeists and kayakers followed the first part of JB Dashwood’s trip to the Solent 150 years ago, on the River Wey, Wey & Arun Canal and the River Arun.

Organised jointly by the National Trust and the Wey & Arun Canal Trust (WACT) on July 8, the Dashwood Day flotilla navigated from Thames Lock at Weybridge down to Gun’s Mouth at Shalford, where the Wey & Arun Canal connects with the River Wey navigation.

Dashwood, his wife and their dog travelled south in a small yacht in July 1867, on their way to see a Royal Navy Spithead Review staged in honour of the Sultan

of the Ottoman Empire. They arrived in the English Channel after several days of adventures while being towed by horse down the canal through Surrey and West Sussex.

“Our congratulations to all who navigated the whole length from the Thames to the Wey & Arun on Dashwood Day,” said WACT chairman Sally Schupke.

“We are very grateful to Richard and Vanessa Smith for setting up their refreshment stall at Coxes Lock Mill, which certainly helped the canoeists keep going.

"The canal was closed in 1871 but we are working hard to bring the entire waterway back to life so that boaters can again follow Dashwood’s entire route," added Sally.

BORN AND BUILT IN THE 1930S!

Roger meets Roger: Pictured from right are: Roger Leishman, restoration director for the Wendover Arm Trust, his wife Margaret and WAT chairman Chris Sargeant. PHOTOS SUPPLIED WENDOVER Arm Trust’s restoration director Roger Leishman met narrowboat Roger at the Tringford pumping station open day.

Built in 1936 at Bushells Boat Yard, New Mill Tring, the historic boat was due at Bulbourne for maintenance work in July.

Two of the boaters setting out from Thames Lock on the Dashwood Day voyage in vintage costume. PHOTO: WACT

Teas-maid: Freya Clark, Miss Junior Teen Dacorum 2017, serves refreshments with the Wendover Arm Trust’s regular tea-ladies.

Roger is the last commercial wooden boat built at the yard that is still afloat and a chance remark from a volunteer at the Rickmansworth Trust led to its return to the area where it was built to link up with The Wendover Arm Trust’s open day at the pumping station on July 23.

Crowds came to see both the historic narrowboat, to tour the historic – and still working – pumping station and to enjoy walks along the towpath to see the restoration work being done by the Wendover Arm Trust.

Tours of the pumping station were in the capable hands of the Canal & River Trust’s Keith Evans and Wendover Arm Trust volunteers assisted and provided teas and cakes and the sideshows.

Miss Junior Teen Dacorum 2017, Freya Clark, was also in attendance to help with serving refreshments.

6 NEWS

IN BRIEF Boat stops traffic

AN OXFORDSHIRE trail boater’s holiday trip to the Caledonian Canal was brought to an abrupt halt as his Sea Otter careered off its trailer and crashed through the central reservation of the A9 Perth to Inverness road. It brought traffic to a standstill on the busiest route through the Highlands a few miles from his destination. No one was injured in the accident which caused major disruption. The boater told a reporter at the scene that the boat hadn’t sustained much damage externally, most of it being caused to the inside and fittings.

Pathway project

WIGAN youngsters on a special course have been helping to clean up a stretch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, writes Geoff Wood. Boys and girls, aged 12 to 18, on a pathway course designed to build their confidence, donned lifejackets, climbed aboard canoes and swept the water for litter and debris. Project co-ordinator Dave Coppin said: “It is important for young people to give something back to their local communities and we feel that a clean-up of the canal was a very worthy task.”

Surprise support

CROFTON Beam Engine’s fundraising efforts received a huge boost when an American visitor presented them with a £7500 donation. During a recent visit Bill Tandler, founder and CEO of Multi Metrics Inc CA, was so impressed by the enthusiasm of the volunteers and the care with which the beam engines are maintained that he decided to offer this boost to fundraising. Crofton is presently working towards a grant from the Heritage Lottery fund and has to raise a significant amount of match funding.

Towpath scheme

A £200,000 contribution by Craven District Council will help bring towpath improvements on an often badly rutted walkway a step closer, writes Geoff Wood. It would involve improvements to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal towpath between Skipton and Gargrave and from Bradley to the borders of Bradford. Backing the scheme, costing £1.78 million overall, is the Canal & River Trust, which has submitted a bid for match funding to the Rural Development Programme for England.

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Purchase of cottages paves the way for visitor attraction DERBY & Sandiacre Canal Trust has bought six derelict cottages overlooking a stretch of disused canal in Draycott that it is planning to restore.

The cottages are at the start of the Draycott ‘Golden Mile’ between Hopwell Road and Derby Road, which will be the first stretch of the former 13-mile waterway that the trust plans to restore into a visitor attraction.

Detailed plans and feasibility studies will now be drawn up for the future use of the cottages near Hopwell Road which have cost £175,000 to buy.

Initial proposals are to create a multi-use development including an information centre about the history of and future plans for the restoration of the canal.

The buildings will also be a base for the trust as well as heritage and leisure businesses and two cottages could be converted into domestic dwellings to raise revenue alongside funding from commercial development loans and, potentially, grants.

Meanwhile, for the Draycott Golden Mile of canal, the trust needs to demonstrate public support and is appealing for pledges totalling £100,000.

This will enable the trust to then apply for grant funding to complete the £352,000 canal project.

Once completed, the Golden Mile will have a slipway to allow canoes and boats access to the water with mooring points at each end.

The canal will be stocked with fish and angling facilities set up. There will be a hard-standing car park at Hopwell Road

for the visitor attraction with a relaid foot and cycle path as well as a grass track for horse riders.

Silk winding

The cottages are believed to be around 200 years old and were originally a silk mill winding room – similar to the Derby Silk Mill.

They were then accommodation for farm workers on the surrounding land owned by the Co-operative Society before falling into disrepair over the past 30 years.

Chris Madge, chairman of Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust’s restoration committee, explained: “These cottages are some of the very few remaining pieces of the Derby Canal heritage and we have had our eye on them for some time.

“Having secured the deal, we hope to have some firm plans in place very soon so that we can raise the money for the restoration work.

“We are working to plot the history of the cottages to add to what we have already gathered about life on and around the canal, which will be included in an interactive exhibition at the new visitor centre on this site.

“The Draycott Golden Mile appeal is really gathering pace and I believe this is what convinced the previous owner to part with the cottages.

“Since launching the fundraising appeal in May, we already have nearly £40,000 in pledges which clearly demonstrates public support for our proposals to reinstate the canal itself.

Derby & Sandiacre Canal Trust members and local councillors celebrate the purchase of the Draycott cottages. PHOTO SUPPLIED “We need further pledges of support from individuals, businesses and organisations at this stage which we will then call upon when the funding target has been reached and the 12-week canal construction work is scheduled to begin.”

Cruising ring

The original Derby Canal was completed in 1796 but was abandoned in the 1960s and filled in during the 1970s.

The trust was founded in 1993 with the aim of restoring a 13-mile stretch between Derby and Sandiacre to connect to the Trent & Mersey and Erewash Canals. This would create a 25-mile cruising ring offering access to more than 2000 miles of navigable waterways across the UK. As well as restoring the canal, the ambitious programme includes creating a short canal stretch through

Pride Park with an ‘arm’ lift to take boats down to the river level so that they can then travel up the Derwent to the Silk Mill in the city centre.

Trust volunteers have so far restored bridges at Swarkestone and Borrowash to the demanding heritage standards and undertaken hedge planting along the route so that it can be enjoyed by walkers and cyclists. ● Derby & Sandiacre Canal Trust is looking for public donations in the form of pledges for the Draycott ‘Golden Mile’. The trust will take details from any supporter and only call for the money when the balance has been raised. Pledge forms are available from http:// derbycanal.org.uk/activities/ the-draycott-project

Flying the Green Flag CANALS and some of their historic structures have been awarded the right to fly the Green Flag in 2017.

This national award, handed out by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, recognises and rewards the best green spaces in the country.

Gringley Lock on the awardwinning section of the Chesterfield Canal between Stockwith and Retford. PHOTO: CHESTERFIELD CANAL TRUST

Among the canal stretches to achieve this status are: River Lee Navigation (four miles); Chesterfield Canal (14 miles of the SSSI section, Stockwith to Retford); Shropshire Union Canal Middlewich Branch (22 miles, Barbridge Jct to Audlem); Peak Forest Canal (12 miles) and the Macclesfield Canal (26 miles) – all judged to be ‘quality green spaces’.

The Marple Aqueduct, which carries the Peak Forest Canal over the River Goyt and the Marple Lock Flight of 16 locks, one of the steepest sections in the country, have also been awarded a Green Heritage Award for a first time.

Chesterfield Canal was a double winner, with Tapton Lock having been awarded a Green Flag for the fourth time. This covers the westernmost stretch of the canal within Chesterfield.

The Grand Western Canal Country Park has received an award for the ninth consecutive year.

Canal & River Trust staff and volunteers at Audlem, Cheshire, proudly displaying the new Green Flag awarded to the Shropshire Union Canal.

PHOTO: CANAL & RIVER TRUST

One of two Devon County Council (DCC) country parks to achieve this status, the country park and local

nature reserve stretches more than 11 miles from Tiverton to the Somerset border.

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.

More adventurous cruising Advice for inland waterways users on accessing tidal waters

INLAND waterways users come from all boating backgrounds; some are happy to potter the Kennet & Avon canal on their own boat for a few weeks of the year, others are looking further afield, be it to mainland Europe or an adventure around the UK. Although the inland waterways network in the UK is extensive and there are a number of ‘rings’ which inland waterways users can cruise, taking anything from just an afternoon (such as the East London Ring) to a

good few weeks (the Four Counties Ring or the North Pennine Ring), the entire network is not completely joined up.

If you’re looking to cruise the Thames Ring or head from the River Trent to the River Ouse, for example, there will be an element of tidal waters to negotiate.

This will inevitably be an interesting and challenging trip, but it’s important to understand the steps to take to prepare for such an adventure.

There are lots of waterways guides with invaluable information about the cruising area, such as where to buy fuel, pump-out facilities, areas of local interest and any navigational considerations along the way. When venturing on a route which incorporates

a tidal stretch it is imperative that thorough planning is undertaken.

Whereas cruising within the inland waterways generally happens from dawn till dusk (although some do travel at night), locking out of the inland waterways and on to tidal waters is not so straightforward. There will be specific times relative to the height of tide where the lock is operational.

Be prepared for a change in weather conditions. A flotilla of narrowboats from St Pancras Cruising Club head down Bow Creek towards the tidal Thames. Inset: The weather closes in as they approach the Thames Barrier.

PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON

Narrowboats heading out into the Wash. PHOTO: LES HEATH Arriving outside those times could at best be inconvenient by having to wait before heading out on to the tide, at worst it might mean having to wait in strong tides until the gates are operational which could cause unnecessary stress, as well as being very challenging on the crew’s skills.

If you’re interested in transiting tidal water, it is important to do your planning and research. You should also check that boat insurance allows for tidal usage.

You might also consider taking the RYA Essential Navigation and Safety course in preparation for your trip.

Practically, it is vital that the vessel and crew are set up to safely navigate the higher sea state on tidal waters caused by swell and passing vessels. Just as when heading into a lock, hatch doors should be closed, in addition side windows should be secured to withstand any wash or swell. It would only take a small amount of water to have a devastating impact on vessel stability, so protecting against water coming in is a priority.

Before entering the tidal lock, ropes and any loose items, including those in

Grand Sluice Lock in Boston where the River Witham meets the tidal Haven river.

PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

the galley, should be secured or stowed.

Dampen solid fuel burning stoves. The conditions will have an effect on the attitude of the boat, so it is important that crew are properly briefed, prepared and equipped. Crew should wear lifejackets as the risk of falling overboard is much higher in moving water.

With the right kind of preparations, would-be adventurers will have an enjoyable, rather than an off-putting, experience.

● Find out more about RYA Inland Waterways courses at www.rya.org. uk/go/inlandwaterways

8 NETWORKING

SOCIETY NEWS Beeston heritage

THE newly opened Canalside Heritage Centre at Beeston Lock is urgently seeking volunteers to join the team. Operated by a small local charity, the centre has roles to suit a variety of interests. Most urgently sought are: meet and greeters, tea room helpers, shop staff and people with admin and computer skills. It is also looking for walk leaders, garden and education volunteers. All will receive an induction, training and ongoing support. For more information visit Beeston Lock or online at www.canalsideheritagecentre. org.uk or call Jenny Aldridge on 01159 221773.

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Memorial bench unveiled at Droitwich A NEW bench in memory of boater Allen Green was unveiled at a ceremony in Vines Park, close to Netherwich Basin, Droitwich, on July 22.

Unveiling the bench in Vines Park.

Fundraiser sought

GRANTHAM Canal Society is seeking a dedicated fundraiser to start the ball rolling for future restoration bids. It took nearly five years for the Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £833,000 to come to fruition enabling GCS, in partnership with the Canal & River Trust, to tackle the current restoration of Locks 14 and 15.

The GCS executive will in the future hold an extraordinary meeting on fundraising schemes and the work required. Anyone interested should email chiefexecutive@granthamcanal. org for a job description.

(Bridge July 2017)

Annual meeting

A WALKING tour of Langley Mill to see the work done by the Erewash Canal Preservation and Development Association will follow the IWA AGM at Aldecar High School on Saturday, September 30. Members will have a choice of a boat trip along the Cromford Canal but this is limited to 40 people. (IWA Bulletin 26/7/17)

Adoption groups

WE REGULARLY receive updates from the Uppermill Community Action Network (UCAN) which we include in our online volunteering section but it’s also good to hear of other adoption groups working along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. These include the HCS Volunteers who work alternate Fridays (01484 534666), Diggle Community Association, Stalybridge Volunteer Group (01457 871800) and Street Scene Greenfield Group (01457 597666); we welcome your news too.

(Pennine Link, summer 2017)

New look website

Melton & Oakham Waterways Society’s new website has gone live. Take a look at www. meltonwaterways.org.uk (MOWS Newsletter, Summer 2017).

Commemorating the life of Allen Green with the unveiling of a memorial bench are, front, Allen’s mother Jean Green; at table from left: Droitwich Spa Mayor Shaun Best, Richard Clements, and Margaret Rowley WBDCS vicechairman and also chairman of The Droitwich Waterways (Pamela May) Trust; back left, local waterways chaplain the Rev Richard Alford and WBDCS chairman David Wheeler. PHOTOS: WBDCS

Allen tragically died in a narrowboating accident on July 26 last year on Droitwich Junction Canal after his boat sank in a lock.

The bench was bought thanks to a joint venture with Worcester-Birmingham & Droitwich Canals Society, Droitwich Waterways (Pamela May) Trust and one of his friends, Richard Clements, who helped to raise more than £400 by setting up a page on the crowdfunding site www.justcaring.com. Events included the successful musical bingo night reported last month.

A plaque on the bench reads: “The Barge Canal. Allen Green, helmsman of Netherwich Basin. Always in our hearts, never forgotten.”

Towpath edge repairs helped by grant A GRANT has been awarded to the Friends of the Cromford Canal from DerwentWISE Landscape Partnership, to improve sections of the towpath edge with the canal, where historical erosion and damage from dogs climbing out of the canal is evident.

The £3453 grant, with the FCC providing 10%, is providing materials and equipment to make a permanent repair using dry coir rolls, locked into position at several points between Lawn Bridge and High Peak Junction.

Coir is a natural product and the rolls being used are termed dry, as opposed to pre-seeded, because the section of canal is a SSSI area and care has to be taken not to introduce non-native species.

The main materials in the grant are 150 linear metres of coir rolls and 20 tonnes of puddling clay, work being carried out by volunteers from the Friends of the Cromford Canal, under the

direction of DCC Countryside Services. The coir rolls are each 3m long by 300mm diameter (about 10ft by 12in).

The method of working in shallow water involves the rolls going directly into the water, locked in place with bags of puddling clay and long pins and a second coir roll placed on top, backfilled with clay and finally a covering of top soil to allow natural growth of vegetation.

In deeper water it is anticipated that a support bed of clay-filled bags will be built and pinned in position with the coir rolls pinned on top and backfilled as before. In some places there may be need for three coir rolls, stacked. Work started in July with a break in August and will finish in the autumn.

A trial section has since been put in place and an evaluation of the method is awaited. The value of the volunteers’ work is estimated at £2500.

Gold award for K&A stalwart OCTOGENARIAN John Webb, who volunteers for the Canal & River Trust, was recently presented with a Gold Volunteer Award in recognition of him giving more than 2000 hours to help care for the Kennet & Avon Canal.

John, 83, is one of 40 volunteers that have been awarded a special gold badge by the trust this year. The aim of the award is to celebrate the amazing contribution volunteers have made in helping to keep the nation’s canals looking good for the thousands of visitors throughout the year.

John, who lives in Bath and is a retired chartered quantity surveyor, has been volunteering with the trust since 2012 and helped establish the Towpath Taskforce group in Bath. The group meets weekly and carries out various tasks including removing graffiti, cutting back overhanging trees, filling in potholes and painting lock gates.

As a keen boater, John has taken an active role in restoring the Toll House at Dundas Wharf, the ‘Hovel’ at Bathampton, rebuilding the historic timber crane at Burbage Wharf and landscaping the canal junction with the River Avon at Widcombe.

Coir rolls being unloaded by Friends of the Cromford Canal volunteers at Cromford. PHOTO: FCC

Retired surveyor John Webb has given 2000 hours of voluntary work on the Kennet & Avon Canal.

David’s French canals cycle quest

PHOTO: CANAL & RIVER TRUST

By Bob Naylor

He is also honorary vice-president of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust.

He said: “It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to put something back into our waterway system which, as a boater, I have enjoyed exploring over the past nearly 50 years. A bonus is working with a wonderful band of fellow volunteers.

Without their help and support being given this award simply would not have happened.”

The Bath branch of the Towpath Taskforce meets every Thursday from 10am to 3pm and is always looking for new volunteers.

THE new president of Inland Waterways International (IWI), France-based Englishman David Edwards-May, has set himself a daunting challenge.

During his remaining two years of office he plans to cycle, and sometimes run, the entire 8500km of France’s navigable waterways. And

Waterway Park proposed at the heart of new villages THE Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Park could be the central feature which links a number of new villages south of Milton Keynes and in the Marston Vale.

As one of its options for providing new homes, Central Bedfordshire Council’s Local Plan consultation proposes a series of new villages in the Marston Vale and near Aspley Guise.

In the Marston Vale the proposed villages would be focused around the new waterway linking Brogborough and Stewartby lakes and this theme would be continued to the south of Milton Keynes.

Jane Hamilton, chairman of the Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Trust, said: “We are delighted that the

role which the Waterway Park can play in creating an attractive location around which new homes and businesses can grow has been recognised by Central Bedfordshire Council.

“The Waterway Park will help create a strong sense of place and identity. With current pressure for more jobs and homes locally, the early establishment of an attractive and sustainable environment will be key to making a difference.

She added: “This is a wonderful opportunity to create something unique for the communities between Bedford and Milton Keynes and we very much hope that it will add a positive to the always difficult debate about new homes.”

David Edwards-May crosses the River Yonne in Auxerre on his quest to cover 9000km of French navigable waterways during the remaining two years of his presidency of Inland Waterways International — the body that represents the interests of waterways organisations in 24 countries.

PHOTO: BOB NAYLOR: WATERMARX

for good measure he plans to also travel the further 500km of potentially navigable waterways.

David, who has been involved in producing European waterways charts and books since the 1980s, became president of IWI after the World Canals Conference in Scotland last year which brought together representatives of waterways organisations and navigation authorities from 24 countries. He said: “As the author of Inland Waterways of France, I feel I have a duty to readers and users to immerse myself in the reality of the system at regular intervals.

“I have chosen to travel the canal towpaths because I can fit it into my busy schedule which now includes my responsibilities as president of IWI. I simply couldn’t devote the time needed to cruise the whole network — even if I was fortunate enough to own a boat!”

David did sound a note of caution when he said: “Although I am a keen supporter and regular cyclist, I wonder whether cycling is becoming seen as the easy option for areas to benefit from the overall economic impacts of the waterways and an alternative to navigation. This new paradigm is not just French, because the same trend can be observed in Germany and Belgium and there is a risk of downgraded service to navigators looming on the horizon.”

He is well on the way to his first 1000 km and you can follow his progress on his blog at: www.edwardsmay.eu with more information available at: http:// tinyurl.com/French-Waterways

NETWORKING 9

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Debbie and Allan Jones in the bow of their narrowboat Keeping Up at Aynho Wharf.

PHOTOS: JULIE WEBB

Characters of the cut

Julie Webb meets the boating couple whose blogs have attracted quite a following.

READERS who have come across Allan and Debbie Jones and their dogs (currently Jessop – “boating without a dog just doesn’t feel right,” says Allan) may have done so either through the website detailing their waterway adventures, which attracts a million hits a year, or through towpath chats prompted by Keeping Up’s distinctive red and black livery.

Their previous boat, Thistle, started the red and black tradition and had a past as colourful as her paintwork.

“After hiring for years,” said Allan, “we’d spent so much we could have bought our own boat – so in 1987 we did. Thistle was originally Worcester, one of Anglo-Welsh’s first boats, set up on a marine mortgage and registered as a 42ft ‘ship’.

“When she was sold, she had to be declared ‘sunk, complete with all guns, ammunition and appurtenances’ in order to change the name. They even rang the Lutine bell!”

By the time Allan and Debbie bought her, she was 18 years old and had been actually sunk, as well as being registered as a 50-seater restaurant, and lengthened.

“It was done amateurishly,” said Allan, “with a bow so massively high you could frighten people in tunnels, and slightly twisted so she was totally predictable in reverse – she always went round in a circle!

“But we loved her. She was what we needed.”

Allan grew up in Carshalton, Surrey. “One of my earliest memories is rowing in the park with my parents,” he said.

He was seriously bitten by the boating bug at eight, learning to sail on holiday in Devon, and discovered canal boating through friends at Bristol University, where he studied electrical engineering.

“One of our early adventures involved the Foxton flight. When we got there the water levels were wrong, and no sign of a lock keeper, so we set about filling and emptying. Suddenly we heard a shout: the lock keeper was sitting on a JCB in a side pond, surrounded by water!”

Such is their commitment to boating – they cruise six months out of every year – that Debbie spent her honeymoon on a hire boat with several other chaps as well as Allan.

“Men weren’t allowed to hire on their own then, so I was the token woman,” she said. “In 1976 I’d reserved a double berth on a midsummer trip with my boyfriend. In the meantime I’d stopped living with him and Allan had proposed.” (They met at a radio amateurs’ competition.)

“We arranged the marriage to suit the trip.”

Retro technology

Children followed (Vicki and David) and then grandchildren, all of whom they’ve introduced to the canals – at five months old in Vicki’s case.

Debbie and Allan with their dog Jessop.

Drawing on their experience of hire boats and Thistle, Allan and Debbie had some innovative ideas in mind when, in 1991, they commissioned Stoke-on-Trent Boat Building to construct the 67ft Keeping Up. One of these was separate gear and throttle levers: a unit from a twin-engine Italian hovercraft did the job.

“It’s retro technology,” said Allan, “with fine control at low revs.” They also requested 12mm steel baseplate – to withstand shopping trolleys on the Llangollen – which meant no ballast was needed, giving extra height inside.

“She’s done about 25,000 miles. We’ve taken her everywhere she would go, apart from the Wash and the Thames estuary. We’ll make a point of doing an adventurous passage but we’re well prepared.”

The Severn is a favourite. “We were the first on to it after the 2007 floods,” Allan said. “The smell and the debris were terrible. At one of the locks there was a pontoon with a toilet on it upside down in a tree!

“We moored at the Coalhouse in Apperley, to what was left of their jetty, and had a wonderful evening – we were appointed official beer tasters.

We worried what people’s reactions would be who’d had their houses flooded, but they said ‘We see you as a sign of returning normality’. That’s the only time I’ve ever been seen as a sign of normality!”

Other exciting trips on the Severn, including Sharpness to Portishead, voyages to little-visited waterways such as the Witham Navigable Drains in Lincolnshire and a foray on to the tidal Thames during which they received a gun salute passing under Tower Bridge (it turned out to be the Queen Mother’s birthday) are all documented entertainingly on the website.

You can also read about their trips on unusual craft abroad, such as the 1880s steamer replica travelling the Swedish Gota Canal on which Allan wangled a stint at the wheel, and cruises in Egypt, Russia and the Antarctic.

They never tire of Britain’s waterways though: “We’ve been down here” (the Oxford, where I met them) “20 or 30, maybe 50, times. You can do the same stretch over and over again and keep on enjoying it; the scenery’s different, the wildlife’s different and the people are different. And everything drifts past you slowly enough to take it all in but fast enough to be constantly changing.” www.keeping-up.co.uk

10 COMMUNITY BOATING

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Royal naming ceremony for Shropshire Lady

Phil’s Swan song after 50 years on the lake

By Phil Pickin

THE Lyneal Trust’s recently launched narrowboat, Shropshire Lady, was named during a royal visit by Princess Alexandra to the charity’s North Shropshire base.

Established in 1985, the charity provides canal boats and canalside recreational facilities to people with disabilities, illness or who have suffered an injury, or are living with other vulnerabilities. It caters for both the sufferers and their families, friends and carers, all of whom can accompany them.

From its base at Lyneal Wharf on the Llangollen Canal, the trust operates the Shropshire Lass II and, with the retirement of Shropshire Lad after 20 years’ service, Shropshire Lady.

These boats, together with the wharf cottage and chalets, are all designed specifically for those living with disabilities.

Shropshire Lady was commissioned in autumn 2016 and built by Stoke-on-Trent Boatbuilders, who have built all the trust’s boats. In designing the 62ft-long Shropshire Lady day boat, the boat commissioning group took expert advice to ensure all the latest practices for the comfort and well-being of guests were integral to the design.

Phil Ridley: “Meeting the people has been the best bit.” PHOTO SUPPLIED

Lyneal Trust chairman Chris Symes with HRH Princess Alexandra. PHOTOS: PHIL PICKIN

HRH Princess Alexandra meeting well-wishers including the builder of Shropshire Lady.

These include a ramp, lift, alternative joystick for assisted steering, CCTV from a bow camera, bow thruster, toilet, and a huge open area with galley and coach-style seating with panoramic views from the large side and roof windows.

Every aspect has been designed to accommodate wheelchair users in comfort and safety.

Despite the rain, the naming ceremony was well attended by many of the charity’s trustees and service users and the local community. Princess Alexandra unveiled a plaque which will be fixed to Shropshire Lady before she goes into service.

For more information on the work of the charity visit http:// www.lyneal-trust.org.uk

AFTER travelling almost 365,000 miles and welcoming around seven million people on board, one of Windermere’s best-known faces has been recognised for a momentous 50 years working on the lake’s iconic ‘steamers’.

Phil Ridley, 65, recently celebrated the milestone anniversary as a crew member with Windermere Lake Cruises and was treated to a special celebration on the MV Swan with friends, family and colleagues past and present before his retirement.

His first role serving tea and coffee on the ‘steamers’ in 1967 quickly evolved into a full-time crew member.

Over the years, he has personally welcomed a wide range of passengers from professional boxers and the Everton football team to the former Prime Minister’s wife Cherie Blair.

Most recently, Phil’s everyday duties

on board MV Swan have included meeting and greeting customers; collecting tickets; and telling visitors all about the lake and surrounding area. Another key responsibility has been passenger safety as they get on and off the boat.

Phil said: “I started off as a teaboy and have done most of the jobs on board Swan and Teal since then.

Travelling up and down the lake is a fantastic job, but meeting the people has definitely been the best bit.”

Windermere Lake Cruises MD Nigel Wilkinson said: “In this day and age, completing 50 years’ service with one organisation is quite exceptional.

“Philip’s superb customer service over the years has added to the enjoyment of Windermere for many millions of visitors who will miss him greatly, just as his work colleagues will too.”

OBITUARY 11

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Quiet waters by…

Garth Allan (1935-2017) Tim Coghlan pays tribute to the waterways artist and canal activist FOR many years from the 1980s onwards, the artist Garth Allan was a familiar sight, with his home-built stand displaying waterways and coastal watercolours, at the IWA National Rallies, then in their times Braunston Boat Shows and later the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rallies.

He would come to these events with his small old-fashioned caravan, in which his stand and pictures were transported and in which he and his wife Anne would live during those events and frequently retire for freshbrewed tea.

Such was Garth’s recognition as an artist, that he was given free stand space at the 1991 London Boat Show in the central feature by the pool at Earls Court, where the theme of the year was the reviving canals. A mock canalside village, sponsored

by British Waterways, was built for that purpose. He was then offered free space again in 1992, despite the central theme being moved to Mediterranean Malta.

Garth last displayed at the 2014 Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally in the Guild of Waterways Artists marquee accompanied by Anne, who had been his constant companion at these events, by then in a wheelchair. He then retired from exhibiting to become her full-time carer until her death in 2015. But he continued with his painting almost to the end.

For a man who had received no formal training as an artist – other than holiday painting courses – and only painted in watercolours, Garth had astonishingly managed for many years to live off his art, including publishing Christmas and greetings cards of his paintings

and, associated with it, as a picture framer. Together with his near namesake, Allan Firth – by contrast a fully trained artist and retired art teacher who always painted in gouache – Garth was one of the greatest waterways artists of his time.

Battle of Stourbridge

Garth was born into a middleclass Birmingham family and was well educated, graduating in engineering in 1959 from Kings College, London. His main employment was running a large bookbinding business which was a public company with a sizeable workforce. He also was involved in a catering business at some stage.

However two things were in his blood – canals and painting.

When he married Anne, they moved on to the former working narrowboat, Nautilus, which he acquired and where they lived in Gas Street Basin for five years. The boat had been built by Yarwoods in 1928 and had been converted to residential use with a full-length cabin.

It was during these years that Garth became chairman of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal Society and in 1962 because of this, he led the charge in what was termed ‘The Battle of the Stourbridge Canal’ – a massive campaign which resulted in the saving of the 16 locks of the Stourbridge Flight.

Garth and Anne later moved to Guildford, where he decided to become a full-time artist, building his ‘Lime Tree Studio’ in his house. He had other interests including ballroom dancing and with his managerial skills he once managed the two Italian dancers from BBC’s ‘Strictly’

One of Garth’s watercolours depicting canal life in Braunston.

The late Garth Allan.

PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES

– Flavia and Vincent Simone.

He also sang in several choirs including Guildford Cathedral Singers, with whom he sang for 25 years.

In the early 1980s, Garth was a founder member of the Guild of Waterway Artists, a group of artists that were also keen and knowledgeable waterway enthusiasts. Their aim was to truthfully depict all aspects of the waterways in their art and ‘to promote excellence in waterways art’. The guild flourishes to this day with, since 2004, its own marquee at the annual Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rallies. Garth was a quiet but popular man, and his funeral in an open-sided pavilion near Guildford was full to capacity, with the present chairman of the Guild of Waterways Artists, Dusty Miller, having to stand in the pouring rain.

Despite Garth’s considerable achievements as a waterways artist, he set far greater store on his five years as chairman of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal Society. He once wrote: “I would certainly like to think I have left the world a better place, but of the many things in which I have been involved, the battle of the Stourbridge Canal, is the one activity I would like to think achieved that aim.”

12 IWA ROUND-UP

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AROUND THE BRANCHES WITH IWA’S MARION BIRCH

North Staffordshire & South Cheshire

Lichfield MEMBERS of IWA Lichfield Branch spent a warm and sunny day in August at Barton Turn on the Trent & Mersey Canal helping passing boaters through the lock.

The aim of the ‘lock wind’ was to publicise the voluntary work of IWA, and in particular the local branch, and to raise some funds to support its activities.

With the Canal & River Trust’s agreement the branch had assembled

The Macclesfield Canal signpost visible once more after vegetation has been cut back. PHOTOS: IWA THE IWA North Staffs & South Cheshire Branch with the Trent & Mersey Canal Society have been continuing their work around Lock 41 close to Red Bull, Kidsgrove by painting locks, managing vegetation and removing rubbish to improve and maintain the appearance of the area.

In July all remaining work at and around Lock 41 was completed. This included bridge and railings just below the lock and cutting back vegetation to expose the Macclesfield/Trent & Mersey signpost. A second coat was also added to some of the work done in the previous month. This completes all the work in the Red Bull area.

a team of experienced lock workers who were kept very busy all morning by a steady stream of boats and, after a lunchtime lull, at a gentler pace in the afternoon.

Without exception, the boaters were grateful for the help with working the lock, and the lock winders were pleased to have chosen one where the paddles and gates were so well balanced and easy to operate.

The Lichfield Branch had set up a stall alongside the lock with information on IWA, various items for sale, and

a display of cakes, home-made by volunteers. With such a tempting array of cakes on offer it did not take much persuasion and by mid-afternoon all had been sold and overall the cakes, other sales and donations raised more than £130 towards branch waterways projects.

For all the lock workers, cake makers and helpers a barbecue was then put on using the local pub’s facilities alongside the canal so all were filled to the brim and went home happy after a very successful day.

IWA WORK PARTIES IN SEPTEMBER 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

Thursday September 14

IWA Ipswich Branch supporting River Gipping Trust:

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@team.waterways.org.uk

Wednesdays September 6, 13, 20, 27, 30 and Saturday September 9

The newly painted bridge just below Lock 41.

In August the work party moved to Church Locks 47 and 48 next to All Saints’ Church at Lawton.

Shrewbury & North Wales IWA Shrewsbury & North Wales branch have also completed a lock wind, raising several hundred pounds for their local waterways with donations from a total of 69 boats being helped through the locks and the sale of many books, cakes, jams and calendars.

IWA Lichfield Branch members lending a hand with working the lock.

The barbecue outside the pub for helpers after the event.

They were joined by a proud pair of swans with six large cygnets, many birds of prey, a kingfisher, a couple of ladies who completed their walk of the full length of the Llangollen Canal, a well decorated birthday boat and a what looked like a pirate-themed stag party.

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 September 10

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. 10am3pm. To confirm date and location contact Chris or Steve Hayes 01522 689460, workparties@sleafordnavigation. co.uk

Midlands

Sunday September 3 and Tuesday September 19

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 September 2 and Tuesday September 26

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@team.waterways.org.uk Shrewsbury & North Wales members helping boaters through the Hurleston Locks on the Llangollen Canal.

IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust: Monthly work

Saturday September 16

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 September 21

IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch and Trent & Mersey Canal Society: Monthly work party

on the Cheshire Locks, Trent & Mersey Canal. 10am3pm. Meet at Lock 41, which is situated adjacent to Hardingswood Road, just off A50 Liverpool Road East, Kidsgrove, parking at Kidsgrove Working Men’s Club ST7 1EF. Contact: John Brighouse 0780 887317, john. brighouse@waterways.org.uk

Saturday September 30

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 Jason Watts, jason.watts@canalrivertrust.org.uk

South

Tuesdays September 19 and 26

IWA Oxfordshire supporting Banbury Canal Partnership:

Meet at 9am, work until about 1pm. Contact Colin Garnham-Edge, bcpontheoxford@gmail.com

For further information on any of these events please contact Katie Thomas, IWA’s branch support officer on 01494 783453 or email katie.thomas@waterways.org.uk Details can also be found on IWA’s website at www.waterways.org.uk

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Study seeks to revitalise waterways in Bath area

By Phil Pickin

THE first drafts of the WaterSpace study into the use and potential developments within the Bath and NE Somerset Council’s area have been published.

It looked into the use of, and the development opportunities on offer within, the River Avon corridor.

According to the study this area is currently undergoing significant redevelopment, including the development of brownfield sites and major new developments in Bath.

A focus on the Bath and North East Somerset waterways.

These developments could provide opportunities to also revitalise not only the River Avon but also the Kennet & Avon Canal.

The WaterSpace project has gathered data, mapped information and generated ideas to work with the community and public, private and voluntary bodies to identify 35 projects and project ideas to revitalise the waterways.

An interesting part of the study is the opportunity to create moorings while improving green spaces and enhance biodiversity while improving public

Boats moored on the Kennet & Avon Canal. spaces and paths. Of the 35 projects outlined, some have funding, others are part-funded, and some are just at a concept stage.

Priority projects

The next stage will be to work with local groups and partners to identify which are the priority projects, develop funding bids and realise the best opportunities to deliver the vision to revitalise our waterways.

Views on the projects ideas are welcomed and the report team says it is “keen to hear which projects people think would make the greatest impact to improve the waterways for people and wildlife”.

Bath & North East Somerset Council has for the past year been working with the Environment Agency, the Canal

A riverside mooring in central Bath. PHOTOS: PHIL PICKIN

Project ideas:

• The development of the River Avon Park – connecting people with riverside green spaces by creating a new city park.

• Improved slipways, moorings and related boating facilities.

• Improvements to the waterways.

• Projects to re-wild the river and improve habitats for species like otters and bats.

• River taxi and arts projects. & River Trust and Wessex Water to identify opportunities to deliver enhancements to the River Avon and Kennet & Avon Canal.

There are 16 miles of waterways in the area which are home to five weirs, 13 locks and four marinas.

● Full details of the results of the study can be found via the links on the Bath & NE Somerset Council’s website at http://www.bathnes. gov.uk/ (click on services/environment/river-safety/ ) and make for some interesting reading, including the feedback received from boat users in the area.

It remains to be seen how many of the projects outlined come to fruition.

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More boats take on the Old Bedford River

In July two more boats, Marie II and Olive Emily, successfully navigated the Old Bedford River in Cambridgeshire. John Revell takes up the story.

THIS is an ancient and attractive waterway managed by the Environment Agency (EA) and runs about 14 miles from the tidal Ouse at Salters Lode to the current head of navigation at Welches Dam lock.

Previous editions of Towpath Talk have covered the many difficulties in using this river which is a statutory navigation and most readers will be aware that non-tidal access to the Old Bedford ended 11 years ago when the Environment Agency (EA) piled the entrance to Welches Dam lock in 2006.

I took part in the trip in April 2017 when three narrowboats managed to reach Welches Dam. This was the first successful trip by narrowboats since 2006. EA was very helpful and co-operative but had suggested beforehand that it would have preferred the trip to have been made later in the year.

Therefore Lois and Roy Parker (Marie II) and myself (nb Olive Emily) gave EA two months’ notice that we would like to make a voyage in July. The tides seemed right and the dates chosen were just before the main school holidays.

EA (Waterways) acknowledged our request and consulted other parts of EA. One distinct advantage of this was that when we reached Salters Lode we found that EA (Water resources) had asked the local Middle Level Commissioners lock keeper to put more water into the non-tidal river. This made the normally tricky access from the narrow tidal stream much easier.

Apart from one big snag the trip to Welches Dam went really well and we returned the following day after stopping overnight close to the excellent Lamb and Flag. A lot of people knew about

Marie II and nb Olive Emily at the Old Bedford sluice ready to depart for Welches Dam lock. PHOTO: JOHN REVELL our trip and commented how good it was to see boats on the river again.

None of this would have been possible without the help and advice from the EA staff we met and the Middle Level lock keeper so what was the big snag?

Weed worries

Out of the blue and at the last minute EA’s waterways manager asked for the whole cruise to be called off entirely or delayed until October after the scheduled weed cut had taken place.

An email cited concerns from EA (Fisheries) about low dissolved oxygen from ‘wind blown accumulations of decaying algae’ in one section of the river and that navigating through this in our two boats might give rise to a ‘significant risk of an environmental (fish distress/kill) incident’.

Following discussions with David Venn, chairman of IWA Peterborough Branch, we decided that a proportionate response to this concern would be to continue the planned trip and assess the situation when we reached there as the problem appeared to be very localised – close to the village of Welney.

Marie II and Olive Emily at Welches Dam Lock in July 2017.

PHOTO: EDDY EDWARDS

Happy but frustrated boaters Richard Bramley, John Revell, Lois Parker and Roy Parker with nb Olive Emily and Marie II at Welches Dam lock.

PHOTO: EDDY EDWARDS

As we approached Welney we found a short stretch of foul smelling, floating, rotting material. Removing this before we reached there would clearly have benefited everyone and everything. Someone commented that EA appeared to be more concerned about the DO (dissolved oxygen) than the DO (disgusting odour).

We were met by two helpful staff from EA (Waterways) team and we discussed what to do. It was decided that my narrowboat could proceed very slowly and cautiously along the middle of the channel under EA’s close supervision. The cruiser was stuck and so it was pulled through the weed by ropes from the narrowboat again under EA’s close supervision.

Everyone present was satisfied and I am pleased to report that subsequent tests at Welney by EA after the passage and return of our two craft showed minimal effect on oxygen levels.

I returned to Welney by car two weeks later and I can report that the algae had gone so I wonder whether we were asked to delay our trip until October for some other reason.

Lois and Roy Parker and Marie II brought to a standstill by accumulated weed, algae and other foul-smelling floating material. PHOTO: JOHN REVELL

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Family fun at FolkSail Festival

By Janet Richardson

THE Yorkshire Waterways Museum at Goole came to life for the annual FolkSail Festival held over the last weekend of July.

It also provided an opportunity for visitors to view visiting heritage craft including historic barge Sobriety, which has been the subject of a crowdfunding appeal for urgent repairs following recent breakdowns.

Business development manager Clare Hunt explained that the problems had occurred during this summer’s ‘Pit to Port’ residential trips for local primary schools as part of a Heritage Lottery funded scheme aimed at increasing awareness of the transport of coal by barge.

As Sobriety does not have sufficient sleeping accommodation for a full class, half the party travel one way between Goole and Castleford with two nights on board before being joined by the rest of the class for the visit to the National

Coal Mining Museum. The second group then take their turn on the barge for the return journey.

Following a successful trip by the Airmyn Primary School, a school party from Swinefleet Primary School were at Castleford when the fuel injector pump failed, meaning that its second group basically had a static residential.

Emergency engineers got the pump working again and the next school from Wakefield had embarked for the journey to Goole when the gearbox failed, leaving them unable to make the trip.

An appeal was launched at www. crowdfunder.co.uk to raise the £5000 needed to pay for repairs to the gearbox and fuel injector pump otherwise children will be unable to continue to enjoy this experience and learning opportunity as the Sobriety Project charity has insufficient funds.

Sobriety was one of the historic vessels open to visitors during the free-toenter event which also showcased live entertainment by local artists. There was

John Wilson at work creating his personalised woodcraft alongside nb Freedom in which John and wife Sue continuously cruise the inland waterways. They told me they were next heading for Lincoln and Boston.

Safely back home – Sobriety, which suffered breakdowns during recent school trips. PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON

The Sobriety Project

a display by Goole Model Boat Club and an array of trade and craft stalls on the waterfront and inside the museum.

The Co-op provided activities for children and people were also able to enjoy boat trips and refreshments from the barbecue or the museum cafe.

Providing activities on behalf of the Co-op are: Vicki Wright, Briony Foster, Joanne Kranzke and Rosanne Benbow.

Howden singer Alex Wedlock, who is studying songwriting at Bath University.

Humber sloop Phyllis, built at New Holland in 1907.

Wheldale is one of last remaining coal tugs which towed the ‘Tom Pudding’ compartment boats.

Yo ho ho, the Withernsea Pirates in action.

Clare said that FolkSail had once again been a great success despite some problems with downpours on the Sunday afternoon.

“For a while we had to abandon the sound stage as the equipment was getting drenched and move into the museum for some acoustic entertainment. Despite this there were some great performances and a buzzing atmosphere beside the Aire & Calder Navigation.”

Since its start in 1973, the Sobriety Project has developed into a much broader enterprise using a variety of boats including the original barge from which it takes its name.

The charity’s Yorkshire Waterways Museum at Goole has, since 1995, delivered many of its projects and is of regional significance in preserving the industrial heritage of the waterways and the transportation of coal.

Sobriety is used to take families with disabled children on residential respite breaks on the Yorkshire waterways and activities are also provided using the museum and day boats.

Alternative education programmes support children with special needs or who have been excluded or face exclusion from school.

Adults with learning or physical disabilities and people with mental health issues are catered for with art and craft activities, residential trips and a supported employment scheme which also includes young people at risk of offending, the rehabilitation of offenders and the long-term unemployed.

The Sobriety Project, Yorkshire Waterways Museum, Dutch River Side, Goole DN14 5TB. Contact 01405 768730 www.waterwaysmuseum.org.uk

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Traditional boats on the Thames

By Elizabeth Rogers

ENTHUSIASTIC crowds enjoying the spectacle of historic boats – many the result of dedicated restoration and conservation projects – made for another successful Thames Heritage Boat Festival.

The event is held at Fawley Meadows, Henley-onThames and has been taking place for more than three decades. It has been given renewed vigour in recent years and the success of last year’s two-day event led to a Friday afternoon preview being added to the weekend event when some 150 boats plus amphibious craft were on show.

One of the highlights was the parade of the Dunkirk ‘little ships’ with naval cadets on board, provided by the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships.

The Thames Traditional Boat Society brought its own two skiffs – two-man and four-man of contrasting ages – and individual members’ own boats.

Thomasina was built at Pangbourne in the early 20th century and Sgian Dubh built in 1994 by Mark Edwards, who led the team building the royal barge Gloriana, and John Cox. Gloriana was also present.

The Thames Vintage Boat Club members also showed their boats, which included a Canadian canoe brought by associates from France, who had been holidaying on the Thames, making a journey from Lechlade to Henley.

Members of the Wooden Boatbuilders Trade Association have attended individually at previous events and this year came as a joint entry to show the variety of types of crafts they build and can supply from small dinghies to large launches.

Their skills are practised as individual craftsmen and by boat builders with as many as a dozen staff.

They export their boats, made at workshops in many parts of the UK, to a number of countries, one boat recently gong to a customer in the West Indies.

Other water-based craftsmen included

Double skiff Thomasina built at Ashleys of Pangbourne between 1905 and 1912. Bought by the Thames Traditional Boat Society in 2012, she has two pairs of sculls and a camping cover. PHOTO: THAMES TRADITIONAL BOAT SOCIETY

The Thames Traditional Boat Society’s quadruple skiff Sgian Dubh, built in 1994 by Mark Edwards and John Cox. On the stern is a badge bearing the crest of a black knife in honour of her Gaelic name for the dagger worn by Scots in their right stocking when in Highland Dress. PHOTO: THAMES TRADITIONAL BOAT SOCIETY boatbuilder and oarmaker Marcus Lewis from Fowey and blacksmith Brian Greaves. Martin described the festival as both enjoyable and a useful business opportunity. The grouping of craftsmen’s boats together in the same area enabled them to have a greater impact, he said.

Wheelyboat trips

Visitors were able to enjoy 20-minute trips in the ‘wheelyboats’ which the Bisham Abbey Sailing and Navigation School were demonstrating. These are wheelchair accessible and can be hired by groups or families. They can accommodate up to eight people with three or four wheelchairs either manual or powered.

The school also owns a 1926 steel-hulled Dutch barge Le Coq, a 17m Luxemotor which has been converted into a leisure barge and is also used for training.

As well as the vast amount of interest to be seen along the water, visitors also found much more to see alongside including organisations’ display stands and trade stalls including vintage accessories to attract those furnishing traditional boats.

The Thames Heritage Gold Cup for the best presentation of boat and crew was awarded to Bryan Cox. His cabin cruiser Crest has been the subject of a major restoration project started in 2005. The interior has such features as a gramophone of the early style with a large trumpet which was on display in the cabin.

The Bisham Abbey Sailing and Navigation School stand. PHOTO: BISHAM ABBEY SAILING & NAVIGATION SCHOOL

Best in show award, the Fred and Sheila Bourne Trophy, was awarded to Genevieve, owned by Noel Josephides. The boat collected a hat-trick of awards and there were two trophies for Ross Ahlgren’s Chin Chin. Rosettes were also presented in various categories.

Besides the river craft on display, there were also vintage vehicles and a flypast by replica Second World War aircraft.

Russell Newbery Rally registers record!

THIS YEAR the Russell Newbery Register paid a return visit to the Bonded Warehouse at Stourbridge for its annual rally, writes Robert Davies.

This is the venue members first visited in 2011; the nature of activities at the rally require use of a building and the warehouse provides ideal facilities for this purpose. This was the 20th consecutive rally and the original workshop format still endures.

The event was attended by members on 43 boats, one motorhome with two couples travelling by road for the weekend achieving the ‘record’ of attendance by all entrants. It is almost inevitable that someone is unable to attend for one reason or another but not on this occasion, a first for a Russell Newbery rally.

Changeable weather did not dampen enthusiasm or enjoyment and workshops ranged from card making with Carole Eaton, lubrication by John Cliff of Petro-Canada Lubricants, scumbling, a glass-fusing craft session at the Red House Glass Cone, a ukulele teach-in, the ever-popular cylinder heads, a technical forum with RN engineers and a bath bomb craft session. Apart from the two guest visitors, all other workshops were run by members.

Originally the rally started as a two-day event and fairly quickly increased to three days. This year another ‘record’ was achieved as it was extended to four days from Wednesday night to Sunday night.

On the Thursday members spent the day travelling on the Severn Valley Railway from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth, allowing time to wander around this charming town. This day was organised by the RNR president, Dr Ian McKim Thompson.

Another outing took members to Dadford’s Shed boatyard, hosted by Ian Kemp, who explained what is involved in the restoration and maintenance of historic boats. Some very interesting talks included Black Country canals and railways from the air with

Keith Hopkins and Archaeology of the Cinema by Ned Williams.

Saturday night was rounded off with a fish and chip supper with entertainment provided by the Strumtroopers, a ukulele covers band.

It is now a standard feature of the event for members to run their own bar with all beers being sourced locally. On Sunday afternoon, prior to the register AGM, a cream tea was served and the weekend was rounded off in the evening with the challenge of drinking the bar dry. This also included homespun music and singing by the very talented members present.

All in all it was a very enjoyable, action-packed weekend. On Monday, the president led a cruise on the BCN with 17 boats joining in. Parkhead, with a trip through the Dudley Tunnel, and Hawne Basin were visited. Unfortunately, the planned ending at Walsall had to be abandoned as a lock beam had been sawn off – no easy feat!

As usual a raffle was held with prizes donated by members, the proceeds being donated to the Stourbridge Navigation Trust.

Inside the Dudley tunnels.

PHOTOS: KEVIN MCNIFF AND ANDREW LAYCOCK

Some of the 43 visiting boats.

Members enjoying a towpath talk!

The card-making workshop with Carole Eaton.

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Sabrina 5 – Converted, relaunched and securely moored in the arm by the Gloucester Waterways Museum. PHOTOS: WATERWAY IMAGES

When working as part of the Severn barge carrying fleet in Gloucester in May 1978.

Historic barge relaunched as education and exhibition space

By Harry Arnold

BUILT in 1944, for the Ministry of War Transport, Sabrina 5 was one of six barges, measuring 90ft long and designed to carry imported goods from Avonmouth up country.

She was towed, with other barges, behind a tug, carrying cargoes of copper, zinc, steel and aluminium and food such as wheat, cheese, cocoa beans and tinned tomatoes. The barges worked up until the 1970s, when road and rail offered a more competitive transport option.

A model of one of the Sabrina barges in the museum.

Guests at the event were taken on a trip around Gloucester Docks.

Sabrina 5 is now one of the boats in the current Canal & River Trust’s (CRT) collection and is a designated part of the National Historic Fleet based at the Gloucester Waterways Museum. She has now been converted as a fully equipped floating education, exhibition and meeting space, available for museum visitors and private hire.

Transformation has been carried out by Gloucester boat builders T Nielson and Co and CRT staff. Careful consideration was given to conservation and many original features have been maintained, including the original timber floors and

In the transformed hold of Sabrina 5 at the relaunch are, from left: CRT chief executive Richard Parry, CRT senior project manager regeneration Alex Ball, HLF committee member for the South West, Susan Minter, and CRT museum director Graham Boxer. ceiling. The steel beams that once supported tarpaulin covers are now decorative and the original timber flooring has been maintained, reminding visitors that they are in the hold of a former working vessel.

Sabrina 5 was relaunched at an event at the museum in July with speeches by CRT chief executive Richard Parry and museum director Graham Boxer welcoming funders, colleagues and local partners.

These included the Heritage

Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Garfield Weston Foundation.

HLF committee member for the South West, Susan Minter, said how pleased the fund was to be involved in this exciting and unusual project.

An exhibition of photographs depicting the construction and conservation process – in a series of black and white images

by Barbara Evripidou – showing Sabrina 5 stripped back with outer layers removed was also launched.

MAYOR OF LICHFIELD AT HOME ON CANAL ROUTE THE Lichfield Canal was a particularly appropriate venue for the Mayor’s recent charity dog walk.

Mayor Coun Janice Greaves lived for many years next to Gallows Wharf, one of the sections of the canal being restored by Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT).

Her father owned the garage located on the corner of Tamworth Road and London Road which has been replaced by housing and a new petrol station, and the family lived in Gallows Cottage, which has since been demolished.

Coun Greaves was especially interested in the trust’s plans for new access stairs

from London Road and the formation of a Garden of Reflection at the Gallows Wharf site.

She told trust officers who accompanied her on the walk that she wished to work with the trust in developing their plans while she is still in office.

The walk was the first event in support of two charities, Guide Dogs for the Blind and Staffordshire Blood Bikes, chosen by the Mayor and the Sheriff of Lichfield, Coun Andrew Smith.

A group of dog walkers learned from Bob Williams, the trust’s finance director, of the work carried out only a few days earlier to expose and survey lock 23 at the site of the

old St John’s Wharf where the new Southern Lichfield Relief Road is proposed in the area.

The walk continued along Falkland Road where engineering director Peter Buck explained the importance of the Tunnel Vision Appeal, which is aimed at raising £1million to build a tunnel under the crosscity railway line at the same time as the tunnel for the relief road is built, at the end of 2019.

Following the line of the canal through Fosseway Heath, the walkers were shown the site of a proposed boat haven, wetlands and nature reserves before finishing their walk with drinks and cakes at Pool House Vets on Fosseway Lane.

Mayor of Lichfield, Coun Janice Greaves, and Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust engineering director Peter Buck lead the walkers along the Heritage Towpath Trail. PHOTO: LHCRT

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Among the 28 boats gathered, one was still working. Halsall, moored on the outside, retails coal, diesel and gas. PHOTOS: WATERWAY IMAGES

All together at Audlem

Harry Arnold catches up with some old friends at popular Shroppie gathering

THIS year’s Gathering of Historic Boats brought 28 traditional narrowboats into the bottom pounds of the Shropshire Union Canal’s Audlem Locks over the weekend of July 29-30 for the ninth of what has become a very popular and sociable annual event.

Although a part of the village’s Festival of Transport weekend, the boat gathering is organised by Peter and Chris Silvester of the adjacent Audlem Mill Shop with assistance from Canal & River Trust (CRT) staff and local volunteers.

Boats from most of the major original companies were represented. Mostly from the original Grand Union Canal Carrying Company and Fellows, Morton & Clayton, although not generally in their original liveries. For instance, ex-GU boats Scorpio, Leo and Sagitta kept alive the BW blue and yellow, but

CRT’s Midlands-based heritage fleet pair Scorpio and Leo were two of four boats keeping the now historic British Waterways’ livery alive. only the similarly finished Lindsay was built in nationalisation days.

Alternatively, another ex-GU motor boat, Whitby, depicted a later company, Threefellows Carrying, while the Shropshire Union Fly-boat Restoration Society’s Saturn – which used to call regularly at Audlem in her horsedrawn working days – took local historic

Whitby’s cabin: Beautifully painted in the colours of later company Threefellows Carrying.

company colours right back to 1906.

Although the majority of the boats were ex-working craft, there was one still carrying. Halsall is one of those traders who retails coal, diesel and gas.

The Audlem gathering has also become one of the events that boating families favour and there are some good reminiscences exchanged. Often the

This year’s Gathering of Historic Boats brought 28 ex-working craft to Audlem.

same stories but so what? Well worth listening to once more. Phyllis and Henry Johnson were there again on their boat, but another welcome visitor for me was Freddie Gibbs. I hadn’t seen Fred, who with his wife Rose had the boats Shad and Argo with the Anderton Canal Carrying Company, since the end of carrying in the North West in the early

Among the visiting ex-boatmen was Freddie Gibbs, who – at the end of carrying in the North West – worked with his wife Rose for the Anderton Canal Carrying Company.

1970s. We have a number of friends who live in and around Audlem, but talking to two new residents recently they said that they chose to move to the village as the locals are so friendly and that there is always something happening. The 2017 Gathering of Historic Boats, as always, was a perfect example of this.

Freddie and Rose Gibbs on the Anderton Canal Carrying Company’s boats Shad and Argo at Preston Brook on May 2, 1970.

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Fundraising, fun and flowers at Aqueduct Marina

By Harry Arnold

FLOWERS provided an extra ingredient for this year’s Aqueduct Marina Open Day, held on Sunday, July 23.

The Shropshire Union Middlewich Branch-based venue always provides a day of family fun, interest and entertainment and this year’s event was no exception. Bands, singers and others provided the entertainment background to a variety of interesting exhibits and attractions, both ashore and afloat.

But the underlying benefit is the money raised for charity. This year the day – and Saturday night’s Boaters’ Bash – raised £3700 and still counting, as Aqueduct’s staff are taking part in other events to keep this year’s total rising.

The chosen charity is Anne’s Wish, set up in memory of Anne Eddon by her family to research a cure into inclusion body myositis, which is supported by Muscular Dystrophy UK. The family narrowboat Eleshanne – built by Knights Narrowboats and moored at the marina – was on prominent display and promoting the charity. But that wasn’t the only charitable financial beneficiary of the day. Other organisations had fundraising stands, including those specifically involved in waterways such as the Shropshire Union Canal Society, the Shropshire Union Middlewich Branch Adopters, the local branch of the Inland Waterway Association and the Shropshire Union Fly-boat Restoration Society – the latter with Saturn open to the public.

This year’s Canal & River Trust’s (CRT) idea

Decorated boats lined up at Aqueduct Marina. PHOTOS: WATERWAY IMAGES UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED

Knights Narrowboats had their latest products to show visitors.

A pristine CRT work boat makes an unusual exhibit.

Aqueduct Marina has a contract to overhaul a number of these.

of boats being more floral inspired an inaugural Aqueduct in Bloom competition. It was won by a couple called Neil and Helen of the boat Another Fluke. Apparently, they currently live in Texas and come over for the season. They certainly produced a great display.

But for fun, once again, you couldn’t beat the dog show organised by Nantwich Vets. Often somewhat shambolic (these are not show dogs but family pets) the show is all the funnier for it and another great entertainment event.

New boats on display included other latest products from Knights Narrowboats and a 25ft long example of the Aintree Beetle which the marina is now agent for. A somewhat unusual exhibit was a pristine Canal & River Trust work boat, completely overhauled as part of a contract which includes at

Texas residents Neil and Helen, of boat Another Fluke, won the inaugural Aqueduct in Bloom competition with this stunning display. PHOTO: AQUEDUCT MARINA least two more already in the workshops. Among Aqueduct Marina’s latest facility improvements that visitors saw are the new upgraded twin paint sheds in which it can provide both spray and coach treatments.

It was another good annual open day at Aqueduct Marina where the staff and other supporters and helpers put in a tremendous amount of effort to entertain visitors, promote canal boats and boating and raise funds for deserving charities.

Saturn provides a backdrop to a slightly shambolic, fun-filled scene during the ever-popular annual dog show.

Aqueduct Marina is agent for the compact narrowboat, the Aintree Beetle.

Eleshanne – built by Knights Narrowboats – is the family flagship of Anne’s Wish, the charity raising funds for Muscular Dystrophy that Aqueduct Marina is supporting.

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66 BOATING DIRECTORY

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BUSINESS NEWS 67

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insider

Boat review Products & books What’s on

Improvements planned for Whixall Marina

By Harry Arnold

PLANNING permission has been applied for to improve and develop facilities at Whixall Marina on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal.

The marina was recently sold by British Waterways Marinas Ltd to the Grocott family, who are also owners of storage and distribution giant Grocontinental in nearby Whitchurch.

They have submitted a planning application to Shropshire County Council which includes changing an existing ground-floor residential flat into a waterside cafe and installing three mobile shepherd’s huts for glamping.

Also, an additional area of car parking will be created.

The shepherd’s huts, which will be able to be moved around easily, will be suitable for accommodating couples, families or groups.

Facilities for the holidaymakers, such as toilets and showers, will be located within the adjacent buildings.

Proposed improvements at Whixall Marina include conversion of an existing building into a waterside cafe. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES Peter Richards, speaking on behalf of the Grocott family, said: “They are keen to increase the attractiveness of the marina to encourage both local people and visitors to the area. Also, they

believe that with the current investment and growth in the canal boating sector, that Whixall Marina can be a successful business and a major asset to the local community.”

P68 Gardening afloat P69 Food and drink P71 Holidays

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Berkshire hydropower plant wins two prestigious awards THE new hydropower station at Sonning in Berkshire has won two prestigious awards for Greenford Ltd which designed and built the project for Pridewater Estates Ltd. At the recent ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers) South East England Engineering Excellence Awards in Brighton, Greenford took home the trophies for both the Award for Sustainability & Resilience as well as the Thames Valley Award for Engineering Excellence.

Greenford MD and ICE Fellow Claire Greenwood said: “It is wonderful to be recognised for our efforts in working towards a greener energy future for Britain’s civil construction industry as well as being a part of what our client Pridewater Estates is working to achieve.”

Sonning Hydropower Station’s successful completion has meant that Pridewater Estates Ltd has been given the means to achieve its goal of producing enough electricity to equal and exceed the combined annual energy usage of the company’s four canal marina locations across England.

The completed hydropower station in Sonning, Berkshire.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Pridewater Estates marinas manager Ben Lane and Greenford Ltd MD Claire Greenwood.

CanalsOnline celebrates first birthday

The new office and facilities building at Kings Bromley Marina. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Bath proves hit with Kings Bromley moorers A NEW office complex has been unveiled at Kings Bromley Marina.

Facitilies include a chandlery, central reception lounge, kitchen and launderette facilities, two bathrooms with shower cubicles and – of particular excitement – a further bathroom with a bath.

Marina manager Sue Poynton said: “We have had such an incredible

amount of positive feedback from the permanent moorers and visitors, it has been fantastic.

“Many narrowboats understandably do not have baths on board so the inclusion of a bath in one bathroom has been particularly welcomed, but the offices themselves are great so staff and customers alike are all very happy.”

Floating traders also find it useful for keeping in touch with potential customers, informing everyone of their whereabouts, next events, or latest products.

CanalsOnline’s stand at the Crick Boat Show proved a roaring success, with many visitors to the stand checking out the website and giving very positive feedback. They have also advertised regularly with Towpath Talk, whose publication can be read live at CanalsOnline.

As liveaboard boaters and continuous cruisers, they are also constantly in touch with people actually on the waterway system. Cards are handed out to everyone they meet or pass, and many people are out on the waterways spreading the word for them. Their reputation continues to grow.

The website aims to continue to flourish and satisfy the demands of its visitors: www.canalsonline.uk

BWML team completes marina operatives course

The bath is very popular with boaters.

The central reception lounge.

CANALSONLINE set out with the belief that the website could become a major resource tool for everyone on, or connected to, the waterways. A year on, and in many parts of the country CanalsOnline is becoming just that.

Its guide to the navigable rivers and canals of England & Wales has already prompted much favourable reaction from site visitors who have commented how useful the waterway pages have been, especially to holidaymakers and those visiting places for the first time.

Magazine pages have grown substantially and have even incorporated some items of entertainment.

Competitions have proved very popular with winners walking away with some amazing prizes.

The Facebook Group continues to grow with many boaters finding it a useful platform to ask or answer questions relevant to boating life.

Part of the Castle Marinas group, Kings Bromley is situated on the Trent & Mersey Canal a few miles from Fradley Junction in Staffordshire and hosts 275 narrowboat berths.

THE Home Counties marinas team at British Waterways Marinas Ltd (BWML) has just completed the final stages of the British Marine marina operatives course.

Others from Hull and Glasson Basin marinas are in the pipeline, and very close to completion.

BWML joined the programme in 2012 which promotes health, safety and environmental awareness together with key practical skills in customer service delivery, boatmanship and marina security. BWML Training is now preparing a new enrolment for this autumn to extend the learning agenda to staff who have joined the business since 2015.

Operations director Darren Bramhall said: “I am impressed by the work our staff put into this important learning and development scheme which is internationally recognised as the industry standard for marina operations.”

BWML operations director Darren Bramhall with Donna Hurry and Naceur Slimane from BWML Priory Marina, Bedford, when he presented them with their award.

Other completion certificates have been received from British Marine for Jason Ward, Dave Tonner, Kayleigh Kelly, Emmalene Foster, Marie Lindley, Nigel Boydell and John Highmore. PHOTO: BWML

68 BOAT REVIEW

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A fine example of the Aqualine range Phil Pickin views a new boat seeking an owner.

IT’S said that one person’s misfortune can be to another’s advantage and this could certainly be the case for whoever buys this Aqualine Madison.

At the time of writing, this brand new and unregistered boat is lying at Mercia Marina and offered for sale by The New & Used Boat Co. What makes it unique is that this boat was built to a specification stipulated by its new owner, however due to a change in their circumstances the boat has never been used and is now offered for sale.

The layout and specification is that of an extended cruiser and as long as your tastes match those of the prospective buyer then its first official owner should be very pleased with their purchase.

Given the level of finish, the attention to detail and its high level of specification coupled with the fact that the boat is ready to go should make it popular.

One of the most eye-catching parts of the boat has to be the cruiser stern. With its shiny black painted finish contrasting with the pale deck-boards, chrome fittings and cream bench cushions it looks very attractive. A very well equipped helm binnacle, that includes the controls for the bow thruster, has been fitted with two cup holders, a nice additional touch. These holders are made from the same rich dark stained wood that tops the stern rail. The result of all this is a very smart, attractive and sizeable area to enjoy.

Magic corner

From the stern you come into a walkthrough galley comprising of granite worktops to both sides into which a four-burner hob has been inset to one side and a stainless steel sink to the other. It’s in the galley that you notice the use of opaque glass panels used within most of the locker doors and also within many of the internal access doors. Not only is this attractive but it also brightens the interior space.

In contrast the lower cupboard doors are oak ply with a number hiding such things as the fridge and washing machine. A ‘magic corner’ also makes good use of a corner locker and maximises the space on offer.

SPEC SHEET Boat style: Cruiser Length: 62ft Berths: 4 Hull: 10-6-5-4mm Draft: 2ft Width: 6’ 10” Engine Make: Barrus Yanmar Shire 45 Gearbox: Prm 150 Hydraulic Bowthruster: Electric Inverter: Victron 3000 Domestic Batteries: 600amp Gel Tubular Battery Charger: Victron 120 Alternators: 1 x 50 and 1 x 240 Type of Heating: Webasto Radiators: 3 & 2 towel rails Fresh Water Tank Type: Stainless steel 120 galls approx Fuel Tank Capacity: 55 galls approx Insulation: Spray foam Waste Tank Capacity: 300 lts approx Hot Water Via: Engine and heater unit and immersion Dinette: Pullmans/double berth TV cupboard and bookshelves.

Solid fuel stove: Morso Squirrel Glass display unit and space for free-standing sofa/chairs.

Cooker: Belling with four-burner hob Fridge: Candy Washing Machine: Candy Shower: Full sized Toilet Type: Tecmar electric macerator pump-out Granite-topped vanity unit with LED lit mirror over and heated towel rail.

Extending double, wardrobe, corner drawer unit, drawers under bed, overhead cupboards and reading lights.

Price £129,950

A TV/DVD unit, including display shelves, is fixed to one wall of the saloon.

LED lights inset into the skirting board heating.

LED lights fitted into the steps to provide extra illumination and safety.

A good-sized shower.

The dinette, which converts into a double berth if required.

The floor has been tiled with fawn-coloured tiles, making them easy to clean and the area is (as with much of the boat) lit by a number of small concealed LED uplighters.

The main saloon comprises of a dinette which converts into a double berth if required. The seats are well upholstered and the area is light even on a dull day despite the interior being entirely clad in oak T&G. Large doubleglazed windows also help, as does the continued use of a number of LED lights inset into the skirting board heating.

A TV/DVD unit including display shelves is fixed to one wall of the saloon adjacent to the Morso Squirrel stove with yet more display and storage cupboards completing the far wall of the seating area. This area is left open for free-standing chairs and the floor has been finished in oak to match the rest of the interior. Through the opaque panelled glazed doors you enter the washroom which, like the galley, has a walk-through layout. The area also uses the same granite worktops used in the galley. A good-sized shower, Tecmar toilet and round washbasin complete the room, which is heated by a chrome heated towel rail.

The Tecmar toilet and round washbasin.

Drawer-style lockers

Finally you enter the main bedroom, which is fitted with an extending double bed with storage below. Good-sized wardrobes and a dressing table provide the bulk of the storage. A nice touch is the row of small, what I can only describe as ‘drawer style’ lockers located high up above the bed. It’s nice to see something different from the usual overhead lockers seen all too often. Small LED reading lights are fitted in the corners above the bed and a TV point has been included should you want to put a TV on the dressing table. Double doors lead out on to the well deck which, once again, has LED lights fitted low down to provide attractive illumination and safety when using the area at night.

You could never describe this as a budget boat but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for, and what you pay for with this is an attention to detail, a good standard of finish all coupled with some stylish innovations.

Obviously by the time this review gets into print the boat may well have a new owner, but even if it has it’s a good example of what can be produced by the Polish builders who manufacture the Aqualine range.

The helm binnacle includes the controls for the bow thruster and has been fitted with two cup holders.

Builders:

The walk-through galley with granite worktops to both sides, into which a fourburner hob has been inset one side and a stainless steel sink on the opposite side.

The Morso Squirrel stove.

The extending double bed with storage below.

Aqualine Marine.

For sale from: The New & Used Boat Co Mercia Marina, Findern Lane, Willington, Derbyshire DE65 6DW. Tel: 01283 707357 Email: mercia@ newandusedboat.co.uk www.newandusedboat.co.uk

REVIEWS 69

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WHAT’S NEW

Books, DVDs and other items for possible review should be sent to: Towpath Talk, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk

A practical introduction to traditional narrowboat decoration Reviewer: Robert Davies

IN THE early 80s Jane Marshall and her husband Pete started touring the waterways and performing plays. They called their company Day Star – known to many familiar with the canals.

They did this for the next 23 years, doing their last summer tour in 2005. They now concentrate on their schoolwork, which they have done from the beginning.

Over this period Jane developed and expanded her interest in canal painting and, in 1997, with her friend Anne Luard, began running canal painting courses at their base at the bottom of Audlem locks. Roses & Castles, A Practical Introduction to Traditional Narrow Boat Decoration is her first publication on the subject and her enthusiasm jumps off the pages.

She has divided it into two sections, The Tradition and People and A Guide to Decoration. Part one deals with the origins of roses and castles, working boats, painters of the past and keeping

the tradition going. Painters of the past include the likes of Ron Hough, Frank Nurser, Polesworth and the Atkins and Tooleys etc. She then moves on to today’s canal artists – Tony Lewery, Dave Moore and Phil Speight, to name but three – providing a brief pen picture of their backgrounds.

Part two discusses the practical aspects of painting with an illustrated step-by-step guide as to how to paint roses and castles for yourself, together with simple lettering. Painting a water can is a very detailed guide.

Jane has an open-minded, refreshing approach to the subject and is keen to encourage folk to develop an individual style in any way that they wish. The last chapter details some of the other painting projects that she has undertaken; to quote: ‘not strictly traditional and sometime frowned upon, but fun to paint, own and use.’

The book is liberally illustrated with photographic examples of the art and she has cleverly shied away from the temptation to focus solely

on the ways and means of achieving results by taking a comprehensive view of painting and the people involved. Reading this certainly provides the inspiration to pick up a brush and have a go! It covers 118 pages in paperback and is sensibly priced at £18.95.

Roses & Castles, A Practical Introduction to Traditional Narrow Boat Decoration is published by, and available from, the Canal Book Shop, www.canalbookshop.co.uk ISBN: 978 0 9955180-2-5

named on the Ordinance Surveey nd Series of maps) such as Still Islan and Whiskey Island were nameed to reflect the illicit distilling whicch once occurred on them.

More current issues are alsso covered; among them the chao os caused to ground-nesting birds by b escaped American mink which waas once farmed locally for its fur, th he reintroduction of the white taileed eagle and how the construction of the Ardnacrusha Power Statio on and dam altered the water levels, drowning many islands an nd hindering the migration of salmon n.

Rich in photographs an nd illustrations, old maps, poem ms and songs, this is a celebration of all which is Lough Derg, revealing much which derives only from years of local knowledge and wisdom.

Lough Derg and its islands – A

Voyage of Discovery by Road and

by Water by Gerard Madden and Shane Creamer is available from the IWAI online bookshop at the cost of €20 plus p&p

Reviewer: Harry Arnold

A voyage of discovery Reviewer: Alison Alderton

THE lavish A4 full-colour softback publication Lough Derg and its islands is a collaboration by Gerard Madden, a local history enthusiast and Shane Creamer, a fly-fisherman with a love of cartography.

It deals with the history, geography and topography of the River Shannon’s largest lake, Lough Derg and contains, for the first time ever produced, a map depicting all access routes to the lake. Hence its subtitle – A Voyage of Discovery by Road and by Water.

The gazetteer-style book is bursting with historical snippets and folk tales, giving insights into many of the large country houses and estates bordering the lake shore. It tells how many of the 376 islands, (of which only 113 are

A truly meticulous account FIVE main well-researched subjects are featured in this year’s edition of the Boat Museum Society’s Waterways Journal.

My immediate favourite is the meticulously detailed story of pleasure boating pioneer Holt Abbott, designer and operator of what were revolutionary custom-built canal cruisers in the 1950s. For two reasons: firstly, I think not enough has been written to record this period and secondly that I knew Holt, as a fellow hire operator, quite well.

Angela Clark (Holt’s daughter) and David Brown (an owner of one of Holt’s boats) have gone to endless trouble to record the history of his work and his company, Stourport-based Canal Pleasure Craft Ltd. Holt was basically a clever engineer who applied his knowledge to design and build a cruiser that deviated from the traditional narrowboat format and employed the fairly new material of marine plywood.

Holt was a true gentleman who you suspected (although not true) didn’t like to get involved in the day-to-day workings of the industry. He had an equally gentlemanly right-hand man, Ashley Moulden, who when you visited was always referred to as ‘my man Ashley’. Little-known nowadays was that they were the major manufacturer of quality lock windlasses for the hire industry. A truly meticulous account and – with respect to the Journal – one that the national magazines missed out on.

One would expect that recent developments at the National Waterways Museum and the researchintotheirpasthistorywouldbefeatured.

The Patent Slip and its associated buildings is one of these areas that Hannah Holmes has been working on and studying in detail, as it has been opened up to visitors. She covers the history from when Ellesmere Port docks were enlarged and developed through the 1830s and 1840s followed by the major changes required when the Manchester Ship Canal was built.

The advent of steam-powered vessels on the waterways is always a popular period among enthusiasts and their history of use on the River Weaver – another one which my ancestors worked on – from 1863 until

their demise is well documented by regular contributor Terry Kavanagh. Some of the personal stories of life aboard the various craft on the river bring his account to life, although are maybe not for the squeamish. Such as the engineer aboard the Ariel being found ‘lying quite dead under a crank in the engine room’.

Although I also know this river well, I must admit the twists and turns of the River Dee’s history of navigation improvements on its course from Chester to the sea, between 1836 and 1854, is of lesser interest. David Parry’s research is however meticulous and it is just the sort of good work that this BMS publication should address and publish.

Apart from local trade, it was too little too late though as the heyday of Dee and Chester as a major international port had already passed across the Wirral to the River Mersey.

Finally, in a shorter piece – also mentioning the Dee – Peter Sandbach updates his previous article on John Wilkinson with evidence that this Staffordshire industrialist shipped iron ore from Cumbria, first via Chester, then into Runcorn. Apparently, some was carried in his own iron narrowboats. Again, expertly edited

by Cath Turpin, this year’s Journal contains a wealth of illustrations, including previously unpublished photographs, many more in colour this time. As always, a fascinating view of canal and river history.

Waterways Journal No.19, edited by Cath Turpin, softback, £7.99, is available from the shop at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port and other waterway outlets.

Or by mail order, at £9.99 via the Boat Museum Society’s website, www.boatmuseumsociety. org.uk/publications for this and past volumes.

Canals, cats and catastrophes ANY readers who wish to obtain a copy of Canals, Cats & Catastrophes by Margaret Awty-Jones, reviewed last month by Robert

Davies, should contact the author direct at awty-jones@yahoo.co.uk as it is no longer available on Amazon.

More than 800,000 steps along the Thames Path take Tom on a fascinating journey Reviewer: Elizabeth Rogers

TOM Chesshyre’s book From Source To Sea, Notes from a 215-mile Walk along the River Thames, recounting his walk along the Thames Path, must claim to be one of the most up-to-date – for the conversation he relates with people he met along the way covered such

Tom Chesshyre burnt nearly 80,000 calories during his longdistance walk. PHOTO SUPPLIED

subjects as the result of the referendum on European membership and even on the US presidential election.

But it was the historical associations which he discovered along the way that gained his greatest concentration, and he researched or was told of many that will provide a starting point of interest for others who decide to follow in his footsteps.

He begins with a ritual visit to the two alternative starting points of the river at Thames Head and Trewsbury Mead, even tasting water from the trickle at the latter, which he describes as ‘leafy’, before setting out on the Thames Path itself.

His journey was planned to cover 21 days, and at the end he even records the number of steps he took (821,722) and calories he burnt (79,623) in total over the whole journey.

One of his first historical discoveries was at the village of Kempsford, near the beginning of the route, close to the Gloucestershire-Wiltshire boundary.

That concerned the late 13th century Henry Earl of Lancaster, who killed his wife Maud when in an uncontrollable jealous rage and threw her body into the

river. This led to the legend of sighting of a ghostly ‘Lady of the Mist’.

More tragedy followed with the death of his grandson and his son, in his great distress, rode hastily away never to return, leaving behind a horse shoe. This is still nailed to the door of the church, St Mary’s on the tower ceiling on which is shown the red rose of Lancaster.

A fact, rather than fiction, was of importance to a woman Tom met in Dorchester, which he reached having passed Oxford. She was very insistent that it should be given the correct name of Dorchester-on-Thame, not the mistakenly used Dorchester-onThames, for it actually stands on the tributary, the River Thame.

In Staines he learnt a fact of which he had not been aware, that this is the site of one of the pair of London Stones, which marked the westernmost and easternmost limits of the authority of the City of London over the River Thames in earlier centuries. At the end of his journey he visited the matching obelisk, 30m off the Isle of Grain, beyond the mouth of Yantlet Creek.

But he has many miles to cover and places of interest waiting before he

reaches his journey’s end, and he notes that the influence of the River Thames on the quality of life has been reflected in a recent survey showing Oxford, Richmond and Windsor holding three of the top seven places for this.

Richmond was one of the places for an interesting boat-related encounter, meeting a craftsman who built the Gloriana for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee pageant.

Another boat encounter was at Bermondsey, where he was invited to spend the night on a Dutch barge.

To keep up to date, Tom read the newspapers, including his Towpath Talk, collected at Lechlade.

He also enjoyed the countryside with its wild flowers – particular examples of which he lists – and a pleasurable interlude watching two deer enjoying a game together in a field between Rushey and Shifford locks.

He found London somewhat of a culture shock, but found other wildlife on the other side, meeting birdwatchers in the Greenwich area and nearing the end of his journey crossing fields, part of the Crossness Nature Reserve, and reading a notice at Erith indicating

that seals and harbour porpoises may sometimes be seen.

And so to journey’s end and the reflections that those who meet along the route, sharing in undertaking this challenge, have a natural comradeship.

From Source to Sea, Notes from a 215-mile Walk along the River Thames is published by Summersdale Publishers Limited, hardback 320 pages, £16.99.

ISBN: 978-1-84953-921-0

70 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

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Keelblack now used by over 1000 customers

Application in the rain – try that with a solvent-based blacking.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

CanCam: A UK canal map for your smartphone TYCTAK has released a canal map for the android phone which helps plan a journey on the UK inland waterways system.

The app is available for download in the Google Play Store – search for CanCam. This alternative canal map has been designed to be an essential map you can easily carry with you while you are out and about on the cut, planning your next trip or just down the pub.

The android mobile phone app allows the user to download canal routes so you are not restricted by poor internet service. It shows useful canal features to help your journey, such as pubs, locks, bridges, turning points as well as post boxes, recycling, stores, supermarkets, bus stops and more.

The app has been developed specifically to improve the experience of waterway users and includes a personal marker function enabling you to record your own points of interest on or near the canal. A handy way to record the location of that perfect mooring spot, a great place to eat, a scenic picnic area, walks and much more.

For further information see the advertisement on page 10.

LITTLE acorn s into big oaks do grow… Keelblacck launche d i ts revolutionary waaterbased bitumen emulsion at Crick Boat Show in 2015 to cautious interest.

Since Crick 2017, Keelblack’s formula of easy application and tough, abrasionresistant finish has been enthusiastically adopted by both the DIY owner and the trade alike. With sales now exceeding 1000, the word on the cut is spreading through social media, recommendation and yard preference.

For many users, the ability to apply it even in damp conditions makes it an unquestionable choice reinforced by the low cost of less than 75p per square metre.

Keelblack sprayed on to a 60ft new build.

New product launch

At the request of several boat-building yards, Keelblack is now available in a sprayable version, Keelblack 250.

“More than twice as quick as spraying 2-pack and a quarter of the cost,” is the view of one Midlands builder.

Using simple equipment and achieving excellent results have led to a number of yards now using Keelblack

250 and some are now applying it as a sacrificial coat over new 2-pack to avoid the problems of UV fade and expensive recoating. ● More details on www. keelblack.com or for friendly customer advice and support call 0333 405 4045.

Cyber attacks! Do you know how to protect your business?

By David Moffitt, commercial insurance broker at Allied Marine

AS WE can see from the cyber attack on the NHS earlier this year and similar attacks on other businesses across the world, cybercrime is on the increase.

Experts predict that attacks like these are set to become even more commonplace, affecting businesses of all sizes, across all industries, including the marine industry.

Staggeringly, over half of all British businesses experienced a cyber attack in 2016, costing as much as £30 billion (Beaming – https://www.beaming. biz/) and this is not just an issue for big businesses. A recent study from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reported that two-thirds of SMEs have been a victim of cyber crime in the last two years, with those affected being victims on an average of four occasions.

Recent research revealed that the top threat perceived by a business is a cyber attack and in second place is the threat of data breach (BCI – http:// www.thebci.org). Regulators across the UK are now getting to grips with cyber liabilities and we expect that, sooner rather than later, regulatory action will be stepped up.

This means that there will be significant penalties incurred for businesses who have failed to protect themselves adequately.

How can the right cyber and data breach insurance help if an attack occurs?

If your marine business has the right cyber and data breach insurance cover in place, you will benefit from processes that could help restore your business’s capability, help you to get back in business swiftly, and reimburse the loss of both business and personal funds from: • An unauthorised electronic funds transfer • Theft of money or other financial assets from your bank by electronic means • Theft of money or other financial assets from your corporate credit cards by electronic means • Any fraudulent manipulation of electronic documentation while stored on your computer systems • Any phishing, vishing or other social engineering attack against any employee or senior executive that results in the transfer of business funds to an unintended third party Reimbursement of personal funds In addition to the reimbursement of funds to the business, your cyber and data breach insurance cover should also reimburse personal financial loss, as a direct result of any third party compromising the company's network security, including: • The theft of money or other financial assets from a personal bank account, of any senior executive in your business • Identity theft of any senior executive because of a privacy breach suffered by your business Does your business have the right cyber and data insurance cover in place?

The advisable safeguarding measure is to ensure that you have the right cyber and data insurance protection in place for your business. Cyber and data insurance cover provides your business with the full support of a team who will protect your reputation, investigate and diagnose the attack, and help you to secure your systems, before getting them safely up and running again.

Forensics After a cyber attack or data breach has occurred, expert forensics can determine what has been affected and how it can be contained, repaired, or if possible, restored.

Legal and PR Expert legal and PR consultants can formulate a plan to contain and restore any damage to your business reputation.

Notification Customers whose records and data have been affected by a data breach can be notified and monitoring can take place to prevent further losses.

Fines and investigation If you are subject to any investigations, a cyber and data breach insurance policy will cover payment of insurable fines and penalties imposed upon you and your business.

The following defence costs and damage liabilities are also covered: • Any breach of personal or corporate data • Contaminating someone else’s data with a virus • Theft of a system access code • Theft of hardware containing personal data • A negligent act or error by an employee

● Allied Marine has an experienced team on hand to provide advice and tailored cyber and data protection insurance cover, for marine businesses, ensuring that your business has the right cover against a potential cyber-attack or data breach.

Contact David Moffitt at david.moffitt@alliedinsurance.co.uk call 0844 815 6155 or visit www.alliedinsurance.co.uk for further information.

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WHAT’S ON

The First World War field kitchen will again be serving up tasty soup.

PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON

Discover more about the Grantham Canal

FIRMLY established on the waterways calendar, the Grantham Canal Society’s annual Discovery Day is on Sunday, October 8.

Entertainments include: Allington Morris, clog dancing by the Maids of Clifton, Trent Navigation Shanty Crew and local folk singer Gary Cadwallader.

There will also be hands-on family activities by Creation Station, bricklaying skills with the Waterway Recovery Group and pole lathe turning with the Wobbly Bodger, from the heart of Sherwood.

Raptor Rescue, Lincolnshire Bat Group and Hedgehog Welfare will have some recovering patients for all to see. The Woodland Trust and Butterfly Conservation, along with local waterways groups and craft stands, means there’s something for everyone.

Hot food from the First World War field kitchen and barbecue, along with home-made cake and refreshments in the Carpenter’s Shop, will ensure no one goes home hungry.

Will the wicked witch, the ducking stool or the duck-eating spider prevent your duck finishing the seriously silly Dirty Duck Race!? Duckmaster Ayup

The Lion and the Witch – but ran out of time for the wardrobe on the Duck Race course last year.

Email details of your event to: jrichardson@mortons.co.uk or send details to: What’s on, Towpath Talk, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ

Compiled by Janet Richardson

Water sports for all at Southampton RETURNING for its 49th year, the Southampton Boat Show is planning to get more people than ever before participating in boating and water sports activities with an array of on-thewater features.

The event takes place from Friday, September 15 to Sunday, September 24, open from 10am-6.30pm each day apart from the final Sunday, when it will close at 6pm.

New for 2017 will be a show passenger boat providing trips in the Solent, enabling visitors to take in the view from a new perspective and enjoying just being out on the water.

For the first time, the Paddle River Experience will take pride of place in Solent Park. With a 60-metre waterway circuit and attractive lush greenery, this new attraction will transport visitors to a woodland stream and offer people of all ages and abilities

WHAT’S ON IN SEPTEMBER

the chance to start their canoeing or paddleboarding adventure.

Another new feature will be bell boating for adults and children. A twin-hulled open canoe seating up to 12 people, bell boats offer fun for all, family and friends alike.

Other attractions for young visitors include the Adventure River Canoe Ride in the show’s arena and the ultimate motorised boating experience for children aged 3-13 years, located in Solent Park, will allow the youngest generation the opportunity to master the art of steering while having fun with the onboard water cannon.

The hugely popular free ‘Try-aBoat’ sessions from On The Water will allow visitors to experience the thrill of being out on the water in a selection of vessels and ‘Get Afloat’ will offer children aged 8-16 years the chance to

If you want your event listed in our free monthly What’s On section email your entry to pbatten@mortons.co.uk or use the events form at www.towpathtalk.co.uk/events.

As always please check with organisers on the details of the event before setting out on your journey.

September 3

Malcolm Robbins of Raptor Rescue with Jess, the Harris hawk.

Meduck will have some fiendish tricks up his sleeve again this year – but don’t despair, every non-finisher will receive a booby prize – and a little something for last over the line too!

Community and events team leader for the Grantham Canal Society, Rosemary Gibson, said: “Discovery Day is when all sectors of the society join together in celebration of a long season of events. Come along and support us, and take the opportunity of a guided tour around the Lock 15 restoration site.”

With the official opening by Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust and Mistress of Ceremonies, local radio presenter Suzie Sparkles, keeping things on track in her own inimitable way – it’s just possible everything will be squeezed into this fun-packed day between 10am and 4pm.

Camping and caravanning is available on site for those wishing to have a weekend break or longer stay.

Discovery Day takes place at: The Carpenter’s Shop Canal Depot, Duck Lane, Woolsthorpe by Belvoir, near Grantham NG32 1NY. More information: www. granthamcanal.org

September 17

Essex Boat Jumble: Open 10am. Battlesbridge Antiques Centre, Battlesbridge, Essex, SS11 7RF. Admission £4, accompanied children/car parking free. Chaddock & Fox Promotions. Contact 01329 661896 / 07771962495.

Angel Canal Festival: City Road Basin, Islington, London N1 8JX. 11am to 5pm, Boat rally, boat trips, regatta, stalls, live music, children’s fun fair, donkey rides. Free entry. Contact Beryl Windsor 07973 504212, www.angelcanalfestival.org.

Wendover Arm Trust: Restoration open day at Drayton Beauchamp Church (HP22 5LS) from 12.30-4pm. Guided tours of restoration, canoe activities, sales stands, tea and cakes also video presentation in the church. Entry and parking free, donations welcome. www.wendoverarmtrust.co.uk Dogdyke Steam Drainage Station: Open day from 1.30 to 4.30pm. Beam engine in steam, display and museum in old engineman’s house, 40th anniversary year. Tea and homemade cakes in grounds. Off the A153 Sleaford to Horncastle Road near Bridge Farm, Tattershall, Lincolnshire, along farm track. Entrance and parking free, donations welcome.

IWA Towpath Walks Society, London: Little Venice – Camden. Starts Warwick Avenue (tube station) at 2.30pm.

Costs £10, £8 student/concs. Contact Roger Wilkinson 0203 612 9624.

IWA Towpath Walks Society, London: Limehouse – Thames – Docklands. Starts Westferry (DLR) (by Cycle Hire Point) at 2.30pm. Costs £10, £8 student/concs. Contact Roger Wilkinson 0203 612 9624.

September 5

September 23-24

IWA Lichfield: The Quarryman’s Trail and Coventry Canal walk. Easy 5.5-mile walk. Meet at 10.15am in the car park of The Anchor Inn, Mancetter Road, Hartshill, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV10 0RT. Contact Clive Walker 07866 201873, clive.walker@waterways.org.uk Worcester Birmingham & Droitwich Canal Society: Summer walk around Edgbaston Reservoir. Contact Denis Pike 07870 939121.

September 7

Southampton Canal Society: Gordon Osborn, Family cruising in Ireland. 7.45pm-9.50pm at Chilworth Parish Hall, Chilworth, Southampton SO16 7JZ. Visitors welcome.

Contact 02380 675312, scs@sotoncs.org.uk

September 9

Dogdyke Steam Drainage Station: Heritage Day Open day from 1.30 to 4.30pm. Beam engine in steam, display and museum in old engineman’s house, 40th anniversary year. Tea and home-made cakes in grounds. Off the A153 Sleaford to Horncastle Road near Bridge Farm, Tattershall, Lincolnshire, along farm track. Entrance and parking free, donations welcome.

East Sussex Boat Jumble: Open 10am. Bently Park, Harveys Lane, Lewes, Sussex BN8 5AF. Admission £3.50, accompanied children/car parking free. Contact 01903 761773 or 07899 850308.

September 16

Devon Boat Jumble: Open 10am. Newton Abbot Racecourse, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 3AF. Signposts from A38.

Admission £3.50, accompanied children and car park free.

Contact Compass Events 01803 835915 / 07831 337951.

September 16-17

Allington Morris will again be entertaining visitors.

discover dinghy sailing and Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP), all for free.

With the boating season coming to a close, the Southampton Boat Show promises to be the coolest way to extend the summer with plenty of opportunities to unwind. Relax at one of the show’s many bars including the Marina Bar serving Guinness and enjoy live entertainment at one of the two dome stages, or simply soak up the last of the summer sun exploring Europe’s largest purpose-built marina showcasing 330 of the latest models from British and international boat manufacturers, along with feature boats and a tall ship.

Plus, visitors will be able to discover and trial the season’s hottest marine equipment and electronics from around the world in the newly configured Ocean Hall.

Formoreinformation abouttheshow, visit: www.southamptonboatshow.com

Friends of Cromford Canal: Horse day and Leawood Pumphouse. Depart 11am or 2pm from Cromford Wharf (single or return), 12.15pm or 3.15pm High Peak Junction (single only). Booking advisable 07552 055455, sales@ birdswood.org

September 18

Friends of Cromford Canal: Pits in the Ashfield and Erewash area by David Amos. Ironwille Church Hall, 7.30pm.

Admission £2, raffle, tea and coffee available.

September 20

IWA Lichfield: Sandfields Pumping Station, an illustrated talk

by David Moore. The first talk of the new season is about this iconic Victorian water pumping station in Lichfield currently under the care of Lichfield Waterworks Trust. 7.15 For 7.30pm at Martin Heath Hall, Christchurch Lane, Lichfield WS13 8AY.

September 21

IWA Milton Keynes: Horse boating videos, and Noggin & Natter. Starts at 7.45-10pm at Bletchley Royal British Legion, Melrose Avenue, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK3 6PU. Contact les.franklin@waterways.org.uk

Roving Canal Traders Association: Birmingham Floating Market on the New Main Line towpath near the Barclaycard Arena B1 2AA. A wide array of floating traders selling their wares, a great morning or afternoon out for the family. Open 10am-5pm each day, free entry. www.rcta.org.uk

September 24

Erewash Canal Preservation & Development Association: Sandiacre Lock Cottages, Lock Lane, Sandiacre (off Longmoor Lane) NG10 5LA, 1.30-4.30pm. Admission free but donations towards costs of opening appreciated. Due to the historic nature of the cottages, access for disabled people is limited. Contact Glyn Stenson 07809 251441/0115 854 3306, glynstenson@hotmail.com

September 26

Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society: Graham Wilde – The School of Transport. Wilmot Arms, 49 Derby Road, Borrowash, Derby. Starts 7.30pm. Admissions £2 (members), £3 (visitors).

Gloucester Waterways Museum: River Severn from the Air talk with Richard Kelsey. Starts 7.30pm at the Gloucester Waterways Museum, The Docks, Gloucester, GL1 2EH. Free admission. www.friendsofgwm.co.uk

September 27

IWA Chiltern: Restoring the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals, talk with David Dixon. Starts at 8pm at Little Chalfont Village Hall, Cokes Lane, Little Chalfont, Bucks HP8 4UD. Contact john.brice@waterways.org.uk

September 28

IWA Lancashire & Cumbria: Social evening on the topic of Lancaster Canal. Richard Trevitt as speaker. Starts 7.30pm at St Chads Parish Centre, 235 Town Lane, Whittle le Woods, Chorley PR6 8AJ. Parking and bar available. Contact 01257 274440 lancsandcumbria@waterways.org.uk

72 WHAT’S ON

IN BRIEF Autumn market

Sawley Marina hosts its autumn market on Saturday and Sunday, September 2-3, from 10am-4pm each day.

There will be boat handling demonstrations and tips with the Royal Yachting Association Active demonstrations, together with water safety and rescue demonstrations. Other attractions include a dog show, dolls house shop, live music and morris dancing.

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Gathering up the crowds

Angel action

BOAT trips, street entertainment and havea-go canoeing sessions are all part of the fun at the 31st annual Angel Canal Festival centred around the City Road Lock and basin at Islington, North London on Sunday, September 3.

Stretching alongside the Regents Canal towpath, local streets and a park will be a host of attractions including a children’s fun fair, Punch & Judy and storyteller and a variety of art projects. www. angelcanalfestival.org

Restoration open day

THE Wendover Arm Trust will be hosting a restoration open day in association with St Mary the Virgin, Drayton Beauchamp on Sunday, September 3 from 12.30-4pm.

There will be guided tours of the restoration site and the chance to see volunteers at work and canoes on a re-watered section and a video of the restoration in the church. There will also be sideshows, tea and cakes for sale; bring a picnic and enjoy the afternoon. Admission is free, donations welcome and parking is available at St Mary’s Church HP22 5LS.

Looking down on the 2015 event. PHOTOS: LHCRT LICHFIELD canal enthusiasts are hoping to emulate the success of 2015’s Huddlesford Heritage Gathering when this year’s event is held over the weekend of September 23-24.

The Gathering, held biennially and organised jointly by Lichfield and

Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust and Lichfield Cruising Club, brings together historic boats, floating traders, private boats and classic vehicles, with exhibitors and displays on the field, near Huddlesford Junction on the Coventry Canal.

Black Country boating

THE 31st Black Country Boating Festival will take place at Bumble-Hole Nature Reserve on the Dudley No 2 Canal at Windmill End, Netherton, from Friday to Sunday, September 8-10 from 10am-6pm each day.

Activities throughout the weekend include: boat and trade stalls, canalside entertainment, a funfair, real ale bar and boat trips along the Dudley Canal.

Timberland Pumping Station

MACHINERY will be on display during open days hosted by the Witham First District Internal Drainage Board at Timberland Pumping Station in Lincolnshire on Sunday, September 9 from 1-4.30pm.

Static and working displays will include a Ruston Bucyrus 10RB dragline and a Ruston & Hornsby 9X Class diesel engine. The pumping station is at Witham Bank, Tattershall, Lincolnshire LN4 4JP.

Historic boats at the 2015 Huddlesford Heritage Gathering.

Historic boats take on modern yachts at Maldon regatta MALDON Town Regatta 2017, which has been held for generations, takes place this year on Saturday, September 23.

Smacks and old gaffers, traditional and modern yachts race up river from West Mersea to Osea and from there to the town in a second race, berthing on the quay at high water mid-afternoon.

Shoreside events including stalls and activities on Hythe Quay from 11.30am. Look out for the renowned rubber duck race and this year sees the return of the boat jumble.

You can then dance the evening away to live music on the quay.

For everything you need to know about the regatta, which supports local charities, and race information visit www.maldonregatta.co.uk

Fun for all the family includes Emma’s Crafty Kids, funded through the Staffordshire Community Foundation, boat trips and rides on a steam train and a traction engine, face painting, and the chance to operate one of the trust’s diggers.

A host of entertainers will be providing music on stage throughout the weekend, with tickets sold separately for an evening event featuring Wildfire Folk and Chase Mist and including a pig roast.

Budding musicians can book themselves in for one or two 15-minute sessions at Busker’s Corner on either or both the days.

Floating traders will be offering everything from home brew to cheese and antiques to sweets, while exhibitors on the field and in the marquee will be showing off jewellery, leather goods, ● Huddlesford Heritage Gathering will be open to the public on September 23 and 24, from 10am.

Admission is £4 with children under 12 free if accompanied by an adult. Tickets for the

The Maldon Regatta in 1898.

RIGHT: Maldon Regatta now. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

farm and garden produce and a variety of arts and crafts.

There will also be a chance to see a display of birds of prey and to meet some weird and wonderful wildlife.

Music, entertainment, food and a bar will be available all day, and a Sunday service will be held at 9.30am by the Boaters Christian Fellowship, led by David Litchfield.

Huddlesford Heritage Gathering will be open to the public on September 23 and 24, from 10am.

Admission is £4 with children under 12 free if accompanied by an adult. Tickets for the evening entertainment will be sold separately for £15. Car parking is free.

For more information visit the trust website at http://www.lhcrt.org.uk/ hhgnews.htm. evening entertainment will be sold separately for £15. Car parking is free.

For more information visit the trust website at http://www. lhcrt.org.uk/hhgnews.htm.

WHAT’S ON 73

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Guided walks to celebrate town’s canal heritage

Shared ownership narrowboats on show last year. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Find out about boat shares – and support the RNLI A SHOP window for anyone interested in what shared ownership has to offer, this year’s Autumn Boat Share Show is being held at Overwater Marina alongside the RNLI Festival.

At least 10 shared ownership narrowboats are expected for visitors to view and compare at the show which takes place on Saturday, September 9 (10am to 5pm) and Sunday 10 (10am to 4pm) at the marine at Coole Lane, Newhall, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AY. This is also an excellent opportunity to talk to existing share owners about how you can enjoy holidays each year on your own boat at less than the cost of hiring and meet the companies which manage most of the boats on view.

Saturday evening sees live entertainment provided by ABBA Re-Bjorn with a licensed bar, barbecue and refreshments.

Admission to this is by ticket only – tickets available from Audlem Cyclesport, Overwater Marina office, Nantwich Civic Centre, and online via www.nantwichtowncouncil.gov.uk On the Sunday at 11am TV vet Steve Leonard hosts the dog show and this year, you will also be able to try your hand at hobby horse racing, a craze currently sweeping Europe. The day is rounded off with a donkey derby with nine races in all, four ridden by youngsters, four featuring chariots driven by adults, with a grand finale to determine the charioteer of the day. There will be a Tote in operation to add to the fun.

Throughout the day on Sunday there will be all kinds of entertainment, demonstrations, retail stalls inside the main marquee and at outside gazebos, refreshments to whet the

Judging the dogs on show. appetite, a licensed bar and a host of other activities, not least of which is donkey rides for the children and face painting.

All profits from the RNLI event will be donated to the Lytham St Annes RNLI Station towards their new Shannon class lifeboat.

The Audlem Lass will be providing its boat service between Overwater Marina and the village of Audlem (Lock 15).

For further information on the boat share show contact Andrew Cooley on 01452 912617/07961 574231, email andrew@boatshare4u.co.uk boatshare4u.co.uk www.overwatermarina.co.uk

DURING the autumn Halesworth will be celebrating the historic importance of malting and brewing in the Suffolk town with a new permanent exhibition at the New Cut Arts Centre.

The important role wherries on the New Reach played in this industry will be a feature.

The launch coincides with Halesworth Heritage Open Days on September 9 and 10 when historic buildings in the town will open their doors to the public. The Halesworth New Reach Working Group will be

playing its part with guided walks along the canal.

Meanwhile, the group has welcomed visitors from both the Environment Agency and Suffolk Wildlife Trust to help compile a management plan for the canal, especially the section in the park where there is extensive silting.

It is hoped to open up this section to make a shallow channel up to the former quay. Other clearance work is on hold during the summer breeding season but members have been keeping up the litter picking.

Two arms on two legs FOLLOWING on from the success of last year’s running festival along the canal in Buckinghamshire, the Canal & River Trust is calling on local people to pull on their trainers once again and sign up for this year’s event.

Taking place on Sunday, September 10, the Two Arms on Two Legs event is being organised by the trust and Aylesbury-based running club On the Run, with support from Sport England and the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

It is open to everyone and involves running along the Aylesbury Arm and Wendover Arm of the Grand Union Canal, as part of a half marathon or 10k challenge. A family fun run is also organised for younger runners at Oakfield Park in Aylesbury.

Joe Sammon, CRT sports participation manager, said: “Last year we had almost 600 sign up in our first ever running event and we got great feedback from those who took part.

“Whether you’re a seasoned pro or have just caught the running bug, this event is aimed at you. With relatively

flat towpaths and the region’s beautiful countryside to explore there really isn’t a better place to enjoy a leisurely jaunt.”

For more information and to sign up for the event visit www.canalrivertrust. org.uk/two-arms

First open art exhibition at the Portal

The disused boat lift at Foxton. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

New vintage festival at Foxton Locks FOXTON Locks in Leicestershire is set to host a new waterway event with a Foxton Vintage Festival due to take place on September 16-17.

The event is being run by the Canal & River Trust and will bring to life the stories of what it was like to live and work along the canals during the height of the Industrial Revolution.

The two-day family friendly festival will include a wide variety of heritage and vintage working boats, steam engines, a vintage fun fair, local food and drink stalls, craft stalls, boat trips through the locks and costume characters.

Foxton Locks is home to a staircase of 10 locks which enables boats to navigate up and down the hill at Foxton.

Built in 1815, the locks are 200 years old and around 4000 boats travel through this famous flight each year.

The site is also home to the now disused boat lift which was originally

designed to speed up travel by bypassing the locks before it fell into disuse in 1911.

Vicky Martin, waterway manager from the Canal & River Trust, said: “Our waterways are as much alive today as they were when they were used to transport cargo around the country and are a great place to visit as a family.

“This festival will give people the chance to get up close to our canal heritage and discover how important our waterways were in helping to shape modern-day Britain.

We’re really keen to showcase all they have to offer to a new generation of enthusiasts.”

Tickets are £12 per car and can be bought online through The Narrowboat Skills Centre. www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/ foxtonvintage. The price includes parking and entry into the festival. A very limited number of tickets will be available on the day at £15.

ENTRIES have been pouring in for Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust’s first open exhibition.

It has been an opportunity for everyone to get involved, whether they exhibit regularly or have never displayed an art work anywhere before. The diverse range of media, styles and subjects will be exhibited until Monday, September 18.

“We have such a brilliant range of works which really do celebrate the creative talents of our local community,” said Holly Wain, heritage activities assistant at Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust.

Artworks range from drawings inspired by the limestone caverns and historical engravings, to studies of wildlife, canal scenes (both local and further afield), photography, portraiture, the everyday, landscapes and architecture.

There is also a vast range of media including pencil, chalks, watercolours, oils, acrylics, hand printed vinyl cuts, knitting and crochet, felt and embroidery and hand quilting.

For several of the entrants, this will be their first time exhibiting. Many of the works displayed are by local people who have grown up by the Black Country Canals and feel a connection to Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust and our local heritage.

Linda Thornton’s beautiful textile art work Christmas on the Cut is inspired by her childhood in Oldbury in the 1950s. She loved to walk along the canals with her granddad: “I’ve always been fascinated with the fact that people could make a home and live on a canal boat.” She loves seeing canal boats decorated with flowers in summertime and cosy in winter, topped off with a Christmas tree.

Adrian Clamp drew inspiration from further afield for A Modern Metropolis. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Christmas on the Cut is inspired

by Linda Thornton’s childhood in Oldbury in the 1950s.

The Waterside Gallery ry y at the Portal.

There are also plenty of art works which draw inspiration from further afield such as Adrian Clamp’s ‘A Modern Metropolis’. After visiting America, Adrian began to manipulate the images that he had taken on his camera in order to portray a constantly changing city.

Visitors can view the original artworks for free in the Waterside Gallery at Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust’s visitor centre, the Portal. For more information visit summer open exhibition at www. dudleycanaltrust.org.uk

74 WHAT’S ON

IN BRIEF Slough festival

THE annual Slough Canal Festival takes place at Bloom Park, Middlegreen Road, Langley, Slough, on Saturday and Sunday, September 9-10 and is open from 11am to 5pm each day. There is free entry and parking for the event, which includes boat trips along the canal. www.slough.gov.uk/ canalfestival

Heritage open days

OPEN days will be taking place at sites throughout the country during the Heritage Open Days on Saturday and Sunday, September 9-10. Worcester-Birmingham and Droitwich Canals Society is going to open the Tardebigge kilns site from 10am-5pm and there will be guided walks along the New Reach as part of the Halesworth event in Suffolk. Walks take place at 11am and 3pm on both days, starting at the lock site in the town park, no booking required.

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Vintage 40s canal event celebrates its 10th year CENTRED on the Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne’s Village at War Weekend is all set to deliver yet another opportunity to experience life in the 1940s by the Grand Union Canal.

This year, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this award-winning event, there will be even more of your favourite vintage entertainers.

Glamorous singer Lola Lamour and George Formby (aka Paul Casper) will be joining forces with Perfect Vintage, Betty Bluebird, Ruzzit Buzzit and Pearly King Rosie Rose to keep both the troops and public entertained royally.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

will be back in the skies with a flypast on both days and Churchill, Field Marshal Montgomery and George VI will be kept busy delivering rousing speeches and inspecting the troops.

On the water, a number of historic boats, some in wartime livery, many of which played important roles carrying vital supplies for the war effort, will complete the colourful scene and HMS Charlie will be offering boat trips into the mouth of the 200-year-old Blisworth Canal Tunnel.

On dry land visitors can expect to learn how to lindy hop and jive at our afternoon tea dances, watch

Has this spiv been selling stockings on the black market? fashion parades, browse a collection of military and civilian vehicles, watch exciting firepower demonstrations and skirmishes, experience air raids and get a chance to obtain rationed goods on the black market, including seamed nylon stockings for the wife or girlfriend.

Living history groups and individual

re-enactors such as policemen, spivs, air raid wardens, the Home Guard, American GIs, the free French and Land Army girls will be out in force to show visitors what life was like in wartime Britain.

Be sure to dust off and bring along great-granddad’s gas mask – you never know, you might need it!

Guided walks

FOLLOW the routes of the Oakham and Melton Mowbray waterways on one of the guided walks from September 11-14. Walks of between one and 18 miles will follow, as far as possible, the routes of the Oakham Canal and Melton Mowbray Navigation using public footpaths and mainly minor roads. They will be free, but donations to the Melton & Oakham Waterways Society are welcome. Transport, food and accommodation options are available at cost. For details or to book a place, email pdadford@ yahoo.co.uk

Tapton family fun

THE fifth Tapton Lock Festival takes place at the visitor centre in Lockoford Lane, Chesterfield S41 7JB on September 16 and 17 from 11am-4pm. It’s a free festival with lots of fun for all the family including arts and crafts workshops and demonstrations, amazing performances, a climbing wall, have-a-go canoes, boat rides and film screenings.

Making Hayes

THE Hayes Canal Festival is taking place on the Grand Union Canal by High Point Village adjacent to Station Road Bridge on Sunday, September 24 from noon to 5pm. It is being run by the Canal & River Trust in partnership with the Hillingdon Canals Partnership. Activities include boat trips, canoes, fishing, live music, children’s entertainment, displays and stalls. The Grand Union Canal runs through the centre of Hayes town centre and the festival aims to raise awareness, encouraging more people to use and enjoy it in a variety of different ways.

Don’t panic, Capt Mainwaring!

Glamorous singer Lola Lamour will again be entertaining the troops. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

● Admission is £7.50 per adult (under 16s free). Parking in official event car parks is included. The Village at War Weekend is organised by The Friends of the Canal Museum Charity and any surplus goes towards their work supporting The Canal Museum in Stoke Bruerne.

More information at www. friendsofcanalmuseum.org. uk/ village-at-war-2017

Boats of every description reveal their stories A NEW exhibition at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, explores life on the waterways through the stories of six very different boats.

The Canal & River Trust has used new technology to bring the boats to life, and visitors will discover the fascinating significance of each one – during hard times and holidays.

Boats include: a custommade ice boat, Marbury, built in 1900 to keep the canals

clear through freezing winter weather; cargo vessels Ferret and Oak, which each began life as working boats but followed second careers as leisure cruisers in the 1960s and 70s; narrowboat Merak and her motorboat Merope, built to work together but separated for 50 years, and Morna, one of the first Water Miss leisure boats designed to meet a new demand for holidays on the waterways.

Museum visitors can break

through iced-up canals by rocking Marbury, hear Bob Doyle talk about his 1963 holiday on a Water Miss cruiser (described at the time as offering a holiday experience that is ‘healthily active, mildly adventurous and abounding in interest!’) and trace the history of Merope and Merak through their decades apart.

There is also a chance for visitors to test their skill at loading narrowboat Oak. This ‘tow rag’ of the River Severn

Triathlon date

MAKE a note of the date now of the next Montgomery Canal Triathlon which will be held on Saturday, May 19, 2018.

The ice boat built to keep the canals clear through freezing winter weather.

Bob Doyle and his family on holiday in 1963 on Water Miss vessel Morna. PHOTOS: CANAL & RIVER TRUST regularly carried chocolate crumb, milk, sugar and coal to the Cadbury’s factory. And a Virtual Boat Explorer gives a 360-degree view around Ferret, transformed from working boat to 1960s holiday home.

Canal & River Trust head of museums Graham Boxer said: “These boats are currently in the museum’s national collection. The funding from the Esmee Fairbairn Collections Fund has helped us plan the conservation and display programme for them, so that we can make

them relevant to present and future generations.

“This exhibition brings them back to life, showing the central role these boats and the waterways play in our lives – both at work and play. They give a unique glimpse into our past, reminding us how we’ve used waterways to help us work, rest and play through the decades.”

He added: “We hope that this exhibition will be both thoughtprovoking and inspire people to help us conserve our waterways heritage for the future.”

● The museum is open daily from 10am-5pm. Admission (including unlimited return visits for 12 months) is: Adults £9.75, children (6-15) £6 and under fives go free. Other ticket options are available.

Canalrivertrust.org.uk/nwm

75 INSIDER EXTRA

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Lichfield in bloom – despite the rain!

A PROLONGED downpour failed to dampen the enthusiasm of Lichfield Canal volunteers accompanying judges from Heart of England in Bloom who were viewing the city’s floral delights recently.

Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust’s Borrowcop Locks Canal Park section was visited by judges from Heart of England in Bloom, one of 17 Britain in Bloom regions, and trust volunteers were able to show them the huge advances made not only to canal restoration but also to the well-maintained and wildlifeenhancing flora along the route of the Heritage Towpath Trail.

“The ducks were very happy in Pound 25; the rare spindle trees alongside Pound 26 were pointed out and the site of crocus planting and the beautifully blooming wild flower beds between Cricket Lane and London Road we hope impressed them,” said trust chairman Christine Bull.

“The crocuses and wild flowers were planted by Queen’s Croft High School students, 13 of whom have worked enthusiastically and tirelessly for the trust in all weathers every Tuesday morning through the last school year as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award.”

She continued: “Our relationship since September 2016 with Queen’s Croft High School has been invaluable, which was crowned by the attendance of two of their students and two of their staff to meet the judges at the footbridge halfway along the judges’ route.

“The judges were so impressed by this wonderful collaboration that they allowed extra time in their very tight schedule to listen to Katy Clifford Smith’s poem about what the work meant to her.”

Christine added: “They were also pleased to hear that not

Mayor of Lichfield, Coun Janice Greaves, with Heart of England in Bloom judges, children from Queen’s Croft School and Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust volunteers at Borrowcop Locks Canal Park. PHOTO: LHCRT only had our usual committed band of trust volunteers created the wheelchair- and pushchairfriendly towpath and controlled the encroaching vegetation, but that these efforts had also been added to by 16-18-yearold National Citizenship Service volunteers the week before. Somehow, such was the enthusiasm that we all forgot that the rain was pouring down!”

The judges left Borrowcop Locks Canal Park to continue to Lichfield City Station, Beacon Park and other sites to compile their scores for this year’s entry by Lichfield into the Heart of England in Bloom competition. Their verdict is due on September 14.

A display of wild flowers next to the Heritage Towpath Trail near Tamworth Road.

PHOTO: KATE GOMEZ

● The crocuses at Borrowcop were donated by Blooming Lichfield, a Lichfield Chamber of Trade & Commerce campaign, in support of Rotary Clubs Purple4Polio initiative to eradicate polio.

South Staffs Water donated £1000 towards the cost of the wildflower meadows through PEBBLE, a new fund created to actively encourage and enhance biodiversity in the local environment.

More topical tips from Lee Senior.

Pansies in bloom on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

PHOTO: LEE SENIOR

We are almost at the autumn bulb planting season. There is a wonderful choice of smaller bulbs to plant in containers for spring colour. Dwarf narcissi such as ‘Tête-à-tête’ look great and take up hardly any room.

Both crocus and muscari are easy and ultra-reliable too. All can be planted in free-draining compost in window boxes or

A SCHOOLBOY’S design has brought more summer colour to a lock on the River Thames.

Nine-year-old Harley Silvestri from Hampton Hill Junior School won a competition to design a planting scheme for a flowerbed at Teddington Lock.

More than 200 children aged between six and 11 from Hampton Hill, The Russell School and Latchmere School took part in the competition, which is run by Squire’s Garden Centres in conjunction with the Environment Agency.

The children were given a template of a circular flowerbed with a sundial in the middle, and were invited to suggest colours and patterns that could be planted up. The design brief was the Sapphire Jubilee, to celebrate the Queen’s 65 years on the throne.

Sarah Squire, deputy chairman at Squire’s, and Mandy Marshall from the Environment Agency’s River Thames Waterways Operations team, judged the designs. The children who created the best designs in each age group from each school were invited to a prize-giving afternoon tea with their parents at Squire’s Twickenham garden centre in July.

The winning flowerbed design planted at Teddington Lock.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

All the children who attended received a certificate and a goody bag from Squire’s, and Harley Silvestri’s winning design has been planted up at Teddington Lock.

Sarah said: “We were overwhelmed by the number of entries this year, and the time and effort that the children put into them, so congratulations to everyone who took part.

“We awarded winners for each age category, and the overall winner of the competition was Harley Silvestri. His design was chosen as it followed the

Sapphire Jubilee theme nicely with the colours that he selected.

His design has been planted up at Teddington Lock and it looks absolutely stunning.”

Mandy Marshall added: “Every year’s winning design is wonderful and really brightens up the lock. Our staff really enjoy planting it and maintaining it to keep it looking its best.

“They also put all the design entries on display for visitors to admire, and people are always highly impressed with how good and how imaginative they all are.”

This month’s seasonal recipe from Anna Pettigrew

Gardening afloat in September OUR summer flowering containers and baskets will continue to give some very welcome colour until the first frosts. Admittedly the display may not be quite as vibrant as during the height of summer, but with regular dead heading, there should still be plenty of colour to enjoy.

You can tidy up the appearance of your plants by removing yellowing leaves and any straggly or diseased plants.

Continue to give your charges a weekly liquid feed, though this can be discontinued by early October.

Meanwhile for all-year-round interest, topiary looks great on boats. Now is the time to lightly clip it for the last time before winter.

Flowerbed design shines all summer long

containers from late September through to November.

Meanwhile the miniature blue iris ‘Lady Beatrix Stanley’ is a stunner, reaching only 10cm in height.

Hardy outdoor hyacinth (not the forcing type for Christmas) will also work well and provide heady perfume and colour next March.

Mushroom & goat’s cheese risotto

RECIPE

I hadn’t really discovered the joys of growing your own mushrooms until I was gifted a mushroom growing kit. Make your own mushroom risotto from scratch with this recipe.

SERVES 4 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes ● 1 tbsp olive oil ● 50g/2oz butter ● 200g/7oz mushrooms of your choice, halved or quartered, if large ● 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary ● 2 garlic cloves, crushed ● 1 glass of dry white wine ● 1 onion, chopped ● 300g/10oz risotto rice ● 50g/2oz parsley, chopped ● 125g/4½oz goat’s cheese ● 250ml/8fl oz hot vegetable stock Melt the butter and a splash of olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. When the butter foams, add the mushrooms. Season, cook for 2-3 minutes, then set aside in a mixing bowl. Put the stock in a saucepan and keep warm over a low heat – it should be steaming, not boiling. Meanwhile, wipe the

frying pan clean, then add a bit more olive oil over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 6-8 minutes until softened and translucent, stirring now and then. Increase the heat under the frying pan to medium, then add the rice and stir for 1-2 minutes until it has a nice sheen.

Add the wine and stir until absorbed. Add a ladleful of the stock and stir gently until absorbed. Keep adding the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring the bottom of the pan

to make sure the rice cooks evenly. Keep adding stock as it is absorbed. When all the stock has been used up and the rice is just tender, season well with salt and pepper.

Chop most of the parsley (pick the leaves of the rest and set aside), then add to the risotto with the mushroom mixture. Stir gently, giving everything enough time to warm through. Gently mix in the goat’s cheese, then taste and season. Serve drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, if you like.

For more of Anna’s seasonal recipes see our sister title Kitchen Garden.

To take advantage of a special subscription offer of three for £5 plus 20 free packs of seeds followed by £20 for six issues, call 01507 529529, quoting KG160, or visit classicmagazines.co.uk/kg160

76 FOOD & DRINK

FOOD & DRINK staurants Canalside pubs & re... to satisfy all tastes

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Canalside hotel takes fourth name from dashing highwayman

By Elizabeth Rogers

The Highwayman: the historic inn’s fourth name. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

The beer garden beside the Oxford Canal. ● Contact The Highwayman on 01865 377388, www.thehighwaymanhotel.co.uk

NOTORIOUS 17th century highwayman Claude Duval was hung, drawn and quartered for his misdeeds, but so admired by the ladies in the carriages he robbed that they petitioned for his pardon for his gallantry to them.

The hostelry is owned by his namesake, Nick Duval, who has always been fascinated by the facts and no doubt added fictions about this legendary figure. So when he and his late wife Sharon bought it in 2009 and wanted to choose a new name for what was then known as The Wise Alderman, they chose that of The Highwayman.

This is at least the fourth name of the hotel. The first, perhaps relating to the nearby River Cherwell, was also appropriate after the opening of the canal in the 1830s, as it was named The Anchor when it was built in 1700. The second reflected the coming of the railway to the area in the 1880s, when it became The Railway Hotel.

Latterly The Wise Alderman, the name from 1965, referred to Alderman Frank Wise, who was a long-serving Oxford city councillor and lived in Kidlington.

Whatever its current name, the hotel has always been a convenient and welcoming stopping-place for travellers. Today’s boaters can find convenient moorings, which can also include an overnight stay.

As well as taking a break for a snack and rest, visitors can enjoy there a meal at any time between noon and 8pm, and on Sundays a roast dinner between noon and 4pm. A children’s menu is available and there is also a children’s play area. The full opening times are from 7am to 11pm on weekdays and 8am to 11pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

The hotel also provided bed and breakfast facilities in the accommodation converted from the former tables which were so much in use in the earlier days of this former coaching inn, for it stands near a main route through the village. Of the seven rooms, four are twin-bed, and three are doubles.

Labour of love

Nick is a man of boats himself, having first enjoyed boating on holidays during his schooldays.

He has his own narrowboat, which he and Sharon, who died in 2011, bought together. He relates how they bought it from a canal-dweller in Hertfordshire

and took it up the Grand Union Canal to Napton, to the junction, where they were able to join the Oxford Canal and travel south to bring their boat home.

They spent 10 days on their journey, starting en route their work on renovation for the boat – a project for which Nick still has a continuing programme. “It is the labour of love – as all boats are,” he says.

The original name of the boat is to be changed; Nick intends eventually to change it to – not surprisingly – the Claude Duval.

The story of his namesake is one which he enjoys telling. It is that Claude Duval was a Frenchman who came to England to work as a valet at the time of the Restoration of the Monarchy when Charles II took the throne in 1660.

It seems that he preferred a more exciting life and a way of making a quicker fortune by turning highwayman, riding the road between London and Hampstead Heath.

He watched out for carriages where he could expect the gentlemen to have a purse full of money and the ladies to have valuable jewellery. But this is where the gallantry for which he was famed came in – he spared the ladies their precious jewels and made off with the gentleman’s purse. This gallantry is elaborated by the tales told of how he had a henchman who played the mandolin and who provided the music while Claude Duval danced with the ladies of the carriage.

He eventually got his just deserts when arrested at an inn in London, was tried, found guilty by the judge and sentenced to be hanged at Tyburn, the pleas for pardon coming to no avail. Duval was only 27. His brother erected a memorial stone beside the wall of a church in London. There was also a stone possibly provided by his ladies in St Paul’s Cathedral, although as a convicted felon Duval could not be buried on consecrated ground.

Through a series of coincidences, the brother’s stone was discovered by Nick in the yard of a monumental mason in Oxford. As a result of intensive research he found that as a member of the Duval family he had a right to take ownership of it and now he has it standing in the hotel.

Visitors can see it for themselves, when they go into The Highwayman for a refreshing break, or perhaps for a longer stay.

NEWS EXTRA 77

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Open day at Gailey Wharf

Gaiiley Wharff – A collourffull siigh ht duriing th he open day. PHOTOS: WATERWAY IMAGES

By Harry Arnold

GAILEY is one of the most attractive locations on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. The crossing of the historic A5 road and the adjacent lock, with possibly the best-preserved of the waterways’ ‘round-tower’ lock houses – for many years a book shop – is popular with boaters and visitors alike.

On the other side of the canal is Gailey Wharf, equally historic in both original transport terms but also originally the base of one of the earliest hire fleets, founded by major canal carrier and boat builder, the late Ernest Thomas. It has remained a centre of boating activity and is now the base of JD Boat Services (Gailey) Limited and Birmingham & Midland Marine Services, who promoted their wide range of activities at their first public open day on Sunday, August 6.

JD Boat Services (Gailey) Limited specialises in boat building for private owners and its own holiday hire boat

fleet – marketed under the ABC Boat Hire banner – and also repairs. The company offers short breaks and runs a shared ownership scheme. New for 2017 are short-break holidays combined with training for the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Inland Waterways Helmsman’s Certificate.

The latter is run in conjunction with ‘next door’ – Birmingham & Midland Marine Services. It not only runs RYA courses but commercial and leisure skipper training, including for Maritime & Coastguard Agency qualifications.

Other courses include Royal Life Saving Society National Water Safety Management. It also has work boat hire and safety and rescue services Among other attractions were water safety demonstrations, rope throwing, a bouncy castle and a decorate a cupcake competition. Music throughout the day came from literally a variety of performers, including a piano accordionist. We did like the title Stumble Jam Band.

Rescue techniques demonstrated by the traditional lifebuoy method.

Local charities such as the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Trust were there and if you were a RYA member you could buy a Volvo car at a discount price.

There was a real ale bar from Joules Brewery and a hog roast. But what we particularly liked (and sampled) was afternoon tea aboard locally based charter boat Georgie Kate.

Georgie’s Canal Cruises is run by mother and daughter team Angela and Jess, who after first setting up as

Staff were on hand to explain about holidays on hire boats, short breaks, with training, and shared ownership.

And perhaps in a more sedate and effective manner, via a purpose-made pole. professional bakers, then beautifully renovated an existing passenger boat to provide afternoon tea and other cruises.

Saying that it is in some ways a fairly restricted area, this first Gailey Wharf Open Day succeeded in its aims to introduce visitors to the many services available from this Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal venue, where canal boating remains very much alive and expanding.

Mum Angela and daughter Jess of Georgie’s Canal Cruises, with mouth-watering cupcakes.

Refreshments were served by Georgie’s Canal Cruises aboard their charter boat Georgie Kate.

78 HOLIDAYS

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BOATING

HO LIDAYS Canal breaks and river cruising in the UK, Ireland and Europe

Windermere cruises in top 10 tourist attractions

By Harry Arnold

LAKES passenger and launch hire company Windermere Lake Cruises is again officially listed as one of England’s top 10 ‘paid for’ visitor attractions.

The latest Annual Visitor Attractions Survey collated by the national tourism body VisitEngland states that there were 1,557,423 passenger journeys on the company’s 16-strong fleet of ‘steamers’, modern launches and wooden launches during 2016.

The results place the company fifth in the national list, ranking ahead of iconic attractions such as St Paul’s Cathedral, Stonehenge and Westminster Abbey. Windermere Lake Cruises is also one of only three northern attractions in the top 10, along with Chester Zoo and Flamingo Theme Park and Zoo in North Yorkshire. It is also the only boat company.

Nigel Wilkinson, managing director of Windermere Lake Cruises, said: “We’re proud to feature on this list of truly world-class

Windermere Lake Cruisers are again in England’s top 10 tourist attractions.

PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES

attractions from across the country. We believe a cruise on Windermere is a quintessential Lake District experience. It is also a fantastic way of transporting passengers around the area in a sustainable way.”

Full details of the Annual Visitor Attractions Survey are on the VisitEngland website.

Hotelboat Down the Hatch offers River Thames cruising breaks.

Stay on a boat for under £150 per night ACCOMMODATION website Beds on Board puts you in touch with boat owners who want to rent out their cabins, enabling you to experience life on the water from the heart of a city to the great outdoors.

It recently released its latest collection of 20 accommodation options for under £150 a night.

These include Orlik, an authentic deep sea fishing vessel built in Denmark in 1950, recently refurbished and now moored in the shadow of Ben Nevis in Scotland. Accommodation on board consists of two double cabins each with a queen size double bed and a separate shower/toilet. Prices start from £120 per night.

Lymington in the New Forest National Park is a popular short break destination and a 50ft Jeanneau yacht moored in Lymington Yacht Haven, with prices from £125 per night, enables you to enjoy the forest but with coastal views.

Other boats include narrowboat Barbara in central London and MV Samara in St Katharine Dock, London (from £150); self-catering narrowboat Dreamcatcher on the Regent’s Canal and Velvet Morning on the Grand Union Canal (from £120) and hotel boat River Thames cruising breaks from £80 per night.

Visit www.bedsonboard.com

Inside Velvet Morning moored on the Grand Union Canal. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Self-catering narrowboat Dreamcatcher on the Regent’s Canal.

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BOAT SALES

Your essential monthly guide to boat builders, brokers and private sales

BOAT SALES 79

80 BUILDERS

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Image supplied by The Inland Waterways Association

CLASSIFIED 103

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ANODES

BOAT PAINTERS

BOATS WANTED

CANOPIES Canvasman - see some examples of our work on our main advert page 57. 01943 851444 www.canvasman.co.uk CA605453L

BOOKS BEDDING BOAT SAFETY

CANAL BOOKS, GUIDES AND MAPS. Probably the best selection. www.canalbookshop.co.uk or visit Audlem Mill on the Shropshire Canal. Tel: 01270 811059 AU604865L

CANALIA

BOAT BUILDER

BOATS WANTED

COURSES

BOAT HANDLING COURSE

COURSES

104 CLASSIFIED ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

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GRAPHICS

INSURANCE

EQUIPMENT

HEATING

FUEL POLISHING

INSULATION FOAM SPRAYING AND INJECTING. UK's number one spray foam company. 30 years experience. Call Brian on 08007 313497/07971 200559. Email Brian@cosyhomeuk.co.uk CO598288L

GEARBOXES

HOLIDAY HIRING

MAIL FORWARDING

CLASSIFIED 105

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LIGHTING

MOORINGS

SERVICES

SERVICES ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS FOR TRADITIONAL PROBLEMS-restoration and marinising, casting, machining and fabrication of one off parts to order. Gardner factory approved. Over 60 years of combined experience. Tel 01327 700219 www.vintagediesels.co.uk VI605039L

MOBILE MARINE ELECTRICIAN

MOBILE MARINE ENGINEER

MOORINGS

SECURITY/SAFES

106 CLASSIFIED

SERVICES

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SITUATIONS VACANT

SKIPPER SERVICES

TRANSPORT BY WATER Retired boat owner offers to move your vessel at very reasonable fee. References available. contact antony100uk@yahoo.co.uk or 07812 183340 AN605076L

STORAGE

TRANSPORT BY ROAD

UPHOLSTERY

SIGNWRITING

WINDOWS Channelglaze Ltd: See our main advertisement on page 51. Tel: 0121 706 5777 CH605952L

107 READER ADVERTS

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READER ADVERTS

Selling your boat is FREE for private readers of Towpath Talk

For sale

ATLANTA 24 CRUISER 4-berth, new Honda 15hp engine, new hood, also new hot water boiler, interior just recovered, fridge, shower, tv, pots, pans and cutlery, recently taken out of the water, bottom cleaned and repainted, all original paintwork, many other boat accessories, an all round genuine cruiser, reason for sale don’t have time to use it, £11,800.

Tel. 01283 222920; 07974 203429.

Derbys.

BOHEMIA NARROWBOAT 57ft, beautiful, nearly new, reduced, 2015, 6ft 10” beam, 2 berths, Canaline 38, 38hp engine, 180 ltr fuel capacity, 1000 ltr water capacity, BSC til Aug 2020 (certificate available), exterior is painted in an understated colour scheme and includes a beautiful ready made roof garden, unique interior layout is non traditional and feels exceptionally spacious and has been a great home for us these past 2 years, fit out is a combination of Owner/Lymm marina (Cheshire) with quality materials being used such as Tiles and Paints from Fired Earth and Farrow & Ball. We can also assist with moving the boat to your local canal should you need for a fee. £51,000. Tel. 07949 635176.

FREEMAN MK II cabin cruiser, 22ft narrow beam, BSS 4 years, anti-fouled, new curtains, carpets, 2+2 berth, petrol, Watermota engine, white canopy, money spent, classic, reduced to £6500. Tel. 077910 34695. Northants.

DORY TYPE BOAT needs work, small cabin, 90 hp 2-stroke injection Mercury engine, remote control/ steering, nearly new trailer included, £1000 ono. Tel. 07973 820090.

BREW 40FT CRUISER 1980, 40ft, 4 berths, equipped with very powerful 45hp Barrus shire engine, Webasto diesel c/h and a 1.8Kw inverter in addition to the usual appliances Brew is comfortable and practical little boat, 120 ltr fuel capacity, 800 ltr water capacity, extended fore cabin; fitted with a rev layout interior offers a large across double bed fore, refurbished by the owner over a two year project the interior has almost entirely been re-fitted, appliances exchanged and the hull given a new 6mm base plate, interior is light and modern providing 4 berths, the cabin is spacious thanks to the extended fore end, a large shower enclosure is provided within the off-set bathroom and the central living area has a stove. A small and functional galley is situated aft leading directly to the cruiser stern and a practical outside space from which you can enjoy your cruise. A great opportunity to get on the water or maybe a nice long term cruiser for someone who doesn’t want all the fuss? £28,500.

Tel. 01270 525046.

JUST IMAGINE 57ft cruiser **NEW ARRIVAL**, 2009, Just Imagine is a 57ft cruiser originally purchased as a sailaway, professionally painted and fitted by the owner as a long term cruiser with amenities to suit living aboard on the canal side, equipped 12v fridge and 12v freezer, w/machine and other general amenities, perfect for extended cruising and has been used as a live aboard by the owners until recently, painted by Cheshire Brush Ltd the exterior has a well maintained Oxford blue coach painted finish with red/yellow coachlines and signwriting, a practical boat with both fore and aft covers, could be a wonderful long term cruiser or holiday boat with the facilities you need for extensive cruising, £47,995.

No BSC until 30th July 2018. www. aqueductbrokerage.co.uk for more information. Tel. 01270 525046.

DAWNCRAFT project boat. Open to offers. Tel. 0121 5202430. W Mids.

NARROWBOAT SILOUETTE 1996, 58ft, 6ft 10” long, 4 berths, Isuzu engine, 12 shares held by 10 owners, self managed syndicate, main double cabin at stern plus double dinette conversion, Isuzu 43 marine fitted 2011, 12v from bank of 4 Leisure batteries plus 240v from both inverter and Shore hook- up, c/h and hot water supplied by Webasto diesel system and from engine calorifier, s/ fuel stove, £1800. Tel. 01270 813902. Crick marina.

SEAMASTER 23 1979, 23ft long, 9ft beam, 4 berth, Perkins 4108 50hp engine, 100 ltr fuel capacity, 100 ltr water cap, Van Doorne, is a Seamaster 23 in great condition throughout, fitted with an annually serviced 50hp Perkins diesel engine making her very economical to run. An ideal boat for those that are looking to get afloat on a budget, c/w current 2017 River Avon licence. £6495. Tel. 01386 768500. Evesham.

SEMI TRAD NARROWBOAT, aluminium 62ft, reverse layout, 2+2 berth, lovely boat, newly fitted out 2012, everything you need and more, full size shower, toilet and basin, full kitchen, marble tops, gas burner hob, oven and grill, fridge freezer and w/machine, Vetus engine, very little use, bow thruster, full central heating, diesel, currently on Lancaster canal. Move aboard forces sale. Offers over £60,000. Tel. 07708 196483 for more information and viewing.

“SOMEWHERE” 36ft cruiser stern narrowboat, additional information, 1973, 36ft length, 2 berths, Lister engine, 100 ltr fuel capacity, 1000 ltr water capacity, is a cosy little boat easy to keep warm in winter with a cast iron wood burning stove, galley with sink, cooker/stove and 3 way fridge, small shower enclosure and Elsan toilet, full out of water survey done in Oct 2015, hull epoxied April 2016 repainted July 2017, £25,500.

Tel. 01993 811837.

VIKING 26 CENTER COCKPIT 1991, 26ft long, 6ft beam, 6 berths, Honda 9.9 engine, 13 ltr fuel capacity, 150 ltr water capacity, beautiful boat, Temptation is a 6 berth viking.

We have a safety certificate for her that finishes in 2020, bought from David Mawby 10 months ago, we have fallen in love with a narrowboat so want Temptation to go to a good home. We are moored at Welford 10 minutes off jct 20 M1. Feel free to email me with any questions or for photos of the inside, vgc, £11,250.

Tel. 07952 679342. Leics.

Parts for sale

STURDY PLASTIC CONTAINER with handle, cap and vent, has held diesel, cylindrical, 19 ltr capacity, 29cm across, 38cm high, £5. Tel. 07757 432789. Lancs.

WIDE BEAM CRUISER 40ft x 12ft, refit 1999, Lister twin STWS, very good condition, bottom survey 10/8/2014, out of water, very good order, certs with boat, 240v and 12v lighting and power, large comfy living room, unusual bedroom, bathroom, shower pump out and porta potty, usual kitchen layout, BSS cert 2018, permanent mooring if required, good rates and area, needs to be seen, £21,750. Tel. 075140 10092. Leeds & Liv mooring.

SPECIAL AND ORDINARY SHARES AVAILABLE . www.sharewolverley.org.uk .

MICROPLUS 461 fishing boat, SB trailer, for easy launching, 40hp Yamaha, auto bilge pump, Garmin hand held GPS, Garmin F Finder, £2500. Tel. 01709 546777; 07428 794419. S Yorks.

TRADITIONAL NARROWBOAT 38ft, R & D manufactured, launched 1992, good condition, 4 berth, 3 cylinder engine, Perkins Perama, bow thruster, double glazed, oil c/h, alarm fitted, £25,000. Tel. 01354 651704. Cambs.

WAVEY RIDER WANDERER 18ft long, width 6ft 10”, 2/4 berth, cooker, WMB boat safety 3 years, chemical w/c, 4-stroke engine 5 years old, s/h, boat equipment on board, £1950.

Tel. 01905 797019; 07582 073205.

Worcs.

VIKING CRUISER 23 excellent example, 1991, built in 2014, full service, Honda 15hp outboard, out of water, clean 2015, painted, new carb and propeller, 4-berth with galley style kitchen, re-upholstered and cabin cockpit, plus many more extras, new 12 months’ licence, mooring paid 12 months, at Herons rest Mon & Brec canal, BSS Certificate expiry date 2019, £9995. Tel. 01633 485836. Gwent.

TRAD NARROWBOAT 55ft, Bryan Duvell, 1978, Petter PJ2 engine, Joshua style front end, BSC 2020, hull survey, cottage style interior, no gongoozlers, £26,500. Tel. 0775 8074903. Worcs.

VIKING 26 CRUISER centre cockpit, 6-berth, BSC 2019, Mariner 30hp outboard engine, 26ft long, 5ft 10” wide, new hatch cover, needs a little tlc, £3000 ono. Tel. 01159 386281.

Notts.

YAMAHA 9.9HP L/S electric start, 4-stroke, unused 10 years, no tank or remotes, also Mercury 7.5 L/S, £100 ono; manual, no tank or remotes, stood 10 years, both turn over, dry stored, £600 ono. Tel. 0775 4077878. Lincs.

GARDNER GEARBOX 1957, rebuilt to high standard, even the reduction gears have been replaced (new old stock), cost £4500 for rebuild parts and labour). Tel. 0771 9034583.

Cheshire.

RIVER OR CANAL ANCHOR large white fender, used, small blue fender, as new, and a pair of as new life jackets, to clear in one lot £20 or would split. Tel. 0798 3040942 for further info. Cheshire.

DELPH HDF296 fuel filter/separator, free delivery, new/unused, £14. Tel. Glyn 07553 957996. Lancs.

DIMPLEX COLDWATCHER compact mains heater, variable temp control, £40. 01709 546777. St Ives.

PRM150 D2 GEARBOX less than 24 hour running, manufacturer assured, £750. Tel. 07562 116938. S Derby.

WOODEN BOOM 3.5m Bermudan mainsail, Bowsprit jibs, galvanised rigging, bilge pump, marine fuel tank, copper, rudder, all from 22ft Dauntless, reasonable offers. Tel. 07505 999839; 01353 862742. Cambs.

Engines PERKINS MARINE DIESEL ENGINE 4 cyl, 36hp, 1753cc, can be seen running, fitted with Jabsco water pump for raw water, tank or keel cooling, water cooled exhaust manifold, TMP hydraulic 2 to 1 marine reduction gearbox. Collect from Newark on Trent, can help loading, £700. Tel. 07971 589612.

Wanted NORMAN 23FT wanted, complete pulpit rail for 70s Norman cruiser, narrow beam, must be in good con dition. Tel. 01785 311366. Staffs.

RENTING A BOAT TO LIVE ON, OR HIRING OUT YOUR OWN BOAT? Our important message to both groups is to do careful homework first and not to either hire out your boat or rent a boat that isn’t properly licensed for this use.

Please visit www.canalrivertrust. org.uk/boating/a-boatof-your-own to avoid any difficulties with legal and safety issues involved.

Miscellaneous

RALEIGH TOWNSEND Girls bike for sale, Gypsy, good condition, suit a 6-9 year old, 13” frame, Shimano 5 speed SIS, 20 x 1.75 tyres, £25. Tel. 07757 432789. Lancs.

CERAMIC SINK and taps, 14” x 10”, £25 ono; Thetford C200 cassette toilet, £100 ono Tel. 075620 22714.

Warks.

SUITABLE FOR BOAT wood, fold-up table and four fold up chairs, exc cond, £70. Tel. 01922 691342.

W Mids.

PAINTED ROSES large Buckby can, £80; roses painted water bucket, one handle, old, £30; lace/ribon plates from £5 each; brass tiller pin, £3; Castles/Roses hardback instruction paint book, £5; aluminium windlass, £15. Tel. 01332 528498.

WAECO HDC 190 fridge/freezer, dual voltage, 12/240v, height 1020”, width 490”, depth 520”, as new, never used, new £1400, bargain at £950 Tel. 07816 260987. E Yorks.

108 WATER & WILDLIFE

IN BRIEF

Flight diverters

THE skies above Doncaster in South Yorkshire are now safer for thousands of birds thanks to the efforts of the Canal & River Trust and Northern Powergrid. Special flight diverters have been installed to help save swans, geese and other wildfowl along 300m of power lines at Lock Hill in Thorne next to the Stainforth & Keadby Canal.

Suspended from the power lines, the diverters will help to increase visibility of the lines to birds, particularly those flying from nearby Staniland Marina.

Bridge boost to fish stocks

THE fish population in the River Wharfe at Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, has been boosted following the rebuilding of Tadcaster Bridge, writes Geoff Wood. The bridge, damaged in the Boxing Day floods of 2015, was reopened in February. But more work needed to be done afterwards by contractors on removing stones and debris. This has created new channels which have proved an ideal habitat for fish to spawn.

Making a comeback

OTTERS have been spotted in the river at Pontefract after an absence of 40 years, writes Geoff Wood. The mammals disappeared from this area of Yorkshire in the 1970s because of pollution but are now making a comeback. Nature enthusiast Francis Hickenbottom said: “There were no otters here because of chemicals in pesticides. There were only a few locations in England where they continued to live. Now the local river has them as well.”

Fish health

THE Canal & River Trust has joined forces with the Environment Agency to produce a series aimed at angling clubs and providing useful advice around fish disease prevention. The guide to fish health can be viewed in the fishing section, click on ‘enjoy the waterways’ at www.canalrivertrust. org.uk

Power plant will provide free passage for fish

By Elizabeth Rogers

THE installation of a hydro-electric power plant at Sandford-on-Thames, just outside Oxford, is providing an additional environmental benefit that will help the local ecology.

A fish pass has been built in, as part of the construction work. This will enable free passage for all types of species of fish along a stretch of river where there has long been a restriction on their movement.

The final stages of this aspect of work, on the concrete sections at the top and bottom of a newly created small stream around the hydro, are being carried out.

Along this stream the fish will have an ease of movement they have not enjoyed since the first half of the 17th century.

The Sandford-on-Thames hydroelectric scheme is a project of the Oxford-based Low Carbon Hub. After a year-long construction programme, it is expected to be in operation within the next few months.

The Low Carbon Hub was anxious to add the fish pass as part of the project, and has been assisted by Oxford City Council, which has been very supportive of the whole project, with a loan towards the creation of the stream.

To establish an appropriate habitat, reeds are being planted and small pools additionally created.

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Tracking down returning wildlife in darkest Norfolk!

ANYONE passing the North Walsham & Dilham Canal in the wee small hours spotting a bright light and hearing a generator hum can rest assured it’s nothing nefarious – just Perry Hampson out trapping moths.

So far he’s recorded at least 200 moth species along the waterway, Norfolk’s only canal with locks.

The information is gold dust to fellow members of the North Walsham & Dilham Canal Trust, who are working to restore a unique part of the county’s 19th-century heritage.

Former police officer Perry has been the trust’s wildlife officer for more than two years, documenting an ever-growing number of creatures making the most of restored sections of the canal, especially the 2.3-mile stretch between Ebridge Millpond and Swafield Bridge.

From deer to dragonflies, wildlife has come flocking since choking vegetation was removed.

“If you want to maintain decent habitats, doing nothing is not an option,” said Perry, 68.

“Left to its own devices, alder and willow scrub would start to take out the moisture and eventually you’ve got no canal. Canals are a linear feature which help create wildlife corridors.”

Memorable incidents

BorninClacton,Essex,Perryremembers, aged about four, accompanying his wheelchair-bound uncle as Perry’s mum pushed him round the park.

“My uncle would point out all the birds to me,” said Perry, whose boyhood was spent watching insects and fish in woods and streams, rather than playing football with his mates.

He joined the police in North Walsham in 1976, serving for 34 years. Memorable incidents in his career include the night he arrived at a large house in response to a burglar alarm and was met by a man emerging through the front door holding a large TV. “He saw us and said: ‘Aah – I suppose you’ll be wanting this now’,” Perry recalled.

Later, as a public enquiry officer, Perry took a call one night from a Wells-next-the-Sea resident worried that the geese she could hear honking overhead wouldn’t know where to land because it was foggy.

On another occasion a well-spoken woman rang demanding a police squad to help retrieve her Jack Russell from a rabbit hole.

But nowadays Perry’s attention is on the animal life around the canal

Perry Hampson at Ebridge Mill Pond on the North Walsham & Dilham Canal. PHOTO SUPPLIED and when he isn’t spotting water vole and otter, his binoculars are trained on the skies.

Local residents include kingfisher and grey wagtail, while marsh harrier, sandpipers and little egret have also been sighted.

Meanwhile fishermen have caught

20lb-plus pike in the canal which is also home to roach, rudd and eel.

Despite a lifetime’s dedication, Perry does admit to one gap in his natural history knowledge: “I don’t know anything about plant life. If someone wants to walk the canal and tell me what we’ve got, I’d love to know,” he said.

● Contact Perry via the trust’s website www.nwdct.org or visit: facebook. com/NWDCT

Rare plant makes a royal return to Huddersfield Narrow Canal THE rare royal fern has been returned to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal after a remarkable rescue, as part of a canal habitat improvement project, Making Special Places for Nature.

Believed to be the canal’s only surviving specimen, the plant was saved in 1992 during major restoration work by Huddersfield Canal Society in preparation for its reopening in 2001.

Huddersfield Canal Society ecologist Dr Bob Gough noticed the royal fern had been discarded during the excavation works and managed to scoop up the plant from the water.

He took it home to his terraced house in Failsworth and has carefully nurtured it in a black plastic plant pot in his back yard for the last 25 years.

A few weeks ago Tom King, ecologist with the Canal & River Trust, heard about the rare royal fern and invited Dr Gough to return the plant to its natural home.

Tom said: “There are currently no other known examples of royal ferns on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Six miles of the canal are protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) so it is fantastic to return one of the original plants back to the canal bank.

“Royal ferns like damp, humid conditions so we are constructing a special bankside planter to give it the best chance to establish a new colony in Mossley.

He added: “We were pleased to be joined by

volunteers to help with the job and are looking for more volunteers to assist us in a wide range of tasks towards improving the fragile biodiversity on this special canal.”

Dr Gough said: “It’s a very graceful plant and I sincerely hopes it manages to take root in its new home.

“Keeping it alive in a simple plant pot through more than two decades of summer droughts and cold snowy winters has been a labour of love. There were several moments when I thought I might have lost it but each time the plant has recovered and it’s currently thriving.”

Vulnerable habitats

The replanting of the royal fern, Osmundia regalis, is part of the Canal & River Trust’s wider 12-month project, Making Special Places for Nature, funded by a £350,000 award from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

This involves improving vulnerable wildlife waterway habitats across 10 key sites totalling 400 hectares – a combined area greater than the City of London.

The project spans reservoirs and canals in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Berkshire and mid Wales, and will benefit water shrews, voles, otters, bats, dragonflies and other rare fauna and flora.

Canal & River Trust staff and volunteers plant the royal fern in a specially constructed planter by the canal.

Dr Bob Gough with the royal fern he has nurtured for the last 25 years. PHOTOS: CANAL & RIVER TRUST

Dr Bob Gough hands over the royal fern to Canal & River Trust volunteer co-ordinator James Wynn and volunteer Roger Hope.

The trust is appealing for volunteers to join it in this mammoth task and hopes to encourage many residents, particularly young people, to roll up their sleeves and get involved in improving their own local nature reserve.

Tasks involve a wide range of habitat protection work including bank restoration, shade removal and improvements in water quality.

The project will also assess the health and populations of various rare species including the shy water shrew, which was last subject to a national survey more than a decade ago.

Canal & River Trust national ecologist Stuart Moodie said: “The Eurasian water shrew and white clawed crayfish are among a wide range of indigenous species which need an extra helping hand.

"Their natural habitats are threatened by run-off from agricultural fertilisers and invasive plants and animals. Increasing the growth of aquatic plants helps encourage insects and invertebrates which in turn promotes healthy populations of fish and small mammals. Biodiversity is the key to a flourishing waterway.”

He added: “Getting local people involved in managing these reserves is a key priority. We would appeal to anyone who wants to get in touch with nature and play an important role in conserving their local area to contact us. This is a genuine chance to make a real difference.”

NEWS EXTRA 109

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Magnificent turnout at Paddington Meadows PADDINGTON Meadows at Warrington was the venue of a special event recently when more than 100 local people turned out to help celebrate and draw attention to the UK’s meadows, 97% of which have been lost since the Second World War. Gazebos were put up in bright sunshine after the wind and rain earlier in the week. Children were entertained

Anne Price and Warrington Borough Council ranger Mick Lees at the photographic display.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

with treasure hunts, quizzes, bug hunts and a display of bats in the area by bat expert Harold Green of the Merseyside and West Lancashire Bat Group.

Highlight for all was the flying of a drone above the meadows linked to a computer. It attracted a local buzzard into the air fearing a rival, but it was soon satisfied that the drone was harmless and landed.

Interest in local history was satisfied with a photographic display from the New Cut Heritage and Ecology group while tours of the meadows led by the rangers to see the oldest water meadow hedge in Cheshire were appreciated.

Press officer Anne Price said: “This was the first public event we have organised on the meadows and it was marvellous to have so much public support. The group were pleased that the importance of these ancient meadows is being recognised both locally and now much further afield.”

She also thanked Tesco for the generous gift of refreshments.

THE interpretation of a ‘main navigable channel’ has been clarified in the High Court. Finding in favour of the Canal & River Trust, the Hon Mrs Justice Asplin stated that the term means the entire width, from bank to bank, of the main through route of each of the respective commercial and cruising waterways in the Schedule to the 1971 British Waterways Act, excluding unnavigable sections not essential to through navigation. The claim had been brought by Mr Leigh Ravenscroft.

Volunteers sought

An aerial view of the ‘magnificent meadows’. PHOTO: CHRIS DIGITA

Consultation launched into future development at Trevor FUTURE development around the World Heritage Site at Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Solutia UK Ltd’s former industrial site at Trevor, in North Wales, has come under the spotlight with the launch of a new public consultation.

Glandwr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust charity in Wales, Wrexham County

Borough Council and Solutia UK Ltd are working with a range of stakeholders to identify opportunities for tourism and economic regeneration at Trevor Basin, next to the aqueduct, and nearby communities of Trevor, Froncysyllte, Acrefair, and Cefn Mawr.

Solutia UK Ltd owns 59 hectares (147

acres) of land within the masterplan study area. This includes former manufacturing, warehousing and water treatment sites, plus 25 hectares (61 acres) of fields and woodlands adjacent to the World Heritage Site and along the River Dee. Global design consultancy Arcadis has been appointed to lead on the proposals and carry out a wide-ranging public consultation with residents, businesses and all interested groups and organisations. They have engaged commercial estate agents Legat Owen to provide valuation advice and market intelligence.

The study area boasts a challenging mix of land uses, from brownfield sites left vacant after the closure of chemical and brick manufacturing industries to an internationally important canal tourist destination.

Parking issue The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Llangollen Canal World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2009, currently attracts more than a quarter of a million visitors a year. PHOTO: CANAL & RIVER TRUST

IWA lobbies Associated British Ports about increased charges at Goole THE Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has joined the Commercial Boat Operators Association and the Canal & River Trust in raising concerns about a proposal by Associated British Ports (ABP) to remove the free period either side of high tide for the use of the entrance locks at Goole.

This will affect both barges and pleasure craft accessing the Aire & Calder Navigation from the River Ouse and vice versa.

IWA is concerned that this change, along with proposed increases to

The entrance lock at Goole.

PHOTO: IWA

ships dues, will have a detrimental impact on existing and potential future freight traffic, including proposals to reintroduce commercial traffic on the Aire & Calder to Leeds and the existing traffic of oil to Rotherham.

The loss of the free period will also add cost and danger to pleasure craft accessing the waterways of the North East, particularly full-length narrowboats which cannot use the route via Keadby and the Stainforth & Keadby Canal due to the length of Thorne Lock.

IWA also joins others in concern for potential significant increase in fees for the use of the locks by charity preserved barges such as Syntan, Comrade, Amy Howson and Sobriety.

At a time when efforts are being made to increase freight use of the North East waterways, and in order to encourage more pleasure craft to use these underused waterways, IWA has written to ABP asking them to reconsider the withdrawal of the free period either side of high tide for access through the locks at Goole.

IN BRIEF Bank to bank

The first stakeholder meeting was held at Trevor in June, at which suggestions for a new visitor centre and canal basin next to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, a treetop pathway, improved cycling and walking

routes, nature walks, leisure activities such as glamping, and extra car and coach parking were raised.

There are plans to address the parking issue immediately with a proposal to create an extra temporary car park while the masterplan is developed. This would help to alleviate existing problems and a planning application will be submitted shortly.

CRT property director Stuart Mills said: “People travel from all over the world to see the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Llangollen Canal, and we want to ensure that they have a world-class experience when they get here.

“We are delighted to be working with our partners from Solutia UK Ltd and Wrexham County Borough Council, and our consultants Arcadis to develop a strategic masterplan for this area and we are interested to hear the views of local people.”

The draft masterplan is currently subject to an extensive consultation process and is due to be completed in November 2017. A full public consultation will take place in a few months to present options and invite further feedback.

Explore Scotland’s canals from your armchair VIRTUAL visitors can now take a digital turn on the world’s only rotating boat lift or a desktop trek up Scotland’s longest lock flight thanks to a partnership between Scottish Canals and Google’s innovative Street View.

The project allows a virtual audience to take to the towpaths of some of Scotland’s most scenic and spectacular locations, from the myths and majesty of the Caledonian Canal’s Loch Ness to the west coast wonders of the Crinan Canal.

Scottish Canals’ Asset Inspection Team have been treading the towpaths, capturing more than 137 miles of panoramic views using Google’s latest technology, the Trekker – a 4ft, 40lb backpack which has been fitted with a 15-angle lens camera designed to take 360 pictures every 2.5 seconds.

Head of ICT Andrew McSherry said: “The Trekker has been ideal for the narrower towpaths and bridges of Scotland’s canals and allows us to show off some of the more hard-to-reach places along the canal network as well as the sights known the world over.

“We hope that the Street View footage

THE Environment Agency in partnership with Cambridgeshire ACRE has developed the Anglian Waterways Volunteer Scheme and is seeking volunteers who will support aspects of the day-to-day running of the two pilot sites – the Denver Complex and Northampton Marina. They will be given appropriate training as part of their induction to the scheme.

For more details about the scheme and how to apply, click on: https://anglianwaterways volunteerscheme.wordpress. com/

Algae warning

THE Canal & River Trust is advising visitors to Upper and Lower Bittell Reservoir to avoid unnecessary contact with the water due to a bloom of bluegreen algae. Contact with it can be harmful to the skin, causing allergic reactions including itchy eyes, skin irritation and hay fever-like symptoms. The trust is encouraging visitors to the reservoirs, their children and pets to be cautious around the water.

Warning signs have been placed around the affected areas.

Annual report

THE Canal & River Trust’s 2016/17 Annual Report was published to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the transfer of the waterways from state control. Expenditure on its activities including the biggest programme of lock repairs and gate replacements rose by 6% to £157 million. Visit www. canalrivertrust.org.uk to view the report. The trust’s Annual Public Meeting will be held at the Bond in Birmingham on Thursday, September 21 from 10am to 1pm. A limited number of places can be booked online via www.eventbrite.com

Bridge closure

Scottish Canals staff have been treading the towpath to capture 137 miles of panoramic views.

PHOTO: SCOTTISH CANALS

will encourage new visitors, whether at home or abroad, to explore the spectacular sights and hidden gems that can be found along Scotland’s incredible canal network.”

A gallery of some of the highlights of Scotland’s canals can be found at https:// www.google.com/streetview/#scottishcanals, and the entire canal network can be navigated by using Google Maps.

A WATERWAY bridge at Goole, East Yorkshire, is to close for maintenance work on two weekends leading to a 30-mile diversion for motorists, writes Geoff Wood. Work on the South Dock Road Bridge will take place over the weekends of September 23-25 and September 30-October 2.

Angler’s honour

WAKEFIELD Angling Club member Harry Lodge was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

110 TECHNICAL

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Getting back to good husbandry of fuel Ben Sutcliffe-Davies has over 35 years’ experience in the marine industry, including boat building in timber, GRP, steel and aluminium. An accredited member of the Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association (YDSA) and an associate member of the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS), he is also a full member of British Marine and the Inland Boat Builders Association.

ONE of the first times I learnt how important it was to have good fuel management was when I used to crew an 18ft wooden club rescue boat called Miss Deben with an air-cooled 8hp Lister diesel engine at Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club; I was about 11 years old at the time.

It was one of those balmy hot summers in the 1970s. We were about to come ashore and the skipper was doing all the necessary checks before leaving the craft on her mooring; this included topping up the fuel tank. The water gauze in the filler funnel was missing – it was likely it had come out when at sea recovering the racing marks and very likely got stood on.

There was an old PVC five-gallon drum on board to top it up from, it was only about one-third full.

The skipper cleaned the funnel as best he could and while I held it over the fuel tank that was strapped to the front of the engine he proceed to pour the fuel into the tank.

About three weeks later when at sea again while I was on board, the craft lost power and then came to a stop. When help arrived in the form of the club’s rescue officer, closely followed by my father, they started by looking at the condition of the fuel. When it came to the filter it was half full of water and dirt.

Well what a surprise.

Conclusion was the spare fuel in the PVC container had made sufficient water in the heat over the week before and we, without a gauze in the filter, had added it to the main fuel tank! So ends the first lesson in life about fuel management.

Prevention tips

1 Before putting fuel in the craft think... while many complain about marina prices compared to forecourts one thing is certain – you are taking another transfer out of the system, that of the fuel container used to transport it. Ask before you fill it where has it been, how clean it is, and what is it made from!

2 Deck fillers: one of my pet hates. So many deck fillers when I survey craft frequently have a deck cap designed so that either allows a small amount of water to become trapped in the cap, this then drops down into the fuel filler pipework when removing it with every removal due to the shoulders on the cap. Likewise, many other caps have ‘O’ rings that are either missing or very perished. Having a good deck filler that also has a proper means of sealing can be quite hard to find but worth the search.

3 Fuel tanks: traditionally most narrowboats have part of the craft’s hull fabricated in the aft end from mild steel. However there are several materials now available to use and while I’ve personally preferred stainless steel I can see some advantages for some of the new high grade linear polythene that claim to be completely corrosion free, some even claim to be less prone to create condensation than other PVC or metal tanks.

One of the biggest issues with most is the lack of a drain-off not provided to the lowest point of the tank. Biofuels must not be stored in any tank that has copper, brass, bronze, lead, tin, or zinc in contact with the fuel as these metals have been found to react and hasten degradation of the fuel.

Try whatever tank you do have to ensure a facility to be able to regularly drain off a small amount of liquid from the lowest point within, this will help to remove any water present and help to confirm fuel condition.

If the tank is susceptible to engine room or cabin temperatures try and provide a form of insulation to keep the fuel temperature range as low as possible.

Respect for the product, prevent water and dirt ingress and keep everything spotlessly clean is essential. Roll on more than 40 years and while the make-up of diesel has dramatically changed many boat owners still haven’t adopted any type of husbandry for stored fuel and are often having to go through that very same learning curve dealt to me at sea all those years ago. The big difference is now the costs associated with what diesel bug can do to your tank and fuel systems, let alone your engine, compared to just dirty old fuel with a bit of water in it.

Several years ago I attended a meeting in London that initially warned and also demonstrated how some forms of the bug will in time cause corrosion to an area within a stainless steel fuel tank where it was able to gather and matt! They discussed a case study with an Australian Navy vessel and dealing with the issues cost them a small fortune to sort out.

This year the percentages of bio products in some fuel supplies will increase. The problems in some countries where climates are perfect for them to develop all year round are now struggling with fuel bug problems not only in diesel but also in petrol and aviation fuel!

As with all topics there is always a great source of information on the internet. Most tell you how to deal with it but few say how to try and prevent it. When you sift through what’s relevant for a narrowboat compared to, say, a super yacht or an oil tanker it can be a bit difficult to sometimes work out what’s what, especially when some sites talk about polishing fuel etc.

4 Fuel lines. Diesel bug will collate and eventually grow, blocking the inlet to a filter... as with fuel tanks some fuel bugs can and will damage some metals. When attending a YDSA conference about fuel issues I was surprised to find out that in some countries where they are now using fuels that are either high percentages of biofuel blends or pure biodiesel and they have now been attributed to the degrading of some hoses, seals and other items within the components like gaskets, this has nothing to do with the bugs but another angle we must now consider when looking after our engines, tanks and fuel lines etc.

As with looking after fuel tanks, checking the condition and type of delivery pipework along with frequently checking inline filters would be a prudent way forward. On removal if you spot any growth in the filter, it's a good indication that things are not good elsewhere. Likewise removing any water from traps regularly is essential. Be aware that sometimes a sluggish response, excessive smoke from the exhaust, poor starting or the odd beat missed can often be the only indication that the bug has found a place to grow. I was made aware of an incident where the injectors were working ineffectually and providing an unbalanced power supply that over time actually caused damage to the engine’s crank shaft.

5 Many owners have good husbandry and ensure that the fuel tank is topped up after any use. However many owners have on-board diesel heaters that take from the same fuel tank, set up to run occasionally when owners are not on board. The problem with this can, through a winter period, allow the development of bug within tanks, from firstly an air space being created within the tank coupled with hot and cold periods that can assist the bug’s growth. All tanks have a breather vent; fitting a descant filter in the pipe work will also help reduce the amount of damp drawn into the tank as well.

Cruising by night?

Make sure your boat can be seen

Les Heath gives some timely advice on navigation lights

This was in an owner’s fuel tank, growing quite nicely! PHOTO: BEN SUTCLIFFE-DAVIES

What is fuel bug?

Currently more than 100 different variants of the organisms have to date been identified. It’s basically caused by microbes of bacteria that manage to enter the fuel tank; some types are known to be airborne.

Once in the tank they quickly feed on any small amounts of trapped water held within the tank along with typical nutrients and hydrocarbons that our biofuels now contain.

Temperature also plays a role in how quickly they develop. They generally like European temperature ranges between 5C and 70C but thrive particularly well at around 30C. This for many narrowboat owners will be an issue that helps start the growth of the bugs as the fuel tank is frequently to the rear of the engine compartment.

How do we first prevent it and if all else fails how do we deal with it when we’re a victim? I’ve worked on a typical scenario of a narrowboat that has a fuel tank of about 45 gallons of fuel to make this as relevant as possible. For vessels that carry less sometimes it’s cheaper to dispose of fuel at the end of the season, clean tanks and start afresh every spring. For craft with larger fuel tanks some options won’t be sensible and these need further consideration on ways forward.

If we have been unfortunate to get this blight in our systems after all our prevention tips then how do we deal with it? Well firstly, whichever firm you turn to most use similar biocides or enzymes to treat the bugs, none will be able to reverse any damage. There are several firms that use enzymes that are considered more eco-friendly!

However depending on what type of fuel you are using there may be other materials within the fuel that when mixed will stop their growth but not totally kill them. Most firms recommend using a biocide system and in severe cases undertaking a shock treatment to the tank initially that are then followed by regular ongoing treatments.

If you have larger amounts of fuel there are some further things you may consider. Diesel polishing works well to remove water and impurities including the bug, however if the reasons for them existing have not been properly addressed, then once you refill the tank, they are likely to return at some point. If for some reason you find excessive bug matt within the tanks it would be prudent to undertake some way of looking inside the tanks, this often can be done with a videoscope camera.

Lastly many biofuels do have a shelf life, so where possibly try and keep its temperature low (5C-10C) and stable if possible, and if in doubt at the start of the season as much as I hate to say it, sometimes the only option is to have it pumped out and start with fresh fuel. So summing up prevention is most certainly better than the cures, so try and at least get in the habit of using a water trap gauze when filling up, keep your tanks topped up, try and ensure you have a good quality filler cap that has good seals and is in good condition and at least two inline fuel fillers ideally the primarily one with a clear bowl to see if there is any water accumulation, and obviously that they are regularly checked! ● If readers have an area of interest they would like covering feel free to let me know at help@bensutcliffemarine.co.uk

AS THE days get shorter more boats are likely to be out on larger inland waterways during the hours of darkness, particularly if the timing of their journey is dictated by the tide.

But how many will be showing the correct navigation lights and how many skippers think that a tunnel light is acceptable in the dark?

This was brought home to me recently when I was moored on the non-tidal Trent at night watching boats of all shapes and sizes travelling past with dazzling headlights.

Large commercial pleasure craft with partygoers on board were operating on the same stretch of water, their skippers having to be extra vigilant while others flouted the regulations.

All boats travelling at night must show navigation lights between sunset and sunrise in accordance with Inland Navigation Rules.

Powered boats need to show red (port) and green (starboard) sidelights, a white stern light and a masthead light. The masthead light must be above the sidelights and at least 2.5m above the gunwhale.

These navigation lights are mandatory on all tidal waterways and some of the larger non-tidal waterways under the control of the Canal & River Trust. Although most cruisers comply with the regulations the same does not apply to narrowboats which, because of their length, do not carry lights with adequate luminosity.

Many are fitted with unsuitable and illegal navigation lights both with regard to the correct angle and the distance. Although the rules are relaxed for narrowboats on some waterways, using a tunnel light on a freight waterway such as the Aire & Calder can be foolhardy and even dangerous.

The skipper of a boat carrying hundreds of tonnes of petrol is looking out in all directions for vessels displaying the correct navigation lights. To be blinded by a tunnel light (which is not a navigation light) is a recipe for disaster.

Care and concentration

Travelling at night requires special care and concentration. Having the correct navigation lights will help others judge the direction in which you are travelling.

Vessels under 12m must have a masthead light that can be seen for two miles, red and green sidelights that can be seen for one mile and a stern light that can be seen for two miles.

Vessels over 12m must have a masthead light that can be seen for three miles and side and stern lights that can be seen for two miles.

Many narrowboats are fitted with small red and green lights which are totally inadequate. In fact, the Inland Waterways Association has stated: “Many boatbuilders and fitters unfortunately do not seem to know or care about the regulations.”

Most boaters choose not to travel at night and hire boats are even forbidden, but for those who wish to use the larger waterways such as the Trent, Severn and Thames during darkness, complying with the regulations is essential – even if it means changing your existing, illegal navigation lights.

No matter what type of craft you operate, it is important that other boats can see you and work out your direction of travel. A headlight, for example, could cause a major disaster.

The IWA can provide a list of all waterways which require the use of full navigation lights.

On other waterways the rules are relaxed for narrowboats (masthead lights being impractical) but even then the correct navigation lights would make for sensible cruising.

Be bright. Be seen.

A typical narrowboat navigation light – but is it legal? PHOTOS: LES HEATH

TECHNICAL 111

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Should we consider a Marine VHF? Keeping in contact is vital in an emergency; Phil Pickin looks at the options.

off. There are many RYA accredited course providers advertising within Towpath Talk so you should be able to find one close to your location.

WE ALL know the difficulties of using mobiles while out and about. You don’t need to be on a boat to have network problems. Walkers, cyclists, horse riders, campers all have similar problems.

The mobile coverage in the UK isn’t as comprehensive as we’d like it to be. Having said this I, like many people, agree that we all need a break from our ‘connected-up world’ but when it comes to emergencies we do need to be able to summon help.

Only recently there have been reports in the press of boaters falling ill while out on remote parts of the system. Thankfully it would seem these events have had a happy ending but while we continue to suffer poor coverage you might ask: what’s the alternative?

Marine band VHF would seem to be the most logical answer.

As you will probably be aware there is a legal requirement for boats to have a marine VHF when navigating some tidal waters.

Areas including the Thames, Ouse and the Trent require boats to be fitted with, and be competent to use, a marine VHF and the IWA “strongly recommends that boaters carry marine band VHF on all major total waterways.” So if the case for having one is so strong why aren’t more boats fitted with them or their crew carrying a handheld?

Maybe it’s the thought of having to have a licence that puts potential users off? Having done the course myself I can assure anyone that it’s nothing to be concerned about and you will also find it both fascinating and informative. So please don’t be put

SO having taken your course, gained your licence and bought a modestly priced radio what can you do with it? The most important thing is that in an emergency you might be able to call a local lock keeper, port control or the coastguard. This will depend on your location and the height of the antenna.

The lower it’s located the smaller the area covered. What could be the most important fact is you might be able to contact a fellow boater. You may not see them but they could be around the next bend and be in a position to help you or relay a message to summon help.

Having a marine VHF can also be useful for gaining navigational information. In some areas around larger ports, vessel traffic services (VTS) broadcast details of a wide range of potential problems including ship movements, obstructions or work being carried out that may impact on your chosen course.

There are many other functions of marine VHFs that make owning one a worthwhile consideration including DSC (digital selective calling). This is where a call can be made direct to a given radio which then automatically switches to a specific channel.

The conversation can then be had between two stations on a channel away from the main calling channels. Functions like this would be covered during your course and could well come in useful depending on the type of radio you use.

Other considerations will be: do you want a handheld radio or a fixed panel mounted

Your choice

unit? This will depend upon your boat, the space you have and the likely usage of the radio but there’s plenty of information online.

I used an Icom handheld as an example in this article and the manufacturer has a very useful page of information on its website (the link is shown below) but a quick search online will provide you with many other sources of information on different types of radio.

At the end of the day it’s your choice, as for the most part there is no legal requirement for you to have a radio on your boat. But I for one (and maybe because of my years in the ambulance service) feel a lot better knowing I have an alternative means of communication available should anything happen. http://www.icomuk.co.uk/ Choosing-a-VHF-Marine-radio

In an emergency you can call a local lock keeper, port control or the coastguard.

LEFT: An Icom handheld VHF radio. PHOTOS: PHIL PICKIN

The Silicon Canal

By Phil Pickin

THE US has Silicon Valley and London has the Silicon Roundabout; well not to be outdone Birmingham can now boast the Silicon Canal, a community interest company based in the heart of what was once the manufacturing hub of the country, one that was well served by the waterways network.

And it was not that many years ago the worldwide web was often referred to as the information superhighway, a term thankfully rarely used these days. But when you think about it the waterways were, in some ways, the superhighways of the past.

Not only did goods travel around the country along these busy arteries that served many major towns and cities, but with these goods information flowed too. It might not have been the quickest method of passing on information but ‘passed on’ it was.

The canal basin features prominently on the organisation’s website. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Birmingham city centre links old and new. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

With that in mind it’s good to see a community interest group based at the heart of the system in Birmingham and called the ‘Silicon Canal’. Its aim is to create a world class digital technology ecosystem across Greater Birmingham.

To do this they are connecting, promoting and supporting tech and digital businesses. These businesses range in size from freelancers and start-ups through to multinationals.

The company is run by volunteers supported by a number of sponsors with the intention of achieving three main goals. Firstly to connect individuals and organisations together across what they refer to as ‘the ecosystem’.

Secondly to promote the activities of these individuals and

companies both close to home and worldwide and finally to support, the hope being that the ecosystem will grow and help more businesses.

With the canal basin featuring prominently on the organisation’s website www.siliconcanal.co.uk, it’s great to see this link between the old and the new, and you feel more than a little respect being given to the businesses and water-based superhighway of the past. It’s also with a sense of pride the group points out that more cubic metres of water flow through Birmingham’s canals than in any other city in the world. Quite a claim and one which the company wants to emulate, not with water but with business.

112 ON IRISH WATERS with Alison Alderton

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American man becomes first to swim entire length of the Shann non river CANCER survivor Dean Hall from Oregon has become the first man to swim the length of the longest river in the British Isles and has done so while raising cash for children’s cancer charities.

He began his swim on the northern shores of the River Shannon’s first lake, Lough Allen and followed its course southwards to Limerick. Along the way he was accompanied by his daughter Brae in her kayak and voluntary boat back-up by local boating associations.

Dean spoke to Alison Alderton for Towpath Talk after successfully swimming the length of Lough Ree, which more or less marked the halfway stage of his 360km (224-mile) swim.

Dean with WI Chief Inspector of the Navigation, Charles Lawn. PHOTO: KAY BAXTER

There were many questions she could have asked but one had been playing on her mind – what did he think of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland’s (IWAI) involvement in his great endeavour?

Dean replied: “The honest truth is I don’t know what I would have done without the IWAI and sub-aqua clubs. When I took on this challenge I studied the River Shannon for a full year. I pored over maps, tried to gain as much knowledge as is possible on the internet, talked to the good folks at Waterways Ireland and just took a leap of faith.

“I put my money down and decided that with an adventure such as this many times you have to be flexible and figure it out as you go.

“After only one hour on Lough Allen, I realised I had been overly confident. I knew my plan to swim the entire length of the Shannon in 22 days was out the window. By the end of one week, I was very nervous that my impossible dream may be just that... impossible. And then I started hearing from members of the IWAI volunteering their time and help.

“Caroline Brennan was the first to step forward. She and her fiancé, Jonathan, offered to support me for two days.

Being avid swimmers and river people themselves, they got so excited about what I was trying to accomplish, they recruited other IWAI members for boat support, helped with press coverage and even assisted in fundraising. Kay Baxter, (IWAI secretary) also has been very instrumental in doing these things as well.

“So many IWAI members have already given of their time and talent, it is overwhelming. The only thing impossible about this impossible dream is that it will be impossible to ever thank the IWAI enough! It is such a luxury to know that all I have to do is get in the water and swim a couple of marathons a day.

“The IWAI is a perfect representation of the hospitality and generosity of the Irish people.”

Dean’s words summed up what has become typical behaviour of the IWAI members – going out and giving up their free time unselfishly to promote and support waterways for all.

He went on to complete the swim on July 7 at Custom House Quay in Limerick after a total of 26 days swimming, becoming the first ever person to swim the entire length of the River Shannon. It is also believed his 24-year-old daughter Brae, who accompanied him in her kayak,

Public urged to report coypu sightings WATERWAYS Ireland has issued an invasive species alert and requested members of the public to report sightings of coypu.

Recent sightings in Cork City promoted the alert and raises concern of the spread of the species. It is believed that a number of the rodents escaped from an agricultural show held nearby into the Curraheen River some years ago.

Since that time the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has trapped several both on and near the Curraheen.

However, reports of sightings from other locations are becoming more frequent.

The species has the potential to be highly damaging to river, lake and canal bank stability and is a pest of agricultural crops. They also carry a number of diseases of importance to humans and domestic animals.

Eradication programmes are not always successful and can be costly. After millions of pounds had to be spent in a decades-long eradication programme in East Anglia’s Norfolk Broads it is essential

The coypu looks like a large rat.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

to restrict longer-term costs associated with this invasive species.

The South American semi-aquatic rodent looks very much like a large rat.

Weighing between five and nine kilos, it can reach one metre in length and the species’ introduction into Europe is linked to fur farming.

Sightings along with details of location, date and photographs (if possible) can be reported to NPWS at: biodiversitypolicy@ahg.gov.ie invasives@biodiversityireland.ie records.biodiversityireland.ie

Dean Hall meets the welcoming party at Limerick. PHOTO: CHILDHOOD CANCER FOUNDATION is the first woman to ever paddle the entire length of the Shannon.

They were met in Limerick

by Deputy Mayor of Limerick Marian Hurley, Chief Inspector of the Navigation Charles Lawn on behalf of Waterways Ireland, Dean’s wife Bobbi, representatives of the Childhood Cancer Foundation, members of the IWAI who had supported Dean in his efforts and members of Curraghgour Boat Club.

A reception was held in the Hunt Museum beside Custom House Quay after which Dean was invited to visit Curraghgour Boat Club where he was presented with a flag by Conor Sheehan to mark the occasion.

Dean Hall is presented with the Curraghgour Flag by Conor Sheehan. Pictured from left are: Dean and his wife Bobbi, Charles Lawn of Waterways Ireland and Conor Sheehan.

PHOTO: KAY BAXTER

● You can catch-up on Dean’s swim by going to the Facebook page, Swimming In Miracles or the website www.swimminginmiracles.com

TRIBUTE TO A SHANNON BOATMAN SHANNON boatman, broadcaster and film maker Dick Warner died suddenly while boating near Ballinasloe.

The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI) led messages of condolences and appreciation, describing him as a man who possessed a special kind of greatness.

An excerpt from IWAI’s tribute follows: “Dick Warner was always an explorer, a pioneer and an adventurer. Yet for a man who travelled widely from Botswana to Greenland and everywhere in between, he considered his 1991 journey along the Grand Canal and River Shannon from Dublin to Limerick aboard canal boat 45M as ‘one of the most profoundly important journeys of my life’.

“The purpose of this journey was to once again take a fully laden canal boat from Dublin to Limerick, reminiscing the glory days of the inland waterways transport network,

the reason that canals were built in the first place.

“As a child of the 60s, Dick Warner attended school during the same period that CIE ceased commercial boat traffic on the canals. Some years later Dick lived aboard a boat in Hazelhatch near Celbridge on the Grand Canal at a time when this was considered very unusual. Later, he settled near Donadea in Kildare, one of the most unspoilt and natural regions in the county.

“Dick Warner was a prominent IWAI member, developing a passionate association with the Grand Canal in particular.

“By the 1990s he was already a well-known environmentalist, writer and broadcaster but the five series of ‘Waterways’ ensured international recognition for a humble and selfless champion of our canals and rivers.

“Dick held life membership of IWAI Kildare and was a regular and visible supporter of its events and campaigns including the reopening

The late Dick Warner on the Herbertstown/Corbally line of the Grand Canal near Naas.

PHOTO: IWAI

of the canal harbour in Naas in 2002.

“He did so much to put the potential of Ireland’s inland navigations in sharp focus and was a unique champion who continuously highlighted the beauty and magic of slow tourism on our navigations.”

Emerald Star invests €2m in new hire boats SHANNON hire boat company Emerald Star has announced an investment of almost €2 million in new boats.

Emerald Star currently has 63 boats at bases in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim and Portumna, Co Galway. These offer cruising on more than 500km of waterways from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, on Lough Erne, to Killaloe, Co Clare, at the foot of Lough Derg.

Eleven new Horizon-style boats made in Poland by Delphia Yachts will be deployed by 2020. They come with up to three en-suite double cabins and large saloons, built-in barbecues, and rooftop dining and sun lounging areas. In coming years larger models will include four- and five-cabin boats.

During the economic crisis, demand for Shannon cruising fell sharply, with bookings at Emerald Star dropping from more than 4000 in 2009 to fewer than 1000 in 2014, the company said.

In 2017, bookings numbers are back to about 1500, a 12% increase on last year, reflecting a steady increase in the number of bookings from both domestic and international markets. They expect to bring about 8700 clients to the River Shannon region this year.

After Ireland, the highest visitor numbers come from Germany and the UK. Originally created by the Guinness family in 1970, Emerald Star is now part of Le Boat, which operates in eight countries with a fleet of more than 900 vessels (www.leboat.co.uk).

An Emerald Star cruiser from the current fleet on the Shannon. PHOTO: ALISON ALDERTON

ON IRISH WATERS with Alison Alderton 113

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The Irish lady who went Dutch Alison Alderton finds out what prompted Hilary Hunter to cross the sea in her quest for a ‘forever’ home.

Hilary’s boat search led to The Netherlands. PHOTO: ALISON ALDERTON THE search for a boat led Hilary Hunter away from her Irish roots and adopted home of Essex to the wide open expanses of The Netherlands. Despite having a well-thought-out list of requirements, these soon changed when viewing boats on the market.

Here, Hilary shares her search for a home afloat which swiftly developed into a love affair with an elderly Dutch barge: “When the only ‘sailing’ experience you’ve had in your 50 years is on the Irish car ferries, no one expects you to sell your house and move to a sailing boat! Despite my having been a coastal dweller all my life, when yet another thread of my life’s rich tapestry unravelled no one, least of all me, expected my downsizing to take me afloat. Irish blood apart, I have always been a bit of a ‘greenie’ and tree-hugger, so my yearning for a home which would tread lightly on our planet eventually led

me to explore alternative, tiny homes.

A move from the rolling hills of my emerald homeland to the mudflats and estuaries of Essex changed much of my life, but not my eco-hankerings.

“Encouraged by the hospitality of friends who lived on a motor barge, and fuelled somewhat by the cosy romance and excellent dinner and refreshments aboard, I decided to hunt for my ‘forever’ home in The Netherlands.

“Just a few weeks but much internet research later, with bricks and mortar on the market, I toured the rich waterways of Holland with my partner. The country’s boat-building heritage and expertise have

Drie Gebroeders – An insight

Drie Gebroeders under engine power. PHOTOS SUPPLIED UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED

On Faversham Creek.

Constructed at one of the oldest shipyards in The Netherlands, Drie Gebroeders (which translates as Three Brothers) would have originally transported farm produce. During the Second World War she was requisitioned by the Dutch Army Pontonniers (bridge builders) and was later rented to the Germany Army. Close hull inspection revealed she may have been adapted into an invasion barge for use in Operation Sealion.

The records run dry at this stage but in the 1990s she reappears under a

different name and in bad repair. Used as a house boat, a number of owners followed before major restoration work began.

Hilary, with the help of information gained from the Dutch Kadaste (ownership register) has managed to piece together much of Drie Gebroeders’ past and considers herself a privileged custodian of this charming historical vessel. I’m pleased to report that since our interview, Hilary has successfully skippered Drie Gebroeders from Fambridge, Essex to Faversham, Kent.

resulted in an amazing network of canals full of boats of all shapes and sizes in the most unlikely of places. One viewing address took us down a residential street with no sign of water or barge for sale. It was only on closer scrutiny of the home our sat nav had indicated that we discovered a canal cut running to the rear of this property – and a 60ft barge floating near the back door!

The one

A newly befriended community of barge owners had advised me that my boat ‘would speak to me’ when I found her. As we trawled the land from north to south, I stepped on many with high hopes but heard not a whisper from any of them, only my head telling me they were not ‘the one’. Our first trip was to prove unsuccessful in one way but to be life-changing in another. A ship we were to dub ‘Spooky Ship’, after viewing its historic interior, sowed a seed and resulted in a shredded criteria list and the second cruise to Holland.

“This rusting old lady was a traditional sailing barge, with many original features reminiscent of a museum piece. All the others, previously viewed, had been motor barges long stripped of rigging and with modernisations of varying qualities. Since the 1930s, engines have replaced traditional sails and rigging, resulting in convenient motor vessels.

Hilary at the tiller.

So, the heritage and quality of this beautiful if somewhat depressed vessel spoke to me loudly – and as we left her on a chilly quayside we vowed to return with a new list, including only those ships with their rigging intact. Sure, one can learn to sail, can’t one?

“More than two years later, I sit upon my own traditional Dutch sailing barge, Drie Gebroeders. This historic barge whispered promises of adventures and persuaded me to bring her across the sea to a new mooring. Built in 1898, this wonderful Dutch grandmother is my pride and joy. She has spent all my savings on refurbishment inside and out, including new rigging and a 12m long mast to restore her good looks.

Lee-boards weighing one tonne each have been craned off, restored and returned to position.

“As I plan my first move which won’t entail packing boxes she awaits only the purchase of a new bowsprit to complete her magnificent ensemble – oh, and for me to find a sailing instructor!”

Acknowledgements:

My sincere thanks to Hilary Hunter for sharing her story and allowing use of her photographic images.

➔ Usefulinformation To find out more about Hilary’s boating life and the history of Drie Gebroeders, visit the social media sites below: www.facebook.com/ DutchSailingBargeDG https://twitter.com/olddutchbarge www.instagram.com/ the_old_dutch_barge/ or visit the website : www.theolddutchbarge.co.uk or for Hilary’s writing on other issues: https://hilaryhunterwriter. wordpress.com/

114 TOWPATH TREASURES

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Toll house The watchtower of the toll collectors Words: PHILLIPPA GREENWOOD Images: MARTINE O’CALLAGHAN

The Gailey Roundhouse on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal.

A plaque telling the history of the Stop House at Braunston.

SCATTERED across the canal networks, usually perched at the waterside, there are tiny buildings that once had a huge role in the life of the canals in their working heyday.

The business of the canal companies that owned the canals was to make a profit, and the toll house was where fees were collected from passing boats. Many toll houses have worn the years well as they sit in quiet glory, often with new

purpose as craft shops, mini museums, store rooms and even cosy homes for a lucky few.

The collection of tolls was the daily bread for the canal companies, and the toll house was a busy (if perhaps

dreaded) stop for canal boats laden with cargo. Fees were charged by what was being carried and how far it was carried. Distances were measured by mileposts placed along the water routes and the weight of a boat’s cargo was

The Wharfmaster’s cottage and toll house on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Burnley now houses the Weavers’ Triangle Visitor Centre.

The Canal & River Trust has offices in the Stop House at Braunston.

The toll house at Bratch Locks on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal.

estimated by the markings on the boat’s hull – they showed the boat’s draught when empty and when full with various cargoes.

By the 19th century, a clever new system had been devised using a gauging stick. The toll collector placed the gauging stick along the side of the laden boat, and measured how many dry inches the boat had above the water line. He took four measurements to calculate an average and then used a gauge table that worked out the payment due. The clerk would then record the weight and distance travelled, along with the payment (preserved toll records are exhibited in canal museums), before the boats carried on.

Although each canal had its own style of architecture, toll houses were often octagonal in shape with a central door and windows positioned to see approaching traffic. They are historic buildings that have preserved their own unique charm, and enhance the built environment wherever they appear along today’s canals.

The toll house at Brecon Basin on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.

TOWPATH TREASURES/ANGLING 115

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The Towpath Angler Our monthly look at the angling scene

The toll houses either side of the Anderton Lift.

The Stewpony Lock toll house on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal.

Adapted extract from Britain’s Canals, A National Treasure in 100 Must-See Objects by Phillippa Greenwood and Martine O’Callaghan – published by Coolcanals July 2012. www.coolcanals.com

PREDICTABLY there were very few meetings for me to attend in the past month and, no doubt, August will have been much the same.

These ‘quiet’ spells are, nevertheless, extremely useful in that they provide some valuable time to do those longdelayed jobs around the house, thus gaining me some brownie points.

There is also time to carry out general housekeeping on the computer and filing systems. The trouble is when I do this everything suddenly becomes difficult to find.

Clearly the question of boat moorings will not go away anytime soon.

Agreements of sorts are reached locally but these very quickly become history principally because the Canal & River Trust is unable to really enforce things.

As a result overstaying virtually becomes the norm.

In recent years the trust has seen the massive potential for raising the profile of our waterways that can accrue from large, national angling competitions.

Additionally there is the resultant serious boost to the local economy from such events. The problem is these events need the co-operation of all users and the trust to ensure that they run smoothly. Unfortunately the indiscriminate mooring of boats can and does make things more difficult than should be the case.

The other day I was walking along a section of my local Erewash Canal and saw a couple hurling slice after slice of bread to a group of ducks which, not surprisingly, were going absolutely crazy. I am no expert myself but know that this practice is not particularly good for the ducks. Bread has little nutritional value for them and, worse because they become used to humans feeding them, it encourages them not to forage naturally. I once asked what was safe to feed and surprisingly I was told seeds, rice, sweetcorn and even lettuce.

At least none of these, if left uneaten by the ducks, are likely to attract rats along the waterway.

Taster sessions

Changing the subject, one activity that all sectors of the waterway user community is very keen to do is engaging with young people. They represent the future so we all have an implicit responsibility to introduce young people to the waterways.

The Fisheries and Angling team is

An information post beside the Dundas Aqueduct toll house.

David Kent

constantly busy, using the national network of qualified coaches and many of its customer clubs, organising taster and full coaching sessions throughout the country.

National Fishing Month runs until September 3 and events have been taking place across the network and, generally, offer sessions free of charge to whole families.

The AT/CRT Canal Pairs event has been producing some excellent results.

I must mention the qualifier in Scotland which saw 18 pairs taking part, which was very good. Tickets are still available for some of the remaining qualifiers so hurry and get in touch with Angling Trust’s competitions office to ensure you book your place.

The weather continues to dictate the sport. While we are experiencing more normal summer temperatures we have this period of Atlantic depressions sweeping across the British Isles bringing, at times, torrential rain and, sometimes, hail.

Each time we have such a storm the water temperature is affected and this, in turn, affects the fish. However I keep hearing of some really good scores coming from the big South Yorkshire canals and I know that the Shropshire Union, venue for this year’s Angling Trust Individual and Division 1 National Championships, is literally ‘on fire’. We are all keeping our fingers crossed that this form holds for another few weeks.

I have had little to say about my own form during the summer simply because my commitments have seriously impacted on my fishing opportunities.

That said I have had a decent win and a couple of brown envelopes from matches in the past month so I am reasonably content at the moment.

Tight lines.

The newly restored toll house at Dundas Aqueduct on the Kennet & Avon Canal.

FACT FILE Toll record books Toll records are kept in the National Waterways Archive at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, and examples can be seen at other waterways museums such as Gloucester and Stoke Bruerne.

National Waterways Museum www.canalrivertrust. org.uk/national-waterways-museum Gloucester www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/ gloucester-waterways-museum Stoke Bruerne www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/ the-canal-museum

How to get there By train National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950 By bus Traveline 0871 2002233 On foot Canal towpaths are now easy routes to cycle and walk, many being part of Sustrans National Cycle Network or long-distance walking trails. www.sustrans.org.uk www.ldwa.org.uk Moorings There are plenty of visitor moorings available along Britain’s canals

Location On canals throughout Britain. The canals are open all day every day – just find your local canal. Toll houses are often found at junctions between canals, and at major lock flights.

Local Tourist info Canal & River Trust/Glandwr Cymru Use the Canal & River Trust website to find specific local canal information. www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

‘Try Angling’ was one of the activities organised by the Canal & River Trust for young visitors to the recent Welshpool Boat & Food Festival on the Montgomery Canal. PHOTO: WATERWAY IMAGES

116 WET WEB

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The Wet Web Helen Gazeley looks at some of the economic benefits of waterway restoration schemes.

WHICH canal restoration projects currently under way will have the greatest impact on the waterways network? If you cruise the network, you probably have your own ideas.

Might it be the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals, re-establishing a route north between Staffordshire and the West Midlands, or perhaps the Cotswold Canals providing a route from the Stroudwater Navigation’s junction with the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal to the River Thames at Lechlade.

For a fascinating overview of potential restoration projects and proposed new canal links, see the Canal & River Trust’s lost waterways map (http:// arcg.is/2ukuikU ) Ask the Canal & River Trust or Inland Waterways Association, however, and opinions are not forthcoming. Neither are keen to put any project above any other. Viewing the network as a whole, this seems strange, as increasing its efficiency with some well-placed restorations can surely only be a good thing, but it begins to make sense when canal restoration is considered at a local level.

Research carried out in 2013 by the University of Northampton, commissioned by the CRT, demonstrated considerable local benefits in the

A recent restoration success: the Black Sluice Lock, Boston, Lincs, the first major step in creating the Fens Waterway Link.

PHOTO: IWA

seven case studies it chose: the Kennet & Avon, for example, delivered 23 property-related schemes, including marinas, retail, offices and residential, resulting in more than £35 million of investment and 328 full time-equivalent jobs; the Rochdale and Huddersfield Narrow Canals created 150–160 full time-equivalent jobs in leisure and tourism, as well as significant residential and business development on the Rochdale Canal.

This positive effect was echoed in the environment: “The impact on wildlife is good; there are water voles, kingfishers... and it brings wildlife into the heart of Taunton,” said Ian Clarke, landscape lead officer of Taunton Deane Borough Council.

As a contributor to the nation’s health, it was suggested by the Health Impact of Canals Survey, conducted in 2012, that use of towpaths delivered health benefits equal to £6.4 million per year, while research into mental health benefits is currently being conducted by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, as reported here in March last year.

Many hurdles

There are around 60 restoration projects currently active in some capacity, though not all are at the stage of rebuilding, and anyone who has been involved will know that, while funding is an issue, it’s not the only hurdle to jump. “There are so many,” says Jenny Black, volunteers co-ordinator for the IWA. “Government, planning permission, not enough volunteers, landowner issues.”

An IWA survey of 30 people with hands-on experience revealed 11 key issues that hindered waterway restoration, including the lack of high-level political support and lack of public and Government recognition of the benefits.

To gain a green light on canal restoration, it seems that a successful end point with wideranging societal benefits is not enough. “Waterway restoration is not on the Government's agenda,”

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                  

                                                    

            



  •

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                                             

 



 

      

                

  •

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                                       

               

 • • •

                   

                         

                                  

                 

The IWA created this infographic from the submissions they received from their survey.

PHOTO © IWA

says Jenny. What is demanded now is the quantifying of benefits gained while actually carrying out restoration. This is why one of the aims of the Restoration Hub (www.waterways.org. uk/waterways/restoration/restoration_resources/ resources), established by the IWA last year, is to give a voice to restoration groups at a national level and attract the attention of the media, politicians and key stakeholders.

“The IWA is currently working on a report that will focus on telling the Government why restoration is important, what’s happening now and the benefits it brings. Mental health ticks boxes at the moment and we have to speak their language

and focus on the end game.” The report, which aims to demonstrate benefits to society at every step of the restoration journey and then back these up with the economic benefits of a completed project, is due out at the beginning of next year.

In the meantime, you can support the Restoration Hub, which is also a central point of reference for canal restoration societies, sharing technical advice and support, information on best practice, insurance and hands-on practical support, by buying tickets in this year’s raffle from the IWA website. They cost £2 each and are available until December 15. (www.waterways.org. uk/support_us/raffle/buy_raffle_tickets).

Do you have a favourite blog or website? Email Helen at helengazeley@aol.com

LETTERS 117

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

TALKBACK

Your chance to write to us on any Towpath topic: Towpath Talk, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk

Tunnel safety – some timely advice

I READ with interest Paul Cammaert’s comments (Talkback, Issue 142, August) because of the worry associated with allowing canoeists through tunnels on the Trent & Mersey. Despite the tunnels not meeting the Canal & River Trust’s criteria and numerous trips by health and safety officers and waterway managers, who were concerned with the issues particularly associated with Saltersford Tunnel, a decision has been taken to allow passage.

For those who are not familiar with this tunnel, it is narrow and bent; quite easy to lose a couple of full-length narrowboats in it, let alone a canoe, and is controlled simply by time.

I have previously met boats in the tunnel and on one occasion had no choice but to back out. Since timing has been introduced this has not happened,

Understanding the life of a full-time boater

and as yet I have not seen a canoeist go through.

Foulridge is a wide tunnel, fairly short and relatively easy to navigate. Although I am assured canoeists using tunnels will be equipped with lights, I am still concerned with their use of certain tunnels, especially if the canoeist is inexperienced or alone.

The issue from a narrowboat point of view is noise and visibility, where it is not possible to pass even a canoeist safely, being able to see and hear someone is vital, difficult with restricted forward view and engine noise in a tunnel.

I don’t want to sound as though I am against Paul’s view that we should encourage diverse use of the canals by different groups, but do take issue with the suggestion that canoeists contribute financially towards the canal

Giving the right signals HUGH Dougherty is a little confused about the operation of the swing bridges he describes in the August issue (On Scottish Waters, Issue 142). Banavie signalling centre controls the swing bridge there whereas Clachnaharry has its own control cabin as he states, although the signalling centre is at Inverness.

In response to his request for good examples of rail over waterway bridges there are, of course, numerous such structures for both trams and trains in Belgium and Holland. In this country I would suggest the sliding bridge over the Stainforth & Keadby Canal at Keadby, Lincolnshire and the troublesome swing bridge over the River Wensum at Trowse, Norfolk, which carries the electrified main line between London and Norwich.

The disused transporter bridge at Warrington over the Manchester Ship Canal was originally used for rail traffic.

Alan Smith Evesham, Worcestershire

Don’t forget Dingwall WITH reference to Hugh Dougherty’s article (On Scottish Waters, Issue 142, August) please don’t forget the Dingwall Canal, which is walkable in its entirety and is crossed by the lines to Kyle and Wick.

Hugh Potter By email

A train crossing above the Dingwall Canal. PHOTO: HUGH POTTER

network (I’m not sure BCU licences do) and can offset contributions by boaters or that they volunteer in vast numbers to help maintain the canals (I’m sure some do)?

If anyone does transit a tunnel in a small boat, as with any trip you should tell someone you are going, provide an expected time of return etc., and ensure someone is close by even if they don’t accompany you. Only enter a tunnel if it is fitted with a means of recovery (in case of capsize etc.) such as chains, take spare torches and batteries (waterproof of course) and wear a lifejacket (don’t forget you can’t swim if you’re unconscious).

Robin Telkman By email PS Also from Lancashire and previous kayak owner (who can probably still do an eskimo roll!)

Don’t patronise the female boater

JUST an observation following a visit to the Beta Marine stand at the Crick Boat Show.

I don’t like playing the ‘it’s because I am a woman’ card but the guys on the stand eagerly approached couples and single men asking if they needed help.

I stood at the stand unapproached and had to ask for help feeling like I was being an inconvenience. I was perfectly polite asking my questions about their excellent engines but was made to feel like their advice was a waste of time.

I would like to speak up for the hundreds of single female narrowboat owners who usually single-handedly keep their boats – including their engines – in tip-top condition.

Don’t assume that because we are ladies that we know nothing about what lies beyond the back-cabin doors!

Lisa Thurstone Rushden, Northamptonshire

BRAVO Andy and Reina Gilbert (Talkback, Issue 142, August); I am also a continuous cruiser complying fully with the 1995 Transport Act. However, I find that not only are the bankside moorings appearing to be getting longer in areas of both attraction and shopping facilities but also what were visitor moorings appear to be signed as reduced to 24-hour!

This surely is in contravention of

the act which clearly states that a boat without a mooring can moor ANYWHERE for 14 days. While I do not support overstaying on moorings and only stay anywhere for 3-4 days I do need time to visit, shop, attend to boat needs and get my breath before moving on. The Canal & River Trust should try to understand the life of a full-time boater.

Brian Jarrett Nb Autarky

Visitor moorings more difficult to find WE WERE very interested in the letter from Andy and Reina Gilbert (Talkback, Issue 142, August).

As owners of a 54ft narrowboat with permanent mooring in a marina we are in total agreement with the comments made.

We have found when cruising around the canal systems that the long-term permit moorings are taking over the towpaths making it difficult to find a visitor mooring, especially in the summer, except in the ‘middle of nowhere’, or boaters are mooring at water points.

We, as visitors, are not encouraged

to moor outside public houses for evening meals!

We also find that frequently the long-term moored boats make the canal so narrow it is very difficult to pass other cruising boats.

Our main gripe, however, is the fact that a lot of these boats look abandoned and have no valid Canal & River Trust licence on show.

Last year we noticed some as old as 2008!

Why are they allowed to be in such poor condition, maybe without a BSC, and not hold a current licence?

Jo and Ian Rees By email

Signs of the times

Respect the water and help prevent drownings

I AM writing to request your readers’ help in saving young people’s lives.

Tragically, there are around 400 accidental drownings across the UK each year in open water such as reservoirs, quarry lakes, rivers, canals and tidal waters. All too often, these tragedies occur when people are enjoying a leisure activity or are engaged in what they perceive as harmless fun.

Man-made water bodies like quarry lakes and reservoirs can be extremely deep, have sudden changes in water depth, be difficult to exit and conceal a range of hazards such as pumps, entangling weeds, rocks and old machinery. The water can also be extremely cold even on a hot summer’s day. At 15C and below, the body can experience cold water shock when immersed in water, this results in a sudden, involuntary inhalation of water into the lungs which can be deadly. The cold water can also cause even strong swimmers to tire quickly, become breathless and potentially disorientated.

The Mineral Products Association (MPA) is supporting the water safety campaigns being run by other organisations such as the RNLI, RLSS and the Fire and Rescue Services.

Collectively, we do not want to discourage members of the public from enjoying the water but would like people to be aware of the risks and choose to swim in areas that are safe.

To find out more, view the MPA campaign Facebook page Stay Safe Stay Out of Quarries or the RNLI website www.respectthewater. com and ‘share’ this with others. Please also remember that warning signs and fences are there to help protect you and your family.

Elizabeth Clements Mineral Products Association www.mineralproducts.org

THIS sign has recently appeared by the flood lock on the Trent & Mersey Canal on the exit from Shardlow village proceeding towards Derwent Mouth lock.

Apart from the misspelling of ‘past’, it is surely incorrect on several other aspects; it implies the boat, if it could, should slow to 4mph! Surely the craft should have already slowed to a speed appropriate for passing the craft that invariably are tied

adjacent to the Malt Shovel and New Inn public houses a couple of hundred yards before this sign.

The ‘slower if possible’ implies Canal & River Trust staff think the majority of craft cannot travel at less than 4mph.

Do the Canal & River Trust staff understand the implications of such a sign as this?

David Osborn By email

IT WOULD help if more signage like this one at Diglis (below left) were put up around the towpaths!

Not the stupid warnings about fuzzy ducks, dogs’ responses grr bark woof etc. We are grown-up people and object to being treated like children and seeing money wasted.

Tackle the cycle problem which is getting worse and spoiling any chances of sitting out and appreciating the tranquil surroundings of the canals. Get with it Canal & River Trust.

Brian Jarrett NB Autarky

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CRACKER’S CHAT

More towpath ramblings straight from the horse’s mouth “Duchesses, Countesses and all things royal”

IT HAS just struck me that, although she’s had the odd mention, I’ve neglected to tell you about the other half of my world-famous team. ‘She’ being the vessel that I tow up and down the Montgomery Canal, namely Countess.

She is the latest, and hopefully not the last, narrowboat to be named after and connected to one of the most famous passenger fly-boats that ever existed. So this month’s epistle will be an acknowledgement to both boats, the other being the Duchess Countess.

The timeline looks like this: 1761 The Duke of Bridgewater opens a canal from Runcorn to Manchester.

1803 The Duke dies and Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland marries his heir, the Marquis of Stafford. When he was made Duke, she became a duchess (as well as a countess).

1833 A passenger packet (or fly-boat) was built, named Duchess Countess (DC).

1880 The passenger service is extended to include market goods, taking fresh produce into Manchester.

1918 Faster transport methods (rail and road), sees DC obsolete and in need of some repairs.

She’s allowed to sink in a basin

at Runcorn. (This is not as bad as it sounds as this would preserve the timber by not letting it dry out).

1933 Rescued and repaired, DC is used as a pleasure boat on the Shroppie. She’s kept at Frankton Dry Dock and used, like Tom Rolt’s Cressy, to explore the Welsh canals.

1936 DC was the last boat to go to Newtown before the catastrophic breach which saw closure of the Monty and later was probably the last to leave the canal via the rapidly deteriorating Frankton locks.

1939/1945 Some time during the war, villagers helped to pull the boat on to dry land near no 2 bridge Lower Frankton, as she was leaking badly (see photo).

1955 British Waterways took steps to record measurements of 120-year-old craft, before it breaks up. Model is built by Donald Sattin (see photo).

2008 There was a proposal to build a replica, but unfortunately nothing transpired.

2012 A new Countess was commissioned and built for Stephen Rees-Jones. Designed on the original Victorian packet boat, she currently operates as a horsedrawn trip boat on the Monty between Frankton and Redwith.

Well, those are the bare bones of the story, but wrapped around the facts are a multitude of

interesting snippets, that I now intend to delve into.

Before Duchess Countess was unceremoniously laid to rest on the banks of the Llangollen canal, she plied her trade at a galloping pace on the inland waterways.

Towed by two horses in tandem, on the lead one of which rode the liveried postilion, to which her status entitled her, she was a sight to behold. The steersman also wore a uniform.

On her prow was mounted an S-shaped, knife-edged scythe with which to cut the towline of any commoner impudent enough not to get out of her way! She was the legendary Duchess Countess – built to speed passengers along the Bridgewater Canal from Worsley to Manchester, at a penny per head per trotting mile – she who must not be hindered in her journey as she carried the Royal Mail.

DC had beautiful lines and her sides were curved like a barrel to enable her to be towed through the water at speed. The shape of her hull was long and sleek, with a particularly fine bow designed for elegant progress through the water, in order to stop erosion of the canal banks which was always a problem (and still is today, hence speed restrictions).

The layout of DC enabled her to carry all classes of passenger as

Maesbury Canal Fayre – final reminder

The current Countess prior to fitting out at Maesbury Marina.

The Long Village Fête – September 15-17, 2017 Book now for this co-creational gathering of canal, transport and music enthusiasts.

As a community event this really is about what you can bring to the party: Skills, energy, charisma, stalls, a favourite hat…

All narrowboats welcome including trade boats. http://www.bywatercruises.com/events/

The Duchess Countess model built by Donald Sattin. PHOTOS SUPPLIED well as livestock when required. In the forward part of the boat was a small open hold in which animals travelled. Under the foredeck was fodder for the horses. Next came a forward cabin for second-class passengers. Adjoining this was a large open hold, which was the third-class passengers’ space. It was open to all weathers although there was a tarpaulin to be put over in case of rain. At the aft end was a large cabin, one half of which was for first-class travellers, the other for the crew and the cook, who prepared meals on board.

Advertisements for the packet or fly-boat services claimed: “Tea and Cakes are elegantly served for breakfast and in the afternoon.”

In writing about these boats, Lord Ellesmere said that he scarcely knew of any aquatic phenomena more agreeable to the eye: “In grace of form and smoothness of motion, they rival the swan-like gondola itself of Venice!”

And there, faithful readers, I rest my case. If you want to travel in style and replicate those wonderful bygone days, then

An ignominious end to a glorious career! ● If you would like to comment on any of Cracker’s remarks, please get in touch on 07841 429980, via email at hello@ bywatercruises.co.uk or on Twitter @bywater_holiday or follow him on Facebook under BoatHorseCracker. www.bywatercruises.com come for a trip with Countess and me on the Monty! Please note that the elegantly served teas, cakes and scones are available at Canal Central cafe, not on board. Also, I only walk, not trot!

Until we meet again, may your bucket be full of whatever you desire.

Cracker

TOWPATH TITTER

CONTINUING our lighthearted look at life on the cut with another animal contribution, this time from Dave Baynham.

Licensing, refuse and enforcement Mark Tizard, vice-chairman of the National Association of Boat Owners (NABO), comments on some more topical issues.

THE licensing consultation rumbles on; the early workshops were poorly attended despite those invited confirming their attendance.

At the recent joint meeting of the Navigation Advisory Group (NAG) and the elected boaters’ representatives we were advised there was one main proposal emerging; however around the time you read this all boaters should have received an email from the Canal & River Trust seeking your views, so I urge you to please respond.

I understand CRT are removing a third of the litter bins around the system in the hope this will encourage the many towpath visitors

to take their litter home with them. However I hope CRT consider fencing in some of their service/refuse facilities so that a CRT key is needed for access as many of the refuse bins seem to be quickly filled to overflowing and I would be surprised if it’s just boaters’ waste.

When CRT changed the licence terms and conditions recently (no consultation needed apparently) they responded to a question raised on the sharing of personal data with third parties with this statement: “Subcontracting enforcement to a third party – there are no plans to use a third party agency for routine enforcement purposes.”

Special case

A NAG meeting in February to discuss boating in the new Olympic Park waterways was told of a proposal to bring in a third party to help enforce no mooring. This included the introduction of £150 fines for the first time. We were advised this would be a one-off as it was a special case.

Now subsequent to that meeting signs have appeared at CRT’s long-term mooring sites with £150 penalty charges for boats that moor there without a permit,

outsourced to a third party.

While having some sympathy with the practical difficulties of coping with overstaying and inappropriate mooring it seems again to be a case of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

My NABO colleagues are concerned that this is obviously a fine dressed up as a charge and therefore outside CRT’s legal powers. In addition it would now appear that a boater’s personal data could now be routinely passed to a third party

by CRT. There is no box to tick on your licence application to prevent this as was suggested

by NABO. I wonder how attractive it might be to CRT’s senior management if they could outsource the whole of the enforcement and licensing function to a third party?

Perhaps this could be a question added to the

forthcoming licensing email!

boaters’

Incident report

Lastly, a colleague recently had an accident caused by an overhanging branch at a lock; fortunately there was a first aider nearby and a fisherman kindly took him to hospital. CRT were called and were excellent in removing the offending branch and helping the boat to a safe mooring and organising a temporary overstay.

However we discovered there is no standard incident form that can be completed on line, only a PDF to download.

I appreciate you can call or email but we wondered how many incidents go unreported by the boater or unrecorded

by CRT. Hopefully after some discussion this is being rectified in the near future.

Happy boating.

One of my liveaboard Turkish Van swimming cats watching the ducks – from a safe distance!

If you have a suitable photo or anecdote we can share with our readers, please send it to Towpath Talk, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR or email: editorial @towpathtalk.co.uk And don’t forget you can also follow us on Twitter @towpathtalk and on Facebook

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