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Issue 130, August 2016
Brolly good show!
P10
HETTY RETURNS TO HER BIRTHPLACE P12
FAB TO BE BACK AT MIDDLEWICH P13 LOTS MORE BOATS AT LYMM P17
Canal & River Trust chief executive Richard Parry shelters Alice Lapworth of the Friends of Raymond as she steers the butty in the opening parade at the Braunston Historic Boat Rally. Full report and pictures on P4. PHOTO: PAUL BENNETT
Revised HS2 route is good and bad news for canal restoration plans THE impact on canals and restoration schemes in the South Yorkshire area has been highlighted following the announcement of a revised route for HS2 (High Speed Two) in the Sheffield area.
BOAT REVIEW: FINE FOR THE LARGE FAMILY P64
Rebuilding bridges
A ‘classic compatible’ spur or loop via Chesterfield into the Midland Mainline route through Chesterfield and Sheffield would allow the main line route to run further to the east before
Legacy for projects
THE Aire & Calder Navigation has been reopened to boat movements at Elland Bridge as work continues to rebuild the Grade II listed structure damaged in the winter floods. This reinstated an important link for boaters between the Rochdale Canal and the rest of the waterway network. A temporary footbridge will remain in place throughout the works. Similar works have also been taking place at nearby Crowther Bridge and it is hoped that both bridges will be available for use before the end of the year.
273 BOATS FOR SALEP19 Starts on
FOLLOWING a bequest from former IWA consultant engineer and trustee, Tony Harrison, IWA has announced a new fund which waterway projects around the country will be able to bid for. Tony, who was an expert in hydraulics and hydrology in his professional life, served on IWA’s Restoration Committee for 20 years and chaired it for five years. IWA intends that his legacy will continue by inviting waterway projects to bid for the £200,000 that Tony bequeathed to the association. Applications can be for any amount up to £200,000 and there could be more than one recipient.
More locations, more choice Stourport Marina Tel 01299 827 082
Racecourse Marina, Windsor
Stourport on Severn
Tel 01753 851 717
River Thames, Windsor
Thames & Kennet Marina
Walton Marina
Tel 01932 221 689
Boat sales at seven Marinas with over 150 boats for sale
Visit:
www.tingdene.net
Upton Marina
Tel 01684 593 111 Upton upon Severn
Walton on Thames
Brundall Bay Marina
Tel 01189 477 770
River Thames, Caversham
Tel 01603 717 804
Pyrford Marina
Tel 01932 343 275 River Wey, Surrey
turning to Leeds and could provide a more direct and cheaper route to the north. Although this has been described as good news by Chesterfield Canal Trust
Norfolk Broads
for its restoration scheme at Staveley, the bad news is that ‘a new area of blight’ would be created next to the historically important flight of locks at Norwood. • Continued on page 2
International awards
SCOTTISH Canals has launched the first World Canals Awards open to international projects. Four awards are up for grabs: Innovation for groundbreaking canal-based projects; Leadership recognising businesses, voluntary organisations or charities that are using the waterways to drive regeneration; Guardian celebrating work to safeguard waterways heritage and Pioneer for projects which are growing tourism or creating sustainable income streams. The deadline for submissions is August 19 and winners will be announced at the World Canals Conference in Inverness from September 19-22. https:// wccscotland.com/awards
8 NETWORKING
SOCIETY NEWS Double dock
FOLLOWING a protracted application process, the Melton & Oakham Waterways Society has now received planning permission for a double boat dock. MOWS has also drawn up an action plan to assess feasibility and gain support for the restoration of the first part of the Melton Mowbray Navigation from the junction to the Gate Hangs Well pub. (MOWS newsletter, summer 2016)
Ledbury line
A NEW partnership is planned on the line of the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal north of Ledbury. Bloor Homes has unveiled plans to build 625 homes including a half mile of canal along the western side. A diversion is proposed around the outside of the bypass through the waterside park and along the River Leadon corridor. (The Wharfinger, summer 2016)
Birthday party
BADSEY, Angel and Aldgate are inviting all their siblings, delivered by Harland & Wolfe in September 1936, to their 80th birthday party at Hillmorton Locks on Friday, September 8. There will be live music and real ale, further information from canalchef@talktalk.net (HNBC Newsletter, 2016/2)
Trent traffic
FREIGHT traffic could resume on the River Trent if plans for aggregate extraction at Shelford near Gunthorpe get the go-ahead in the next couple of years. If approved this would permit up to 180,000 tonnes a year to be taken by barge to Colwick near Nottingham. (CBOA News, spring/ summer 2016).
Lost boathouse
THE old boathouse by Town Lock in Becket’s Park, Northampton – site of last year’s IWA Festival of Water – has been demolished as part of work to construct a new pedestrian and cycle bridge linking the town centre with the university’s Waterside Campus. (Endeavour, May 2016)
Friends salute Brian
THE Friends of the Cromford Canal have congratulated their president Brian Blessed who was recently awarded an OBE for services to the Arts and Charity in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Digging again
EREWASH Canal Preservation & Development Association volunteers will be digging again on the Langley Mill end of the Cromford Canal following restoration of its 3RB excavator. (Erewash Outlook, summer 2016)
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Canal books feature in annual awards
Red Wheel award celebrates Crofton’s heritage
By Harry Arnold
AT THE recent presentation of the Railway & Canal Historical Society (RCHS) annual book awards – the society’s AGM weekend – the final award of the evening, for Popular Transport Book of the Year, went to Shropshire Union Fly-Boats: the Jack Roberts Story.
Celebrating the award of the Transport Trust Red Wheel are, from left: Rob Dean, chairman of Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, Peter Stone, trustee of the Transport Trust; Peter Turvey, chairman of Crofton branch KACT; David Bruce, president KACT and Jon Willis, former Crofton branch chairman. PHOTOS: KACT CROFTON Beam Engine, one of the most important industrial revolution sites in England, has been awarded a prestigious Red Wheel by the Transport Trust. The site on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Marlborough is maintained and operated by 30 active volunteers, some of whom have been volunteering for more than 40 years. Former chairman Jon Willis welcomed guests from both the Transport Trust and the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust before Transport Trust trustee Peter Stone unveiled the plaque. Thanking everyone, Crofton’s present
chairman, Peter Turvey said: “It is fantastic to have the work of all our volunteers, past and present, honoured by this award. “We want to improve how we help visitors interpret Crofton, a piece of the Industrial Revolution dropped into the beautiful Wiltshire countryside, improve the information they take away with them, and continue our work here to ensure that we can pass on this heritage to future generations.” It was also a pleasure to welcome back Phil Harding of the Channel 4 series Time Team, who is Crofton’s patron and a regular visitor.
Birthday challenge along the towpaths By Geoff Wood
A PLUCKY walker with a disability will be stepping out in a big way on a circular walk around the canal towpaths of the South Pennines. Frank Carter will celebrate his 70th birthday with a 70-mile walk designed to raise awareness and funding for the Alzheimer’s Society which gives support and provides research for people suffering from dementia and their families. His walk will start from Huddersfield on Saturday, September 3 and despite suffering with an arthritic knee, Frank hopes to complete the walk in seven to 10 days. The route will take Frank along the Huddersfield Broad Canal to Cooper Bridge. Then it will be along the Calder and Hebble Navigation to Sowerby Bridge. The Rochdale Canal will take up the story as far as Castlefield, Manchester before Frank heads back along the Ashton Canal to Ashton-under-Lyne. And then the Huddersfield Narrow Canal will take him back to the start. Anyone who would like to sponsor Frank can get more information on https:// www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Frank-Carter1
Narrow Boat Trust mourns loss of president MEMBERS of the Narrow Boat Trust have been saddened by the recent death of its president, Tom Henshaw, at the age of 88. He was instrumental in setting up the trust in 1970 as a direct result of the Ashby Canal Association’s determination to continue coal carrying between Snarestone and Croxley Mill. This became a reality when the ACA sent a boatload of coal on a trial run to a coal merchant at the Guilford National Rally using nb Jaguar. Tom’s discussions with various
people, including Graham Palmer and Nick Grazebrook, in the beer tent and in Tom’s words “as alcohol took over from logic”, it was decided to form the Narrow Boat Trust and the rest, as they say, is history. Tom was also president of the Ashby Canal Association and was considered to be one of the grandfathers of the prepacked coal trade on the canals. Members’ thoughts are with his family, particularly his daughter Lesley at this time.
Jack Roberts’ daughter Freda Weyman receives the Popular Transport Book of the Year Award from RCHS president Graham Wild. PHOTOS: RCHS
Jack wrote his recollections in the 1960s but they were only published in 2015 by the Canal Bookshop, Audlem Mill; working with a group from the Shropshire Union Fly-boat Restoration Society (SUFBRS) and his family. Jack’s daughter, Freda Weyman, received the certificate and a cheque for £300 on behalf of Jack’s family, which was donated to SUFBRS. The Canal Book of the Year was awarded to Tom Foxon’s Trent and Mersey Canal: trade & transport 1770-1970, published by Black Dwarf Lightmoor. Tom also received his certificate and cheque for £300 from RCHS president Graham Wild.
Canal Book of the Year winner Tom Foxon, right, with Graham Wild.
Public meeting to discuss canal future THE Friends of the Cromford Canal (FCC) have commissioned a small local company, Coles Baxter Associates, to carry out an economic development study on the southern Cromford Canal. Public views will be sought on the proposals at Ironville Church Hall NG15 5NN on Saturday, August 13 from 10am until 6pm. It is important that all views are considered on how the canal corridor could be developed and enhanced by the restoration of the canal. The study’s objectives are to: • Set out a range of options for economic development along the canal corridor. • Investigate potential waterway and non-waterway development opportunities. • Identify both waterway and non- waterway business opportunities. • Ascertain the potential local, regional and national audience (users) for the waterway and seek to quantify likely engagement. • Examine the development of income streams to make the waterway sustainable. • Explore the economic and social benefits which would result from each option for development.
Summer shows keep society busy THE Derby and Sandiacre Canal Society enjoyed a very busy month in June, attending three shows, Hayworth Park in Sandiacre, the Chellaston Show and the Spondon Day. All of the shows attracted new members and sales of merchandise are going well. All this is helping to fund the ongoing aim to restore the canal to its former glory. Also in June the society held its annual walk along a stretch of the canal. This year it was held at Sandiacre, the area where work will soon start on digging out the lock that joins the Erewash Canal. It was a damp evening, but well supported! Work is also going on to start restoring water to two areas on the
Some of the working party at Borrowash Bottom Lock clearing the stone work for restoration evaluation. PHOTO SUPPLIED stretch and working parties continued at Sandiacre, Borrowash and Draycott in June. To keep updated visit: www. derbycanal.org.uk
TV star visits canal project and unveils milepost
The refurbished BCN milepost unveiled by David Suchet, centre, with, on the right, Wall Parish Council chairman Coun John Crowe and Brenda Ward of the BCNS. Also pictured, left, are LHCRT chairman David Dixon and Peter Buck.
POIROT star David Suchet recently unveiled a newly refurbished Boundary Post alongside the Lichfield Canal. A vice-president of Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust, he unveiled the post during a visit to see the trust’s progress and the challenges which lie ahead. David and his wife, Sheila, met volunteers along with Coun Robert Yardley, Sheriff of Lichfield; Coun Sheelagh James, Mayor of Lichfield and Coun David Salter, chairman of Lichfield District Council. They were shown the great progress since the Suchets’ last visit 10 years ago at Borrowcop Locks Canal Park and Darnford Park in Lichfield, and at Crane Brook near Brownhills, close to
the aqueduct which his appeal helped to fund back in 2003. To complete the tour, David unveiled the refurbished Birmingham Canal Navigation (BCN) boundary post beside the Walsall Road at the Boat Inn which had been donated by John Crowe, chairman of Wall Parish Council. The post was one of many which once lined the edges of the BCN marking the canal company boundary. David said: “I’m astonished by the progress LHCRT have made since my last visit. The work and dedication of the volunteers is wonderful to see. I will continue to do all I can to help the canals be put back to their former glory.”
David Suchet, centre, with the work party volunteers.PHOTOS: LHCRT LHCRT chairman, David Dixon, said: “We were delighted to welcome David and Sheila Suchet back to Lichfield. “Their support has contributed much to our success so far, and we look forward to continuing our close relationship in the future.”
10 COMMUNITY BOATING
Another success for Ethel
Derek Stansfield, director of training for the National Community Boating Association, continues his series of articles illustrating the diversity of the NCBA. Following his feature in the June issue on the work of long-standing member the Ethel Trust, he brings us a case study.
James Tranter operating the lock gates. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
SOME of you may have enjoyed reading my recent article when the very successful work done by the Ethel Trust in South Yorkshire was outlined in some detail. In particular the wonderful and touching achievements of its outstanding un-Locking Confidence Project, delivered to learning-disabled and disabled children, young people and young adults between the ages of four and 25, on board its fully accessible, purpose-built,
Leeds & Liverpool length barge Ethel. The Ethel Trust is proud to offer its young users the amazing opportunity of day, and ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) accredited team and confidence building residential courses free of charge. It can only manage this having built a reputation of delivering with empathy and safety, working closely with learning and care professionals
to ensure that everyone gets the best experience, according to their needs and ability. This reputation has been recognised locally and nationally by philanthropic groups and individuals who take part in this success through giving. A much-needed planned repaint had to be postponed through bad weather during the difficult winter of 2015-16. There was also the misfortune of Christmas flooding to the River
Aire at Castleford together with missing the opportunity to lock through the Tinsley Flight into Sheffield, with Canal & River Trust works to the ageing locks. It began to look like the Ethel Trust’s spring programme of day trips, offered to mainly Sheffield and Rotherham disabled youngsters, would be in jeopardy. At this point friends at CRT came to the rescue, giving temporary permission for the un-Locking Confidence Project to work out of Rotherham town centre with a safe mooring at the Eastwood Marina. Over 300 youngsters are now grateful, happy and with abiding memories thanks to all involved. Conscious of the need to introduce the outstanding South Yorkshire waterways to as many people as possible, last year the Ethel Trust developed the first three-day residential for autistic young people from Sheffield to Thorne, an outstanding and memorable success for pupils and staff at Bents Green Special School, Sheffield. This year the guys at Ethel wanted to repeat that success, even though the journey needed to be shorter with the group being collected by the barge outside Rotherham railway station.
Case study
I am sure that Towpath Talk readers will enjoy reading a case study, written after the threeday residential from Rotherham to Thorne by Roger Simmons, staff member from Bents Green
Bents Green post-16 students with the Ethel crew
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Help us find our 2016 winner! Recognising all those unsung heroes who go that extra mile for their waterway organisation, Towpath Talk recently awarded its inaugural Volunteer of the Year award.
Now the hunt is on for contenders for the 2016 title and we are asking readers to nominate anyone who they think would be a worthy winner. From the Waterway Recovery Group which tackles major construction and restoration projects to the individual who cares for his or her ‘own patch’ of towpath, thousands of unpaid hours are contributed each year. THE WINNER will receive a boating holiday worth £1500, courtesy of ABC Boat Hire Holidays! The Volunteer of the Year will have 14 fantastic locations to choose from – which is the perfect reward for all their hard work! Nominations must be in by 31st October, 2016. Fill in the form or visit www.towpathtalk.co.uk and nominate your hero today!
Nominate your hero today! About the person you are nominating:
By Geoff Wood
A CENTURY-old wooden boat which has been lovingly restored is cruising the waterways around the North West taking emotionally disabled passengers on health-giving holidays. Already, Hazel – restored by the Wooden Boat Society of Ashtonunder-Lyne, Greater Manchester, –has taken passengers who have suffered mental health problems to Ellesmere Port and the National Boat Museum. More recently, the 68ft narrowboat was towed to the Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival with passengers on board and now has the nickname of ‘the wellbeing boat’.
Team manager and skipper Chris Leah said: “We are getting very good vibes from the boat trips. Everyone who has come with us has said they have had a good time. “But there are a few, who because of their condition and a loss of confidence, have dropped out at the last minute. So the books are open for more people to join either for day trips or longer excursions.” Chris Leah was named in 2014 as the winner of the Marsh Volunteer Award, particularly for his work on Hazel. The award recognises those who have made a valuable contribution to the conservation or operation of historic vessels in
Why they deserve this award................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................
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Special School; and the impact on one young pupil, James Tranter. From May 11-13, 2016, seven students and two staff from the Post 16 section of Bents Green School in Sheffield took part in a three-day residential cruise on board the community barge, Ethel. Post-16 students have been involved in similar residentials over the past four years and for the last two years have helped Ethel in her annual trip from Sheffield to Thorne to begin her summer programme of trips. “Some of our students are more able than others,” said Roger, “but the Ethel crew are very experienced and soon have all the students involved to the best of their ability.” One student who got particular benefit from the residential was James Tranter. As well as opening locks and bridges and steering Ethel, he showed a keen fascination in everything to do with the barge and was never short of a question. “We love having young people whoshowakeeninterest,” saidcrew member Tim Miskell, “it shows the value of the ‘Ethel experience’ to these young people.” ThebenefitJamesreceivedfrom the experience was reinforced by his mum who commented: “He told us how much he enjoyed it when he got home.” So another successful residential for the Ethel/Bents Green team! Here’s looking forward to the trip in 2017.
The wellbeing boat welcomes its first passengers
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Terms and conditions apply. For full terms and conditions, please see www.towpathtalk.co.uk By completing this form you are allowing Mortons Media Group Ltd to contact you and the nominee regarding the Towpath Talk Volunteer of the Year project.
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Hazel at Middlewich FAB Festival. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON
Skipper Chris Leah takes the tiller. PHOTO: GEOFF WOOD the UK and is also an opportunity to thank volunteers. Built in 1913 at Runcorn, Hazel was donated to the Wooden Canal Boat Society in 1988 and was in a parlous state. But four years ago, a major restoration began which cost £140,000, backed by a substantial grant from Tameside Council. This work galvanised a team of volunteers aided by some boat experts. But they continued to work and Hazel was eventually finished earlier this year. The then Mayor of Tameside, Coun Vincent Ricci, came on board to cut a tape and officially launch the project. The intention was always to use Hazel to give those recovering from mental health problems a break. And now she is under way helping to aid better health for all those who sail in her.
● Anyone interested in joining the trips on board Hazel can ring 07860 944 969 or email hazelthewellbeingboat@gmail.com Sponsors are also sought, contributions starting at £28 per year.
BUSINESS NEWS 63
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Boat Review Products & Reviews What’s on
Construction starts at Dunchurch Pools Marina
Assuming the British weather allows earthworks to complete on time, we plan to hold open days in the autumn and expect to open the marina in spring 2017.” The natural form will sit comfortably in its parkland setting, while the design allows for easy navigation and generous manoeuvring space. The location, at the centre of the three junctions (Napton, Braunston and Norton), offers plentiful cruising options and is easily accessible by road, rail and bus. www.dunchurchpoolsmarina.co.uk
It’s Wigrams Turn to look smart as new facilities are finished NEW moorers’ facilities have been completed at Wigrams Turn Marina, near Rugby, at the junction of the Grand Union and Oxford Canals. Moorers at Wigrams Turn can now benefit from a new lounge with a large flat screen TV, comfy sofas, tea and coffee facilities and views over the marina. In addition the laundry now has three dryers, three washers and a sink while the ladies’ and gents’ washrooms each have three individual wet rooms with shower, toilet and sink. Marina manager Steve Chapman said: “We are really pleased with the result and we have already had fantastic feedback from our customers so it is obvious they see it as a real added benefit. Work on the second phase which includes easy access shower facilities will follow soon.” Steve was recently appointed as manager in one of two internal promotions
LEFT: One of the new wetrooms. within to our marina manager vacancies. It shows what fantastic and committed staff we have throughout Castle Marinas Ltd.” www.castlemarinas.co.uk
By Kevin Thomas
Caen Hill Marina manager Mike Garforth adds the finishing touches to the motorbike parking bays he’s installed at the marina.
AS ONE comes through the security gates at Caen Hill Marina near Devizes a new development has now been completed. Marina manager Mike Garforth decided to create a more uniform and centralised motorbike parking area. Moorers soon became familiar with the sight of him initially toiling away with pick, shovel and wheelbarrow and later electric tools at the side of the road near the entrance gate. The end result is a set of six bays for motorbike owners to park their bikes in. They are dry, and their very design allows for water to quickly drain away when it rains.
Fred Cole of International Paints awarding John Barnard their first Certificate of Craftmanship. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Dean Fuller of Epifanes presents their Certificate of Craftsmanship to John Barnard. ● To learn more about the John Barnard painting system, search John Barnard on YouTube, email John directly, john@johnbarnard.biz, visit the website at www.johnbarnard. biz or phone 07598 865684
A year’s free boating for lucky winner
The lounge with its comfy sofas and flat screen TV. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Caen Hill Marina gets motorcycle bays
PHOTO: KEVIN THOMAS
BOAT painter John Barnard, of Debdale Wharf, Leicestershire, recently scored a double by being awarded Certificates of Craftsmanship from both Epifanes and International Paints. Both companies had been so impressed by John’s scientific approach and rigorous attention to detail that they decided to introduce awards in order to encourage other painters to follow his example. As John explained: “We’ve always championed a painting system that adheres as closely as possible to the paint manufacturer’s requirements and it’s great to receive recognition from two of the largest out there. “It might seem like obvious stuff, but paying close attention to things like ventilation, temperature and humidity can make a huge difference to the quality of the finished job.” Professional boat painters interested in receiving similar recognition should contact their local paint company representatives. Both International and Epifanes now have assessment programmes based on John’s example and are keen to encourage other painters to follow his lead. DIY painters also get the chance to benefit from John’s experience through his series of YouTube videos or by attending one of his popular painting courses organised through the Narrowboat Skills Centre.
MIKE Schofield from Lytham St Anne’s, Lancashire, is the lucky winner of a year’s free boating, worth £4500, courtesy of British Waterways Marinas Ltd (BWML).
which also saw Ben Dalley become manager of Nottingham Castle Marina. Operations director Mike Braidley said: “We are extremely pleased that we have been able to promote from
P70 P72 P74
Double award for Debdale boat painter
Managing director Joe Oliver breaks the ground for the new marina, supported by main contractor (Land & Water Services Ltd), earthworkers (AJ Morris Ltd) and members of the design team. PHOTO SUPPLIED
WORK has begun on the construction of Dunchurch Pools Marina on the Oxford Canal north of Braunston Junction. The marina has been designed by the architects responsible for the Eden Project in Cornwall, working in partnership with the landscape architects who created the most recent Wetland & Wildfowl Trust nature reserves. Managing director Joe Oliver said: “We are all very excited to start construction after many years making sure the design is absolutely right.
P64 Technical P65 Food & Drink P66 Boats & Gardens
Richard Parry and Rod Grant draw the winning ticket. PHOTO: BWML
The winning ticket was drawn from 1990 entrants by Richard Parry, chief executive officer of the Canal & River Trust and Rod Grant, head of retail for BWML. BWML launched the competition at this year’s Crick Boat Show to mark its 10th year of supporting the event. Mr Schofield will receive 12 months’ leisure mooring at a BWML marina worth up to £3000, a boat licence fee to the value of £1000, one year’s boat insurance to the value of £300, and a chandlery/diesel voucher worth £200 – or a cash prize of £2000. Rod Grant said: “As a long-term supporter of the Crick Boat Show, we were especially pleased to be closely involved this year, and to offer a prize that will give Mr Schofield the opportunity to experience the delights of life on our inland waterway network.”
White Mills welcomes first boat for sale WHITE Mills Marina, which opened earlier this year near Earls Barton in Northamptonshire, has welcomed its first brokerage boat Jersey Lily. The marina has teamed up with Boatfinder Brokerage Services to sell narrowboats and widebeams. Land and Water have been back on site building a bridge for the footpath along the River Nene which should be open by the marina’s next open day on Sunday, August 7. White Mills will also be waving the Nene Valley flag when Destination Nene Valley holds its annual festival between September 17 and 25. A special open day will take place on Sunday, September 18 featuring canal art, crocheting, spinning and a variety of other stalls. Please email info@whitemillsmarina.co.uk or call 01604 812057 if you are interested in having a stand at the event.
Assembling the new bridge at White Mills Marina. PHOTO SUPPLIED
REVIEWS 65
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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
Social history in a Staffordshire village Reviewer: Harry Arnold
Short mesh sports gloves give grip for a variety of activities including watersports, fishing and cycling. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Getting to grips with MacWet DESCRIBED as ‘all grip, no slip’, MacWet are technologically advanced gloves, performing just as well when wet as when dry. The breathable, all-purpose sports gloves offer a comfortable fit with short or long cuff ranges in a Micromesh or warming Climatec glove. The Aquatec fabric responds to moisture and climate change, giving maximum grip, sensitivity, feel and comfort at all times, no matter how wet or humid. MacWet products are currently being used in 35 varied sports requiring grip in a variety of weather conditions. Any moisture on the skin is wicked to the outside of the material as a result of the breathable palm fabric. The moisture is then used to increase grip, therefore, regardless of humidity, perspiration or precipitation, comfort and grip are never compromised. In use, MacWet gloves dry naturally
within 5-10 minutes, adjusting to the climate, keeping grip and sensitivity consistent. A range of 14 sizes allows you to find a glove that fits like a second skin, allowing for fine adjustment of equipment without the need to remove the gloves. MacWet’s original mesh glove is available in six different colours and has been specifically designed to aid circulation around the hand. The Climatec glove range is available in four different colours and offers protection from the elements. The fleece-lined material increases the warmth and comfort of the glove. We tried the Micromesh long cuff gloves while training for a longdistance walk in all conditions and found them light and comfortable while keeping the chill away. For details of products and prices visit www.macwet.com
New life for old lock gate as heirloom table BUILT from English oak salvaged from a former lock gate on the Kennet & Avon Canal, Kennedy Woods Architecture has designed a table that, ‘like a worn-in blazer, would increase in quality with the markings of alcohol and patina of age’, from a timber that has spent many years ‘in the drink’. It was commissioned as a one-off memorial piece for the customer’s late grandmother. She was the centre of the family, and when she passed away the decision was made to invest in a lasting object that would bring the whole family together the way she did – one that could be passed on from generation to generation. The brief was for a modern take on the hand-me-down ‘farmhouse’ table; a weighty and massive piece of solid wood furniture to seat 18, that could be roughly handled, unafraid of bumps and bruises, and able to collect stories and memories on its surface. For this reason Kennedy Woods chose to work with a reclaimed timber, which would have an immediate character and history from day one. Specially sourced timber was chosen for its unique tonal quality: A blend between English oak’s natural pale straw hue, and an inky black-blue pigmentation formed by chemical reactions within the woods tannins, a memory of its exposure to iron bolts and water during its former life – and it was carefully machined so that the scars of tenon joints and bolt holes of the lock gate were deliberately
left expressed to tell the story of its former life. The main technical challenge in the project was working with such a ‘live’ timber. Having spent so long underwater the oak was completely saturated, and required almost a year of drying time, first outside, and then inside a pig-barn that had been converted into a kiln. Once dried enough to start working, huge distortions had to first be regularised, and later bow-tie joints were inlaid into the top to stop cracks opening up in the surface of the table, while also providing a decorative effect. Kennedy Woods worked closely with Jan Hendzel, a South London-based carpenter, to ensure a high level of craftsmanship in the finished piece. Modern compound geometries used in the legs and crossbars are offset with traditional carpentry techniques, such as foxtail wedged mortice and tenons, using ipe (South American timber) wedges to splay and bind the joints to avoid the need for gluing. Two benches were designed to complement the table, as a less formal alternative to dining chairs, and to maintain a clean and minimal silhouette. The furniture was commissioned as a one-off, bespoke piece and is not for sale. However the makers do have access to more of the wood and are happy to create commissioned pieces for anyone interested. For enquiries about similar projects please contact: hello@kennedywoods.co.uk
AS THE publicised theme of A Rural Revolution, The History of a Staffordshire Family and Their Village is the story of a family involved in boating moving from Cheshire to Staffordshire – something which my family did – I approached reading it with some enthusiasm. Another factor being that I know what are collectively called ‘the Haywoods’ (the villages of Little and Great Haywood and Colwich) very well; I even have friends who live there. In waterway terms it also held great promise as it traces the history of the Sproston family from being boatbuilders and boatmen in the Middlewich area in the 1760s though to them moving into Staffordshire and becoming innkeepers/landlords of a canalside pub in Haywood. Perhaps I was misled, as the author does say: “This book offers an alternative model for presenting both local history and the broader history of one of the greatest periods of economic and social change that our ancestors lived through.” So in effect the author uses the genealogy of the Sproston family in little more detail than family researchers can extract from census records and contemporary newspapers to place their lives in the wider history of the industrial revolution in Britain, a period covered in more detail in many other books. The three villages were seriously affected in this period by being in effect spread along main arteries of transport; each subsequently following the favourable geography of the valley of the River Trent. First the main road south – so Little Haywood was a coaching stop – then the Trent & Mersey Canal, to be superseded by the railway. Fortunately the road has now been bypassed but the latter two are still very busy.
So in the terms of local history – although well written – the book did not come up to my expectations. Among his historical sources, on the canal the author quotes ‘British Waterways pamphlet, Trent & Mersey Canal undated and on railways, a popular TV programme. Quite astounding in considering the amount of mater y published, plus unpublished archive material in local and national records on transport in the Haywood area. Also, much can be gleaned from the village’s history by just standing and studying the structures. One feels that the author has never contemplated the beauty of the arch of the well-known Great Haywood Junction Bridge. Most of the sites referred to in the book can still be seen. The Navigation Inn, which lost its licence in 1912, still stands in a beautifully kept private residential building group by T&M Bridge 72. There are a few good historical illustrations including a great one of working boats in the village; but again quite a few more photographs exist. So if you want an account of how a rural village is affected by wider national issues, such as elementary education, trade unions and women’s rights, this book may be for you. As a Staffordshire waterway enthusiast I did find it rather unsatisfying on the local transport history aspect and was somewhat irritated to see a family of skilled boatbuilders described on the cover as ‘itinerant boatpeople’. A Rural Revolution by David R Roberts is published by Troubadour Publishing Ltd in softback, priced £13.95. ISBN: 978-1-78462-520-7
The men who constructed Britain’s canals Reviewer: Robert Davies
ANTHONY Burton is an author and broadcaster who has specialised mainly in industrial and transport history. The Canal Builders was his first book within this sphere and was first published in 1972. It has been in print ever since, and is now republished in a new fifth edition. Overall he has written some 70 books on canals, railways, shipping and various other industries as well as biographies of some of the key figures – Josiah Wedgwood, Thomas Telford and Richard Trevithick. This book has been meticulously researched, a painstaking task in the pre-internet ‘70s. It begins in the middle of the 18th century, continuing through to the early 19th century when we witnessed the beginning of the railway age. The original text has been revised and improved utilising new archival material. The 16 chapters of the book are divided into three parts. Part 1: Promoters and Financiers, covering the very beginning of canals, chapter 2 of this part is dedicated to the Duke of Bridgewater, described as the ‘Father of Canals’. The following four chapters deal with the promoters such as Josiah Wedgwood and the opposition, which emanated mainly from the river navigations. This opposition extended into the chapter on Parliament when the necessary Bill received a somewhat stormy passage. This part concludes with the essential ingredient – raising the money. Part 2: Engineers and Administrators, moves on to describe the building of a canal. James Brindley, the first canal engineer, deservedly has his own chapter, as does Thomas Telford. Another chapter is devoted to the role of the chief engineer who drew up the plans and specifications for a canal and also a chapter on the role of the resident engineer, who was responsible for bringing the plans to fruition. The final chapter
of this part explains how the canal wa managed, with a committee keeping an overview and a ‘secretary’ and his staff administering the day-to-day handling of affairs. Part 3: The Workers, tells us about the navvy, a remarkable man considering all he had to work with was a pick, shovel and a wheelbarrow. Initially, on the Bridgewater, the navvies were part-time untrained labourers, who had no notion of becoming long-term canal builders. Also featured are the contractors who formed a link between the company and the workers. They hired, paid and fired them. They sourced the skilled workers – bricklayers, masons, carpenters etc. and the canal cutters (navvies). Men at Work details the methods and specifics of the actual construction work. The author concludes with a chapter that takes a brief look through the eyes of a variety of gongoozlers. In the 18th and 19th centuries they were very little different from today’s breed. Curiosity dictated that when a group of men were found at work, another group of curious spectators could be found standing and watching. Nowadays large city construction projects contain ‘windows’ in the hoarding to facilitate public viewing! This book is a definitive work covering the subject of canal builders in great detail, supplemented with a number of illustrations – pen and ink sketches, drawings and black and white photographs. It is hardback and extends to 196 pages. It is probably not a book for the casual observer but a very useful reference book for serious canal historians. The Canal Builders by Anthony Burton is published by and available from Pen & Sword Books Ltd, £19.99 plus £4 p& but currently reduced to £15.99, www.pen-and-sword.co.uk ISBN: 978-1-47384-372-1
Time tells of Telford’s triumphs Reviewer: Kathryn Smith
Thomas Telford Through Time, John Christopher’s highly illustrated book on Thomas Telford’s achievements condenses the passage of centuries as we view his great works, then and now, through a combination of old and new photographs, illustrations, diagrams and post cards. The author expresses his intention to document the work’s “history, their architecture… changes… and something of the day-to-day life of these structures.” Over the 96 pages, many of which contain multiple images, the book offers different perspectives on works such as the two great aqueducts on the Llangollen Canal using 17th century cross-sectional plans, illustrations and contemporary photographs. Telford’s work extended way beyond the waterways and over the eight chapters the book documents his early and late works, road building, Scottish schemes, bridges, harbours and docks. While the chapter divisions can seem a little forced at times the book gives a broad flavour of his achievements, inspiring
those with specific interests to delve a little deeper into his work. Even the casual reader wil find themselves marvelling at the audacious way Telford forced his vision across inhospitable terrain, from the Caledonian Canal slashing a route across Scotland to the more diminutive, but no less impressive, bridge at Invermoriston fused on to the natural rock that spans the falls below. This is by no means a comprehensive biographical account or technical guide to Telford’s work but through its use of clear well-printed images, backed up by incisive and well-researched captions and text, it offers an interesting and very accessible introduction into the achievements of one of our great engineers. Thomas Telford Through Time by John Christopher is published by Amberley (paperback, 96 pages, £14.99) and is available from www.amberley-books.com ISBN: 978-1-4456-5781-3
72 HOLIDAYS/FOOD & DRINK
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K N I R D & D O FO
staurants Canalside pubs & re.. to satisfy all tastes.
Giving beer lovers something to smile about By Janet Richardson
BEER drinkers can enjoy real ale brewed just five minutes’ walk from the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal at Loughborough. Charnwood Brewery is a family business run by Andrew and Andrea Reed and their son George in Jubilee Drive which is just 300 yards from the canal as the crow flies.
Foxy lady: A pint of Vixen, one of the permanent beers.
In charge of brewing the ‘happy’ beer, Andrea learned the trade at Brewster’s Brewing Co Ltd of Grantham, founded by Sara Barton who is also a brewster – the old English term for a female brewer. Business expertise comes from Andrew who was formerly sales director at Bateman’s Brewery at Wainfleet and has been in the licensed trade all his working life. They founded the Charnwood Brewery – which
BOATING
H LIDAYS
Canal breaks and river cruising in the UK, Ireland and Europe
Happy brewers: Andrea and Andrew Reed. PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON
takes its name from the district of Leicestershire – 18 months ago and now supply around 25 local pubs and bars within a 10-mile radius including the Anchor at Kegworth and Pillings Lock Marina at nearby Quorn. The brewery has already won awards including, this year, New Brewery of the Year for 2015-16 at the Castle Rock Beer of the Year Awards and an award for Commercial Achievement from the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA). Customers can taste and buy their beer direct from the brewery shop which opens every day apart from Sunday. Brewery tours can be arranged and a bar also opens on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; for opening hours see the website at www.charnwoodbrewery.co.uk
Gifts for beer lovers in the shop.
Washing down: cleaning the brewing equipment takes seven pints of water for every pint of beer produced. Andrew said: “People on the canal are forever looking for places to visit and the men love traditional beer. There used to be a pub called The Albion nearby but it has now closed and people who stopped there for a drink might be looking for an alternative. We sell five-litre mini kegs which are ideal to take on a boat.” The emphasis is very much on keeping things as local as possible and reducing ‘beer miles’. Malt comes from suppliers in Lincolnshire and Norfolk while half of the hops are grown in Worcestershire, the remainder being imported. Draught beer represents 80-85% of the production and brews include Old School – a traditional bitter, Liska – a lager-style cask beer and IPA and APA ales. Two new beers are introduced every month and August’s monthly specials will be White Fox – a straw-coloured beer with tropical fruit flavours and Hello Sunshine – an easy-drinking summer ale. Other products sold in the shop for local suppliers include cider and gin from the Charnwood district and Pink Fizz from a local vineyard. “We also sell a lot of gifts here,” Andrew added. “It is a ‘go to’ place for women who want to get a present for their other half.” An online shop is also in the pipeline. ● Charnwood Brewery, 22 Jubilee Drive, Loughborough LE11 5XS. Contact 01509 218666, email hello@ charnwoodbrewery.co.uk
110 HERITAGE
Janet Richardson visits the canalside museum which is putting salt on the map. THE Lion Salt Works Museum recently had good cause to celebrate the first year of the new-look attraction with a fistful of prestigious awards under its belt and a shortlisting in the National Lottery Awards. And with more than 50 ‘excellent’ reviews on Trip Advisor UK with comments such as ‘absolutely brilliant’ and ‘fascinating insight’, it has certainly captured visitors’ imaginations. Formerly a ‘jumbled mess of buildings’ besides the Trent & Mersey Canal at Marston on the outskirts of Northwich, the site has been transformed with the help of a £5 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund matched by Cheshire West & Chester Council and its funding partners.
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Now as you drive into the landscaped car park, the former Red Lion Inn, reception building and play area help to combine past and present while not detracting from its Scheduled Ancient Monument status. With the added attraction of its own moorings, the museum has been embraced not only by visiting boaters but by the local community, many of whom still remember its working days, production ceasing in 1986. For a long time the site was completely derelict and was bought by the local council. The Lion Salt Works Trust was formed to operate the museum and act as fundraiser for the ambitious restoration scheme which was completed in 2015 with the official reopening taking place on June 5. Telling the story of salt, it is now one of the West Cheshire Museums whose learning development officer Kate Harland said it has also inspired local
people to tell their own stories and share their memories of working there. One 88-year-old visitor had commented on its accurate portrayal saying it was true to how she remembered it. “Traditionally people come to museums to look and learn. Here we find visitors want to tell their own stories,” she explained. “People are inspired by the site such as the volunteers who are staging an exhibition about people of this immediate area and their contribution from 1914-18.” Interviews are currently being transcribed as part of an oral history project and it is also hoped to further explore the links with the canal and the heritage boats which would have served the works. As well as its salt-producing tradition, Northwich is also famed for boat building and objects from Yarwood’s boatyard are featured in the town’s Weaver Hall Museum.
Learning development officer Kate Harland.
PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED
“Lion Salt Works engages people of different ages,” Kate continued. “We have all sorts of activities during the summer and have a performance and conference area. Last year the whole town was involved in the Heritage Open Day.” This year’s event will take place on Saturday, September 10 when free taster tours will be available from noon. The museum is also on the Saltscape Trail with 22 miles of footpaths, all cyclable, linking it with the Anderton Boat Lift through Northwich Woodlands. The Dragonfly Walk starts from the Anderton Boat Lift and the Orchid Walk from the Lion Salt Works. Interpretation panels at both ends describe how salt shaped the landscape and its transformation from industrial wasteland to wildlife haven.
Salt mining in Northwich
Cheshire’s salt deposits were left by a large tropical lagoon which evaporated in the Triassic Period and left two bands each about 25m deep and separated by 10m of brown marlstone. There were 17 salt works in Marston alone and 50-60 in the Northwich area, the ‘wich’ in the town’s name denoting its salt connections.
Coal-fired pan three on the left with, right, the fuel tank for pan four which was oil-fired.
114 TOWPATH TREASURES
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President
Britain’s last steam-powered narrowboat
At their home base of the Black Country Living Museum.
STEAM engines and riveted wrought iron might seem the stuff of beautifully solid Fred Dibnah-style men, but most historic canal boats have a canny way of defying class and gender when they suck anyone who visits them into their web of intrigue. President is a unique steam-powered narrowboat, built in 1909 by the famous company Fellows, Morton and Clayton at Saltley in Birmingham. She’s a floating statement of power, beauty and nostalgia, and an experience that means something to everyone. When she was first built she cost £600, now she is the priceless treasure owned by the Black Country Living Museum. The museum and the voluntary help of the Friends of President care for and operate the boat which tours the canals and appears at many of the waterways festivals and events every year. In her early years she carried foodstuffs, tea, sugar and flour on the canals between London and the Midlands. Her steam engine puffed tirelessly day and night as crews changed on a rota to keep the boat running to tight delivery schedules. Inside the boatman’s tiny cabin the bed was scarcely needed, and the kettle a mere distraction from the task of the crew. The burly business of haulage, past and present, doesn’t necessarily covet fashion or frills, but narrowboats can’t help but own grace and beauty. President has always commanded respect and the changing times that meddled with her structure have only added to her colourful story. President’s specially developed compound steam engine and coke-fired boiler took up a huge area in the hull that was needed for cargo, but in its time it competed well with horse-drawn boats. Steamers could only carry around 18 tons and a horse
President and Kildare at one of the waterways events they attend during the year. could manage more than 25 tons. The advantage steamers had was that they were powerful enough to tow several butty boats (unpowered boats). So, although steamers were flawed by the cumbersome size of the engine and its boiler, they introduced a new concept of speed and insisted the man-made engine was here to stay. Eventually a magnificent Bolinder engine replaced President’s steam engine. With its new 15hp engine tucked into a much smaller space, President could carry more cargo for the business she was built for. By 1925 she was cruising the canals with the new colours of red, yellow and green, in 1946 she was sold, and later changed hands again to carry coal. Her swansong was her time with British Waterways’
(now Canal & River Trust) northern maintenance fleet at Northwich, working on the Trent & Mersey, Macclesfield and Shropshire Union Canals. Then finally President retired. Her time had been served and she aged without purpose, until she was finally sold in 1973, as no more than a derelict hull. A valiant effort led to her restoration and, with meticulous attention, dedication and passion, her boatman’s cabin was refitted and she was graced with a glorious steam engine that gave her power again. President was back and the eyes of the world came to admire her. When she’s not out and about showing off, she can be found proudly resting together with her butty Kildare at their base at the Black Country Living Museum.
116 WET WEB
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The Wet Web Helen Gazeley finds that weeds do have their uses.
THE wrong plant in the wrong place. Famous though this definition of a weed may be, it’s indisputable that if a weed is growing, it’s found the right place, for itself, if not for us. And plenty of weeds – okay, wildflowers in this context – find their niche along the towpath. What isn’t so obvious is that, if we pay attention, they can tell us quite a lot. An unexpected tale comes from the fig plantation on the banks of the River Don, Sheffield. All the trees are more than 50 years old and, in the 1980s, ecologist Oliver Gilbert connected them to the local steel industry, which once drew water from the Don and returned it heated to more than 20C. The presence of raw sewage accounts for the fig seeds, which germinated in the Mediterranean temperatures provided by the water. Where did the seeds come from? Professor of Environmental Geography Ian Rotherham, in an interview available on his website, suggests fig biscuits. (ianswalkonthewildside.wordpress. com/2016/01/08/river-don-fig-forest). Few weeds are so recognisable as those figs, however. Recently published, Wonderful Weeds by Madeline Harley offers help to the weed-challenged, clearly illustrating nearly 200 plants from seedling to fruiting stage, while the introductory chapters give information on history and plant identification. Madeline lives in Wiltshire and often walks along the Kennet & Avon. “Canal banks are brilliant for botanists,” she says. “Anyone interested should just get off their boat and wander in mid-summer. There’s very rich flora and wonderful insects.” A plant often found by the canal is burdock. “Burdock loves the rich damp of canal banks, and is a really handsome plant. Elsewhere you’ll find hemlock and elder,” says Madeline, who hopes the book will help readers see these plants in
a different light. “Weeds ought to be respected for their tenacity – some of these species are among Britain’s most widespread and longestsurviving wild flowers, predating even agriculture in Europe, let alone gardening and horticulture.” Find more information and page previews at papadakis.net. John Walker's Weeds, published this month, adds to the picture. How often have you seen seedlings starting up from disturbed soil, perhaps by an uprooted tree? Normal, yes, but have you considered that the weeds are actually a ‘living plaster’, healing the damage to the soil? And what might they be saying? “Some weeds,” says John, “only thrive in very specific soil conditions and are often called ‘indicator’ weeds.” Creeping buttercup, for example, indicates moist, poorly drained soil, pineapple weed hard, well-trodden ground and chickweed and borage areas of good fertility. All are illustrated in the book, which identifies 60 common wild plants. Although Weeds is aimed at gardeners seeking an organic approach to weeding, the opening chapters especially will have you viewing these plants as much more than opportunistic invaders of the wayside. Order via www. earthfriendlygardener.net. Finally, for everyone who instinctively sympathises with John’s holistic view and deplores farming’s weed-free monocultures, so often visible from the waterways, Weeds, Guardians of the Soil by Joseph A Cocannouer, written in 1950, casts a fascinating light on how weeds could be the friend rather than the enemy of crops and is available as a free download from soilandhealth.org.
➔ For more information
Do you have a favourite blog or website? Email Helen at helengazeley@aol.com
Heritage trail explores Bath’s secret history
Wonderful Weeds by Madeline Harley, published by Papadakis (www.papadakis.net). £25.
Weeds by John Walker is available at a pre-order price of £14 plus p&p until July 31, and then at £15, via his website (more info at www. earthfriendlygardener.net). As a thank you, all those pre-ordering will have their name printed in the book.
A HERITAGE trail launched this year is encouraging visitors to explore Bath’s secret industrial history along the Kennet & Avon Canal. Created by the Canal & River Trust, it highlights the often forgotten story of Bath’s industrial revolution, guiding visitors along the canal to discover the commercial routes that allowed the city to thrive. The trail begins with the opening of the Kennet & Avon Canal in 1810 – when large, horse-drawn boats transported goods between the busy ports of London and Bristol – and continues to the rise of the Great Western Railway Company in the 1840s. Taking in some of the most spectacular waterway structures in the country along the way – including the Dundas aqueduct – it gives visitors a glimpse into the
hidden networks that brought goods into the city. David Viner, heritage advisor at the Canal & River Trust, said: “It’s easy to forget that alongside the grandeur of The Circus, Bath was also a bustling commercial hub, to which the Kennet & Avon Canal was absolutely central. “Exploring the city’s heritage is a must for any visitor, and with this trail they’ll have the chance to find out how the other half lived as well. On this trail you’ve got the added bonus of going through some wonderful countryside in between aqueducts and pumping stations that were the cutting edge of technology in their day.” The heritage trail booklet is free, and available at various stops along the canal. For more information on the Kennet & Avon Canal, visit: www.canalrivertrust.org.uk.
The Kennet & Avon Canal at Bath. PHOTO: CRT
Tribute to three stalwarts of the waterways DURING recent weeks we have lost three major Midlands waterway campaigners – Bob Clarke, Max Sinclair and Tom Henshaw, writes Harry Arnold. BOB CLARKE was well known to readers of Towpath Talk as a columnist and maj o r contributor. Unlike many waterway writers he was a trained professional journalist. He was born in 1935, lived in Cradley Heath and was a keen member of the cadet corps at King Edward VI school; intending to join the Army. Prevented from doing this by an ear problem and after winning a prize for a school essay he decided to become a journalist; undertaking a three-year apprenticeship with Midland United Newspapers of Dudley. Bob worked as a journalist and editor on newspapers such at the Express & Star, Birmingham Evening Mail, Birmingham Post and Berrows Journal. Bob later worked in public relations for the Midland Electricity Board, being seconded to other organisations like British Waterways, before retiring and concentrating on other writing mainly for waterway publications. He also wrote local history books about the area. Living near the canal, Bob
got involved in the Staffs & Worcs Canal Society, both campaigning and as a boat owner. He was responsible for publicising the famous ‘Battle of Stourbridge’ which not only led to the restoration of the Stourbridge Canal but was a milestone in the history of the national waterway movement leading to a change of attitudes. Bob was also an early campaigner for the Dudley Canal and its tunnel and a publicist for the Dudley Canal Trust. He was forthright in his views but respected by those who were sometimes the butt of these. MAX SINCLAIR was born in Worcester in 1930 and was educated at Worcester Royal Grammar School. He was a national serviceman, becoming an officer in the Royal Engineers, and had a subsequent career in engineering. It was also his hobby, particularly anything steamdriven, and he became a dedicated railway enthusiast; especially for the narrow gauge networks in Wales. He was converted from railways to waterways by being persuaded to first take a canal holiday, then talked into buying a boat by his children. So he became the owner of his first ex-working narrowboat Vesta;
which became well known at events such as the reopening of the Stratford Canal. Max got deeply involved in canal voluntary work and in the late 1950s started campaigning for the restoration of the linked Droitwich canals. The rest, as they say, is history with the reopening of the Droitwich Ring, which Max and his family cruised at last in 2011. He was ‘Mr Droitwich’, being made life vice-president of the Droitwich Canals Trust. Accolades included a Heritage Angel award by the Andrew Lloyd Webber foundation, Transport Trust Lifetime Achievement Award and Honorary Freedom of the Town of Droitwich Spa. TOM HENSHAW Tom was born in Nottingham in 1928 and was an engineer and a national serviceman in the Royal Army Service Corps. He worked his way up through bikes, motor bikes and cars. He was one of the early volunteers from the East Midlands to work on the Stratford and Stourbridge restoration and to be directly involved with the lost campaign to save the Derby Canal. The campaign for the retention of the Erewash Canal was however another success. Tom was also a founding member of the Narrow Boat Trust, see tribute on P8.
118 THE LAST WORD
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CRACKER’S CHAT
More towpath ramblings straight from the horse’s mouth
“Nose to the grindstone, but it ain’t a bad job”
AT THE recent meeting of the Montgomery Canal Forum in Newtown (why didn’t they name the canal after the town it actually went to, like Llangollen?), the representative from the Canal & River Trust outlined the ongoing work from Pryces Bridge to Crickheath. When asked about the still not open section from Redwith Bridge, the oft-repeated stock answer of ‘soon’ was actually replaced by ‘in the next couple of weeks’. So watch this space! Someone actually dared to mention that until the winding hole at Crickheath is reached, nobody can travel along this section anyway. Cue stifled explosive response of “yes we can, because we’ve got a double-ended boat!” I am of course referring to Countess, towed by yours truly. We are now several seasons
into operating our horse-drawn vessel, and it never ceases to amaze us how few people know of our existence, and how even fewer have been able to visit and support us. Without exception, the feedback from customers is glowing, and 100% five-star ratings on TripAdvisor demonstrate this. The reason I get on my high horse is that the restoration of canals is often criticised in hindsight, usually because of lack of use; after years of backbreaking work and a considerable amount of money being spent. We at Bywater set our stall out to practically display the heritage that would be lost if canals such as the Monty were not restored. We purposefully shun the temptation to go all commercial, and deliberately foster an atmosphere of yesteryear, acting as ambassadors for this very special section of canal. I know that all lengths of canal have unique calls on historical importance,
and I wouldn’t claim that ours is any more vital. However, in the space of just a few miles we can show you where Cressy earned her keep working as one of Peate’s boats, after being sold off by the Shropshire Union Canal company; the boatyard where she was converted to steam and where Tom Rolt first set eyes on her and sailed her as a boy. This sort of canal history compares to many life-changing moments; if Newton hadn’t sat underneath that apple tree, he would never have found gravity; if Archimedes hadn’t overfilled his bath, the Pontycysyllte could not have been built; and if buses had not had Oxo written on the side, we would have some very thin gravy! So, my contention is that if L T C Rolt hadn’t visited the Monty and fallen in love with canal boats, then perhaps we would have a lot more dried-up ditches in this country of ours, instead of the wonderful waterways we enjoy.
Limestone trade
The ice breaker in action.
An iced-up section of the Monty.
After all that ranting, let’s go back to Crickheath! The peak of the limestone trade on the Monty was in the 1840s, when over 50,000 tons were carried per annum. Practically all this production came from quarries at Llanymynech, Crickheath Hill and Porth-y-waen. This great activity led to the building of several canalside properties, many of which were at Crickheath Wharf. The following article describes a typical scene that was enacted during particularly hard winters. “About this time, I think it must have been 1880, a great frost set in at the beginning of January and lasted until
A view of the wharf and a canalside cottage from under Crickheath Bridge no 85. PHOTOS SUPPLIED March. The canal was frozen over and blocked. Many boats were icebound and the boatmen and their families were in dire distress for food and fuel, and fodder for the horses and donkeys. I have a vivid recollection of being there when the thaw began and of the tremendous excitement with which the crowd on the bridge and towpath watched the oncoming iceboat as it approached from Rednal way – drawn by eight or 10 horses in single file and manned by a crew of 12 or 14 men – rocking from side to side, crashing through the thick ice, the men uproariously chanting to the swing of the iron-clad boat. They were heard well before they were seen!” Census records show that over the years, in addition to the full-time lengthsmen, several families of canal boatmen had their homes in Crickheath. The coming of the railways, around 1860, marked the beginning of the end of the canal as an industrial waterway. The steady decline was abruptly curtailed
HISTORICAL canal company signs punched well above their weight in a unique auction held on June 19 at the country home of Sir William McAlpine, with some going under the hammer for more than four times their top estimate. The cast iron and enamel signs were part of a collection amassed over 50 years by the late Stuart Furniss and his wife Kath of Sheffield. The couple collected mainly railway signs, but their deep interest in the hobby led to them including canal company signs, of which about half were boundary posts or weight restriction notices. Every one of the 24 canal signs – probably the highest number ever to appear at a single auction – went to new homes, with the star being an LNER Witham Navigation cast iron sign warning against trespass and the throwing of rubbish on the banks, which sold for £680. Next came a North Walsham Canal Co bridge weight sign that went for £540, more than three times its top estimate, followed by a pair that realised £460 each, comprising a Grand Union Canal private towing path enamel sign and a Grand Junction Canal cast iron boundary post. Other boundary post successes included a Shropshire Union Canal example that fetched £440, a similar Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal post at £420 (top estimate was just £100), and a Birmingham Canal Navigation post,£400, no less than five times its top estimate. As bidding in the canal sector became brisk, a Leeds & Liverpool Canal Co cycling and trespass cast iron sign went under the
hammer for £380, a Sharpness New Docks & Gloucester & Birmingham Navigation Co bridge weight notice for £360, and a Shropshire Union Railways & Canal Co bridge weight restriction sign for £320. That realisation of £320 was matched by a Great Northern & Great Eastern Joint Railway Fosse Navigation boundary post, a title of such length that on the post it was initialled GN&GE FN. Other prices within the popular canal sign sector ranged from £290 down to £30, the latter being achieved by a milepost from the Great Northern Railway-owned Witham Canal that was initialled ‘GNR WN ¾’. Speaking at the end of a busy day after the sale of 550 lots, auctioneer Mike Soden said: “Although the canal signs formed only a small part of the sale, they attracted an enormous amount of interest both beforehand and on the day. “Many railwayana collectors are also interested in other forms of transport, especially historical ones, and this was reflected in the buoyant prices of the canal signs, some which were very rare. Stuart and Kath’s collection was renowned for its variety, and we were delighted with the interest shown by the canal fraternity. It is very unlikely such a selection will be coming up for auction any time soon.” In addition to Stuart and Kath’s collection of signs, the auction, held within Sir William’s railway museum at his Fawley Hill estate near Henley on Thames, featured a variety of other railwayana, including 17 main line steam locomotive nameplates. Top price was
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TOWPATH TITTER
Rare canal signs punch above their weight at top auction By Geoff Courtney
by a breach of the bank near the Perry aqueduct in 1936 and official closure of the canal in 1944. Finally, let me remind you that even though the official Maesbury Canal Festival has been cancelled, we are ‘organising’, (I use the term loosely), our own Maesbury Canal Fayre – see the poster above, or for more details have a look online, or give us a call. Until next time, may your bucket be full of carrots.
CONTINUING our light-hearted look at life on the cut with this contribution from Trevor Baillie and his collie Bill.
Some of the canal signs on display before the auction on June 19 at Sir William McAlpine’s railway museum at Fawley Hill near Henley-on-Thames. The North Walsham Canal Co sign (nearest camera) sold for £540, the Leeds and Liverpool Canal notice for £270, and the Warwick and Napton Canal Navigation sign for £200. PHOTO: GEOFF COURTNEY £46,000 for a nameplate and squadron crest from Southern Railway Battle of Britain class Pacific No. 34078 222 Squadron. Other major realisations were £29,000 for nameplate Knight of the Grand Cross from GWR No. 4018 and £23,000 for Loch Rannoch from LNER No. 61788. The auction was organised jointly by Great Central Railwayana, Great Northern Railwayana, Kath Furniss, and Ian Wright, a close friend of the couple for many years. Stuart, a former schoolteacher, passed away last year at the age of 89. During the latter part of the Second World War he was conscripted as a ‘Bevin Boy’ and worked underground in collieries in the Sheffield and Chesterfield area.
Trevor tells us: “It must be nearly impossible to get these two boats together. We, Paul Metcalf on nb Grumpy Git and me on nb Beau, were at the top of the Wigan Flight waiting overnight to go down to Liverpool Docks at the time.” 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
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